by Elle James
“And by ‘smart,’ you mean get permission from the CO?” Diesel prompted.
“Sure,” Jake said. “Even if it’s after the fact.”
“That’s not permission,” Harm said. “That’s forgiveness.”
“Right now, we have to get outfitted for a formal party.” Jake glanced around at his buddies. “How many of you have worn a suit in the past half century?”
“I wore one when I was seven to my great-aunt’s funeral,” Harm admitted.
Jake snorted. “Like I thought. We all need some threads to blend into the crowd tonight. We can’t look like something the cat dragged in. Right, Pitbull?”
“Hey.” Pitbull leveled a lethal stare at Jake. “No cat is going to drag this dog anywhere. And what do I need with a suit?”
Alex swallowed a chuckle at the look on Pitbull’s face.
Jake went on to say, “Think of it as practice for when you boneheads marry your ladies.”
Pitbull’s eyes lit up. “Now you’re talking. Though I think Marley would wear her flight suit to the wedding instead of a dress. And she’s damned sexy in that flight suit. I think that’s the first thing I noticed about her.”
“No way. The first thing you noticed about Marley was her plane and how it made you all jittery inside.” Harm clapped a hand to Pitbull’s back. “Come on, even Marley would appreciate a tailored suit on her man.”
The men laughed and headed for the embassy exit and the borrowed SUV.
Alex enjoyed how they poked and prodded one another. She could sense the tight bond between these men who lived, played and fought as a team. Never having had friends as close as the men were to each other, she envied their camaraderie.
Any woman who married into the group would have to understand their relationship was number one; their loyalty to country would come first, family second. But she had no doubt anyone these men loved would be loved fiercely, like everything else they did in life.
As she slid into the SUV beside Jake, Alex studied the man who had never married. Perhaps he took his duty to country so seriously he would never choose a woman over the navy. Many men in the military found a way to have both. And many ended up divorced. The secret to the successful unions was the ability to adapt. Both partners in the relationship had to come in strong and stay strong throughout. They had to trust that each would be there for the other if the going got tough. When the going got tough.
Alex didn’t have any long-term expectations of Jake. Yes, he’d kissed her, but he hadn’t declared an undying love for her, and she wouldn’t expect it so soon after they’d met. But the girl inside her that always read the books with the happy endings wanted to see Jake have his happy ending. And she wanted one of her own.
* * *
THREE HOURS LATER, Jake, Alex and the men returned to the embassy, having found appropriate clothing for the reception that evening.
Alex disappeared as soon as they returned, claiming she wanted to get a nap in before the party. He suspected she was excited by the dress she’d found. That she hadn’t shown it to him indicated she wanted it to be a surprise for him.
Warmth spread through Jake’s chest and heart. He’d offered to escort her to the ball, and she’d accepted with a brilliant smile.
“Where’s T-Mac working?” Jake asked.
“In another wing,” Buck said. “He and I are sharing quarters.”
“Let’s find out what we’ve been missing,” Jake said.
Buck led the way to the wing of the embassy where he and T-Mac had been sharing a room. When he threw open the door, T-Mac barely glanced up from his computer. “Hey,” he said.
Jake entered the room and held the door for the others to come in before he closed it behind them. “What have you found?”
“Some interesting connections,” T-Mac replied.
“Really?” Jake leaned over the back of T-Mac’s chair. “Like what?”
“I looked up Snyder Mining Enterprises and traced it back to its mothership, the Transunion Mining Corporation. At least, it was a part of Transunion until a year ago, when its assets were sold to a corporation out of Colorado. I’m having a hard time tracing the Colorado corporation. Its base is somehow buried in the Cayman Islands. It might take me longer to sift through the data there.”
“Interesting.” Jake tapped the side of his cheek.
“I did some checking on our man Quinten Philburn, the CEO of Snyder Mining Enterprises here in Niger,” T-Mac added. “He’s got a pretty checkered past. He was fired from his job as chief operations officer at Rocky Point Mine in Alaska when the company was sued by indigenous people for polluting the nearby lake and river. Before the lawsuit, Philburn had a record of the most profits for any mining company in the area. After the lawsuit, the company folded and filed for bankruptcy.”
Jake snorted. “Fired for taking advantage of the resources in America, yet he’s working here in Africa, pretty much unregulated. We saw some of the men working that mine. The conditions were unenviable.”
“Sounds like Philburn is squeezing as much of the profits as he can out of the operation.” Harm spun away from the computer and paced across the room and back. “But, again, it’s not our job to police the actions of civilians, even if they are from the US.”
“No,” Jake said. “It’s not our job, but US citizens are in danger. We’ve been on missions to rescue Americans held hostage in foreign countries. It happens.”
“It happens when the orders come from higher up,” Harm reminded him.
“One other thing I found...” T-Mac turned in his chair. “Ambassador Brightbill had shares in Transunion Mining Corporation back before he joined the State Department.”
“Does he still?” Jake asked.
T-Mac shook his head. “I couldn’t find a current connection.” He raised his hands. “That’s all I have so far. But I’ll keep digging.”
“Thanks.” Jake straightened. “I need to get ready for the reception. If all the players are there, I want to get a feel for who we’re up against.”
“Assuming we’re up against anyone,” Diesel cautioned. “We don’t have clearance to go after the missionaries.”
“If we don’t get the clearance, I’m going without it,” Jake said. “The sooner we go, the better chance we have of getting them out alive.”
“I’m with Jake,” Pitbull said. “They’re American citizens. If they were my grandparents, I’d want someone like us to get them out of there.”
“That’s right,” Jake said. “Think of them as your grandparents. Would you leave your elderly grandmother and grandfather in the clutches of terrorists?”
Harm crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Jake. “You play dirty, don’t you?”
Jake spread his arms wide. “I do what it takes.”
Harm nodded. “You do.” Then he clapped his hands together. “Let’s go hunting. For information.”
“And I’ll stay behind and go through more data.” T-Mac returned his attention to his computer screen. “Maybe there will be more connections that lead us to the primary source of issues.”
“At least we have a good start on who to keep an eye on.” Jake headed for the door.
Harm followed. “This evening’s reception should be good.”
“Counting on it.” Jake opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. “I promised Alex we’d do something about her missionary friends. And I don’t like to go back on my promises.”
Chapter Ten
Alex couldn’t wait to step out of her room wearing the beautiful ice-blue dress that matched her eyes and contrasted perfectly with her dark hair. The strappy silver sandals made her feel delicate and feminine after she’d spent the past few days hiking in the hills, smelling like a locker room and wondering when or where her next meal would come from.
Luckily the blisters she’d earned on the hike
didn’t hit any of the sandal’s straps. She could stand in the shoes for a couple hours while she and Jake mingled with the guests, hopefully learning more about Niger and the location of the reverend and his wife.
If all else failed, Alex would go back to the village and ask the people there where the militants had taken the missionaries. For all she knew, the ISIS leaders might have taken pity on the Townsends and left them alone to care for the new mother and her child.
Alex snorted softly. “Fat chance.” From what she’d heard, the ISIS group wasn’t into charity or leniency. If the Townsends were still alive—her heart clenched at the other possibility—they were being held captive somewhere.
Smoothing a hand over her hair, she pulled the feathery-light, pale blue scarf up over her head, liking the way it made her appear even more delicate. Not that she was weak or terribly girly, but she relished the idea of others underestimating her. She saved her tough side for when she really needed it.
After one last glance in the mirror, she flung open the door and stared into the broad chest of a man standing there with his hand raised. She nearly had a heart attack until she realized it was Jake. When she got a look at him in a dark suit, his chin shaved and his hair slicked back, her heart palpitated a billion beats a minute.
The man positively took her breath away.
When she finally remembered to breathe, she looked up into his gray eyes. “Wow.”
“I should say the same, but it would be completely inadequate to describe you.” He took her hand and raised it to his lips. “You’re stunning.”
“You’re not hard on the eyes, yourself.” Heat pooled at her core. She knew she looked good in the dress, but damn. She’d rather strip out of it, take Jake back into her room and make love to him.
Her blood raced, hot and fluid through her veins at the thought of getting naked with Jake. Two days? She felt as if they’d been together for much longer than two days. With all they’d gone through, it felt more like a lifetime.
She tore her gaze away from his and looked around his big body. “Where are your teammates?”
“The guys will meet us in the ballroom.” He tugged on her fingers, pulling her enough that she had to take a step forward.
Alex laid her free hand against his chest, not to push him away but to balance herself when she was feeling so very off-kilter. The man made her experience so many different emotions, it caused her head to spin.
“Ready?” he whispered.
Oh, baby, was she. Alex nodded.
When he drew her arm though his and started for the stairs, she blinked several times and fell in step beside him, chastising herself for the idiot she was. Ready for what? To take him to her bed and make wild love with him? Was she out of her mind? They were strangers. He was a navy SEAL; she was a teacher. He’d never spoken of anything between them that would last beyond when they went their separate ways. No commitment, no words of love.
Her breath caught in her throat and she nearly stumbled going down the stairs. They would eventually part, and the thought made her sad.
Jake tightened the arm holding hers, and he stopped long enough for her to regain her balance. “Okay?”
She nodded, heat rushing into her cheeks. Thank goodness he couldn’t read minds. She’d be mortified if he knew her deepest, most sensual thoughts. What if he didn’t think of her in the way she thought of him?
Naked.
She walked alongside him, proud to be with the gorgeous man, but conflicted on where they were going from there.
For now, anyway, to the reception.
Already the stately ballroom was filled with people dressed in their best clothing. Alex and Jake glanced toward the ambassador as they entered.
Alex had never been to such a grand event, and she was glad for the dress she’d purchased on Jake’s credit card. She’d make certain she paid him back for the costly dress as soon as she could access her savings account back in Virginia. At least she fit in with the wives and female dignitaries. And the navy SEAL team did their country proud. Each man had shaved his beard and dressed in a suit and tie. They were handsome men who filled out the shoulders of their jackets like no other men in the room.
Jake, the tallest of his team, stood with his shoulders back, appearing like a Greek god lording it over his underlings.
Alex’s chest swelled with pride when she had no reason to be prideful. He didn’t belong to her. But he was her date for the night. She might as well enjoy it.
Jake met with his team. “We need to spread out, mingle with the guests and find the men we talked about earlier.”
The others nodded and split up, blending in with the guests as much as handsome men could blend.
“What men did you discuss?” Alex asked.
“T-Mac had a list of people of interest. Like Quinten Philburn, CEO of Snyder Mining Enterprises. We also need to meet Ambassador Brightbill.”
Alex frowned. “Is he a person of interest? Our ambassador?”
Jake shrugged. “There’s a connection between him and the mining company. It’s old, but it’s a connection.”
Alex nodded. “Okay. Philburn and Brightbill.” She glanced around the room, studying the people. “The ambassador is still greeting people as they enter the ballroom. We won’t get a chance to speak with him or even to shake his hand in the reception line. We’ll have to wait until all of the guests have arrived.”
“In the meantime, would you care for a drink?” Jake tilted his head in her direction, like an attentive date.
“I’d love one,” she said, and laughed. “Two days in the hills with little water made me appreciate every drop I drink.”
“What if there’s alcohol?” Jake asked.
Alex shook her head. “I want water. Pure and cold. I think it’ll be days before I feel any differently.”
“Same here.” He left her standing by a palm tree to walk toward the refreshments table.
Alex’s gaze followed him all the way. Holy smokes, he was hot.
“I don’t recall seeing you at any of the functions,” a deep, male voice said close to Alex’s ear.
She jerked around to face a man in a charcoal-gray suit with salt-and-pepper hair and blue eyes. “Excuse me?”
He held out his hand. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Thomas Whitley.”
“Alexandria Parker.” She took the man’s hand and gave it a perfunctory shake.
“As I was saying, I don’t recall seeing you at any of the embassy functions.”
“That would be because I arrived today.” She smiled. “Do you come to all of the events?”
He laughed. “Most of them. I’m the ambassador’s executive officer. His right-hand man.”
“Then you would be at most of the functions. I would think you’d be in the reception line.”
“Normally, I would be at the ambassador’s side,” he said, staring at the line of dignitaries greeting each guest as he or she entered the ballroom. “I arrived back from a trip an hour ago, and barely had time to shower and change.”
“At least you made it in time to enjoy the party,” Alex said. “Do you know most of the people in attendance, Mr. Whitley?”
“Please, call me Thomas.” He glanced around the room, his gaze pausing briefly on each individual, as if tallying the faces he knew. “Yes, you could say I know most of the people in attendance. Until I spotted you and the young man heading our way with refreshments.”
Jake arrived with two glasses of sparkling water and handed one to her, freeing his hand to shake Whitley’s.
“Jake Schuler,” Alex said, “this is Thomas Whitley, Ambassador Brightbill’s right-hand man, his executive officer.”
“Call me Thomas.” He shook Jake’s hand.
“Thomas was telling me he knows just about everyone in the room,” Alex said.
“That’
s impressive.” Jake sipped from his glass and then nodded toward the room in general.
A man walked up to Whitley and started to talk about weather and growing seasons. When he paused in his diatribe, Thomas introduced him to Alex and Jake.
Since his wasn’t a name mentioned earlier, Alex nodded politely, but didn’t engage in conversation. Soon the man moved on to others in the room.
“Thomas.” A man with dark hair and brown eyes, dressed in a black suit with a crisp white shirt, approached Whitley with a distinct and unwarranted swagger.
Alex imagined the man thought highly of himself, but she kept her feelings from being revealed on her face.
The man clasped Whitley’s hand in both of his. “Glad I caught you.”
“Quinten, what brings you to this neck of the woods?” Whitley asked, and pulled his hand free.
“We ran short on supplies on our mining expedition. I had to drive all the way in to Niamey to get what we needed.”
Alex had to assume the man Thomas had called Quinten was Quinten Philburn, the CEO of Snyder Mining Enterprises. He was younger than Alex had expected. Probably in his midforties.
Whitley turned toward Alex and Jake. “Quinten Philburn, meet Alexandria Parker and Jake Schuler. They just arrived at the embassy today.”
Quinten extended a hand to Alex first.
His grasp was strong, a little too strong, to the point it hurt Alex’s hand.
She fought to keep from wincing. When he released it, she hid it behind her back to shake blood back into her fingers.
Then he turned to Jake and shook his hand.
The two men gripped hands for longer than the usual handshake. Jake’s knuckles turned white before they finally let go.
“Where did you say you came from?” Quinten asked.
“We didn’t,” Jake answered, and turned to Whitley. “So, you work for the ambassador?”
“I do,” Thomas said.
“How did that come about?” Alex asked. “Did he inherit you when he came to Niger to run the embassy?”
Thomas’s lips twisted. “Not quite. We’ve been together for seventeen years. We go all the way back to when we both worked in the corporate world, prior to the ambassador’s decision to join the State Department.”