Page 37 of Her Loving Hero

How?

She panned around the room, her eyes landing on the computer. She could go to Loma Linda hospital, and ask about Ben Leeds, but would they let her see him? Her stomach turned to bat wings, no butterflies for this girl. She tried not to gag as she forced herself to think of something she could do. Of someone who could help. She thought back to a conversation she’d had with Wyatt when he’d shown her around his townhome.

“Emily, are you listening?” She remembered Wyatt teasing her before he left. It was when she’d been rocking back and forth in his cool office chair.

“I always listen to you,” she’d purred. It had made him burst into laughter.

She loved that she could flirt now.

“This is serious Em.” He’d held up a cheap cell phone. It had seemed so incongruent amongst all the expensive computer equipment. “This is a burner phone that you can use. It has all of the Black Dawn team members logged in. Dex is number one, my lieutenant is number two, then my second in command is number three.”

“Shouldn’t he be number two?” she’d teased. But she’d been leaning forward, staring intently at the phone so Wyatt had known she’d been listening.

“You have the makings of an A-1 smartass.” He put the phone back in the drawer after explaining who everyone was on the Black Dawn SEAL team. “Normally Dex would be your go-to guy, but he just had a baby girl, so if something goes wrong ping my lieutenant. I trust Gray Tyler with my life.”

Emily had shivered. She remembered all of those men from when they had rescued her in Saudi Arabia. Especially Aiden O’Malley, the second in command. He was the team medic. He had been in the back of the truck as they drove from Saudi to Bahrain, taking care of her the entire way. Emily knew without a doubt they were trustworthy. They were honorable. It was just that they clawed up memories buried so deep that she had hoped never to see them again. That meant the men and the memories. Wyatt was different, he hadn’t been on that mission, he’d been liaising from the U.S., she’d only heard his voice. Somehow that made it easier.

“Emily, are you okay?” Wyatt had asked.

She smiled. “Of course, I am. I’ll call them if I need them,” she assured Wyatt.

So now Emily found herself fishing in her purse for the keys to the back bedroom that contained Wyatt’s secret lair of computer equipment. She turned on the light and sat down at the desk. When she pulled out the burner phone, she dialed two and hoped Gray Tyler wouldn’t answer.

“This is Tyler,” a low voice growled.

* * *

Wyatt senta quick text to Kane, letting him know that one of the twins was off the boat, then started moving starboard. Wyatt got closer to Carly and was amazed with what he saw. The dress might be too tight to be Emily, but she’d done her hair and make-up so that she was almost a mirror image of her older sister.

He walked up to where she was smiling demurely between an overweight Caucasian and three Middle Easterners. Everybody’s attention was squarely on her. Wyatt knew he couldn’t very well push his way into the conversation, so he looked around and saw that the same couple who had weirdly flirted with him were standing close by. He sidled up to the two of them.

“I never did get your name,” Wyatt said, giving his best smile to the wife. “I hate not being on a first name basis with a beautiful lady.”

He watched as the woman preened.

“Helene,” she cooed as she took her time kissing him on both cheeks in the European style. He took a step backwards, and the couple moved closer to him. It put him nearer to Carly’s group.

“I realize you’re in risk management. I assume that means you try to contain risks, but does that mean you don’t like taking risks yourself?” she asked in a husky voice. The woman made his skin crawl.

“I’ve been known to take a couple of risks, now and then. Especially when pleasure is involved,” Wyatt answered.

“My wife likes her pleasure,” George said.

Where’s a barf bag when you need one?

“The minister is saying that for the right kinds of incentives, they would be interested in having you join our company’s board of directors.” He overheard Carly say in English to the heavyset white man.

“What’s in it for me. How would I make money being on the board? I need assurances that my company would be able to do business in Oman. A lot of business. So far, Oman has only brought in UAE excavators, despite the fact that my company has a proven track record in the US and all through Latin and South America. And tell this Yemini guy that his country is too volatile, we don’t want to do business with them, only be nice when you say it, okay Darlin’?”

Carly translated in a very diplomatic manner, but the three Middle Easterners clearly understood what the American had said, her translation was for show. They were talking amongst themselves, and they were not impressed with the American. Wyatt saw that his two companions were listening just as intently as he was. It seemed everyone but the rude American could speak Arabic.

“How long have you lived in Oman?” he asked the couple.

“Oh, we live in Dubai,” Helene said. “So much more hospitable.” This time instead of playing with her necklace, she touched her flashy bracelet.

Was he supposed to be impressed?

“A position on the board of directors is very prestigious. You would be the only American ever afforded such an opportunity. To decline such an offer would be seen as a sign of disrespect.” Carly said smoothly.