I didn’t feel any remorse about it. These evil men kidnapped a child and strapped a bomb to his chest. An eternity would pass before I lost any sleep over it.
Parker had opened the face of the bomb and began tugging out wires. His hands worked quickly and remained calm the entire time.
“Do you know what you’re doing?” Every time he touched a wire, my heart stopped and my lungs locked up.
He nodded. “I think so.”
My eyes widened, and my knees went weak. “You think?”
“Chase,” Parker said into the air. “I need some help here.”
I eyed the clock. We had thirty seconds.
“Give me two seconds.” Chase fell silent as he worked on his end.
I huffed, getting more anxious by the second. “How is Chase going to help us?”
“He can see the bomb.”
I looked around and didn’t see any cameras.
Parker answered my unspoken question. “There’s a camera in my lens.”
Chase’s voice filled my ear. “Cut the red wire and the yellow wire. But make sure you cut the red wire first.”
“Are you sure?” Parker asked.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Chase snapped. “Now do it.”
There was only five seconds left. “Cut the damn wire.”
Parker moved the pliers around the insulated wires. “Chase, if you’re wrong, I’m kicking your ass in the next life.”
“Meet you in hell, buddy.”
Parker cut both wires, and the clock stopped.
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Chase.”
The child was still scared, so I sat beside him and wrapped my arm around his shoulder. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. You’re going home.”
Tears were still wet on his face even though he’d stopped crying. “Home?”
“Yeah.” I rubbed his back then brushed his hair off his sweaty forehead.
He took a stuttering breath. “I miss my mom and my dad.”
“I know, kiddo.” I imagined how relieved his parents would be when they saw him. “You’ll see them soon.”
Parker removed the bomb from his chest. “Alright, champ. You’re all set.”
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Cameron,” he whispered.
“It’s nice to meet you, Cameron. I’m Sierra. And this is my friend, Parker. We’re going to get you home safely.”
“Okay…” He bowed his head and stared at the floor.
Parker looked at me. “Let’s get out of here before people realize what’s going on.” He turned to Cameron. “Can you walk?”
Cameron nodded. “I can run. Just take me home.”
Parker gave him a smile before he patted him on the shoulder. “Then let’s go.”
I sat in the rear of the plane with Cameron beside me. He was still shaken up over the ordeal, not that I blamed him. The past twenty-four hours would haunt him for the rest of his life.
“Why don’t you get some sleep?” I rubbed his back and tried to make him feel comfortable.
“If I sleep, will you leave?”
That broke my heart all over again. “No. I’ll be here the whole time.” I was tired, but my body was still too revved up to fully relax.
Cameron lay his head on my thigh and extended his feet to the other seats. His hands were pulled to his chest and he looked so small. Within minutes, he was asleep. My hand rested on his back, feeling it rise and fall with every breath.
A few minutes later, Parker joined us. He sat beside me and looked down at Cameron. “You’re good with kids.”
“He’s just scared.” My fingers moved through Cameron’s hair. “But he’s a trooper.”
“He is.”
Parker stared at me like there was something else he wanted to say. I looked right at him, giving him my attention.
“You did great today.”
“Thank you.” It was nice to get a compliment from him.
“You were quick on your feet and made the right decision at every turn.” He held my gaze without blinking. “You’re going to make a great agent.” He glanced at Cameron before he looked at me again. “Because you care about people, not money.”
I nodded, overwhelmed by his praise.
“Looks like you’re ready for the next step.”
I peeked back up at him from under my lashes. “And what would that be?”
“Meeting the team.” Parker chuckled. “Chase jokes around a lot, but he’s a great guy. You’ll like him.”
“I already do like him.”
“You’ll like the rest of the team too.”
I was really excited to meet everyone else, but I was even more excited to spend time with Parker in a new environment. “What’s next?”
“We’ll deliver Cameron to his father. After that, I’ll take you to the office.”
“In Texas?”
“Yep,” he answered. “And I want you to remember this isn’t the mafia. If you ever want to stop working with us, all you need to do is say so.”
“I know, Parker.”
“Just want to make sure you understand that. If things become too much, you can always bow out.”
“That won’t be a problem.” Even though I’d only completed one mission, this felt right. I never cared about school or anything else. While this job was dangerous, I was already passionate about it. A rescued child was sleeping on my lap. What could be a greater reward than that?
“We still have to take care of your father. Not all missions will be as straight-forward as this.”
I closed my eyes and nodded. “I know.”
Parker was quiet for a moment before he leaned over and kissed me on the lips. “I should get back to the cockpit. Get some sleep if you can.”
He watched me for a moment then slipped his hand behind my neck, giving me a gentle squeeze. “I love you.”
My heart tripled in size and all the fear and tension I had still lingering inside me was replaced by joy and love. “I love you too, Parker.”
He smiled and headed back to the front of the plane while I relaxed and stared at Cameron.
This felt good. Not every mission would be so rewarding, but this is what I needed to do with my life.
I wanted to save people, and I wanted to be with Parker. Working with him allowed me to do both. And if we ever got to the point where we needed to consider another change, we’d do that.
But for now, this was my new life. My only objective going forward was to save as many people as possible while making sure to go home with Parker every night.
This was where I was meant to be.
Next in the Intensity series…
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About the Author
Born and raised in the Silicon Valley, Aspen Drake has never ventured far from home. She loves to read, so much so that her husband has often lamented that he wishes he was a sentence so he could get more of her attention. She's working on seeking a more balanced life...but until then, you can find her curled around her ipad or laptop for many hours per day. When she isn't writing the stories that come to her while sitting in traffic, she's hawking wares as a marketing manager for a tech company.
Reach out to her at [email protected].
Also by Aspen Drake
Intensity Series
Intense
Intrigue
Finding Shelter Series
Sheltering Emma
Convincing Jenna
Defending Lucy
Searching for Shan
Winning over Waverly
Destined for Della
Fierce Salon Series
Wash
Rince
Repeat
Creamy’s Bakery Series
Knead
There are many more books in this fan fiction world than listed here, for an up-to-date list go to www.AcesPress.com
You can also visit our Amazon page at:
http://www.amazon.com/author/operationalpha
&n
bsp; Special Forces: Operation Alpha World
Denise Agnew: Dangerous to Hold
Shauna Allen: Awakening Aubrey
Shauna Allen: Defending Danielle
Shauna Allen: Rescuing Rebekah
Shauna Allen: Saving Scarlett
Shauna Allen: Saving Grace
Brynne Asher: Blackburn
Jennifer Becker: Hiding Catherine
Julia Bright: Saving Lorelei
Julia Bright: Rescuing Amy
Victoria Bright: Surviving Savage
Victoria Bright: Going Ghost
Victoria Bright: Jostling Joker
Cara Carnes: Protecting Mari
Kendra Mei Chailyn: Beast
Kendra Mei Chailyn: Barbie
Kendra Mei Chailyn : Pitbull
Melissa Kay Clarke: Rescuing Annabeth
Melissa Kay Clarke: Safeguarding Miley
Samantha A. Cole: Handling Haven
Samantha A. Cole: Cheating the Devil
Sue Coletta: Hacked
Melissa Combs: Gallant
KaLyn Cooper: Rescuing Melina
Liz Crowe: Marking Mariah
Jordan Dane: Redemption for Avery
Jordan Dane: Fiona’s Salvation
Riley Edwards: Protecting Olivia
Riley Edwards: Redeeming Violet
Riley Edwards, Recovering Ivy
Nicole Flockton: Protecting Maria
Nicole Flockton: Guarding Erin
Nicole Flockton: Guarding Suzie
Nicole Flockton: Guarding Brielle
Casey Hagen: Shielding Nebraska
Casey Hagen: Shielding Harlow
Casey Hagen: Shielding Josie
Casey Hagen: Shielding Blair
Desiree Holt: Protecting Maddie
Kathy Ivan: Saving Sarah
Kathy Ivan: Saving Savannah
Kathy Ivan: Saving Stephanie
Jesse Jacobson: Protecting Honor
Jesse Jacobson: Fighting for Honor
Jesse Jacobson: Defending Honor
Jesse Jacobson: Summer Breeze
Silver James: Rescue Moon
Silver James: SEAL Moon
Silver James: Assassin’s Moon
Silver James: Under the Assassin’s Moon
Becca Jameson: Saving Sofia
Kate Kinsley: Protecting Ava
Heather Long: Securing Arizona
Heather Long: Guarding Gertrude
Heather Long: Protecting Pilar
Heather Long: Covering Coco
Gennita Low: No Protection
Kirsten Lynn: Joining Forces for Jesse
Margaret Madigan: Bang for the Buck
Margaret Madigan: Buck the System
Margaret Madigan: Jungle Buck
Margaret Madigan: December Chill
Rachel McNeely: The SEAL’s Surprise Baby
Rachel McNeely: The SEAL’s Surprise Bride
Rachel McNeely: The SEAL’s Surprise Twin
KD Michaels: Saving Laura
KD Michaels: Protecting Shane
KD Michaels: Avenging Angels
Wren Michaels: The Fox & The Hound
Wren Michaels: The Fox & The Hound 2
Wren Michaels: Shadow of Doubt
Wren Michaels: Shift of Fate
Wren Michaels: Steeling His Heart
Kat Mizera: Protecting Bobbi
Mary B Moore: Force Protection
LeTeisha Newton: Protecting Butterfly
LeTeisha Newton: Protecting Goddess
LeTeisha Newton: Protecting Vixen
LeTeisha Newton: Protecting Heartbeat
MJ Nightingale: Protecting Beauty
MJ Nightingale: Betting on Benny
MJ Nightingale: Protecting Secrets
Sarah O’Rourke: Saving Liberty
Debra Parmley: Protecting Pippa
Lainey Reese: Protecting New York
Jenika Snow: Protecting Lily
Jen Talty: Burning Desire
Jen Talty: Burning Kiss
Jen Talty: Burning Skies
Jen Talty: Burning Lies
Jen Talty: Burning Heart
Megan Vernon: Protecting Us
Megan Vernon: Protecting Earth
Police and Fire: Operation Alpha World
Freya Barker: Burning for Autumn
KaLyn Cooper: Justice for Gwen
Aspen Drake: Sheltering Emma
Deanndra Hall: Shelter for Sharla
Deanndra Hall:Justice for Aleta
Barb Han: Kace
Reina Torres: Justice for Sloane
Stacey Wilk: Stage Fright
As you know, this book included at least one character from Susan Stoker’s books. To check out more, see below.
SEAL of Protection: Legacy Series
Securing Caite
Securing Brenae (novella)
Securing Sidney
Securing Piper (Aug 2019)
Securing Zoey (Jan 2020)
Securing Avery (May 2020)
Securing Kalee (Sept 2020)
Delta Force Heroes Series
Rescuing Rayne (FREE!)
Rescuing Aimee (novella)
Rescuing Emily
Rescuing Harley
Marrying Emily (novella)
Rescuing Kassie
Rescuing Bryn
Rescuing Casey
Rescuing Sadie (novella)
Rescuing Wendy
Rescuing Mary
Rescuing Macie (Novella)
Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Series
Justice for Mackenzie (FREE!)
Justice for Mickie
Justice for Corrie
Justice for Laine (novella)
Shelter for Elizabeth
Justice for Boone
Shelter for Adeline
Shelter for Sophie
Justice for Erin
Justice for Milena
Shelter for Blythe
Justice for Hope
Shelter for Quinn
Shelter for Koren (July 2019)
Shelter for Penelope (Oct 2019)
SEAL of Protection Series
Protecting Caroline (FREE!)
Protecting Alabama
Protecting Fiona
Marrying Caroline (novella)
Protecting Summer
Protecting Cheyenne
Protecting Jessyka
Protecting Julie (novella)
Protecting Melody
Protecting the Future
Protecting Kiera (novella)
Protecting Alabama’s Kids (novella)
Protecting Dakota
New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Tennessee where she lives, but this all American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, Indiana, and Texas. She’s married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.
She debuted her first series in 2014 and quickly followed that up with the SEAL of Protection Series, which solidified her love of writing and creating stories readers can get lost in.
If you enjoyed this book, or any book, please consider leaving a review. It’s appreciated by authors more than you’ll know.
www.stokeraces.com
www.AcesPress.com
[email protected]
Intense - Aspen Drake & Emily Cain Page 15