HOT Justice: A Hostile Operations Team - Book 14

by Lynn Raye Harris

  Her hand splayed over his chest. “You know what, Wolf? I want to, but I can’t help thinking that you’re about to leave—and I want more of you and me right now.”

  He pulled her over until she was straddling him. His dick throbbed against her mound. “I want that too.”

  Her mouth settled over his and they lost themselves again. Somehow, Wolf found a condom and rolled it on between kisses. And then he was balls deep inside her again, thrusting into her silken heat. Telling himself it was great sex, but it was still just sex.

  And when it was over, when he’d lost control for the second time and come hard inside her, he shuddered and pulled her close. “That was amazing, Haylee. You’re amazing.”

  She curled into his arms, kissing his chest and neck. “Thank you, Wolf. Thanks for everything. I don’t regret a thing.”

  He hoped that was still true tomorrow when she woke up. He held her close, waiting until she drifted off to sleep. And then he gently disentangled himself from her arms and stood. He found his clothes, tugged them on, and then went back over to the bed to stare down at her. She slept peacefully, her dark hair spread over the pillow like a silken wave, her long lashes fanning across her cheeks.

  Wolf bent and pressed a kiss to her forehead even though he told himself not to do it. But she didn’t wake, and he straightened again, melancholy creeping through him.

  “Bye, Haylee Jamison. You’re one special lady.”

  With that, he turned on his heel and left the room. Then he slipped through the door, made sure it locked behind him, and went to join his team. Time to roll.

  Haylee woke with a start, blinking into the darkness. It took her eyes a few moments to adjust, but she realized it was actually light outside. Probably just around dawn considering how dim the light was. Her body was languid and sated and she stretched indolently. What a delicious dream she’d been having!

  Except it wasn’t a dream. It took her only a few seconds to remember everything that had happened. Wolf, here in her room. In her arms. The two of them naked and sweaty and hot as they explored the depths of pleasure together.

  Haylee pushed herself upright in bed. A delicious soreness throbbed between her legs. Wolf had been there, his thick cock taking her places she’d not thought possible. Her neck throbbed too and she realized he’d left his mark on her. A possessive mark meant to remind her of all they’d done.

  As if she could forget. “Whoa damn, Nicole,” she said into the empty room. “I really went there this time.”

  Her heart flipped and her belly dropped. Oh how she wished Nicole was really here to talk to. Her friend would love to hear all the details about Wolf and what he was like in bed. They’d shared those kinds of details before, though Haylee found herself imagining their girl talk and being reluctant to discuss Wolf as clinically as she’d done other men in the past.

  As if there was something special about him. About what they’d done. There wasn’t. She knew that. It was just sex—and yet it was probably the best sex of her life. Maybe that had everything to do with how quickly it had happened, how little they really knew each other—or maybe it was how dangerous he was, because he certainly was. Sure, he’d been sweet to her, and he’d treated her like she was important and special, but there was a hard man behind those soft caresses. The kind of man who could parachute into a war zone and slit his enemy’s throat before returning home to make love to his lady as if nothing had happened.

  Because that was pretty much an accurate representation of the previous couple of days. Except for the part where he made love to his lady because a) she wasn’t his lady and b) she couldn’t call what they’d done making love.

  Wow, she’d had a one night stand. She blinked at the wall opposite and processed that. She’d never had one of those before, never fallen into bed so quickly with a man she’d just met, a man she knew she probably wouldn’t see again. Oh sure, he said he’d find her back home. That he owed her money and he’d pay up. She didn’t expect it because she hadn’t been serious about the money in the first place. He knew it as well as she did. The bet had been in good fun. Besides, the most important part of the bet he’d paid up on. Kisses, and plenty of them. Delicious kisses she’d never get again.

  A strange melancholy settled on her then. Wolf was gone and she was alone. The whole thing was like a fever dream. Not real. Brought on by stress. Haylee sucked in a breath, determined to get on with it. She got up and showered, then dressed again in the clothes she’d been given. The mark on her neck wasn’t too apparent, but it was noticeable. She stood and looked at her reflection in the mirror, turning her head this way and that, pressing her fingers against Wolf’s love bite. It wouldn’t last, just like their night together hadn’t lasted.

  Haylee abruptly turned away, determined to put the night behind her. She wouldn’t regret it, because she’d promised him she wouldn’t, but she wouldn’t dwell on it either. It was over and done. She’d had great sex with a hot military commando and it was over. Time to get back home and work on her exposé of the Juarez Cartel. Time to move on.

  Chapter Ten

  Two months later

  * * *

  Haylee’s cell phone rang. She glanced at it, saw that it was Tony Davis calling, and frowned. She’d been talking to Tony a lot lately. He’d been dating Nicole right before she died, which Haylee hadn’t known because they’d apparently wanted to keep it on the down low for the time being. Nicole hadn’t been at her new job all that long, and the political action committee she’d been working for had been lobbying Senator Watson’s office for regulatory action concerning opioids. According to Tony, Nicole had worried it might look bad if she were dating an attorney for the senator—and considering her own history with opioid addiction, she’d wanted to be doubly careful. It made sense even though Haylee couldn’t help but feel a little hurt that her bestie hadn’t confided in her.

  Nicole had talked about Tony a little bit, and Haylee knew her friend had been interested in him, but the information that they were actually dating had not been something she’d shared, which surprised Haylee.

  Tony was calling more often lately, and he asked more questions about Haylee’s work. She got it—he was interested in her progress because it kept him connected to Nicole—but she didn’t really like sharing what she was working on with anyone. Especially now that she’d found a new lead.

  Still, Haylee picked up the phone and took a deep breath. “Hi, Tony. What’s up?”

  “Hey, babe. Just checking in. How have you been?”

  Haylee leaned back in her chair. Her neck ached. Her temples throbbed with a dull headache. And loneliness wound itself into her days like a snake coiling around a tree. “Oh, you know. Good enough.”

  “How’s the story coming?”

  Haylee pinched the bridge of her nose and craned her head from side to side, stretching her neck. “It’s coming. Nothing concrete yet.”

  But she was getting there. She’d written about her experience in the jungles of Mexico and Guatemala, minus specifics about the military unit that had rescued her and the others, and she’d been digging deep into the Juarez Cartel, tracing their supply lines as far as she could. It was tedious work but it was beginning to pay off. She’d found someone willing to talk, a drug courier with a grudge, and what he’d hinted at was nothing short of explosive. But he was too scared to give specific details, so she still lacked a smoking gun. She just had to be patient and keep trying.

  For now, she had nothing she could use to take down the Juarezes or the man rumored to be profiting off the flow of fake drugs into the US. Billionaire Oscar Silva donated large sums of money to certain political candidates, including Senator Watson, and he owned a lot of land on the border. Not that the senator was implicated in any way, because so far he wasn’t. Haylee still didn’t know if the information about Silva was correct or if someone was trying to send her on a wild goose chase—but she wasn’t giving up. She had nothing else to occupy her free time anyway.


  Wolf had not gotten in touch. Two months, and she’d heard nothing. Not that she’d expected to. She’d almost gone to Laurel and started frequenting the bars there, especially the ones with pool tables, but she’d refrained. If he didn’t want to see her, then he didn’t want to see her. She’d thought the night they’d shared was special, but clearly he had not. And she wasn’t going to embarrass herself by chasing after him.

  “You may never get anything you can use,” Tony said, bringing her back to the present moment. “There’ve been no more deaths in the metro area from tainted drugs. I think maybe Nicole and the others got a bad batch.”

  Haylee’s heart throbbed. It was true. Besides Nicole, eight other people had died that they knew of. There’d been a record number of overdoses in ERs lately, and many of those had fentanyl in the opioid mix, but Narcan seemed to work in those instances. It hadn’t worked for Nicole, unfortunately, or for the others who’d died.

  “I know. But I’m not ready to give up yet.”

  Tony sighed. “I know, babe.”

  She didn’t like hearing babe from his lips but she didn’t correct him. Instead she thought about Wolf calling her babe. Stroking her skin. Kissing her. Seriously, she needed to stop thinking about that man. It was a one-night stand and it was over.

  “So what are you up to, Tony? Work keeping you busy?”

  “When isn’t it?” He laughed. “Hey, I called about something specific this time, believe it or not. I thought you’d like to come to the senator’s fundraiser with me. You might make some connections you could use for your story.”

  Haylee’s belly tightened. Oscar Silva might be there. Not that she could sashay up to him and ask him point blank if he knew anything about the drugs being smuggled into ports, but maybe she’d get something just by being in the same room with him. She didn’t know what, but it wasn’t the kind of opportunity she was going to turn down. Though she considered it for half a second.

  “It’s not a date, Haylee. I just want to help,” Tony said when she didn’t answer right away.

  “Sorry, I was thinking about something. Yes, I’d love to go. Thanks.”

  Haylee leaned back in her desk chair, her gaze hitting a photo of her and Nicole that she kept on the shelf above her head. They were laughing hysterically about something. She didn’t know what, she only knew she loved the photo.

  “It’s tomorrow night at the Ritz. Eight o’clock. I’ll pick you up.”

  “No, that’s okay. I can meet you there.”

  “You sure? It’s no problem to swing by and get you.”

  Haylee bit her lip. It would feel too much like a date if he did that. And she wasn’t going on a date with a guy who’d been seeing her best friend before she’d died. Didn’t matter that he’d told her it wasn’t a date. When a man picked a woman up at her house, the two of them dressed to kill, and then took her to an event—that was a date.

  “No, no problem. I’ll text you when I get there.”

  “Okay, great. See you tomorrow night.”

  “See you.” Haylee hung up and sat staring at the words on the screen. Oscar Silva might not even be at the party. But if he was?

  Haylee frowned. If he was, she needed to be the kind of woman he found irresistibly attractive. She opened a new tab on her browser and got to work finding out exactly what tripped the man’s trigger. If she was lucky, he’d notice her—and then maybe she could learn a thing or two if she played her cards right.

  Haylee arrived at 8:20. She didn’t want to be early, and she didn’t want to be too late, so she timed her arrival and exited the Uber she’d called to whisk her to the Ritz.

  “Welcome to the Ritz, ma’am,” a uniformed doorman said, opening the door with a flourish.

  “Thank you.” She passed inside, her phone in her hand, and texted Tony. The lobby of the Ritz was sheer elegance. A combination of sophistication and modernity, the white marble and elaborate moldings drew the eye.

  A few moments later, Tony appeared, looking handsome in a black tux with a white shirt and black tie. His brows lifted at the sight of her, but then he played it off and opened his arms. Haylee went into them for a quick hug.

  “You look wonderful,” he said in her ear.

  Haylee blushed. She’d worn a white dress that clung to her curves and tall black heels. She was uncomfortable as hell since she normally liked to wear yoga pants and tank tops or sweat shirts, but the mirror told her she looked fabulous with her curves on display. She’d done it because it’s what Silva liked, and she hoped it drew his attention. If he took her into his circle, thinking her the kind of woman who frequented the places where powerful men gathered because she was looking for a sugar daddy, then he might not be so careful about what he said.

  And yet her uncharacteristic clothing wasn’t all that made her uncomfortable. It was Tony and the possessive hand on her arm. The way he curved his body around hers, the tickle of his breath in her ear. It had been seven months since Nicole had died—and Haylee had to wonder if Tony’s motives weren’t all that pure. He’d known Nicole for a month. He’d known Haylee for several more than that.

  He stepped back, smiling, and a pang of guilt wracked her. Seriously, if he was hitting on her, why would he be so subtle about it? Especially after seven months? Haylee chastised herself silently. It was ridiculous to think so. Tony was affected by Nicole’s death, just as she was. He swore that Nicole had been unlike any woman he’d ever known. That they’d connected strongly. Of course he’d still be feeling the weight of her loss if she’d been that important to him.

  “Thank you,” Haylee said, dropping her gaze. He didn’t touch her again and she felt like she could breathe once more. “I’m sorry I’m late.”

  He offered her an arm, very proper like. She took it. “You aren’t late. I swear I was bored to tears by Senator Carlson’s chief of staff anyway. She cornered me and I was ready to stab myself to get away.”

  Haylee laughed. “Good thing I texted then.”

  “Definitely a good thing.”

  He led her to the ballroom where the event was taking place. The room was packed with Washington’s elite, wining and dining and schmoozing, everyone looking for an advantage. Tony led her to the buffet table, snagging a couple of glasses of champagne along the way and handing her one.

  He let her go and fixed a plate. She did the same and then they retreated to a table nearby. He stabbed a mushroom and popped it into his mouth. “Have you found anything new on the Juarez Cartel?”

  Haylee’s stomach squeezed. “No. Nothing useful anyway. They’re pressing pills in the jungle and smuggling them into the US. But that’s not a secret—or not a big one, anyway.”

  “But you don’t know where they’re entering?”

  Haylee shook her head as she skewered a mozzarella ball. “No. And even if I did, I don’t think that’s the main story.”

  Tony frowned. “You don’t?”

  Shit, why had she said that?

  “Not really. But I don’t know what is,” she added. It was habit to keep her ideas close to the chest. Just like a poker player. But in reality what she thought was that the Juarez Cartel had an inside track. They had to. Getting anything across the border wasn’t exactly easy, especially with the tightening security there due to the drug trade, but someone was doing it. Was it Oscar Silva?

  Tony frowned as he skewered another mushroom and popped it into his mouth. “Be careful, Haylee. There are powerful people with a lot of incentive to see things continue as they are. Don’t get in the middle of something you can’t handle.”

  Haylee flushed hot, but she lowered her voice. “Are you telling me to let it go? To pretend it’s not happening?”

  “That’s not what I’m saying. Just be careful where you poke your nose in. That’s all. The senator is working with law enforcement to put a stop to the flow of drugs, but it’s not going to happen overnight. We are making progress, though. I promise we are.”

  Haylee’s eyes stung. Her throat ac
hed with all she wanted to say, but it would do no good. It wasn’t Tony’s fault that men like Oscar Silva literally got away with murder. He didn’t like it any more than she did, she knew that, but it infuriated her that they couldn’t make it stop sooner. That nobody had to pay for Nicole’s death, or the deaths of the others who died because they took a drug they were addicted to, expecting it to be what they needed rather than a trip to the morgue.

  “Nobody cares about addicts,” she said bitterly, setting her plate down and twisting the champagne in her hand. “People think it could never happen to them, or that those who’re addicted are lowlifes and criminals and deserve what they get. Nobody deserves what happened to Nicole—or the hundreds like her who may not get fentanyl in their drugs, but still die because they’re on the margins and nobody cares.”

  Tony’s expression was sad. “I know, Haylee. I agree with you. And I’m working to fix it, I swear to you.”

  Haylee closed her eyes for a second and willed the anger and bitterness to subside. Not for the first time, she wished Wolf was here. That she’d open her eyes and he’d be standing in front of her, gorgeous gray-blue eyes filled with sympathy and understanding. He got it because his sister was an addict. She wondered if his parents had gotten custody of their grandchildren yet, and how Wolf’s sister was doing.

  Why didn’t you call me, Wolf?

  “Shit,” Tony said, and Haylee opened her eyes. He was looking down at his phone. He smiled apologetically. “The senator needs me for a few minutes. Do you mind?”

  Haylee smiled to reassure him. “Not at all. Do what you have to do. I’m fine.”

  He stood, gazing down at her with concern. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “Take your time. I’m here to mingle, remember?”