Piper could tell from the sudden tension that gripped the intruder’s frame. She prodded Wolf with the nozzle of the Beretta she still held. He made a space between his arm and his body, just enough. He wasn’t getting up, intent on keeping himself between her and a bullet.
Another step forward, and Ponce raised his arm.
She wasn’t the shooter in the family. They’d have just one chance and in a smoky room. Gathering her resolve, she jerked up her weapon and fired.
* * *
Wolf sat in the open doorway of the EMS vehicle as a technician peered into his ringing ear.
“I don’t see a rupture.”
He heard the diagnosis, although the woman’s voice sounded like she was shouting through cotton wool.
Impatient, he tried to push her away again.
But the attendant was insistent, continuing her examination.
All Wolf wanted was to see Piper. Ever since his Charter teammates and the FBI had arrived, she’d been surrounded by agents questioning her about the attack.
“You really should let me take you to the emergency room,” the woman said, cupping both sides of his face to force him to look at her as she spoke.
He gave her a frown and a swift negative shake of his head.
She handed him a packet of Ibuprofen and a bottle of water. “Stubborn bastard.”
No need to hear the words. He read her lips and smiled.
Finally, she backed away and began packing up her gear.
Wolf pushed off his seat and stood, hating the fact his legs felt like rubber. He tensed. The first step was wobbly, the second less so. He headed straight to the team gathered around the gurney holding the body of Cesar Ponce.
He pushed through the ring of bodies until he could see Piper, and then he couldn’t help but smile. He couldn’t make out what was being said, but Piper wasn’t happy. Her eyebrows were drawn into unholy scowl. They’d probably told her she wouldn’t be getting any bounty for this one either.
As he drew near, she glanced his way then grew still. Moisture filled her eyes, which she quickly blinked away. Her chin rose higher.
All around them, agents faded away. Only Deke and Jax remained, accompanied by a man he didn’t recognize, wearing dark cargo pants and a black tee. From the way he carried himself, he was likely military or former military. All three men gave him steady stares as he approached. Likely they were only sticking around to rub his nose in the fact his wife had to save his ass.
Piper pointed to his ears and mouthed, “You okay?”
“Can’t hear you, babe, but I’m feeling better now.” As soon as he was close enough, he slid his arm around her waist and drew her against his chest. Her arms encircled his back, and she snuggled her breasts against his chest. Only then did he draw a deep breath.
A tap landed on his shoulder.
He glanced to the side and spotted Deke a foot away.
Deke tilted his head toward the man in black. “This is Captain Bryson,” he said, no doubt shouting to be heard, “He’s from Fort Hood. Delta Force.”
Wolf nodded. “About the weapons theft. Gotcha.” He gave a nod to the officer. No doubt Charter Group would be part of that investigation now, due to the fact they never left unsettled business on the table. Even if they weren’t contracted to finish it, they’d provide support—whatever was needed.
Deke held up a set of keys. “I’ll drive,” he mouthed. “Jax is having a conversation with the two guards who left their posts.”
Their guards had rushed to the gate when a vehicle Ponce had set ablaze rolled into the gate house, which was why their door had been left unguarded. He almost felt sorry for the dressing down they were receiving. “Home?” Wolf asked hopefully. The pain meds hadn’t taken effect, and his head was pounding.
Deke nodded.
Wolf let out a sigh. “Sounds good.” And it did. He hadn’t really acknowledged the feeling before—like he belonged to the little house in the quiet suburb, but now, he could hardly wait to get there, close the doors, and shut out the rest of the world. After he’d stripped Piper to her skin and examined every inch of her sturdy, slender frame—only then would be he be satisfied that everything was okay.
* * *
A week later, Piper finally worked up the courage to corner Wolf about a matter that had been weighing on her for days. She’d wanted to broach the subject the first night they were back home, but that hadn’t been possible. When they’d arrived, they discovered that a cleanup crew, hired by Charter, was already there. Ponce had gotten past their alarm system and trashed their place, probably looking for clues to their whereabouts. Then he’d taken out his frustration on their belongings. Most of their furniture, including their bed, had been either slashed or broken.
Charter had paid for a hotel for two nights, and might have sprung for longer, but by then, Wolf was more himself and eager to conquer furniture shopping.
So, they had a sofa—the AFS, per Wolf, the Alternate Fucking Station—and a bedroom suite with the prerequisite PFS—Primary Fucking Station. He thought he was being hilarious, but his acronym wasn’t what made her laugh—it was the fact he’d tried to tell a joke at all. He might be one of the top snipers in the world, but he sucked at punch lines.
She found him lying on the AFS, sunglasses perched on his nose, curtains drawn back from the French doors to let sunlight spill across his skin. With her knee, she nudged his thigh.
He peeked over the dark rims.
“Why didn’t you just sleep outside on a lounge chair,” she asked, waving toward the doors.
“No AC, babe. Why the hell should I do without AC when I don’t have to?”
She rolled her eyes. “I know I’m interrupting something important…”
Wolf sighed and swung his feet toward the ground. He patted the space he’d made beside him. “You have that look.”
God, she hated that she telegraphed every emotion—at least to him. “I don’t have any look,” she denied, just to be obstinate. She perched on the edge of the seat. There was no use sinking deep, because no doubt she’d have to spring back up once the shouting started.
“Babe, babe, babe…” He placed an arm around her back and snuck his other hand over her thigh.
Now, there’d be no jumping up, unless he allowed it. Shit.
“Out with it,” he said, sliding up his shades to the top of his head. “You’ve been prancing around the house for days. What’s on your mind?”
Piper drew a deep breath and looked at her knees—no way was she ready to meet his sharp stare. “Now, hear me out. I don’t want you going ballistic before you hear how much sense this makes…”
Wolf slipped his hand higher between her thighs.
Not helpful, but she wouldn’t let him distract her. “Remember that night at the shipping warehouse, when Cesar blew out the door?”
He nodded slowly, but his hand crept deeper between her legs.
She could do this—keep focused, even though they hadn’t had morning sex, or noon sex. Hell, they’d barely shared a kiss today. “Well, after they questioned me, Deke asked me to think about something.” Wolf’s body went still beside hers. Which lodged her breath in her chest and made her stomach do back springs. “He offered me a job,” she blurted. “They’ve been wanting to bring a female onto the team. Someone with investigative skills, and he liked what he saw. Actually, he liked what I did in Mexico, too. He said I’d be a good fit.”
Wolf grunted. “And you told him no.”
She swung her head to lock gazes with him. “I told him I’d think about it.”
“But now, you’re calling him and telling him no.”
She narrowed her eyes and leaned away. “And why would I? I can handle myself. I saved your ass, didn’t I? And if I was on the same team as you, then you wouldn’t have to worry about what I might be doing. You’d be right there.”
Wolf drew a deep breath, and then another.
His breathing techniques that calmed him before he took
a shot. Not good. “And they want Calvin, too, seeing as he already operates as my handler, and he’s the one who’s best at digging into the details.”
Wolf looked at the ceiling before giving her a dark glare. “You already said yes.”
Piper opened her mouth to deny it, but that would have been a lie. Something she vowed not to do. She’d accepted the offer on the spot. “Are you mad?”
Wolf’s jaws ground shut. The hand stuck between her legs slid upward, until it rested against her sex.
Just her shorts and a very thin pair of panties separated his fingers from the part of her body that was getting wetter by the second. “You’d know what I was up to, every second of every day.”
Shaking his head, he snorted. “Like hell. He’d send you in to dangerous places to spy on dangerous people…”
“So, maybe, occasionally, I’d be out of sight of your scope.” She laid a hand on his chest and rubbed a circle. “But, Wolf, we’d be together much more often than we are now. And I’d be doing something…bigger. Ridding the world of more Ponces, and rescuing hostages, and…”
Wolf stopped her by silencing her with a kiss.
The kiss lingered, surprising her. She’d thought he intended to cut short her argument, but this wasn’t simply shutting her up. This was seduction… “You won’t make me take it back, will you? Calvin’s all excited.”
Cradling her cheek with a hand, Wolf placed his forehead against hers. “Deke asked me before he made the offer, sweetheart.”
She rocked back and studied his expression. She didn’t know whether to be furious, because she’d worried for days for nothing, or be elated, because he knew her so well, knew how excited she’d be about getting this chance. “So, your angry face, was that all show?”
“No, I still held onto the hope you’d want to settle down, stay safe, bake cookies, or something. Do you really think I want my wife walking into hell by my side?”
She didn’t answer. Whatever she said wouldn’t appease him, so instead, she gave him a sly look from beneath her lashes. “He said he made up his mind the second I shoved my Glock into Ponce’s balls.”
Wolf chuckled, but then he gave her another of his hot, piercing gazes. “Isn’t there something you should be saying or doing to thank me?”
“I have to thank you?” She stiffened and shoved against his embrace. “Because you gave your permission for your friend to hire me?”
He nodded. “Don’t go all feminist on me. He had to know I could keep it together, should things ever go south on a mission.”
My worst fear, too. She swallowed against a dry throat. “And could you?”
Wolf lifted her chin with his finger. “I can now, because I trust you. I trust your instincts. You’re balls to the wall, and that scares me, but you’re good, Piper. The team’s lucky to have you.”
Warmth filled her at his approval. She had always known he admired her courage. She hadn’t always been so sure he admired her brains. Dipping her lashes, she walked her fingers up his thigh, not stopping until she snuggled them against his hard length. “Well, I hope you’re well-rested. He’s sending me and Calvin to your agency’s training facility tomorrow morning. I’ll be gone for three weeks.”
“And you tell me that now?” He leaned over her and pressed her into the soft cushions of their new couch. “Isn’t it a good thing I’ll be your firing instructor?”
Piper laughed and smacked his shoulder, but she immediately soothed it with a smooth glide of her palm. As he settled on top of her, she had to suppress one final shudder. If she’d lost him that night, she didn’t know how she would have survived. “I love you, Wolf Kinkaid.”
Wolf used his chin to push up her shirt, and his teeth to open her bra. When his lips latched onto one tight nipple, he hid his smile. Bringing her on the team had been his idea. After he’d spotted her in the crosshairs of his scope, he’d had all those long, interminable minutes as he’d slammed down the steps and stalked across the street to reach her to think about how he could keep her safe.
The solution had been simple. He’d surround her with his very capable and well-trained team. While she’d been in interrogation, he’d hit Deke with the idea. He’d been only mildly surprised at his friend’s interest in his suggestion. Deke had seen her in action.
Not that Deke, or Jax, or any of the rest of the team hadn’t had a lot of fun at his expense while they’d discussed the terms of her hire. She’d be an asset, no doubt, but having her on their team would solve the problem of her adrenaline addiction and help him temper his fear. She’d never be too far out of reach that he or one of his band of competent brothers wouldn’t be there to step in to keep her out of harm’s way.
As if on silent cue, she shimmied out of her shorts, and he unzipped his jeans. So, this time together would be over fast, but they had all night. And since they’d be sharing the company jet to head to the training facility, they’d still have time for more sexy play.
Piper might drive him crazy, might scare the shit out of him every time they headed out on some new mission, but the fact was, he wouldn’t have their life any other way. She was perfect for him, kept him connected to their world, and him connected to his emotions. He’d never experienced deep happiness until he’d met her.
As he entered her, he let out a moan, promising himself to never tie her down. If Piper wanted to fly, he’d be her wingman. That’s what love meant. Together, they’d fly free.
About Delilah Devlin
Delilah Devlin is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of erotica and sexy romance with a rapidly expanding reputation for writing deliciously edgy stories with complex characters. She has published over a hundred sixty erotic stories in multiple genres and lengths, and she is published by Atria/Strebor, Avon, Berkley, Black Lace, Cleis Press, Ellora’s Cave, Grand Central, Harlequin Spice, HarperCollins: Mischief, Kensington, Kindle, Kindle Worlds, Montlake Romance, Running Press, and Samhain Publishing.
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If you love a suspense with your sexy heroes, check out more of Delilah’s UNCHARTED SEALS series:
Watch Over Me
Navy SEAL Deke Warrick’s unsanctioned detail is to keep tabs on a congressman’s daughter while she vacations in the Caribbean. He’s determined to keep his distance from the beautiful Nicky Martir, but finds his limits tested when Nicky sets out to seduce him. What seemed like a simple mission becomes deliciously complicated—and then dangerous, when she’s snatched from their hotel room.
Her Next Breath
Ex-SEAL Jackson “Jax” Keller’s first mission with the Charter Group’s spec ops unit is a bust. Instead of capturing a drug lord in his Mexican compound, he finds a beautiful, naked woman. But she may have information they need to nail the narco-terrorist, so he takes her, sealing his fate. She’s his to watch, his to “manage” until the op’s done.
Suri McAnally’s made some mistakes—mainly trusting her college roomie who just so happens to be the son of one of Mexico’s most dangerous drug lords. If Jackson can save her, she’ll do whatever he says, mirror his moves, and try to keep her insta-lust under control. Her next breath depends on it.
Through Her Eyes
Ex-SEAL and expert sniper, Wolf Kinkaid, is taking a little downtime while he considers his options. Being wooed by two elite black ops groups, he’s enjoying Charter Group’s beach house while he considers his options. A loner by nature as well as occupation, he wonders if he’ll ever really connect to the people around him. Afraid his loner nature will sentence him to spending his life alone, he’s not sure he wants to continue looking down a scope, even if the pay’s good.
Bounty hunter Piper Ames loves the adrenaline rush she gets from her high-stak
es hunts, but now, she has time on her hands as she waits for her collar to pop up his head so she can take him down. While she’s waiting, it doesn’t hurt that a big, buff, ex-military type is staying right next door. Not the least shy about going after what she wants, she’s surprised when he’s equally as aggressive. Their chemistry is off the charts, and the sex is the hottest she’s ever had.
While Wolf and Piper connect in the only way their independent natures allow, danger lurks. When her target comes, guns blazing, they have to pull together to make it out alive.
Dream of Me
After losing her partner and lover in a shootout, New Orleans police officer Aislin Dupree is tormented by memories of the past and the day she lost Marc LeBrun. At her darkest hour, she discovers that Marc had planned a romantic getaway on a Caribbean island before his death. All expenses paid. She decides to take the trip, hoping the island getaway will help her come to terms with her sorrow. Instead, she meets a man, a friend of Marc’s from his time served as Navy SEAL.
Sam Blalock is like Marc in so many ways that he makes her ache for what she once had. Strong, rugged Sam is her rock, holding her when she breaks, encouraging her to move on, because he knows about the pain of loss and the horror of violence all too well. She soon finds her waking hours consumed by Sam while she roams her dreams in search of Marc. As the time approaches for her to go home, she’s afraid to let go of the connection she’s found, and she fears she might be holding onto Sam for all the wrong reasons while she imagines another reality where dreams do come true.
Baby, It’s You
Carter Vance, Jr. stands at the fork in the road. Wounded in action, the Navy SEAL has a decision to make: whether to find work with a spec ops unit, or return to his family ranch in Texas and repair his fractured relationship with his dying father and the woman he wronged. Complicating the decision is his reignited attraction to Melanie Schaeffer and his confusion over his feelings for his dead brother’s little girl, whom Melanie has raised since his brother’s and her sister’s deaths by a terrorist’s bomb.
Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Between a SEAL and a Hard Place (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Uncharted SEALs Book 7) Page 4