Heroes in Uniform: Soldiers, SEALs, Spies, Rangers and Cops: Sexy Hot Contemporary Alpha Heroes From NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Authors

by Sharon Hamilton

  The Team left, agreeing to rendezvous at the Kasbah in an hour. Kyle winked at Mark as he left. In parting, he said, “We’ll see if we can repair a little heartache along the way.”

  “Sir?” Mark asked.

  “Your lady will be there. She told us. I think you owe her an apology.”

  “Me?” Mark protested. Fredo and Cooper shook their heads and exited the cabin.

  “Come on, lover boy,” Jones said as he hauled Mark out by the shirt collar. “We got this. You just need to sit back and let your LPO hook you up.”

  Cruisin’ for a Seal: Chapter Twenty-Four

  Mark was seriously annoyed that his love life was front and center with the Team. He’d have been more comfortable with it strictly his own business. But he was encouraged that Sophia had reached out and offered Kyle information, and to somehow convey that she still cared for Mark. That part was more than okay.

  He and Malcolm Jones walked up to Deck 11 and then traversed the metal stairways toward the bridge level. This new, modern ship had an extended bridge with windows that could see in three directions. It took a full crew of eight to run it, not counting the crew below decks. Even at port the skeleton crew of four was needed, just to make all the required inspections.

  A gut-wrenching blast from the large smokestack above them nearly broke their eardrums. Mark always thought it was odd passengers liked to be outside and right under the damned thing when these big ships sailed. He was certain they would clock some loss of decibels in their hearing. But an adventure was an adventure. He’d also seen his share of stunts, even on Navy ships, where people mimicked the famous Titanic scene, “I’m king of the world.”

  To hell with that.

  Jones swore creatively, covering his ears with both hands. “You’d think they’d give some warning.”

  Of course, Mark then realized they’d also heard loudspeakers announcing the missing passengers who had failed to make the gangway in time. There were always a couple of them. Seemed like the same ones, too.

  That’s when he recalled hearing Roberto’s name.

  Damned straight.

  The asshole was probably the guest of the Policia Local. He hoped Roberto had been stupid enough to argue with the famously hair-trigger gentlemen who wore the blue uniforms. He knew they had a special distaste for foreign cruise ship workers who often ripped off locals by not paying their bills while on land and then disappearing. Mark knew they’d exact some pain on the Brazilian for all the workers they hadn’t caught. And it didn’t matter what form of martial arts you had, if you were restrained in a small room with five or six bullies intent on doing harm, you were toast. In fact, any knowledge of basic self-defense would sometimes inflame them.

  So that part was working. Now he needed to get with Teseo and warn him about what he’d overheard.

  The gate to the bridge was locked, and there was a guard posted.

  “Scusi,” Jones began, “Abbiamo bisogno di parlare con il responsabile junior Teseo in una sola volta. È più urgente.”

  Mark looked with new admiration at Jones, who shrugged.

  “Un momento. Dovete stare qui, mentre io verifico. Un momento,” the guard said as he pointed to the bridge the next deck up.

  “So you coulda saved me all that embarrassment back there with Sophia’s letter and all.”

  “And miss the excitement? Hell no,” Jones grinned. “Besides, I did language school. I’m good with the conversations, not so much with the written word.”

  “Man, I could have used you for—”

  “Not on your fuckin’ life. I don’t interfere. Besides, I think you two communicate pretty damned well, you ask me. But of course, you’re not asking.”

  They chuckled as they looked up when they heard sea birds making alarmed noises and noticed the chopper flying overhead. Although small, it looked expensive, and possibly military. It faded into the darkness that was overtaking the sky. A bright peach sunset was imminent.

  “I’m getting a bad feeling about all this,” Mark said as he cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders.

  Teseo Dominichello followed the uniformed crewman down the steps two at a time. Mark shook his hand.

  “Can I have five minutes of your time, in private?” Mark asked. “It’s important.”

  Teseo turned to run back to the bridge but Mark stopped him with a tug on his elbow across the metal gate he could have easily scaled. “We have a medical issue with one of the wives we need your help with. Tell them that.”

  Mark looked at the guard and didn’t see anything register there that led him to believe he’d understood anything.

  Teseo returned a moment later and the three of them walked back to a little platform marked with a circle.

  “This a helipad?” Mark asked.

  “Yes. We occasionally have celebrity passengers or emergency head of state offloads. Sometimes people like to travel anonymously.”

  “So some of those overweight passengers—” Jones started in.

  “Could be ministers of defense or World Bank officers, yes. We have all kinds.”

  Mark stepped close to Teseo so quickly the man jerked back in reaction.

  “We believe you have a bomb on board.”

  He could see Teseo’s face tightened and darkened in an instant.

  “How do you know this?”

  “I overheard your friend, Maksym, speaking to someone on his cell phone on Deck 5 this afternoon. Sounds like a plot to take over the ship, maybe blow it up.”

  Teseo swore in Italian. “It just doesn’t seem possible. I never thought of him as that kind of a person.”

  “He’s got accomplices on board. Those Moroccans? The dancers that boarded in Casablanca? They brought a big, white crate onboard today. I saw it, Teseo, with my own eyes.”

  “Where is the box?”

  “Fuck if I know. But Maksym sure does, and he’s mad as hell about it. He was arguing with the person I think hired him to facilitate the takeover.”

  “Where is Maksym?” Jones asked the handsome officer.

  “He’s overdue, actually. Took an hour leave, hasn’t come back yet. Captain’s pissed, since we’re pulling out.”

  “Any ideas?” Jones asked.

  “I got one,” said Mark. “I think I know exactly where he is.”

  He was thinking of the dark-haired, dangerous-looking woman in the cabin down the hall from theirs. Voluntary or involuntarily, she could have waylaid him. Or perhaps worse. Mark was filled with an urgent feeling that perhaps someone would start erasing trails before the caper began in earnest.

  “I have to get back. I want to inform the captain.”

  “You probably should do that. Can he be trusted?”

  “The guy is solid. He’ll want to check with our home office, though. If it’s going to be an incident in international waters, we have to inform them first, if we can.”

  “Then you do that.” Mark said. “But Teseo, this is no drill. I think we for real have a threat to this ship and everyone on board. And I don’t think we have much time. Kyle is speaking with Moshe right now, so he’ll be in on it.”

  “Good. I’d trust him with my life.” Teseo said. “I’ll make sure I have a private conversation with the captain as soon as possible.”

  “We don’t know who to trust, so probably a good plan, Tes.” Mark was turning to leave when he remembered something.

  “Your guys have any weapons?”

  “Not official. Not allowed. But some of us pack anyhow.”

  “Roger that. We don’t have much, either. But one thing I could use.” Mark searched Teseo’s face. The Italian officer’s features started looking surreal as the bright sunset bathed him in rosy light.

  “What?”

  “I might need your rebreather. Can you get me your two extras?”

  “Don’t know how I can do that, Mark.”

  “I’ve got a stash on Lifeboat 26. It would sure be nice if you could leave anything for me there. Don’t think there’d be
anyone who would see you do it, know what I mean? Boats on that side aren’t in front of a restaurant. Private deck off the backside of the galley.”

  “I know it. I’ll do it. I’ll stow anything I stash there out of sight, under the vests, or in the lockers.”

  “Thanks. I’ll need them by tonight, tomorrow morning at the latest. I plan to be there for a few hours this evening.” Mark hoped the bright orange sky didn’t show the blush he felt on his cheeks. “You could also give them to Sophia.”

  “Sophia?”

  “The Brazilian dance instructor?”

  “Oh yeah, that one. That the one you were talking about?” Teseo’s handsome face cracked a wide grin.

  “Um hum. She knows right where Lifeboat 26 is. You give anything to her and she’ll get it to me.” Mark pulled a card out of his pocket. “And here’s Kyle’s cell, my cell,” Mark handed Teseo a card with a small American flag on it that was otherwise completely blank except for the handwritten phone numbers.

  Teseo slipped it into his vest pocket behind a small black spiral notebook.

  “Kyle’s is a sat phone courtesy of Uncle Sam. My service is spotty,” Mark added.

  “Will check back with him as soon as I talk to the captain. Thanks.” Teseo and Mark shook, and then he shook Jones’s hand. “Glad you boys are on board. Who would have thought?”

  “I’m hoping they don’t know what we do. But with their advantage of surprise gone, perhaps we can take care of this so no one else knows about it.”

  “That’s the plan, then. Talk to you soon.” Teseo ran to the gate, zipped his card against the metal sensor, and headed up the metal stairs to the Bridge. Mark hoped the captain was good under pressure.

  Cruisin’ for a Seal: Chapter Twenty-Five

  Maksym had gone to Helena’s room and collapsed in her arms. He could tell she was startled at his needy behavior. She tried to talk to him. He was rough with her in return, masking insecurity and fear, finally finding one of her scarves and wrapping it around her mouth to shut her up. Her eyes sparkled as he ripped off her clothes, as he shredded her panties and took her. His need was so great he wasn’t careful. She’d started by being gentle with him, drifting her fingers down his back and over his backside and he didn’t want that.

  “Niet,” he said, getting right in face. Russian was the code for danger. Well, he was dangerous, all right. He scared her with his Russian. Trouble brewed in her brows. He held her two wrists together above her head with one large paw, hiking up her knees and thrusting himself inside her naked, pink body, pinning her to the bed, biting her neck and groaning guttural pleas in rhythm with his thrusting. He would have a hard time explaining why he felt this was going to be the last fuck of his life, but for some reason, that’s how it seemed. It didn’t matter whether she liked it or not.

  He knew she loved the moment when her fear became pleasure, and she didn’t disappoint him now. Subtle, but now she passed that threshold when she commanded him again, because his need was more urgent than hers. In those exchanges of gasping for breath and slapping skin, he had become the submissive and she the dom as he felt her body arch back, and saw her let herself fall into a delicious orgasm that sounded like childbirth. Maybe that’s how it felt, too. The more he pumped her, the more he needed. He gave himself up to her and worshiped, filling her body. Every moan or rolling spasm became what he required, would have at all costs. She could literally kill him by withholding, he had given her so much power.

  He flipped her over onto her stomach, pulling a pillow under her lower belly, splaying the cheeks of her flesh as his wet cock rooted up the cleft of her. He kissed her on one side, making a little bite that would draw blood. She arched back in a moan and then presented her peach to him, ripe with their combined juices.

  He dove into her with his mouth, sucking her lips, running his canines on her delicate folds, lapping and feeding himself like he was starving. And he was starving for her. He hiked her hips higher, found another pillow and pushed it underneath her abdomen, raising her plump little ass on full display. He held her hair at the back of her neck and pulled, arching her backward like a bow.

  He kicked his shoes off, but his shirt, his white pants were still on. The brass belt buckle with an anchor was slapping her ass as he rose up, positioned himself and rammed inside, pressing her down into the bed. He brought himself out, fully out, as she groaned. He let her feel the vacancy he’d created, then gave it back to her, pushing himself deep with a frenzy.

  In and out he fucked her, riding her ass, pushing himself in to the right and then the left. He fucked like the more he did it, the bigger and harder he got, and he desperately wanted to be huge, wanted to explode and make her come.

  She turned her head and looked at him out of one eye when he leaned over and French kissed her ear. He let her hear his cry of need, his complete despair, and his desire to mate, not to make love.

  At last, while he once again pulled her head back by the roots of her hair, he felt her muscles milk him and pull him deeper still as he exploded, pausing to let her feel the force of him, the need of him. Her grunts of pleasure were music to his ears.

  Mark heard the obvious signs of lovemaking on the other side of the cabin door. He thought the cabins on either side and across the hall would be able to hear, too. Jones’ eyes widened and then he wrinkled his nose.

  “Can’t tell if they’re fucking each other or killing each other,” he whispered. “Day-am.”

  The loud bursts of ecstasy on the other side of the door subsided into silence. Mark heard the vibration of a text message on his cell.

  Kyle: Teseo know anything about it?

  He answered, “No. Telling the captain now.”

  Kyle: Good. You find Maksym?

  He texted back: Oh yeah. He’s in the room with her. Fuckin’ animals.

  Kyle: lol. Sweeeet. Don’t get any ideas.

  He answered: Oh I got ideas. Not sharing any of them with you.

  Kyle: We’re on our way down.

  He texted his LPO back: Roger that. “I guess we get to babysit, sort of,” he whispered to Jones.

  “Um hum. Would be a whole lot more fun if we could watch, too.”

  “Don’t push it.”

  Several people slid past them in the narrow hallway. Jones and Mark pretended they were waiting for someone from across the aisle. Mark made a point to look at his watch and frown every time someone came close.

  At last Kyle and Moshe appeared. Fredo rounded the corner and started to say something off color, but was shushed by the crowd in the corridor. He stepped in line with the others. Moshe was right outside the door, so when Maksym opened it, he got a good view of the angry Israeli.

  “What’re you doing here?” Maksym said, then looked to see the other men in the hallway. His shirt was still not tucked in but his buttons were buttoned. His hair was a mess.

  He came out and quickly closed the door to give Helena some privacy.

  “Fellas,” he said. He made a poor attempt to act like he’d been caught doing something naughty and needed a minor hand slapping.

  Moshe was all business. “I’m afraid you’ll have to come with me, Maksym.”

  “Or what?” Maksym grinned like it would save his bacon.

  “Not funny, asshole,” Mark chimed in and earned himself a glare from Kyle.

  “We are two consenting adults, besides which, what concern is it of yours? The lady and I are in need of comfort. But I hold no claim to her…”

  The door opened and Helena’s eyes were daggers. She leaned forward to check out the hallway and then shouted a command.

  “Inside, quickly.”

  All six of them proceeded. Kyle opened the door to the balcony outside, bringing in two three metal chairs and the table for them to sit on.

  “This doesn’t concern her,” Maksym started to say. Helena cut him off.

  “Oh, shut up and listen to what they have to say, Maksym.”

  She’d yelled at his back and he braced
against the sting to his ego.

  “Sit down,” Moshe directed. “Next to her.” He pointed to Helena, who was already sitting on the edge of the bed. Kyle and Cooper were on the leather bench seat. Fredo remained standing behind Moshe. Mark and Jones took their seats on the metal chairs from the balcony. Maksym sat, appearing in a daze.

  “What is all this about?”

  “The bomb,” Moshe said.

  “The bomb? What—”

  Just then Maksym’s cell phone rang.

  “You will answer it, and you will allow us to listen.” Mark was impressed by how commanding Moshe was.

  “No. I cannot.”

  “Don’t be a fool, Maksym. You have no choice but to cooperate,” Helena spat.

  Maksym turned on her, seething. He was going to say something unkind, but Moshe took the wind out of his sales just after the ringing phone went silent.

  “Maksym, you’re fucked,” Moshe interrupted. “We know about your little plan, and now we’re gonna tell your boss that we know about it. How valuable are you going to be if that happens? I think he’ll feel some resentment towards you, don’t you think? Your chips have just been taken away.”

  The Ukrainian was starting to look like a caged animal. A dangerous caged animal.

  The phone began ringing again.

  “Answer it. And do as we say,” Moshe hissed.

  “Da.” Maksym flashed a look at Helena who shook her head.

  “You fuckin asshole,” she screamed and slammed him with a pillow. Maksym’s grip on the phone faltered and it clattered to the ground.

  He fell to all fours and scrambled to find it, putting it back to his ear. “My apologies Wolf. I am in a serious argument with my woman.”

  He pressed the speaker feature and the Team heard the clipped Italian accent on the other end of the line, full of restraint.

  “Are you in a secure location, alone?”

  “Helena is here, as you know. But yes, we’re alone in the cabin.” Maksym scanned his audience.

  “You are both going to pay with your lives if this is not true.”