“We were pretty impressed by her,” Joker agreed.“Which is why we had no problems with Dobby going off mission to rescue her.”
“I need to thank him again when I see him,” Jared said.
Mila yawned, her eyes heavy.It didn’t seem to matter she’d slept the afternoon away, she was still tired.
“Come on, I’ll show you to your quarters,” Jared said, taking her arm.
She shook her head.“I’m not going until I make sure Damien’s all right.”
“They won’t keel-haul him,” Jared joked.“I’m pretty sure they’ve done away with that punishment.”
“I don’t care.I’ll wait with the team.”She glanced at them.“If you don’t mind.”
Radar nodded his approval and Joker and Axle both smiled at her, Joker patting the seat next to him.
She settled in to wait.
It was two hours later before Damien walked into the room accompanied by a corporal.He looked exhausted, but his eyes widened when he saw her.“Why aren’t you in bed?”
“I’m waiting for you.”She got up so he could have her chair.“What did they say?”
“They’re threatening a dishonourable discharge.They say the international implications could have been catastrophic.”
Her breath left her.“Are they crazy?They risked international implications rescuing that worthless piece of shit, Vance.”
A smile played on his lips.“It’s called politics, sweetheart.”
This was ridiculous.Dobby deserved a medal not a discharge.“I’ll give them politics,” Mila said.“Where are they?I want to have a word to them.”
Though all the men smiled, none of them, not even her brother, made a move to show her.
She was tired of running from confrontation, of being indecisive and avoiding conflict.That’s what got her here in the first place.“Do not test me,” Mila snarled.“I’ve had a terrible twenty-four hours and if someone doesn’t show me to these imbeciles right now, I will shout down this boat.”
“Milly, you can’t order command around.You’ll make it worse.”Jared smiled.
“Don’t patronise me,” she snapped.“I know how to talk to these men.”
The corporal cleared his throat.“Ah, are you Mila Watkins?”
She spun to him.“Yes, I am.”
He fought back a nervous smile.“They want to speak with you too.”
She grinned at the apprehensive looks on the team’s faces.“Good.Lead the way.”
She was ready to fight for the man she loved.
The realisation made her pause, but the rightness swept over her.
It was her turn to protect him.
By the time they reached the room where three very important people were seated around a table, she had controlled her initial outrage.She recognised the insignia on the uniforms; major, colonel and major-general.
Her brother was right, these men wouldn’t respond to theatrics or demands so she had to be calm and calculated.
The Major-General nodded at her.“Your mother was pleased to hear you’re safe.”
Mila smiled.She’d met the man at the fundraiser where she’d met Vance.“Thank you for telling her.”
