window. A smile spread across his face. Even with all the bullshit with the crowds, today had been fun. Hell, the entire vacation had been damn near perfect. Tomorrow they’d line the beach and reaffirm their promises. For the future, for their families, and for love that bound them to the women and man who made this crazy life worthwhile.
Chapter 14
Frank put his arm around Amanda. The sunset beach ceremony had been perfect. He watched as his grandchildren ran up and down the beach and the men and women he loved, his family, laughed and celebrated with champagne.
The vows they’d repeated were profound and fitting. Knowing Joseph had written them had made them emotional for everyone. The words he’d memorized along with all the others filtered through his mind.
Our love has grown every day. This ring symbolizes my promise to continue to love, honor, and cherish you. Time has only strengthened our union. I will be there for you, in good times and in bad. I vow to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to fulfill my promise. My promise is forged by life, strengthened by your love, and made without reservation.
“Is this what Joseph told you and Gabriel about before we left?” Amanda leaned into him. A piece of her hair blew across her cheek.
He tucked the strand behind her ear and nodded. “Joseph arranged everything.”
Amanda laid her head on his shoulder. “That is quite the sight.”
Frank chuckled at the words. He’d said the same thing many years ago when he first watched the family gather for Talon’s christening. “We have an incredible family.”
Amanda lifted her head and smiled up at him. “But they’re still a handful, aren’t they?”
He laughed, “God, yes.”
Gabriel and Anna moved over beside them. “Look.” He pointed toward Dixon, Drake, and Jacob.
“Oh, no.” Amanda shook her head. “Will they ever grow up?”
“God, I hope not. This is going to be fun.” Anna’s hand covered her mouth, and she laughed.
“Oh, no. Jade’s in on it,” Gabriel chuckled.
Jade pulled Ember away from Joseph, pointing the opposite direction from where Dixon, Drake, and Jacob were coming from. Instinct must have clicked in, but Joseph was a second too late. All three men grabbed Joseph and carried him into the surf.
“I think the idea was to get Joseph wet,” Amanda laughed as Joseph dunked Jacob. A shouted whoop came from Jade, who tackled Dixon and sent him into the water. Jared took down Drake and then all the grandchildren flung themselves into the water. Jason gave a war cry and ran into the surf with Reece on his shoulders.
Frank laughed until tears formed. Gabriel brought a hand down on his shoulder. “I’ve said it before, but those men and women are our nation’s future. I couldn’t imagine how the world would look without them.”
Jewell and Zane walked up to them. Jewell carried her laptop clenched to her chest. “I’m sorry for interrupting. I hate to bring up work when everyone is so happy, but I think I found out what was on Vista’s hard drive.”
Gabriel looked at Frank, and they excused themselves from their wives. They moved over to the corner of the deck. “Go ahead.”
Jewell cleared her throat and opened the tablet. “There were extra letters and numbers in the duplicate code. Vista got more information than we thought, but I don’t think we were his only data-mine because he wouldn’t have gotten this. Not from us. I’m not sure if this is the truth or if the bastard is playing games with us from the grave.”
“Explain that for them.” Zane put his hand on her arm. Whatever she’d found had rattled her. Frank watched as his daughter’s hand trembled so badly she clenched her fist.
“Gabriel, I wouldn’t know the significance of this if I didn’t work this case for you years ago.” She cleared her throat and showed them a screen with random numbers. “I made a program to put the letters into words and then form the most logical sentence from those words. It came up with thousands of sentences, most gibberish, but this made my heart stop.” She pushed the space bar and the following words appeared.
LORI BAKER ENGINEER
Both he and Gabriel recoiled. “The numbers?” Gabriel shot the question out quickly.
“They could be longitude and latitude. The variables, when using them in random order, put them all over the globe. I’d need to get back to my office and go through a process of elimination.”
“What is the likelihood that Stratus has this information?”
“If they have the disk, they have the information. Would they go into the code? I didn’t. Not for years.” Jewell’s eyes brimmed with tears. “If she’s alive, why hasn’t she reached out?” Zane wrapped his arm around her waist.
Gabriel drew a deep breath and slowly released it. “If she didn’t, it means she couldn’t.” He smiled down at Jewell. “You did a fantastic job. We’ll work on this when we get back. This is higher than your brothers’ and sister’s clearance. They don’t need to know. I’ll brief Jason. Go have a drink and relax. Enjoy the rest of your vacation because you’ll be busy when you get back.”
Jewell lowered her gaze and closed her notebook. “I should have looked sooner.”
“You can’t worry about the past.” Frank smiled at her. “It gets you nowhere. Kinda like pitching back and forth in a rocking chair. You’re moving, but you’re not going to get anywhere or do nothing but burn energy.”
Jewell chuckled. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?” She smiled up at him.
“Not lately.” Frank leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Now get. Go jump in the surf with the rest of those idiots.”
Zane gave him a look. “The rest of the idiots?”
Frank grunted. “Caught that, did you?”
Zane laughed and shook his head. “Yes sir, I did.” He smiled down at Jewell. “Come on, babe. We’re done for tonight.”
He watched as the couple sauntered away. “He takes damn good care of her.”
Gabriel nodded. “That he does.”
Frank reached into his pocket and withdrew two pieces of hard candy. “Taffy melts down here.” He handed one to Gabriel and unwrapped the other.
“John said he watched the car blow up with her in it.” Gabriel slowly unwrapped the candy.
“If she survived and someone found out who she was, it could be disastrous.” Frank popped the candy into his mouth. He always found it easier to think when he had a bit of sugar.
Gabriel grunted in agreement. “My dilemma is do I tell him before we investigate?”
“I’d want to know.” The man was going to be beside himself.
“I would too. You’re heading back to the ranch after this, right?”
“I am.” Frank nodded his head. “I’ll tell him.”
“Our country has screwed that man,” Gabriel sighed. “God help me, I hope she’s alive. For John’s sake.”
Frank nodded. Life had a way of twisting and turning. He watched his family laughing and splashing in the water as the sun threw the last brilliant rays of the day. “We made him a promise.”
“We’ll keep it.” Gabriel nodded. “Unless he walks away from our protection, the world will never know that John Smith is still alive.”
To read John Smith’s Story click here!
Also by Kris Michaels
Hope City
HOPE CITY DUET - Brock and Sean
HOPE CITY - Brody- Book 3
Hope City - Ryker - Book 5
Kings of the Guardian Series
Jacob: Kings of the Guardian Book 1
Joseph: Kings of the Guardian Book 2
Adam: Kings of the Guardian Book 3
Jason: Kings of the Guardian Book 4
Jared: Kings of the Guardian Book 5
Jasmine: Kings of the Guardian Book 6
Chief: The Kings of Guardian Book 7
Jewell: Kings of the Guardian Book 8
Jade: Kings of the Guardian Book 9
Justin: Kings of the Guardian Book 10
Christmas with the Kings The Kings of Guardian
Drake: Kings of the Guardian Book 11
Dixon: Kings of the Guardian Book 12
Passages: The Kings of Guardian Book 13
Promises: The Kings of Guardian Book 14
A Backwater Blessing: A Kings of Guardian and Heart's Desire Crossover Novella
Montana Guardian: A Kings of Guardian Novella
Guardian Defenders Series
Gabriel
Maliki
John
Guardian Security Shadow World
Anubis (Guardian Shadow World Book 1)
Asp (Guardian Shadow World Book 2)
Lycos (Guardian Shadow World Book 3)
Thanatos (Guardian Shadow World Book 4)
Tempest (Guardian Shadow World Book 5)
Smoke (Guardian Shadow World Book 6)
STAND ALONE NOVELS
SEAL Forever - Silver SEALs
A Heart's Desire - Stand Alone
Hot SEAL, Single Malt (SEALs in Paradise)
Hot SEAL, Savannah Nights (SEALs in Paradise)
About the Author
USA Today and Amazon Bestselling Author, Kris Michaels is the alter ego of a happily married wife and mother. She writes romance, usually with characters from military and law enforcement backgrounds.