Loss Recovery (Alaskan Security: Team Rogue Book 1)

by Jemma Westbrook

  “He doesn’t deserve it.” Wade’s finger rested against the trigger as the three men came into view, partially obscured by the thin needles of a fir tree still blocking his sight line. “He deserves to die.”

  “Didn’t say he didn’t deserve to die. I said we need him to be alive.”

  A second later someone latched onto Wade’s ankles, dragging him backward through the snow.

  “Jesus Christ you’re heavy.” Brock groaned and huffed as he hefted Wade out of the woods and rolled him to his back. He bent over him. “Stop looking at me like you’re going to shoot me.”

  “I might.” Wade glared up at his partner. “I had him.”

  “No way.” Brock held out one hand. “Those trees are thick as hell. You would have missed him and then those dumbasses would have lit up the woods trying to shoot back.” He gave up waiting and grabbed Wade’s hand, hauling him to his feet. “Come on.” He took off toward the back of the house. “We might be able to muddy up the waters just enough to confuse the shit outta them. Not that it looks like it will take much.”

  Wade twisted his head to one side and then the other, trying to stretch out the tension building between his shoulder blades.

  Chris was in his sight. Literally.

  “Stop fucking pouting and lay some tracks.” Brock pointed to the back end of the property where there would be no chance Wade could see anything happening down at the tiny building. He was half way across his assigned area when gunshots sent him ducking for cover.

  “The fuck was that?” Wade squinted through the trees at the tiny bit of light coming off the small house. A second later the brightness amped up twofold.

  Headlights.

  Brock’s steps padded through the soft layer of snow as he moved in beside Wade. “Looks like we might not have them as a distraction after all.”

  They skirted the tree line, watching as the headlights moved up the slippery slope of the deteriorated drive. The expensive SUV careened to one side, narrowly missing a tree, before it finally made it to the road and took off, tires spinning as they kicked up the new layer of snow.

  “I think we need to get the fuck out of here.” Brock dropped down as the SUV spun out, grabbing Wade’s arm and pulling him farther into the cover of the trees.

  At first Wade thought Chris was just struggling with the advanced driving required in Alaska, but the SUV kept coming.

  “He’s coming back.”

  “Cover and hold while I get you guys backup.” Dutch’s voice carried a tightness that was unusual for him.

  Chris came to a skidding stop in front of the cabin and jumped out before rushing into the small house. A few minutes later he returned, tucking a stack of papers into the inner pocket of his well-cut jacket as he hurried back to his BMW, where he once again struggled up the drive before fishtailing down the road.

  Wade waited until his taillights had been gone a handful of minutes before he started down the small incline toward the house. “You still there, Dutch?”

  “Always.”

  “I’m going in.”

  “You sure that’s a good idea?”

  “I think we have to.” Wade moved down the hill with Brock trailing at his back. Both men moved in tandem, each anticipating the other as they worked as a single unit, a skill they’d perfected over the years they’d spent together.

  “We need cleaners.” Brock spun to move back to back with Wade, each man watching the space around them, listening to the silence that was always anything but. “Send them to start at the back and work their way around. We tried to leave a trail to confuse them, but—”

  Wade bumped open the door to the house. “Doesn’t look like that’s an issue anymore.” He crept across the filthy floor toward where the first man laid flat on his back, arms at his sides.

  With a bullet hole in the center of his forehead.

  “Shit.” Brock peeked beside him. “That’s fucking efficient.”

  Wade pushed down the unease trying to creep in before it could feed the one thing that would prevent him from keeping Bess and Parker safe.

  Fear.

  He’d never been scared in his life. Not when guns were pointed in his face.

  Not when bullets sailed by his body.

  But staring down exactly what Chris Snyder was capable of sent a chill down his spine.

  This wasn’t something most people could do. Shooting someone sounded simple enough, but when push came to shove, ninety-nine percent of the human race wouldn’t be able to pull the trigger.

  Chris did it without flinching.

  Twice.

  Wade moved to where the second man was twisted beside the back door, one hand stretched toward it. He’d been reaching as he went down, shot twice in the back by the man hunting Bess and Parker.

  The man who might be much more dangerous than Wade gave him credit for.

  “Reed and Abe are raking the tracks. Jamison and Tyson are headed your way to clear the rest. Don’t leave a fucking trace.” The tight edge of Dutch’s voice was still there.

  “What’s the problem?” Wade backed from where the second man fell, following the same path he used before on his way to the door where Jamison and Tyson would be in a matter of minutes. “What did you find?”

  “I think you better get back here as soon as you can.” Dutch’s tone was getting more tense with each passing second.

  “Otherwise you’ll go crazy.”

  CHAPTER 14

  “HEY.” WADE STOOD in the doorway of the cabin she’d been locked in for four days, eyeing her cautiously.

  Smart man.

  “Hey.” Bess stared him down, arms crossed over her chest. “How were your errands?”

  Wade shifted on his feet, a plastic bag dangling from one hand. “Fine.”

  “Oh really?” She stepped forward, closing in on him. “That’s an interesting assessment of the scene of a double homicide.”

  Wade’s eyes snapped to where Dutch was brewing another pot of coffee in the kitchen. Dutch shook his head. “Don’t look at me. I didn’t tell her shit.”

  “So we’re back where we started.” Bess slow stepped around the man who just put his life in extreme danger without so much as a heads-up. “Half-truths and omissions.”

  “Told you she was going to be a handful.” Shawn speed walked through the great room and shoved a stack of papers into Wade’s free hand. “Here’s the court papers on the warrant. I’ve got Charles working on it. He said he should have something worked out before the end of the day.”

  “Worked out?” Bess crossed her arms over her chest. “And you didn’t think it was relevant to tell me what was going on with my own freaking arrest warrant?”

  Shawn backed away, working his way toward the office, his hands lifting just a little.

  “Probably afraid you’d cry what with you having a vag and all.” Harlow sat on the sofa, Converse sneakers kicked up on the coffee table and computer balanced on her lap. “We are delicate flowers.”

  Bess pressed one finger between her eyebrows, trying to ease the tension building in her head. “Whatever.”

  She needed a break from all these people. The never-ending chaos unfolding every time she blinked.

  Without another word Bess turned and walked away, escaping to the least-populated place in the house.

  The only place where she could be alone.

  The large bedroom no longer felt like the oasis it did her first day here. Now it was just another place. One more spot where the fear that permeated her life had been able to eke in and take over.

  She paused at the side of the bed, resting one hand on Parker’s belly, watching as he took slow, even breaths. There had been so many moments just like this one. Where it felt like the control of her own destiny rested in someone else’s hands.

  Like she was helpless.

  “Bess?”

  She hadn’t even heard the door open. Not surprising considering what Wade did on a regular basis. “I just want to be alone.”


  “That’s not an option right now.” Wade’s deep voice was closer.

  Bess closed her eyes, digging up as much resistance as she could muster. She wanted to be against him, holding him tight.

  But throwing something at his stubborn ass was also an appealing thought. “You said you were going to tell me everything.”

  “I know.” He was right behind her now, his body ghosting against hers. “I should have told you.”

  “Then why didn’t you?”

  He let out a long, slow breath. One that was filled with both resignation and regret. “Most people can’t handle the truth of what I do, Bess.”

  “Did you kill those men today?” She’d only been able to pick up bits and pieces of what happened. By the time Harlow hacked into the audio line they were using, most everyone had gone quiet.

  “No.” Wade’s hands came to rest on her hips. “It was someone else.”

  There was an off tone to his voice. Bess spun to face him, anger flaring hot and fast. “Still? You’re still holding back?”

  Wade’s dark eyes searched hers. “This isn’t easy for me, Bess.”

  “It could be. All you have to do is tell me the truth.” She stood straight, head high. “I’m not going to break. I haven’t yet.”

  One big hand came to cradle her face. “I don’t want you to ever be scared. Not anymore.” He pulled her a little closer. “Telling you something I know will scare you is fucking painful for me, do you understand that?”

  It was almost impossible to swallow. Whether it was from Wade’s closeness or the potential information he was holding was a toss-up. “Just tell me.”

  Wade’s eyes locked onto hers. “It was Chris.”

  Her whole body went cold. “How do you know that?”

  “Because I saw him.” Wade paused, hesitating just a little before twisting the knife slicing through what was left of her shredded world. “Chris is here.”

  His hold on her tightened as her body started to sway a little, the room getting darker than she remembered.

  Somehow the thought of Chris sending someone else to do his dirty work made it less scary. Less personal.

  But now. Now he was here to be certain his plans were carried out. Whatever they might be.

  “Are you sure it was him?”

  “The guy drove a BMW SUV. Black.” He stepped closer, his chest pressed tight to hers, the wide expanse of his body feeling like a barrier between her and the reality of how much worse things were getting. “Dutch ran the plates.” His lips barely brushed her forehead, resting against her skin. “It was him.”

  “He’s here.” She could barely choke the words out. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was supposed to be in Oregon. Was legally required to be in Oregon. “They gave him an ankle monitor. He can’t just take it off. He’ll have to go to jail.”

  Wade’s arms came fully around her, wrapping her in a strong embrace. “I think that might be the least of his worries right now.” He was quiet for a minute, just holding her in the dark room while her son slept behind them. Finally he took a breath.

  “I should have listened to you.”

  “About?”

  “Dutch thinks everything that’s happening is connected.”

  “So does Harlow.” Bess buried her nose in the thermal fabric of Wade’s shirt, breathing deep as she tried to sort through the mess of emotions clawing at her from every side. Fear. Anger. Disbelief.

  For two years she’d been strong. Been brave. Been unbreakable. And all that time she’d been dealing with Chris on her own. Sure her family had been behind her, but someone having your back isn’t the same as someone putting themselves in front of you.

  Sacrificing whatever it took to keep you safe.

  Like she had now.

  So why did she suddenly feel weaker? Shouldn’t having Wade there make her feel even more brave?

  “I thought Harlow was dealing with the breech?”

  Bess smiled a little in spite of everything. “She did that in like an hour.”

  “An hour?”

  “Maybe it took a little longer.” Bess glanced at the door leading to the great room. “And she had a little downtime while her program was scanning all the data.”

  There was a knock at the door. A second later it cracked open and Dutch’s head barely edged in. “Wade. We gotta do this now.”

  Bessie’s arms tightened around Wade’s waist, the gnaw of fear she’d been fighting for what felt like forever biting with an unusual level of ferocity. “What are you doing now?”

  “Not me.” He slid one hand into hers. “We.” Wade stepped back, pulling her along with him. “We have a briefing to attend.”

  “Now they want to tell me things?” Bess held firm, keeping her feet planted on the thick rug covering the bedroom floor.

  “You aren’t our usual client, Sweetheart. Most of them only get what we absolutely have to give them, and nine times out of ten they can’t even handle that.” He gave her a slow smile. “Not one of them has ever been like you.”

  “How am I?” She was fishing. Shamelessly. But right now Bess needed the bolster.

  “You are fucking terrifying.” His thumb and finger caught her chin in a gentle pinch. “You scare the shit out of Dutch and Shawn.”

  Bess pressed down on the smile his words threatened to create. “I doubt that.”

  “It’s true. It’s probably also why they’re scared to tell you anything. They’re afraid you’ll ask questions they haven’t thought of.”

  “Isn’t that a good thing?”

  “Not if it makes you question their ability to keep you safe. That’s the reason we’re all here, Sweetheart. Because we’re the best, and you make them wonder if it’s true.” Wade was still smiling, pride written all over his face.

  “Why do you look so happy about that?” Bess twisted her lips, fighting her own smile as the fear and worry eased, shoved away by Wade’s obvious belief in her.

  “Because you’re mine.” He pulled her close again, stealing back any space Dutch’s arrival put between them. His hand braced against her jaw, holding with a careful touch as his mouth caught hers in a breath-stealing kiss that only lifted her spirits higher. When he finally pulled away his voice was a little rough, his breathing a little ragged. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what was going on today, Bess. I will do my best not to let it happen again.”

  “I was scared. I heard Dutch talking and could tell something was wrong.” The cold hand of fear wormed its way through her chest at the memory. “When I heard someone was shot—” Bessie’s voice caught.

  She expected Wade’s guilt to grow. Anticipated another apology.

  Maybe a little groveling.

  That wasn’t what she got.

  “Fuck, Sweetheart.” He pulled her body tight against his. “You know how to make a man willing to beg for indecent things, you know that?”

  “I’ve made it pretty clear there would be no begging involved.” Bess hooked her hands into the loops of his pants and held him tight to her, hoping to get just a little more friction where she wanted it most. As nice as the things Wade had given her were, they weren’t sex.

  Penetration. Rhythmic, powerful, fucking.

  And the deep fear she felt thinking he was in danger only made her need it more. Need him more.

  She let go of Wade’s pants and ran her hands up his chest, fingers sliding over the solid wall of muscle on their way to fork into the short strands of his dark hair. “I can beg though if that would help.” She arched against him, her nipples drawing tight as the fabric between their bodies rubbed against the sensitive tips. “I was so scared you were hurt today, Wade. Worried I would never see you again.” She pushed up on her toes, ghosting her lips over his. “I thought you left me again.”

  An instant later she was on her back, pressed into the mattress by the weight of Wade’s body over hers.

  The sound of Dutch clearing his throat made them both look to the door.

  “
Still here.”

  Wade’s forehead dropped to rest against her sternum. “Fuck.” One deep breath later he was back off the bed, hefting her after him and pulling her quickly toward the door. He shot Dutch a glare as they passed. “Make this fast.”

  Never in a million years did she imagine herself trying to get busy in a house full of strangers.

  Virtual strangers.

  But desperate times and all that.

  Wade dragged her through the great room where Harlow was still on the couch, Beats covering her ears, computer on her lap. Bess pulled her hand from Wade’s and bent over the back of the sofa, lifting one muff from the other woman’s ear. “Meeting time.”

  Harlow slid the headphones down, letting them rest against the back of her neck. “So?”

  “The boys are ready to play nice.”

  “For the record we were always ready to play nice.” Dutch took a small step back when Harlow’s blue eyes landed on him. “You were the one looking for a fight.”

  Harlow snapped her computer closed before kicking her feet off the table and onto the floor. “Is that how you remember it, Pretty Boy?” She pushed up from the couch and sauntered toward where Dutch stood.

  His eyes narrowed as she advanced on him. “What the fuck did you just call me?”

  “I think you heard me.” Harlow wore a smile as she slowed in front of him. One black-polish-tipped finger reached out to trace down the front of Dutch’s well-cut button-down shirt. “Pretty Boy.”

  His nostrils barely flared as they stared each other down.

  “Get it together, Dutch.” Shawn stepped between the two, his gaze trained on Harlow. “If you want to stay on you’re going to have to learn to work together, Mowry.”

  Her eyes moved to Shawn, small smile still in place. “Never said I wanted to stay on.” Harlow glanced over one shoulder at Bess. “I’ll save you a seat.” She strutted her way past Dutch and Shawn and into the large office.

  Shawn grabbed Dutch by the shoulder as he started to follow her in. “Sit next to her. Let’s see how she handles being in the hot seat.”