by Lea Hart
“You’re twenty yards from them.”
The foliage in front of them formed a solid wall, and he had no idea how they were going to find these guys safely. It was a bad spot to be in because they were essentially sitting ducks.
The gunship relayed again. “You need to turn to the northeast. If you keep going straight, you’re going to miss them.”
Feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand up, he asked, “Can you see any weapons?”
“Negative. They’re lying there not moving.”
“Moving northeast,” he said into his mic. He started to push forward, each step cracking twigs and crushing dead leaves.
“You’re right on top of them. Less than ten feet,” the gunship said into his coms.
Feeling his heart pound, he stepped to the left, and the night grew still as an empty field opened up to them.
Shit.
They were in the kill zone.
“Fuck,” Jason said into his mic.
“I second that,” Martin replied.
Frisco surveyed the area and had to come to a quick decision about whether the men hiding were worth risking his men’s lives. If he had to guess, he’d say Hamza was long gone and all they had were the security detail. They could take them in and pray they could get intel, but it was a risk, and the last ten years had taught him that this might not be worth it.
This was a long game and wasn’t about getting one guy and the whole jihadist movement falling apart. They were playing whack-a-mole, and the best they could hope for was that they outlasted the sons of bitches.
Keying the handset below his left shoulder, he gave the order to retreat. No way was he putting his men’s lives on the line for some low-level grunts of al-Qaeda. Prisons across the world were filled with them, and all it had done was create a profitable business for the private prison corporations.
The team moved on his command, and as they turned right, Seth saw an enemy fighter lying at their feet. Raising his weapon, he promptly killed him.
With shots fired, all hell broke loose, and forty-five feet away, the rest of the squirters opened up on them with PKM machine guns they’d somehow concealed from the AC-130 overhead.
These assholes were not squirters; they had to be the backbone of Hamza’s personal security detail. They must’ve dug fighting positions in the thicket in preparation of the meeting. Seems it was never meant to happen in the compound, and the house that these men had run from was the meeting spot after all.
Pivoting, Bryce and Martin dropped to one knee and began shooting into the thicket at the other side of the open field.
Fearing a blue-on-blue incident with the rear-assault team, he shouted, “Cease fire.” When they continued to take heavy fire, he realized that was no longer an option. Speaking into his mic, he instructed the other teams to hold their positions. Hearing confirmation from the EOD team leader, he breathed a little easier. They had no idea what they were shooting at, and losing an American life was unacceptable.
Bullets sprayed around them, and they were trapped in the kill zone of the open field The only way to win the fight was to kill the enemy before they killed them. Firepower was the key, and he leveled his rifle at the muzzle flash closest to him and pulled the trigger.
Martin cried out that he’d been hit in the leg. “Fuckers.”
Hell was erupting around them, and he kept pulling the trigger because the situation was desperate and all they could do was fight back and pray. Bullets smacked the ground around him, kicking up bits of dirt and rock that pinged off his gear. Hitting his mic, he shouted, “Troops in contact. We need an immediate fire mission.”
The PKM gunner continued to stitch the ground around them and hit Seth with three bullets. Frisco had enough of the shit as the terrorist’s machine guns continued to blaze, as they walked their barrels right and left, crisscrossing their position.
The enemy was firing blind because they had no NVGs, and that was the only thing saving the team. During a lull in the fire, he rose and Bryce laid down cover fire as he moved toward the man with the PKM. Bullets cracked and whined around him, and he finally hit the son of a bitch.
One second of quiet, and then, seconds later, the fire picked up again and didn’t slacken. Crouching next to Martin, he worked on a tourniquet for his leg as he directed the AC-130s incoming. American firepower lit up the sky, and the enemy’s firepower was finally suppressed.
The medivac bird arrived a few minutes later. The team loaded Martin and Seth into it and then fell back, joining the rest of the teams at the compound to wait for extract.
But the fight wasn’t over, because the gunship detected more movement in the thicket. Enough was enough. Shane called in 105mm howitzer fire from the AC-130 and turned the thicket into a smoking crater.
Watching the blaze, Frisco wondered why in the hell the supposed leader of al-Qaeda was such a piece of shit that he left his men to fight a battle he had no stomach for. Those men in the thicket were the loyal ten percenters, and they died in a fight that was never going to be won.
Resting his hand on his Colt M4, Frisco looked at the men gathered and knew they had done everything they could.
Tonight wasn’t their night, but they didn’t lose any men, and for that, he was grateful. Martin’s and Seth’s injuries were not life-threatening, and so for him and his team, it was a win.
Live to fight another day—in the end, that was what mattered.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Sunday October 15th
Coronado
Brooke lay on the couch and flipped through the series available on Netflix and hoped she’d come across something binge-worthy. She had another two days before she was leaving for Chad, and she needed something to keep her company, because her brother had flown back to Virginia and Piper had gone up north to visit her cousins.
When a preview for Poldark came up, she clicked on it and decided it was perfect. It didn’t get better than an English period piece with a handsome man and interesting women. Clicking on the first episode, she settled in, and the doorbell rang.
Hitting Pause, she hauled herself off the couch and wondered who in the world was stopping by unannounced. Sliding across the hardwood floor in her socks, she skidded to a stop and then opened the door.
Feeling her heart skip out of rhythm, she covered her mouth.
“I’m so damn happy to see you,” Frisco said as he stepped forward and picked her up. “I missed you, sweetheart.”
Wrapping her legs around him, she buried her face in his neck as tears slid down her cheeks. “You’re home.”
“You feel so fucking perfect in my arms.” He walked in, kicked the door closed with his boot, and started up the stairs. “We’re going to work this out,” he said against her hair.
Feeling his arms around her and inhaling his familiar scent, she cried harder and wondered why this was the moment she fell apart.
Frisco walked into her room and sat down on the bed, holding her tightly against his body. “I love you, Brooke, and I know you broke up with me, but I can’t accept it, because when we kiss, I can taste forever.”
Not sure if she heard him correctly over her crying, she willed herself to stop and then took in a gulp of air. “Wh…what did you say?” He leaned back and framed her face with his hands. His dark gaze swept over her face, making her feel vulnerable and unsure. “Tell me.”
“I love you, Brooke Foster, and…”
Wiping her hand over her face, she shook her head. “We hardly know one another; how can you say that?”
“Because it’s true.” He pressed a kiss to her mouth and spoke against her lips. “I love you, and eventually, your doubtful heart will understand and accept it.”
Before she could respond, he devoured her mouth like his life depended on it, and desire exploded, making them both clumsy. Teeth clashed, hands became greedy, and all the arguments she had mounted disappeared as he laid her down. “Frisco, what…”
“Let me remind you wh
o we are together, and then after that, we can talk. You’re mine, and I want to show you what that means.”
“We can’t just have sex and fix what’s wrong.”
“But we can meld our bodies together and get up inside one another and remember what we are together.”
Running his finger over her face with more tenderness than she was prepared for, she looked away. “I’m trying to control my freak-out, and it’s not going well.”
“Let your man handle things for the next little while, and tell your freak-out it has to wait until I’m done loving on you.”
She pushed her hand against his chest. “You can’t say things like that.”
“Just did.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her close. “I think you have it bad for me, and fighting it has made you cranky.”
“You are delusional.” Burying her face in his chest, she was engulfed in warmth and the scent of clean skin, warm musk, and the indefinable something that let her know he was right. She did have it bad for him, despite his job, her fear of letting go, and his general cockiness.
“I think if you go with your instinct nine times out of ten, you can’t go wrong. Things are not always complicated, and understanding when to give up the hand-wringing and give in can save a lot of energy.”
“But the tenth time, that can screw you over.”
Rolling on his back, he took her with him. “I’m never going to let anything happen to your heart.”
“You can’t be sure of that,” she replied petulantly. Seeing his intense gaze, she met it squarely.
“Give in to what’s happening and show some faith that what we’ve been blessed with is something we can hold on to.” Cupping her face, he tilted her chin up as their gazes tangled. “You know you want to.”
“I don’t know how.”
“Follow my lead, honey, ’cause that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
Sitting up, she pressed her hands against his chest and looked out the window. “Maybe.” When a loud laugh rumbled out of his chest and he sat up as well, she wondered what she was in for.
“Stubborn woman.” He lifted her to her feet and then flipped her T-shirt off her body. “Pink lace. Nice. Take it off.”
“You’re being incredibly pushy.”
“I’m just getting started.” He slid her yoga pants off along with her undies and licked his lips. “I like seeing what’s mine.”
“You’re not the boss of me.”
“I will be in a minute.” He rid himself of his BDU in record time and then lifted her onto the bed. Grabbing her ass, he pulled her into his face. “All mine.”
Slipping his tongue between her folds made her gasp as arousal bloomed between her legs. He ate her up, and the hungry, greedy slide of his lips and tongue made her moan. “Oh…Frisco.” Her hands went to his hair, and she dug her fingers in as she shamelessly rode his mouth and cried out his name. One last flick and glide of his tongue and she came gloriously hard. “You are amazing,” she muttered.
“We are amazing together.” He moved up her body, canted his hips, and pushed inside, never once breaking eye contact. “Feel that?”
Scraping her eyes open, she blinked. “Yes.”
“This is the truth of us. The way we’re connected in this moment with nothing between us is who we are.”
She licked her bottom lip and tried to squirm beneath him to get some space, to give herself a moment to process his words. “I’m not…”
He pinned her with his hips and shook his head slowly. “Nope, you cannot fight this.”
“Frisco,” she whined. “Why are you pushing so hard?”
“Because I want you to accept the truth and let me in.” He dropped his head to her shoulder and kissed her gently. “Please.”
She lifted her head and pressed her mouth to his ear, “Don’t let me regret this. Don’t break me and not do what you say you’re going to do. If I let you in, you can never leave.”
“I promise, honey.”
Without another word, she wrapped her legs around his waist and mentally dropped the sword she’d been holding. Maybe giving up the battle for a while would be wise so she could see if what he said was what he did. “Okay.”
Shoving his hands into her hair, he tipped her head back so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. “I promise you won’t regret it.”
Moving his hips, he began his assault with strokes short and fast. Every thrust had her body clenching around him as she clung to his shoulders, wave after wave of pleasure pulsing through her. An earthquake of emotion split her open and shattered the last of her walls as she exploded in pleasure.
Seconds later, he followed her over, groaning loudly as his own orgasm took over his body. Breathing loudly through his nose, he sounded like a bull ready to enter the arena. She held him as well as she could as the last of his release washed through her.
“God damn, that was powerful.” He raised his head and let out a dark chuckle. “I am the boss of you after all.”
Pinching his arm, she gave him one good Kegel squeeze and heard him whimper. “Who is the boss of whom?”
“You, honey, are the boss of me.”
Patting his shoulder, she dropped her head. “That’s what I thought.”
“Admit it, you like me a whole lot, though.”
“I do. A lot more than I planned, in fact.”
“Knew it.” He rolled off her and bent his arms behind his head. “You probably love me too, but I can’t imagine that you’re going to confess that anytime soon since it scares the living daylights out of you.”
Rolling on her side, she rested her head on her hand. “If I were you, I would bask in my postorgasmic glow and keep my mouth shut.”
“Are you saying I’m not helping myself?”
“Yes, I am.”
A cocky grin lit up his impossibly handsome face, and she let out a laugh. “Are you going to be insufferable now?”
He opened one eye and threw her a sideways glance that revealed his determination. “I’m going to be such a giant, chest-beating pain in the ass, you have no idea.”
Noticing his radiant smile, she wondered if it had ever caused blindness. “I have a pretty good idea.”
He sat up, let out a laugh and then suddenly stopped. Following his gaze, she saw that he was looking at her suitcase. “I’m going to Chad the day after tomorrow.”
“You’re what?”
“The woman I worked with in Baga Sola had a stroke, and I’m going to help her out until she recovers.”
“Did you sign another contract with MSF?”
“No, I’m going solo, and I’m not sure how long I’ll stay.”
Standing, he ran his hand down his face. “We have a lot to talk about.”
“What’s going on, Frisco? Why are you angry?”
“I’m frustrated because I just found out my woman is planning on flying halfway across the world to a place she can’t travel alone.”
“I’ve spent the better part of the last five years in war-torn countries. A trip to a place that’s not experiencing civil war is the easiest thing I’ve done in longer than I can remember.”
“But not alone. You were attached to MSF or the UN Refugee Agency. A woman does not travel alone in Chad.”
“This one does.” She stood and stomped to the bathroom. “Don’t try to tell me what to do.”
Throwing the door closed, she yanked the shower curtain open and turned on the water. “He is not the boss of me.”
***
Frisco collapsed on the bed, heard the water run and pulled in deep, calming breaths. What the hell was he supposed to do? He couldn’t forbid her to go like he wanted to, and he couldn’t let her go by herself.
Between a rock and a hard place was a perfect description for where he was.
What to do?’
Looking at her suitcase, made the answer pop into his mind. He would go with her. He had a ton of time off accrued, and since he was officially in his down cycle
, he figured he could get some leave and go with Brooke. Not only would he keep her safe, they would also have a chance to spend a good chunk of uninterrupted time together.
Really get to know one another and cement their relationship.
Brilliant.
He stood, walked into the bathroom and threw open the shower curtain. When Brooke glared at him, he gave her a big smile. “I’ll come with you.”
He stepped into the shower and moved her over so they’d both fit. “Honey, close your mouth unless you want soap in it.” Sliding the shower curtain closed, he moved her under the spray and finished washing her hair for her. “We may have to move the departure date, though, in case I can’t get on the flight that you booked. If we could leave on Friday, then I could get my leave approved, book a flight, and make sure we have an escort up north. I made a bunch of friends in the Chadian army when I was there for Flintlock, so I’ll put out a call and see who’s available.” He tipped her head back and gently rinsed the shampoo out and then squirted some bath gel into his hands. Lifting it to his nose, he inhaled. “Oranges.”
Pushing at his chest, she made him take a step back. “What are you jabbering about?”
“Our trip to Chad.”
“You want to take leave and come with me?”
He put his hands on his hips and took her full measure before responding. “Honey, did you not pay attention to what I said earlier?”
“What part?”
Smirking, he cupped her face and then dropped a kiss to her mouth. “I must be better than I thought, ’cause I wiped your brain clean when I made you come.”
“Don’t be a pig.”
Straightening, he narrowed his eyes. “Reporting the facts as I see them does not make me a pig.”
“Agree to disagree,” she said firmly.
“I’m your man, and if you’re going someplace, then I’m going with you.”
“Always?”
“As much as humanly possible.”
“This is going to take a long discussion, and I don’t want to have it in the shower. So let me finish, and then I’ll make us something to eat and we can begin negotiations.”