A Promise to Protect and Gut Instinct by Suzanne Brockmann

Author:Suzanne Brockmann
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-09-20T13:03:45+00:00

Chapter 17

They’d won.

Well, they weren’t going to be able to bring the orphans back to the United States at the end of the week, but no one had really expected that. The Tulgerian government had given the Relief Aid volunteers permission to move the children to a location near the American Embassy. Paid for, of course, with American dollars.

The other good news was that the government was making it possible for American citizens to travel to the capital city, Tulibek, to petition to adopt. The older children in particular would be allowed to leave, for exorbitant adoption fees.

It was a victory—although it was a bittersweet one for Colleen. She was sitting, looking out the window, her forehead against the glass, as the bus moved steadily north, into the even more dangerous war zone.

Bobby watched her, well aware of what she was thinking. In a matter of minutes they would arrive at the hospital where the children had been taken after the orphanage had been destroyed. As they went inside, Analena wouldn’t be among the children who rushed to greet her.

Yes, it was a bittersweet victory for Colleen.

It was a city bus—this vehicle they were in. Some of the hard plastic seats faced forward, some faced the center of the bus. There was space for people to stand, bars and straps to hold on to.

Colleen was facing forward, and the seat next to her was empty. He sat down beside her, wishing for the privacy that came with seats that had high backs. He lowered his voice instead. “You okay?”

She wiped her eyes, forced a smile. “I’m great.”

Yeah, sure she was. He wanted to hold her hand, but he didn’t dare touch her. “The past few days have been crazy, huh?”

She gave him another smile. “Yeah, I’ve been glad many times over that you and Alpha Squad are here.”

God, he’d missed her. When Thomas King had given him her message—don’t come over—he’d known that it was over between them. Right up until then he’d harbored hope. Maybe if he went to her and told her that he loved her... Maybe if he begged, she’d agree to keep seeing him. And maybe someday she’d fall in love with him, too.

“You and Wes are on friendlier terms again,” she noted. “I mean, at least you seem to be talking.”

Bobby nodded, even though that was far from the truth. The final insult in this whole messed-up situation was the damage he’d done to his decade of friendship with Wes. It seemed irreparable.

Wes was talking to him, sure—but it was only an exchange of information. They weren’t sharing their thoughts, not the way they used to. When he looked at Wes, he could no longer read the man’s mind.

How much of that was his own fault, his own sense of guilt? He didn’t know.

“Life goes on, huh?” Colleen said. “Despite all the disappointments and tragedies. There’s always good news happening somewhere.” She gestured to the bus, to the four other Relief Aid volunteers who sat quietly talking in the back of the bus.

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