Rule Breaker

Black Ops: Project ROOT

TL Reeve

Michele Ryan

After Glows Publishing

Rule Breaker

© Copyright 2017 TL Reeve and Michele Ryan

Published by After Glows

PO Box 224

Middleburg, FL 32050

AfterGlowsPublishing.com

Cover by LKO Designs

Formatting by AG Formatting

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

AfterGlowsPublishing.com

To the readers,

Thank you for sticking by mine and Michele’s sides through this wild, fantastic ride. We hope you enjoy Rule Breaker as much as we had fun writing it.

TL and Michele

Contents

Glossary of Names

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Epilogue

About TL Reeve

About Michele Ryan

Note from the Publisher

Glossary of Names

Asher Rainer – Commander of R.O.O.T. Has been with the division since its inception. Worked closely with his uncle, Senator Jackson Winters.

Jake O’Malley – Second in Command, often referred to as 2IC. Best friend to Asher and a moody bastard on a good day.

Noah Hanover – Team’s sniper who has a smart mouth and very hyper. A lethal combination for a man who can kill you from a great distance and you not even be aware you’re about to die.

Drew Callahan – Teams Communication/Lindquist expert. Former SEAL who’s determined to do his job, and do it correctly.

Alex Schoell – Former Army EOD expert who is now the team’s weapons expert. His favorite weapon of choice—Ak-47. The other team members wonder if he sleeps with the damn thing.

Murray – Resident hacker and computer expert. Mostly stays at base providing support.

Senator Jackson Winters – Asher’s uncle, Senator and Chairman of the Council which overseas R.O.O.T.

Brigadier General Blackwell – One of Asher’s superiors. During normal circumstances, Asher deals with the General the most.

Dr. Rae Mackenzie – A doctor working for Doctors Without Borders. A pediatrician who specializes in infectious and autoimmune diseases.

Joseph Franks – Medic, relatively new to Barclay. Has a wife named Sydney, a daughter named Gabby and a son on the way.

1

“Juan is waiting for you in Room One, Doctor Rae.” Maria placed the patient folder on the table next to her. “He says his belly is aching again.”

Didn’t surprise her. Even in the twenty-first century, cholera could rear its head at the most inopportune time. Three weeks ago, monsoon season started, and with it, the rains. Puerto Nariño, Colombia, took the brunt of the last storm. The flood washed away a good portion of the roadways and killed the water supply and rudimentary sewer system. Within days, the majority of the people had some symptoms of cholera. Thankfully, the Red Cross brought in supplies to combat the deadly bacterial disease.

“I’ll be right there.” In the six months since she’d taken the assignment, Rae Kenzie had put in long hours for some of the most rewarding work. She’d been all over the world and didn’t think she could ever work at a stationary hospital again.

While in medical school, Doctors Without Borders had come to her classes to explain their programs. It wasn’t a recruiting thing. She needed real experience first. Taking a position in emergency medicine had been worth it in the long run after her residency. The quickened pace came in handy while working some of the most heinous war-torn areas. Sure, she gave up the luxury of home to work in some of the worst conditions, but she’d do it again in a heartbeat.

As a pediatrician, she’d been highly sought after. Her training in infectious disease and autoimmune therapy had made her a gold star at the top of the chart. It also put her in some of the most dangerous conditions. Last year, she’d been in Syria. She feared before long, Aleppo would fall, and those children left behind would die as well. She prayed every night the United Nations would step in and put a hard stop to the destruction.

“Dr. Rae. Dr. Rae!” A little dark-haired girl ran straight for her. Isabella Sanchez. The girl’s toothless grin always warmed her heart. Rae had set her arm after her home collapsed under brutal winds. The bright pink cast had lifted the girl’s spirits, but not as much as a bowl of strawberry ice cream.

“Isabella.” She hugged the girl tightly. “How are you, sweetheart?”

“Good. Mama has present for you.”

Her mother presented her with a package wrapped in plain brown butcher paper and white twine. “Gracias por ayudar a mi hija.”

“De nada.” She smiled, untying the rope. She’d never hesitate to help Isabella again if the need came. She placed the cord on the counter and opened the paper. The beautiful multicolored shawl sitting inside the wrappings took her breath away. Bright reds, golds, and greens were complimented by ivory and cream. She almost didn’t want to touch it. “For me?”

Isabella’s mother nodded. “Sí.” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Por Isabella.”

She placed the gift on the desk and enveloped the woman in a hug. “Por Isabella.” Yes, the people didn’t have much in the tiny village, but what they did have was heart, in spades. She stepped back then took the little girl’s hand. “Come on, let’s see how your arm is doing today.”

Maria grabbed up her package and carted it behind Rae as she made her way down the hall to one of the open rooms. When she had the little girl on the table, she glanced at Maria who nodded. “Okay, Isabella, let’s get your cast off so Dr. Rae can X-ray your arm.”

Rae closed the door behind her and set out for Juan’s room. She knew the little boy wouldn’t be there if he felt well. He’d been a trooper through the worst of the sickness. When she stepped into his room, his father sat in the chair next to the table while the little boy lay with his eyes closed and his mouth open slightly. The pallor of his skin shocked her. Green along his jaw gave way to pale cheeks and a bit of yellowing under his eyes. She frowned.

Rae grabbed his folder and glanced at his symptoms. Upper abdominal pain. Yellowing of the skin. Fever. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Poor kid. She gently nudged him, and though the poor baby was sicker than a dog, he grinned. “Hi, Juan.”

“Buenos dias, Dr. Rae.” His lips thinned as he rolled onto his back.

“Not feeling well today?”

He gave a quick shake of his head and pointed to his bloated belly. “Hurts.”

“I bet it does. Maria already took some blood, so I won’t be doing that again.” She glanced at his father. “Has he eaten anything in the last two days?”

“No.” Sadness filled his father’s eyes. “Nothing.”

“Give me one minute.” She squeezed his shoulder and walked out. The small lab they used was across the hall from his room. She had a sneaking suspicion she knew what happened to him. But to treat it properly, she needed the right diagnosis.

Sitting on the printer, the white piece of paper held the key to what ailed Juan. Sometimes curing one disease brought on another. And in the little boy’s case, he hadn’t been the exception to the rule. He went big. Acute pancreatitis. There were several different antibiotics she could use with modifying his diet a little. Bland foods at first. Nothing acidic, even fruit. Then little by little as he got better, they could add more of his favorite foods.

She crossed the hall and entered the room. “You’re going to be just fine, sweetheart.” Rae showed the father the diagnosis and then explained it in the simplest terms possible. Juan would need antibiotics and rest. In a few days, he would start feeling better, and in a week, he should be back to playing soccer with his other playmates at school.

The relief in his father’s eyes almost knocked her feet out from under her. Juan’s family had been hit particularly hard during the flood. His mother and baby sister had been washed away. His older brother had been badly hurt and transported to a hospital in Bogotá where he remained in a drug-induced coma to help reduce the swelling in his brain. The situation was still touch and go.

“Gracias.” His father gripped her hand in an affectionate way.

“My pleasure.” She smiled. “I’ll have Maria come in and start his IV.”

On her way back to Isabella’s room, she stopped to wash her hands and check the schedule. She had a few appointments to go for the day, but the majority of the people who came to see her and her team were walk-ins, and a good portion of them tried to pay. To see the relief on their faces when she waved off their money or their goods when they left was payment in full.

The door flew open and a man carrying twins no more than nine months old rushed into the small waiting room. Sweat rolled down his brow, the pulse at his neck throbbed, his face twisted with fear. His rapid Spanish made it hard for her to keep up. She held up her finger as she rushed to him to grab one of the babies.

“Maria!”

The door to Isabella's door flew open and her assistant ran out. “What's—merde!” She took the other baby from his arms. “They were playing. A snake. They've been bit.”

“Let's get them to a room. Does he know what bit them?”

“Sí.” A woman rushed through the door carrying a bag.

“Is it dead?” She gave Maria a sideways glance. No way in hell they needed a live poisonous snake in the office.

“He killed it. Chopped off the head.” She grinned as she laid the baby on the table beside his sister. “I got a puncture mark on him.”

“Nothing on her.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she removed the shirt and shorts the baby girl had been wearing. “I'm not seeing anything. I think she's okay.” The little girl stared up at her while the boy didn't move. His skin turned a sickly shade of white, probably from shock and fear. To be on the safe side, they had to know what they were dealing with. “We need the snake.”

“I'll get it.”

The woman appeared at the door at the same time Marie opened it. The mother handed the duffle to her. Worry etched the mother's face.

“It's not poisonous.” Maria sagged. “It's a baby anaconda.” She poured the remains of the reptile on the counter.

She gulped. The nasty slithering mess fell on the floor in a heap. “So gross. To be sure, we'll take blood from him and watch the bite area. I'll also give him a shot of penicillin to be on the safe side.”

The little girl smiled up at her, and she lifted the baby. “She is fine. No bite. We're going to take good care of him.”

“Beto.” The father lifted his chin toward the boy.

Rae grinned. “Beto.” She touched Maria's shoulder. “Get him hooked up to the IV and pump some fluids into him. I'll finish up with Isabella.”

“On it.”

“Have a seat.” She pointed to the chairs. “I'll be back.”

She exited the room to finish up with Isabella's X-ray and cast, then she'd check on Juan. By now, he should be feeling a little relief. She opened the door and found Isabella giggling with her mom. “Ready for that X-ray?”

“Yes, Dr. Rae.” She hopped off the table and followed her down the hall to the small room at the back of the office.

“Does your arm feel better?”

She nodded.

“Good.” It looked better, too. The swelling was almost completely gone, even the bruising had diminished. She laid the child's arm on the board below the machine and went through the procedure to take different views of her bone. Then she took the little girl into the room to examine the film.

“Well, would you look at that.” She pointed to the area where the break had knitted together. “Almost healed. I think we can do a soft cast now. No more plaster.” She guided Isabella back to her room, then went to the storage area and grabbed a soft cast. A couple more weeks and she'd be good to go.

As she opened the door, the rev of jeep engines sounded in front of the office. She closed her eyes. Not now. Today isn't the day for this bullshit. The patient room door behind her opened and the twins' father stepped out.

“Always come. You hide. Kids.” He patted her arm. “We fix.”

“I can't let you do—”

“We fix.” He hurried her to the room. He spoke to his wife who handed over their daughter while Maria gathered up their son. “Go.”

“Get Juan.” She went back to grab Isabella and her mother while Maria went for the other little boy then hurried to their safe place.

The slamming of doors accompanied shouts. Her heart pounded. She had no protection here expect for the police, and she realized quickly they were as corrupt as the guerillas supposedly protecting the jungle around them. More like the cocoa fields. Rae placed her finger to her mouth as she grabbed Isabella by the hand and hurried to the back near the X-ray machine.

The voices grew louder. Anger laced their words. The kids were looking to her for help and she had no idea what to do. In the six months they'd been there, they'd never been subject to anything like this. The only reason she knew about the guerillas was because a couple kids who’d gotten into the cocoa plants appeared at her door sicker than shit, puking their guts up. Those who weren’t sick had been shoot or stabbed. Maria had to explain it to her.

Crack! The first shot rang out, followed by another. The screams of frightened children along with the adults rent the air. She hurried to get them to the safe room below ground. “Hurry.” She glanced over her shoulder and watched through the window as the men began shooting each other, which made no sense at all. When standing at the door to hurry more people into the clinic, she saw more men coming down out of the hills in front of them, their uniforms the same as those the guerillas wore. The baby in her arms squealed and cried out, drawing the attention of one of the men.

His eyes narrowed as a slow, devious grin twisted his features. He raised his gun, pointing it at her. Her heart lodged in her throat. She couldn't move. She stared down the barrel of his long rifle, her death becoming an inevitable situation.

None of the stuff people say in the movies happened. Her life didn't flash in front of her eyes. She didn't have a chance to lament about not talking to her mother last weekend when she said she'd call home, but overslept.

Thwack! The man's body fell forward. She expected to see another person behind him, however, no one was there. She muffled her relieved cry and hustled Isabella to the back room. After opening the trap door in the floor, she climbed in with the children. “Stay in the darkness.”

She huddled them together as the gunfire continued to ring out around them. At some point, someone would come looking for them. Then what? She didn't know. She didn't want to think about it right now. She needed to keep the children quiet. Their parents had put their lives on the line to help her, and she had a duty to protect them.

Maria flipped on the light of her phone. Juan sat beside her, his little body shaking as the ravages of the infection worked through him. She could only hope they wouldn't be down there long so she could get him back on the antibiotics and the pain meds. Beto lay sleeping in her arms while Isabella held her arm to her chest. Shit, the cast. She must have dropped it during the commotion. When they got out of there—if they got out of there—she'd put the cast on her arm and give her a small dose of pain medicine. It was the least she could do after dragging her away from her mom.

For now, she was thankful no one made a sound, which also broke her heart. These children, even the youngest of them, already knew what to expect when these...men showed up to deal with whatever was going on out there. How did anyone live like this? Then, she reminded herself of the children in Aleppo dying in bombings day in and day out. The youngest had been four months old.

She gathered Isabella to her side and put a protective arm around her. They had provisions if they needed them. They could hold out. She wouldn't give up the kids without a fight. She'd die for them. It was part of the job and part of how her parents raised her. Save those weaker than she was. Give them a chance to thrive and survive.

“It'll all be over soon and we can all go home.” But what home would be left? She didn't know where their parents had gone, or if they'd survived. “You're safe. I will not let anything happen to you.”

“I'm thirsty, Dr. Rae.” Isabella glanced up at her.

“Lucky for you I have some water, right here.” She shifted the little girl onto her lap, then reached into the container next to her and pulled out a bottle of water. “There you go.”

She didn't know how long they sat there. They were safe, though.

Or so she thought.

Feet stomped and shuffled above them and she placed her finger to her mouth to keep the kids quiet. The muffled conversation above them didn't make sense to her until the trap door open and two men stared down at them.

The man held his hand out to her. “You're safe now. You can come out.”

Oh, hell no. They were wearing the same uniform as the man who tried to kill her. “No.”

The men exchanged glances. “Ma'am, you're safe, I promise.”

“Sure, we are,” she snapped. “That's why one of your men tried to shoot me.”

“Ma'am, I assure you, they weren't with us.”

She pushed the kids farther into the dark. “I'm sorry, we're not coming out. You're going to have to kill us.”

The man stood. “Go get Asher. She won't budge until she sees we're the good guys.”

“Yes, sir.”

The guy crouched. “Are any of you hurt? Do you need medical attention?”

Rae shuffled the kids closer to her. “We're fine,” she lied. Juan continued to grow sicker by the second. He needed fluids. He needed pain meds and antibiotics. “Mostly.”

Maria elbowed her in the side. “We need an IV down here and antibiotics. I have a child who's been snake bitten and another that’s got pancreatitis.”

“Shit. I'm coming down. I'm not armed.”

She was going to kill Maria, if they got out of this alive.

2

“Who fired?” Asher Rainer barked into his Tac-Com device as the first shot rang out from the village below at the base of the mountain. It was followed by short bursts of fire from a distinct AK-47. The only one on his R.O.O.T.—Running Out of Time—team who carried that particular weapon was Alex Schoell, their weapons expert. “Schoell!”

“Nope, not me, Commander,” Alex's Texan drawl cracked over the com.

Moving from his position on the ridge, he focused on the village. He followed the small trail to another vantage point. From what he could make out, two different groups were battling within the village. And the locals were caught in the crossfire. Or were they being cut down on purpose, as well?

“Fuck me.” The second-in-command (2IC) of their team, Jake O'Malley’s raspy voice filled his ear. Jake was much farther down the mountain and had a clearer view of what was going on. “Do you see this shit, Commander?”

“I see it.” The question had become did he believe it? Death and carnage had followed him his whole adult life while he fought in the military. But this…this was fucking genocide.

Every man, woman, and child was being exterminated and there was nothing his team could do since they were too far away. Farther down the mountain, O’Malley and Schoell tried to position themselves to take advantage of the chaos. But he knew even if they double-timed it, they'd only get there in time to save a handful of the villagers, if that.

R.O.O.T.’s overall goal was to police those in the world who legitimate law enforcement agencies couldn’t touch. That often required off-the-book missions, hours of recon, and evidence collection.

This mission had come down as a last-minute recon, observe the local cartel and report back. Usually when they went into the field, a dossier would have been put together detailing the parameters of mission specifics and what they were expected to find or corroborate.

Unfortunately, they weren’t given specifics except for the initial request, which irritated the piss out of Asher.

Being out in the jungle like they were, gunfire all around them, only added to the list of questions he had. The biggest one being, who tipped them off? Followed by, what did their tipster know and was not telling?

“We've dropped our packs,” O’Malley informed Asher. “We’re not going to make it.”

“Roger that. Hanover, grab their packs and follow. Callahan, you need to get your ass down there now.” Callahan was the team’s linguist expert. If there were any survivors, they’d need him. Following his team, he dashed recklessly through the jungle.

“On it, boss,” Callahan acknowledged.

Ignoring the brush and trees as they smacked his body and face, he broke through the dense forest seconds before Callahan. His team member didn't even acknowledge him as he ran to the packs Hanover had dropped and provided cover. They weren't out of the woods yet.

“Boss!” Schoell’s voice boomed through the now silent village as he came running around the corner. “2IC needs you. Survivors.”

Nodding, he followed Schoell back the way he had come, ignoring the mass carnage he walked through. Bodies covered in mud and blood were strewn everywhere. Camo-dressed cartel members, ragged-clothed locals, and unidentified uniformed men mixed together. Who were these men? Guerillas in new uniforms?

“In there,” Schoell palmed his AK-47 as he guarded the door. “Follow the yelling.”

He walked into the clinic with confidence, knowing his team would've already cleared the building before they searched out any friendlies.

“Lady, would you relax. I'm trying to help you, not hurt you. Can you please stop kicking me?” O’Malley yelped. His voice sounded even rougher than normal. “Fuck! That hurts.”

“O’Malley?”

“Thank fuck. Down here, Asher.” His second-in-command must be in a panic. He rarely, if ever, called him by his first name.

Walking deeper into the room, he noticed the opened trap door.

“So I see. Problems?” He bent down to peer into the small hidey hole in the floor. Six survivors. Two female adults and four young children, plus a pissed off Jake.

“They won't come out.”

“Why?”

“Because you're murders!” the young woman in the back who clutched an obviously sick boy in her arms yelled.

“O’Malley.” Working together for so long meant they all could read each other and their actions. Jake nodded and Asher ignored the woman's outburst. Jake scooped up and handed him a young girl. Not sure of the reason she was in the clinic, he gently placed her on the floor before turning back to Jake to gather the next child till it was only the two women and the sick little boy.

“Now, you can either get out on your own or Jake can help you out. Don't be stupid. The boy needs medical help. All these children do.”

Doubt and fear washed over the young woman's face before her shoulders hunched in defeat and she climbed out on her own. It was then he noticed the white coat. She was either a doctor or a nurse. She took the sick boy from Jake who then helped the older lady up before hopping out without using the steps. Show off.

“Commander Asher Rainer.” He didn't bother to offer her his hand in greeting. He suspected she'd turn her nose up at the offer anyway. “The good guys.”

“Funny, you look exactly like the bad guys,” she snapped.

“Yet we're trying to help you and this village.” He left off if they had been the bad guys, they'd all be dead by now. No reason to scare the young ones. “You might want to think about that. Is there anything my team can do to help with the boy’s care? I don't have a medic readily available, but all my men are trained in basic first responder skills.”

O’Malley, not wanting to deal with one, let alone two, pissed off females left the room. Pussy.

“I am capable.” She reached down to lift the sick boy into her arms.

“All right then. I'm going to suggest you all stay inside while my team continues to search the area. It would be best for everyone.”

“What about—”

“Doctor or nurse?”

Her forehead crinkled at his question. “Doctor.”

“If my team locates any survivors, they will bring them directly to you.”

She nodded.

Turning, he walked back the way he had come, stopping to talk to Schoell. “Keep close to the clinic and watch them.”

“Got it, boss.” Schoell pushed of the wall he had been leaning against. He'd patrol the area around the clinic and help where he could.

“Report,” he snarled into his Tac-Com as he followed the trail of dead bodies forward.

“We've located more friendlies. Looks like anyone in the center of the village was murdered,” Noah Hanover, the team’s sniper, answered.

“We've counted close to a hundred dead,” Drew Callahan replied.

“Document as much as you can. Locate a building we can use to temporarily store the bodies.” Later, they'd help the villagers both identify and bury their dead. For now, they had to follow protocol. “I'll advise control of the situation once I feel it's secure.”

One by one, his team replied with an “affirmative.”

“Schoell,” he called out.

“Yeah, boss.”

“As soon as the kids are taken care of, have them get ready to go to our control site.”

“She ain't going to be happy about it. She's been bitchin’ up a blue streak since you left.”

He’d only stepped out of range three minutes ago. How much shit could she talk? “Not my problem. They all need to be debriefed in a safe and controlled environment. That ain't here in this mess.”

“She's also asking a lot of questions. Well, more like demanding. Wants to know who and what we are.”

“She can demand all she wants. You know protocol.” They all did, and they knew he was a by-the-book commander. No breaking the rules, ever.

R.O.O.T. was black ops, military based, but thankfully, not run by the military. The men had strong military backgrounds from different branches of the armed services. Those on his team had been together since the inception of R.O.O.T. and had a reputation for doing the toughest missions.

Every one of them was missing the “fear” gene—adrenaline junkies who fought with dignity and honor for their country. They were willing to stand up for the oppressed and weak. He believed in R.O.O.T. Its ideals. Because he lived and breathed them every damn day, taking assignments no one wanted, or more accurately, were afraid to take.

For the most part, they observed, but on days like this they got involved, figured out what happened and presented the case to the Senate and the House’s security councils. This had been the first time a job had gone this wrong.

“You or O'Malley going to have a conversation with our new guests?” Schoell asked.

“It'll depend on O'Malley's mood when we get back.” He couldn't have asked for a better second-in-command than Jake O'Malley. But there were times the man could be a moody bastard. They all knew to stay far away when he lost his shit.

“For their sake, hope it's you, boss,” Schoell muttered.

He couldn't stop the smirk on his face even if he tried. “I'll tell him you said that.”

“I'm not afraid of 2IC.” He didn't doubt his weapons expert’s words. The soldiers of R.O.O.T. feared no man, and considered each other not only teammates, but family.

“Commander,” O'Malley’s voice filled his ear through his Tac-Com. “We've located a secure building toward the center of the village. We're moving the deceased with help from several villagers.”

“Roger. On my way to assist.” He headed toward the coordinates O'Malley gave him.

Fifty-five minutes later, the team headed toward the temporary camp setup on the edge of the decimated community. The doctor, or Dr. Rae Kenzie, as he found out, was securely tucked away in a tent with her little group, awaiting their arrival.

He'd shower first. Hell, they all needed to. They smelled of blood, and death clung to them. Afterwards, he’d grab a quick meal, talk to headquarters, then see the good doctor to find out what she saw today.

“Commander, I have a message for you,” one of the younger aids called out. “Brigadier General Blackwell has requested you contact him the moment you arrive at your quarters.” Brigadier General Blackwell was one of his superiors who worked hand in hand with Asher’s uncle. If he needed either of them, he only had to make one call.

“Thank you.” Didn't surprise him one damn bit to hear the general had given up trying to reach him directly. He had ignored every incoming communication request while they had been in the field. He had work to do.

The shower would have to wait. Before dismissing his team for the night, he informed them to shower, eat, and relax. They'd process the facts and witness accounts tomorrow morning, bright and early.

Wanting to at least remove his boots and his filthy ACUs before he spoke to the general, he headed into his quarters for the foreseeable future. What the fuck happened out there? He plopped into the lone chair in his tent and removed everything but his briefs.

As he added his shirt to the pile of clothes to be burned, the satellite phone on his small table began to peep.

“What the fuck? Does he have a video camera in the room or something?” he snarled as he stood. Snatching the phone off the desk, he activated the call. “Commander Rainer.”

“I've been waiting for your call, Asher.” He winced at the general's reprimand.

“I've been busy, General.”

“Is it bad, son?”

“I've seen a lot of shit, sir, but never anything like this.” Men dying in wars, skirmishes, and disputes was nothing new to him, but the bodies of the women, children, and the elderly had affected him. Hell, it had affected them all.

“Status?”

“All the deceased have been moved to a central location. Guards were placed around the building and we'll help the villagers identify and bury. We have civilian eyewitnesses and I’m told we have three enemy men in custody. They'll be debriefed first thing tomorrow morning. Reports of it, along with all the evidence, will be forward to you once we are done reviewing.”

“Your impression?”

Rubbing his hand across his unshaven jaw, he wondered if he should let the general in on his initial thoughts. He didn't want to light a match under the old man's ass unless he absolutely had to.

“You suspect something, Asher.”

Shit. The old man knew him too well.

“I'm still in the early stages of my hypothesis.” A partial truth was the best he could do at this moment. Better than a lie.

“Commander Asher—”

“Pushing me or issuing me an order isn't going to get you what you want. You know this. We've done this dance too many times, General.”

“The council is aware you blew your mission. They are going to require answers.”

Fuck the council. They were twelve men and women who happened to oversee R.O.O.T. They sat back in their cushy chairs, in their plush offices, and talked about his job like they did it day in and day out. They didn’t know shit about his unit or what they did. Of course, he couldn't say it out loud to the general. Nope, he had to tone it down.

“For our mission to be blown, sir, it had to start. As far as I'm concerned, the parameters of our mission changed the moment over a hundred villagers were slaughtered.”

“I'm not sure they'll understand.”

“Not my problem. However, if you'd like, I'll be more than happy to forward you the photos we took of every single man, woman, and child who lost their lives today, perhaps then the council will get it.”

“Son, I have a job to do, just like you.”

“I'm aware, sir. Hence, I toned down my replies.” The general's chuckle had the corners of his lips turning up.

“So, when the Chairman of the Council calls, should I direct him to you?”

He snorted. “Feel free to. He doesn't scare me as much as he seems to frighten you.”

“Perhaps it has something to do with him being your uncle?”

Senator Jefferson Winters, Chairman of the Council, directly oversaw the day to day operation of R.O.O.T. and was, in fact, his uncle. Asher started R.O.O.T., and a couple years later, his uncle joined him. Few knew they were related. Neither of them spoke of it in public, nor did they acknowledge it if they went to congress. So far, only the general knew as did the twelve members of the council.

“He's tougher on me. Tell him I'm hard at work, and you'll be the first to know when I have all my ducks in a row.”

“We need to discuss the original parameters of your mission, too,” the general stated.

“My gut is telling me what our original mission had been and what happened today weren’t sanctioned or known about.” His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. Food would have to wait. He needed a shower first, if he could get off the phone. “Is that all, sir?”

“For now.” The general's voice held a hint of warning. It didn't surprise him one damn bit. Knowing the general as he did, this call was a friendly reminder of who exactly ran the show. The general and his uncle could bitch and moan all they wanted about status. He wouldn't be jumping to any conclusions without information or proof.

“Yes, sir.” A click in his ear indicated the end of the call. After throwing the sat phone on the bed, he snatched his towel out of his bag.

“Boss?” Schoell stood on the other side of the tent, arms crossed.

“Yeah?”

“The doctor is demanding to speak to whoever is in charge.”

“Son of a bitch,” he muttered under his breath. “Give her General Blackwell's direct number. It seems he likes to remind me who's in charge.”

Alex snorted. “We both know you run R.O.O.T., boss. Plus, we both know the general ain't taking her call.”

No matter what, he needed to shower before seeing the doctor. He also needed to eat, especially since his stomach touched his backbone about three hours ago.

“Have they eaten?”

“Yeah, and now the women are trying to get the kids to sleep.”

“Roger that. I'm going to take a shower and eat. Bring the good doctor to my quarters in a half hour.” He draped his towel over his shoulder.

“Your quarters, boss? You sure?” Most officers would get their panties in a twist if a subordinate question them, but he didn't. In his experience, in order to lead, both parties had to have a certain level of respect and trust. Without it, teams were doomed to fail.

“I imagine the doctor is good and vexed by now. No need to disturb the kids.”

“I'll stop by the mess tent and have them send over a tray for you.”

“Appreciate it.” They were all bone tired and soul weary after the destruction and carnage they witnessed. Even though their minds said sleep, they still had several more hours of work to complete.

Thirty minutes later—the stench of death and blood removed from his body and his belly full—Schoell returned with the doctor, who indeed appeared pissed off.

Her pretty hazel eyes narrowed at him as she stepped inside his tent. Tension radiated off her. Her movements were stiff and cheeks flushed. Given half the chance, he realized in those brief seconds of seeing her again, she’d read him the riot act.

“Have a seat, Dr. Kenzie.” He gestured to the chair.

“Didn't take you long to find out who I was,” she mumbled as she practically threw herself into the chair.

“Your information was housed at the clinic. My men are thorough. I hope you've found your accommodations adequate.”

“I'm in no mood for small talk or being held against my will.” She amused him. After everything she witnessed, she didn’t fear him nor did she cow down.

“You're not being held against your will, Doctor.”

“Then we can go?” She jerked up from the chair, then crossed her arms. “I need to tell my employer what happened today and arrange for a pick-up so I may move on.”

“Negative.” He stood with her. “You are a witness to a mass murder. I need a witness statement from you and I have questions.”

3

“I'd answer your questions, if you weren't dressed in the same uniform as the men who came into the village. If you don't mind, I'd like a lawyer.” To hell with this commander with full lips, expressive brown eyes, and a broad chest, which made her mouth water.

“Trust me, lady, those men weren't ours.”

“No? So, what? Your team was on a jaunty little walk and happened by our village when all hell broke loose?” She snorted. “You're going to have to try harder, Asher.”

The muscle in his jaw flexed. For a second, she worried she pushed too hard. Then, she shoved aside the fleeting emotion and narrowed her eyes. If she thought he'd give her any indication of what he wanted or why they were being treated like prisoners, he didn't. Instead, he sat and opened a file on his desk, leaving her to stew.

“Says here you completed medical school in record time. Top of your class. Doctors Without Borders recruited you instead of you going through the interview process.”

“What's your point?” She sat in her chair and folded her arms.

“Nothing. You're smart. Hard working and dependable. Tell me about your time in Aleppo.”

“Rather not.” If this were a chess game, she'd have all her pieces surrounding her king.

“How about I tell you about your time in Aleppo.” He slid the file across the table toward her. Pictures of the children who died in the most brutal and inhumane ways stared back at her with unseeing eyes. Some were covered in blood. Others had their mouths open as though they were taking their last gasp of air. “You were there when they were shelled. You saw the aftermath of chemical warfare and bunker bomb detonations. You saved lives and mourned those you couldn't. You left right after the worst of the attacks, when the U.N. forced you out.”

“Again, your point?” She remembered each child. Each wheeze. Each death rattle. The screams of parents losing not one, but sometimes all of their children while fighting to live themselves. Most of them gave up. Some of them lived a torturous life alone after losing everyone in one night.

“Well, you're not one to cut and run, but someone who will stand up for those who can't.” He stared at her for another minute, then gathered up the photos. “So, I'm having a hard time understanding why you're so reluctant to help us figure out what happened today.”

She laughed, the bitter sound harsh to even her ears. “Your men killed everyone in my village. A peaceful place.” Sure, they had their issues with the guerillas and cartel but nothing like this. “Sorry if I don't feel obliged to assist.”

“It wasn't us.”

“Say it with more conviction next time.” She didn't have time for this. She needed to check on Juan, the twins, and Isabella.

“We're not who you think we are. What and who you saw today weren’t us—my team. We'd never shoot up a village for shits and giggles.”

“No. You'd send in a team.” Ha! She caught him. “I'd like to go to the embassy and give my statement with a lawyer present.”

“No can do. Until we can figure out who is friendly and who is foe, you and your patients will be cared for here.” He flipped to a different section in her folder. “Says here you have a brother in the Army and your father was in Vietnam. A sister in college and your younger brother is getting ready to graduate high school.”

“Resorting to threats now? Let me guess, you'll make life hard on them unless I speak?”

“No. Why would you think that?” He glanced up at her with a devious gleam in his eye. Her sexy meter pinged as the corner of his mouth tugged into a gotcha smirk. “Why would I threaten innocent people when I'm here to remedy this awful situation?”

“This is bullshit.” She shoved out of her chair and began to pace while he seemed content to watch her. His features were neutral and his demeanor relaxed, almost like he didn't have a care in the world, save getting her to talk. “I want a lawyer.”

“Your mom was a law professor at Cornel, right?”

She stopped. “What the fuck? Do you have surveillance on my whole family?”

He gave a nonchalant lift of his shoulder. “It's a matter of public record. But it's not the point I'm going for. What would she tell you in a situation like this? You haven't been handcuffed. You've been fed and given a chance to clean up. All our supplies are at your disposal to care for your kids, yet you believe you need a lawyer and you're in trouble.”

She braced her hands on the table and leaned in. The scent of spicy male and aftershave wafted from him, leaving her a bit unsteady. She forced the reaction down. “Let's get one thing straight, I've been in war zones, Asher. I know when I am being questioned for a debrief, and when I am being interrogated. You are trying to interrogate me, and I have rights. Right now, I am invoking my right to be silent.”

“Oh, I wish you wouldn't, though.” He leaned forward and whispered his lips over hers. “I love when women have backbones. Gets the heart pounding and juices flowing. Reminds me I'm alive and so are they.” He nipped her bottom lip.

Rae let out a startled gasp and shoved away from him. “You're a fucking pervert. Great. So here I am, after almost being killed, being treated like a sexual object because you got to play with your boom stick? Go beat your meat somewhere else. I'm done talking to you.” Although the idea of the man in front of her whipping out his cock and stroking it set her body tingling.

“I'd rather sit here and imagine how far your pretty blush goes.” His gaze lowered to her chest, and heat filled her cheeks. “Mmm, I bet all the way to those pretty breasts of yours.”

“You're an asshole. If you think this is reassuring me, you're dead fucking wrong! When I get the hell out of here, I’m writing you up for sexual harassment.” Yet, even as the words tumbled from her mouth, the knot in her stomach lessened.

“I'm not trying to reassure you. I need to figure out how this happened.”

“Fine. I'll tell you.” She curled her lip in disdain. “The guerillas were here. They always come around when they think someone has been in their cocoa fields. I could’ve handled them. But those children you have in the other tent, their parents took control. Then, men like you showed up and all hell broke loose.”

“They're not ours.”

She shook her head. “Look at the uniform of the man who tried to shoot me, then come back and ask questions. He had a U.S. flag on his left shoulder.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Fine. I'll give you this courtesy, but when I return with proof you're wrong, I expect a detailed account of what occurred.”

“Deal.”

Goddamn infuriating woman got him so fucking worked up, he compromised himself for a minute. He stormed away from his quarters, headed for the make-shift morgue.

Their original engagement stopped with recon and intel collection, not clean up duty. Yet, here they were, clearing the scene. He stepped into the building, and the scent of death and drying blood assailed him. No matter how many times he experienced this part of a mission, he never got used to it.

“Callahan,” he called out, crossing to the small, partitioned office he'd placed away from the bodies—not like it'd help with the stench.

“Yes, Commander?” He glanced up from the report he'd been working on.

“Dr. Rae is adamant a man brought in from the enemy tried to kill her. Have you located said man from the doorway of the clinic?”

He frowned. “Yeah, and you're not going to like it, either.” He waved Asher to follow. “This whole situation makes no sense.” He led him to the bodies marked “military property,” and pointed to one of the bags. “This guy, he's got no tags, no papers, and I'm afraid he's not with our team.”

“Guerilla?”

He shook his head. “No. He's wearing our uniform with an American flag.”

Just like Rae told him. “Print him and send it to Langley. Tell them it's a rush.” Fuck, he didn't need this. Besides a fucking incident of epic proportions, now they had an infiltrator in their midst.

“And, get this, the other team is one of Barclay’s.” Callahan turned the e-pad toward him. “Looks like they were running point on this little recon trip.” Two of Barclay’s lead operators, Anthony James and Paul Tinsman, stared back at him on the eight-by-eight screen along with their personal information.

“What the fuck?” Barclay, owned by Jason Barclay, had been working odd jobs for the U.S. government for the last ten years. They had a reputation for going in hot and heavy, but coming out with the job done. What the hell am I missing here? “Are you serious?”

Callahan nodded. “Hanover is speaking to one of Barclay's men as we speak. I'll fill you in when I have some info.”

“Good. For now, make sure you get everyone's identity straight. My ass is on the line here. I don't need any rookie screw ups.”

“On it.” Callahan double-timed back to his desk and grabbed the tablet he'd been working on.

Confident his teammate had the situation under control, he headed back to his make-shift office. For Rae to tell him what happened, he had to give her a little information, too. Stepping inside, he saw her sitting where he left her, the pictures of the dead strewn out before her. Each one told a story. Each one became a part of her.

He could see it in the way the she touched each one. The way her gaze softened. She’d lived with these people, and became more than a doctor. She was their friend. She would grieve for each and every one of them. How did he know? He did too when a situation went sideways. Civilian life had been precious to all of them and as the commander, he always took it harder than anyone on his team.

“I have news.”

“One of your men tried to kill me?” She arched a brow as she looked up at him.

“Actually, no.” He couldn’t give her the complete facts, but the cover story had to be close to the truth or she’d call him out. “We’re running his prints. He infiltrated our unit. We were only here for observation. No shots were to be fired. Shit went south and the man who tried to kill you isn't one of ours. So, I'll ask you again, what happened, Rae?”

She gathered up all of the photos then folded her hands on top of them. “I don't know. Like I told you, the guerillas, as per their usual, came into town. They were early by a couple days, but I didn't get a chance to ask them anything. One minute, I'm gathering the kids up and the next, it's like World War III out there. The guy who tried to shoot me was shot in the back by someone else and I didn't stick around to see him or thank them.”

Couldn’t have been Hanover. “What happens when they come there?”

“What do you think? Protection money. Lately, since the flood, they've come for medicine and supplies. Most of which I can't give them since I have a limited supply as well. I thought they wanted the same this time, and I'd been prepared to tell them no.”

“You realize you can't stay here in Colombia, right?”

“I can go to Bogotá and hide there. The main outpost for Doctors Without Borders is there. We'll be safe.”

Asher shook his head. He had a feeling none of them would be safe, especially with the way those who hadn’t been detained or killed bugged out after his team came down out of the hills to assist. “You’re not. You witnessed the massacre of at least a hundred people today if not more. You're good as dead unless you, your patients, and your assistant come with us.”

“Where?”

“We have a safe house to lay low in while we continue to investigate this situation. Ma'am, I know this is hard to understand, but your safety and those of the kids and Maria are of utmost importance to us. You're key witnesses to the investigation.”

She frowned. “There's no getting out of this, is there?”

He gave a mirthless chuckle. “No.”

“What does it say about us if we leave? There are still people here who need a doctor. I can't walk away from them after this.” Exasperation filled her tone. He didn't blame her. It was a hell of a lot to take in.

“We're not asking you to leave forever. We're asking you to go until we get answers and the area is deemed safe.”

“If you don't?” She lifted her chin in a defiant stance.

“We will. We always do.”

She snorted. “Well, considering how this went down today, my faith in you finding the culprit is slim to none.”

“At least we recognize our dilemma. If you'd like to sit with your patients, I am sure they will enjoy your company. We are in the process of finding family for them and then we'll relocate them as well, for safety reasons.”

“Thank you.” She stood. “Isabella has no family now. Same for Juan.” She opened the folder and picked out two photos of the dead villagers. “This is Isabella’s mom and Juan’s father. Their families perished in the flood. The twins I'm not sure about.”

Nothing like trying to make his job ten times harder. “We'll see what we can do for them. I will give you an update as soon as I have one.”

Schoell stepped into the tent. “Dr. Rae, if you'll follow me.”

She pursed her lips and straightened her shoulders as she followed his team member out of his quarters. Shit. What a cluster fuck. He pulled up Rae's information on his palm pad and made notes. The kids were her weakness, but only a jackass would use them against her. Her father and brother also might not stand being used against her. She had to know more intel on the guerillas and cartel members who died there. And the mysterious man in the R.O.O.T.s uniform.

The screen flashed with an incoming communication from Langley. About fucking time. He opened the file and was surprised to see a familiar face staring back at him. Carlos Munoz. A special informant they used whenever they went into the unknown. What the hell is he doing here and why doesn’t he look like himself? One shot to the middle of his back had severed his spine, effectively killing him, but his face had been too bulky and his body too bloated.

He sent the information to Hanover, then read over the additional documents the CIA offered him. He loved his unit and R.O.O.T. Whenever he needed anything, the intelligence community had been there with an assist. Asher frowned and read the section again. Carlos joined Barclay six weeks ago as a mole. The whys had been redacted. Of course. If he wanted access to those, he’d have to call his uncle, and even then, the chances of him getting answers didn’t bode well for him.

“Commander.” O’Malley stepped into his tent. “Barclay’s men are getting restless. We’re going to question them soon.”

“Who else besides Tinsman and James do we have detained?”

“Joseph Franks is the third. Tinsman’s already asked for a lawyer while Franks wants to talk. He said he has information about the events today. The other is repeating rank and file.”

“What do you think?” He pulled up Franks’ stats and frowned. The guy had an exemplary record. High marks and several recommendations from his commanding officers. But two years ago, he moved from active duty to mercenary for hire. Why?

“One is dirty for sure,” O’Malley replied. “Which, I’m not certain. Sometimes an over eager talker can also lead you down the road to being shot. However, lawyering up before anything can be said can make you look guilty.”

“True enough.” If he could get Franks to talk, they could break down James and Tinsman, even if the guy lawyered up. “Did we get anything on surveillance?”

He pulled a thumb drive out of his pocket. “It’s all right here.”

Asher took the thumb drive from O’Malley. “Keep this quiet. We want those who bugged out to think they’re in the clear.” Usually, when people got comfortable, they talked. Someone would spill their guts and when they did, Asher would be there to haul their asses in.

“Hanover said he’d go through the file once we were back stateside. He doesn’t like working in the field when we’re not sure who is friendly and who is foe.”

He didn’t blame his guys for feeling antsy in the field. “As soon as Callahan is done in the morgue, we’ll bug out. Why don’t you give him a hand? This shit will get worse before it gets better.”

Already, the grieving villagers were lined up to find their loved ones. This was the part of the job he hated. How had a simple recon mission gone FUBAR so fucking fast? They were there to assist, and now, they led. The final dead tally had gone from ninety-eight to one hundred thirty-six innocent souls.

“Commander Rainer.” His groin tightened at the sound of her voice. He’d been a fool earlier nipping her bottom lip, but having her close to him had him forgetting his place. The soft tropical scent of her body wash wrapped around him, stealing his senses. He didn’t give a damn if he got into trouble for making a play for her in public.

“Dr. Rae.” He cut his gaze toward her as she eased into his tent.

“I thought I’d give you an update on my patients.”

He sat up a little straighter and turned off the tablet he’d been reading. “How are the children?”

“All are faring well. Juan needs a few more days on antibiotics, but his pain is at a manageable level and he’s hungry.” She crossed her arms, lifting her chin a bit in defiance.

Not this woman; she’s too strong to give into fear. “Anything else?” He trailed his fingertips over her knuckles and felt said tremor work through her hands. “What do you need, Rae?”

“Nothing. I think I’m crashing hard from the adrenaline.”

He went to his cooler and grabbed a bottle of water and a pack of squeezable peanut butter. “You don’t have a peanut allergy, do you?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Good. This will help balance you out. Tons of protein and a little sugar. Did you eat when you were first settled?” He placed the water and pack in front of her.

“Well, I…”

“Damn it, Rae.” He sighed and rubbed his face. “How can you take care of the kids if you don’t keep yourself healthy?”

She shrank away. “This was a mistake...coming here. We’ll be ready to go when you are.”

“No. Shit. Stop. Wait.” He grabbed her hand and shards of electricity shot through him. What the fuck? “I’m being a dick. My head's not on right.”

She gave him a “ya think” look and he laughed.

“While we’re saying sorry,” she plopped down in the chair behind her, “I should apologize, too.”

“For what?”

“Telling you to go beat your meat.” Her blush returned and Asher bit the inside of his cheek. “It wasn’t one of my finer moments.”

He laughed. “Well, I did provoke you. So, we’ll call it even.”

“Sounds good.” She tore into the peanut butter. “Did you pilfer my stash?” She held up the DWB red and white package.

“Talk to Alex. He found them.”

“He owes me for these.” She squeezed some onto her tongue.

His dick jerked in his pants. His mind went straight to the gutter, imagining her mouth wrapped around his cock, or better yet, spilling his come on her tongue like she had with the peanut butter. Nutritional spreads should not invoke thoughts of sex. It was unnatural. I wonder how it would taste on her skin?

Get the fuck out of here with that shit. He tapped the screen of his tablet and went back to reading. He had to do something to get the errant thoughts out of his mind, or else.

“Don’t think too hard.”

He snorted. If she only understood the double entendre of her words. “I won’t. Don’t worry.” He received word from Callahan that all the bodies had been accounted for and were either cremated or buried. They were free to go home. “Well, it looks like it’s your lucky day, Rae. You’re going home.”

4

Two hours later, his entire team, Rae, and the three Barclay team members were on a diverted C130 heading to R.O.O.T.’s home base—an abandoned naval base in Virginia. The plane was land at Pungo Naval Base, unload its cargo, and continue to Andrews AFB with no record its flight plan had changed or that it carried additional cargo.

Got to love black ops.

Maria stayed in Colombia with the twins. They had no one, and she refused to leave them alone in the jungle. No matter how many times Hanover tried to persuade her to come with them and bring the twins, her damn moral compass wouldn’t budge. It worried Asher. If anyone, including Barclay or the cartel, found out she survived, they’d come for her.

However, she relented and allowed two guards to watch over her and the children, with the option of extraction if shit went sideways. The team inbound to protect her and the kids would arrive within the hour. He only hoped they got to her in time.

Each member of his team was doing their own thing during the five-hour flight homebound. O'Malley worked on his mission reports, Hanover slept, Callahan tapped into the flight’s communications and Schoell had been lovingly cleaning his AK-47. He kept a keen eye on the Barclay team.

Prior to the flight departing, he told O'Malley to sit them together so he could observe them during the flight. Tinsman looked jumpy, his right leg bounced up and down. Bastard was nervous and guilty as fuck about something.

James, on the other hand, pretended to be asleep. He wasn’t fooling anyone. His eyes fluttered open every time the big C130 shook with turbulence. He was trying to hide. Asher’s gaze flickered to where Joseph Franks sat. He rested his elbows on his knees while his hands were clasped in front of his mouth as he stared straight ahead.

Tinsman had attempted to talk to him more than once, but Franks had ignored him. He even got up and moved to another seat.

“Boss,” Callahan yelled over the roar of the engines, “incoming call for you.” Drew's gaze darted between the Barclay team members in warning. Must be a high-level call and he would need to take it in private. He had to protect R.O.O.T.

“I'll take it in the interior hold.” He stood and made his way toward the cockpit. Rae had been situated toward the front of the hold. Not wanting to disturb her sleep, he pulled the army-green blanket over her shoulders, tucking it in around her. Cargo holds on the C130 weren't exactly warm and toasty.

Reaching the interior hold, he snagged the phone. “Commander Rainer.” A series of clicks and tones secured the line, which meant whoever he was talking to had clout.

“Asher. What the hell is going on, boy? The World News has been playing a nonstop loop of video from the mission. It's not making us look good.”

Leave it to his uncle to get right to the point. “Well, hello to you, too. I'm fine by the way.”

“Don't be a smartass. I know you’re fine. Too damn stubborn to die,” his uncle, Senator Jefferson Winters, mumbled. “Are you going to answer my damn question or not?”

“Barclay confiscated the video feeds from their personal cams before they pulled out.”

“And you allowed it?” The shock in his uncle’s voice had him smirking. “What the hell, boy? What the fuck were you thinking?”

“I have a set from our body cams and aerials.” His team busted his balls for having multiple scenarios and plans during every mission. He functioned better knowing he had planned for every contingency. His gut had churned and burned—a sure sign some nefarious shit was about to go down. “Relax. Barclay is fucking clueless.” He never went into a situation without covering his ass, especially if shit could go sideways, like now.

“Don't tell me to relax. I got the president and the U.N. Security Council up my ass, demanding answers. Barclay is claiming your team slaughtered those people in the village.”

“I assure you, we did not.” What was Barclay’s end game? Yeah, it didn't take a genius to figure out they wanted his team to be held accountable. But why had they murdered so many and what did they hope to gain from their deaths? Those questions kept playing in his mind on an almost nonstop loop since this all happened. “O'Malley's prelim report will be to you before we touch down. Mine will follow. We also have an eyewitness and three members of Barclay's team to interrogate.”

“How the hell... You know what, never mind. I don't want to know,” his uncle groused.

“What you don't know, you can't testify to.” He threw his uncle's favorite motto back at him.

“Now isn't the time to joke, Asher.” He heard the censure in his uncle's tone.

“One hundred thirty-six people were murdered in front of our eyes less than twelve hours ago and we were unable to stop it. Trust me, I wasn't joking,” he snapped. “I will call you when I have updates.” Without a goodbye, he slammed the phone down in a rare fit of anger. If he didn't get rid of some of this building aggression, he was going to blow. A night of fucking or fighting was in his near future.

Hours later, he gently shook Rae awake. After everything she had been through, she at least deserved to be woken gently. Everyone had disembarked and their supplies had already been removed from the plane and stored underground. The flight crew was waiting on him and Rae. Once they got off, the massive cargo plane would continue to Andrews, its final destination.

Rae blinked once, twice, before her gaze locked onto his. His dick, which had been semi-hard since their little conversation in his tent, went to full on erection when she licked her lips. Lips so full and pink it didn't take much imagination on his part to wonder what they'd feel like wrapped around his dick, sucking him dry.

Fuck me. He needed to get his damn head on straight. At this rate, he'd be spending hours in the gym, sweating out all the pent-up anger.

Clearing his throat, he held his hand out to her. “We're here.”

“Where?” Ignoring his hand, she pulled the blanket from around her body and stood.

“Stateside. Command, to be more specific.” He couldn't keep his eyes off her. Even in rumpled dirty clothes with tendrils of blonde hair sticking out everywhere from her ponytail, she was a beautiful, sexy woman. Right now, he needed to focus on the mission and not her breasts, her sweet ass, or what he suspected was an even sweeter pussy. Finding out what happened to the villagers and protecting this little woman in front of him had to be his priorities.

“I can go from here?” Her hands went to work folding the blanket, which once done, she placed back on her seat.

“We'll see.” Making no promises, he took her elbow and led her out the rear loading ramp into the fading light of day.

“How is this your command? There is nothing around!”

“Looks can be deceiving, darlin'.” He mimicked Schoell's southern drawl perfectly. “We need to move to a bunker. Plane needs to take off.”

“What bunker?” She pulled her elbow out of his grip and her head turned left and right, looking for something around the abandoned airfield.

“Trust me?”

Long seconds passed as a wide range of emotions showed on her face. Hate, disgust, fear and then finally acceptance. With a quick nod, she placed her hand back on his forearm.

He walked them to a little bunker cut out in a hill, hiding the entrance from prying eyes. The sliding metal door was deceptive in appearance. It looked old and rickety. It was anything but. It weighed close to two thousand pounds and the hinges were thirty pounds apiece. No one was getting into command unless they worked there or had an invitation.

To the right of the door was a biometric panel. Each team member’s handprint was coded into the system, no one else's. Once cleared, the panel popped open and a retinal scan would be performed, followed by voice-recognized authorization. After stepping through the doors, they had one last security check to complete. A full body scan. It had the ability to check DNA and compare it against the last time the person entered the center. When the check had been authenticated, then the interior doors opened, allowing access into the belly of the beast.

Rae stood silent as a mouse as they cleared all security checks. O'Malley had already called ahead to grant the good doctor clearance on Asher’s directive.

“Holy shit,” she muttered as a man on a Segway rode past them. “Isn't that a bit overkill?”

“Nope. Command is massive. We have miles of tunnels and those things, along with bikes and golf carts, make it easy to get place to place.”

As if on cue, O'Malley pulled up in a golf cart. “Your chariot awaits.”

“After you.” He gestured to the back seat. Once she was settled, he slid in next to his second-in-command. “Everyone comfortable?”

“They fussed a little about having to wear the hoods when they got off the plane.” O'Malley chuckled. Not a good sign. It meant something happened.

“How much is a little?”

“The James guy tried to bum rush Hanover. It didn't exactly end in his favor.” O’Malley paused for dramatic affect. Something he hated about his 2IC. He did it to piss him off. “No worries, boss. Hanover just broke James’ nose. He'll survive. Medics are tending to him now.”

“And the others?”

O'Malley glanced over his shoulder at Rae. Turning, he noticed the good doctor was listening intently to their conversation.

“Want to continue this in front of the doc?”

“Yeah.” He faced forward. “She's a witness.”

“If you say so, boss.” Damn it. It seemed his ever observant 2IC had noticed his interest in the doctor. Paranoid much? Yes.

“I say so.”

“Okay, boss.” And just like that, Rae had become one of them. O'Malley would spread the word about what he believed was Asher’s interest in the doc. The guys would treat her like one of their own. “Tinsman and Franks are currently waiting in interrogation. James will soon join them. I have Murray building their files now.”

Murray was their resident hacker. By the time Murray was done, he'd know almost everything about Barclay’s men, even how much debt they had and when they paid their last credit card bill.

“We'll need the information before we talk to them.”

“Yeah, well, Tinsman and James are crying for a lawyer.”

He snorted. Black ops were labeled black ops for a reason. They didn't provide lawyers.

“Separate them, but make sure they can see each other. I don't want them talking together now.”

“Tinsman’s no dumbass. He’s already trying to figure out how he’s going to get out of here, and who will help him.”

He shrugged. “Don't really give a shit. Especially if he's as guilty as I suspect he is.”

“I figured you'd feel that way.”

“Guilty of what?” Rae asked.

He tensed at her touch when she tried to wiggle her way between their shoulders. Son of a bitch, she still hadn't figured out they were there to help her. Even after they had gone through all those damn security checks.

“Of being involved in the murder of one hundred thirty-six men, women, and children.” Tired and a more than a little horny, Asher didn't hold back. “Like I told you. We're the good guys.”

He groaned when she moved back to her seat.

“Relax, Doc, this ain't our first rodeo.” Jake glanced at him. He didn't miss the questioning look in his friend's eyes. Wasn't anything he hadn't asked himself earlier. Why her? Why now? He didn't have his answer. He just knew he wanted her. It would have to wait, though. Priorities. “Where you want me to bunk her?”

What a loaded question. He suspected the good doctor would protest if he said his rack.

“Close.”

Jake nodded as if he understood his dilemma, and with his history, maybe he did.

O’Malley weaved in and out of the tunnels, stopping once they hit their housing block. Turning off the engine, he turned toward the doctor. “Room 505 is empty. It's now yours.” He handed Rae a key card to her room that also provided limited access within the underground building. Couldn't get any closer to Asher, as well. His room was 503, next door. Not like she’d be there long.

Procedures stated civilians were allowed a maximum of twelve hours on base unless longer was deemed necessary. He knew it wouldn't be imperative for the good doctor to remain. Once he was done handling the men from Barclay, he would take her to the safe house.

He jumped out of the cart in an attempt to help her, but of course, she didn't want it or take it.

“What exactly am I supposed to do?”

“Get a hot shower, get dressed—”

“I don't have any clothes,” she reminded him.

“Yeah, you do. Everything you should need is already in the room,” Jake interjected.

“Rest and either Jake or I will get you when it's time to go,” he added.

She nodded in acknowledgement, then scanned the key card over the device. The echo of the locks disengaging filled the silent hallway. The need to kiss her sweet lips urged him forward, not even caring Jake would witness the entire thing and bust his balls. He touched her shoulder to stop her. Her brow furrowed at his action and before she could ask, he leaned down and touched his lips to hers.

She didn't jerk back or smack him. He took it as a good sign and deepened the kiss, ignoring Jake. His dick stirred back to life underneath his ACUs and she must have felt it since she broke the kiss and moved back from him.

“Perhaps later we can have our heart to heart.”

“Perhaps. But understand it's a give and take, Commander.” Her meaning was clear. If he expected her to talk, he'd have to fill her in on who and what he was.

“Got it.” He smiled at her before hopping back into the cart with Jake, who wasted no time starting it back up and tearing off toward the holding rooms.

“Hope you know what you're doing, boss.” He heard the hint of worry in O’Malley's voice. He even understood it.

“Have no clue. I'm winging it,” he admitted.

Jake muttered under his breath as he slammed on the brakes outside of where Barclay’s men—Tinsman, James, and Franks—now resided.

Murray stepped out the door, four files held in his hands.

“Those for me?”

“Sure are.” Murray handed them over.

“Anything interesting?” He'd read them himself, but Murray had an eidetic memory and would give him the short and sweet versions.

“Franks is the only member who has a family. Wife, daughter, who happens to be sick. He's bleeding money for her care. I suspect it's why he left the military and hooked up with Barclay. Tinsman was dishonorably discharged from the Marines. He apparently has an authority problem.”

O’Malley snorted.

“James, he was also dishonorably discharged from the Army. He has a problem understanding the word no from women. Both Tinsman and James are in debt up to their eyebrows. James likes to spend his free time at the casinos. I suspect from Tinsman's spending habits, drugs are his vice.”

“What the fuck is Barclay thinking, hiring these types of guys to do missions?” Jake asked the question he had been thinking.

“Barclay doesn't give a shit. They're expendable, warm bodies who take payment to blow shit up.”

“Pretty much,” Murray responded. “I hacked Barclay's systems. Neither Tinsman nor James have a stellar record with them, either. During their last mission, James was accused of raping one of the hostages they freed. Barclay settled with her family and managed to keep it out of the news. She was seventeen.”

Shocked by Barclay’s actions, he shook his head. If one of his guys ever hurt a civilian, or a young girl, he wouldn’t hesitate to cut off their balls and stuff them down their throats.

“And Franks?”

“One of the few at Barclay who has a stellar record. No surprise there, though. He had a stellar record with the military. He's a stand-up guy. Pays his bills on time. Married to his high school sweetheart. He'll be the one to talk,” Murray stated.

He figured the same.

“I also made a file on your doctor. Nothing interesting. She's smart, pays her bills, and has been with her current job since she graduated medical school.”

“Thanks.” He glanced at the folders in his hands.

“The doctor's parents are starting to fuss. They've called the embassy, State Department and CIA. Rumor has it, they are planning to do a press conference in the next two hours, begging for status on their missing daughter.”

“If her parents do a press conference, they are painting a target on the doctor's back,” O’Malley stated.

So far, they'd been able to keep Rae's involvement quiet. Her parents going live would change it. Although, he was sure they could also use it their advantage. “She's going to be part of our new mission.”

He handed off the files to Jake, minus Rae's. “I want you and Hanover talking to Franks and James. See what you can get out of them. If Franks wants to talk, let him have his say. I'll talk to Tinsman.”

“Got it, boss.” Jake hit is Tac-Com to get Hanover to holding.

“Also, get Rae a line out. Let her speak to her parents. Remind her to give them as little information as possible and explain she is safe with friendlies.”

O’Malley nodded. “Will do.”

Entering holding, Asher walked back to the room where Tinsman was being held. It surprised him to find the guy stretched out on a bed, sleeping.

What the fuck? His ass would be in for a surprise. Knowing the door would open without a sound, he pushed on it, and strode silently toward the rack.

He kicked it hard while yelling, “Up and at 'em!”

Tinsman flew off the cot, falling onto the cement floor.

“I want a lawyer,” he announced as he picked himself up off the ground and slumped back on the bed.

Asher would have the damn bed, chair, and table removed from the room when he was done talking to the jackass. Tinsman deserved no comforts as far as he was concerned. “I want world peace, but with assholes like you, that shit just ain't happening.”

“I know my rights.”

“Good for you,” Asher snarled. “FYI, you have no rights here unless I choose to give them to you. You should be happy I didn’t drop your ass in Gitmo.”

Tinsman blanched and he smirked.

“You can't hold me against my will. I'm an American citizen.”

Ignoring Tinsman's outburst, he sat. “Tell me what happened on the mission.”

“You know what happened, you were there.”

“I want it in your words.”

“Fine. Your team was supposed to be there for observation only, but one of your guys opened fire when we were talking to the guerillas. Next thing I know, your team killed everyone in the center of town.”

A headache was forming behind his eyes. He squeezed the bridge of his nose, fighting his temper. Didn’t surprise him Tinsman decided to lie through his teeth. Bastard probably wouldn’t know the truth if it smacked him in the face.

“You want a shovel to go along with your bullshit? It's getting thick in here.”

“It's the truth.”

“Video will show otherwise.”

“Barclay confiscated all the video. SOP.” The smarmy bastard had the balls to smile. “So why don't you run along now and send me my lawyer.”

It was pretty fucking obvious to him Tinsman had no intention of speaking the truth. Which was fine. He stood and grabbed the folder he brought in with him. Punching in his passcode, he waited till he heard the locks disengage before he turned to a lounging Tinsman. “Each of my men are hardwired for video and sound. Barclay didn't get our internal feed. I guess I should also tell you we had eyes in the skies,” he lied. “You might want to ruminate on your statement before the next time we speak.”

Tinsman yelled some obscenity as the door slammed shut. He didn’t give a shit. Let the fucker stew. He had other important things to do, like informing Rae they’d be moving her to the safe house in the morning.

5

A safe house? She glanced out at the runway running parallel to the short row of cabins nestled in a line of trees. She hadn’t seen those when getting off the plane earlier. They were on a military base, which didn’t exist, at least in the sense of the word, anymore. How had she gotten here? What had she done in her life to end up in a messed-up situation like this? Rae rubbed the back of her neck, trying to ease the building tension. Ever since she woke on the plane, her mind had been going a million miles an hour, which created one hell of a migraine.

Asher built the command center into an old World War II bunker. The capabilities were endless, along with ensuring her safety, but at what price? How long would she have to stay here with people she didn’t think she could trust? As much as he said they weren’t like those who fired upon them, she had a sneaking suspicion they were. She couldn’t reason out why Asher’s presence always sent her libido spinning out of control.

Maybe it’d been a lack of sex on her part. Being stuck in a jungle could make for less than optimal conditions for finding a partner. Even if there were, though, she didn’t think she’d actively pursue anything.

She had six months remaining on her contract with Doctors Without Borders, and then she’d have to find something else to do with her life, or re-up. After this little scenario, she didn’t know if she could give them another two years of her time. Don’t get her wrong, she loved the job. Loved watching people flourish with tiny improvements on their lifestyles. However, she didn’t sign up to be kidnapped and taken to a secret underground bunker, either.

Surely her supervisor would be calling soon to get her out of this—hopefully. At least they let her talk to her mom. God, she hated hearing the tears in her voice. She assured both her parents she was safe, secure, and doing well. Everything else would have to wait until she could say more.

She rubbed her hands on her jeans and glanced around the new safe house digs. Modern with a military flare, she couldn’t complain too much. The bed left much to be desired. The closet about the same. It reminded her more of a barrack than a home. Considering where she currently resided, it fit.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned. Thirty-six hours had passed since she’d been thrust into a situation where she didn’t belong. She worried about Juan and Isabella and the twins. Maria stayed behind to care for the twins.

Tears stung the corners of her eyes. She feared for her friend. For the babies. God, why did their parents have to find a backbone in those final moments? The men sent to care for her friend at least radioed she was safe, as were the babies.

Would someone go back for them? Were they in harm’s way? This is why I don’t need downtime.

She stepped to the window and gazed over the open airfield. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. No people. No trucks. Like Asher told her, they did everything underground. The idea of being alone on the back side of an “abandoned base” sent a chill through her. There’s keeping someone safe, then there’s ignoring them completely. She hoped it wasn’t the latter.

She glanced at the clock for the third time in less than an hour and huffed out a breath of impatience. At least when she’d been in the jungle, she had something to do. Someone to help. Here, she twiddled away the hours. Not her idea of a good time. She sat and started going through the lineup Asher left for her to peruse. He hoped by showing her pictures, it would jumpstart her memory. The only problem was, she didn’t need it jumpstarted. She could recall every moment. The sounds. The acrid smell of gunpowder and blood. The fear. All of it sat in a neatly wrapped package of her mind, waiting for the perfect moment to explode.

Yet, instead of closing the book, she looked. Face after face filled the pages, four columns down, eight across. It reminded her of a police suspect book, and she supposed maybe it was. She studied each person. Took in every scar. Every line. The color of their eyes and the set of their mouths. A weird, but relaxing, technique she picked up while in medical school. It helped her remember patient names, and with their names, she could recollect their ailments and treatments. It was what made her a standout in her class.

Rae flipped the page, and stopped. A brief flash of memory from the mass killing pushed forward. She saw the man staring back at her from his photograph. He’d been… She closed her eyes, trying to slow her mind down so she could figure out if she missed anything. A man, tall, athletic build, not too big like Asher or his team, but not out of shape by any means, yelled at the men around him, but he wasn’t firing. Then a split second later the man with the cruel smirk appeared in the door.

She glanced at the picture. Him. He had haunting eyes, three days’ worth of scruff and thin lips, nothing about him showed a bit of happiness. He appeared stressed. A bit depressed. Unlike a police book, this one had names below it. Franks, Joseph. Could Asher have been telling her the truth the whole time? Some of them were good guys? Still doesn’t explain their uniforms or why they looked alike. She tapped the book with her thumb. No, none of it made a lick of sense.

The sound of a vehicle approaching caught her attention. After closing the book, she went to the window near the door. Two military jeeps were parked outside. Asher stood beside one while two of his team members stood next to him. When he smacked them on the back, each jumped into a vehicle and drove away.

He climbed the stairs and gave a wave. Oh sure, now he wants to be neighborly. She contemplated leaving him out there to stew, but her conscience got the best of her, and she relented. Opening the door, she stood for a moment and ate him up, inch by glorious inch, with her gaze. For as much as she hated him, she couldn’t get enough of him, either.

“Yes?” She crossed her arms, taking up a defensive pose. “What can I do for you?”

“It’s time for your debriefing.” He closed them in and locked the door behind him. The snick of the deadbolt sliding home put her on edge. The already too small space shrank even more with his larger than life presence.

“I thought we did that in Colombia.”

“Some. I have more questions for you, and I thought since you were settled, now would be the perfect time to get down to business.” He took a seat at the small table near the kitchenette.

“I’m still not getting a lawyer, am I?” She reluctantly sat across from him.

“You haven’t done anything wrong, so I don’t understand why you believe you need one.”

She rolled her tongue across the inside of her teeth. “Do we really have to go down this road again? Look where I am. Look at how I got here. You tell me, do I need a lawyer?”

“Only if you’re the mastermind who is behind this.”

“Yes, because I get off on death and destruction.” She snorted.

“Then you don’t need an attorney.” He relaxed into the chair. “What I’d like to go over, since you’re calmer now and realize we’re not the enemy, is your statement.”

“Fine.”

“You still don’t believe me.”

No. She didn’t. How could two people, one for and one against, wear the same uniform? What the hell did she miss during the attack? “You still haven’t explained your uniforms.”

He sighed. “We are observers. We’re a group of men who go into situations where things aren’t adding up, and find the problems. Then we take care of it. Only this time, we went into this situation blind.”

She shook her head. “How can you 'take care of me' if you don’t even know what you’ve been entrenched in?”

“You’re as stubborn as a pack mule.” He chuckled.

“So now I’m a mule.” She nodded, even though he had a point. She wouldn’t go down without a fight.

“We’re getting off track here, Dr. Rae.” If he thought using her title would placate her, he had another thing coming.

“As I see it,” she said with a lift of her chin, “we’ve never been on the right track. You show me all the fancy stuff to dazzle me and then what? Pounce? If you’re hoping to distract me, it won’t work.”

He grunted. “Are you always this suspicious?”

No. But the fact her clinic became ground zero for a mass genocide, well… “I can’t trust you.” Maybe.

“Because you’re unwilling to listen to me.” He blew out an exasperated breath. “Until we get out of this stalemate, we can’t move forward, and I don’t know who to go after to make this right.”

She tapped her foot impatiently while staring at the man who made her blood boil in anger and arousal. “Fine. What do you want to know?”

“What do you remember happening? From the beginning.”

She recounted the details of her day. From the moment she walked into the patient room to see Isabella, to the moment she heard the approaching vehicles. “It had been pandemonium afterwards. Between the gunfire and the screams, I got everyone to the safe room. When I turned, the man from your group had his long-gun pointed at me.” Thankfully, someone behind him killed the asshole. She also held back seeing the man in the book. She needed a little more information from Asher first.

“I realize tons of shit happened. Did you see anyone out of place, besides that particular person?”

She shook her head. “No. I’ve been trying to recall everything. It’s hard.” She glanced down at her hands. So much innocent blood had been spilled, because why?

“We have recon on the cocoa plants in a field not far from where the village is located. Do you have any idea why the guerillas would come to your town?”

“Yeah.” She wiped a tear from her eye. Blasted emotions. She didn’t want to seem weak in front of a man she didn’t trust to be a good guy. “Sometimes, if someone is in the field, they come to town as a warning. A—a show of force.”

“Are you aware of any payments the village makes to the guerilla faction?”

She nodded. “I think it’s once a month. It’s for protection. All of us pay it to the mayor of Puerto Nariño.”

“Does Doctors Without Borders know about this?”

“I’ve only been in Colombia for six months, so I’m not sure.” Maria handled the transfer of money to the mayor. Rae tried not to be nosy. She learned while in Aleppo, nosy could get you hurt or worse.

“I’ll have one of my guys get into contact with your bosses in Bogotá and see what they are privy to as well.” He sat forward in his chair, bracing his forearms on the table. “You’re safe here. I understand why you’re afraid. Why you don’t trust me. It comes with this kind of job. No matter how much I want to be the white knight and tell you everything will be fine, I can’t.”

No one told him to be a white knight, as he said, all she needed was the truth. Who the hell were they, and how the hell did this happen? A door slammed outside then a few seconds later, heavy footsteps stomped up the stairs.

Asher turned in his seat. “Stay here,” he told her before standing. He crossed the space in three quick strides and glanced out the window. “What the hell?” He opened the door, but made no attempt to step aside. “What is he doing here?”

“It’s important, and I think you should hear what he has to say. But we need the doc’s help, too.”

Curiosity piqued, Rae eased toward the door. There stood a bleary-eyed man. Tension radiated from him, and he wore one of their damn uniforms. She narrowed her eyes. Realization dawned on her. Franks, Joseph. He looked like shit—worse than his picture. He looked downright petrified, and worried. Well, he should be. He colluded with these animals to kill innocent people.

“It better be a good reason or else I refuse,” Asher snapped. The tension slipped from the man for a brief second and she saw sorrow and a sense of loss.

He glanced up at her and recognition filled his features.

Shit. “I do recognize him,” she whispered.

“What?” Asher faced her.

Crap. She hadn’t meant to say it aloud. She mentally stomped her foot then sighed. “He tried to stop the ones from your team who were murdering the people.”

Asher stared at her, causing her to squirm under his gaze. “Bring him in.” Asher allowed them entry. Once they were sitting, he glared at Rae. “Now, why don’t we start from the beginning, and let’s tell the truth this time.”

6

No one said shit and it was pissing him the hell off. Rae looked lost and Franks looked like hell. He lacked the patience for this bullshit.

“Well?” he barked, unable to keep patient any longer. Hanover quirked a brow at him. He was still trying to figure out what the hell possessed their sniper to bring Franks here. Out in the open. He'd deal with his smirking ass later; right now, he needed both Rae and Franks to talk.

“I want assurances,” Franks demanded, finally breaking his silence.

“I don't think you're in any position to request jack shit. Need I remind you what happened?”

“I have a family…a wife, a kid.” Franks eyes darted to Rae's before locking with his.

“I'm aware. But perhaps you should have thought of this before signing up with Barclay.”

Franks leaned forward, resting both elbows on his knees, clenching his head between his hands. “I didn't know. I swear, I didn't know. I would have never taken the job.”

“Yeah, you would have. You need the money,” he said.

Franks blanched. Any color he had, disappeared. “You know?”

“Yup. I had a full dossier on you within minutes of getting to base.”

Realization flashed through Franks' eyes.

“There's more to you guys than meets the eyes.” Franks’ reference to a famous children's cartoon had him and Noah snorting. When he didn't respond, Franks continued. “I need the money, but I don't need the money that bad. Being able to look my wife and child in the eye means more to me than a paycheck.”

As much as he didn't want to, he believed Franks. Everything they had learned on the man pointed to him being a good guy. Factor in Rae's eyewitness report of him attempting to stop the murdering of the villagers moved him up from good man to good, moral man.

“What assurances are you looking for?”

“I want...I mean, I need…shit,” he paused. “I'd like to request my wife and child be protected.”

Franks didn't demand this time, nope. Instead, he asked. “And you feel their lives are in imminent danger?”

“Yes, sir, I do. Barclay won't hesitate to use my family against me, preventing me from speaking the truth.”

His gaze broke from Franks and moved to Noah, who had stood. “On it, boss.” Noah stepped outside to make the call.

“Where is he going?” Rae finally spoke.

“To make arrangements for Franks’ family,” he answered without looking at her. He wanted to observe Franks’ reaction to his news.

“Just like that?” Franks asked.

“Just like that. I swore an oath to help to protect those in need. It's something I believe in and I'll do, no matter what.”

Franks visibly relaxed, leaning back on the couch, letting out a long sigh. “Thank you.”

“Don't thank me yet. Noah hasn't stepped back in to assure me they are safe and en route yet.”

Five minutes later, Noah knocked. “They've been located. ETA three hours.” Noah finally turned to acknowledge Franks. “How sick is she?”

“Very.” He paused for a second, seemingly gathering himself. “They are unable to figure out what's wrong with her. She's running out of time.”

Being Franks was totally unaware of his team’s name, he found his word choice ironic.

Before he could open his mouth, Noah spoke up. “Then we got you at the right time.”

Franks just shook his head. “Doctors tell us she has six to nine months, max. She's dying a slow, torturous death.”

Noah nodded then turned back to him. “Murray's pulling the kid’s medical records. He said it'll take about an hour.”

“You can't give up. If it's okay, I'd like to see her records,” Rae said, drawing his attention from Noah to her. “After you're done reviewing them, of course.”

Even if he reviewed them, it wouldn't matter. He'd have no clue what the hell he was looking at. He was a man of war, strategies, and planning. That was the shit he knew about.

As if Rae suddenly realized it, her gaze swung to Franks. “If you and your wife have no objections.”

He noticed her whole demeanor changed, almost as if she was less guarded and more trusting. Her posture loosened up a bit while her features weren’t pulled as tightly. Perhaps he wouldn't ream Noah's ass for bringing Franks here, after all.

“We'd do anything for our girl, so yeah, you can look at her medical files.”

Noah sat, pulled one of the side tables in front of the couch and placed a video camera down. “If you'd like to meet your family's incoming bird, we should start the questioning.”

Franks moved to the couch while Noah fiddled with the device. Noah would be handling this interview; he'd be observing.

“What about me?” Rae asked.

“Commander will do your interview later,” Noah stated as he hit the green button on the video camera. “Please state your full name for the record.”

“Joseph Adam Franks.”

For the next fifteen minutes, Noah asked Franks questions pertaining to his military background, discharge, and then finally, his responsibilities at Barclay. Asher stood near the couch out of range.

“What is your current position at Barclay?”

“I'm a field medic.”

“Why was the Barclay team in Colombia thirty-six hours ago?”

Franks sat back, his gaze locked on the wall in front of him like he was deep in thought. “It was supposed to be an observation mission only.”

“Yet, they took a medic?” Noah interjected.

“As I'm sure you're aware, team medics go on every mission.” Not true for their team. All members were cross-trained and knew basic medical procedures. Barclay's men, on top of being lazy and greedy, were not well-trained.

“Who was the team lead for this mission?'

“Paul Tinsman.”

“Do you know who owns Barclay?”

Franks brow furrowed in confusion at Noah's question, but he answered anyway. “Jason Barclay.”

“Do you know anything about him?”

“Not much other than he started Barclay after leaving the military. It is the second largest private military and security firm. I thought this was going to be about the mission.”

“It is,” Asher interjected.

Noah glanced at him, then back at Franks. “It is.”

“Listen, I'll be completely honest. I know very little about Barclay. They offered me a good paycheck. One I could use to help care for my daughter. Did I do my due diligence and research what I was getting myself into? I'd say no since I'm sitting here after witnessing my coworkers, ex-military men, who've sworn the same oath I did to protect those who can't protect themselves, murder innocent people.

“I was hired by a headhunter. I was met by a human resource employee my first day, then told to report to their private base. Which I did. This was my third mission with Barclay. I was never assigned with the same team. I thought it was odd, but since medics are hard to come by, I figured they moved us around at will.”

“What do you know about Paul Tinsman?”

“What do I know or what have I heard?” he replied more to the point.

“Both,” Noah responded.

“I know he leads one of the more prolific teams within Barclay and he’s been there the longest.”

For the next hour and a half, Noah asked Franks questions dealing with Barclay, their staffing and structures, and how they ran their operations.

“Can we take a break?”

Noah glanced at him for approval.

“Yeah. Ten minutes.”

Franks headed down the hall toward the bathroom while Noah went out the front door for a smoke.

“Can I ask a question?” Rae whispered.

“Sure. Anything. I'm an open book.” He ignored her snort.

“I thought this interview was supposed to be about what happened in Colombia. Noah only asked one question about his mission and it was weak at best.” She continued to keep her voice low.

He suspected she didn't want Franks to know they were discussing him. Asher had to remember she was a doctor, not military. “He's reeling him in, making him relax and feel safe. When we come back from break, he'll amp up the questions.” A look of confusion passed over her face. “He's lulling him.”

“I thought you trusted him?”

Now he snorted. “I don't trust anyone other than my team and those who work for me. Franks was on the Barclay team. He participated in a mass killing.”

“I don’t think so,” she said. “Ask him what he did to help and if he didn’t kill anyone, why? You attract more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.”

“I'm not—”

“Ask him.” She stood before him, pissed off, with her arms crossed. He wondered if she realized how her actions plumped her breasts, giving him a peek of her soft, creamy skin pushing out over the collar of her shirt. His dick took notice. It pulsed against the zipper of his ACUs while pre-cum pooled at the tip. It took every ounce of his self-control not to lean forward and trace her cleavage with his tongue. Last time, it was her stubbornness that turned him on. This time, it was her anger.

Leaning forward, so only inches separated them, he whispered. “You should be aware, both your stubbornness and your anger is adorable. Gets me all hot and bothered.”

Rage, along with a bit of lust, flared in her hazel eyes. She dropped her arms to her sides. Pity since he lost his view. Pink washed over her cheeks at his blunt words, and he wondered if her face would flush the same pretty color when he made her come.

“Want me to go out for another smoke?” Noah leaned against the door jamb.

He never even heard the front door open or Noah step inside. Rae got to his head quicker than tequila, that's for damn sure. “Nah. We're good. Right, Rae?”

“Uhh…yes, we're good.” Her gaze floated around the room, never meeting his or Noah's directly.

“I'm ready,” Franks announced as he walked down the hall. He retook his seat on the couch and glanced between them.

Noah returned to his seat as did Rae. Once the equipment was running to record, Noah began again.

“How many shots did you fire while in Colombia?”

Rae made a little sound as Noah asked him the question they had just been discussing.

“None.”

Noah quirked a brow at how quickly Franks responded. Didn't blame him. Most trained military men would pull their weapon the moment they heard shots fired.

“You sure about that?”

“Yes. I am.”

“Doctor Kenzie mentioned she saw you with your gun out.” Noah dug in deeper.

“You asked me if I fired my weapon, not if I pulled it. I pulled it the moment I heard the first shots fired.”

Noah inclined his head. “At any time, did you try to protect or defend the inhabitants of the village?”

Franks shifted on the couch, dropping his head as he rubbed his hands up and down his pants. Franks had answered every one of Noah's questions almost as soon as Noah had asked him. This one, though, Franks delayed for long moments.

“Not as many as I should've,” he admitted.

“Explain,” Noah continued to probe.

“I helped Dr. Kenzie and a mother with her two children. I shoved them into the back of the clinic. Told them to remain quiet until we left. I wanted to save more, but...” Franks sighed. “I'm no good to my family dead.”

Franks spoke the truth. If Tinsman or any member of his team had caught him helping, they would have executed him on the spot.

“What were the parameters of your mission?” Noah asked.

“To observe. To watch the village and the fields. At least, it’s what I was told.” Franks cleared his throat.

Had he heard or seen something he wasn't supposed to? “Why would you say that?”

“It's pretty damn obvious that wasn't the mission. It was premeditated. We...they…went to Colombia with the intent to massacre that village.”

“Why?” Noah pressed.

Franks leaned forward, digging his palms into his eyes.

“If you know something, now's the time to tell us.”

“I think I might have overheard something I wasn't supposed to. I didn't put it together at the time because our mission was to observe. But after?” Franks shrugged as a lost look came over his face. “I don't understand how I could've been so stupid. To sign up with the guys. All my life, I've done the right, moral thing. How did I become so involved with this? How do I look Sydney or Gabby in the eyes when they land, knowing I was a part of this?”

“You look your family in the eye by bringing those responsible to justice. You can either sit here and wallow in self-pity or you can be the stand-up guy I think you are and work with us. Help us find the bad guys and make them accountable so they never do this shit again.

“You've seem to have forgotten, you're not the bad guy. Barclay and those who fired the shots and had the knowledge of the real mission are. You're just in a fucked-up situation, trying to do what you can to rectify it,” Asher said, stopping Franks’ tirade into his own little pity party. “Tell us what you saw or heard that wasn't right. Even being a medic, you were in the armed services long enough to be observant and pick up shit you know isn't right.”

Franks sighed. Shifting back, his hand resting on his knees, he began to speak. “The night before the mission, I saw a man. A man who didn't belong in a jungle base camp in Colombia.”

“Go on,” Noah prodded when Franks paused.

“He was in a suit. An expensive suit. It didn't fit in my mind because he didn't even have any Kevlar on.” Asher understood exactly what Franks meant. You didn't go into guerilla-infested jungles not protected. “It didn't make sense to me. Why was this man here and why was he at our base camp out in bumfuck nowhere? He argued with Tinsman. Loudly. I could hear them from where I was.”

“What did they argue about?” Noah probed.

“Money. I could hear Tinsman yelling at the suit. Demanding more money. It didn't make sense at the time. But now...” Franks shook his head. “After thinking about it, I believe Tinsman was demanding more money for killing those villagers. I could never hear the suit. It was almost like he intentionally kept his voice down. It was mostly Tinsman. Only once did I hear the suit. He told Tinsman if he followed through, 'the job' would be waiting for him. The conversation went on for about twenty minutes, then the suit scurried off to a waiting helicopter. It was like he had never been there. No one questioned Tinsman as to why a civilian was in our camp. Truth be told, they all blew it off. Like it wasn't the first time.”

“Did you see the suit’s face?” he inquired before Noah could.

“Most of the time, he had his back to me. Like it was deliberate.” Franks shrugged.

“You said most of the time. Did you see who Tinsman argued with, Franks?” Noah demanded.

“He turned at one point and I saw his profile. I recognized him,” he admitted.

The suspense was killing him. It was killing Noah, too. He didn't miss how stiff his sniper’s shoulders appeared, or the intense look of determination on his face. They both knew they had to know who Tinsman argued with. Once they had his name, they could start connecting the dots and find out why all those innocent people were murdered.

“Who was it?” Noah demanded.

“Jesus Christ,” Franks spat as he stood. He paced between the couch and the coffee table. His gaze traveled between Noah and him. “You both realize once I say his name, I'm done. My family is done. I've got nowhere to go and I got a sick little girl. My daughter, my wife, and our son she’s pregnant with are my priority!”

“We’ll protect them and you,” Asher assured him. “We can hide your family. Provide new identities. A new place to live and jobs.”

“Easy for you to say, Commander. Your entire life isn't about to change. My wife’s parents are still alive. They dote on my wife and daughter.”

“You're not this guy, Franks.”

“How the fuck do you know what kind of man I am?” Franks snapped.

“I know exactly the type of man you are.” Asher stood and rested a hand on Franks’ shoulder. He didn't shrug it off like he thought he might. Instead, he slouched, hanging his head in defeat.

Asher got it. Joseph’s priority was his family. Asher could protect his family and once he assured Franks as much, the man would talk. “Because I'm the same type. I joined the military because I knew it would fit me like a well-worn shoe. I was born to protect, to help those who can't or are unable to help themselves. You joined the military with the realization you could do good. And you did. It's who and what we are to our core. Nothing will ever change it.”

“Fuck!” Franks jerked away. He got the other man's dilemma. Sometimes doing the right thing wasn't always the easiest. It hadn’t only been Franks’ life on the line. It was his entire family.

“Up to now, you've been a good guy placed in a fucked-up situation who has the chance to help us right an injustice. If you don't help us and you walk away—even though you never fired a shot—you're just as responsible as the rest of your team for the murder of one hundred thirty-six people. Don't let those bastards put a black mark on your soul, Franks. It'll eat you alive. I know it will.”

Franks slumped on the couch in front of the video recorder. “The man Paul Tinsman argued with was Senator Lincoln.” Franks' voice didn't waiver.

Asher heard him loud and clear.

Senator Robert Lincoln. Son of a bitch. Lincoln was almost as powerful as his uncle. Almost. Only difference between the two was his uncle had been a respected and trusted advisor of the president. A job Lincoln openly coveted. They'd need more proof than the word of a member of the team who participated in the slaughter of men, women, and children.

“Boss?” Noah pulled him out of his musings.

“Yeah?”

“You have any follow up questions?”

“None I can think of right now.” His gazed locked with Franks. “If something else comes up, we'll talk.”

“We have an incoming bird. It's his family. ETA is fifteen minutes.”

“Go meet them. Get the family checked in, then assign them a house with guards.”

“Got it, boss.” Noah fiddled with the recording and video device before packing everything and standing. “Ready, Franks?”

“I can go with you?” Confusion filled his question.

“Yeah. You and your family will be confined to the base, but you won't be confined to your room or house once it is assigned. Noah will see to it.”

“Joseph?” Rae stood, rubbing her hands down her pants as she walked over to him.

Franks' head ducked down when Rae began to speak softly to him. He couldn't hear a word she said and he had excellent hearing. He shot a quick look at Noah, who just shrugged his shoulders. He couldn't hear, either. Franks placed his hand on Rae's shoulder and a wave of possessiveness washed over Asher.

He wanted to march over there, pull Franks’ hands from her, and demand to know what she said to him. He suspected if he did, Rae would have his balls in a vise. Franks leaned down, placing a kiss on Rae's forehead before he turned and followed Noah out the front door.

“What did you say to him?” He hated that his curiosity got the best of him.

“It was private.”

“Stubborn woman.”

“According to you, it turns you on!”

“It surely does. But we don't have time for that right now. We both need to eat. You'll want to see his daughter's file and I've got work to do. But later is always an option,” he teased.

7

Rae stretched as she walked out of Joseph and Sydney’s cabin. From everything Franks told her about their daughter, Gabby, Rae had a sneaking suspicion the girl had nephritis, a kidney disease caused by the autoimmune system, but she’d have to run the tests first to make sure. The downside, if her assessments were correct, included being put on a transplant list for a new kidney.

Unfortunately, getting her a new kidney would be a slim to none case, the lists were long and Gabby’s parents didn’t have the funds to pay for the surgery. So, Rae would start with dialysis to clear out the toxins, then she’d wait for the test results she ran to come back. If she could find and treat the underlying factors the other doctors missed, getting the little girl’s kidneys to function properly would be easy.

Sydney, on the other hand, worried her. The stress of the move coupled with leaving everything she knew behind, and being eight months pregnant, wasn’t good for her or the baby. The ultrasound came back normal, though. He measured at a good six pounds, which meant he’d probably be close to nine or a little over when his due date rolled around.

Mom’s blood pressure, however, bothered her even more. She made a note on her chart to keep an eye on it and left them with “I’ll be back with answers as quickly as I can.” She stepped out of the small cabin next to hers and descended the stairs.

“Are you finished here?” Hanover opened the door to the waiting Humvee. “I have orders to take you to the main complex to assist you with anything you might need.”

“Really?” She really missed having Maria by her side. They worked so well together.

“Yes. Despite what you believe, we are good guys and we hate seeing kids and women sick or hurting. I can’t do much testing wise, that’s not in my wheelhouse, but I’ll do what I can to make this a smooth process for you.”

“Then let’s go. I need to figure out which medications to give Gabby.” She slid into the passenger seat while Hanover rounded the front of the vehicle.

Once he was situated, he pulled away. “Do you think you can fix her?”

The way he said “fix her” had Rae smiling. “I don’t know. With the condition she has, sometimes there is no known reason for it, other than autoimmune. That makes it much harder to treat, and gives her a less than savory life. Mom concerns me, too. I know my word means less than shit here, but I would prefer whoever is guarding them to also have some medical training.”

“Is she okay, Doc?”

“It could be her body is beginning to tell us baby Franks needs to come early.” She rubbed her forehead as they neared the entry of the underground facility.

“I’ll make a note of it and make sure they are taken care of appropriately.” Hanover got out then came around to her side to let her out. “Anything else?”

“I could really use a shot of tequila if you have it.” She grinned.

He laughed. “I like you, Doc, even though you don’t trust us.”

“I’m realizing rather quickly I might not fully understand who to trust around here.”

When they entered the facility, Hanover guided her toward their lab.

“Everything is waiting for you.” He left her at the door. “Holler when you need me.”

Looking around at the vacant hall, she realized it would be so easy to walk away now.

Temptation rushed through her. She knew her way out. Counted the number of turns and where the exits were. She could figure it out. Yet, the more she thought about going home, the worse she felt. A child and a mother were counting on her to find out what was wrong with Gabby. She couldn’t pick up and leave them.

Pushing through the door, she examined the large sterile environment. To the side were biohazard suits for precaution and a decontamination chamber in case of accidental exposure or radiation poisoning—throwbacks to a bygone era. She frowned. This wouldn’t work at all.

Then she saw the rest of the lab. Though they didn’t have a full-time doctor, they were able to run a full-scale infectious disease outbreak treatment center with biohazard chambers, separate testing centers. Jeez, it was like a doctor-gasm in there. They also had top-of-the-line MRI and CAT scan machines. It would make finding out what was wrong with Gabby a thousand times easier.

The only reason she’d even suspected nephritis was due to her dealing with children all over the world. Sometimes, it was the little things that got overlooked—deficiencies some doctor wouldn’t suspect in an otherwise normal, healthy child. Plus, dealing with third-world children who didn’t have vaccines, or clean water—anything they’d taken for granted—made searching for illnesses outside of the box second-hand to her. Once you’ve exhausted the known, try something foreign.

Rae stepped farther into the space. She took the two vials of blood out of her bag when she spotted the machines she’d need first, and placed them on the counter. After washing her hands and grabbing a pair of gloves, she donned them. Once she had the samples ready, she placed them into the diagnostic machine and hit start.

While she waited for the results, she started two charts. One for Gabby and one for Sydney. She wished she’d brought her recorder. It would make taking notes so much easier. Instead, she wrote everything she’d learned from her new patients, not wanting to miss a thing.

Twenty minutes later, the laser printer engaged as the machine beeped, announcing the analysis was complete. She picked up the paper first. The results didn’t surprise her. Gabby’s blood levels were elevated. Her iron was low. Toxins were high. Even her platelet counts were too low for Rae’s liking.

There were specific tests she could run for other autoimmune deficiencies; from there, she’d be able to determine which course of treatment would help the little girl the most.

After grabbing the necessary equipment, Rae began the painstaking task of dividing the remaining blood for two more tests. It was a shot in the dark, of course. But while in Colombia, she’d seen a couple kids with symptoms like Gabby’s. Though deer weren’t prevalent in Puerto Nariño, sloths were, and occasionally they could pick up deer ticks that carried Lyme Disease. In a good case, a round of antibiotics helped, others not so much. The disease could go from acute to chronic with no real reason why.

Determining if Gabby had the Lyme infection would come first, then she’d go from there. She knew the risks of false-positives, but with as sick as the little girl had been, and as much trouble as her kidneys were giving her, she’d try anything, which could be considered a horrible way of doctoring. She placed the samples in the machine and calibrated for what she needed. It would take a half hour for the results to come in. Ugh. She hated waiting.

“There you are.” Asher stepped into the lab. “Have you found anything yet?”

“Are you breathing down my neck?”

He held up his hands. “I don’t want to argue. I asked because I’m curious.”

She blew out a breath. “Other than her kidneys are messed up and her levels are out of whack, no. But I’m running more tests. I think it’s treatable and manageable, if we get it right.” She tapped her chin. “Do you have a dialysis machine?”

Asher cocked a brow. “I’m sure we do. Why?”

“I want to clean her blood. Get all the toxins out. If we can do that, and my assumption is right, when we give her the antibiotics, she should start feeling better, but it might take a few days to work.” She glanced up at him. “Are you sure you have what I need here?”

“Yes,” he grunted. “What do you need?”

“She’s going to need a specialized diet. High protein, low carbs. Lots of green leafy vegetables. It’ll get her blood count up to help combat anemia and all kinds of things.”

“Sucks to be her,” he groused. “She’s a kid. Do you really think limiting her food will help her?”

“I’m not limiting it, I’m changing it. She can still have her sweets. String cheese, fruit, stuff like that, but I’d rather get the good stuff in there, too. It’s important for her kidney function.” The machine beeped and she grabbed the paper on the tray next to her. She read over the results and grinned. “Thank God. I can work with this.”

“What?”

She smiled and showed him the paper. “It’s Lyme Disease.”

Asher scratched his head. “Doc, how is having Lyme Disease a good thing?”

“Well, it does have some drawbacks and some crippling conditions for some people, but adding it to Gabby’s condition will make her feel a whole lot worse. I think with a course of the right antibiotics and a basic diet change, along with dialysis once a week, she’ll be fine. In the meantime, we could look for a kidney.”

He grinned. “We, huh?”

“Don’t go getting cocky.” She poked him in the chest with the edge of her paper.

“Too late. I already am.” She figured as much. “What do you need now?”

“I need to get her hooked to the machine, but if it’s possible, I want to do it overnight, so she can sleep through it and be ready for her first dose of meds in the morning.”

He nodded while rubbing his chin. “We can make it happen. How about the wife?”

“Mom and baby are good. I am a little concerned about her blood pressure. It’s trending high. My theory is, she’s under a lot of stress right now, so I am hoping when things settle, she’ll be back to normal.”

“If not?”

She frowned. “We might have to deliver the baby early. However, for his size, I doubt there will be a problem. If we can get her past thirty-six weeks, I’d feel better. I won’t have to worry about Baby Franks’ lungs being underdeveloped.”

She started out of the lab then turned to him. “Can you give me a lift back to the house to explain what will be happening next for Gabby?”

“Sure. I have a few questions for you, too.”

They walked down the hall in companionable quietness. Her mind raced with things she needed to do to prep for the night. She’d also need a nap at some point to make sure she could be awake with the little girl. She also wanted to do a little more research on the girl’s condition.

When they stepped outside, she took a deep breath of fresh air. “What did you want to talk about?”

“I feel like a dick for even asking, but I need to ask you a couple more questions.”

She rolled her eyes as she got into his jeep. “Of course, you do.”

“Look,” he replied, getting in next to her. “I am well aware you don’t like me.”

She sighed. Technically, she didn’t like him, but a part of her did wonder how good he was at the horizontal mambo. “I don’t hate you. I find you irritating and obnoxious. You stomp your way into situations and you don’t care who you step on to get your answers.”

He pulled away from the bunker and headed for the tree line where her cabin and the Franks’ home were located. “At least you’re honest.”

She gazed out the passenger window and nibbled on her bottom lip. “It’s a fault I have.”

“It’s a good way to judge character.” He stopped in front of the house. “Which leads me to my question.”

“Ask.” She folded her arms.

“Did you at any point see the man in the suit? If I can get more than one person corroborating with Franks, it’ll be good for him.”

She hadn’t. “Sorry. No.”

“You sure?”

She turned to him. She wished she could lie, however, she wouldn’t say something she’d be forced to regurgitate in a court of law or a subcommittee. “Yeah, I’m sure.” She gripped his hand. “For what it’s worth, I believe him. He’s a good guy. He was stuck in a shit situation trying to take care of his family.”

Asher laced his fingers with hers and a small thrill went through her. “I believe him, too. This shit runs deep. If I had to compare it to another situation we’ve been FUBAR in, I’d have to say the Iran-Contra affair.”

She scrunched up her nose. “Really?”

He nodded. “There are things civilians should never hear or see. After the whole leak of information from that fucking spy everyone wants to lynch in Russia, to the bastard holed up in an embassy in London, people are learning about aspects of our government they shouldn’t. This thing in Colombia could shed a light on us and Barclay. What they find won’t be pretty; however, it is the price paid for security.”

“Are you telling me you’re not a good guy after all?”

He sighed as he opened the door of the jeep. “Not at all. Looks as if we’ll have to break down Tinsman, though.” The excited, yet evil, gleam in his eyes should have scared the shit out of her but instead, it turned her on.

Yep, goes to show you’re seriously lacking in the sex department. “Can you wait to do any more questioning until after I explain what Gabby will be going through?”

He inclined his chin.

“Thank you.”

The door opened and Joseph stepped outside. “Did you find something?” The stress lines around his eyes and mouth deepened. His knuckles were white where he gripped the porch railing.

“Yes.” She started for the porch. “Let’s go inside and I can explain.” She hurried to his side then ushered him over the threshold. Gabby sat on the floor coloring in one of her books while Sydney rested on the couch next to her. “I have some good news and some not so great news.”

Sydney’s eyes popped open. Fear clouded her hazel gaze. “What’s wrong?” Her hand went to her belly.

“One,” she pointed at the woman, “you need to calm down. It’s not good for you or the baby. Two, Gabby is going to be fine, but we have to treat each individual thing before we can get a handle on her condition.” Rae explained the tests she ran and the results along with what types of treatment she wanted to try out.

“You want to put her on dialysis tonight, then start her on antibiotics in the morning?” Franks fell into the chair next to his wife.

“Yes. I think with the Lyme Disease, it’s only compounding what’s wrong with her.” She glanced at Sydney. “Do you ever remember finding a tick on her?”

She shook her head. “No.”

Franks ran his hand over his daughter’s head. “Well, there was one time…by the lake. Remember? She was two. We’d gone to the lake for the weekend. Gabby’s first time and all. We went on walks and stuff. Fished. Anyway, a couple of days after we got home, we noticed the little bast—tick, on the back of her knee.”

“She’d been so brave. I didn’t think she’d lie still for Joe. But we put her on the table, and he burned it off,” Sydney added.

“Did she have a bullseye mark?”

“Yeah,” he replied. “We both thought it was weird, but didn’t dwell on it, you know?”

“Combining the disease with her other condition is causing her kidneys to have issues. I believe if we get the Lyme under control, we can steady her out with the nephritis. I also want to put her on a transplant list. It’s the one we use for Doctors Without Borders.”

“What?” Franks sat back. “Why?”

“She should have been on it already. Since she isn’t, I’d like to get her on. She can live a full normal life with nephritis. However, if something should happen, at least you’ll have the peace of mind she’s on the list.”

Her mother nodded. “Do it. We have to give her the best fighting chance.”

“Great. I will start the process tonight while she is on the machine. In the morning with her breakfast, she’ll start her first dose of antibiotics.” She gave Sydney her full attention. “Which brings me to you.”

“What’s wrong with me?”

“You’re thirty-six weeks pregnant. You’re throwing protein in your urine.” She pointed to Sydney’s ankles and hands. “You’re swollen beyond what’s normal, as well. So, you’re on bedrest. I’d like to see you get a couple of weeks farther along before we induce.”

She sat up. “What?”

“With your levels, I want to be prepared. If something happens, at least we can monitor you through each contraction and if something goes wrong, we can do an emergency C-section.”

“You’re full of great news this afternoon, Doc,” Joseph quipped.

“Sorry. It’s a shock. I am optimistic, though. We will get this under control, and before you know it, you’ll have a new addition to the family and little miss Gabby will be right as rain.”

“We appreciate it, Dr. Rae,” Sydney said with a small smile. “You’re the first doctor who seems to understand Gabby, and I feel more comfortable with you caring for her.”

“Hey, now, I’m both of your doctors.” She stood. “When is Gabby’s bedtime?”

“Eight,” Joseph answered.

“I’ll be here at seven so we can go over how everything will be setup. Then I’ll take her down to medical.”

“Can one of us go with you?”

“Franks can.” Asher came up beside her. “You should stay here where you’re comfortable, ma’am.”

Sydney nodded. “Fine. I will stay.”

“I promise, I’ll have her home by eight in the morning so she can eat with you.” She turned to walk to the door. “In the meantime, her dinner should be light. Something high in protein and green, leafy vegetables, low carbs. It’ll help replenish her iron and help regulate her body.”

“Can do.” Noah walked in the back door. “We’ll make sure she has what she needs.”

“Great. Then I’ll get out of your hair and grab a nap. Tonight will be a long one, but worth it. See you soon.”

8

At three a.m., he shouldn't be awake. But he was. Wide awake. He laid on his back with his right arm tucked under his head, staring at the greenish-colored ceiling with a massive hard-on tenting his sweats.

Yeah, sure, he could easily get rid of it. All he had to do was slip his hand under the band of his pants and stroke himself to climax. But he didn't. Instead, he just laid here and dealt with it. The thought of using his hand twisted his guts. The baser part of his instincts demanded he claim Rae, and if he couldn’t, well, he’d deal.

What was worse, he’d break all the rules for her. Not that R.O.O.T. members couldn't have a wife or significate others. They could. He had made sure when they formed. Just like he had made sure when they refurbished command, a whole level had been designated to family apartments. None were currently in use, but they were there. It didn’t seem fair, though. They put their lives on the line day in and day out, and to know someone sat at home waiting tore him up. What if he didn’t come home, or one of his team members?

“Shit,” he mumbled, tossing over. If he didn’t get at least a nap in, he’d be a bear in the morning. Sleep deprivation wouldn’t be a new thing for him. He’d had it plenty of times in the field. However, with his thoughts centering on the good doctor, and the ache in his balls to slip between her lush thighs, well, he’d be a crabby bastard. In the past, he’d have gone out and grabbed some random chick. Those days, it would appear, were long gone. He only had eyes for Rae Kenzie.

Visions of Rae naked flashed through his mind. He suspected Rae's breasts would overfill his large hands. She wasn't obnoxiously large, but on her frame, she was perfect. His already aching dick pulsed. This had to stop. Otherwise, he'd end up coming in his sweats without even touching himself.

His door swung open after a quick knock by Noah. The asshole. Fine, if he wants to waltz in here, he can deal with the ramifications.

“Whatever you’re thinking about, it has to wait,” Hanover grunted. “We have a priority bird en route.”

“ETA?” He jackknifed off the bed. The only people who came in hot had been his uncle or General Blackwell.

“C&C will let us know when they’re three minutes out.” His uncle, had to be. The general liked to be greeted by everyone. Three minutes wasn’t enough time to gather everyone. “They want you and only you in the executive level conference room.”

“It's why I'm paid the big bucks.”

Noah snorted as he reached out, pulling his shirt off the chair he had thrown it on before he got into his rack.

“Better you than me, boss. I’ve got no patience to deal with fucking politicians who are only worried about their careers and how they appear in the press. I like the buffer you provide.”

“Glad to help.” He finished dressing, then sat to slip on his boots. “Try to grab a couple of hours of Zs. Six a.m. comes early.”

“I'm up, boss, and you know me. Once up, I'm not going back.” Hanover had more energy than the pink bunny who advertised batteries.

“Keep out of trouble.”

Noah's face twisted into an innocent look.

Asher called bullshit. None of them were innocent. “Look in on the doc and then go bug Callahan. I doubt the bastard has even hit his rack yet.”

“He hasn't. He's still reviewing all the tapes and satellite feeds,” Noah supplied.

“He'll go blind if he doesn't take a break soon.”

“Is that an order?” Noah followed him out his room.

“Yeah. It is. We need to find the truth, but I won't let you guys sacrifice your health.”

“Says the man who should have been asleep, but instead was thinking about a certain doctor naked in her white coat.”

“Fuck off, Hanover,” he grumbled, making sure his door was locked.

“You going like that, boss?” Noah gestured to his sweat pants and plain green T-shirt.

“Yeah. If they want me in uniform, they should've arrived during a decent hour.” Done with the conversation, he split off from his friend and headed toward the elevator. Since the meeting would be on the books, his uncle would be waiting in the boardroom on the executive level of the base.

Once he exited the elevator, he scanned his security card and waited for the locks to disengage. The door slid open seconds later and there stood his uncle, back to the door, studying the map of the base.

“Is there a reason you needed to visit us at zero dark thirty?”

Senator Jefferson Winters shrugged and slowly turned around to gaze at him. “Is there a reason you're not in uniform?” Leave it to his uncle to notice.

“It's three-fifteen in the morning, Uncle.” He reminded him as he walked over to the sideboard where fresh coffee rested in a carafe. “Want some?”

“Yes.” It didn't go unnoticed his uncle didn't elaborate on why he was here. Jefferson was deliberate in how he revealed information, even to his family. It drove Asher’s aunt bonkers.

Keeping his back to his uncle, he poured two cups of freshly made coffee before walking over to hand a cup to his uncle.

“You look like hell, son.”

“Yeah.” He rubbed his unshaven chin. “So I've been told. I'm assuming this isn't a pleasurable visit, so I'll ask again. Why are you here?”

The senator ignored his question; instead, he focused on drinking the hot brew. He tugged the chair from under the table, then sat. “Join me, Asher.”

It wasn't a request, but an order. This can’t be good. Asher followed his uncle’s instruction and joined him at the table.

“I just got out of a very long meeting with the president.” Jefferson’s gaze fell toward the coffee mug he held in both hands.

Asher hated long dramatic pauses. They pissed him off and tended to make him anxious—off his stride.

“And?” he questioned, when he couldn't take the silence any longer.

“I'm taking a lot of heat and shit is about to get hot.”

“What else is new? Granted, I know R.O.O.T. doesn't look good, but my men, this division, is innocent. You know this.”

“Several senators are demanding hearings and the U.N. wants access to the village to assist and help with the investigations. Both our president and Colombia's have agreed.”

Letting out the breath Asher had been holding, he leaned back in his chair. “It doesn't surprise me. I figured it would happen.” He rubbed the rim of the mug with his thumb. “Especially once Barclay leaked the tampered audio and video evidence. Is the president aware we have the correct evidence? With additional proof from United States military satellites, which Callahan pulled. Evidence which can't be disputed, Uncle.”

“He's aware.”

“Aware, but doesn't care. Has he even seen it?”

His uncle shook his head.

“That's bullshit.” Anger surged through him. He clenched his hands into fists to prevent himself from hurling his coffee cup against the wall. Calmer heads always prevailed. He knew this. Losing his shit wouldn't help a damn bit.

“There's a game in play here. One I'm still trying to piece together,” he admitted.

“Is Senator Lincoln leading the charge on these hearings?” Even though his uncle liked to keep things close to the vest, Asher didn’t miss the surprise in his gaze before returning to their natural state. “That motherfucker. He set us up.”

“Explain, Asher.”

“I've got an eyewitness who can place Lincoln at Barclay's base camp the night before they went into the village.”

“This wasn't in your report.” The censure in his uncle’s tone had him tensing.

“Because I just got the information yesterday. I took the responsibility to arrange to secure and protect his family. Which I've done. His wife and sick daughter now reside in one of the houses topside.”

“Who is the witness?”

“A former team member of Barclay. Their medic.”

“Can he be trusted?”

He nodded. Reaching forward, he activated the computer embedded within the conference table. The screen on the wall at the end of the table lit up while an image of a keyboard appeared on the wood surface in front of him. Typing in Franks’ name, the information they had gathered on him materialized on the screen. He then typed in the remaining members of the Barclay team’s names.

“How Barclay ever allowed any of these men to work for them blows my fucking mind. Only Franks had an exemplary military record. The rest were all dishonorably discharged. They've also had several run-ins with the law since leaving the service. Franks took the job with Barclay because it paid well. His daughter is sick and requires expensive medical services.”

“Son of a bitch.” His uncle placed his hands on the table and a keyboard appeared before him. He began flipping through the files, and shook his head.

“Lincoln has powerful friends. He's convinced them and in turn, they have convinced the president R.O.O.T. fucked up and killed those people.”

“What's Lincoln got to gain?” It was the same question he'd been asking himself since Franks dropped seeing Lincoln at the camp on Asher’s lap. Connecting the dots to Lincoln wouldn't be easy, but if the evidence was there, his team would find it.

“Power,” his uncle answered, not realizing he’d asked the question out loud.

“He's a fucking senator. What more could he want?”

“The presidency. Rumors have been swirling about Lincoln possibly throwing his hat in the next presidential race.”

Asher snorted. “Then we're all fucked if he wins. He especially hates R.O.O.T. He's got a hard-on for us for some reason.”

“I know and I can't figure out why.” Winters leaned forward. R.O.O.T. was just as much his uncle’s baby as it was his. “I've reached out to some friends. Good friends. Old friends. They are willing to help and provide support, if and when it's needed. They've also provided me with interesting information. Information which might help you. Lincoln has been linked with Ramsond Corp in the past.”

“Why does that name sound so damn familiar?”

“Ramsond is a military contractor. They deal in engineering, procurement, and construction. Two years ago, they were accused of cooking their books, lying to investors, and committing fraud. They were cleared, barely, and surprisingly kept all the military contracts. Speculation is Lincoln is an investor. A big one. Rumor has it, he came out of the scandal unscathed. Some say there is more than meets the eye with Lincoln and Ramsond.”

“You know something.” Asher understood there was more, what…his uncle wasn’t saying and it didn’t sit well with him. “Are you going to brief me or leave me blind?”

“I can't tell you anymore, at this time.”

“Don't fucking sacrifice R.O.O.T. or my team for your games. I won't be happy, family member or not.”

“I'd hope by now you'd know I'd never do either.” His assurance didn't mean shit. They both realized actions spoke louder than words. “There's more.”

“Of course, there fucking is,” Asher pushed the coffee cup away, ignoring the hot liquid that washed over the rim and onto the wood. “Just tell me.”

“Isaac will be reviewing the video and audio evidence Barclay provided.” The only Isaac who Asher knew was his father. Isaac Rainer.

“Fucking perfect.” He hadn't seen Isaac since his mother's funeral over twenty years ago. The day of his mother's burial, Isaac had walked away without a backwards glance. His uncle never fussed about helping a sixteen-year-old boy. He picked up where Asher’s mother left off. “Like that shit isn't deliberate.”

“No doubt. But your fath—”

“Let's get one thing straight, he's not my father. He gave up his rights to be called such when he left after Mom died.” A look of sadness passed over his uncle's face. Her death had affected his uncle almost as much as it had him.

“Isaac is the world's most renowned audio and video expert. It makes sense to call him in.”

“What the fuck ever. He's the world's most renowned piece of shit as far as I'm concerned. I'll make sure Callahan gives you everything we have from the mission. So, when are the hearings slated to begin?”

“Three weeks.”

He snorted. “Fastest hearing scheduled in all of U.S. history, huh?”

“You'll need to have proof. Solid proof, Asher.”

“I think you have us confused with Barclay. I don't submit false reports, or lie to make R.O.O.T. look better than what they appear. I'll have your damn proof. I'm going to nail Lincoln's ass to the wall for killing those people. Running for president will be the least of his concerns.” Determination filled his voice. Failure wasn't an option. R.O.O.T.'s very existence was in danger and someone had to bring justice to those innocent souls who were murdered at Tinsman's hands.

“Protect Franks and his family and protect the doctor. If Lincoln is involved as deeply as you state, he'll stop at nothing to eliminate them.”

“He'll have to gain access to the base, and we both know that ain't going to happen. Not under my watch.”

“Cover your six and don't take any stupid risks.” Worry etched around his uncle's mouth as he spoke. “Lincoln is a viper. An unpredictable viper.”

“I've dealt with vipers before. Easiest way to stop them is to cut them off at the head.”

After finishing his coffee, Asher stood and said his goodbyes to his uncle. On his way back to his quarters, he stopped by the communication room. Callahan sat hunched in front of the keyboard of his computer, images flashing across the half dozen monitors he had set up in his space.

“Callahan?” The man’s bloodshot, tired gaze met his when glancing away from the monitors. “Unplug, go hit your rack and don't come back in here till you have at least six hours of sleep under your belt.”

“Boss—”

“It's an order. Six hours. Get a shower, a good meal, and come see me. I have to add another task to your already growing list. Bring Murray. He can help out.”

“Aye, aye, Commander.” Rarely did he respond from his Navy roots, and it caused Asher to pause. “If you're interested, Hanover is with the doc at the Franks’.”

He was, but he sure as shit wasn't going to let Callahan know.

Anger still simmered below the surface after his conversation with his uncle. If he saw the good doctor right now, he'd mostly like pin her against the nearest wall and fuck all his aggression out on her sweet, little body. Somehow, he suspected Rae wouldn't appreciate his forcefulness. He needed to keep some distance between him and the sexy doctor. For now, he’d be getting a shower, a shave, and finish up by eating a hot meal before locating Rae.

9

Rae stepped out of the room Gabby was in near the office she’d claimed on the medical floor. The dialysis machine hummed and clicked as her blood worked through the cleaning process, then filtered back into her body. The girl slept peacefully beside her mom who held her as best as she could, and was also being monitored by Rae.

When she arrived at the cabin to gather up the girl and her father, she checked Sydney’s blood pressure. It was also when she had the first contraction. Since then, nothing. Probably an overreaction on her part, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Once they were awake, she’d introduce the antibiotic to the little girl’s IV and get Gabby up for a little play time. Then, Rae would take her own nap.

Being a doctor was normal. Easy. She could forget about all her issues and concentrate on something mundane. The doors opened to the medical bay and Asher stepped through. He looked like death warmed over. The lines around his mouth were tense as were the ones bracketing his eyes. The set of his jaw gave a small indication his mood had taken a decidedly sour turn. Yet, when his gaze landed on her, he relaxed. The anxious energy radiating off him eased.

He gave a small wave, which she reciprocated, then exited her office.

“What are you doing here so early?” She kept her voice low, so as not to disturb her patients.

“I wanted to check on them. See how they were doing.” He lifted his chin in the direction of Gabby and Sydney.

“They’re good. Gabby’s taking the flush well, and Sydney’s blood pressure is dipping into the normal range.”

“Good. Good. How about you?” Asher sidled up to her, crowding her personal space.

“F-fine. Why?” Being this close to him made her nervous.

“Can’t I care?”

Well, sure. She supposed so. But, issues. “As you can see, I am good. A little tired. A bit hungry.”

He cursed under his breath. “I should have realized. You’ve been down here all night. I’ll have breakfast for everyone brought down.”

“It’s four in the morning. I doubt the kitchen crew will be up for a while.”

He chuckled. “Shit. I’m messing up all of this.”

“It’s okay.” She reached out and touched his arm. “I appreciate you thinking about us.”

Heat bloomed where she touched him and radiated up her arm, and over her chest. She wouldn’t say heart. Asher appeared so in charge out in the field that seeing him fumble surprised her, yet endeared her to him.

“Of course.”

“So,” she stated, walking him to the door. “When they wake, I’ll let them know breakfast is on the way.”

“Damn it.” He hauled her into his arms and covered her mouth with his.

Surprise filled her while liquid arousal pooled low in her belly. The way he dominated the kiss, taking what he wanted and demanding more, undid her willpower. His tongue slid over hers in the most erotic way, coaxing her to give. She moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck. Yes, she needed this. The hard press of his erection against her stomach sent her girly parts tingling. She ached for this man to the point it scared the shit out of her.

The manic beep of the medical monitors shoved Rae back to reality. Stumbling out of his arms, she turned as Sydney sat up and cried out, holding her side. “Oh no.” It’d been hours since the last contraction and she’d thought they were in the clear. However, as the wave increased on the monitor, she feared they would be unable to stop the baby from coming.

“What’s wrong?” Resolve with a hint of fear colored Asher’s features.

“Better call Joseph down here. I think we’re about to have a baby.” She hurried from his side and slammed through the door of the room.

Gabby was wide awake crying while the machine continued to whirl and filter her blood. Amniotic fluid covered the sheets. She had to get everything under control. The door slammed open once more and Asher came to a stop at her side.

“What do you need me to do?”

“See the countdown on the machine? She’s not ready to come off it yet. I need you to transfer her gently to the chair next to it.” She pointed to where she wanted the little girl to sit. “You’ll need to grab a couple of blankets to keep her warm.”

He grunted and set to work while she got a doubled-over Sydney to calm down. “I know this sucks, but you’ve done this before, you’ve got this. Remember your breathing exercises. Two quick inhales and slowly let it out. Release the tension.” Rae gripped her hand and her elbow and eased her out of bed. “Did you sway the last time?”

Sydney turned her wide, fear-stricken gaze toward Rae and shook her head. “No. I had to be induced.”

“Okay. Not a problem. I can’t allow you to lay in that mess. One, it’s disgusting, and two, it’s not fair to you. So, what I would like for you to do is stand and sway. When you get a contraction, breathe through it, and rock. It’ll help with the pain.” She glanced at Asher, who crouched in front of Gabby, tucking in her blankets. “How’s she doing over there.”

“We’re making it work.” He tipped his chin up at the little girl. “Right?”

Gabby’s lip trembled as she nodded her agreement. “Mommy?”

“She’s fine, sweetheart. I think your brother wants to make a special arrival. I bet you he’s going to always be impatient.” She winked at the little girl as she removed the soiled sheets from the bed. “Asher, where is the bedding?”

“Should be in that closet.” He pointed to the plain wooden door across from them.

“Thanks.” She patted Sydney’s hand. “I’ll be right back, then I’ll check you.”

“Hurry,” she cried. “I think he’s coming.” Her body tightened and she began to squat.

Shit. She ran for the cabinet and swung the door wide. After grabbing what she needed, she hurried back to the bed. “Okay, Sydney, you have to hang tight for one more second.”

“It hurts so bad.” She sobbed, clutching her stomach as she went to crouch again.

“Please tell me you have OB kits here.”

Asher patted Gabby’s knee then stood. “I think so.” He went to the supply cabinet and pulled out a tray and some towels. “Don’t have baby blankets, though, Doc.”

“I don’t care right now.” She helped Sydney onto the bed then broke it down for delivery. Once she had Mom secured, she glanced at a very frightened little girl. “It’s going to be okay, but Mommy’s in a lot of pain. In a little bit, she’ll be just fine.” If not a lot tired and overwhelmed.

Rae positioned her legs into the stirrups then lifted the sheet covering her. Sure enough, the baby was crowning.

“Franks is on his way. O’Malley is grabbing him.”

“Stay with Gabby. When her timer goes off, remove the port hook up and put a patch over it.” She pointed to the attachment where it met the line she’d set the night before.

“Doc, I’m not sure about this,” Asher murmured.

“You can do it. Just twist it gently and it will come apart. I trust you.” Rae donned a pair of gloves before opening the kit. “Give me two more seconds, Syd.” She unfurled the catch bag and deposited all the utensils she’d need onto the tray. “When you feel another contraction, I want you to bear down as hard as you can.”

“Okay.” She nodded, pushing her hair out of her face. “Is he going to be okay?”

“He’ll be just fine. He’s a healthy weight. Good size. We’ll make sure he’s breathing fine and then you can hold him. But first, I need you to push, now.”

She did as Rae asked.

Adrenaline spiked through her system. She hadn’t been ready for the baby yet. She hadn’t even gotten around to asking Asher if they had what she’d need. This place housed military men and teams, not a NICU.

Fuck it. She didn’t have time to lament about what she did or didn’t have. The baby was coming and there was no stopping it. Sydney grunted through the next contraction, her body straining through the pain.

“You’re doing great. Hold tight, don’t do anything, just breathe.” She picked up the bulb suction off the tray then proceeded to clear the baby’s nose and mouth as he began sucking on her thumb. “He’s already suckling.”

“Is that okay?” Sydney furrowed her brows as sweat trickled from her temples.

“It’s perfect. It means he’s strong. Healthy. Okay, a couple good pushes and you’ll be able to meet your son.”

The door opened once more and heavy footsteps came toward her. “Syd? Gabby? Holy shit. Doc…Doc…is this really happening?”

“Sure is.” She caught the wiggly bundle of baby. “You can stop now, Sydney. He’s here.” Rae clamped off his cord then handed Joseph a pair of scissors. “Go ahead, Daddy.”

“Where?” His hand shook as disbelief colored his features.

“Between the clamps. Then I’ll get this tyke cleaned up so he can meet his mommy.” She waited patiently as he cut the cord. “Good job.” After finishing sucking out the crud from his nose and mouth, she began cleaning him up. The pink baby gave an ear-piercing cry and she grinned. Baby Franks would be A-okay. “Impatient, even out of the womb.” She wrapped him in a couple towels and placed him on Sydney’s chest. “Congratulations.”

While mom and baby bonded, she finished cleaning Sydney up. By the time she was finished, Gabby was at her mother’s bedside, peering up at the squalling bundle in her mother’s arms. Asher was slumped in the chair, his head in his hands, scrubbing his temples. She almost laughed. Poor guy did better with war situations than birthing babies.

“Thank you, Rae.”

She glanced at the other woman and smiled. “My pleasure.” She stood and excused herself. “Hey, you should come with me. I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”

Asher glanced at her. “Coffee?”

She chuckled softly. “Yeah. Give them a moment alone.”

“Shit. You’re right. Uh…fuck. Give me a list of what you need and I’ll have it delivered within the hour.” He followed her out the door.

“Well, we’ll need clothes for the baby. Formula and diapers. Plus, a room Sydney and the baby can stay in so I can monitor them for now.”

He nodded. “I thought about moving them to one of the bunker apartments. It’s close to here.”

“I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.” They turned the corner and entered a small room.

He closed the door behind them, then had her braced against the wall. His mouth came down on hers and exhaustion fled her. The hunger laced in the thrust and retreat of his tongue turned her inside out. His hands were all over her, leaving gooseflesh in their wake. Anxiety and excitement did amazing things to the human body.

“Asher,” she whispered, pushing her hands under his shirt. “What are we doing?”

“I think you know what we’re doing.” He nipped at her neck before pulling off her top.

“We shouldn’t. What if someone sees us?” Her excuse was weak even to her ears.

“They won’t.” He lifted her with ease and carried her to a desk. “Plus, we’re adults.”

“I don’t even—” Her breath hitched when his mouth cover her nipple.

He groaned, the vibrations shooting straight to her sex. Her clit throbbed as she grew wetter by the second. “Shh, not now. Later. You can hate me later.” Asher exposed her breast to his perusal. He laved the peak, then drew it into his mouth.

Rae arched toward him. Like a bitch in heat, she rubbed against him, growing wilder by the second. She shouldn’t be doing this, yet even though she understood the risks associated with allowing this moment between them, she couldn’t stop. She liked him as much as she hated him. Which didn’t leave much in between. She ran her fingers through his short hair, scraping his scalp.

“Mmm, hell cat. I love it.” He worked open her pants, then flipped her so her stomach was pressed to the table.

She rubbed her ass across his groin and her eyes fluttered shut. The feel of the hard length of his erection had anticipation coiling low in her belly. Her brain shut down as the cool kiss of air hit her over-sensitized flesh. Before she had a chance to assimilate to the sensations crashing over her, his middle finger found her clit and he worked the tight bundle of nerves.

“Asher,” she cried, trembling in his arms.

“So wet.” He slid his finger deep into her channel. “Mmm. We’re going to have fun together, Rae.”

“Stop talking.” She bit her bottom lip as her grip tightened on the table.

He laughed. “Why? Don’t you like talking during sex? Knowing what it feels like for me? How you’re clenching around me. How hot you are.”

She whimpered, writhing under him. “Please.”

“Uh huh. I got you.” He shifted, then retreated, dragging his finger from her passage. When he filled her again, he grunted. “Can’t wait to get inside you.”

The warmth of his body left her momentarily, and when he returned, he kicked her legs apart. The sound of foil being ripped opened a few seconds later had her pulse kicking up a notch. Her heart pounded out a wild cadence as she waited. Then he was there, his forehead pressed to the middle of her back as he teased her with the tip of his cock. She rocked against him, trying desperately to notch him inside her. Yet, he seemed happy to take his time.

She whimpered, frustrated by his teasing her. “Damn it, Asher.”

He chuckled, kissing her spine. “Impatient? A minute ago, you weren’t sure about this.” Asher rubbed the head of his dick against her clit, and her breath left her in a shudder.

“You’re going to drive me insa—”

He filled her with one thrust and electricity crackled over her skin. Her mouth fell open on a silent scream as her release rushed through her. Behind her, he moaned her name, grinding his pelvis against hers. “Mmm, fuck yes.”

He gripped her tightly as he retreated and filled her again. The delicious drag of his cock along her delicate walls drove her insane. The intense pleasure coursing through her overwhelmed her ability to think of anything but where they were connected. His chest pressed to her back, changing the angle of his thrusts. With each pump of his hips, his grunts and groans grew more passionate.

“Oh God.” She trembled in his arms, the bliss rolling through her threatening to pull her under an emotional tidal wave. She couldn’t hang on. He kept pushing her higher and higher, before backing off to tease her.

“You’re so tight. I can feel your pussy quiver, and I swear, it’s like you’re trying to make me come.” He pulled from her. “Not yet, though.” He turned her over and helped her up onto the desk. Laying her out, he stared down at her. “You’re perfect, Rae.”

The second he filled her, he kissed her. His mouth mimicked the way his hips shifted, filling her completely as their tongues twined together. Yes, she wanted this. Couldn’t believe she tried to stop this man from doing as he pleased to her body. Asher kissed a path down her neck to her breast. He sucked her nipple into his mouth as he slammed into her, over and over.

She hung on for dear life, digging her nails into his shoulders as he muttered her name. “More, Asher. Please.” She didn’t know how much more she could take.

“I like it when you moan my name. It turns me on. Makes my dick twitch. Fuck, so good.” He fit his hand between them as he went back to sucking on her nipple.

The second his middle finger wiggled her clit, she arched against him. Pleasure sparked down her spine as she cried out, clinging to him. She rocked her hips in time with his thrusts. The intensity of the moment expanded within her while narrowing her world down to him and her and nothing else. His pace faltered, becoming erratic while she continued to chase her release.

“That’s it, Rae.” His lips brushed over the shell of her ear. “Get off on my dick. Come for me.” He pressed down on the hard bundle of nerves while he slammed into her.

She came apart in his arms. A low whimper fell from her lips as she clung to him as her release washed over her. He came unhinged, rutting and growling, as he grew frantic. He shoved into her twice more before burying his face in her neck and groaning her name. The rhythmic pulse of his release sent a thrill down her spine and sparks of pleasure erupted inside her.

Holding him to her, Rae couldn’t believe what they’d done, and only a few feet from Sydney and her family. She groaned and covered her face as a laugh bubbled up in her. “I can’t believe we did that.”

He pulled from her and grinned. “I can.” He took care of the condom then stuffed himself back into his pants. “You’ll say it was anxiety and the excitement of a baby being born. I’m saying it was meant to be.”

She shook her head as she slowly righted her clothes. “Such a cocky man.”

He stepped to her and tipped her chin up. “Not cocky. I wanted you. Have for a while now. I’m not sorry this happened.”

The sincerity in his gaze threw her off balance. Holy crap. He meant it. Every word. He wanted her. “For how long, though?” The words tumbled out. “Until this is solved? Until you grow tired of having me…us around? Sex doesn’t make a relationship.”

“Damn, woman, why do you have to try and ruin a beautiful moment between us?” He tugged her into his arms and held her tightly. “This wasn’t a one-time for me, and I aim to prove it.”

10

The look of disbelief in her eyes before he pulled her into his arms had him reeling. She was unsure of him, of what they had just done. Who could blame her, though? He’d come at her like a rutting bull and they just had sex in an office. On a desk, with barely any foreplay, and he loved foreplay.

Next time.

When he had more time, and a bed.

He needed to get his head together and stop thinking.

“How?” she asked.

He swore he could feel the warmth of her breath against his chest, through his uniform. It made him regret not undressing fully earlier. “How what?”

“How do you aim to prove it?”

“Boss.” O’Malley’s voice came through his Tac-Com in his ear. He reached up, tapping the device, allowing him to reply to his 2IC.

“Yeah.” He pointed to his ear, moving away from Rae.

“We have a problem,” O’Malley continued, his tone even more abrupt than normal.

“We have several problems. Can you be more specific,” he demanded.

Rae’s walls he worked to bring down were being rebuilt as he stood there. He could see it in her facial expression and in the stiff way she fiddled with her clothing.

He wouldn’t allow it. Not after what he considered the single best sexual experience of his life. It was saying a lot, since he lost his virginity at the ripe old age of fifteen and he had been around the block. More than a time or two.

O’Malley huffed in his ear. “Security contacted me. Barclay’s man Anthony James was found dead in his cell.”

“Son of a bitch,” he mumbled. “How and do they suspect foul play?”

Rae stopped fiddling with her clothes and finally looked up at him.

“Not sure. I just hung up with them. They wanted permission to take his body to the morgue. I told them not till we come down to take a gander at his body and the cell.”

“I want all the incoming and outgoing feeds from in and around holding as well. I also want the feeds from his cell,” he said.

Rae stepped around him and made a beeline for the office door. He made no attempt to stop her. Doing so would alert O’Malley and he didn’t have time to play twenty questions. He also didn’t need anything negative swirling around Rae.

“Order an autopsy,” he stated, following Rae out of the room. She walked back to the room where the Franks family were. No doubt Barclay would accuse them of killing Anthony James.

“Command doesn’t have one of those types of doctors lying around, Asher.” Sarcasm dripped from O’Malley’s voice.

“What about Rae?”

“Doc?”

“Yeah. She’s a doctor.”

“Yeah, but she’s not a pathologist or a forensic scientist,” O’Malley stated the obvious.

“Do you have a better idea?” he snapped.

“No.”

“That’s what I thought. I’ll ask her. She might be able to help.”

“Fine. I just don’t want anything screwed up,” O’Malley stated. “What’s gotten into you?”

Maybe he was being paranoid. “Nothing. She won’t mess it up. It’ll be fine.” However, she was walking away from him after they’d had the best sex he’d ever had. “Meet me in holding in ten minutes.”

Without waiting for a reply, he reached up and disconnected the two-way connection as Rae stepped out of the Franks’ room.

“Hold up, Rae,” he called when she strode down the hall farther from him.

“I’m busy, Asher,” she answered as she made a beeline for the bank of elevators at the end of the hall.

As luck would have it, the elevator dinged as soon as she pressed the call button. The doors opened and Rae stepped in, pressing the floor button she needed. She looked everywhere but at him while waiting for the lift to engage, taking her from him.

Asher reached out in time, engaging the sensors to halt the big metal doors from closing. Her hazel eyes widened and she took a step back, meeting the metal railing of the car.

It couldn’t get any more perfect than that.

“We weren’t done,” he said.

“Yeah, we were,” she huffed.

He bit back a groan when she crossed her arms under her breasts and he regretted not taking the time to taste her supple flesh when he had the chance.

“Why the fuck did you leave?” he snapped.

“I have patients and you”—she put her hand on his chest. If she was trying to get him to move, she had no shot in hell. He wasn’t going to budge—“obviously have work. Listen, what happened in the office, it was great and all, but it doesn’t make a relationship.”

“What happened was sex. I had my dick in you, and if memory serves me correctly, you liked it. In fact, you got off so hard, you had me in a strangle hold.” Her cheeks flushed bright red at his bluntness.

“Do you even have a filter?”

“Nope.”

“Get one,” she grumbled.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” He caressed her cheek and tipped it up so he could see her face.

“Can we not talk about this? You have pressing matters to deal with and I have two patients who need me.” Her gaze refused to meet his and it worried him. It had been fast and furious. All he had been thinking about was getting inside her, feeling her warmth around him.

“Answer me, Rae. Did I hurt you?” he demanded.

“No,” she whispered, “you were a perfect gentleman.”

He snorted. “If I was a gentleman, I wouldn’t have fucked you on a desk. I apologize for that. Not for the fucking part, but for doing it on a desk. Next time, I promise it’ll be in a bed and a lot longer.” He bent his face to hers and nipped at her lower lip. “Next time, I’ll eat you out till you beg me to take you.”

Her pupils dilated, her lips parted on a gasp. He’d bet his next paycheck if he sought out her pussy right now, it’d be soaked.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Me between your legs, my mouth making you come,” he continued, groaning when her pink tongue peeked out, licking at her lips. His dick pulsed with need. “I’ll lay on my back and you can ride my face.”

Someone cleared their throat behind them. Glancing over his shoulder, O’Malley stood in the open elevator doorway, arms crossed over his chest.

Fuck. I didn’t even hear the damn door open.

“Come on, Romeo, we have work to do.” O’Malley smirked.

Rae groaned in embarrassment.

How much had O’Malley heard? Narrowing his eyes at his 2IC, he just shrugged and cocked an eye brow back at him.

Turning back to Rae, he found her with both hands over her face, her head shaking back and forth.

“Give us a minute,” he snarled.

O’Malley didn’t respond. He simply reached in and smacked the button to hold the door.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for him to overhear.” He reached for her hands, gently pulling them away from her beet red face. “Or embarrass you.”

“I want to die. How will I look him in the eye the next time I see him?!” she cried.

He shrugged. “He won’t give you any shit. If he does, remind him of the time we all heard him jerkin’ it in the rack during a mission. Shuts him up every damn time.”

“I can’t even…”

“Yeah, you can. You’ll get used to it. In a month, we’ll have you thinking and speaking like a seasoned military man.”

O’Malley, the asshole, cleared his throat again. Loudly.

“You need to go,” she announced, ducking around him to scamper out the door.

Asher wrapped his hand around her upper arm. “Believe it or not, I had another reason for following you.”

She snorted.

He ignored it. “Security found one of Barclay’s men dead in his cell.”

“Do you think someone got to him?” She stopped, fear flashing through those hazel eyes of hers.

“No. Command is secure. No one gets in or out without high level access, which requires a shit ton of in-depth background checks,” he assured her.

“What do you need from me, exactly?”

“We don’t have anyone on site to perform an autopsy. You’re a doctor—”

“I’m not that kind of doctor, Asher. Performing an autopsy requires special training.”

“I’m not asking you to cut the guy open and dig around in his organs. I’m asking you to do a physical exam, make observations, and inform me. Can you do it?” he pressed. “I need someone I can trust.”

She sighed, her gaze fixed on O’Malley, who waited outside the elevator. “Yes, I can do it. I need to check on Gabby and Sydney, first.”

“They’re several floors down. I’m guessing you forgot about them when you scurried away.”

“I wasn’t scurrying.”

He cocked a brow at her lie.

“I wasn’t. I was simply heading to the cafeteria to get Gabby a snack.”

“Go get her snack. I’ll have one of my guys get you in thirty,” he ordered, walking out of the elevator.

“I’m not one of your men, Asher. You can’t command me to do anything,” she said, sharply.

“And yet, I just did.”

“Ugh. Jackass,” she mumbled.

“I heard you, you know,” he replied.

O’Malley, who had been patiently waiting for him across from the elevator bay, pushed off the wall, his gaze on her ass as she walked away.

“Avert your eyes, damn it,” he snarled. “She’s mine and I don’t share.”

Jake laughed. “Leash your crazy. I’m not interested in your woman. I’ve got one of my own.”

Jake didn’t though. His ex-wife, Ginger, divorced him years ago, and Jake had been close-lipped as to the reason why. The team had speculated it had to do with how dangerous their jobs were.

“If you’re done fucking around, we’ve got a body with rigor in holding,” Jake reminded him. The minute rigor mortis sat in, they’d have a hard damn time moving the body.

Sentries stood on either side of the entrance to holding when they arrived, preventing anyone from entering. They moved to the side as he approached. He swiped his key card through the reader and when it blinked green, the door slid open.

“Sir,” the man from inside said as he stood. “As per your order, everyone who had been assigned to holding is still here. He’s in cell three.”

“Thank you,” Asher responded.

“Do you have the feeds?” O’Malley asked behind him.

“Yes, sir,” the young man held out a small flash drive. “It’s all there.”

Jake took the flash, slipping it into his pocket before they walked down the hallway to door numbered three.

James lay on his cot, arms hanging down, white foam covering his mouth while his eyes were open, fixed on the ceiling.

“Don’t matter how many times I see a dead body, still freaks me the fuck out,” Jake muttered.

“Agreed,” Asher gazed around the entire room. Like he told Rae, he didn’t suspect foul play. Seeing him lying on the bed threw him. He had expected to see the poor bastard hanging from something. He approached the bed, taking in James’s blue lips, the foam at his mouth, and his lifeless eyes.

A foul smell reached his nose as he crouched. Bitter almonds. It could only mean one thing, cyanide poisoning. How the hell had they missed it?

“Smell it?” he inquired.

“Yeah. I do,” O’Malley admitted.

“Son of a bitch. Wasn’t he searched?” Asher stood.

“You know he was, Commander.”

“How the fuck did we miss this, then?” All his personal belongings would be in an evidence box marked with his name. If he had it on him when they brought him in, someone would have seen it and told him.

“Honestly, I don’t think we gave Barclay enough credit. You still want Rae to look him over?”

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. “We need it confirmed. I want eyes on Tinsman all the time. I need to speak with Franks again.”

“Boss, his wife just gave birth,” Jake reminded him.

Like he needed a reminder; he’d been in the damn room when it happened. “I have to find out if he knew about the poison. If he did, he never said jack shit about it when Hanover interviewed him.” He glanced at his second-in-command. “Have James moved to the morgue. I’m going to start the report while I wait for Rae.”

“We have a report for something like this?”

“We have a report for everything,” he replied.

“Lucky you.”

Forty minutes later, he stood inside the morgue watching as Rae examined Anthony James’s body. She was efficient and thorough. She made notes as she examined the body while also hesitantly touching the body.

“Asher.” She glanced up, their gazes clashing. “Could you come here, please?”

Reaching for a pair of gloves, he slipped them on as he approached the body. Rae had James’s mouth open and her latex-covered fingers were searching his mouth.

“He’s missing a molar on his lower left jaw. It’s not a fresh pulling, although there does appear to be some gum irritation there. I can draw blood, but I believe this is where a capsule of cyanide was placed. He died within five minutes of exposure. When an autopsy is performed, I’ll bet they will find the remains of a hollow tooth and shards of glass in his stomach,” she advised.

“Document everything you find, Rae. We’re going to need it.”

She tapped the clipboard resting on James’s chest. “It’s pretty straight forward, once I got the whiff of bitter almonds on his breath, I knew the cause. It was just figuring out the how.”

“It’s always better when it comes from a doctor. Even though I smelled it when I got close enough, I’m not the one with MD behind my name.” He winked at her, trying to relieve some of the tension in her form. From the minute she stepped into the morgue, she’d been on edge. No one ever gets used to seeing a dead body.

“Even with my credentials, Barclay will shred my findings. They’re going to claim you or your team murdered him.” She picked up the clipboard and jotted down more notes before she placed it on the desk across from the table. Rae then grabbed a needle and a vial before drawing James’s blood for analysis. “This should help.” She jotted down his name, date, and time on the vial.

“Barclay can kiss my ass. Innocent men don’t resort to suicide.”

“I agree. You need to be prepared.” Worry filled her voice. “You should check Tinsman and Franks.”

“I’m always prepared. It’s part of my job,” he proclaimed as she removed her gloves and tossed them in the trash before washing her hands. He followed suit. “I’ll get a man on Tinsman and we’ll go talk with Franks.”

“Sounds good. If they have them, I can get it out.”

“Great.” He turned to her. “The more I think I’m getting a handle on this, more shit comes to light.” They stepped out of the cell to where O’Malley and Hanover lounged outside. “She confirmed it.”

“By the way, boss. I won the bet,” Hanover piped up.

“What bet?” Asher inquired.

“The bet we had going to see how long it was till you snuggled up to the good doctor. I had within five days. O’Malley here,” Hanover nudged O’Malley, “had you doing the deed before we even got on the plane.”

“Jesus, don’t you guys have enough shit to do than take bets on my sex life? Who says we fucked anyway?” he barked.

“You did. I can tell, boss. I can always tell. Your face looks relaxed, mostly around your eyes, and the muscles in your shoulders aren’t as stiff. You look how you always look after you blow your load,” Hanover said.

“Fuck. I’m not sure if I should be disgusted or amused that you’ve taken this much notice.”

“Amused. I know when all you motherfuckers have nutted. O’Malley tends to not grunt for a day or two. He’ll actually hold a conversation with you. Callahan whistles a little ditty, and Schoell, his crazy ass cleans all his weapons. Like deep cleans those bitches,” Hanover stated with a big ass grin on his face.

“I’m not amused.” If he could throttle all of them, he would. His sex life had nothing to do with the damn mission.

“Neither am I,” Rae announced behind him. “Do any of you have a concept of privacy?”

Asher glanced over his shoulder and frowned. She was pissed. Her lips pinched together, and she was giving Hanover a death glare.

“No, ma’am, I sure don’t. Not when we’re forced to live on top of each other for weeks on end. Sometimes, we’re forced to a piss right next to each other because of the complexity of the missions. It becomes a level of closeness most civilians have no concept of. It makes you know your teammates better than their own friends or family. You learn their tells, especially those tells that say your teammates have fucked,” Hanover stated smugly.

For someone so smart, his sniper could be so damn stupid sometimes. He glared at Hanover, willing him to shut the hell up.

“I’m not one of your teammates, and my sex life is none of your damn business,” Rae replied tartly.

“No disrespect, Doc, but Asher is my business. What affects him, affects us. His mood can set the tone for our team. When he’s stressed, we’re stressed. When he’s happy, we’re happy. You’re going to need to adapt to us if you plan on staying.”

“I don’t have to adapt to anyone. When this is done, I’m going back to my life and my job.”

Hanover snorted. “I’d be willing to bet a year’s pay your ass isn’t going anywhere. Commander is willing to break his hard ass rules for you. To be a rule breaker for the first time in his adult life means something. In less than a weeks’ time, you’ll be on the family level. Mark my words.”

“Ugh. You’re all crude, rude men and if I knew it would do a bit of good, I’d have every one of you written up for sexual harassment.” Rae threw her hands up in frustration when none of them said anything to her. “I’m not going to stand here and argue with stupid. I have patients who need me.”

“Hold up, Rae. I’ll walk back with you. I need to speak to Franks again anyway,” Asher stated.

“Sydney just gave birth, and his daughter just had a procedure. He needs to be with his family,” she argued.

“I’m aware, Rae. I was there,” he reminded her. “James’s cause of death has opened the door to more questions. Questions only Franks can answer.”

Instead of responding to him, she pulled off the white lab coat she was wearing, tossed it into the chute and stormed from the room.

“Son of a bitch,” Hanover grunted through the comm. “I’m with Tinsman. Tell me what I need to look for.”

“Hold on, Rae will tell you.” He hustled down the hall toward her. “Rae.” She stilled then faced him as he pulled the comm from his ear and handed it her. “Tell him what to look for.”

She sighed, grabbing his earpiece then ran through the exam. “Look for anything off. Too white. Looks plastic. Out of place. Yeah…I’ll wait.”

Each minute that passed was another that Tinsman could kill himself. “Anything?”

She shook her head.

Impatient, he began to pace. No way in hell they’d take the chance of Tinsman biting the big one. If he disappeared, so did the case Asher was building against Senator Lincoln.

She winced. “Great. Good to know.” She handed him the comm. “Hanover wants to talk to you. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She headed for her room.

Every bit of him wanted to go after her and fix this shit; instead, he stood there like a dumbass. “Yeah, go ahead.”

“The son of a bitch bit me. I think I need a rabies shot and a tetanus,” the man groused. “Why don’t people have good manners anymore?”

He gave Hanover a minute longer to bitch then stopped his tirade. “Did he have one?”

“Yeah, Tinsman has one,” Hanover replied. “What do you want us to do with him? He’s out cold.”

“Hold him till Rae can get there. I’m going to talk to Joseph to see what information he might have.” There had to be a reason for only James and Tinsman to have the capsule and not Franks. First thing that came to his mind was expendability.

“Will do.”

He pushed the button to his comm while hurrying down the hall. Business first, everything else later. When he got to her room, he knocked. “Rae, I hate to do this, but I need you to pull Tinsman’s tooth.”

She opened the door. In the short time they’d been apart, she’d changed. “I’m dead tired. You owe me.”

“Anything. Promise.” He held up his hands.

“Fine. Let’s go.”

11

Son of a bitch. Why did this shit always have to be so fucking hard? Asher rubbed the back of his neck as he headed for the apartment where the Franks family had been relocated. Instead of forcing the meeting like he planned, he gave Sydney and Joseph time to bond with their baby boy and Gabby time to begin mending.

O’Malley called him a fucking softy. Hanover said he was compromised. The rest…well, they stayed out of his fucking way. After their little stunt in the morgue, he’d be lucky if he could convince Rae not to report them. Those smug assholes were going to get an earful from him after he spoke to Joseph.

As he approached the door, he saw a flicker of white to his right. There she stood. The woman who had his nuts in a vise since the minute he got balls deep inside her. He knew it’d been a mistake. He didn’t have time for feelings or girl things, yet the minute he saw the way she handled a complicated birth, and a scared little girl who only wanted her mommy, every instinct kicked into high gear, and he had to have her.

“Morning,” he grumbled.

Rae stared at him. “Morning. I’m checking on Sydney and Gabby, then you can haul Franks to medical and I can check out his teeth as well.”

Her caustic tone did little to sooth his already tattered psyche. “Perfect.”

“I would rather you wait a few more days,” she said, pushing past him. “Sydney is still not out of the woods completely and Gabby is slowly making progress.”

He braced his hands on his hips and blew out a breath. “This isn’t the Four Seasons, Rae. This is a military base. We’ve already had one suicide on our hands and there’s a potential for more if we don’t figure out how many have the cap and when they got it.”

“I get it.” She knocked on the door. “But you have more at stake now. You have his wife and kids to think about. The added stress will only compound the situation.”

And the U.S. government crawling up his ass for answers. None of which he had yet. “Do you think I don’t realize this? I wouldn’t be asking or pulling him from his family if it wasn’t important.” God, the woman infuriated him while also turning him on to the point of pain.

“Fine.” The door opened and she pasted on a smile. “Good morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling today?”

Gabby stood at the door. Her color was better and her eyes were clearer. “Better. Mommy. Daddy. The doctor lady is here,” she announced, then skipped away from the door.

Sydney waddled over to where they stood waiting, carrying a swaddled bundle in her arms. “Morning.” Exhaustion colored her features. Purple and blue rings circled her eyes. Her hair had been pulled back in a messy bun, and her face still seemed a bit pale. “Come on in and don’t mind the craziness.”

Gabby sat at a small table with a juice box and cereal next to her while she doodled in a book. Some kids program played on the TV and she hummed along to the song as she colored. None of this fit the tight ship Asher ran.

“How are you feeling?” Rae took the baby from Sydney and made her sit. “How’s this little man?” She opened the blankets slightly and began cooing at the baby.

Asher bit back a groan. Of all the times to sport wood, it had to be in the middle of a living room occupied by two children. Son of a bitch, he had to get his shit together. However, seeing Rae holding Joseph’s son, he wanted one, too. With Rae. Another inconvenience he didn’t have time for.

“We’re good. He wakes about three times during the night. But he’s not a fussy baby, more impatient than anything.” Sydney chuckled.

Asher left the women to talk and wandered into the kitchen where Franks made breakfast. The man seemed at ease. Working at a steady pace without a care in the world. When he glanced up, Asher nodded, and took a seat at their small table.

“Morning, Commander. Coffee?” Joseph held the coffee pot up to indicate they had a full pot if he wanted some.

“Sure, thanks.” Instead of waiting for it, he helped himself. “I have a few questions I need to ask you, but we need to do it down in medical, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind. What’s this about?”

Asher took a sip of his coffee. “I would rather not say here. I don’t want to upset your wife or little girl.”

“Am I in trouble?” Silly question to ask after everything.

“No. But I have to check on a few things.”

“Okay. Give me a few more minutes to get Sydney her food, then I’ll be ready to go.” Franks plated up scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit. Everything had been carefully prepared for his wife, and a pang of jealousy shot through Asher.

“Not a problem.” He finished his coffee then placed the cup in the sink. “I’ll be waiting outside.” He nodded to the women on the way out and took his position by the door.

His heart hammered. His gut twisted. Everything he didn’t think he’d ever want lay behind the door he guarded, and he’d effectively destroyed it by being a prick. He had to figure out some way of getting back into Rae’s good graces. He couldn’t take this. It’d only been a few days and it felt like years since he touched her. Kissed her. Gotten her naked and beneath him.

“I’m ready. What’s this all about?” Franks stood before him as Rae stepped out and closed the door behind her.

“We had a situation the other day. One we should have been on top of.” He started toward the elevator. “Dr. Rae here will be looking at your teeth, specifically your molars to be sure you don’t have any unnecessary products in there.”

“Unnecessary…what?” He scrunched his face in disbelief. “I don’t understand what you’re implying.”

The elevator opened and all three stepped inside. “Do you or did you know everyone on your team from Barclay has a capsule built into their back molar?”

“What?” Joseph looked at Asher as if he’d grown a second head. “Are you serious?”

“Dead.” The doors opened once more on the medical floor. “Let’s get you in a chair and then we’ll go over what we know and you can fill in the holes.”

“Sure,” Joseph answered. “Whatever I can do to help.” He took a seat on the table Rae patted. “I can’t believe this.”

“Open.” Rae positioned the light where she needed it and proceeded to check Joseph’s teeth. “Hmm.”

“Arrrm?”

Asher sat forward. “What?”

“He’s clean. No false tooth. No cyanide capsule,” she answered, placing the tools on the tray beside her.

“Wait, what?” Joseph glanced between them. “Cyanide? Shit. That’ll kill you. I’d never let them do that to me.”

It didn’t make sense. All the men worked for Barclay, including Joseph. Unless…

He began to pace. What made Tinsman and James special? Were they high enough up the food chain that they had secrets? Knew things about the company no one else did? Since Franks didn’t, did that mean he’d be expendable to them? The deeper they dug into this case, the more questions Asher had. One thing was for sure. If they disappeared, so did the case Asher was building against Senator Lincoln.

“Walk with me,” he said, pointing to the door after Rae removed the small towel she placed over Joseph’s chest. “I have more questions for you.”

“I have some of my own. Unfortunately, you can’t answer them,” Joseph grumbled.

“Probably not. However, I have my own theories.” They headed for the mess hall. Asher hadn’t eaten yet, and he pulled Joseph from his family as well.

“Oh, I do, too.” He shook his head. “I joined up to help my family. Give Gabby a shot at a good life. A healthy life. Instead, we’re here.” He motioned to the subterranean base. “Not that we’re not extremely grateful for the help of Doc Rae.”

“I understand.” Asher nodded. “So, let’s get some food and coffee and talk this through.” He smacked the guy on the back of the shoulder. He should have been treating him as a prisoner, yet reading over his files, Franks had a clear record, and like he said, he needed help for Gabby. In essence, this job had been a wrong place, wrong time for the guy and his family.

“Sure, I could eat.”

They stepped inside the mess and made their way through line. Ideas of why two members of the team could have the capsule and not the others formulated. He wanted Franks’ take on it, though. The guy had built up a shit load of resentment toward his team, and pushed a little farther, he believed Joseph would tell them everything they needed to know. However, he had to play it cool.

“We’re pawns,” Franks said without prodding. “The only people who were of value to Barclay are Tinsman and James. The rest of us, we’re grunts. Take the orders and do the job. That’s it.”

“What makes you believe such?”

Franks snorted. “We had no clue what the higher ups wanted out of Puerto Nariño.” He leaned in. “The official story we’re supposed to tell everyone is that it was observation.”

“But?” Asher tensed. What the hell had Barclay gotten all of them into?

“But there was more. When Tinsman talked to us again before we hit the town, he said mission’s changed. We were told that a transaction was going down with guerillas and we needed to stop it.”

“Then all hell broke loose.”

He nodded. “Yeah. Look, as much as I have gone over the day in my head, over and over, none of it makes sense. Add this part…sounds like some fake Tom Clancy novel or some shit.”

Asher laughed. “Good analogy. I think your assessment is right.” It didn’t answer why Franks lied though. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“Fuck, man. I’d just witnessed the genocide of a town. One I thought we were going to protect. Everything is still a jumbled fucking mess in my brain and I am trying to piece it together. Add in Gabby, my wife and now our son…I’m running on fumes.”

Asher believed him. Which meant the ones who held the knowledge were dead or getting their tooth removed. It also meant Lincoln would do everything in his power to get Tinsman back.

“Doesn’t it give you pause and make you wonder what they know and we don’t?” He took a sip of his coffee and leaned back.

“It has. There’s more to this mission we don’t fully understand. We don’t have answers for basic stuff. Like, how high up the chain did this raid go? How much security clearance did Tinsman and James have? Who payrolls Barclay besides Lincoln? And on top of it all, what does the senator get out of all this?”

Franks frowned. “Yeah. Are you sure staying in one place is the best idea?”

Yes. Instead of taking the fight to Lincoln, they’d fight from their stronghold. Also, once they could put all the evidence together for the whys of the raid, they could go before congress, nab the bastard and those involved red-handed. “This place is built for combat. We’re safer here than out there. Trust me.”

“So, what happens next?”

What did happen next? He wanted to speak with his uncle to see if they could drop the charges against Joseph and offer him a job. He’d thought about it from the moment the guy spilled his guts and gave the first real lead in the case. He could be an asset to them. Plus, Joseph had a loyal streak a mile wide. Something they valued as a team.

“We’ll talk about it later, after Gabby has gone through her round of treatments and Sydney and your son are healthy. Until then, enjoy the downtime. Watch movies. Color. Make love to your wife.” He smirked. “When the doc says you can. Do the things you’ve missed.”

“I’m not under arrest?” The guy sat back in his chair, shock filled his features along with a tinge of relief.

“Not by me.” For now, he didn’t need the stress of knowing the truth. “Like I said, we’ll discuss everything in a few weeks’ time.”

Franks blew out a breath and shook his head. “Fucking hell, man. I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything,” Asher replied. “Right now, you’re an active witness to a major crime operation. In a sense, you’re in witness protection, here, with us.”

“Okay. What do I tell Sydney?”

“The same. You are a witness for the federal government and here for your protection and theirs. When something changes, I will be the one to tell you. No one else. Understood?”

“Yeah…yes. Thank you, sir.” Franks dug into his breakfast with gusto.

The gnawing ache in Asher’s gut made him aware of his own neglect when it came to eating. He dug in, and tried to come up with a way to set things straight with Rae as well. The last forty-eight hours of a shit storm blew the progress he’d made with her to hell and back, causing him to start over.

No way in hell, though, he’d let her get away.

12

After checking on Gabby, Sydney, and the new baby, Rae walked to the room Asher assigned her to be close to Gabby and Sydney, determined to take a shower on the hottest setting her skin could take. If her bathroom had a tub, she’d do a good long soak till all the tension in her shoulders and neck dissipated. Too bad she didn’t. She rubbed at the tightness at the base of her neck and groaned.

The stiffness in her upper body had absolutely nothing to do with her being at base, taking care of the Franks family, or an ongoing investigation of the murder of so many people.

Nope.

All the tension she felt in her body came from a single individual, Asher Rainer.

Ugh. She didn’t want to think about him now. The dull ache behind her eyes throbbed every time she did. She suspected it had to do with the fact her blood pressure rose every time she did.

Using the key card he’d given her, she swiped it and pushed the door open when the lights on the read out flashed green. Throwing the card on the small desk, she removed her lab coat, then tossed it on the chair before heading toward the tiny, sparse bathroom with determination. After turning on the shower, she methodically removed her clothes and placed them in a pile. Soon, she’d have to wash them. Hopefully, somewhere in this giant tin can there was a laundry facility.

Steam filled the bathroom, fogging up the mirror over the small sink, indicating the water was ready. Stepping under the strong spray, she sighed in pleasure.

Damn. It felt good.

Rae rolled her shoulders several times in the hope of easing the tight muscles. Many nights after her grueling day of working in the clinic, she’d wished she could do just as she was. Being there made her realize how much she missed the simple things in life when she’d been stuck in some jungle.

Most evenings and mornings while in some third-world location, she used tepid water from a bucket to clean the private areas of her body, and once a week, she allowed herself to wash her hair. In the beginning, it grossed her out. The idea of not being able to shower properly made her shudder. Yet, to those around her, it didn’t bother them. They’d always lived in those conditions, so they never saw an issue with it. It taught Rae a lot of about herself, and what she’d been able to endure once she put her mind to it. It also made her realize fresh water shouldn’t be treated as a commodity, but as a right.

Less than a week at the base, Rae was already back to long, hot showers which included washing and conditioning her hair every day. Going to wherever Doctors Without Borders assigned her was going to suck.

Placing her hands on the cool tile, she allowed the slow, steady pressure of the hot water to work its magic on her tense shoulders and neck muscles. The headache, which had slowly built all day, finally started to ease. She needed to take pain relievers before she laid down. If she didn’t, she ran the risk of a bounce back headache. It’d be ten times worse than what she was dealing with right now.

After rinsing her hair out, she turned the water off and snatched one of the plain, army-green towels off the rack. The only positive thing she could say about the scratchy towel was that it was big enough to wrap around her, providing her some warmth till she got dressed. Brushing her teeth and hair was the extent of her nighttime routine.

Gathering her discarded clothes, she opened the bathroom door and stepped into the living area.

“Hey—”

She screamed, throwing her clothes in the air.

“Jesus, Asher.” She laid her hand over her chest, feeling her heart pounding. “You ever hear of knocking?”

“I knocked. You didn’t answer,” he responded. His gaze swept over her body. She shivered, not because of the cold, but in need for the big man lounging on her bed without a care in the world.

Asshole.

Since he had no issue checking her out, she did the same. Her gaze slowly scanned down the long length of his body, making her heart pound for a whole other reason. She had a couple of regrets from their encounter. She hadn’t really had a chance to explore his big body. Sure, she had felt him pressed against her back. She just hadn’t been able to see or feel him.

“Perhaps it had something to do with the fact I was in the shower,” she snapped. “How’d you get in here, anyway? I locked the door. And get off my damn bed.” Him being on the bed made her think of other things. Things she didn’t want to deal with at this moment.

“My pass key overrides everything,” he stated matter-of-factly.

“Asshole,” she spat the insult, uncaring if it hurt his feelings.

“I heard you, you know.”

“I don’t care.” She bent down to pick up the scattered clothing and dumped it in the ugly green bucket which sat on floor by the bathroom wall.

“Shit,” he groaned from where he sat on the bed.

Determined to ignore him and the heat filling her face and chest, she stalked to the small metal cabinet which housed her clothes. Finding a robe, she pulled it out, shoving her arms in and tightly held it closed over the towel. “Are you going to get off my bed or what?”

“I’ll pick the or what,” he stated, patting the bed as if to tempt her. “Though, I hoped you’d join me.”

Her eyes widened at his blatant invitation. Her mind said no, her body screamed yes, and apparently, her body was done listening to her brain, because she blinked and found herself standing beside the bed.

Oh, fuck. He’s hard.

She could see the outline of his dick pushing against the front of his uniform pants. The size of the tent confirmed what she suspected when they had sex the other day. He was big. Very big. She licked at her lips, wanting to taste him.

He groaned and reached down to adjust himself. Jealousy filled her. She wanted to be the one to touch him, stroke him, taste him.

“Rae?” His voice took on a decidedly deep and husky quality. “You okay?”

“I’ve had better days,” she admitted, instead of telling him she wanted to lick him like her favorite lollipop.

He sat up, the dark desire she saw in his eyes seconds ago was gone.

“What’s wrong?” He grabbed her hand and gently pulled her onto the bed next to him. His scent, a mix of pine aftershave and male muskiness, hit her nose. She bit her lip to stop herself from groaning.

“I’ve been fighting a headache all day,” she said, revealing half the truth of how she’d been feeling.

“Stress,” he stated. He enfolded her, placing her back to his chest as he extended his legs.

“You think? Why would I have any stress?” she snapped, uncaring how sarcastic she sounded.

“Don’t be so upset with me,” he cooed, ignoring her nastiness. “Let me help.”

He brushed her hair to the side before settling his hands under the collar of her robe and gently massaging the tight muscles. She groaned when he pressed his thumbs against the knots. Every so often, he’d pause and place kisses on her neck and shoulders. She groaned; her nipples pebbled and moisture gathered on her sex.

“Better?” he asked, his breath caressing her neck as he nibbled on the exposed flesh.

“Um hmm.”

The area around them filled with a different type of tension. There’d always been this thread of sexual heat, but now…she couldn’t explain it. When it came to sex, she wasn’t normally aggressive. A lot of it had to do with her not craving sex. Till Asher. Work had always been her focus, and before work, it had been school. She had all of two sexual partners before Asher, and neither made her experience what he had. Over a desk, no less.

“I am sorry for the way my team spoke to you. They shouldn’t have been crude or rude to you. They know better and I will deal with it,” he murmured.

Glancing at him over her shoulder, her breath caught in her throat when she met his hooded desire-filled gaze. Not wanting to give him the upper hand this time, she pushed the robe off her shoulders, turning until her knees rested between his spread legs. “I am still extremely pissed off at them. They had no right.”

“I agree. They stepped over the line with you, and I promise, it won’t happen again.” He brushed his lips over hers as he ran the pad of his thumb along the swell of her towel-covered breast.

Damn it. Why did he have to agree with her? She could have handled him being an asshole a hell of a lot better.

“You’re over dressed,” she stated as she fingered the corner of the tucked part of her towel above her breasts, letting it fall, leaving her naked between his massive thighs.

“Fuck,” he groaned, his gaze dropping to her breasts and he licked his lips. “We’re getting fucking naked this time.”

His bluntness should offend her. If anyone else ever spoke to her the way he did, she’d have slapped them across the face. Him, on the other hand? His words made her hot. Her pussy ached. Every inch of her tingled with anticipation.

In the back of her mind, she thought she should have stopped him. After everything they’d been through, was she sending him the wrong messages? That it was okay for them to disrespect her? He gathered her in his arms. The t-shirt he wore brushing against her nipples had her hissing in pleasure. She reached behind him and pulled off his shirt, then tossed it on the floor. With precise movements, Asher kicked off his ACU pants.

His body was…amazing, a work of art. Wide, muscular shoulders and arms tapered down to a slim waist and thick thighs. His entire torso was void of hair, except for a trail that led from his abs to his groin. She licked her lips, suddenly wanting to follow the pathway with her tongue.

Hell, who was she fooling? She wanted to lick the deep ridges of his stomach, the small copper discs of his nipples and finally his dick, which was a thing of beauty. It was long and thick, reaching up almost to his belly button. The fat head was covered in pre-cum and she wondered what he tasted like.

His hand reached down, adjusting the heavy sac laying under his dick. Her eyes widened as his hand wrapped around the heavy stalk, stroking it languidly. He moaned and she was jealous it had been his hand stroking him. She wanted to do it while she swirled her tongue around the bulbous tip.

She watched in rapt awe as more pre-cum pooled his slit. It called to her, and again, her body made the decision. Leaning toward the oh-so-tempting flesh, she swiped her tongue across the crest, groaning as the sweet and salty taste hit her tongue.

He laid his hand on her head and burrowed his fingers into her hair. Almost as if he were afraid she’d stop. Wrapping her lips around the head, she flattened her tongue, lapping at the underside of his cock as she hummed in pleasure and took more of him into her mouth. Blow jobs weren’t something she had a vast knowledge of. But with one taste of him, she’d make it up as she went, as long as he didn’t pull out.

“Give me your hand,” he demanded.

Rae braced herself, then did as he asked, placing her hand in his. “Like this,” he grunted. “I like it hard with a bit of pain.” He applied pressure, getting her to tighten her grip to the strength he preferred. “Now, suck me.”

Slowly, she fed more of his length into her mouth, till the fat head butted against the back of her throat and she backed away when she gagged.

“Breathe through your nose,” he told her while putting his other hand on her head, guiding her back down. “Oh, fuck,” he groaned, his hips jerking, sinking him even deeper. “Swallow around me.”

She did.

“Yeah…just like that. Fuck.”

Asher allowed his head to fall back on his shoulders as a crimson flush tinged his cheeks. Her breasts brushed against the coarse hairs of his thighs, causing her clit to throb and her cream to coat her slit.

“I need in you,” he proclaimed, his words echoing her own thoughts. He pulled her off his erection with a loud pop.

She whimpered, “Asher.” She licked her bottom lip, trying to capture his taste.

“Son of a bitch.” He slammed his mouth down on hers and forced his tongue between her lips. Their tongues dueled, rubbing against each other, fighting for dominance.

He palmed her breast, worrying his thumb across her nipple while the other hand dove between her legs.

“You’re soaked,” he grunted when he broke the kiss. “You got off on sucking my dick, didn’t you?”

Unable to answer him, she simply nodded.

“Damn.”

He moved, lying across the bed, pulling her with him so her legs straddled his body. His dick rested between the lips of her sex.

“I’m not sure what—”

“I’ll take care of getting my dick inside you. All you need to do is lean forward so I can play with your tits. While I’m doing that, you’re going to work that sweet pussy of yours up and down my dick, fucking it.” Holy hell, did he have a dirty mouth. “Babe, you gotta lean forward,” he smirked.

“Oh, right.” She was discombobulated and he knew it, she could see the amusement in his eyes. Leaning forward, she placed her hands on either side of his head, pushing her breasts into his face. He grabbed her hips, lifting her body till the head of his cock rested in the opening of her pussy. If she had more experience, she’d have known better than to do what she did. Instead of working him into her slowly, she sank down, taking almost all of him inside her body in one thrust.

She whimpered as she struggled to accept the invasion. He wasn’t helping matters. He arched his back, sinking the thickest part of his length inside of her.

It didn’t hurt, per se. It was more pressure, a feeling of being overfull.

“Fuck. You feel so good,” he panted.

He released his hold on her hips and his fingers danced up her spine, stopping when he reached her shoulders. Pulling her down, he captured a nipple between his lips. Each tug on the hard bead was a direct line to her womb. She clenched around him and he groaned against her flesh, sucking harder. He released it with a loud pop and kissed his way to the other. “Come on, babe, ride me.”

With each roll of her hips, the crest of his erection rubbed against her sweet spot. If she kept this up, she’d be coming by the third or fourth stroke.

“Fucking hell, your close. Let me feel it. I want to feel you come on my cock,” he demanded as he met her with thrusts of his own. He pulled her down to him, burying her face in the crook of his neck as he took over, jackhammering in and out of her pussy.

Her womb clenched, her toes curling as her body raced toward bliss. He rolled them, tucking her under his big body. When she went to wrap her legs around his waist, he stopped her, opening her to his thrusts. She swore he touched her everywhere.

“Asher…” she screamed. The muscles of her pussy clenched around him, and he grunted. He didn’t stop. Instead, he picked up the pace, fucking her through her release.

“Ohmigod, Ohmigod,” she chanted.

“Give it to me,” he urged.

He released her legs, then tucked his hand under her ass, changing the angle of his penetration. A single, blunt finger pressed against her puckered hole, pressing, demanding entrance.

“Asher,” she moaned when he tucked the tip inside her. She stopped moving.

“Relax.” Easy for him to say, he didn’t have something wedged in his ass. “Give me your mouth.” She did. It distracted her and his finger slipped deeper and any resistance she felt earlier disappeared.

“Not tonight, but soon. I’m claiming your ass,” he stated when he broke the kiss.

At any other time, she might have smacked him for being so cocky and assuming she’d let him take her anally. If he pulled out and pressed his advantage now, she’d let him. They both knew it, so she ignored him and focused on the dual pleasure her body was experiencing. Another orgasm started deep in her belly.

“Going to come. Going to fill you,” he declared. His thrusts were less measured now, more erratic.

“Yes,” she panted, needing it as much as he did.

“Open your eyes,” he demanded. “I want to see them when you climax.”

Bossy. It took all of her willpower to lift her eyelids and meet his gaze as he commanded.

Waves of pleasure, deep and strong, coursed through her body while spasms rippled along the sensitive muscles of her sex. Her orgasm trigged his, he thrust hard and deep, then stilled. The warmth of his release filled her.

He collapsed, his body heavy against hers and his breath came in heavy pants. She ran her fingertips up and down his damp back, wanting to keep contact with him as long as possible.

“Fuck me. Really?” he grumbled.

It wasn’t till he removed his finger from her ass and slipped from her body that she realized someone was knocking on her door. Insistently.

“Boss,” O’Malley called through the closed, and hopefully locked, door. “Open up. We got some new data.”

“I’m going to fucking kill him. I swear.” Asher got up from the bed while pulling the covers over her still trembling, naked body.

“How does he even know you’re here?” She tucked the covers under her chin.

“He tracked my key card. It shows my last entry point,” he bitched as he picked his pants up off the floor and pulled them on, leaving them unbuttoned and hanging low on his hips. How was it possible to look so damn sexy, after what they’d done? She’d never know.

His body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat and his hair was damp. One look at him and Jake would know exactly what had just happened in her room. The thought had her wanting to crawl out of her skin, not out of shame, but embarrassment. She knew at her age she shouldn’t be a prude, but with the way the men around there talked, she didn’t need them even considering her…their sexual relations as fodder.

Rae slipped from the bed and scurried to the bathroom. She turned on the water, this time to a cooler setting and waited a moment.

“What the fuck, O’Malley,” she heard Asher snap out as she stepped into the shower and allowed the spray to drown out their conversation. As it stood, if she went by Asher’s tone, he wasn’t pleased, not that she could blame him.

She grabbed her bottle of body soap to wash up. She was sweaty and…oh shit…sticky. Very sticky. Their combined release coated the top of her thighs. Oh, sweet Jesus. They had sex without a condom. And she wasn’t on any birth control. Her body hadn’t handle it well, and she stopped taking it years ago because it made her so sick.

Her gaze flickered to the door. Did Asher realize what they’d just done? Desperately, she tried to recall the date of her last period and couldn’t.

Wasn’t that just fucking perfect.

Asher and Jake continued to argue. Something about a witness and the cyanide pill tooth they found in two of Barclay’s men.

“Asher!” she yelled when a memory from the day surfaced.

The bathroom door slammed open. Asher stood in the doorway, filling it with his big body. O’Malley stood behind him peeking over his shoulder.

“What the fuck, Jake? She’s naked. Back the fuck up,” Asher spat as he stepped into the bathroom and slammed the door on his 2IC’s face.

“I remembered. Oh, God. I remembered something,” she cried as she sunk to the floor, ignoring the cold tile floor as it touched the back of her legs and ass.

“What?” he prompted, squatting in front of her, pulling her into his arms.

“There weren’t supposed to be any survivors. Their orders were to eliminate all witnesses. I overheard them right before Franks shot the guy who pulled his weapon on me. They mentioned another name.” She rubbed at her forehead as she tried to recall the name.

“Think, baby,” he urged.

“Lincoln. His name was Lincoln.”

“Fucking A,” O’Malley said as he kicked open the bathroom door. “More proof that the fucker is dirty as hell. Another eyewitness, one who doesn’t have anything to do with Barclay.”

Well, fuck.

“I am going to fucking kill you, O’Malley,” Asher snarled, reaching behind with his hand and slamming the door again in Jake’s face.

13

Hitting O’Malley in the nose with the door had been the best damn thing he’d done since being balls deep in Rae. Shit, he still couldn’t believe he went bareback with her. Yet, the idea of stopping to grab a condom put a damper on everything with her. He’d have to make sure she was okay with it before they wound up in bed together again.

“Next time,” he snarled. “Stay the fuck out.”

Jake put his hands up and took a step back. Blood trickled from his nose. His eyes were wide with shock. He never pulled any of his punches when it came to fighting, and surely now wouldn’t be the first time. What made today any different? Who the fuck cares? He opened the door to Rae’s room and pointed. “Get out.”

“Calm the fuck down. That girl’s got you in a knot.”

“Don’t start. Kicking your ass isn’t high on my list of things to do.” He closed the door in O’Malley’s face then stomped back into the bathroom where he’d left Rae. The water was back on, and her silhouette danced along the curtain as she moved under the water. Without hesitation, he shucked his pants and joined her.

Water dripped from her sun-kissed skin. Drops clung to the tips of her hard nipples, begging for him to partake. He groaned. Damn. She was a wet dream in every sense of the word. His dick ached as though he hadn’t been balls deep no more than twenty minutes ago. He stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her middle to tug her backwards.

Her soft gasp made his cock jerk. “We didn’t use protection.” Asher bent his head forward to nuzzle her neck. “You okay?”

She gave a curt nod. “I don’t know what to say is all.”

“Do we need to be prepared for getting pregnant?” He had lost his mind. He shouldn’t have put her in this predicament.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I can’t take birth control. It fucks with my system.” She shuddered in his arms, the water going cold. “I’m not mad, though. I thought I would be, but I think I’m okay.”

He took a deep breath and let it out. “Fuck, you’ve got me all kinds of possessive, Rae. I can’t describe it. You’ve awaken a primitive part of me.”

She gave a husky chuckle that shot straight to his groin. “Are you going to drag me back to bed and have your way with me?” She wiggled against him, teasing the length of his erection.

He gritted his teeth. “Why go back to bed? I can take you here.” He pressed his lips to the column of her neck. “God, sweetheart. Everything I want to do to you is nasty.”

“Tell me.”

“I already did.” He nipped at her. “I want your ass. I want your mouth. I crave seeing you swallow my come. I yearn for everyone here to know you belong to me. Can I tell you a secret?”

Her breath hitched. “Yes.”

She trembled in his arms. The hard points of her nipples beckoned him to taste. To suck and nibble on. To make her come just by stimulating her nipples. “I get off making you scream. The idea that O’Malley stood at the door and heard me fucking you added to the whole situation.”

“Asher,” she whimpered. Her fingernails bit into the flesh of his forearm.

He reached down between her legs, and found her pussy soaking wet. “Hell yeah.” Her clit poked out from its hood, demanding his attention and who was he to say no? He rubbed the tight bundle of nerves.

“Oh God.” She arched to his touch while her breath came in soft pants. With each flick of her clit with his finger, she tensed a bit more.

Asher would get her off then let her finish her shower. They had to go, and later, he would take his time. Allow her to explore his body. Right now, all he cared about was loosening her up. Over and over, he teased the seam of her pussy, dipping his fingers inside, then back to her clit. The muscles of her pussy fluttered, trying to keep him lodged inside her. “Greedy. I love it. Tell me you’re going to milk my cock when I get deep inside you later.”

She moaned. “Please.”

“Tell me,” he demanded, removing his hand from her mound.

She swallowed audibly. “Finger fuck me. Let me come all over them. I need it.”

“You ask so sweetly.” He returned to his ministration. Bringing her to the edge, over and over, then backing off. However, when he shoved two fingers insider her swollen, tight heat, she lost it. Her release rippled along his intrusion while she bucked in his arms. He swore he felt each tug of her climax in his balls.

His cock pulsed. His nuts were hard as rocks. His impending climax tingled at the base of his spine. Being with Rae destroyed his control. When he stepped into the shower, he’d only thought to assuage her.

“Fuck, stroke me, sweetheart.” He had her face him after withdrawing his fingers from her.

She wrapped her fist around him and after the third hard pump, he roared. His breath left him in a rush at the powerful edge of it. Every inch of his body tightened to the point of exquisite pain as jet after jet shot from his tip. God, he’d never be able to give her up.

“You’re mine, Rae. I realized it the day we found you. I’ll take care of you. Give you what you need. What you want.”

She sighed, letting him go. She wouldn’t meet his gaze, and the euphoric bubble surrounding them popped. “What I want is my life back. What I want is for this to have never happened.”

His gut clenched. All the air rushed out of him. He’d gone from the highest of highs to rock bottom. Certainly, she didn’t mean it. Had he been such a dick, she didn’t want to have anything to do with him? No. No fucking way. She came alive in his arms. She burned for him. Got wet for him. She couldn’t deny the attraction between them. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

She frowned. “I meant the situation, idiot.” She crossed her arms, pushing her breasts up toward him, teasing him.

“I wish it’d been a different reason I found you, too.” He caressed her shoulders, then kissed the top of her head, relaxing marginally.

“If Lincoln is involved, this is very bad,” she whispered, rubbing her fingertips across her bottom lip.

“We can’t dwell on it now. Come on, get the rest of your shower, then we’ll grab some dinner.”

She nodded. “Yeah. I need to eat before I take a pain pill. Taking them on an empty stomach makes me sick.” She grimaced, pivoting toward the water.

“I’ll order us some chow and have it brought to my room. I think maybe you’ll like it better than here.”

She tensed. “Are you sure?”

Fuck, yes. Just thinking about her in his space had him wanting to do very nasty things with her on every surface in his quarters. “I’m sure.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Hurry up.”

Asher patted her ass before getting out of the shower. Forgoing drying off, he grabbed his ACUs and stomped back into her living space. He had to call his uncle. He still hadn’t told him about James and this shit with Lincoln…fuck. He worried if he pulled the trigger too quickly, the good senator would take over the operation, leaving him and his team on the outs. Too much depended on this mission.

The beep of his phone drew his attention. Asher crossed to it. His uncle’s code name popped on the screen and he cursed. He couldn’t ignore it. Winters would be on his ass quicker than he could say shit. He slid his thumb across the screen and answered. “Sir.”

“Status report. You were supposed to debrief with Anthony James.” His uncle went straight for the balls when appropriate, and Asher knew he’d fucked up.

“There’s been a change in status. I had to make sure what happened wasn’t repeated.” He paced the length of the room and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Well, spit it out. Or do I need to cram a shoehorn in your mouth to pry it out.” Jesus, if the old man hadn’t been pissed off at him, he’d have laughed. Unfortunately, this was no laughing matter.

“He’s DOA.”

“What the fuck happened?!”

Asher pulled the phone away from his ear and winced. Shit. “I would rather do this on the telecom so Dr. Rae can explain everything.”

“Dr. Rae?” The questioning tone of his uncle didn’t sit well with Asher.

“Yes. The American civilian there during the raid.”

“Ah, yes,” his uncle answered. “Fine. You have thirty minutes or else I’m paying you a visit.”

“Roger that.” He hit end on his phone, knowing his uncle didn’t do goodbyes, and glanced up, feeling Rae’s gaze on him.

“What’s going on?” Again, she was wrapped in that damn towel of hers. Teasing him to insanity.

“We have a date with Senator Winters. We have to explain James’s death and the cyanide pills you found in Tinsman’s mouth.” He hated pulling her away from a relaxing weekend, especially after their romp in the sheets.

“Oh. Well, one step closer. Am I supposed to tell him about Lincoln?” She quickly made her way to the locker which doubled as a closet.

“Not right now. Let’s keep it between us. We need to figure out what Lincoln’s role is in all this.”

She snorted. “What makes the world go ‘round, Rainer?” She tugged on her yoga pants.

Pussy. Alcohol. Damn, he needed to get his head in the game and stop watching her dress. It only caused problems. “Money.”

“Give the man a cigar.” She slipped on a tank top then donned her running shoes. “I hope your uncle doesn’t mind, but I am not getting dressed up.”

He chuckled. “You’ll do just fine.”

He pulled his comm from his pocket and hit the button. When Hanover answered, he spoke. “Get everyone to the conference room. We have a meeting with Winters in twenty.”

“Shit, are you serious?”

“As a fucking heart attack.” Rae headed into the bathroom, tugging on the ends of her knotted hair. He enjoyed the fact he mussed it up while rolling around in bed with her. Hell, he really wanted to do it again as she sucked his— Get a fucking grip. He fisted his hands at his side, willing the wild, desperate part of himself to settle. He had a job to do.

“Ready?” Rae appeared at his side. She’d braided her long blonde locks so it sat over her shoulder. Wariness shone in her hazel gaze. For all her bravado, she was still a terrified woman who experienced hell on Earth.

“I am.” He tucked her into his side. “When we’re done, we’ll talk about everything. I promise.”

“Sure.” She didn’t look at him, instead choosing to stare at the hall in front of them.

“Hey, don’t close down on me. We’ll get through this. Winters isn’t so bad. Once you get to know him.” He squeezed her.

“I think I’m tired. Can we grab me a snack so I can take my meds?”

Asher nodded. “Sure thing. Anything in particular?”

“No, just something to absorb the drugs.” She gave him a tight smile. “And a place to lay my head afterwards.”

“I bet. I’m an animal in bed. My appetite is voracious.”

“Asshole.” There, a spark of humor filled her tone.

A small piece of Asher’s soul relaxed. “I’m your asshole.”

“Says who?” She glanced up at him, desire flickering in her brown eyes. Flecks of green rimmed her pupils like a sunrise when the first rays touched the horizon. It stole his breath.

“Me.”

The elevator ride to the communications floor had been silent. She ate the small sandwich he grabbed for her along with a bottle of water, then watched as she took the two white tablets. She sighed, relaxing marginally beside him. There was so much to say to her. So much he wanted her to know about him, and what he liked to do when not in the field.

However, he pushed it all aside. He had to mentally prepare himself for what was about to happen. He ushered her inside the room and found his team along with Franks sitting at the table.

O’Malley smirked when Rae ducked her head and took a seat near Asher. Fucking asshole. He’d kick the dick’s ass later for making her feel uncomfortable. He hit the button on the hand-held in front of him.

Seconds later, Senator Winters appeared on the chat screen in front of them. Deep grooves lined his hardened features. The man had seen things over the years. Been on the battlefields all over the world, defending the States. His gaze held a “no bullshit” stance and the way his folded hands tensed, turning his knuckles white, didn’t bode well.

“Explain what the fuck is going on.” He flicked his gaze toward Rae then back to Asher. “And what she has to do with it all.”

Asher sighed. “She found the fake tooth.”

“What I think Commander Rainer is trying to say is that when Mr. James killed himself, a cyanide tab had been placed in a fake tooth. James and Tinsman had one. It’s being analyzed, right now.”

“What?” A look of disbelief filled the old man’s features, smoothing some of the grooves.

“It’s true,” Asher replied. “We had no reason to believe they’d carry a self-termination kit. It’s pretty fucking primitive. Not only that, but they were monitored. When checked on barely five minutes before, he was alive, reading a fucking book in his cell.”

Winters sat back in his chair. “What do you know, Franks?”

“I’m not sure, sir. To be honest, James and Tinsman were always out on their own. People always came and went from the group and if they were dressed like us, I didn’t think twice about it. Nor did it seem suspicious. They did shit to us all the time. Hell, it scares the shit out of me to be honest, sir.

“I have a wife and child to consider. If that tooth had been in my mouth, one wrong move by any of us could have killed me or worse, them, too.” Franks glanced at Rae and nodded. “The doc is a good person. She delivered my son and she’s healing my daughter, too. I can’t thank her enough.”

Winters narrowed his eyes. “I’m sorry, delivered a baby?”

“Six-pound, five-ounce baby boy,” she answered, sitting up a little straighter.

Shit, they were getting off track. “As we were saying, sir. Barclay is working with old school techniques. I am surprised someone isn’t looking for Tinsman or James.” He glanced at Franks. “I believe they thought Franks was collateral damage.”

His uncle snorted. “I hate to break it to you, but Barclay and Lincoln are looking.” He swiped the screen of the hand-held in front of him, and articles appeared on the screen along with the first meetings of a congressional committee. “Son, they’re saying Senator Lincoln has a hand in this cluster fuck. The press is always asking questions. We need something sooner rather than later.”

“I can’t say for certain if he is or not.” The lie burned a hole in Asher’s gut. He couldn’t put Franks or Rae out there. If he gave Winters the info he wanted, Franks and Rae would be paraded through congress. Their death would come the minute they stepped outside. His intestines knotted.

Rae gasped beside him, and he squeezed her knee, stilling her. Finding out they had evidence pointing to the asshole didn’t surprise him. The fucking bastard was a killing machine. He used those who were down or stupid and brought them into the fold, effectively brainwashing them to believe what they were doing was right.

“Girl, is there something you want to say?” His uncle’s gruff tone grated against Asher’s spine.

“No, sir.” She shook her head. “I think I’m more surprised I’m here.”

“Asher thinks highly of you and you’ve proven to be an asset. I know you wanted to go home, but I am confident you are much safer here. Are you still demanding a lawyer assist you?”

She shook her head again. “No.”

“Good.” He flicked his gaze to Asher. “You need to find what the hell is going on and if Lincoln is connected with Barclay’s actions in the field. Running Out of Time.”

“Roger.”

The screen went black and Asher sat back, expelling a breath. Son of a bitch, that’d been close. When he opened his eyes, his team stared at him. O’Malley cocked a brow. He knew he owed the guys an explanation, and he’d give it.

“Want to tell us why you didn’t say something?” The hard edge in O’Malley’s voice had him bristling.

“And give away something of importance? Not happening. We don’t know how far Lincoln is imbedded in government black ops programs, including congress. I tell Winters what we know, and boom, that gets blown to shit.” He stood. “We have to play this close to the sleeve. We can’t allow Lincoln to know we’re onto him. If he hears James is dead, he might trip himself up.”

Hanover nodded, running the tops of his fingers under his chin. “You’ve got a point. We have to be ahead of this guy. It’s part of the reason shit went sideways in Colombia.”

He agreed. “We also don’t know if he isn’t trying to bait us.”

“I don’t like it,” O’Malley grunted.

Neither did he. “Time is our friend still.”

“For how long?” Rae’s question surprised him. Her soft, sure tone didn’t speak to nerves, but practicality. “Until we figure this out? Until we find what the end game is?”

They broke from their impromptu meeting and went their separate ways. He thought O’Malley would give him more shit but instead, he followed Hanover to the chow house. He needed to do the same for Rae.

“Let’s grab something to drink and talk,” he stated, coming up beside her.

“I’d like that.” She gifted him with a smile, melting any shred of resistance he might have had toward her.

“Great.” He slipped his fingers between hers and clutched them, not wanting to let go. “Because you wore me out, sweetheart.”

“You say the nicest things.”

Damn right, he did. At least for a few more hours. Whatever the hell Lincoln had planned, he had a horrible feeling shit was about to go sideways, and when it did, Rae would be in the middle of it.

14

He didn’t have to wait long for O’Malley to spout his bullshit. Walking Rae back to his room after they got a drink, O’Malley called to him down the long, empty hallway.

“Want me to wait inside?” Rae cocked a brow in response. The headache she’d been fighting earlier had dissipated, leaving her exhausted.

“Boss,” O’Malley said, “we need to talk about earlier. What the fuck is going on with you? I’m not comfortable with the fact you kept pertinent info from Winters.”

Asher reached down, pulled his phone off its clip, unlocked the screen and held it out to Jake. “If you have such a fucking problem with it, call the old man and tell him.”

“I don’t want to call him. What I want to understand is why you of all people are breaking the rules.” Jake’s gaze flicked to Rae before returning to him. He knew what the asshole was doing. Using Rae against him.

O’Malley would be dead wrong.

He chuckled.

Jake frowned.

“You think I don’t break the rules?” It pissed him off that his team had this stupid assumption he never went against the grain and was perfect.

“I know you don’t, boss,” O’Malley replied confidently.

“How about the fact I know twice a week, every week for the last year plus, when we’re on base, Hanover sneaks out to top his lover at one of the safe houses on the outer perimeter?”

O’Malley’s face blanched.

“Or how Murray used R.O.O.T. resources to locate his baby sister, who was snatched off the street in front of their home ten years ago. Or better yet, how about the time you snuck Ginger onto base and fucked her in your room. A place she wasn’t supposed to be or have clearance to even be on base,” he taunted.

“Boss,” O’Malley hedged.

“Nope. You started this. I’m stopping it, right fucking now. Who do you think wiped the traces of her being here? Wasn’t you, that’s for damn sure. You were too involved in your pussy,” he sneered. “You want to spout truth, let’s do it. Who do you think did it?” he demanded when O’Malley refused to answer

“You,” Jake finally answered.

“That’s right, motherfucker. Just like I removed all traces of Hanover’s weekly jaunts,” he snapped.

“Stop,” Rae pleaded. “Please don’t. I don’t want the two of you fighting because of me.” Her weak voice and pale face worried him. He wanted to say what he had to say and get her into bed and asleep.

“Clue in, O’Malley. Pull your head out of your ass before some other motherfucker is waking up with Ginger in his arms after he fucked her, and your baby girl is calling another man daddy.”

Rae gasped. “Asher!” She placed her hand on his arm as if to stop him.

“Is that what you want?” he snarled at his best friend.

“It’s not safe being with us. You know this.”

“Says who?” he demanded.

“Says me. I’m not stupid, boss.”

He snorted. Yeah, he was. “Do you even fucking know me? Do you think I wouldn’t have provisions for my team and their significate others in place? I made damn sure when R.O.O.T. was formed and my teams were set up, their loved ones would be protected. At all costs. Base is massive. It has an entire family floor, a cafeteria open 24/7 and a spa. It’s a mini city. For fuck’s sake, we even have a coffee shop!” he snapped.

“Ask Rae, Asher. Ask her if she wants to be confined to base. Bet the answer is no!”

“She won’t be permanently confided to base and neither would have Ginger. If you had asked instead of assuming, you would’ve never had to fucking cut your wife and kid free. I would have explained the parameters in place for families.”

“What fucking parameters are you talking about?” O’Malley got into his face.

“Back up, motherfucker,” he spat. “And by the way, the fact you have no knowledge of it proves my point. You just cut and run. It’s no wonder Ginger wants shit to do with you. When’s the last the time you saw your daughter, Jake? Do you want me to tell you? Because if you don’t know, I do, motherfucker.”

“Okay,” Rae stated, stepping between them. She placed a hand on his chest and gave O’Malley a dirty look. “As if I haven’t had enough stress dealing with seeing half a village murdered, upheaval in my life and job, and on top of that dealing with the possibility of being pregnant, you two just need to fucking stop!”

“You fucked her without protection? What the fuck, Asher, you didn’t learn anything from me?” O’Malley paled even more.

“Don’t go there, O’Malley. Who or how I fuck isn’t your concern. It’s mine,” he snarled, his eyes narrowing in warning at his friend.

“It is when you possibly compromise our mission with your involvement with Rae,” O’Malley came back at him.

“Fucking Rae isn’t compromising shit.” He didn’t miss the hitch in her breathing at his bluntness. “But if you feel she is, file a fucking report and take it up with Winters. If you do, remember you blow our case, because everything we’re slowly putting together will be out there for the government and the world to see. The element of surprise is something we rarely get in this job.”

O’Malley sighed, finally stepping back from Asher’s personal space. “I just want to understand what you’re thinking.”

“That’s not your job, O’Malley. This isn’t a fucking democracy. Your job is to follow the fucking orders I give,” he bit out.

“That’s enough,” Rae stated. “I’m really not feeling well. I can’t stand here anymore listening to two friends all but beat the shit out of each other.” Having said her peace, she used her card key he gave her to open the door and stepped through. The door slammed shut, echoing down the empty hallway.

“You got more to say, say it now.”

O’Malley shook his head. “No, I got nothing more to say, boss,” he sneered.

“Then you’re dismissed.” It was a dick move, dismissing him. He knew it, but he didn’t give a fuck. Friend or not, O’Malley had overstepped. Big fucking time.

O’Malley saluted, which he ignored, before he stormed away.

Removing his own key card, he swiped and pushed open the door. Rae was sitting on the bed.

“If you’re pregnant, will your headache meds hurt the baby?” Bone weary from the shouting match with Jake, he crossed to the table near the bed.

“No. Too early. Asher…”

“Not talking about O’Malley, Rae. Anything else but,” he stated as he sat on the chair and pulled his boots off.

“Has this happened to you before?”

He stared at her in confusion. What the fuck is she talking about?

“The not using a condom,” she finally added after a long, silent moment.

It surprised him she brought it up. He thought he made himself clear earlier. Obviously, it had been wearing on her.

“Rae, baby, do I look like the type of guy to forget to use protection?” He always covered his dick. Always. Something flickered in her eyes. “First time,” he answered the question he could see she wanted to ask but hadn’t.

“This is all new to me. I don’t have a lot of experience with men.”

“I’m aware. You’ve slept with two guys.” He stood and moved to the bed.

“How—”

“Right now, it isn’t important. You getting rest is. You’ve worked your ass off here since you arrived and I don’t think you’ve gotten a proper night’s sleep yet.”

“I need you,” she said.

In those moments staring at her, he could see how much it took for her to say that. She put herself out there, even though his team had done nothing but treat her like shit. “You got me. I’m going to lie with you till you fall asleep. If you wake up and I’m not here, don’t worry, I’ll be back.” He climbed into bed with her and kissed her temple. “If you feel up to it later, I’ll let you ride my face.” Asher winked.

“Are you always this blunt?” She snuggled into his chest when he lay on the bed.

“No point in beating around the bush,” he admitted. “Sleep.”

And she did. She went limp in his arms within minutes, soft puffs of her breath floating across his chest.

When she woke, she reached out for Asher only to find the bed empty and cold. The dent in the pillow and the rumpled sheets told her he’d at least stayed with her a while. The laptop sitting on her desk also told her at some point he left and came back to work.

She remained in bed longer than normal, wanting to make sure the headache was gone because she didn’t particularly like taking the pain pills. They did the job of knocking out her headache, most times, but they also tended to leave her disoriented. Usually, she would have to drink or eat something sweet and carb loaded to help her focus. For her to get those items here, she’d have to take a shower, get dressed, and make her way to the cafeteria. Something she didn’t have the energy to do now.

Sitting up in the bed, she saw a bottle of orange juice and a muffin sitting on the table beside the bed. A note sat beside them telling her to eat up and drink the juice.

She added bossy to her already growing lists of ways to describe Asher. Jackass and asshole were still her personal favorites. She picked up the bottle off the table. It was still cold. Cracking the lid, she guzzled the entire contents like a co-ed getting their first taste of beer. The surge of sugar into her blood stream was immediate and the fog in her head started to clear.

After eating the muffin, she showered then dressed, then she walked to his computer. Tapping a key, she gasped when the screen lit up. No. She shouldn’t be doing this. If she could sleep with a man she barely knew, she had to give him some benefit of the doubt and trust him. Doing this now could wreck whatever they were building, right?

Only one way to find out. After clicking on an icon, she dropped into the chair in front of the laptop. She began to read the copious amounts of notes he had made. One side had facts, the other side had theories. He was detailed. It looked like dashes were next to facts he had kept from the senator and asterisks were next to facts only he was aware of.

She kept reading till she got to the reports of the massacre of the village in Colombia. Pictures of every victim flashed up on the screen, along with possible connections to Lincoln, drug cartels, and the U.S. government. It was daunting and might be easier if he just explained it to her instead of reading it. Not wanting to see anymore, she closed the program then snapped it shut. She needed to get out of there so she could think.

After she checked on Gabby, Sydney, and baby Rhett, she’d seek out Asher and ask…ah hell, who was she kidding, she’d have to demand he allow her to help them. Gathering what she needed for the day, she snagged her key card on the desk before opening the door and stepping into the hallway.

“Morning, Doc,” Hanover said over his shoulder as he fiddled with the key pad two doors down.

“Morning, Noah. You just getting to bed?”

“Late night,” he replied as the light went green. “Boss man said to tread carefully around your room. Said you weren’t feeling too good.”

“Headache. It’s gone this morning.”

He nodded, pocketing his key card into one of the many slots in his pants.

“Do you happen to know where your fearless leader is?”

Hanover scratched at his day-old beard as he leaned against the metal door frame. “C&C,” he replied.

“C&C? That’s a new one for me. What is it?”

“Command and Control. Everything is run out of it. It’s the brains of the base. It’s the thirteenth floor on the elevator.” Whoa. It was down deep inside this massive underground base. “You don’t have clearance, so your key card won’t let you get there. If you need boss man, just pick up any phone and dial 125. It’ll ring to his cell, which he carries at all times.”

“Much appreciated. Are you on night shift?” She hoped she was using the correct terminology.

“Nah. I’m only taking a short nap. Asher has been sending shit to my phone almost nonstop for the last couple hours.” He started to move into his room, but stopped. “Hey, Doc, rumor has it O’Malley’s been like a bear with a sore paw all damn morning. You know anything about why?”

No doubt O’Malley was pissy this morning. Asher had ripped him a new asshole. It might just be best to be diplomatic in her answer.

“You should speak with Asher or O’Malley about it,” she replied.

“Good answer. Anyone else asks you, you should give them the same response,” Hanover said nonchalantly as he walked into his room, letting his door slam shut.

Was everything a test with these assholes? If so, she was getting sick and tired of it. Stomping off, she’d stop to get herself the largest cup of coffee she could find and toast a bagel to eat as she headed to the medical floor.

Getting off the elevator, she made her way to the area which had slowly become hers. Placing her cup of coffee on the desk, she threw out the foil from her now consumed breakfast. A baby’s cry rang out at Sydney’s arrival. Rhett didn’t sound too pleased this morning. Gabby appeared first.

“Doc!” the little girl cried out as she ran and jumped into her arms. “You got a lolly for me?”

“Gabby Elizabeth, it’s all of nine o’clock in the morning,” Sydney said as she stepped into the room, baby Rhett in a snuggly on her chest, whimpering.

“I’ve created a monster,” she teased as she ruffled Gabby’s hair. “Tell you what, when we’re done with our exam, I’ll give your mom the lollipop. She can decide when you can have it. Deal?”

“Deal.” The little girl held her hand out so they could shake on it.

“He okay?” she asked as Sydney started to remove the baby from the contraption on her chest.

“He’s hungry. Although, Doc, I’m not even sure how it’s possible he could be. I fed him less than an hour ago,” Sydney said. She could hear the underlying tiredness in her new friend’s voice.

“He’s a week old. It’s the first of many growth spirts.” She gestured to the chair in the room. “Sit, get comfortable and let him nurse. I’ll start with Gabby.”

“Thank you.” Sydney sat now that the baby was finally free.

The ease at which Sydney handled her son, preparing for him to breast feed, fascinated her. This could be her life in a little over nine months. She dropped her hand, cupping her lower belly in wonder.

“Got something to tell me, Doc?” Sydney gazed at her hand which cupped her belly.

“No. Why?” Jerking her hand away, she started to make herself busy while Gabby changed into her gown in the bathroom.

“You were cupping your belly. Only a pregnant woman or woman wondering if she is pregnant tends to do that.” With an efficiency of a practiced mother, Sydney moved Rhett to her breast. “The rumors are true then, huh?”

“Rumors?”

“Of you and Asher. Whole base is talking about it,” the new mother informed her.

“It’s nothing,” she claimed.

“Um hm. Like I said, a woman doesn’t cup her belly lovingly like you just did unless she is…” Gabby stepped out from the bathroom, dressed in the blue hospital gown and skipped to the table. She gave thanks for the little girl’s timing, since her mother stopped speaking. “P-r-e-g-n-a-n-t.” Sydney, apparently not finished with their conversation, felt the need to spell the word around her oh-so-curious young daughter.

Not willing to give the rumor mill any more fodder, she lied. “I wasn’t feeling so well last night. I’m still feeling some of the effects of the medication I took.”

Sydney’s brow cocked and her gaze went knowingly to her belly, making it clear she didn’t believe a damn word she had just said. Damn it.

“It was a headache. I always get them close to my period.”

“What’s a period?” Gabby asked as she situated herself on the table. Her hands tucked under her thighs as her little legs pumped up and down on the edge of the table.

“Something women have to get to have babies.” She let go of the breath she was holding when Gabby nodded, taking her mother’s simple, matter-of-fact explanation.

More than willing to change the subject from periods and babies, she got the little girl’s attention. “Just so you know, Gabby, we have to draw blood today.”

“Okay. Why, though?” the little girl inquired.

“I need to compare the results from this draw to the first draw of blood we took when you arrived here. It will allow me to verify your treatment is working,” she answered the precocious little girl who had quickly captured not only her heart, but those who worked at the base.

She gathered her supplies then quickly and efficiently withdrew two vials of blood. “I’ll have the results in the next twenty-four hours,” she informed Sydney who moved the baby from one breast to another.

“Almost done, Gabby. You’re doing great,” she said. She listened to her heart and lungs before she took her temperature. All were within range for a girl her age.

“Doctor Rae, can I have two lollies?” Gabby’s tone had been innocent and sweet. Looking at the little girl, you would have no idea just a week ago she’d been on death’s door.

“You have to talk to your momma about it. For now, let’s get you down and get you back into your clothes.” Placing her hands around the little girl, she removed her from the table and put her on the floor. Gabby scampered off, leaving the door open a crack as she changed.

“I’m not going to say anything, Rae,” Sydney announced as she righted her bra and top.

“I’m not pregnant,” she assured the other woman as she tagged and bagged the blood samples.

The door opened and Asher stepped in.

“Sydney,” he acknowledged the woman sitting in the chair. “Where is Gabby?”

“Changing,” her mother replied, standing up and handing him Asher Rhett. “Hold him. I need to get this stupid contraption back on.”

Her gaze flickered to Asher who cuddled the newborn high on his shoulder, expertly. One large hand cupped his rump and the other held his head securely.

Why was he even here? Wasn’t he supposed to be elbows deep in research?

“Hanover told me you were looking for me,” Asher announced as if reading her mind. It was something he did often. Freaked her the hell out.

“He told me how to reach you. I was going to contact you when I was done here,” she informed him.

“Asher!” Gabby bounded out of the bathroom, running to Asher as quickly as her little legs could take her. She frowned up at him when she realized his arms were full. “Guess what?”

“What?” He smiled down at the little girl.

“I’m getting two lollies.” Gabby held up two fingers to hammer home her score.

“I’m jealous,” he chuckled.

“Doc Rae will give you two if you let her check you out, too.”

Oh hell. Sydney laughed. Out of the mouths of babes.

“I’ll take Rhett back now, Asher.” He handed her the baby and she slipped him into the carrier. “Thank you.”

“Welcome.” His gaze swung back to hers and he gave her a heavy-lidded look. “What do you say, Doc. Can you check me out so I can get two lollipops?”

Reaching into her lab coat, she pulled out two pops for Gabby. The little girl squealed in delight and ran toward her to collect her boon.

“And two for you.” She held out the lollipops to Asher.

“Maybe we can find some creative way to use them later,” he said it in a toneless whisper that had her shivering in need. Warmth flushed her chest and cheeks at the sexual aspect of his comment.

“You okay, Doc?” Sydney queried, her gaze flicking back and forth between Asher and herself.

“Fine.” She ducked her head, ignoring the other woman’s gaze.

After saying their goodbyes, Gabby, Sydney, and Rhett left the office with the agreement to come back if Rhett continued to fuss. As the door closed behind them, silence settled over the space, and she and Asher were alone.

“What did you need?” He pocketed the lollies he had taken from her.

I need you to take me back to bed and fuck me silly. “I want to do more. I want to contribute to the mission. I know how to research. Doctors know how. I realize I don’t have clearance but maybe you can give it to me?” She was babbling and couldn’t seem to stop herself as she continued. “Gabby is well on the road to recovery and neither Rhett nor Sydney require twenty-four-hour care. Let me help.”

“Rae, I don’t—” His tone told her he wasn’t going to concede and it pissed her off.

“Don’t say no, Asher. Please. I want to help. Wait.” She shook her head. “I need to help. This affects me, too. I was there, a part of it. I can help in some capacity.”

“Rae, I’m not—”

“Oh my gosh,” she interrupted him again. “I almost forgot. The tooth I pulled from Tinsman had a batch number on the screws.” She moved to the countertop where she performed most of her research. Papers scattered everywhere as she looked for the report she wrote the other night. “Here it is.”

He moved beside her, taking the report from her hand.

“Explain, please.”

“Sure. When they removed the molars, they had to use a screw to anchor the fake tooth. More often than not, teeth are one of the primary ways to identify bodies. Murderers can be crafty and pull all their victim’s teeth. Because of this, manufactures of implants started etching batch numbers on the screws. With this information, I can track down which doctor or practice did it,” she told him.

15

“Do it. The sooner we have answers, the better off we’ll be.” He paced the confines of the office, knowing it would piss Rae off, but he had to keep active. They needed one piece of evidence connecting Lincoln to the Barclay mission. Just saying he was there, or he ordered it, wasn’t enough.

“Asher?”

He paused and glanced at Rae.

“Stop. I can only do this as fast as the computer can work.”

Right. He had to wait. He hated waiting. It made him impatient. “Sorry.”

“It’s a big deal. I get it.” She magnified the picture of the screw. 08B57PJK1. She flipped to a blank screen then typed in a dental website specifically made for these types of implants. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this with a regular connection. Thanks.”

“Not a problem.” He snorted.

“Okay, got it.” She hit enter a couple times before pointing to the screen. “This is the tooth before it was modified. A Dr. Fredrick Macks placed this one in Anthony James’s mouth.”

Macks…Macks, why did his name sound familiar to Asher? He tapped his chin as he began to pace again. “Does it say what city he placed the tooth?”

“Washington D.C., about six weeks ago.” She frowned. “He put them in specifically for this mission?”

It’d seem so. “Can you find anything else?”

“I’m sure if I trace the serial numbers, they’ll come back on the same day with the same doctor.” She grabbed one of the other manila envelopes and retrieved the tooth.

“So, Barclay sends, or requests, Dr. Macks to assist with placing fake teeth into mouths of Barclay agents.” The pieces of the puzzle were laid out before him, but none were fitting together. “He should have known what he was putting in their mouths. He should have had questions.”

“Unless he was working for Lincoln and Barclay.” She arched a brow. “Think about it. Lincoln uses the one person he’s friends with. Pays him off, and boom, all the major players in his team get these teeth. If they question it, maybe they’re told it’s for an emergency only or a transmitter. Maybe only someone like James would have known the truth.”

“This is good.” Asher pointed at the screen. “Really good. We’ll have to question the doctor.”

“Can’t,” Rae stated. “The minute you get near him, Lincoln will know.”

“Shit.” He fisted his hands. “Fine. Get me the reports for the implants so I can add them to the evidence we have.”

“You got it.”

He crossed the room to her. “Thank you. Good thinking.” He bent and placed a kiss on her lips. “Later, we’ll blow off a little steam.” He kissed her again.

“Cocky is going to be added to the things I call you.” She smirked, then drew his bottom lip between her teeth.

He growled. “You’re dangerous. I like it.”

She placed her hand to his chest. “Don’t be too hard on O’Malley.”

He reared back. “What?”

“You keep everything to yourself. Protecting those you care about. Keeping them safe. It’s obvious you made this place for everyone. Not just for the job, but everything associated with it.” She stood. “Asher, he’s scared. An asshole, maybe. But there’s more to him.”

“Are you a peacemaker now?” He cocked a brow and covered her hand with his.

“No. Yesterday…”

“I went caveman.” He nodded. “Sorry. I can’t promise it won’t happen again.”

“I don’t need promises.”

“So, what would you advise?” He wrapped his arm around her, holding her close to him. The last few days had been filled with one damn thing or another, never giving him a chance to rest or catch his breath.

This morning, when he got up, he realized how much of his life he’d given his team and never taken a bit of luxury for himself. If he were honest, he’d been jealous of O’Malley and Hanover. Both of those bastards had someone to go home to, and yet, they both hid. They didn’t want anyone to know about their relationships. Well, that shit would stop.

“Share.”

The answer was so simple. “Want to start with each other?”

“You already know some of my background, but not all of it. My parents are all-American. My mom was the PTA president. She made cupcakes every year for me and my siblings’ birthdays and would bring them for our class. She’d coordinate parties for the holidays. Halloween. Christmas. Valentine’s. Everyone waited for their invitations. My dad practiced medicine in a clinic, so we had money, but we were never rich. We lived modestly. I went to school on a scholarship and followed in his footsteps.”

“You must have been pretty popular in school.” He could picture her dressed up for her parties, enjoying the evening with her friends. “I bet your mom made your costumes, too.”

She blushed and a pulse of yearning flowed through him. “She did. At the time, I thought it was super cool. My mom could create anything, and I think she even made a few party dresses for our neighbors. Little did I know it was to cut costs. She was one of those coupon shoppers. Could buy four-hundred-dollars’ worth of food, and only spend sixty bucks for it.”

He caught a hint of sorrow in her voice, and she used was a lot. “Where is your mom and dad now?”

“Oh, home,” she laughed. “She’s continued the party tradition with my brother and sister.”

“What about your brother and sister?” He inched her closer to the stools behind them. “I know your brother is military. What about your sister?” He sat, drawing her between his legs.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “She’s a cheerleader for Utah State. How about you?”

He shrugged. “My team is my family.” How much did he tell her? “Winters is my uncle.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah. No one knows, though.” When he set up R.O.O.T. with his uncle, they knew the funding and who issued the orders would have to be kept a secret. The minute the media got their hands on the information, his team would no longer exist. The government would take it away from them.

“Wow. I can see where you get the asshole part of your personality now.”

He cuffed her ass and chuckled. “Behave.”

“It’s true.” She sank into his embrace. “I never saw you being a kid kind of guy.”

“I love them.” He shrugged, running his thumb across the expanse of her stomach. The idea of her carrying his child felt right. Though he knew the chances were slim, the thought of it coming true settled him. Gave him a sense of purpose, more than just being part of the group.

“I could tell when you were holding Rhett. He chilled out with you.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I freaked the fuck out when shit went down.” He dropped his head forward and gave a quick shake. “Holding Gabby in my arms, knowing if I pulled too tightly or moved wrong, she could bleed out, took ten years off my life. And you…fuck. You were cool. So at ease. You slipped into this persona I was in awe of.”

“It’s part of my job. Kind of like watching you take over the scene in Colombia. It’s your job.”

True. “We’re only sent out on missions like this when someone thinks there could be an issue. Someone went specifically to my uncle and told him to look into it.”

“It’s beginning to seem they had a point.”

They did. He pulled her down for another kiss when his comm went off. He pushed the button on his earpiece. “What?”

“There’s been some activity,” Hanover said.

“I’ll be right there.” He pushed the button again, then glanced up at Rae. “I’ve gotta run.”

“Go. Think about what I told you.” She stepped away from him and headed back to her station.

“I will. See you for dinner. Take your meds if you need them.” He headed out the door. As soon as he was clear of the lab, he hit the comm again. “What’s going on?”

He strode down the hall to the elevator and stepped inside the waiting car. Pressing the button, he watched the numbers tick down. A flurry of noise hit him square in the chest when the doors opened.

“Glad you could make it. CCTV caught one of Lincoln’s buddies going in and out of a building in Bogotá.”

Not out of the ordinary, yet he saw the stress marring Hanover’s face. “What’s the deal?”

He blew out a breath. “I tried to figure out who the building belongs to. It’s a maze of fucking shell companies. It’s owned by a company in Miami which is owned by a company in Frankfurt and so on. It’s a cluster fuck.”

“Okay, we’ll start with the one in Miami first. What is their purpose?” The live feed from the city played out on the seventy-two-inch monitor along the north facing wall. Sure enough, three men were coming and going from the building.

“It’s supposed to be a PR firm, but I can’t find employees or even a record of them doing business. However, they bring in money on the regular. Go figure.” They were using the company to wash ill-begotten monies, then send it out. Why, though, still boggled his mind.

“What about the other companies?” They had to find the key to cracking the whole situation. Lincoln wouldn’t just show up to a scene of a massacre without cause.

“Same. One also works in cutting edge drug tech. It looks pretty legit. They also get a small budget from the government. Lincoln helped push the bill through.” Hanover pulled up the screen to show him the different articles then financial statements from the company.

“What was the cartel in Puerto Nariño dealing?”

“Cocaine. Nothing about Lincoln screams illegal drugs, though,” Hanover added.

“What about the land?”

“There are a few poppy fields. The cartel pretty much ran the area and sold the poppy to the highest bidder.”

“There ya go. Poppy is highly sought after. In the Middle East, people pay top dollar for an ounce.” He’d come to realize the more people could farm, cultivate, and distribute poppy seeds, the more money they could make. “Can we break down the drug he’s manufacturing?”

“Not without getting our hands on some.”

Asher frowned. “I’ll see what I can do.” If they could figure out what tied this cluster fuck together, they could go after Lincoln himself. Until then, they had to watch and gather evidence and hope, if push came to shove, whatever they found stuck.

“Incoming,” O’Malley shouted. “Lincoln is actively sending text messages to a demo crew.” Thank fuck his uncle had been able to sneak a clone to Lincoln’s phone. How he did it, Asher didn’t want to know right now. Later, when it mattered, he’d ask the questions but until then, he’d thank the man for a little assistance.

“A what?” Asher narrowed his eyes as he stomped to the other station, all the while keeping the downtown portion of Bogotá in his periphery.

“Whoever he’s calling is using a burner phone. There’s no information on it, but Lincoln is contracting them to implode one of his buildings. Soon.”

“How soon?”

“Three days.” He pointed to the screen. “That building.”

“Not coincidental at all,” Asher muttered. “We need to get a team down there. We have to find out what’s in the building and save it before it can be destroyed.”

“I’ll take Callahan and Schoell with me. We’ll intercept at the site, and hopefully, bring back the evidence we need to take down this son of a bitch.”

He grunted in agreement. “Hey, about earlier—” he said to O’Malley.

“Don’t worry about it. You’re a sensitive asshole. I get it,” O’Malley replied. “I didn’t realize, neither did you. We’re good.”

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Thanks. You should take my advice, too. Get Ginger and bring her here. Show her what you do. Don’t fuck up your marriage because you think no one wants them around.”

“I’ll think on it,” Jake stated, pushing away from his station. “What about you and Rae?”

“We’re okay.”

“You ready for a kid?”

He laughed. “I was one time. She isn’t pregnant. I swear to God, everyone but us is concerned.” Nevertheless, the idea didn’t send him running. They’d be careful from now on and come what may.

“It’s the first time we’ve had something juicy to chew on for a while.” He clapped Asher on the shoulder. “Things were getting a little fucking boring around here.”

What-the-fuck-ever. They were constantly on the go the last few months. The only difference between the others and this one? The status and the fact a woman and a man had been caught in the crosshairs of a horrible situation.

“Be ready to leave in an hour.”

“What? No sarcastic comeback? Wow, Rae really is taming your ass. Or, it’s the fact you’ve finally gotten laid.” Laughter lit his friend’s gaze. The asshole.

“Yeah, yeah. Get the hell out of here, before I reconsider kicking you ass.”

O’Malley saluted him. “Roger that.”

16

O’Malley, Callahan, and Schoell caught a C130J-Hercules loaded with a Blackhawk for their mission to Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico. They’d unload the hawk then wait for night to fall before they made the trip in the bird to an empty field approximately five klicks from the building Lincoln targeted for demolition.

O’Malley kept in contact, and it had been decided they would leave the Army base in Puerto Rico at nine p.m. O’Malley was fucking giddy as hell, claiming luck was on their side. Weather reports stated heavy clouds during the night, which meant any light from the moon would be blocked.

He reminded the team again, this mission, for now, was simply a recon of the building. They all knew, though, it could go to shit at a moment’s notice. His team was prepared and extremely well-armed. Schoell had loaded enough weapons for an invasion.

His gaze swung to the clocks on the wall of C&C. Each of the ten timekeepers represented a mission currently underway with the correct time for the time zone they were in. Under each clock, an LCD readout showed the mission’s name. O’Malley had requested to name this mission JWB, which stood for John Wilkes Booth. He chuckled. O’Malley was seriously fucked in the head with assigning names.

His gaze moved to Hanover, who sat at a desk in front of the massive dead center. It was where the mission would play out once they went live. Hanover was still gathering evidence and monitoring the building while downing copious amounts of coffee.

“Hanover,” he called out.

“Yeah, boss,” the team’s sniper answered, his focus never leaving the monitor in front of him.

“Go grab a smoke, a meal, and a nap. We’ve got an hour before wheels up and four hours before they are on the ground,” he said firmly, letting his sniper know it was an order and not a request. “Murray’s on his way down. He’ll cover.”

“Trying to give up smoking, boss.” It didn’t go unnoticed Hanover was jumpy as fuck, his leg bouncing a mile a minute.

“You picked a bad fucking time to try.”

“Yeah.” Hanover rubbed a hand through his hair. “When’s a good time in our line of work, though?” He pushed away from his desk and stood. “You planning to do the same?”

“Yeah. I got dinner plans with Doc.”

Both knew being left behind on missions sucked balls. Nervous energy built up slowly, then heightened to almost nonstop adrenaline released into the bloodstream with no outlet. At least while on the mission, he had opportunity to release the build up with training and mission work. Being stuck at command, his options were limited. Hanover would sneak out and go to his lover, at least. Before Rae, he’d troll a bar, find a willing woman, and pound the shit out of her in some dive hotel.

“She’s meeting you at the chow hall?” Hanover quirked a brow.

“Yeah.” He reached up, pulling the headset off he used while in C&C.

“Can I offer some advice?”

“Uh, sure?” he replied as the massive glass doors slid open.

“Get her onto the family floor as soon as you can,” Hanover told him as he pushed the button for the elevator.

He was going to regret it, he knew it, but he had to know the reason why Hanover suggested the move.

“Why?”

“Soundproof walls are on the family floor. Not on our floor. I don’t care or anything, but she does scream real sweet like when she comes,” he declared like it was not a big deal.

“What the fuck, Hanover. Are you for fucking real?” he snarled just as the elevator dinged, the doors opening. They both stepped in and he turned on Hanover, getting in his face. Even knowing his sniper’s sexual orientation, it pissed him the fuck off that he heard Rae during such a moment. “You better not say a word to her, asshole.”

Ever willing to push his buttons, Hanover continued, “What would I say? I’m not sure what was more disturbing, hearing the bed banging against the wall at a break neck pace, her screaming, or you grunting like a fucking bear.”

“I think I want to fucking kill you,” he spat out, glaring at his teammate.

“Seems to be going around. Did ya think none of us noticed O’Malley’s nose? We did.” Hanover patted him on the shoulder. “Relax. I got no fucking filter like the rest of us, but I’d never embarrass Doc. She’s good people.”

Hanover didn’t ask about the fight with O’Malley, he didn’t expect him to. It wasn’t how they worked. He knew when either Asher or O’Malley were ready to spill the beans, they would. It’s how they rolled.

Once the elevator stopped, they stepped out and went their separate ways. They’d meet back in C&C in a couple hours. Spotting Rae already at a table waiting, he headed to her.

“Hey.” Her voice had been low, shy even. He knew she was still trying to get used to her place on base and in his life.

It would be another conversation they needed to have.

“What, no kiss?” he teased. “You don’t see me for a couple of hours, baby, I expect a kiss when we see each other again.”

“Asher—”

“It’s not negotiable.” The husky quality of her voice had his dick pulsing with need. Wasn’t going to happen now. He needed to remain focused. After the mission, when he knew his team was safe and heading back to Puerto Rico, her pussy was his. Fuck, he could feel pre-cum pooling at the top of his dick just thinking about later. Might be a good idea to forewarn her.

Laying his hand on her neck, he pulled her closer as he leaned down, kissing her. She was pliant in his arms, her blunt tip nails digging into his chest. Wanting her to know exactly how hot she got him, he rubbed his erection against her belly. She gasped and he slipped his tongue past her lips. Nothing existed around them. His entire focus was centered on feasting on her lips.

Knowing he only had so much time with her, he released her, but kept a tight grip on her neck. With trembling fingers, she touched at her now swollen lips in wonder. If they were in either of their rooms, he would have laid her out on the table and had his way with her.

“You hungry?”

“Huh?” She blinked up at him.

He chuckled. “For food, Rae. You want to eat dinner?”

“I could eat,” she replied with a little hitch in her voice.

“Sit, I’ll get us some grub.”

When she didn’t move, he guided her into the waiting chair. With her settled, he walked to the chow line and placed food onto his tray for them. He then snagged a bottle of water for himself and a can of orange soda for her. After paying, he walked back to their table.

Her gaze flicked up to his when he placed the tray down. “How’d you know I liked orange soda?” She reached for the cold can.

“Told you. I know everything there is to know about you,” he said as he sat.

She rolled her eyes as she took a long sip of her soda. “Can you tell me what’s happening?”

“Yeah, some of it.” Twisting the cap off the bottle of water, he took a long chug before he told her why a part of the team had left earlier, where they were going, and an overview of what they were doing.

“How does this work?” she inquired.

“What?”

“You’re here. Why aren’t you leading your fearless group of ragamuffins?”

He snickered. “Not every mission requires a full team. O’Malley’s my second for a reason. Depending on what skill set is needed, depends on who goes.”

“Makes sense.” She gestured to his still full plate with her fork. “Not hungry?”

“Can never eat when my guys are on a mission and I’m not there,” he admitted.

“Because you’re a control freak?” she asked.

“Pretty much.”

She shook her head. “Why invite me for dinner then?”

“What the fuck, Rae? Seriously?”

She shrugged.

“I asked you to dinner because I wanted to spend time with you. Have a conversation, get to know you better.” Frustration filled him. For every step forward, they seemed to take two back. He realized gaining her full trust would take months, if not years, but sometimes he had to wonder if she’d ever let him in completely. Like you’ve done the same? In a way, he supposed he told her about his uncle, but not much else. “Figure out your likes and dislikes.”

“According to you, you know everything there is to know already.”

“I know everything about you, baby, but I want to get to know more than what I’ve read in a report. I understand we’ve done all of this backwards. I guess, I’d like to do it all. The whole relationship thing.”

She laughed. “You’re too much, Asher.”

“So they tell me,” he snickered. “Eat your dinner. If you’d like, we can go for a walk when you’re done or I can walk you back to my room and we can hang out there for a bit.”

“And do what, fuck?”

“Not now. I’m too distracted. But expect me to get balls deep two minutes after I walk into your room.”

Her hazel eyes widened. He’d bet if he placed a finger on the pulse point on her neck, it’d be beating erratically. “Cocky asshole,” she muttered in a slightly husky voice. “We can just go back to my room. I’m not really in a mood for a stroll.”

Leaning back in the chair, he tucked his hands behind his head and watched her. “Awesome. Maybe then you can tell me some of your naughty fantasies.” He smirked. “I bet you have a thing for men in uniforms, don’t you?”

“Asher,” she laughed.

“I knew it.”

He grabbed a shower and changed to a set of camo pants and black t-shirt after Rae fell asleep on his bed. She’d been working too hard. It’d been why he didn’t want her on the case with him. It required long hours without much downtime. After he tucked her in and left a bottle of water on the table next to her, he headed for C&C once more. The high stress environments required comfort so he grabbed the ergonomic chair near the bank of computers. They still had an hour before go time, but it didn’t mean he could close his eyes. He had shit to check and things to make sure were in place for his team.

Hanover sat at his station as well, with Murray beside him.

“Status check,” he ordered, putting on the headset he’d left on the desk earlier.

“Wheels up in fifteen,” Hanover replied. “Military weather command is still showing heavy cloud coverage in our drop zone and surrounding areas. The boys are making their way to the bird now. O’Malley will be on comm in five. Video and sound are working like a dream. I also reminded them to give the bird a full tank. And just in case we need it, I have a C-130 on standby for refueling.”

He nodded. “Go dark and bring up all monitors,” he commanded. The room immediately went lights out. Brightness from the computer monitors and big TV were the only source of illumination in the room. Doing it now meant when O’Malley came on line, all their eyes would be adjusted and able to see what O’Malley saw in his special vision.

“Guys are on board,” Hanover called out. “Blades turning.”

The main TV flickered and came on line. It was fuzzy and green. O’Malley already had it set to night vision. The guys were hunkering down in the hawk and doing their final check. He could also hear the pilot and co-pilot doing their preflight.

Reaching up, he took his microphone live. “This is command, you have clearance to commence JWB.”

“Roger that,” O’Malley responded. “Wheels up when precheck is complete.”

Five minutes later, the bird took off, flying toward their destination. Little happened in the next three hours. O’Malley, Callahan, and Schoell reviewed the schematics on the building, debating the best entrance point. Hanover guzzled coffee, keeping the guys constantly updated on the weather and local foot traffic around the building. He watched it all, only giving his input when necessary.

Five minutes before they reached the drop off point, O’Malley made his announcement. “Activate video and audio.” Two more monitors populated with a picture, each monitor tagged so they knew who was who. “Shoot to maim if we encounter hostiles. We have plenty of room for passengers.”

Schoell snorted. “I’ll try my best, but y’all know it’s hard for me not to aim to kill.”

“Not a request, Schoell,” Asher said. “The more dumbasses we have to interrogate, the better the chance we have to implicate Lincoln.”

“Boss.” O’Malley’s voice cracked through his headset.

“Yeah.”

“Stop worrying. It’s a simple in and out,” O’Malley said.

He just shook his head, knowing O’Malley couldn’t see him. Simple could turn south, real damn quick. “Not easy, man,” he replied.

“Oh, yeah it is,” O’Malley stated. “Landing in two. Going silent.”

“Roger,” he answered.

It would take them approximately thirty-five minutes to walk the six klicks. O’Malley would only talk if they ran into an issue. Hanover, knowing how much time he had, pushed back and got up. The feed bobbed up and down as all three men moved through the streets, using hand signals instead of talking.

“Need to take a piss.” Hanover gave him a sheepish grin as he walked past where he stood. Piss his ass. He’d bet dollars to donuts Hanover was not heading to the head; he was going for a smoke.

Ignoring the scent of nicotine as Hanover walked past him ten minutes later, he kept his gaze on the monitors. The building they would be checking out occasionally popped up on one of the feeds. They were making good time and should arrive at the building way before schedule.

Reaching over, he flipped the switch allowing the audio from all three to be heard in the room. He kept the headset on as it was the only communication between him and O’Malley.

“Approaching,” O’Malley’s voiceless whisper filled the room.

“Clear,” Schoell said in the same tone as O’Malley.

They were going in through the back. Intel said the door was used for trash.

“Clear,” Callahan’s voice followed.

O’Malley was on point, entering first. “Clear.”

The team swept the room, searching out every nook and cranny before they moved to the next floor. They did the same for each of the three levels.

“It’s empty, boss. We can’t find charges on any of the support columns,” O’Malley said. “Callahan’s checking the blueprints again to see if we missed something.”

“Fuck me,” Callahan grumbled. “We should have found a couple charges somewhere on each floor. This makes no fucking sense.”

“Keep looking,” Asher ordered. His gut started churning. Something wasn’t right. None of this made sense.

“Schoell and I are going to the basement to see if something is there,” O’Malley announced. “Callahan will follow.”

His gaze flicked back and forth between O’Malley and Callahan’s feed and Schoell, who was still stationary.

“Son of a bitch,” O’Malley said. “Boss, we’ve got an issue.”

“Talk to me,” Asher demanded.

“This building is not set to demo, it’s set to explode and potentially take out a city block or more.” He could hear the anger in his second’s voice. “Don’t fucking touch it, Callahan!” he yelled at their linguist expert.

Whatever Callahan was doing, it brought Asher closer to what had shaken up O’Malley. Little red blocks lined the walls of the basement. O’Malley was right.

Shit.

“Semtex?” Semtex was a plastic explosive similar to C-4. Highly malleable and waterproof. However, unlike C-4, it had a greater temperature range and was often used in terrorist attacks because it was extremely hard to detect.

“Yeah. A couple truck loads,” Callahan stated.

This looked more like a terrorist attack. A smart move on Lincoln’s part. Even in Bogotá, an act of terrorism would throw the scent off the dirty senator.

“Look for the damn detonator,” he ordered. “Carefully.”

“On it.” Schoell’s voice came through now. Schoell wasn’t just their weapons expert in all things gun and ammo. He had spent several years in the Army working as an EOD specialist. He knew his shit. Knew how to build a bomb, knew how to blow a bomb, and most importantly, he knew how to deactivate the fuckers.

“This is going to take a while, boss,” Schoell informed him. “Tricky little bitches. We have multiple denotations.”

“Can you do it?” Asher fisted his hands at his sides.

“Of course, I can. Asking that question is like asking if O’Malley is a prick,” Schoell’s chuckle filled the room. He didn’t curtail the joking. The team was in a stressful and dangerous situation and needed to let off steam however they could. “Guess this means O’Malley is my bitch for a while.”

“Looks like. While Schoell deals with the Semtex, O’Malley, Callahan, I need you to handle the perimeter. It’s unlikely someone left all those explosives unguarded in a war-torn, drug-filled country.”

“I got the front,” Callahan volunteered. O’Malley got the back.

“Go silent, unless there is an issue. Update me every fifteen,” he decreed.

“We have movement,” O’Malley said in a toneless whisper. “I see three…no, four shadows, one is coming right at me.”

“Coming to you,” Schoell announced.

“I’m at the southwest corner, by the dumpster,” O’Malley replied.

“Coming up behind you. I’d appreciate if you didn’t shoot me as I approach.”

O’Malley didn’t respond, instead he gave the thumbs up sign in front of his video recorder. It meant he couldn’t speak. The three shadows came into view on the monitor.

“He’s taking a fucking piss,” O’Malley said, again in a toneless whisper.

Moments later, the shadows opened the door O’Malley had stepped out of not more than ten minutes ago.

“Callahan is vulnerable,” Asher barked.

“I’m aware, boss, and he can hear us. We’ll need to clear the area again.”

Asher felt helpless watching both monitors as O’Malley and Schoell moved slowly toward the door and into the building. With exact precision, they worked toward the basement. Schoell tucked himself into a corner where he continued to work on a detonator even with three hostiles in the building.

“Callahan,” O’Malley hissed at the distinct sound of a gun being fired.

Squinting, he kept his focus on the monitors, trying like hell to figure out what the fuck was going on. Schoell had moved toward the stairs. Callahan’s view was disoriented, like he was struggling with someone, and O’Malley’s was shaking because he was running either to Schoell or Callahan. He didn’t say a word, not willing to distract the team. When they had something, they’d speak. In the meantime, he continued to watch and listen.

“Don’t even think about it, motherfucker,” Schoell yelled as he raised his arm, his weapon held steady and straight in front of him at the shadow. “Drop it.”

Schoell waited a second and fired. The shadow crumpled to the ground.

“Boss?” O’Malley broke his silence. “Callahan’s been shot. And we’ve acquired three more witnesses.”

“Fuck me,” Callahan hissed in pain. “It’s not bad. Just stings like a bitch.”

“Four more,” Schoell stated. “I didn’t kill mine.”

“O’Malley, patch up Callahan, so he can finish disarming the bomb, then make another sweep through. I don’t want to miss a thing.”

“Callahan won’t be able to make the hike back to the bird,” O’Malley informed him.

“The hell I won’t,” Callahan bitched.

“Give me five. I’ll find a place to get the bird closer.”

“The roof might be an option,” his 2IC suggested.

“Might be. Check it out,” he ordered. Unless O’Malley was a hundred percent certain, he wasn’t willing to risk the Blackhawk, the crew, or his team on a shitty roof. “In the meantime, I’ll see what’s closer. For all I care, we drop the damn bird right in front of the building.”

An hour later, after the Blackhawk landed at the front doors. The team loaded an injured Callahan and the four men they had captured. O’Malley suspected the guy shot by Schoell would die before they landed at the base in Puerto Rico. They kept the audio feed up and running so he could continue to converse with the team. Video had been shut down the second they stepped onto the bird.

“Boss,” O’Malley called out with a hint of humor as the helicopter moved through the night. “Who’s your favorite second-in-command?”

“I’d hoped it’d be your stupid ass, since you’re him,” Asher replied. “Why are you asking?”

“Found something while I was out behind the dumpster,” O’Malley informed him.

“You mean while the guy was pissing on you?” Callahan asked.

Asher cleared his throat. “Gentlemen, and I use the term loosely, O'Malley was busting my balls about being my favorite.”

They went silent.

“What did you find?”

“Evidence, boss,” O’Malley stated.

“How much and tell me you're bringing it back with you?”

“I took it. Two boxes,” Jake stated. “Even had a second or two to tag it as evidence.”

Asher bowed his head and took a deep breath. He hoped whatever it was helped put Lincoln away for a long fucking time. It could possibly save himself from murdering the bastard himself.

“Boss,” O'Malley called.

“If you were standing in front of me, I'd kiss you,” he declared.

“Is Rae aware you swing both ways?” O’Malley chuckled and he joined him.

“Fuck you. Get here safely so I can debrief you.”

“Really makes us want to rush home,” Callahan said. “I'd think I'd rather get shot in the ass again.”

“Suck my dick, asshole,” O’Malley barked. “He didn’t piss on me. It was near me, motherfucker.”

“You do realize I’ve been shot. Seven years as a SEAL, traveled all over the damn world in wars and skirmishes in countries most people can’t even pronounce. I go to fucking Bogotá and get shot from a guy who most likely never even fired a gun more than twice in his life. I can’t make this shit up even if I tried,” Callahan continued to bitch.

Hanover laughed at his chair in front of a monitor. “Where’d you get shot again, Callahan?” Hanover’s curiosity was getting the better of him

O’Malley laughed. “In his ass.”

“Laugh it up, you yahoos. It’s not funny. Shit hurts,” Callahan grumbled.

“Are you going to bitch the entire flight home?” O’Malley chuckled.

“Maybe.”

“Boss, we might have to leave Callahan in Puerto Rico for medical care,” Schoell teased.

“Only if it’s classified as R&R,” Callahan groused.

17

“Rae…” Heavy-lidded brown eyes stared down at her. The bright sunlight behind the looming form of Asher shimmered, causing a halo effect. “Wake up, sleepy head. Are you going to sleep our vacation away?”

Vacation? She frowned. Wasn’t she in a secure base?

“Come on, wake up.” He pressed his lips to her forehead, then her eyelids, each cheek then nose. “We’re going to miss the best waves.” He swiped his lips over hers. “Mmm, I can never get enough of you.”

She couldn’t either. He traveled down her body, nipping and sucking on her flesh. She giggled when he licked at her sides, then moaned, spearing her fingers through his hair when he nibbled on her hip. “Asher, more.” She lifted her hips in invitation, shifting the sheet covering her lower body.

He groaned. “You are fucking perfect.” Asher settled his big body between her legs, her thighs resting over his shoulders.

She dug her heels into his back, silently urging him to fuck her with his tongue. He didn’t take the hint. Instead, he nipped on her thigh before nuzzling her sex. He breathed deeply and a rumbling sound of content left him. Holy shit, he was going to destroy her. Rae raised to her elbows to watch him devour her. He gripped her hand with his as he watched her. With each lick of his tongue, he turned her on a bit more. Desire flowed through her languid limbs, waking them inch by inch.

The sound of pleasure he made at the back of his throat vibrated through her. Her head fell back on her shoulders. She cupped her breast and teased her nipple while swiveling her hips. God, he had a talented tongue.

“Come on, sweetheart, wake up,” Asher murmured. “You taste so damn good.” He lapped at her slit again, before drawing her clit into his mouth.

Rae’s eyes fluttered open. Disorientated, she glanced around the room first before looking down at Asher. How in the world? He lifted slightly and pressed a kiss to her belly. His chin glistened with her cream.

“I’m hungry now. I thought I’d snack on you a bit.” Lust swirled in his eyes as he swiped at her slit again. “I’ve thought about you all night long. Knowing you’re in bed, naked, waiting for me. Do you realize how hard I’ve been? How many times I wanted to walk back in here, fuck you then get back to work?” He sucked her clit into his mouth and groaned. “Fuck, I need to feel your pussy wrapped around my cock. Feel you milk me until I fill you with every drop of my come.”

“Asher,” she moaned, running her fingers through his hair.

“Hang on.” He buried his face between her thighs and started over. His wicked tongue penetrated her, jabbing at the opening of her pussy before circling her clit.

She writhed below him. Her back bowed off the bed, and her mouth fell open. Sensations bombarded her body as she slowly assimilated the tingle in her limbs. She worked her hips, riding his face, trying to get him to use his mouth where she wanted. Instead, he held her down, dictating how she’d find her pleasure.

“Mmm.” He opened her wider, continuing to devour her.

When she glanced down at him, she noticed he was completely naked. His perfectly sculpted ass flexed as he rubbed against the sheets. She opened her mouth and a grunt of pleasure fell from her. “Please.”

He chuckled against her. The sound vibrated against her clit and she swore she saw stars. She jerked. Heat coiled in her belly. Asher slid a finger into her, then added a second as he retreated. He wiggled them, then dragged them along the sensitive spot of her pussy. She gasped, tugging on his hair.

Her release shot through her, leaving her breathless and a bit lightheaded. She panted, laying her hand over her chest as she tried to gather her wits. “What in the world?”

He chuckled, sitting up. “I told you to be prepared.” Asher licked his fingers before reaching over to grab the foil package. “For now, till we’re sure.” He tore the packet open then rolled the latex barrier over him. “Come here and ride me.”

He held his hand out for Rae to take. “Are you sure?” She bit her bottom lip as he lay on his back, staring at her.

“Hell yes.” He tugged her to him, coaxing her to take her position.

She straddled him, the tip of his erection teasing her entrance. Slowly, she lowered herself over him. Each inch opened her a bit more. In this position, he stretched her more. The sweet burn only added to her arousal. She didn’t stop until she sat on his lap. He groaned. His eyes were closed and lips parted. She rippled around him at his erotic visage.

He lifted her slightly then lowered her, the sparks of electricity snapping through her intensified as she began to move. She rocked her body before rolling her hips, each thrust bringing her closer to her climax. She shuddered, riding him with leisurely strokes. She didn’t want to hurry this, even though if Asher wanted to, he could flip them and fuck her like a desperate animal.

She cupped her breasts, twisting her nipples. The twinge of pain added to the tingle of bliss in her lower belly. He gripped her hips, holding her still while he slammed into her over and over, the knot of pleasure growing inside her had her gasping and shaking. He mastered her body without trying and damn if she didn’t love it.

“Asher.”

He flipped them. He pulled from her then turned her over so she was on her belly. Then, lifting her to her knees, he filled her in one stroke. They moaned. Her pussy rippled around him and clenched. Rae rocked back to him, keeping the incredible sensation flowing through them. He gripped her hard, knowing his finger marks would remain long after they were finished. She reveled in the notion she could make him lose himself whenever they came together like this.

Rough, demanding thrusts pulled her from her thoughts as Asher pressed kisses to the backs of her shoulders. “Do you know how many times I thought about you in my bed, waiting for me?”

When he took her to his room, she hadn’t been so sure about it. The thought of sharing a space with him had left her a little leery, even though he’d been so sure of the move. Now, she’d been glad she took him up on it. If he woke her like this all the time…

“How many?” She gasped when he snapped his hips.

“All night. I thought about you being naked. I thought about your sweet, snug pussy. I thought about the sounds you make when you come on my tongue. I thought how it would feel to sink balls deep inside you again.”

He punctuated every statement with a thrust, then slowly withdrew, dragging his cock along the sensitized walls of her pussy. Her eyes rolled. Her body tensed. She loved every minute of this wicked ride. She grabbed his forearms for purchase, giving over to him.

“Yeah, keep getting me wet, sweetheart. I love when you’re creamy.” He threaded his fingers with hers, then ran their joined hands down her stomach. Their tangled fingers manipulated her clit. Sparks of bliss slid down her spine, settling at the apex of her thighs.

She clung to him as he took her higher and higher with each thrust. He drove her insane, while also keeping her on edge. The pleasure-pain of withholding her release only made their coupling more powerful. Rae countered his thrusts, finding her rhythm as the sounds they made grew more desperate.

“Do it, Rae.” He groaned and bit down on the sensitive skin of her shoulder. “Come for me.” He increased the pressure on the hard bundle of nerves between her legs with each swipe.

“Yes. Please.” She shuddered, bucking through her release. Flashes of color filled her vision as the most exquisite of releases washed over her. A smile pulled at her lips, when he cursed, losing his pace somewhere in the jerky way he filled her.

“Ah, yeah.” He thrust twice more then stilled. His low groan sent a wave of satisfaction through her while he throbbed inside.

“Is this going to be how you always wake me?” She held him close to her, coming down from the mutual release.

“Hell yes.” He placed a kiss to her neck before pulling from her. When he returned to the bed, he gathered her in his arms. “I need a few hours downtime.”

“I have to get ready to check on Gabby.” She made no attempt to move.

“Might want to check on Callahan, too,” he mumbled.

“Oh?” She lifted herself slightly. “What happened?”

“Got shot in the ass,” he grumbled. “Idiot.”

“I’m not going to ask.”

“Good.” He snuggled her down to him and smiled. The content expression on his face had her chuckling silently. He reminded her of a child who fell asleep with their favorite toy.

“No more than three hours.”

“Okay.” She glanced at the clock and frowned. It was already seven in the morning. He hadn’t slept a wink.

“Love you,” he mumbled. He took a deep breath before letting it out slowly.

Stunned, she didn’t say anything. What did she say? She didn’t know how she felt about him yet. They’d been through so much. They didn’t even know how to live a normal life together because of some fucked up mission. A knock at the door saved her from the awkward moment. She untangled herself from a dead-to-the-world Asher.

She grabbed her sleep shirt from the floor where Asher must have thrown it and put it on, then grabbed her pajama pants. The knock came again and she swore she’d kill whoever was on the other side of the door. He needed sleep, not to be woken by one of the guys. She pulled the door to and glared at Hanover. At least he has enough sense to look sheepish.

“What?”

“I need Asher.” He grimaced. “Our detainees want to talk, but only to him.”

“Well, your detainees need to sit and spin for a while. H—”

“It’s okay, Rae.” Asher was already up. He donned his shirt and started for door. “I appreciate you protecting me.” He bent to kiss her on the top of her head. “This is important.”

“The hell it is. They can wait. You’ve been up twenty-four hours.” She crossed her arms.

“I’ll catch a few hours as soon as I am done.” He kissed her again. “Come find me when you’re done checking on Gabby and Callahan.”

“I’m not happy.” She frowned. The more time Asher stayed awake, the more likely he’d do something stupid, or miss something important.

“I love it when you pout.” He grinned before heading down the hall with Hanover.

“What’s the deal?” Asher hadn’t wanted to leave his bed, but when he heard Hanover, his curiosity had been piqued.

“Not entirely sure. The head guy said he wanted to talk to whoever was in command. He has information for you.” Hanover shrugged. “Callahan is in the medical bay. Schoell is helping him out right now.”

“Rae will check on him first. What about this box of shit O’Malley brought back?” They got into the elevator and headed for the holding cells.

“It’s all kinds of paperwork. Off the books shit. Stuff I’m not even sure Congress knows about let alone the military or any of the intelligence agencies. Fucking trade deals that makes the Iran-Contra scandal look like child’s play. One mentioned uranium-243.” Weapons grade. What the fuck were they still missing and who the fuck writes bills of lading for uranium?

“Fuck.” He smothered a yawn. Damn, what he wouldn’t give for even an hour of sleep. “I have to call Winters, too. We can’t let Lincoln know we figured his ass out.”

He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed his uncle’s number. When he answered after the first ring, he didn’t hesitate. “We got the evidence you need. But we need you to make sure Lincoln doesn’t find out we have his guys.”

“Well, spit it out, boy.” The harsh tone of his uncle didn’t bother him one bit.

“We have bills for jobs not on the books and all kinds of shit. I haven’t gone through it all yet. It just showed up after our little mission.” He paused before entering the holding area. “You should know there were enough explosives to level a square block.”

“Son of a bitch. Good work. Sift through what you’ve found, and get me a report ASAP. What about the men who were hired to blow the place?”

“Going to talk to them now. The leader has requested an audience,” he replied.

Winters grunted. “Well, give him one. Maybe the asshole will hand you Lincoln on a platter.”

He could wish. “I’ll let you know.”

“Good work. We’re making progress.”

He hit end on the call then pocketed the phone. When he stepped into the cell where the three detainees sat, he frowned. They didn’t look like terrorists or even demo guys. They were kind of gaunt. Rough around the edges. Each wore the same wary expression.

“Well, here I am. What do you want?” If they thought he’d go easy on them or treat them with kid gloves, they were in for a rude awakening.

They exchanged looks before with the one with blond hair sat forward. “We’ll only speak on our terms.”

“You must be under some illusion you have any say here,” Asher replied. “Either you’re going to talk or you’re not. It’s no skin off my back either way. But you should know we have enough evidence to charge you as being an enemy of the state. Conspiracy to obstruct justice. Conspiracy to destroy evidence. Attempted destruction of government property. Attempted terrorist attack.” He continued to tick off a list of chargeable offenses and a few bullshit ones he knew probably wouldn’t stick.

“Look,” the leader said. “We fucking get it. We messed the hell up.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s not what you think.”

“Then why don’t you tell me.”

“Don’t do it, man. They won’t help us. They’d rather feed us to the fucking wolves than believe a word we’re saying,” the man sitting on the other side of the blond stated.

“How about we start with something simple. I’m Commander Rainer, leader of R.O.O.T.”

The blond licked his lips. “Calvin.” He pointed to the men on either side of him. “Paul and Wayne. It’s not what you think. We got the job two days ago. When it came down the pipe, we jumped at the chance.”

Asher narrowed his eyes. “What pipe?”

“Government black site demolition.” The man glanced at him. “We take the cases no one else wants. It’s dangerous, dirty work. We get paid shit to do them, but it was an honest living until now.” He flexed his folded hands.

Asher glanced at Hanover. “Do you know who asked for the assistance?”

“That’s the thing. Whenever we do these jobs, we get a government referral number to get paid. This time, we got a cell phone with a number with a time to call. When I did, we were told we had forty-eight hours to get to Bogotá and destroy the building.”

“What about the Semtex?”

“Did you see the size of the building? We were told to bring it down and make sure it was leveled.” The guy shrugged. “Sometimes the government doesn’t want a trace left of them being there. You kind of learn not to ask questions.”

“What I am about to tell you will come as a shock.” Hell, Calvin surprised him with his candor. He deserved the same respect in turn. “The job you took wasn’t on the books. It wasn’t sanctioned. In fact, you were going to blow up a building that housed evidence for a case we’re working on.”

“Fuck!” Paul grumbled. “I knew it was too good to be true. We needed the money, got fucking greedy, and this is the shit that happens.”

“Why do you need the money?” He cocked a brow. If they were supposed to be working government contracts, they should be bank rolling.

“None of your business,” Paul answered. As the youngest one of the three, he could appreciate the kid wanting to protect the other two men. Said appreciation only went so far.

“Easy, kid. If you want help, you have to work with me.” Asher held his hands up. If what they said could be corroborated, they’d been at the wrong place at the wrong time. “What about the guy who shot one of my men?”

“Not with us,” Calvin answered. “The text we received said guards would be there. We were only to go in, set the charges where the client wanted them and get out. Hell, we couldn’t even question the plan. The minute we did, it would be given to someone else.”

“They wore Barclay uniforms,” Wayne added.

Holy shit. He glanced at Hanover. Son of a bitch, Lincoln was trying to dot every I and cross every T. He shook his head. “Can we confirm?”

“Dead body is in Puerto Rico being held for us. Callahan, O’Malley, and Schoell could tell you, though.”

He grunted. “Sit tight. I have to investigate what you’ve told me. It might take a while. In the meantime, if you want to shower and eat something, I’ll make sure you’re allowed to do both.”

The men nodded.

He exited their cell and started for the elevator. “I want Rae to give them a once over. No more surprises. If they’re working for Lincoln, I’d hate to find out they killed themselves.”

“On it.” Hanover switched on his comm set.

“Also, find out if O’Malley found any of their phones. We can verify their story, and then offer them immunity in exchange for testimony. I need you to also dig into their backgrounds. Financially, they should be set, but they’re acting like they haven’t eaten anything in weeks.”

“Roger.” They split off at the elevator. He went to the thirteenth floor while Hanover went to medical to talk to Rae.

When he stepped into C&C, O’Malley was ready for him. He handed Asher the phone and their wallets. “Thanks. Did you go through it yet?”

“No. I thought you’d want to first.” He sat at the small conference table with Asher.

“Did the guards you encountered at the building, besides the three civilians sent in for demolition, have Barclay uniforms on?”

O’Malley frowned. “Yeah.”

“Shit.” He scrubbed his face. “Okay. Let’s get through this shit before I talk to Winters and tell him what we have.”

Everything Calvin and Paul said lay on the table in black and white. Between their business license and being on the government list, to texts from someone telling them the building needed to be destroyed. He also noticed Lincoln had written a horrible memo for the company, blackballing them from priority missions. The fucking bastard is slick. He wondered if Calvin knew what had happened to his company. Probably not.

“Did we find anything about the weaponized uranium?”

“Dead lead,” O’Malley answered. “I’m not sure if it went somewhere or not.”

Well, shit. His uncle still needed to know, though, just in case. “I need you to do me a favor. Go down to holding and grab the men. Put them in an apartment and station someone outside. They’re telling the truth.”

O’Malley stared at him. “Bleeding damn heart.” He shook his head as he stood. “Anything else?”

“Yeah, man. Good job. I’m proud of you.” He smacked his friend on the shoulder. “Get some sleep, too. One of us should rest.”

“You,” he stated.

“I will after I call Winters.”

Once O’Malley had left to take care of the men, he pulled his phone and called his uncle’s office. He had to do this officially now. Shit was about to hit the fan. When his secretary answered the phone, he greeted her. “Hey, Maddy. It’s Asher. I need to talk to Senator Winters.”

“Good morning, Asher.” Her cheery voice did nothing to ease him. “Let me connect you. He said you might be calling.”

“Great, thank you.”

“Better be good,” his uncle said when he answered.

“It’s a cluster fuck,” he stated honestly. “I need a meeting. We have Lincoln dead to rights.”

“Oh?” The harsh edge of Winters’s voice turned to surprise.

“Barclay was guarding the building for the crew. The crew is actually someone we use for missions, and about six months ago, you’ll never guess who gave a bad evaluation to them.”

“Son of a bitch. I hate games.”

“Senator Lincoln.”

“Well, stick a lollypop up my ass and call me the mayor of the Lollypop Guild,” his uncle muttered.

Asher blinked, not sure what to say after that. “Anyway, we have the text messages. We have the company name and their name on the contractor list. We also have the review and the Barclay uniform on the dead guard. We have to take this to the congressional committee before Lincoln can sweep it under the rug.”

“There is a gala this weekend,” Winters announced. “It’ll make a good cover story to get you here. I’ll brief the committee and let them know you have evidence. No one will tell Lincoln. We’ll get you in here for the event, then place you in front of the committee.”

“An event?”

“Yes, bring the girl and the men you have from the site. They’ll have to testify as well.”

If he had to wear a monkey suit to get Lincoln thrown in jail, then he’d do whatever it took. Plus, it would get Rae out of the base. Give her a sense of freedom again. Something he realized she was sorely lacking. “We’ll be there.”

“Excellent,” his uncle answered. “Your aunt misses you, son. She’ll be happy to see you.”

“Oh, you dirty bastard, using the family card.” He shook his head.

“How do you think I became a senator? My amazingly good looks?” His sarcastic tone caused Asher to laugh.

“You mean your face didn’t do it?”

“Only got your aunt into my bed. I’ll see you in a few days. Don’t fuck up.”

“See you then.” Asher placed the phone on the table and yawned, causing his jaw to crack from the tension. He needed sleep and to see Rae. Sleep would have to come first. He couldn’t do his job if he couldn’t think straight. He glanced at the switchboard area. “Sully, I’m hitting the rack. Let O’Malley and Hanover know.”

“On it,” the kid answered.

He stood and exited the nerve center of their base. He had a shit load of stuff to do, but it could wait. Soon, they’d get all this shit sorted, then Rae could get back to her normal life and they could move forward with theirs. He just had to hold out a few more days.

18

An insistent knocking brought him out of the sleep of the dead. Glancing at the clock told him he got at least seven hours of sleep.

“Asher,” Hanover’s voice called through his door.

“Use your key card, Hanover,” he yelled as he slipped from the bed naked, heading directly to the bathroom.

“Jesus, Asher. How about a little warning,” Hanover groused as he stepped into the room with a view of the bathroom.

“You woke me up, therefore, you don’t get to bitch.” He flushed the toilet and washed his hands before he headed back into his room.

Moving to his closet, he pulled out a pair of workout sweats and slipped them on.

“Tell me you at least brought me a cup of coffee.” He rubbed his hand through his hair.

“Really, boss,” Hanover sounded insulted. “I know better. Here.”

Asher saw the cup and all but snatched it from the sniper’s hand.

“Don’t talk till I at least drink half,” he mumbled as he brought the cup to his lips and guzzled.

“Where’s Rae?” Hanover asked.

He sighed. Ought to know asking Hanover to be silent for five minutes was too hard for him.

He narrowed his eyes at Hanover. “Not here.”

“Damn, boss. You’re a grumpy bastard. We need to find Rae so you can burn off some of it.”

“Hanover,” he snapped. Noah recognized the tone, it was the do not fuck with me tone. He closed his trap.

After drinking half, he turned to Hanover. “Boys still sleeping?”

“Yeah. Doc checked Callahan out. She said, and I quote, ‘Stop bitching, you big baby. It’s a scratch.’”

“Was it?”

“In the light of day, looked more like a graze if you asked me.” Hanover snickered. “He’s never going to live this shit down.”

“And your reason for waking me?” he asked.

“You’re being hailed on the Bat phone.” The sniper gave him a half smile. “No worries, though. Told the old man you were still sleeping. Which he promptly told me to go wake your ass. I reminded him you wouldn’t be pleasant and suggested the coffee.”

“You can leave now,” he muttered.

If Hanover stayed, he might end up killing him. The man was even more hyper than normal.

He rolled his eyes as Noah popped up out of his chair, saluted him, and left him alone with just the cup of coffee. He finished it, tossing the empty cup in the trash.

He rolled his shoulders, cracked his neck, and then picked up his phone, which he noticed was put on silent. Rae, she must have done it before she left because he knew he hadn’t.

His uncle had called no more than a half a dozen times. Running his fingers over the screen, he hit the icon for his name and the phone rang.

“About fucking time, Asher.” He could hear the anger in his uncle’s voice. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for a while.”

“Was sleeping. Humans need it occasionally to function. I need it to function,” he replied, ignoring his uncle’s bad ass mood. “What’s the problem?”

“Fucking Lincoln,” his uncle grumbled, his tone filled with disgust. “I’m half fucking tempted to put a contract out on his ass. It’d save us a lot of time and effort.”

He cocked a brow. This couldn’t be good. “Hope you’re on a secure line,” he gave a gentle reminder.

“You and your doctor have to come to DC today. An announcement was just made. They have a date on the congressional hearings for the attack in Colombia. They are being spearheaded by Lincoln and the subpoenas are being issued today. They can’t come to R.O.O.T. headquarters since it’s a dark site. Best bet is to have you here to get served.”

Shit. Right now, he didn’t have enough sleep for this bullshit.

The sound of the lock disengaging had him watching the door intently. When the door pushed open and Rae stepped through, he acknowledged her with a head bob. She closed the door, removed her lab coat and kicked off her shoes before sitting on the small couch across from his bed.

“Shouldn’t be a surprise, son, I told you it was coming.”

“The president?”

Rae sat up. He smirked. She was trying to act like she wasn’t listening to the conversation. They both knew she was. He told her he loved her and it hadn’t been an accident, so he was more than willing to let her completely into his life.

“He’s in support of doing whatever needs to be done to find the truth.” He could hear the disappointment in his uncle’s voice. “He won’t say either way what he believes happened in South America publicly. Privately, he’s not saying much either.” Asher didn’t blame him or his uncle. He knew his uncle had spent a lot of time and effort to get the president where he was.

Bet his uncle felt like he got his teeth kicked in. If Asher had to guess, his uncle thought the man would show support for Asher’s team instead of taking Lincoln’s side.

“Seems a little coincidental they’re issuing them today. A day after our mission to Bogotá.” Beyond frustrated at the cat and mouse game he was playing with Lincoln, something or someone had to give and soon. He squeezed the bridge of his nose as he thought. “You got all the Semtex out of the building?”

It bothered him when the team left it behind, especially in Bogotá. His uncle had promised to have it recovered and held.

“I did,” his uncle answered then hesitated. His uncle never hesitated. They were a lot alike, being direct and speaking their mind, good, bad or ugly.

“What?” he demanded. “Just say it.”

“Isaac is in town.”

“I know. You told me,” he said, his gaze locked with Rae’s.

“Rumor has it he’s been getting chummy with a certain senator.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he spat out. “He’s a piece of shit who can’t pull his head out of his ass and is still trying to fuck over his only child.”

Rae’s eyes widened.

“What kind of man does that?”

“Your father. There is a special place in hell for him, Asher.”

“Maybe we can get a two for one deal on the contract killer you want to hire for Lincoln,” he said half-heartedly. Sounded like a splendid idea in his mind.

“Let me get a shower and I’ll fly us out to DC within the hour if Rae’s schedule is open,” he said.

“I’ll advise them you’ll be in town. You’ll need to be visible, son.”

“I’m aware,” he muttered, annoyed at the entire situation.

Going to DC wasn’t a priority for him. Get Rae naked and sinking balls deep inside her and fucking her till they both passed out? Now that was a priority.

“We’ll have dinner at Rosco’s. It’s a hot spot with a lot of social climbers and politicians. I’ll get it leaked and they’ll know where you are. Those bastards won’t pass up a chance to try to embarrass you,” he proclaimed.

“Can you arrange it so it’s done before we even sit down?” he asked. “I don’t care to spend a second longer than I have to in DC. I need you to do me a favor.”

“Shoot.”

“Rae needs a dress for the gala. I think if it’s already there for her, it’ll keep her out of sight, and off Lincoln’s radar.”

“Agreed. I’ll ask your aunt and I’m sure I can work my magic on the other thing,” his uncle said before the line went dead.

Clicking off the phone, he threw it on the bed and leaned forward. He placed his elbows on his knees and dug his hands into his hair as he thought about his next move.

If O’Malley wasn’t awake, he’d have to be woken. He wasn’t taking Rae off this base without adequate back up. Which meant it would be O’Malley and Hanover who went along with them. They’d have to fly out before them, scout the area and set up.

“Asher,” Rae’s voice had his head jerking up. She sat on the edge of the couch, watching him. “What’s going on?”

“We have to head to DC for a while,” he told her along with everything his uncle had informed him. “We’ll be there for a few days, at least.”

“You think Lincoln’s up to something,” she queried.

“I do. That fucker is always up to something.”

Rae winced at his blunt language. “What do you think it is?”

“Don’t know other than he’s trying to draw us into the open.” He released his head and stood. “I need to get my plan of action in play before we leave,” he informed her. “Can you find Hanover? Ask him to wake up O’Malley if he isn’t already awake and have them back here in twenty.”

“Gladly.” She stood, approaching him. Going up on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down so she could kiss him.

Yeah, she was his priority.

His hands went to her head, positioning her how he needed her. The kiss turned hard, demanding. She whimpered, not in pain, but in pleasure and he retreated, nipping at her lower lip. She stepped away from him first, then picked up her key card and headed out the door while he made his way to the shower, with a dick so hard, it ached.

An hour later, he and Rae were heading out to the tarmac to the waiting Blackhawk. The entire team, including the injured Callahan, left a half hour before on another hawk. Initially, his plan was to send O’Malley and Hanover as backup. The others heard about it and flipped the fuck out. In the end, he gave in because O’Malley stated it was better to have eight sets eyes than two.

Hard to argue with logic.

“Where is the pilot?” Rae asked as she stepped into the hawk.

He chuckled. “I’m flying us in, Rae.”

“Wait…you’re flying us? You can operate this?” Her hand gestured out in front of her. He didn’t miss the look of shock on her face.

“Yeah, I can. If it has wings, I can fly it.” He grinned. “You can sit up front with me as long as you promise not to touch a thing.”

“I promise!” Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

He got her into the seat, buckling her in and adjusting the straps for a comfortable fit. He then rounded the cockpit and did the same after getting in.

“Put the headset on, this way we can have a conversation,” he told her as he slipped his over his head.

She fiddled with the headset, tightening it so it sat on her head. He reached over, swinging the mic in front of her face.

“Don’t you have to do a precheck?”

“O’Malley already did it. You ready?” He glanced at her.

“Yes!”

He powered up the beastly helicopter and requested clearance. Once given, he lifted off, pointing toward DC.

Twenty minutes later, they landed at Andrews and made their way to a waiting vehicle.

“Sometimes when we fly in and out of here, you can see Air Force One,” he informed her as he opened the non-descript sedan door for her.

“Really?” She craned her neck around him, looking. “It’s housed here?”

“Yes. When not in use, it’s on lock down, heavily guarded,” he told her before she slid in and he shut the door. Walking around the front of the car, he opened the driver’s door and got in.

“Maybe next time,” she said wishfully.

“Maybe.” He put the keys in the ignition and started the car. “We’ll be at the restaurant soon.”

“Is he aware I know?” He knew what she meant. Was his uncle aware he had told her who he was to him. He shook his head. “Will he get mad?”

“Don’t care,” he sighed, turning in the seat to stare at her. “I meant what I said the other day, Rae.”

A frown formed on her forehead, she cocked her head and stared at him with a blank stare. Looks like he’d have to remind her.

“The other morning, Rae, when I told you I loved you. I know I said it. I was tired, but not that fucking tired.”

Her eyes widened as she drew her lip between her teeth. “Asher—”

“I’m not expecting you to say the words back to me. Not yet, anyway,” he confessed. “I’m secure enough and willing to wait till you’re ready. We’re moving at the speed of light and it’s understandable you’re questioning your place and future. Work it out and we’ll talk when you’re ready.”

She swallowed, nodding.

Putting the car in gear, he passed through the checkpoints. They didn’t speak during the drive to Rosco’s. It didn’t bother him. He gave Rae a ton to deal with. Later, he would revisit it and then speak to her about his love for her. To him, he’d found the one. They arrived at the restaurant, stopping in the lane to valet park.

Part of the plan he’d concocted before they left. A young kid, not more than twenty, came up to the door as he opened it and got out. Asher tossed the keys to the kid, then rounded the car to Rae’s door and opened it while offering her hand to him.

“I might have forgotten to mention it earlier, but you look fucking amazing. The dress is perfect.”

“Thank Sydney. She lent it to me,” she informed him.

“Sydney might have purchased it, but it’s the woman wearing it who’s blowing my mind,” he teased.

“Asher,” his uncle’s booming voice interrupted the moment.

Releasing Rae’s hand, he placed a palm on her lower back and guided her to where his uncle stood, waiting. He quietly scanned the area, picking up O’Malley in the car across the street and Callahan sitting at the café two stores down. Hanover was somewhere high, but he couldn’t locate him and Schoell just limped past him. Somewhere, Lincoln or one of his goons stood by. He could feel it. It caused the short hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end.

“Senator Winters,” he said, holding out his hand. His uncle grasped it, pumped it twice and released it. “Surprised to see you here. Not your normal haunt.”

“We all need to change it up once a while,” he announced.

“Who’s your lady friend?”

“Senator Winters, this is Doctor Rae Kenzie,” he said.

Rae held her hand out and Winters shook it. People walking into the restaurant and those leaving slowed, watching the show going on in front of them.

“Call me, Rae,” she said softly.

“Jefferson,” his uncle responded, giving her a very subtle wink. “Very nice to meet you, young lady.”

A car screeched to a halt in front of the restaurant. The doors were thrown open and slammed shut to draw attention. Acting on instinct, Asher tucked Rae into his side, putting his big body between her and potential harm.

“Asher Rainer,” a man in a dark wrinkled suit called out as he ran up to them on the sidewalk.

“Yes,” Asher responded as he noticed everyone stopping to stare at them.

“You’ve been served.” The suit held his hand out with a folded piece of paper held between his fingers.

He hesitated, shifting back and forth, giving the illusion to those watching, and there were a lot, he was extremely uncomfortable being in this situation. After a long moment, he reached out, snatching the offending paper.

The suit smirked before reaching into his pocket, removing another folded sheet. “Rae Kenzie.” He held his hand out to Rae.

“It’s Doctor Rae Kenzie,” Asher snapped, his voice hard and commanding. It had been the tone he used when giving orders either to the troops he led in the military or those at R.O.O.T. “Try again.”

Disrespecting him, his years in the service, and his position at R.O.O.T. he’d allow. He wouldn’t allow these motherfuckers to disrespect Rae. Not on his watch.

The smirk dropped from the suit’s face and he cleared his throat. With a trembling hand, he reached up to adjust his tie.

“Doctor Rae Kenzie,” the suit’s voice wobbled in fear.

It was his turn to smirk at the man’s discomfort. No doubt about it, if he continued with his Billy Bad Ass act, he’d have the dumbass pissing his pants.

“Yes,” Rae replied, her voice clear as a bell.

“You’ve been survived.”

Rae had class; instead of snatching it from the little piss ant’s hand like he had, she reached out and gently removed it.

“Thank you,” she said, holding up the folded paper in her hand.

“Looks like your dinner plans have been ruined,” Winters interjected.

“Seems like it,” he replied, ignoring the suit.

Giving up, the guy finally sulked back to his car.

Those who had stopped to watch the drama unfold now whispered amongst themselves.

“If I were you, I’d take the lady to a nice hotel and stay holed up a couple days,” his uncle advised.

Unfolding the subpoena, he scanned legal jargon till he found the day and time he needed to report to testify. They didn’t waste any fucking time.

“Seems like we’re not going home right now.” He tucked the subpoena into his coat jacket.

Schoell approached them again, weaving slightly like he drank too much at an area bar. He tripped as he approached and started to fall toward their small group. Instead of walking around them this time, when he got close, he stumbled into Asher. He went to reach for Alex to help right him and his upper body bounced into his chest.

Damn, he forgot how thick the big Texan really was. He knocked his breath from his lungs. He felt Alex’s hand slip into his jacket pocket. It all happened in a blink of an eye and anyone watching would have no clue Schoell just slipped him the keys to his truck.

They’d ditch the sedan, find his truck, and drive to his uncle’s house to meet with the rest of the team.

“Sorry, dude. I wasn’t paying attention where I was going,” Schoell slurred.

“No problem. Hope you aren’t driving.”

Schoell staggered and Asher reached out to steady him.

“Not drunk,” he proclaimed as he staggered off.

He turned his attention back to his uncle and Rae.

“Please, excuse us. We need to get going. We need to locate a hotel and contact our lawyers.”

Senator Winters nodded then walked into the restaurant.

Unwilling to keep Rae exposed, he placed his hand on her lower back and guided her down the street to where the sedan was parked. They walked right past it, strolling to the coffee shop. Rae played her part well. While they sipped at their coffee, she was on her phone, pretending to find a place for them to sleep. The feeling he had earlier dissipated as they continued to waste time.

His phone dinged. Pulling it out of his pocket, he saw a message from O’Malley. His shadows had left. Callahan had booked them a room at some chain. They were clear to move to his truck, which was parked three blocks away.

“You’re doing great, Rae,” he told her, giving her a smile.

19

Two days later, they walked down the steps of the capital. The congressional hearings were…interesting, to say the least. The gala, on the other hand, had been an experience. Between the senators saying hello, to their wives questioning Rae’s job and how she could do it day in and day out, she’d needed several drinks.

Some understood her. Some thought she was a saint for wanting to work in third-world countries. Unfortunately, those who thought she was a saint turned their nose up at her hard work and dedication. Others thought she’d been sent there to beg for money. Thankfully, Asher had been by her side helping her traverse the group of women.

They danced. Drank wine worth more than ten years of her meager pay. She ate food that could have fed a small village for a month. It left a horrible taste in her mouth, just like sitting in front of the special intelligence committee to relive the nightmare her life had become. The only thing giving her comfort was the fact Asher sat in the audience, silently giving her strength.

The questions had been circling at times. Statements she didn’t understand. What they wanted from her had become complete misdirection. Even oral quizzes in college weren’t this hard. She could see the calculation. The misgiving in those who listened to her as she spoke about her time in the village and what she experienced the day Lincoln and his men infiltrated the site.

“It’s over,” Asher murmured as he held the SUV door open for her.

“Yeah, something tells me it’s just the beginning.” A knot had formed in the pit of her stomach during the middle of her testimony. She thought it was due to nerves and figured it would ease up once she stepped outside. Instead, it got worse.

“You’ve had to relive the worst day of your life.” He placed his hand into hers as they pulled away from the curb.

If Lincoln thought he was going to pull some shitty stunt and say everything she’d said was inaccurate, or whatever bullshit lie a politician would say, he’d been sadly mistaken. At the last minute, Calvin, Wayne, and Paul were flown in to give testimony as well. With Asher’s help, they were also able to show how Lincoln isolated their companies, then dumped unsanctioned jobs in their laps. Morsels to keep the mice in play.

“I’ll be glad when we’re back at the base.” It would take a few days, though. Asher still had to testify, including his team members.

“Soon, sweetheart.” He kissed her hand as they left the city behind and began to climb toward the mountainous region of Virginia.

“I don’t think it went the way it was supposed to.” She couldn’t shake the feeling she missed something. Should have seen someone. It was irrational.

“These things never do,” he answered. “It’s the outcome we’re here for. The senators who like Lincoln will throw softball leading questions for people helping him while hammering you. While others will help you. It’s how these things go. I hate it. Give me a gun and a mission, and I’m good to go.”

“Give me an office and patients and I’m happy.” She gave a small smile. “What do we do after this?”

She’d thought about getting on a ship and working out in the middle of the Indian Ocean, but the idea didn’t fit her life any longer. Heck, she didn’t think she could still work as a doctor. Too many people had seen her face. Too many people would question her ability to treat others.

“Whatever you want. The selfish part of me hopes you’ll stay with us and work as the unit doctor. However, I know it’s your decision. What you do is up to you.” The vehicle pulled to a stop outside his uncle’s hunting cabin. “Right now, we’re going to grab some lunch and I’m going to assist in your unwinding.” He wiggled his brows.

“Sure, unwinding.” She glanced up at the cabin and frowned. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She was becoming a paranoid freak. Just relax. Nothing will get you out here. You’re safe. Everyone believes you’re holed up in some skeezy hotel.

They walked into the cabin. Nothing was out of place. Nothing felt off. She laughed to herself as she headed for the kitchen. “Food.” Her stomach growled. As if on cue, her hunger returned with a vengeance.

Asher came up behind her and wrapped her in his embrace. “I’m hungry, too.” He spun her around and placed her on the counter. “We don’t even have to cook.” He slid his hands up her thighs and skimmed her belly with his thumbs. His mouth covered hers in a demanding kiss, instantly heating her.

She moaned his name as he nuzzled her neck, kissing and nibbling the sensitive skin. Rae scratched her nails down his back before dragging them back up. The way he attacked her hinted at how much he desired her. He made a rumbling noise at the back of his throat and she swore she felt it in her clit. Her panties dampened with her arousal and she wiggled, needing more of his touch.

“Hmm,” she teased. “Sounds interesting.”

He removed her blouse. The cool air of the cabin kissed her overheated skin. “It is.” After taking off her bra, he removed her pants, then her panties and threw them on the ground. He took a step back to remove his shirt. When he returned, he wrapped his mouth around her nipple and sucked. Sparks of pleasure went straight to her pussy. She clung to him, scraping his scalp as he moved to her neglected breast.

“This isn’t eating.” She narrowed her eyes.

“Oh, I’ll be feeding you shortly.” He ran his tongue over the hard bead. “Right now, I’m taking my fill of you.” He returned to teasing her. He sucked and nibbled, not fully biting down on her nipples.

She rocked against him, desire flowing through her veins. She had to have him. She burned for him. He pulled the zipper down on his pants and fished his cock out. The thick, angry looking flesh made her mouth water and lust pulsed through her. Asher stepped between her spread thighs, and tugged her to the edge. With one stroke, he filled her. Oh yes, this was what she needed to take her mind off everything.

“Hang onto me, sweetheart.” He retreated and filled her again. “Things are about to get wild.”

“Bring it, Rainer.”

Rae’s eyes fluttered open. The sun hung low in the sky. Behind her, Asher’s slow, steady breathing comforted her. They hadn’t eaten yet. Sex on the counter became sex on the stairs, then in the bed. His voracious appetite spurred her own and she’d been quite content to stay in bed the rest of the day.

She replayed their conversation about him loving her. Deep down, she loved him, too. She could admit it. It was the timing, though. She’d only known him a few weeks. When she walked away from all this, what were the odds of it lasting? Greater than if she stuck with him and found their relationship waned without the continual action they seemed to thrive on. Yet, he said he wanted her to stick around. Be their doctor. Stay with him. Could she do it?

The chances of her getting another job were slim and none. She’d most likely have to change her name and never be able to see her parents. However, if she stayed with Asher, seeing them wouldn’t be an issue. He wouldn’t keep her away from her family. What am I going to do?

Telling him the truth seemed the easiest thing to do. Give him the opportunity to know how she felt about him. But it scared the shit out of her. Every big leap she made in her life had terrified her. It’d also been in those moments when she was the most scared that she’d found herself making the right decisions and finding her destiny. Perhaps this was another instance of the same.

She rolled over in bed and studied his gruff features. Instead of the frown marring his brow, his features were soft with sleep. A day’s worth of scruff covered his cheeks, and his lashes lay against his cheeks. She pushed an errant lock of his hair from his forehead and grinned. Yes, she could enjoy loving Asher for the rest of her life, if he wanted her.

A loud bang sounded downstairs, cutting her thoughts off. Asher’s eyes opened and his finger came to his mouth, signaling for her to not speak. With silent movements, he got out of bed and grabbed a pair of pants. He threw them on and motioned for her to stay put. Another sound came from downstairs, and she gripped the bedding tighter. He grabbed the rifle from beside the door as he tiptoed out.

Rae’s heart hammered. Her stomach soured. Her body had been screaming danger and she’d let her guard down. Unable to sit still and let Asher go on his own, she got out of bed and threw on her robe. She crept out of the room, hugging the wall to keep from being seen. From where she stood, she couldn’t see anything.

Boom! The repeat of the shotgun startled her and she jumped. She covered her mouth to hold back the scream threatening to spill from her. Another loud boom echoed through the house, before she could hear tussling. The grunts and shouts of men fighting grew closer to her. Two men were all over Asher. He wasn’t letting them get the best of him yet. He kicked and punched, pushing them away from the stairs. Rae inched closer to the steps, wanting to help, but afraid she’d only distract him.

“Hello, Dr. Kenzie.” The cool press of metal dug into her side. “Rainer, stop. I’ve got your woman.”

He stilled and turned toward where she stood. “Lincoln. I should have known you’d find us.”

“Move.” He pushed her, urging her down the stairs to where the men had shoved Asher to the floor. Each man held one of his arms. “You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?”

Fear tightened her throat. Her lip trembled as she stood in front of the man who swore to protect her and who loved her. His face was bloody. His eye was swollen shut. He looked worse for the wear. How did Lincoln find them?

“And let you get away with murder? Not on my watch.” Asher spat out a wad of blood.

“All you had to do was turn your head. We’d have killed everyone.” He glanced at Rae. “Except you.”

“Someone would have found out,” she muttered. “You’d still have been caught.”

He fisted her hair and yanked her head back. “Shut up, bitch.”

Pain bloomed along her scalp. Her eyes watered from the force. His wild, vicious stare met hers and she swore she saw pure evil. A man didn’t stand there. The devil did. She swallowed the whimper building at the back of her throat. Someone had to know Lincoln was there. Someone had to be coming for them. Where were the two guys who were supposed to be watching them?

“If you hurt her, I swear to God, you will wish you never crossed my path,” Asher whispered.

“You’re pathetic,” Lincoln snarled. “You can’t even hire good help.”

Oh no. If the guards weren’t coming, it could only mean one thing. They were dead. She closed her eyes, unable to watch what was coming. Lincoln meant to kill them. “Why? What is this all for?”

“Can’t you figure it out?” He chuckled. “Of course not. You’re only as smart as your gender can be.” The gun dug deeper into her side, causing her to wince.

“You were close to getting caught.”

“Of course I was. Your damn uncle is a dog with a bone. He had questions about Barclay and about the missions our security firm were operating under. I had to get rid of all the evidence.”

“What evidence?” There’d only be one reason he’d willingly tell them his plan. Well, if she was going to die, she wanted to know why. What made her village so important that his men killed one hundred thirty-six people and left scores of children orphaned?

“Money laundering,” Asher answered. “Drugs. Uranium. What else?”

Lincoln scoffed. “Drugs? Please. I had to make everything look like you and the cartel got into a fire fight. I had to have a reason to pull my business out of Bogotá. After receiving the uranium shipment, I had a deal to settle up with. I couldn’t have anyone finding out the real reason I’d been there.”

“So you killed everyone?” Rae stared at Lincoln with a horror-stricken expression on her face. “Why? What was the point? They did nothing to you. They were good, innocent people.”

Lincoln laughed. “Innocent people? Come now, Dr. Kenzie. We both know the cartel would have eventually done the exact thing my team did. I expedited it.”

“Why?”

Lincoln blew out a breath, appearing to grow weary of their questions. “Why not? It’s a great cover story. Village in Bogotá eliminated at the cartel’s hands. Giant corporation pulls out of the country over safety concerns. Meanwhile…” He crouched down in front of her. Asher tensed as the man stared at his woman. Lincoln’s icy gaze only made Asher all the more determined to take him down. “The pieces of my plan would have fallen into place and no one is the wiser. A sleight of hand, if you will.”

“Who’d you sell it to?” Asher spat out more blood. “Russia? China? Iran?”

Lincoln curled his lip as he stood. “No one. Seems your evidence made it to the committee and I had to get rid of it.”

Asher smirked. “We were too smart. But I’m thinking you’re still lying.”

The guy standing beside Asher hit him again and Lincoln tsked.

“You were. You shouldn’t have been out there. You all should have died in Bogotá.” He didn’t refute Asher’s statement. Instead, a sadistic smile twisted his lips. “Now, you will.”

“What?”

“In the kitchen is a thermobaric bomb, capable of wiping out an entire block. Way out here, no one will hear you. No one will be able to save you. Each window and door has a sensor. You trip it, it blows. You try to climb out, it blows. You’re stuck. You’ll die and the inquiry into Barclay will disappear. Then,” he glared at Asher, “I’ll deal with your uncle.”

Her stomach dropped. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Everything she wanted to say would be for nothing. No more bucket list. No more sailing on some fucking ship to nowhere because she was afraid. She’d never get the chance to tell Asher she loved him. Never get to have anything meaningful with him.

When it came down to the sum total of her life, she had nothing. Lincoln pushed her toward the men holding Asher and she fell into Asher’s body. His warm flesh couldn’t chase the chill that settled over her. They were going to die.

“Tie them together,” Lincoln commanded. “Make sure no one can get in here then kill them.” He shrugged before he headed for the door. “By the time I take off, you’ll be a distant memory. Goodbye, Dr. Kenzie.”

Lincoln strolled from the cabin while his goons did as he commanded. The cheerful tune he whistled on the way out grated against her nerves. How dare he fucking think they’d just roll over and die. As one of Lincoln’s men got closer to her, she kicked out, hitting him in the groin. He doubled over and she kicked him again in the side of the face. Pain and fire raced up her foot to her ankle then up her leg. She cried out as she fell to the floor.

Asher left her side as he took on the other guard, snapping his neck within seconds. He stood before her, a bloody warrior ready and willing to continue his killing streak. He helped her up and she cried out. Her ankle wouldn’t hold weight, and already her toes were turning an ugly shade of blue.

“Don’t move.”

Like, where else was she going to go? She couldn’t walk and she didn’t have any clothes on. Lincoln, in all his arrogance, had left them, believing they’d die. The possibilities were still high they would, but at least they’d have a fighting chance now. How they’d get out, she didn’t know.

Asher crossed to the side table and grabbed his comm. He placed it in his ear and hit the button. “We’ve got a problem.”

She stared at him the whole time, afraid if she looked away for an instant, she’d miss some detail she never saw or forget completely what he looked like. Irrational fear did strange things to people. She realized now, this whole time she’d been irrational. She never dealt with the trauma of watching those villagers she’d grown to know and become friends with die. Or being rescued, or living another day. She’d just existed. She didn’t live.

Rae yearned to live.

“Thermobaric bomb. In the kitchen. Fuck!” He rubbed his jaw and grimaced. More than a few bruises and cuts marred his face. “I’m running out of time here, man…who? What? Yeah, tell him if he can save our asses, I’ll make sure he has constant work from now on. I needed you here fifteen minutes ago.”

He pulled the comm from his ear and groaned. His whole posture changed. His lips thinned as pain racked his body. She tried to go to him, but almost fell over. His curse caught her attention as he crossed to her and picked her up. She continued to stare at him without saying a word. Words couldn’t adequately cover what filled her.

“I love you, too.” The words tumbled out of her. “I’ve loved you for a long time, and I’m a fool for not saying it. For waiting till we die.”

He kissed her temple. “We’re not going to die. We’re going to survive, and then we’re taking down Lincoln.”

She wanted to believe they would. But the landing strip wasn’t far from them, and technically, Lincoln could blow the house now and no one would be the wiser. She clung to Asher as he walked to the couch and sat with her on his lap. The minutes slowly ticked by as they waited for someone, anyone to show up and let them out.

“You’ll make a kick ass mom. Teaching our son or daughter how to stitch someone up. Remove their appendix. Crazy shit like that.”

“You’ll teach them how to fire a gun,” she added. “Take ten years off my life each time you go to the range.”

He chuckled then groaned. “I love you, Rae. Nothing will ever change the way I feel about you, and I swear to God if we get out of here, I’m going to prove it to you every fucking day.”

“I’m going to hold you to that deal.” She cupped his cheek and pressed her lips to his. “Aren’t we a fucked-up pair?”

He snorted. “We’re perfect for each other.”

20

It took fucking forever before he heard the screech of tires, followed by doors being opened then slammed shut. Finally, the cavalry was there. Or well, their version, anyway.

“Boss,” O’Malley yelled when he stepped onto the porch.

“Don’t come in,” Asher yelled, not willing to move from the position on the couch. Rae was in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. “Lincoln placed sensors on all the exit points.”

“Got it,” O’Malley acknowledged. “Calvin’s going into the crawl space now. Give us a minute.”

He snorted. “Take all the time you need. We’re not going anywhere.”

His hand cupped Rae’s lower belly, knowing their child could be forming at this very moment. He prayed silently, hoping his seed either took the first time or at some point last night. He was aware he broke his promise to take care of her going forward. They had sex several times last night, not once did he wrap his dick in latex. Feeling Rae’s wet, tight pussy bare was something he would never get enough of.

“Commander,” a voice called from the door. “It’s Calvin,” his voice was grim.

“How bad?” he asked.

“Fucking bad,” Calvin hesitated.

“Shit, Asher,” O’Malley muttered.

“Fuck,” he cursed.

Thermobaric bombs were some scary shit. When detonated, there was a pressure wave and then the subsequent refraction, which literally ruptured your lungs causing death on impact. Sometimes, you could get lucky and the bomb’s fuel could deflagrate and not detonate. When that happened, victims would be severely burned and inhale the burning fuel. Either way, it was a horrible fucking way to die.

“It’s connected to hydrogen gas. It’ll enhance the bomb,” Calvin stated.

Jesus.

Lincoln really wanted them dead. Not just him, but his whole team. His Tac-Com had been sitting on the table. The SOB had to have seen it, instead, he left it knowing he’d call his team, opening them all to the destruction of the device.

“I got one question, Calvin. Can you disarm it?”

“Sure can,” Calvin replied. “It’ll take fifteen to twenty minutes.”

Asher smiled. He could hear the pride in the fucker’s voice.

“Get to it then. I have a senator to locate and kill,” Asher yelled.

Rae, who had been silent during the entire conversation, shifted, lifting her head off his shoulder. “O’Malley?”

“Yeah, Rae,” his second-in-command answered.

“Asher’s hurt.” She winced and he was worried she did some serious damage to her foot.

“How bad?” O’Malley inquired.

“I think I’ve got a cracked rib or two and maybe a slight concussion,” Asher said.

Rae’s eyes narrowed at him before she slid off his lap and buckled as she put pressure on her foot. Asher stood, reaching for her to steady her.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” she snapped.

“Been hurt before, sweetheart. This is mild.”

“Jackass,” she muttered under her breath as he eased her to the couch.

“O’Malley, give Calvin a Tac-Com so I can follow along with what he is doing,” Asher ordered.

“Schoell is with him. He’s got his on. That sick bastard is almost giddy. Said he’s never seen a thermobaric bomb before.”

“I’m so glad we can help amuse his ass.” His tone was more than a little sarcastic.

“There is something seriously wrong with your team,” Rae interjected.

“You think?” he said as he picked up his comm device and slipped it into his ear.

Walking to the kitchen, ignoring the pain he felt with every movement, he pulled open the freezer and removed one of the ice packs his uncle kept. Wrapping it in a towel, he walked back to Rae, stepping over the dead bodies on the floor.

“Use it,” he ordered.

She hesitated for a second before she took it and placed it on her ankle. The look of pain eased.

“What’s Calvin doing, Schoell?” he asked as he started pacing to release the nervous energy he felt building.

“Checking the bomb to make sure there are no surprises. He’s got an impressive set of tools.” He swore he could hear Schoell panting over whatever Calvin had.

“Schoell, do me a favor, give the Tac-Com to Calvin. I don’t need to hear about you getting a hard-on for the guy’s tool, for fuck’s sake,” he snapped.

“Yeah, okay, boss,” Schoell said, his tone remorseful.

“Commander,” Calvin’s voice filled his earpiece. “There are no traps. It’ll take me ten minutes.”

“You that good?” he wondered out loud.

“Yes, sir, I am,” the younger man replied, his tone full of confidence.

Confidence was a good thing to have, though, especially when you were disarming a bomb that’d kill you.

“Dumb ass motherfuckers spend all this time and effort building this damn bomb, only to use a cheap ass remote,” Calvin muttered. “Okay. I’m going to cut the wires which will basically make remote denotation impossible and you should be able to open the door to get out.”

“Should be,” Asher asked, amazed at the sureness he heard in the kid’s voice.

“Yeah. To be on the safe side, though, I’d suggest sitting tight till I’m done.”

“Good fucking idea,” Asher snapped.

“Boss, this kid is fucking nuts,” Schoell called out. “We need to find space for him on our team.” Coming from their weapons expert, he knew it was a huge compliment.

“I’m going to need a containment unit,” Calvin said.

“O’Malley!”

“Getting a unit here without causing a huge uproar isn’t exactly the easiest damn task, boss,” his second snarled.

“Asher,” Rae’s voice had him stopping his pacing. “Relax. You can’t control everything, no matter how hard you try. Let Jake handle it,” she gently reminded him.

“We’re clear,” Calvin announced. “But something about the wiring is familiar.”

“Thank fuck,” Asher groused, relief flowing through his body. “Does it pertain to this mission, Calvin?”

“No, Commander,” Calvin replied.

Moving to the couch, he leaned over Rae, winching in pain as his ribs protested as he brought his face to her and kissed her. It was a hard kiss, demanding. If he had time, he’d lay her out and feast on her sweet pussy before sinking inside her and fucking her senseless. He conveyed all his wants and needs into the kiss.

He ignored the courtesy knock on the front door before it opened.

“Boss,” O’Malley called from the front door.

He broke the kiss and looked up at his friend.

“Give me a second, O’Malley,” he barked.

O’Malley nodded and stepped out, leaving the door open.

“I want you to know something.” His gaze locked on her and the love he saw reflected in her hazel eyes had his breath catching in his throat. “I won’t ever stop you from following your dreams. I’ll support you, hell, I’ll even accept you running off to dangerous war-torn countries to do your job. I can do all this, Rae, if you promise to love me till the day you take your last breath. Promise me that, baby, and I can deal with everything else. I can deal with the long absences, knowing when we come back together, I have your love.”

She blinked up at him and a look of confusion passed over her face.

“Are you asking me to marry you, Asher?”

“Yeah, I am.” He went to his knees. Not really the easiest thing to do with his busted ribs. Getting up would be a bitch. “Promise me, though, baby, you’ll slow down when children come along.”

“I’ll marry you, Asher,” she whispered as wrapped her arms around him.

He winced in pain.

“Thank fuck.” He buried his face in her neck, placing soft kisses on the delicate skin at the bend.

“Time is of the essence, Asher,” O’Malley reminded him.

Asher could sense him outside the door, impatiently waiting for him to get his ass in gear. “One of these days, I swear, I’m going to fucking kill him,” he snarled.

Rae chuckled. “Go to work, honey. Go do what you do best, get the bad guys. Just don’t get any more injuries than you already have,” she ordered.

“Yes, ma’am,” he consented, his mind focusing on the task at hand.

Find Lincoln.

Standing, his ribs objecting, he looked at the door. His early assumptions were correct. O’Malley had been right there.

“I want Rae checked out. Her ankle is fucked up and then I want her back to base,” he ordered.

“What about you?”

“I’ll wrap my ribs on the way and I’ll be fine.” He glanced around the room. “We need to take care of the bodies.”

“And the bomb,” Jake added. “I’m not really comfortable leaving it here, in the middle of fucking nowhere.”

“Activate another team. They can be here in forty minutes.”

“Yeah. Good thing I activated them when you called me. They’re about five minutes out,” he said with a smirk. “I also put a tail on Lincoln.”

“Have I told you how much I love you today?”

“Funny,” Rae interjected, “that wasn’t what you were saying a couple of minutes ago. I think you said you were going to kill him.”

O’Malley laughed.

He stared at his friend, knowing his face showed his surprise at his friend’s reaction. Jake hadn’t laughed in a long fucking time. If he had to guess, it was before Ginger left.

Following Jake out the door, he surveyed the front yard. His uncle was going to shit himself. Three massive trucks sat on what was once his well-manicured lawn. Now the grass had been all torn up because they parked directly on the vegetation. He’d never hear the fucking end of this.

“Perhaps it’s time to have a conversation about you leading your own team, Jake,” he declared.

“Trying to get rid of me, boss?”

“Absolutely not. You’re ready and it’s time,” he conceded as they walked down the steps.

“Don’t want it. Never did. Ask any of the guys, they don’t want it either. We follow you, Asher. It’s been that way since day one,” he declared.

He nodded.

Losing Jake would be hard, they worked as a cohesive team, each always anticipating the other’s moves. It’s what made them so effective. On the flip side, he never wanted to hold a member of his team back, so he had to at least make the offer.

“Arm Calvin and his brothers. They can cover the bomb and Rae till the second team arrives and cleans up. Make sure they’re aware the brothers are friendlies.”

“Got it,” Jake said as he hurried to speak with the three brothers who stood off to the side.

He bobbed his head at Calvin, who returned the gesture. Now was not the time to have a long conversation or give thanks for saving his ass.

He had a dirty penny to find and capture.

“Boss!” Callahan called out as he scurried from behind one of the vehicles. “Just got word, Lincoln arrived at Reagan.”

“Looks like we’re heading to the airport, guys.” Asher scooted into the passenger side of the truck. O’Malley would have to drive.

“Murray is looking for his flight information.” Callahan jumped in the back seat, his fingers flying over the laptop keyboard resting on his knees.

“The GW Parkway and 395 South are clear. They’re our best shot right now,” Callahan piped up as O’Malley put the truck in gear and hauled ass. He caught a glimpse of Rae in the doorway as Wayne helped her out of the cabin and down the stairs.

“Need your phone,” he demanded.

“Shit, Asher. Couldn’t you have asked before I got in the truck?” Jake kept his gaze on the road while he shifted in his seat, pulling his phone out of one of his many pockets on his army-green cargo pants. He slapped the phone in Asher’s hand.

Swiping his finger across the screen, the phone went live. “You don’t passcode protect your phone?” he remarked. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you aware of who you work with or not?”

“Fuck you. If you’re going to bitch about it, give it back,” Jake spat out.

“No. I need it,” he said as he started entering numbers.

“Where the fuck is your phone?” O’Malley asked.

“Destroyed. I had it in my pocket when I went downstairs. During the scuffle, it fell out and one of those fuck heads stepped on it.”

“Don’t call any sex lines.” He glanced over the seat to Callahan as he snorted.

“That’s your gig, asshole. Now, if you don’t mind, I have an important call I’m about to make,” he informed his friend before he pressed the call button.

“General Blackwell’s office. How may I help you?” a female’s voice crackled through the truck speakers courtesy of the Bluetooth connection. He didn’t want to call his uncle in case Lincoln had him as well. No need in ruining the surprise when they arrived at the airport.

“Morning, Holly. It’s Asher Rainer. Is the general around?” The general should have already been there for a few hours, if he stuck to protocol.

“Good morning, Asher. He is; let me transfer you,” Holly said, her tone warm but firm.

After a series of clicks, the general’s voice boomed through the speaker.

“What the fuck is going on, Asher?”

“Right here,” O’Malley stated, apparently not giving a fuck the general could hear him, “this is another reason I don’t want my own fucking team. I don’t want to deal with this.”

Ignoring him, Asher told the general everything. From Lincoln having weaponized uranium to him trying to kill Asher, to having him watched at the airport.

“We’re currently en route to Reagan. ETA…” He paused, looking again at Callahan.

“Ten minutes. Murray’s showing his plane isn’t taking off for another forty-five minutes,” Callahan announced.

“Perfect. I’d be grateful if you’d locate my uncle and make sure Lincoln didn’t murder his ass. I know he can be a pain, but he is family.”

Jake turned to him. Asher could see the wheels spinning in his head.

“I got off the phone with Winters ten minutes ago. The old, codgy bastard is still kicking.”

“Holy fuck balls,” Callahan blurted.

He chuckled, ignoring Drew’s comment and the stunned look O’Malley gave him.

“What else do you need?”

He had the feeling the general’s question interrupted Jake’s.

“The press. At Reagan airport.”

The general chuckled. “You’re a devious bastard, Asher.” He paused. “I’ll arrange it. Do you want me to clear your arrival at Reagan?”

“Nope. You know it’ll get leaked and the prick will disappear. Makes for better TV to have our bad asses arriving unannounced.” The general chuckled again. “FYI, another team is bringing in the thermobaric bomb. The kid who disarmed it stated it looked familiar. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t blow it till he’s had a chance to review it further,” Asher said.

“I’ll make the arrangements and update Winters,” the general replied and the line went dead.

“Senator Winters…the Chairman of the Council…is your uncle?” O’Malley quirked a brow. His tone was oddly deceptive and calm.

Asher could plainly see how hard the big man gripped the steering wheel. His knuckles were white. His shoulders were stiff and it looked like he was clenching his jaw. He needed to either get back with Ginger or find a woman to fuck to help eliminate the tension he constantly felt coming from his second-in-command.

“Yeah, to all of it. It was decided early on to keep it a secret. The council knows, as does the general. Lincoln somehow found out. I’m positive he’ll make it public knowledge. Just another way to fuck with us,” he sighed. “You might be a commander whether you want it or not.”

“I won’t take it,” O’Malley spouted.

“Me, either,” Callahan added. “And neither will the rest of the team. You step down, we’re out. All of us, Asher. You’re the heart and soul of R.O.O.T.”

He shook his head. “When R.O.O.T. was formed, I made sure it didn’t succeed or fail on one man’s shoulders. Any one of you could step in and perform my job. I’ve made sure of it.”

“May be the case, but only if we wanted the position. None of us want it,” O’Malley stated.

“We might not have a choice.” He leaned back against the seat. The aches and pains of the beating were making themselves known as the adrenaline ebbed from his system.

“Boss,” Hanover broke through on the Tac-Com, “we’re approaching the airport. What’s your game plan?”

He smiled.

“It’s simple. Find the fucker and lay all his sins at his feet and allow the press to chew his ass up and spit him out.” He sounded more than giddy at the possibility of the powerful senator falling. “Best part, we get front row seats to the entire damn thing.”

The big military trucks came to a stop in front of the airport, blocking all traffic. He didn’t give a shit. Slipping from the truck, the rest of his team fell in line behind him as they walked through the terminal.

They ignored the gasps, the shocked faces of those waiting to take a flight out or drop a loved one off. He knew what they all thought; it was written on their faces. They thought the airport was under attack.

“Murray said Lincoln’s holed up in one of those fancy courtesy suites,” Callahan relayed as they moved through the lower levels.

Even with his aching body, Asher had no patience for the escalators. His long strides ate up the stairs, three at a time till he reached the top.

Airport personnel started to follow and it didn’t surprise him when he reached the top to see security waiting. Asher snapped his fingers and Callahan stepped away to address them. Hanover took over, relaying directions from Murray.

Hanover moved past O’Malley, holding black and white copies of the evidence they had gathered on Lincoln in his hands. Including a photograph of every single man, woman, and child killed in Puerto Nariño.

As luck would have it, twenty feet before they got to the door where Lincoln hid, it opened and the man himself stepped out. Their gazes clashed and Asher smiled when a look of shock passed over the older man’s face.

Press started to arrive, reporters and news crews smelling blood in the air. This story would run for more than one cycle. If he had to guess, it’d air a couple weeks and would eliminate several dirty senators and congressman.

“Senator Matthias Lincoln,” he called out, his voice loud and clear so it could be heard by the press there and arriving. “You are under arrest for the murder of one hundred thirty-six souls, espionage against both the United States of America and the U.S. Military, and treason.”

Bright lights and microphones were shoved into Lincoln’s face.

“Senator, how are you going to respond to these chargers?” a reporter asked, stepping forward in the melee of the press.

“No comment,” Lincoln sneered, his gaze locking with Asher. “There are no bases for these accusations or proof.”

“I beg to differ,” Asher interrupted Lincoln’s backpedaling. “I have copies detailing Senator Lincoln’s crimes. Undisputed proof of his involvement in all the charges.”

“Proof?” another overeager reporter asked.

“Yes.” He reached for the paperwork in Hanover’s hands and began handing it to the press.

It rang dead silence as the reporters scanned the evidence and his team surrounded Lincoln.

“Senator,” a reporter shouted. “This evidence claims in addition to the mass murders in Colombia, you ordered unsanctioned hits on several villages in South American, including the assassination of the President of Colombia through Barclay ten years ago. How do you plead to these charges?”

“No comment,” Lincoln bellowed as O’Malley slapped on a pair of handcuffs on his wrists behind his back.

O’Malley started to pull Lincoln away from the masses.

“This evidence states you actually control and own Barclay. Isn’t this considered a conflict of interest, Senator?” another reporter questioned.

“Let me guess, motherfucker, no comment,” Asher sneered down at the pale senator.

Reporters continued to follow them to the waiting vehicles. He drew it out, making sure every reporter and news crew got video or pictures of Lincoln with handcuffs being placed in the SUV.

O’Malley slid into his seat as Callahan moved to the SUV with Hanover.

“Commander Asher, perhaps we should speak?” Lincoln inquired from his position in the back. “I’m a very wealthy, powerful man.”

He snorted.

“As of ten minutes ago, you’re a poor man. The United States government froze all your assets. Your overseas accounts have been emptied, courtesy of my team. As for being powerful, no one will be willing to touch you with a ten-foot pole. Among everything else you’re accused of, you’re a traitor. No one will be willing to risk you staining their name or reputation. In layman’s terms, sir,” he stated, “you’re fucked.”

O’Malley busted out laughing. “You’ve got a way with words.”

“Right. I’ve been told this on more than one occasion,” he joked.

“Your relationship with Senator Winters has been kept a secret. How do you think it will play out? Nepotism isn’t smart with black ops. How do we know Senator Winters isn’t doing what I did? If you help me out of this, I’ll bury it. I won’t say a word.”

Turning in his seat, his eyes narrowed and his gaze ran up and down the man in the back. “That’s your fucking play? You’re going to threaten me with revealing who my uncle is?” He laughed, shaking his head in wonder. “Bring it, asshole. When I lay my head on the pillow each night, it’s with a clear conscious that I haven’t fucked over my country or my family. Not sure if you can say the same fucking thing.”

“Would your uncle say the same thing, though?”

He didn’t miss the flash of fear in Lincoln’s eyes. The once powerful senator was a smart man, he had to understand he had failed and would have to pay for his sins.

“Abso-fucking-lutely,” he said confidently.

“Pleasant,” Lincoln scoffed.

“Know what else is pleasant? When you lay your head down tonight, it’ll be in a cold, dark cell. Better get used to it. It’s where you’re going to remain the rest of your life.”

Asher turned so he faced forward.

“Take us to base, O’Malley,” he ordered.

“Yes, sir,” he replied.

Epilogue

Six weeks later…

“Now happening on WKLP news radio, twenty-four hours a day. Senator Matthias Lincoln has been transferred to a federal maximum security prison to await trial. New documents show his alleged collusion with Barclay Security and a still unnamed co-conspirator in a murder-for-hire ploy to assassinate the Colombian president.”

“Another day of testimony from Dr. Rae Kenzie brought about new information not heard since the first day of her providing answers to the committee. As a member of the Doctors Without Borders team, she had firsthand knowledge of some of the village government. She answered questions concerning the local cartels and how much they affected the general area.

“Then the questions took a personal turn as those who were still loyal to Lincoln discussed her personal relationship with Asher Rainer. Miss Kenzie didn’t answer the question. Her lawyer reminded the panel she was there of her free will and a victim of Lincoln’s disturbing behavior.

“As more information is coming out, we have learned of fifteen government contract companies who have suffered due to Lincoln’s pay-for-play scandal. A toll-free number has been established along with notices going out to all those who might have been affected from the senator’s alleged dirty dealings.

“The documents allege Senator Lincoln blackballed companies that refused to do a job. Most ranged from bodily injury to death. There were also startling allegations of rape and torture of the victims from his company’s missions. WKLP will bring you continuous updates as more information is known.”

The station flipped back to the announcers talking about the charges against Senator Lincoln and what would happen to those who invested in his ill-begotten company. “If Senator Lincoln was smart, he’d take a plea deal to make this go away.”

“But we know better. He won’t give up. He’ll fight tooth and nail until the final decision is made,” another man said.

“Why? Every day, the evidence becomes more damning. His best bet is to acknowledge his transgressions and take the sentence.”

He didn’t care what the senator did, if he’d take a deal or not. The man would pay, just like everyone else would. Pay for the death of his family. Pay for the death of his friends. He would watch all their worlds crumble from the top to the bottom, and by God, he would take joy in seeing them squirm.

He tapped the keys on his computer, putting the finishing touches on the statement Noah Hanover would make. Then, he would laugh as Noah was forced to see his lover die. Slow and painfully—even though he read the confession.

When he came up with this plan, a sense of rightness soothed him. For too many years, the agony of loss consumed him. Getting up in the morning became a chore. Working became impossible. The loss overrode everything to do with his life.

Then, he found a weak spot.

Mateo Aquino, history teacher. Yes, he’d been the perfect target.

Noah Hanover was the weak spot.

The doctor bitch, he figured out quickly, was in their secret base, unavailable for him to grab while the teacher stayed in the open, an easy target. Ginger O’Malley, the ex-wife of Jake O’Malley, found herself another man to play daddy with her little girl. Jake suffered enough knowing his wife took another dick up her ass.

And Schoell, the bastard had no one. Not a soul. The poor asshole. Momma should have swallowed instead of getting pregnant. He laughed. It only left Hanover and his butt-loving man. If he took this man, he’d knock down the first domino in the hundred that would comprise destroying their team, like they destroyed him.

For him, R.O.O.T. was just as much at fault as Barclay for all he lost. They should have stopped the senator long before. Twenty years ago would have been perfect. Before his parents were killed and they tortured his brother till he became a shell of his former self. He swallowed hard and gritted his teeth. He called up the memory of his parents and his brother to keep it fresh. To remind him of what his end game would be.

He shut the laptop and waited. Today, he would grab Mateo. The internet could tell anyone anything if the person knew what they needed. He grabbed Mateo’s background check from the Virginia Bureau of Investigations after he applied to be a teacher. Mateo had been with Virginia Beach Schools for the last ten years and was a well-loved teacher.

Mateo lived in a bachelor pad with Noah Hanover near the school and he also, after a bit more digging, enjoyed spending time at the gym. Probably to blow off steam.

As the final bell rang, he prepared himself for the mission. He had to wait for Mateo to exit the building, then he could grab the man and take him to his special place.

The warehouse in the middle of the unincorporated part of Richmond was the perfect place to keep his quarry. The windows were already blacked out. All but one set of doors had been chained shut, and to add a bit of flare, he placed a coming soon billboard on the roof. Shmucks could be so gullible sometimes.

No one would think twice to check there, plus, he loved to play things close.

No one had heard about his plan. No one would suspect him. He liked to think of himself as being a non-descript man. He didn’t have tattoos or distinct hair. He appeared ordinary. No one would suspect a thing.

He got out of the rented van and kept his head down as he approached Mateo as he exited the building. He didn’t pay attention to his surroundings. Noah hadn’t taught him very well. Oh well, it made taking him that much easier.

“Excuse me,” he muttered. “I’m lost.”

Mateo stopped and turned to him. “Where are you wanting to go?” He lifted the shoulder strap of his bag, hitching it higher.

“My van is over here, I have GPS, but it dumped me here and this is not the Municipal Building. I think I programmed it wrong.” He gave a sheepish chuckle. “I’m new here. Just got a job and paperwork. What can you do.”

Mateo laughed and followed. “It’s what makes the world go ‘round, my man.” He stepped up to the driver side door. “Where did you get a job?”

“Water department,” he answered quickly. “Good benefits. Vacation. Better than some places, I guess.”

“Don’t I know it. The school is great about vacations and benefits.” He peered into the van. “Wait…there’s no—”

He struck fast. Wrapping one hand around his mouth, he positioned the other at his neck, injecting a sedative. Their drive to Richmond would take a few hours, and he had to make sure Mateo wouldn’t cause any issues.

With a press of the key fob in his pocket, the side door opened and he pushed the heavy load into the back before sliding it closed. He checked the area to make sure no one saw him before climbing in and pulling away.

He exited the parking lot in a cool and calm fashion. No one had seen a thing. Stage one was complete. Stage two would begin once he hit the warehouse. A preset text message would go to Noah’s phone explaining exactly what would happen next.

Noah Hanover walked through the door of his apartment, and paused. Silence filled the space. By now, Mateo should have been home from work. “Hello?” He walked through the small space, glancing in each room. When he didn’t see anyone, he shrugged. He probably had an impromptu meeting and couldn’t call.

It happened. High school kids were more trouble than the little kids sometimes. He might have had to take a teen who broke some rule before the disciplinary committee Mateo headed or something for school technology. He’d give it a few more hours before he questioned where his husband had gone off to.

He showered while he waited, removing the day’s grime. They were training the newbies, Calvin, Wayne, and Paul. Each man had skills. Some were innate and others were still being honed. He liked the guys and after saving Asher and Rae, well, they earned his respect, too.

As it stood right now, Rae was considered precious cargo. Every day, she received more death threats. The majority they kept from her. She didn’t need to see how depraved most people were.

Asher, on the other hand, was back to working operations. The committee inquiry for Lincoln had learned the information about Winters and Asher being family, but in all the cases he worked, Asher came in above board. As of right now, he was clear to continue with R.O.O.T. The bigger results would come within the next two weeks. So far, rumors were saying they would end up clearing the whole team and Asher would continue to be their boss.

He'd been telling the truth when he said he’d quit before he’d take the job as commander. Pretty much, they all did. No one wanted to work for a government entity that would change leaders because of a familial connection. Plenty of people did it. Noah stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his hips.

And while Asher did the heavy lifting with his uncle during those meetings, Hanover and the guys continued their hunt for the black-market uranium Lincoln bought. The man had it stashed somewhere and it was only a matter of time before they found it. Or it ended up in the wrong hands. No, he couldn’t think about that right now. They had to stay positive. The ramifications of not finding it could have lasting effects globally.

Noah glanced out the window of his bedroom and frowned. The sun had set, and Mateo still wasn’t home. Damn. It’s not like him to not call. He stomped to their room, hell bent on calling his husband to give him a piece of his fucking mind. The light on his phone blinked and a wash of relief filled him.

He picked it up and unlocked the screen. A message waited for him with an attachment. Noah frowned. “What the fuck?”

Tapping the screen, he waited for the attachment to download, then sucked in a breath. At first the screen had been blank, but seconds later a picture of Mateo tied to a lone chair in a room filled his phone. Blood trailed down the corner of his mouth into his beard, discoloring the hairs. His eye was split and swollen, and his dress shirt laid against him in torn shreds. Whoever had him, his lover fought back. A surge of pride filled him.

“Noah Hanover. I have what you want. You have seventy-two hours to broadcast the letter in the message, or else I will take what you love most. Like you took what I loved. Do not call the police. Do not tell your team. I will know if you do. I will know your every move. Time is ticking.”

He read over the confession and snorted. “I lied about my family. I kept secrets from the world. I’m a licensed killer. What the fuck?” He watched the video again, to try to find any clues of where Mateo could be. Nothing stuck out as remarkable to him. In fact, it was all too plain.

Instead of making any calls, he grabbed the bug detector and began the methodical search of his apartment to be sure whoever had his husband couldn’t hear him. Once he was sure his home was secure, he grabbed a burner and called base.

“We have a problem,” he snarled when O’Malley answered. “I’m being blackmailed. I’m on the way in.”

The fuck he would tell anyone about Mateo’s status. Not over the phone. He dressed quickly then took off. If this fucker thought he would give up info on his team or make some stupid ass statement in hopes he’d cave, the bastard had another thing coming.

“Hold on, babe. I’m coming for you.”

THE END

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About TL Reeve

TL Reeve, a bestselling, multi-published author with Cobblestone Press, Decadent Publishing, Evernight Publishing, and Loose-Id, was born out of a love of family and a bond that became unbreakable. Living in Alabama, TL misses Los Angeles, and will one-day return to the beaches of Southern California to ride the waves at Huntington Beach. When not writing something hot and sexy, TL can be found curled up with a good book, or working on homework with a cute little pixie.

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About Michele Ryan

Michele Ryan is a new author with Decadent Publishing. She embraced her creative passion and with fellow author TL Reeve, they co-authored two books together. Michele has also published her first solo novella with Decadent. A lifelong resident of the state of New Jersey, along with her husband and three children, who she refers to as her hobbits. When Michele is not plotting or writing, she can be found either volunteering at her children’s school or reading.

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