Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Guarding Erin (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Nicole Flockton

  “Easy, Italy,” Robot’s voice sounded in his ear. “Wolf and his team haven’t given the signal yet. We wait.”

  Carlos knew the plan. They’d gone over it numerous times on the flight from California to Virginia. They’d gone over other plans, too. In their game nothing was ever straight in or out. They made contingency plans. And then made contingency plans for contingency plans. Tex had eyes on the warehouse where Bryan had taken the girls and kept them updated on any movements.

  When Commander Black had walked back into the room where his team and Wolf’s team were situated, he’d fully expected to be told if he went against orders he’d be spending time with the military police. Instead, his Commander had announced that another team would be taking their mission and the two teams in the room would be used to rescue Erin and Antonia.

  Once the shock had worn off, he questioned Wolf about why the change in plans. His explanation had involved one word. Tex. When he’d gone to ask the other man more questions, he’d held up his hand in a clear sign that the less Carlos asked the better.

  The how’s and why’s didn’t matter. All that mattered was they were now standing outside the warehouse that housed the woman he loved and her best friend. It dawned on Carlos that Tex looked like he had clearance that even superseded their Commander’s, if he could work it so the team didn’t have to leave and Wolf’s could join them on this unsanctioned mission, what else could the other man do? Commander Black’s instructions had been implicit—get in, get out, with no deaths. Tex advised once they were clear, he’d get the Feds on the scene to clean up the mess.

  “Alpha one, perimeter secure.” Abe’s voice crackled through his earpiece and Carlos’s adrenaline ratcheted up to hyper level.

  This was it.

  Erin was inside. He was seconds away from clapping his eyes on her again. It would take everything in him not to pull the trigger and blow Bryan’s brains out. But he was a soldier, and he followed orders—no matter what.

  “On my command,” Robot said. “Italy, whatever you see, control your fucking self. Remember no deaths.”

  “I know.”

  They used the late afternoon shadows to mask their movements as they crept along the side of the building, their trust that Wolf’s team had disarmed and rendered the guys patrolling the outside of the building, absolute. No way would the other team let them in if it wasn’t.

  Robot held up his fist and they halted. He gave directions for Joker and Cowboy to remain where they were to keep watch. He then directed Red and T-Rex to take the left side of the building.

  Carlos wasn’t surprised to find himself paired with his team lead. If the roles were reversed, he’d do the same. He used the few moments it took for Red and T-Rex to throw the smoke canister to center himself. Two deep breaths and his usual calmness washed over him. He wasn’t going to let Erin down.

  Robot nudged his shoulder. This was it. He grabbed the flash bombs and lowered his protective eyewear. He mentally counted down from five and together he and Robot stormed through the front door, tossing flash grenades as they went.

  He heard the distinctive sound of a feminine scream.

  Erin.

  “Steady, Italy.”

  “I’m fine,” he ground the words out. “Can you make out the girls?”

  “Negative, but the scream came from the left.”

  He and Robot moved in that direction. T-Rex and Red reported they were coming from the right.

  A shot sounded in the air, and he and Robot stopped.

  “Don’t move any further, you fuckers, especially you Carlos, otherwise the next bullet won’t be in the air.”

  “That asshole,” Carlos hissed out as he and Robot began their stalking again. “Anyone got visual?” he asked.

  “He’s in the middle of the room, gun to Erin’s temple.” T-Rex reported.

  “I’ve got a clear maim shot,” Cookie’s voice sounded over the radio.

  Carlos wanted to be the one who took out Bryan, but at this minute he didn’t care. All he wanted was to get Erin out safely.

  “Any eyes on the second female, Antonia?” asked Robot.

  “Nega-wait,” Red said. “Down behind the couch in the left-hand corner of the room, there’s a form on the ground. Unable to determine if she’s injured or not. She’s not moving.”

  If Antonia was dead, Carlos would never forgive himself. He’d been the one to suggest Erin bring her along.

  “Take him out,” Robot’s steely voice resounded in his ear.

  A shot echoed around the warehouse, followed by a scream then another shot.

  “Who fired the second shot?” Carlos shouted. A chorus of negatives pounded his earpiece. “Shit. Confirm mark is down. Confirm mark is down.”

  “Affirmative,” replied Cookie.

  Carlos slung his gun over his shoulder and ran toward the center of the room. Robot was on his heels. He noticed instead of following him, his team lead veered off to where Red had indicated Antonia was located. He skidded to a halt, his breath in his throat when he spied Erin crumpled on the floor, blood pooling around her. Bryan lay beside her, gripping his knee and howling like a baby. If Carlos wasn’t under a no kill order, he’d put a bullet between Bryan’s eyes to shut him the fuck up.

  He kicked the other man’s gun out of the way and crouched down beside Erin. The man inside him fought against the soldier. The soldier won out and instead of scooping Erin up and clutching her close, he took the time needed to locate where the blood was coming from. She had a bullet wound to the upper arm. Not a serious wound, certainly wouldn’t explain why she was unconscious.

  Running his hands around and underneath her head he encountered the telltale stickiness of blood.

  “Erin’s been shot and has a head wound. Are medics on the way?” he asked

  “Bitch, deserves to be hurt. She took away my livelihood.” Bryan tried to reach out toward Erin, but T-Rex and Red were there in seconds dragging the injured man away.

  “Buddy, where you’re going, I guarantee you’ll be someone’s bitch.” Red taunted. “Italy, medics five minutes out. Wolf and his team are rounding up the guys they disabled around the perimeter. Feds will be here shortly.”

  Carlos maneuvered himself so that Erin’s head rested on his lap. Leaning forward he kissed her on the forehead. “Help is on the way, honey. Hang on.” He took a deep breath, ready to utter the words he hadn’t spoken to any other woman apart from Erin and his mom. “I love you, Erin. I never stopped.”

  A thick, dark fog enveloped Erin again. It took an effort she wasn’t sure she possessed to lift her eyelids. Her head thumped, and a million little drummer boys playing out a beat she had no desire to dance to. Over the drumming, she could make out the consistent beep beep of a monitor. Like the ones she’d seen in all the hospital dramas she watched.

  A hospital. I’m free.

  In between the veil of total unconsciousness and wide awake, all the events leading up to this moment coalesced in her mind.

  The cab being hit.

  Bryan kidnapping her and Antonia.

  Being left tied up in a warehouse.

  Gunshots and then a grey smoke that burned her eyes.

  The vague outline of soldiers filing into the room.

  Then pain. Red-hot pain in her arm, before falling and cracking her head again.

  A faint memory stirred beneath the images of her ordeal.

  I love you, Erin. I always have.

  Had Carlos really spoken those words to her, or were they a wishful dream, conjured up during a situation where she had no idea if she’d survive or not?

  A soft sound broke up the monotonous beeping machine. A sound like boots hitting the ground. She inhaled deeply, assaulted by the pungent smell of antiseptic synonymous to hospitals, but there, beneath it a glimmer of citrus.

  Carlos.

  “Erin? Honey?” Clothes rustled and her hand was engulfed by a warm one. While another one cupped her cheek. “Open your eyes, E, please.”
>
  It took a couple of tries, but she managed to get her lids lifted. The harsh light pierced her brain. The drummers in her head took it as a sign to up their tempo. She slammed them down again. Head injuries sucked. She never wanted to experience another one again.

  “Hurts,” she whispered.

  “I know, honey. You’ve got a severe concussion. Not to mention a bullet wound to your upper arm.”

  Now that he mentioned it, pain radiated down her arm. While her attention had been centered on her head, it had blocked out the ache in her arm.

  “Will match you.” Her lips and throat were parched, making it impossible to string a sentence together. A plastic straw brushed against her mouth. She took a couple of swallows, enjoying the slide of the liquid down her throat. She went to take more but the cup was pulled away.

  “No, you shouldn’t drink too much. Now try opening your eyes again. It won’t hurt this time.”

  “Promise?” He chuckled, the sound sending delicious tremors of delight down her spine. How could she be lying in bed injured, with her eyes closed, and get aroused by a small laugh? Her body needed to concentrate on helping her cope with pain, not reacting to every little thing Carlos did.

  “I can’t promise it won’t hurt, but maybe not as much.”

  How she wanted to see the man who said he loved her. Yes, she believed it wasn’t a conjuring of her imagination, but the truth. This time when she opened her eyes the pain, while intense, was bearable.

  “There you are.”

  Her vision filled with Carlos’s face. “There you are,” she responded.

  “Yes.” He lowered his head and brushed his lips softly over hers. “I’m sorry, E. I’m sorry this happened to you. I should’ve made sure you and Antonia were safe before I left.”

  “Antonia! Oh my God, Antonia. Is she okay?.”

  “Honey, she’s fine. Sporting a sore head like you, but that’s all.”

  Relief coursed through her, knowing her best friend was fine. “Where is she? When can I see her? I need to see her.”

  “Hey, calm down.” He scooped her into his arms and a she melted against him. “She’s fine, down the hall in another room. Last I knew, Robot was with her.”

  “Robot? Not Joker?” The whole reason Antonia had come on the trip that had ended with their capture was because Joker wanted to meet her. She hadn’t had a chance to ask her friend about her hooking up with Robot. That is if they did hook up. They would need to have a serious talk the moment they got out of hospital.

  “Yeah, I don’t know what happened, but Robot rode in the ambulance with Antonia. But don’t feel bad for Joker, he was making friendly with a nurse the moment we arrived.”

  “Everyone is here?” Her befuddled mind was trying to process what Carlos was saying, but she had to admit she was having some difficulty.

  “Yep, all the guys wanted to make sure you and Antonia were all right. Wolf’s team is here as well.”

  So much information her bruised mind couldn’t take it all in. Her eyes drifted shut. It took too much energy to keep them open. Before she could let herself sleep she needed to know something else. “Bryan?”

  “Never going to hurt you again. Sleep, E. You’re safe now.”

  She wanted to believe Carlos and had no reason to doubt him, but she wouldn’t relax until she could see for herself that he wouldn’t be getting free again and her life was her own. A life she wanted to share with the man sitting on the bed next to her. Question was, did he want to be a part of her life?

  The next time she woke, her brain had stopped pounding and her arm no longer ached. The monitor still echoed around the area. A nightlight glowed around the room. She was alone on the bed now. A look to her left and she found Carlos sprawled out on a chair, legs straight out, arms crossed against his chest and his head lolling to the side. It looked about as comfortable as sleeping on a bed of rocks, and she wouldn’t be surprised if he had in fact slept on rocks at some stage of his life.

  The soft light casting shadows over him only highlighted how handsome and strong he was. The beard covering his jaw was thicker than when he’d first appeared in New York. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but was mere weeks.

  How much had her life changed in that time?

  How important this man sleeping on the chair had come to mean to her. She loved him and she wanted to spend her life with him. But he’d told her it would take a special woman to be the wife of a soldier. Did she have it in her to handle when he went away at a moment’s notice? To handle not knowing if he would return to her.

  Yes.

  An unequivocal yes. Life without Carlos in it wasn’t worth thinking about. If she only had him for a short time then that would be that, but to not have him at all wasn’t something worth thinking about.

  She recalled Antonia’s words about Carlos’s past association with a mob family. Yes, it was wrong of him to keep it from her. But he’d shielded her from his association. She understood even more his desire to enlist. It had been his way of escaping a life that could’ve been detrimental to him. She wasn’t going to let it slide. She would bring it up with him, but it wasn’t going to stop her from wanting a future with him.

  A warm hand closed over hers making her jump at the contact. “You’re thinking awfully hard.”

  “I love you.” Shit I wasn’t going to say that. How could she have just vomited that phrase out? Way to scare the guy away.

  A second later a strong, heavy SEAL landed on her bed, his hands framed her face. “E,” he whispered. “God, you slay me.”

  He lowered his head and kissed her, his lips moving softly over hers. She didn’t know what to make of his words, but his kiss was telling her he cared. Her arms crept around him clutching at his back, keeping him close to her.

  The heart monitor picked up pace, the beeping sound becoming erratic. The door flung open and a nurse rushed into the room. “Is everythin…Right okay.” She backed out of the room before Erin could comprehend the interruption.

  Carlos pulled his lips away, chuckling. “Guess this isn’t the place to have a make out session when hooked up to machines.”

  Mortification at the words she’d blurted out and having a nurse interrupt them, she attempted to lie back down. Carlos’s arms tightened around her. “Not so fast.”

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  “Sorry for what?” His hand drew lazy circles down her back, frying her already frazzled senses even more.

  “I shouldn’t have said what I said.”

  “Said what?” His eyebrow lifted in question and she knew he was being deliberately obtuse. He was trying to make her say it again. She lifted her eyes to stare into his glittering brown ones. They were open wide, showing her exactly what his was feeling. It gave her the strength to say the words again.

  “I love you, Carlos Italy Porcelli.”

  A smile she hadn’t seen in sixteen years stretched his lip wide. “Thank God, because I love you too, E. I love you so much. But I’m so scared.”

  Her heart melted as her big, brave Navy SEAL shared his vulnerability with her. She knew his fears. She shared them. “Me too, but together we’re brave enough and strong enough to battle through anything. Because we have each other and will be each other’s pillar of steel when needed.”

  “You are amazing, you know that?”

  “I’m far from amazing, but I’ll take it.”

  Carlos gathered her close and she snuggled into her man. “We’ve got a lot to work out, E. Your job, my job.”

  “Your past,” she interjected, and immediately wanted to snatch it back.

  “My past?”

  “Yes. I know about your past with the Forlani family. I know you worked for the mob.”

  The man holding her tensed like an iron bar beside her. “How did you find out?”

  “Antonia.”

  “Right.” A breath whooshed out of him. “I’m sorry, I should’ve said something during the week we spent together in New York. It was
wrong of me to keep it from you.”

  She reached up and touched his cheek. “I understand, Carlos. I could be a bitch about it, demanding an explanation. But after what I’ve been through in the last two days, wondering if I’d ever get to see you again, getting worked up over something that happened so many years ago isn’t worth it.”

  His lips brushed hers. “I don’t deserve you,” he whispered.

  “No, you don’t, but you’re stuck with me, Italy.”

  He chuckled before he turned serious again. “Unfortunately, it’s not quite over yet.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There’s still the fallout from the situation with Bryan to deal with.”

  She shuddered in his arms knowing he was right. She may feel wonderful now, even with the aching head and arm, but she wasn’t going to always be this way. No doubt she would be questioned about Bryan and the kidnapping and the information she’d shared with Carlos all those months ago and how she found it. “I know. And whatever will happen, we will face it together, because neither one of us alone now.”

  “Damn right. We’ve got each other. Welcome to my team, Erin Furlan.”

  “I love being a member of your team, Carlos.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Once again they were all in Robot’s backyard enjoying an afternoon grilling session. Wolf’s team and their wives had also joined them. Even Antonia was there, having made the trip down from New York for the weekend. She was doing everything possible to avoid their host. An interesting situation and one Erin still needed to get to the bottom of. Her best friend was being very closed mouth about her and Robot.

  So much had happened in the last two months since her kidnapping. She’d been questioned by the Feds and helped them with putting Bryan away, for a long time this time. Once it was all over Carlos had asked her to come live with him in Virginia. Being apart from her man wasn’t an option, so she’d handed in her resignation. With her credentials, she’d been able to secure another GM job at hotel, this time with a big chain. The best part was being able to come home to her man every night he was in town.