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Instead, I was taking a few months off to spend with the love of my life. Our first destination? The cabin in the woods, attempting to recapture the amazing moments, shoving aside the bad ones. Anywhere with Cobra and I’d be happy.
As soon as we walked into the room, my father stopped talking, lifting his head and beckoning for us. There had to be two hundred people crowded in the room and on the oversized patio, the chilly November temperatures not bothering them in the least.
“I thought this was supposed to be small,” I whispered.
“This is small, princess. Just wait.”
“Great. Remind me to hate you for this.”
Chuckling, he pushed me forward, whispering in my ear to remind me to smile. I felt like a pageant queen by the way people were gushing. I wasn’t certain I could stomach more than a few minutes.
I was handed a glass of champagne by a waiter dressed in a tuxedo. My parents had spared no expense. When I was by his side, I was certain my smile was going to crack.
My father raised his glass and so did everyone else in the room. “Tonight we’re here to celebrate the success of my beautiful daughter, a woman I admire more than almost anyone else. Except for my gorgeous wife of course.”
While everyone laughed, I’d never felt so awkward in my life. When he turned to face me, it was like seeing an entirely different man, a weight lifted. In the last few days, he’d pulled out photographs of Angela, finally bringing her home.
“First of all, allow me to say thank you to my many supporters and friends. Without you, I wouldn’t be here today, excited for the future. I also wanted to announce the creation of a new program benefitting veterans of our military branches. They risk their lives in order to provide protection for ours, yet often they are forgotten after their return. That needs to stop. I’m grateful that my daughter reminded me that my first duty is to family and in doing so, I needed to listen more to my heart.”
I had tears in my eyes as he mentioned the program and I could tell by the look in Jagger’s eyes that he had been asked to provide assistance in developing it. My heart was full for the first time in as long as I could remember.
“Now, to our real celebration. Please lift a glass to Dr. Isabella Adams. Through your discoveries, millions of people will be cured of debilitating diseases, able to live a normal life. If not for your diligence, dedication, and refusal to accept anything less than perfection, this would not be possible. I applaud you and I’m proud of the woman you’ve become.”
As the crowd issued words of congratulations, I only had eyes for Cobra.
“And please take a moment to give thanks to Sergeant Jagger Stone for keeping my daughter safe and providing her with the happiness that is so well deserved. I hope one day I can welcome him officially into the family.”
My eyes opened wide and as I shifted my gaze toward Cobra, he shrugged, the same sly grin on his face I’d seen before.
I’d never believed that a girl like me could find her Prince Charming, but I’d been wrong. I’d just been looking in all the wrong places.
As he inched closer, I realized that for the first time in my life, I was truly happy.
All because of a wounded soldier who’d taught me the true meaning of the word love.
* * *
Jagger
Love.
It had hit me like a ton of bricks. Every day spent with Isabella was a joy, even if she was a handful. Whether or not we’d marry was still in the air, but… I had another gift tucked away for later in the weeks. I noticed the pin on her shirt and sighed. I’d never seen her without it. She was flying free, able to become the woman she wanted, not guided into changing into something her father or anyone else thought she should be.
Including me.
“It’s time,” I growled, slowly turning my head in Isabella’s direction.
She pursed her lips, acting as if pouting was going to get her off the hook. “We just got here.”
“Two hours ago. We’re settled and it’s time.”
I laughed as she turned her begging expression into one that could only be classified as predatory. I had a feeling she would try to scratch out my eyes later. I loved her feistiness. God, the woman made me feel so alive.
In the days since we’d returned, we’d had little time to ourselves other than the nights. I’d been debriefed at least four times, every scrap of information, every piece of intel detailed by high-ranking officials. I’d finally gotten several questions answered, including how Jeremy had been dragged into the plot that had been waiting for the right moment.
The man who’d been our superior while serving in the military had turned coat, able to convince Jeremy that no one cared about him, including me. He’d fed off of Jeremy’s anger at what had happened, offering him a chance to seek revenge. Did I believe Jeremy had any real understanding of what he’d gotten himself mixed up in? No, but that hadn’t altered the outcome. He’d tried to warn me in his own way, knowing I’d eventually figure out what he’d become involved in.
There would be analysts going over the details of the mission for months, but dozens of people involved had been arrested, including the professor who’d been paid very well several years before.
