Chapter Forty-nine
Sam could see how affected Sophia was from the evening’s events, that she’d jammed all the stress behind her while they still had work to do. His heart accepted that it had found her. The perfect partner for a lifetime position as his one and only.
This strong woman didn’t take anything for granted or shrug off the painful happenings she’d suffered because of her job. He loved that about her. Hell, he loved her.
When the words burst free in the shower, her reaction had been everything he’d hoped for. She’d nestled close to let him soothe her, and then she’d whispered in return, “You’re all that matters.”
He’d lifted her in his arms then and turned off the water, dried her with the fluffy towels, and placed her in the bed next to him where he held her in his arms while they both slept. It was hours later that his hungry lips and tender hands showed her just how much she really meant to a man who’d been a loner for too many years.
***
A few hours later, Marc called Sam with the updates on their other stakeouts, and thankfully, all had gone as planned. Their only outstanding case now was the container full of the last detainees Manos had organized. His partners stateside had all been arrested thanks to Bruner who had reached out to various other FBI offices to step in. And when the shipment arrived, there would be a team waiting for them at the New York and New Jersey wharf.
He felt a huge relief to know that all those hostages would be free, many to return home. Maybe a few would luck out with jobs in places better than they’d left. Like Anastasia, who would now have a choice.