Special Ops Christmas Read Online Free Page B

the civilian passengers and edgy excitement in Aiden and
his team. He couldn’t believe his luck—that he was on a plane right now,
heading home. It wasn’t luck, actually.
    During the long flight, Aiden couldn’t call Vivianne, so he
started an email, pouring out his heart and soul. He wished he were better with
words so he could write poetry, something romantic and sweet and a maybe bit
risqué. Damn, he was so eager to tell her he was on his way home, but he wanted
to surprise her even more.
     
    Vivianne, it was so good to hear your voice. I don’t
think you know this, but it’s you who holds me together. You are my center. I
do my job and I come back you, and that’s when I feel like the real me.
    I want to be a rock for you too, but I often feel
inadequate to do so. I know I should express my self-doubt to you rather than
leave you guessing my feelings. If I am given the chance, I will show you just
how much my very essence is intertwined with yours and that I am incomplete
without you. I will commit to nurturing our union, including keeping the lines
of communication open.
    Vivianne, I admit I am not the best at putting my real
feelings in writing, and that is why I ask you to please just hang on until can
I express them in person through my actions.
    All my love, Aiden.
     
    Not too bad. It said everything he wanted to tell Vivianne
and, maybe, it would show her just how deeply and fully he loved her.
    He dozed on and off for the rest of the flight. As they
neared the U.S., he woke up and found he couldn’t settle his thoughts on a
single topic. On one hand, he felt unspeakable joy at the thought of seeing his
heart, his Vivianne.
    Yet, on the other hand, he knew there was much work to be
done to restore their relationship. There was the old hurt over his stupid,
senseless flirting with that woman. He and Vivianne had talked and talked about
that, but he knew hurt remained. He knew how it’d shattered her trust. So he
questioned his ability to convince Vivianne of what she truly meant to him.
Would she fully forgive him for that, plus for not being there for her…and be
able to return his love? He had seen marriages dissolve even when the two
people still loved one another. That’s what happened to Vinny Daniels and his
wife. The love had been there, but not the will to save the marriage.
    Now, sitting in this big flying metal bin, he agonized over
whether he and Vivianne would suffer the same fate, or if they could work hard
enough, together, to make their marriage last. The first question would be if
Vivianne even wanted to try.
    Hopefully all this wouldn’t be for nothing. His friends, as
well as MCPO Arora, had taken a huge risk in order to pull this off. If the men
ended up paying the consequences, Aiden didn’t want them to learn his marriage
was over.
    He didn’t know MCPO Arora on a personal level, so he wasn’t
sure why the officer had intervened on his behalf. But he didn’t for one moment
question the motives of his friends. He wouldn’t hesitate to do the same for
any of them, no questions asked. If only he could get rid of the nagging
thought that this was not the end of the matter; he knew they might have to answer
for their part in this plan. He, of course, planned to accept complete
responsibility for his role, but he just prayed that the fallout would not be
too costly for the other men.
    The Captain announced it was time to prepare to land. He had
made it to the U.S. as long as he was able to get through security with his
fake I.D.
    Landing again on U.S. soil always gave Aiden a rush of
happiness and a sense of accomplishment after a mission. A few times they’d
come back with heavy hearts after losing someone; each member of the team knew
his occupation carried a high-risk factor. But this time the mission had been
successful. Aiden wanted the same success for his marriage.

Chapter Seven
     
     
    Christmas music filled the air everywhere, on nearly every
radio station, throughout