Captivated in Cancun

by KaLyn Cooper

  “Jack, Craig, Stacie, we’re moving out.” Josh’s gaze swept the area. Nothing more they could do there. “Luke, we need you to fly us to Cozumel.

  “Roger that,” the pilot said. “Powering up now.”

  “Ed, thanks for handling this.” Josh shook the PMI agent’s hand. “The United States government owes you. We’ve got a lead on some traffickers moving a special package on Cozumel. If there’s a second team in play, we haven’t heard about it before now.”

  “Good hunting, my friend. I’ve got a small team on the island. I’ll put them on alert in case you need backup...or clean up.” Ed smacked Jack’s shoulder. “Tell Mateo I’ll be over for breakfast and pick up all our gear, Primo.”

  They embraced in that loose man hug, back pounding thing. “Take care, cuz. See you in the morning.”

  “Going to be a tight fit,” Luke warned minutes later at the helicopter. “I usually only carry three.”

  “Stacie can sit on my lap,” Craig offered with a devilish smile.

  She threw her arm around Jack’s shoulders. “Jack and I are old friends. I know he won’t start grab assing me. He’s getting married Saturday.”

  “I think we can all squeeze onto the back seat,” Jack suggested as Craig climbed in. “Weight distribution is important in this little bird.”

  “Too bad your nephew isn’t a teenager,” Stacie explained. “They all have cell phones permanently attached to their hand. We could call him and ask where he is.” She climbed in.

  Josh and Jack glanced at each other. “Fuck!” they said in unison.

  Chapter 26

  On the fast flight over to Cozumel, Josh was on the phone with his operations center as Jack called Preston’s phone.

  “We have him, sir,” the tech in D.C. said with a little more glee than usual. “Or at least we have his phone. It’s located on Cozumel, just as you suspected.”

  “Can you narrow the area?” Josh hoped to get it down to at least a few hundred yards before they landed.

  “Triangulating off hotel wifis in that area right now.” He knew his techs were good and motivated once they understood they were hunting for a small child in the hands of human traffickers.

  A woman’s voice broke through the connection. “Sir, Jeff reports multiple heat signatures at the location provided by the CI. It was one of the houses he and Stacie had staked out so we have normal counts on the structure. One minute while we confirm with satellite imagery.” There was a small pause before she returned. “There are at least eight small bodies in one bedroom and what are most likely six women in another. Then there were the three large-bodied men, one at the back door and two on the couch in the living room.

  “That doesn’t sound like a second tango team,” Craig commented.

  “We’ve got it, sir,” the first tech said with excitement and then he asked that the phone be called once again for confirmation.

  “Call Preston again, Jack. We might have his location.” Josh was filled with hope and anticipation.

  A mile from Cozumel, their mission had just changed to a raid and rescue. Josh updated Ed and asked for more help.

  “I’m going to set down at the Mayan Villas,” Luke informed the team. “They have a pad and tie downs for me because I bring so many guests there.”

  “Anybody famous?” Green Lantern quizzed.

  “Yeah,” Luke ran off a list of movie stars and billionaires. When the wheels were down, he informed them, “I’m staying with my bird. Holler if you need me.”

  The four walked fast through the well-lit streets acting the bad ass PMI agents their uniforms and visible weapons professed them to be. Once they reached the part of town not visited by tourists, they sprinted to where Jeff had a rooftop perch, sniper rifle at his shoulder. He’d been giving them a play-by-play report from the second they landed.

  One of the men in the front room had gone to the back and brought two women into the living area. Jeff said it seemed as though they were forcing the women to give them blow jobs. The man in the back may have been asleep.

  “Jeff, confirm your position.” Josh looked to where he thought his man should be. Excellent. He’d selected a prefect place. “Are the women still in the living room?”

  “One is. The other got dragged back to be with the others.” Jeff then added, “Fucking pigs. I just hope one runs out the front door so I can kill him. You guys get to have all the fun.”

  “Jack and Stacie at the back door, charges ready,” she whispered through her com five minutes later.

  “Electric box set to blow,” Craig announced. “At the front door with Josh now.”

  “Front door charges set. We go in two seconds after we blow the lights.” It was a good plan, Josh thought. No flash bangs to scare or hurt the women and children. Only pistols. But that meant close quarters combat which always had the possibility of someone getting hurt. Ed had a fresh team boating over to back up the three men he had permanently on the island. They’d purposely left the local police to deal with the thousands of tourists in town.

  Josh gave the signal. There were three small booms that almost sounded like one. The lights in the house went out and the front door blew inward in one solid piece.

  Mentally counting, Josh flipped the switch on his goggles to night vision. The world turned an eerie green but he had years of experience with the NVGs. He charged through the door to see two men, guns in hand.

  Double tap to the head took out the one on Josh’s side. He watched as Craig’s man went down next to his.

  No woman in sight and with the NVGs he couldn’t see heat signatures. He checked every corner. Nothing. “Living room clear.”

  “Jack’s in a knife fight with the asshole back here,” Stacie announced. “I can’t get a clean shot.”

  “Heading your way.” Josh signaled for Craig to check the door to the left. Closet. They stealthily made their way down the hall.

  Bang, bang. “Bruiser is dead, and Jack is bleeding.”

  “It’s just a scratch,” the bloodied man interjected. “He got in a few good jabs with that fucking knife before I could get out of Stacie’s way. Nice shooting, especially through NVGs.”

  “Find the kids and the women,” Josh ordered. What he really meant was find Preston.

  “I’ve got...six women. No. They’re teenage girls.” Stacie’s voice broke. “We’re going to need medics. Some of these girls were beaten badly.”

  “Oh, Jesus. Found him.” Jack’s voice broke. “And several others. They’ve been bound and gagged.”

  Josh was elated that Preston was alive, yet his heart broke in the same instant for the ordeal he must have endured.

  “Uncle Jack?” Preston’s small voice came though com unit in Josh’s ear.

  He breathed a sigh of relief as he and Craig continued clearing the house.

  A door opened in front of them.

  A woman stepped out and raised a pistol in her hand. Without hesitation she shot.

  “Fuck,” Craig said a second before Josh felt the burn across his bicep. He moved his gun to his left hand and shot the woman at the same time his partner did.

  “Bitch hit me in the thigh,” Craig announced.

  “She got me in the bicep, but I don’t think she hit bone.” Josh still needed to clear the rest of the house.

  “Got a runner out the front door,” Jeff calmly announced. “Probably the woman who was servicing the fucker on the couch.”

  “Can you wing her?” Josh asked through clenched teeth. His bullet wound hurt like a son of a bitch.

  “Ye of little faith.” Jeff’s shot was heard through their coms. “She’s down on the ground. I grazed her calf.”

  “I’ve got Preston and about, Jesus Christ, there’s got to be ten little kids here,” Jack reported.

  “Cavalry is headed your way,” Jeff broadcasted, but Josh could already hear the sirens.

  “Aquaman,” Preston hoarsely yelled from the end of the hall and started running toward him.

&n
bsp; Josh stepped over the dead woman so his boy wouldn’t see her body. He swooped the dirty-faced child up with his good arm. Nothing in this world had ever felt so wonderful.

  “You saved me. Again.” The boy burst into tears. “I tried to be brave, and I fought them off.” He hiccupped in a breath. “They...they hurt Mommy. Uncle Jack said she was in the hospital.”

  “Yes, but she’s going to be fine.” At least Josh hoped so.

  “Firing up the chopper,” Luke announced in Josh’s earbud. “I’ve already talked to the medics. They are bringing all you guys to me, and then they’re going back for the women and children.”

  “Want to ride in Luke’s helicopter with me to the hospital?” Josh asked the child in his arms.

  “You bet!” Preston buried his small wet face in Josh’s chest as little arms encircled his neck.

  Heaven.

  ****

  Lilly woke to find her bedroom dark and blessedly silent. Finally. All her family, including a dozen Chel cousins, had paraded through over the past twenty-four hours. Both her boys had moved onto the bed, one on each side, since the minute she laid down. Hours ago her mother had insisted they return to their own rooms for baths and bedtime.

  She didn’t remember much about her stint in the hospital, but she’d insisted Dr. Stan allow her to leave once she was conscious and her CAT scan had shown no brain swelling. Her concussion called for bed rest, and she wasn’t going to fight that suggestion. She’d been through so much in the past few days. She was physically and emotionally exhausted.

  She just wanted peace and quiet. If she was truthful with herself, she really wanted Josh’s strong arms around her making her feel safe. He’d been there on and off all day, their conversations interrupted by phone calls he had to take. She understood it was his job. He’d stopped the terrorists and saved her son. She would forever be thankful for that...and the time they’d shared. Once the wedding was over, he’d be gone.

  A pain like she’d never known before shot through her heart. She had a difficult time breathing. The mere thought of never seeing Josh again brought heat to the back of her eyes, filling them with tears. She blinked them back and forced air into her lungs.

  He shouldn’t matter to her. He was her entertainment for a week. She knew that going in. Sex. That’s all it was. He certainly wasn’t the man for her, not that she needed a man.

  Who was she kidding? She didn’t need a man. She needed Josh. He was more than a man.

  She chuckled to herself.

  Yes. He was Aquaman. And he’d done things for her that no other man ever could. She loved her brother, Jack, but it was Josh who’d convinced her to strap on that scuba gear and literally take the dive. True, she’d forced herself to overcome the decades old fear, but he’d been by her side. She’d love to dive with him again.

  But that wasn’t going to happen. Josh was leaving.

  She felt the pain of her torn heart, the piece he’d be taking with him.

  As she stared into the darkness of her newly redecorated room, she tried to gather all the pieces of her life that had fallen apart over a year ago. She’d started to rebuild a solid foundation by facing her fears head on, and she was so much stronger for it.

  When she came to the building block that was Josh Madden, she examined it from all angles. He was a wonderful man, so giving, so caring. On the other side, he lived and worked in Washington, D.C., and she lived and worked in Chicago. Well, planes flew there every day so that could be handled.

  The way the man fit into a suit, his excellent manners, his national position, he’d fit right in with her social life, so no problem there.

  But if he was a Redskins fan they might have a problem. Worse yet, a Capitals fan. She secretly loved hockey. Maybe they could agree to disagree on some sports.

  What they seemed to agree on was sex. He’d shown her so much, taught her more about herself, in just two nights together than any man had ever done. She was sure he’d be able to fill even more of her fantasies...if they had the time.

  He had a dangerous job. After a moment of pondering that fact, Lilly decided that made him more interesting. Sure, he’d need to keep secrets from her, but they were national security secrets, not that he was fucking the prima ballerina or someone else. Deep in her heart she knew Josh wasn’t like her ex. No. Josh was too honest to betray the ones he loved.

  Hell, Josh had been shot trying to save her son. He’d nearly given his life for the little boy she loved so much. Not many men would do the same for their own child. She loved this magnificent man for that selfless act.

  Love. Her heart clenched at the thought. Had she fallen in love with Josh?

  Oh, yes. And she was in deep.

  Given how she felt for him, Lilly wasn’t sure she’d ever really been in love with her ex. Or maybe the pain he’d caused her during their marriage and divorce had erased those feelings for him from her completely.

  Lilly let go of the bitterness she felt toward Brighton Carlisle. There wasn’t room in her heart for such poison.

  The love she had for Josh filled every dark corner of her heart and soul.

  What was she going to do about it?

  Face him straight on and tell him the truth. That’s what the new and improved Lilly Girard would do. Tomorrow.

  Movement in her sitting area caught her attention. Great. They just couldn’t leave her alone, could they?

  “You’re awake.” Her heart fluttered at Josh’s voice. He moved to stand next to the bed. “Can I get you something? A glass of water? Something to eat?”

  She knew what she wanted was him, in her bed. She took a deep breath and instead asked, “How’s your arm?” The sling and gauze bandage wrapped around his bicep were proof that he had feelings for her. She owed this man so much. Jack, too. And all those who had found and rescued her boy.

  Josh answered with a question, “How’s your head?”

  “I’m fine.” And she would be. Her bruises had turned a pretty shade of yellow, her son was home and safe, and the most perfect man in the world was in her bedroom. But not in her bed where she wanted him. “Get in here.” She lifted the covers.

  “Are you sure?” His gaze was so intense she wondered what was going through his head.

  “I’m sure I want you making love to me, then holding me the rest of the night.” And every night until he had to leave.

  Josh didn’t move.

  The mere thought that he no longer wanted her shot pain through her whole body, worse than her aching bruises.

  “Unless you’re done with me.” She slapped the covers back down and drew them over her hardening nipples. She was such an idiot. He needed to cut—

  Josh yanked the covers away from her with his good hand and knelt on the bed. “Let’s get something straight, Lilly Girard. I’m not done with you. I don’t think I’ll ever be done with you.” He crawled next to her and stared down at her. “I don’t want to have sex with you anymore.”

  His words were hot pokers to her heart. She blinked back the tears that threatened to pour from the hole in her heart he’d left.

  Then he smiled. “I want to make love to you. Tonight. And every night from now on.” He bent and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

  She couldn’t hold in the wince. Her swollen face still hurt when touched. Of course he didn’t want her. She’d seen herself in the mirror when she’d showered a few hours ago. Black and blue, some purple mixed with putrid green and sallow yellow. She was a mess.

  He stretched his long hard body beside her with his bad arm on top then rolled her to face him. “I want to make love to you, Lilly...because I love you.” He kissed her then with a gentleness he’d never shown her before. “I thought I loved my first wife, but it was nothing like I feel for you.”

  “You were married?”

  He knew about her ex and had more than enough opportunities to tell her about his ex.

  “A long time ago,” he admitted. “We were young, and she wasn’t meant to be a SEAL
’s wife. We traveled a lot in those early years. There was so much we couldn’t even tell our wives.” He lifted her chin to look him in the eyes. “There will always be things I won’t be able to talk to you about, but I promise the only secrets I’ll keep from you deal with national security.”

  At that she laughed. “I’m an attorney. I know about keeping secrets.”

  “Lilly, are you hearing me? I want you in my life. In my bed every night. Forever.” Before she could ask, he added, “I want the boys to be mine. I love them as much as I love you.” He kissed her again, this time more passionately. “I don’t know how this going to work, but we can figure it out. I want to see where all this takes us. All I know right now is that I love you, and I won’t let you go.”

  Lilly brought her hands to cup his cheeks. “I love you, Josh.”

  Chapter 27

  Saturday morning arrived all too soon for Lilly. She and Josh had spent the past few days in, on, and under the water with the boys—the adult boys and her children. Josh had been interrupted too many times to count by calls from his work but his attention always, immediately returned to her and the kids. She was sure she’d been in love with Josh when she’d told him, but every day she fell deeper and deeper in love with the man.

  The boys loved their time with him. Greyson had told her, in secret one night after stories, that he liked Josh better than his real dad. The innocent revelation filled her heart at the same time a piece had broken off. Brighton, who she could now think his name without a tidal wave of negative emotions, hadn’t even called Preston after the kidnapping. She was sure he’d received her messages because she’d left them everywhere, including with his office manager who had confirmed that she’d talked with him and had personally conveyed the information. Her ex could be a real self-centered ass. She was resolved to the fact that she’d have another fourteen years to deal with their father.

  After her morning yoga, Lilly stepped into the quad which was bustling with activity. Maranda, Jillian’s wedding planner, seemed to be everywhere directing her crew of women like a general preparing for battle.