Page 107 of Duty Devoted
The love and trust in her eyes stole my breath.
She believed me. After everything, she still believed.
And that was worth more than any mission, any success, any victory.
Epilogue
Lauren
One year later
The weightof the medical pack on my shoulders felt right in a way that a designer purse never had. I adjusted the straps as I stepped out of the SUV into the humid Ecuador morning, the familiar scent of approaching rain mixing with jet fuel from the private airfield.
“Weather’s moving in fast,” Logan said from beside me, his hand finding the small of my back in that protective gesture I’d grown to love. “We should load up.”
I watched him assess the darkening sky, that hypervigilance still present but channeled now into something productive. The past months had been a journey for both of us—therapy sessions that actually helped, medication adjustments, learning to trust again. Some days were harder than others, but we faced them together.
“Dr. Valentino!” Ty’s voice carried across the tarmac. “About time you showed up. Some of us have been working since dawn.”
“Don’t believe his lies.Someof us were actually working instead of flirting with the client’s assistant,” Jace called out from where he was loading equipment into the Gulfstream.
I grinned at their familiar banter. When Logan had first suggested I join Citadel’s new medical division, I’d been skeptical. But Ethan’s vision made sense—having embedded medical support on certain missions, especially those involving civilian extraction or protection details in remote areas. It turned out my experience in Corazón was exactly the kind of background they needed.
“How’s our patient?” I asked as we approached the plane.
“Stable but anxious,” Jace reported. “The ambassador’s daughter is convinced she’s dying from that scorpion sting, despite the local doctor’s assurance it was nonlethal.”
“Anxiety can make symptoms worse,” I said, already shifting into doctor mode. “I’ll talk to her again once we’re airborne.”
The past year had been a revelation. Three weeks out of every month, I worked standard protection details with Citadel—mostly medical support for extraction teams or on-site care for clients in areas with limited health care. The fourth week, Logan and I volunteered with medical missions through a new organization Sophia had connected us with.
It was the perfect balance. I got to use my skills where they were needed most, but with the backup and protection that kept us safe. Logan got to stay active in the field while working through his PTSD with professionals who understood combat trauma.
“Logan, you’re with me in the cockpit,” Andrew called out. “Want to go over the extraction route one more time.”
Logan squeezed my hand before following Andrew. I watched him go, noting how much healthier he looked. The shadows under his eyes had faded, the weight he’d lost during those terrible two months of running had returned. He still hadnightmares sometimes, still flinched at unexpected crowds, but he was healing.
We both were.
“So—” Ty appeared at my elbow as I organized my medical supplies “—heard you two crazy kids are making it official.”
I glanced at the ring on my left hand—nothing fancy, just a simple band with a small diamond that Logan had picked out himself. He’d proposed last month after a particularly challenging mission in Honduras, when we’d successfully extracted a kidnapped journalist and provided medical care for his injuries.
Logan had waited until we were alone on the beach near our hotel, then dropped to one knee and told me he never wanted to face another mission without knowing I’d be there when he got home.
“Next month,” I confirmed. “Small ceremony at Ethan and Mel’s ranch.”
“About time,” Ty said. “The way he looks at you makes the rest of us feel like we’re intruding on something private.”
“The way she looks at him is just as bad,” Jace added, joining us. “It’s disgusting. All that genuine affection and mutual support.”
I laughed, but their teasing held real warmth. This team had become family over the past months. They’d stood by Logan through his darkest moments, staged interventions when needed, and welcomed me without hesitation.
The plane’s engines started, and we all moved to secure ourselves for takeoff. I found my seat next to the ambassador’s daughter, a young woman who looked pale and scared despite the IV line the local doctor had started.
“Hi, I’m Dr. Valentino,” I said, automatically checking her vitals. “Tell me how you’re feeling.”
As we took off, she launched into her symptoms, and I settled into the familiar rhythm of patient care. This was what I was meant to do—help people, make a difference, save lives. But now I did it as part of a team that watched my back, with protocols that kept everyone safe, and with the man I loved by my side.
