Her suitcase was filled with comfortable, lightweight slacks and shirts. Hiking boots. Functional bras, panties, and socks. Comfort was the name of the game.
Serena swallowed as she stared at Ajax. This third version was off the charts. Every muscle on his body was defined. She wanted to stroke his chest or maybe his biceps. She shuddered as she jerked her gaze to his.
“You okay? I heard you moving around and then the faint light. And… Well, you’ve been in there a while.”
“I’m fine. I was trying not to wake you.” She absentmindedly ran a hand through her hair again.
“Jesus, woman,” he murmured as he grabbed her arm and spun her around. “Holy shit. Have you ever cut this hair?”
Oh, right. Her hair. She rarely let anyone see it down. But it had been weighing heavily earlier and given her a headache. “No.”
His hand came to the locks, and she stood very still as he picked up a section and let his fingers slide through it. “It’s so silky. I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone who never cut their hair. Is this some sort of religious thing?” he asked as he came around to face her again.
She chuckled. “Sort of. Mostly, it’s just a thing. My mother never cut hers and she didn’t cut my sisters’ or mine either. I honestly never thought much about it until I was back in the States.”
“You were eighteen. An adult.”
“Yep.”
“What did you do when you returned?” he asked gently.
“I took a year to figure things out and mourn, and then I enrolled in the local junior college, got my associate’s, and went on to get my degree in business and my master’s in international studies.” Why was she telling him all this? Simple answers would suffice. The man didn’t need to know her life story.
He smiled. “I bet you’re fucking smart.”
She shrugged. “I’m just me.”
“Smarter than me. I never attended a single day of college.”
She winced. “You know I didn’t mean anything when I suggested you couldn’t read.”
He chuckled. “I know.”
“There’s no correlation between intelligence and education either.”
“Yep. I know that too.”
“You came on so strong and cocky that I had my defenses up. I owe you an apology.”
“No, you don’t. You were thrust into this situation, same as us. I understand. I was angry and frustrated when we met. Fucking furious is more like it. I didn’t put my best face on. I wouldn’t have for anyone that day. Finding out my best friend and a man I consider a brother was still alive after being told he had died…”
“Yeah. I’m sorry about that. I can’t begin to imagine how you must have been feeling for those three months.”
“Dead mostly. And wishing I were actually dead.”
She winced again. She definitely knew that feeling.
“I’ve since pulled my head out of my ass, and I intend to find my damn team, get them to safety, and find a way to restart my life. The moping and feeling sorry for myself phase is over.”
She nodded and reached for his hand for some reason. It was probably a horrible idea, but she felt like touching him in some way. They both needed comforting.
Standing in the dim light coming from the bathroom, she stroked his thumb with hers. “I know you hate having me along on this trip—”
“Serena…”
“Just listen. I get it. I’m a woman. I look fragile, and I’m not at all the sort of person you’d have chosen to head into dangerous Ethiopian territory with. I wouldn’t if I were in your shoes either. But I want you to know, I’m not as weak, physically or mentally, as I come off. I’ll do my best to stay out of your way and let you do your thing, but I’m not as ill-equipped to be here as you might imagine.”
He nodded slowly as he flipped his hand over and grasped hers. He lifted it to his cheek and rubbed her knuckles against his skin.
Her breath hitched. It felt nice. Parts of her better left dormant came to life unbidden. She wanted to jerk her hand back to break the connection, but she wanted him to continue touching her even more.
She decided to make a joke to break the weirdness. “I promise not to flatten you on your back again.”
He grinned. “But I thought it was kind of hot, especially the part where you grabbed my crotch.”
She flushed and glanced away. “Yeah, that was… I didn’t mean to touch you like that. It’s just how I was taught. Self-defense is usually needed against sexual aggression.”
He chuckled. “I get that. I’m just glad you stopped yourself before squeezing my balls in a death grip.”
She pursed her lips. She honestly couldn’t believe she’d grabbed his… privates like that. It had been ingrained in her, part of the fluid motion. She’d felt ridiculous when she’d realized what she’d done.
On top of that, his manhood had grown stiff under her palm before she’d had the sense to release him. Good grief. She’d never get that image out of her head. Especially if he brought it up over and over.
“Sorry. I won’t mention it again. I’ve embarrassed you.”
She shook her head, a bit too defiantly. “No. It’s okay.” She forced a smile. “It was kind of funny.”
“My cock, or the fact that you grabbed it without thinking?”
Cock. She could barely think that word without blushing. Yep. She could turn a deeper shade of red. She felt the heat climb higher up her skin. That was when she realized what she was wearing and pulled her hand gently out of his to cross her arms.
She had on a thin tank top and shorts. Both white. He could surely see the outline of her breasts and probably her nipples. She hadn’t grabbed a robe when she tiptoed into the bathroom. It had never been her intention to leave the door open between their rooms, nor for either man to see her half-naked like this.
“Do you think you can get back to sleep? I bet we’re going to need all the sleep we can get before we meet up with whoever the hell we’re getting our intel from tomorrow.”
“You’re right.” She shuffled past him, glad for the suggestion. At least this way she could slide back between the sheets and cover herself.
As she sat on the edge of the bed and swung her legs up, he followed her. The man even pulled the covers over her and then stroked another lock of her hair. “Sleep,” he murmured in a rough voice before turning and padding out of her room.
He didn’t touch the door this time either, and she stared at the open doorway for a while, her heart racing. She didn’t think she’d ever be able to go back to sleep after that strange encounter. Ajax Cassman was a duplicitous man. Or maybe she was wrong. Maybe the first Ajax she’d met hadn’t been the real him. Maybe he was the nice guy she’d just chatted with in the middle of the night in the dim light.
She turned onto her side and pulled her knees up, chewing on her lip as she thought about his pecs and the way his arms didn’t fully hang straight down at his sides because his biceps were too large. She thought about his cleanly shaved face and short-cropped hair.
When she was done thinking of that side of Ajax, she thought about his beard and the longer locks he’d had the first time she saw him. She’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit he took her breath away that day. She’d done her best to ignore him and hide her reaction, but she’d known.
She’d been leery about this trip ever since, concerned about her attraction. By the time they’d found her at the airport yesterday, she’d talked herself out of any ridiculous attraction. She’d even gone so far as to give herself a pep talk after they found their seats on the plane. See. Not a mountain man at all. The gruff figure you’ve been lusting over was an apparition.
Who had she been kidding with that self-chat? The new version of Ajax was even sexier and far more like the sort of man she was ordinarily attracted to. If she even had an ordinary attraction to anyone. That was a bit of a stretch. Her attractions were few and far between, and the number of times she’d acted on them were even fewer.<
br />
She needed to shake the odd obsession. She was not in Ethiopia to stare at a perfectly chiseled male body. She was here to help this man find his missing comrades.
Chapter 7
Ajax was far less concerned about Serena’s part in this mission as he and Ryker followed her to the rendezvous point the following morning. He couldn’t be entirely sure about Charley’s motives, but he no longer believed there was any chance Serena harbored ill-intent.
The three of them had packed light, leaving their suitcases in storage at the hotel, carrying only what they could fit in a backpack. Ajax had no idea when they might return to Addis Ababa, but packing for an indefinite length of time to an unknown location was not unheard of for him. He’d done it dozens of times.
When he’d stood in the doorway to Serena’s room this morning, watching her pull together her own backpack, he realized she too was not a stranger to this sort of mission.
His chest had tightened, wondering what this woman had seen and experienced in her fourteen years living in this country.
As they wandered through the crowded side streets in the outskirts of Addis Ababa, Serena eventually paused to speak to a teenager, who nodded and started walking down a narrow alley.
Serena didn’t hesitate to follow him, so Ajax held his tongue as he glanced at Ryker.
Of the two of them, Ryker was more skeptical. In fact, he’d pointed out early that morning that he hoped Ajax’s ability to evaluate their danger level today wouldn’t be clouded by his obvious attraction for their female tour guide.
Ajax had shot him a glare from the bathroom doorway, making Ryker lift both hands in surrender. “Just sayin’, man.”
“You have nothing to worry about from me,” Ajax had responded defensively.
That furrowed brow Ryker had sported from the moment they’d gotten up hadn’t gone away. If anything, it was more intense and skeptical.
Ajax couldn’t blame him. This entire mission was far too mysterious for either of them to let their guard down, but he also knew neither of them would turn back. If there was even the slimmest chance their brothers were still alive and being held captive somewhere, they needed to follow every single lead they had, starting with trusting Serena.
The boy hurried to a door and pushed it open. After stepping inside, he held it wide for the rest of them to pass.
Ajax controlled his breathing as he followed directly behind Serena down a short hallway and then up a narrow flight of stairs to the second floor. There were several doors on that floor, and the teenager who’d guided them to this location didn’t stay with them. He pointed at a door and then took off.
Serena knocked and seconds later, it opened.
Ajax’s brows shot up when he found the person on the other side of the door was a woman. That shouldn’t have shocked him, but it did anyway. Thick blond hair pulled back in a low ponytail, loose tendrils falling around her face. Golden-brown eyes that were narrowed just enough to indicate her intensity.
She didn’t say a word as she stood back and ushered them all into what turned out to be an apartment. A small meager one. Ajax didn’t get the impression it belonged to this woman.
She finally spoke after she shut the door, reaching out a hand. “I’m Xena. You must be Ajax?” She shook Ryker’s hand next. “And Ryker?” Lastly, she reached for Serena. “And Serena.”
They all nodded.
Xena pointed at a small table with four mismatched chairs. “Sit.” She handed them all a bottle of water without asking as they each dropped their packs and claimed a spot at the table.
“Cut to the chase,” Ryker stated, scowling.
Xena shot him a glare that Ajax assumed would make most people cower. She hadn’t met Ryker before.
Ryker rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Listen, woman, we’re here for one reason and one reason only, and that’s to find the rest of our team and rescue them from God knows who. I assume they’re being held by either Ethiopian or Eritrean militants. That’s if any of this intel is even legit.”
“It’s legit,” Xena informed him. She set her elbows on the table and met Ryker’s gaze dead-on. “No need to get defensive. And I’d rather you called me by my name instead of woman. I don’t respond kindly to condescension.”
Ryker followed suit, setting his elbows on the table, and leaned toward her. “Pardon me for my skepticism, Xena, but my brother and I have spent the last three months being lied to. We are in no mood for games, and so far this entire mysterious mission has been nothing but a giant game in which we’re the pawns and we don’t even know who the puppet master is. If you have details that will help us find the rest of our team, spill them. If your job is to kill us both in order to ensure we’re no longer a liability, get on with that now. No sense prolonging the inevitable.”
Xena flinched. “I can assure you no one means you harm.”
Ryker leaned closer to emphasize his response. “And I can assure you, I don’t trust anyone.”
Ajax set a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Let’s listen to what Xena has to say.”
Ryker slowly leaned back in his seat, twisted off the lid to his water bottle, sniffed the contents, touched the edge with his tongue to taste it first, and then took a swig.
Xena rolled her eyes. “I’m not here to kill you. Rein it in, big guy.” She turned her attention to Serena. “Did you have any trouble getting here?”
“No.”
“Anyone follow you?”
“Not that I know of.”
Ajax cleared his throat. “No one fucking followed us.” He was a Goddamn SEAL. He’d kept his eye on his surroundings the entire time they’d been on the move.
“Good.” She turned toward Ryker and then back at the group as a whole. “Now, to answer your first question, the six other members of your team have been split into two groups.”
Ajax groaned. He didn’t like this at all. It implied that he and Ryker would need to divide and conquer. Never the best option if it could be avoided.
“Yeah. Not ideal,” Xena admitted, “but it can’t be helped. Our intel suggests that your squad was set up that day three months ago. The Ethiopian rebels knew precisely where you’d be and when. They were to kill all of you. The problem was, the bombs planted in that building blew just before you breached it. So they decided to take all eight of you as prisoners. They obviously had no idea about the second squad, your backup.”
Ajax inhaled slowly, trying not to react. He needed to remain sharp and listen to everything Xena had to say.
“You never stood a chance. You were surrounded. It was all carefully planned. The moment that bomb went off, the militants moved in and captured the six men who were standing. The two of you were dead weight and they didn’t have time to haul off dead or injured bodies.”
Ajax glanced at Serena who was focused on Xena and didn’t flinch. She was not a stranger to this type of conversation. For some reason, he hated that for her.
Xena continued, “A band of Eritrean militants weren’t far behind and the two groups got into a squabble, eventually agreeing to divide their spoils—so to speak. The Ethiopians took four of your men. The Eritreans took two.”
“Shit,” Ryker muttered.
“Like I said, not ideal. And we need to rescue both groups at the same time or risk the others being killed.”
Ajax nodded. “Of course. Great.”
Xena stood and headed to the kitchen counter, returning moments later with two files. She and Serena spoke in what must’ve been the local language before setting one in front of Ajax. She kept the other. “The two of you will head to the Eritrean camp in the desert. The details, your connections and meeting points, are all in this file.” She glanced at Ryker. “Ryker and I will head to the Ethiopian camp in the mountains.”
Ryker groaned. “Great.”
Xena slapped her hand on the table and leaned in close to him. “An attitude adjustment would be perfect right about now. I’m here to fucking help you. How about you thank
me instead of acting like I’m the one who is going to slow us down?” She glanced at his beltline and accused, “Looks like you’ve been enjoying the comforts of home this past three months.”
He smirked. “Can you flip me onto my back and pin me to the floor like Serena over there?”
Her grin was just shy of evil. “And then some. Care to find out?”
He chuckled sardonically. “Not right now, sweetheart. Maybe later.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Again, my name is Xena.”
Ajax kept his palm flat on the file without opening it yet. “Wait.” He reached out and gripped Serena’s forearm. “No offense, but surely you don’t intend to go with us?” He addressed both Xena and Serena.
Serena jerked her arm out of his grip and turned toward him. “Did you want me to flatten you on your back again?”
He sighed and rubbed his temples. “Look, I have no doubt about your ability to defend yourself against a would-be civilian attacker, but no way am I taking a civilian—woman or man—into a combat situation with me. I’d spend all my time worrying about you, and we’d both get killed.”
Serena crossed her arms and narrowed her gaze, glaring at him. “You have no choice, Ajax.” She yanked the file out from under his other hand and opened it.
He sighed while she scanned the top few pages before tapping the map on the third page. “See this? This right here?”
He reluctantly glanced down. “It’s a map,” he pointed out unnecessarily.
“Uh-huh. A map of the region of this country that I know well and you don’t. That’s why I’m here. That’s why you and I are going after the Eritrean troops holding your squad members.” She leaned forward and tapped his chest. “You need me.”
He was pretty sure his nostrils flared, but he kept his mouth shut. She was undoubtedly correct. And he hated it.
Xena shoved off the table and headed for the counter again, returning with two SAT phones. She handed one to Serena. “Cell service sucks just about everywhere. You’ll need to keep this off as much as possible to preserve the battery and avoid being detected, but I included a list of times we should attempt to make contact over the next few days. If one of us is unable to respond at a designated time, try to be available the next time so we won’t worry.”
Shadow in the Desert (Shadow SEALs) Page 5