Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 61190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Damn it, she was right. I would keep her safe, and the guys would help me without question. Having a translator would help us a lot too, especially when talking to the rebels about battle strategy.
“Are you sure? There’s no turning back once I get clearance from my superior,” I asked her.
Brianna smiled and nodded.
“I’m sure. This is what I want,” she assured me.
The thought of her coming into battle with me scared the hell out of me, but we would finally get to be together. She wouldn’t feel neglected, and we could fix our marriage. Because if I didn’t let her come along, I feared that would be the end for us.
“Pack your bags. We’re going to Vlasica.”
Chapter 3
Brianna
“Raise your right hand and repeat after me.”
With a deep inhale, I lifted my right hand as I faced the commissioned officer, my nerves and excitement ringing through me. I felt David’s eyes on me as he watched me take my oath from the back of the room. It was the last step that I had to take before officially being taken on as a military translator.
As the uniformed officer spoke the oath, I listened closely and repeated his words.
“I, Brianna Grady, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies,” I repeated, speaking with my chin raised and my voice projected. My words mirrored his, detailing my promise of service and loyalty as I entered this unexpected, crazy chapter of my life.
Once my last word rang throughout the small ceremony room, the commissioned officer nodded in approval, prompting me to smile and shake his hand. I heard David clapping from me from the back, and as soon as I was cleared to go, I threw myself in his arms.
“Look at you. The United States’ newest military translator,” David said with a chuckle before kissing the top of my head. “I’m proud of you.”
“Your superior wouldn’t have cleared me without your influence,” I pointed out.
David shrugged.
“Maybe. But he wouldn’t have approved of you if you weren’t damn good at your job, which you are,” he replied as he rubbed my upper arms. A serious look filled his face. “But I need you to remember that we’re going into dangerous territory. You have to be careful and listen to me.”
I nodded in understanding, my heart thumping heavily as images of war and bloodshed flashed through my mind. What if things turned out to be ten times worse than how I was imagining them to be?
“I’ll be careful and listen to you,” I assured him.
David’s expression softened.
“Let’s help these rebels take back their home then,” he replied, his eyebrows drawing down in determination.
If I wasn’t motivated to join him before, I was inspired now. I was already beyond the moon that we wouldn’t be apart again for another few months. But I also knew the possible consequences of my decision.
David’s work was dangerous, and he dealt with threatening individuals and risky situations that I might find myself in now too. However, my biggest fear was losing the love of my life, whether that was because he went down in battle or our marriage failed. I didn’t want to lose David in any way, and I didn’t see myself surviving another few years of us hardly seeing each other.
Desperate times certainly called for desperate measures. Besides, I could use the work since I recently finished up a freelance project, and I loved anything that had to do with languages. I already knew Spanish and Italian by the time I graduated high school. More followed, including Vlasic. I never thought I’d actually get the chance to use it.
But as life had proven a thousand times over, it was utterly unpredictable.
“Vlasica, here we come,” David said as our Uber approached the drop-off area of the airport.
I reached out and took his hand, drawing his blue eyes to mine. There were more defined lines on his face now, but I loved every single part of him. I enjoyed growing older with him, and I still saw the bright-eyed, adoring man that I met in my twenties.
“It’ll be okay,” I promised him. I put him under a lot of pressure by making this decision, but I could tell he knew that we needed to do this.
The side of David’s mouth turned up a little as he nodded. He leaned forward and pressed a lingering kiss against my forehead before the car rolled to a stop by the sidewalk. We thanked the driver and got our luggage out of the trunk before heading into the baggage area of the airport.
Usually, I took over when we took trips, planning everything out and taking the lead at the airport or at the hotel, but I let him lead the way this time. It was his rodeo, and I was the one who needed to adapt.