Free The Defiant Hero by Suzanne Brockmann

friendship would be completely inappropriate.

    It was one evening that he was sitting beside her daughter, coloring in her Anastasia coloring book while Meg pulled more files off her computer, that he looked over Amy’s head and spoke to Meg in French.

    He was a languages specialist, and out of all the languages they’d found they both spoke with proficiency, French was the one for which they shared a similar high level of understanding.

    “I had a meeting today with the ambassador.”

    Meg looked up at him, waiting for him to continue.

    He set down the blue crayon he’d used to color in Anastasia’s ballgown. “Your husband was there.”

Meg glanced at Amy. They’d lived in Paris for several years. “Was he?” she replied—in German.

    “Ja.” He smiled his understanding. “I don’t mean to pry,” he said in German, too, “and at first I thought I shouldn’t say anything, that this is probably none of my business, but I have to tell you that I overheard something another man asked him, something about, well, his estrangement from his wife. His estrangement from you.”

    “You’re right,” she said, focusing her attention back on the computer screen. “That’s not your business.”

    “Are you sure, Meg?” he said quietly. “Because if my being here has caused a problem—if your helping me has made him that angry with you . . . I mean, it’s obvious he’s still really pissed at me. He actually suggested turning me over to the Kazbekistanis in place of Abdelaziz.”

    Meg looked up at him then. “They can’t seriously be considering—”

    He smiled fleetingly at her concern. “No. It’s just . . .” He sighed and started over. “Your husband’s taking this personally, and as much I enjoy your visits, if it’s making things bad for you at home . . .” He shook his head. “I’m never going to be able to thank you for everything you’ve done. The thought that I’m causing you problems is making me crazy.”

    “On Christmas, I found out that Daniel had an affair.” There it was. The truth. She hadn’t told anyone, hadn’t even said the words aloud before now. Meg’s eyes filled with tears that she desperately tried to blink back. She stood up. “It’s almost Amy’s bedtime.”

    John stood up, too. “Are you and Daniel . . . separating?”

    “I don’t know,” she admitted, still speaking in German so that Amy couldn’t understand. “I kicked him out on Christmas. I give him another day or two before he comes to negotiate his return.

    “And will I take him back?” she added, anticipating his next question. “I don’t know.” Yes, she did, and yes, she probably would. For Amy’s sake. “The affair happened a while ago—he says he hasn’t even spoken to this woman in over a year and a half. But . . . it’s not the first time he’s cheated on me.”

    Why was she telling him this?

    They were friends, she realized. She trusted John Nilsson as much as he trusted her.

    “He doesn’t deserve you,” he said quietly.

    Meg managed a smile as she gently tugged on one of her daughter’s ponytails. “Come on, Ames,” she said in English. “Time to go.”

    Later that night, long after Amy was in bed, there was a knock on the door to her apartment.

    Meg opened the door expecting Daniel.

    But it was John.

    He was flanked by guards and wearing the greatcoat and clothing he’d had on the day they’d first met.

    “I’m going home,” he told her.

    Meg had suspected the SEAL was going to be allowed to leave soon, but . . . “Tonight?”

    He nodded, looking past her to the small living room, taking in the fact that she was alone. “May I come in for a minute?”

    She stepped back and he came inside, closing the door behind him, leaving the guards outside.

    Before she could speak, before she could even think, he pulled her into his arms and held her close. “Christ, Meg, I’m going to miss you.”

    She resisted for all of a half a second, and then