PROTECTING THE FUTURE is
the last book in the
SEAL of Protection
Series. Iβve had many people ask me why Iβm ending the series when itβs
been so popular. For one thing I never intended the series to be thirty books
long. I think I, and the readers too, would get bored. I also donβt want to be
pigeon-holed into being a writer who only writes βSEALβ books.
βBut Susan, the series is popular, youβre crazy to end it when everyone loves
it!β
Maybe, but Iβm hoping my readers will read my other books as well. Heck, Iβm
addicted to the βdamsel in distressβ trope and even though Cookie and Benny and
the others wonβt have books about them anymore, my Heroes will always have
someone to rescue (and need to be rescued in their own way right back).
βMaybe you can write about their KIDS!β
Nope. I donβt particularly like writing (or reading) about the kids of my Heroes
and heroines, because that means that those Heroes and heroines will get
OLDβ¦.gasp! Canβt have that! I want them to live on in my mind exactly the same
age they are on the pages of the books.
βBut Iβm gonna MISS those SEALs!β
Honestly? Me too. BUT, they will continue to make cameos in my other books.
Heck, Tex? Heβs in everything! Youβll see Mozart and Summer in an upcoming
bookβ¦and the others will make appearances too.
Itβs about keeping the story lines fresh and exciting, and I never want a reader
to think to themselves, after the 30
th SEAL book, βIβve read this
beforeβ or βThis sounds exactly like Protecting Alabamaβ or whatever.
Caroline lay in bed with one arm slung over her husbandβs chest and idly ran her
fingers over his nipple. They were both content and sated after making love for
the second time that night.
βDo you think theyβll ever find her?β
βWho, darlinβ?β
βPenelope. That woman who was kidnapped in the Middle East.β
Matthew βWolfβ Steel shifted under his wife and kissed her forehead lightly.
βProbably not.β He felt Caroline sigh as she turned her head into his chest and
nuzzled farther into him.
βI canβt help but imagine myself in her place,β Caroline said sadly.
βIce, I canβtββ
βNo, I know. Itβs not the same thing really at all, but every time theyβve shown
that video of her and how sheβs probably being forced to say all those horrible
things, all I can think of is that her tone doesnβt match the look in her eyes.β
βWhat do you mean?β Wolf asked, genuinely curious.
βShe sounds meek and serious, but I swear, Matthew, her eyes look pissed. As if
sheβs just waiting for her chance to turn around and kill all those men who are
keeping her captive. And I see it because I know just how she feels. When I was
kidnapped and that jerk was filming me, I was saying one thing, but deep inside
felt something way different. And I was doing everything I could to send a
message to you, and whoever else might watch that video, through my eyes. I
know, it was stupid to think you could actually read what I wanted to say in my
eyes, but inside I was thinking about how much I loved you. I was trying to tell
you where I was, and I was pleading for you to come and find me. I could be
wrong, but itβs obvious, at least to me, that Penelope Turner is trying to say
many of the same things.β
Wolf turned until Caroline was on her back and he loomed over her. He braced
himself up on an elbow and brushed a strand of her dark hair behind her ear with
his other hand. She grabbed his biceps and looked up at him with such love, he
still had to pinch himself sometimes to make sure it was real.
Three years had passed since heβd made her his wife, and every day since then he
thanked his lucky stars theyβd found each other. She made him happier than heβd
ever been in his life.
βYeah, I saw it back then as I watched you on tape, and I see it in Sergeant
Turner now.β
Caroline bit her lip, then asked, βDo you think theyβreβ¦hurting her?β
Wolf kept his voice low and tried to sound reassuring. βItβs hard to say.
Theyβre certainly keeping her for a reason, probably because sheβs small,
blonde, and a woman. They want to force the world to pay more attention to them
and take them seriously.β
βYou mean the bombing of that wedding last month didnβt do it?β Carolineβs tone
showed her irritation.
Wolf shook his head, amazed that he could fall in love with his wife more every
time she opened her mouth. He loved that she didnβt take things at face value,
that she felt deeply and wasnβt afraid to speak her mind. βUnfortunately, no.
They need something bigger than that. And kidnapping a group of Americans isnβt
big, not like on the scale that 9/11 was, but if they keep the U.S.
distractedβand putting a beautiful, petite woman on television and making her
say anti-American and anti-British things is distractingβperhaps they can work
their way up to another grand gesture.β
βI love you, Matthew.β
Wolf smiled down at Caroline, not surprised at her change in subject. βI love
you too, Ice.β
In
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