Pitbull_Special Forces_Operation Alpha

by Kendra Mei Chailyn

  The interior was just like he remembered, ancient, grand, colourfull—and it still made him feel small in the grand scheme of things. Slowly, he inched forward. Looking along one pew after another, his heart dropped when he found the sanctuary completely empty. Weak, he slumped into one of the seats and rested his arm against the back of the one in front of him.

  A gentle hand landed on his shoulder and he glanced over to see Anke sitting beside him. “Why did you think here?”

  “My parents. We were christened here. They left money in their wills to this church. I thought if Claudia needed help—she’d come here.”

  “Maybe she just hasn’t gotten here yet.”

  “I don’t know about that.” Pitbull turned his vision up to the large painted class portrait of Jesus over the altar and exhaled long and hard. “This is too—did you hear that?”

  “Hear what?”

  “Shh… stay here.”

  Pitbull rose and made his way toward the alter. One step after another brought him closer to the place he swore he heard a shuffling around. He glanced back at Anke quickly before refocusing on where he was heading. He went wide, as he was taught when going around a corner. When he stepped out, he saw someone, curled up in the corner. He pulled he badge out and let it fall to his chest.

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” Pitbull said as softly as he could muster without his voice cracking. “My name is Daniel Hunt—I’m a police officer. Can you look at me?”

  As the persons shifted, he noticed she was a woman but as she moved her face toward him fully, Pitbull almost fainted. He slipped to his knees. “Slim…” His voice did break then. “It’s okay.”

  “Danny?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Danny!”

  She shot from where she’d been curled and fell into his chest. The force of her hug almost toppled him backward. But, for the first time in over ten years, he held his sister against his chest. She sobbed into his neck while bunching his shirt into her fist.

  “I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble,” Claudia cried. “I stayed away. I did good, right? I left you alone.”

  “Slim, come on.” Pitbull whispered. Even if he was pissed off as hell at her, he still couldn’t watch his sister cry. Ever since he was a kid, it broke his very soul seeing those tears. “Don’t cry.”

  But she only sobbed harder. Anke joined them then and Claudia shoved her face deeper into his neck. He could only imagine what she was feeling then. Not only was he there but her best friend had to see her in such a state. Still, he held her until her cries subsided some before lifting back to see her face.

  “What’s going on, Slim?” He asked. “Why are these men after you?”

  “I took the girl,” Claudia said. “She was heading down the same road I was. She asked me for help so I helped. It wasn’t fair. I lost everything, Danny—everything because of the decisions I made. I couldn’t stand back and watch someone else do that.”

  “What girl?” Anke asked.

  Claudia glanced around then shook her head. “I can’t.”

  “Damn it, Claudia!” Anke snapped. “Look around you! Do you know how worried Ruby and I have been? I went out and found your brother, who was on vacation, by the way, and got him to come back here to help you. And you can’t tell us what in the hell is going on?”

  “Anke.” Pitbull warned.

  “No!” Anke snapped. “Enough is enough. If you can’t trust us, then we might as well leave you there to do this on your own.”

  He knew why she was frustrated and Pitbull understood. But yelling at Claudia right now wouldn’t help the situation. With a sigh, he reached over and dragged a large palm up and down Anke’s arm. “Let me do this, please?”

  Anke frowned and jerked away. She descended the steps and headed back to the pews. Pitbull turned his attention back to his sister.

  “You do get why Anke is upset? You’re hiding someone on your own—how long do you think you’ll be able to?. And you will be charged, if that person’s family reports them missing. Let me help you.”

  “Why?”’

  “Do you see this badge around my neck? It means nothing to you?”

  “Look, the cops looked the other way when I went to them! They got me in this mess in the first damn place.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What I mean is, you cops are all the same!” Claudia sat back and folded her arms. “I begged them for help. But instead, they sent people after me.”

  “You’re not making much sense. And I don’t appreciate you accusing me of being dirty. Even when we were poison to each other I never gave you any reason to think you couldn’t trust me. And now because you have issues you’re going to put that on me? Claudia, this is why I walked away ten years ago.” Pitbull rose and turned for the steps. “And it’s why I’m walking away again.”

  “Where are you going?”

  He stopped and turned to look at her. “I’m leaving. You obviously don’t need my help. I have better things I could be doing tonight than being here, with you, doing this. You’re on your own.”

  Anke stopped him as he reached her by holding his arm. “You can’t mean that.”

  “You haven’t known me long enough to learn but let me teach you a small lesson right now.” He bowed his head so he would have her full attention. “I don’t speak to hear myself. I say what I mean.”

  “Daniel.”

  “I’ve offered my assistance and she still thinks I’m out to get her. I can’t help those who refuse to accept it. Now, I’m tired, horny, dirty and hungry. Let me take you back to my place to gather your things. Tomorrow, I’ll have one of the guys drive you home.”

  “Danny…” Claudia called.

  “More accusations, Slim?”

  “Daniel.” Anke drew his attention back to her. “We can’t leave her here. If Deniz was right, she could die—we both know they won’t stop until she is or they get what they want.”

  “Me, I don’t care about.” Pitbull looked over at his sister before continuing. “But if you’re going to put a target on my family’s back, I need to know why.”

  “You still consider me family?” Claudia asked.

  “Don’t flatter yourself. I meant CIRO. Those guys have been more of a family to me than you have been. So, I refuse to get into this with you, Claudia. I will find you a cop I trust and you can go from there.”

  Claudia sighed but Pitbull merely took Anke’s hand and started for the door once more. By the time he exited, Claudia was with them. He stopped at the truck to open the passenger door for Anke.

  “You know your brother is right?” Anke asked. “You’ve disrupted my life, Ruby’s life. I stupidly cut his vacation short so he could find you because I thought you needed help. Even if you couldn’t trust the others, this is your brother. If you can’t let go of whatever it is you have against him to save your own life, think of me and Ruby. What happens when these guys can’t find you and decide to go after those you care about? Or am I wrong, and you don’t care at all?”

  Anke climbed into the truck and Pitbull closed the door.

  “I’m sorry.” Claudia whispered.

  “Do you want a ride somewhere?” Pitbull asked.

  Claudia dragged her fingers through her hair. She didn’t have a chance to reply before a bullet ricocheted off the side of Pitbull’s truck. He shoved his body before hers while pulling his gun.

  “Get in the truck!” He ordered.

  He tossed the keys in through the passenger window to Anke who was already scrambling across the middle and into the driver’s seat. Pitbull searched the darkness. When he found a glint, he ducked around the truck and slammed his palm into the side. The engine roared and after he rushed off into the darkness, the truck sped away. The man who had been shooting at the truck rushed out into the road and kept on firing.

  Pitbull snuck up behind him and slammed a large fist into the side of his head. Without so much as a whimper, the assailant hit the ground hard. He qu
ickly hunched down to pick up the man’s gun and tucked it into the back of his waste then rolled the fool over. Pitbull recognized him as one of the men in the house with Deniz when he’d carried the girl out. Pitbull frowned, wondering what he had to do with anything.

  The sound of an engine caught his attention and he lifted his weapon toward it. But he recognized the truck as his own and holstered the gun. Anke and Claudia scrambled out and hurried over.

  “Hey! I know him!” Anke exclaimed.

  “Yeah, and he’s about to get to know me personally.” Pitbull growled. He walked over to the truck and pushed back the covering on the bed. He then carried the man to it and tossed him in. Glancing over at the girls, he pulled the covering back in place and locked it. He was beginning to lose his patience.

  “Like I said,” Pitbull said to Claudia. “A target is on our backs because of you. You can either tell me what you know, or you can tell it to CIRO. Those are you choices.”

  “And if I don’t?” Claudia asked.

  “For Christ’s sakes, Claudia!” Anke thundered. “What in the hell is wrong with you? Don’t you see how bad this can get? Pitbull could get hurt, or worse—he’s your brother and no matter how pissed off he had been at you, he came for you! So, stop being a stubborn little bitch and start talking!”

  But Claudia didn’t want to so Pitbull sighed. He pulled Claudia from the truck and turned her to face it.

  “What are you doing?” Claudia asked. “Pit—”

  “Don’t call me that!” Pitbull growled. “You haven’t earned the right. Right now, I’m arresting you for obstruction.”

  “You can’t do this!” Claudia sputtered, pushing backward. “I didn’t do anything wrong!”

  “Do you want me to add resisting arrest to it? Because I have no issues with that.”

  “Anke?” Claudia pleaded.

  “Can’t help you, sister,” Anke said. “You had your chance. I understand you’re trying to be loyal, but you’re going to ruin the rest of your life by catching charges for someone who could already be dead.”

  To stress her point, Anke rolled up the window. Pitbull had to admire her spunk but in that moment, he was more angry than proud. He opened the back door and pushed Claudia forward. “Watch your head.”

  He rested a hand at the back of her head and helped her into the truck.

  7

  When Daniel dropped his sister off at the jail, it damn near broke him. Anke could tell. The fury Anke felt then threatened to swallow her whole. It angered her not because Claudia hadn’t been honest with her. The rage was because Claudia was still acting like a petulant child with a loaded gun. There was a woman in danger. Sure, she could hide, but for how long?

  They didn’t make it back to Daniel’s place until the wee hours of the morning. Though she wanted to simply pass out, Anke took a moment to make some tea and forced Daniel to nibble on some biscuits. After she went to the bathroom and returned, he was snoring softly on the sofa. She didn’t want to wake him so she pulled a blanket up to his wide shoulders, smoothed his hair back from his face and left the room. She was surprise at the strength of the urge to kiss his eyelids. Still, she refrained and hurried into her bedroom.

  Sleep came quickly since she was basically dead on her feet. When she woke again, her eyes burned and it felt as though she’d only falling off to dreamland minutes before. Daniel was seated on the side of her bed with a mug in his hands. Anke smiled. “Morning.”

  “Morning.”

  “How was your sleep?”

  Daniel shrugged. “I’ve had better. I brought you some coffee. It has a little cream. I wasn’t sure how you liked it.”

  “This is perfect.” Anke accepted it. “Thank you.”

  He watched her take a sip and she couldn’t help moaning as the first bit of caffeine touched her soul.

  “What’s the plan for today?” Anke asked. “Do you think I’ll be able to go home?”

  “I don’t know.” Pitbull rose. “I have to speak with the others—have them assess what’s happening. I’m too close to it all.”

  “Makes sense…”

  “Get dressed. We have to head down to the headquarters in a bit.”

  When he turned for the door, Anke caught his shirt. Daniel stopped and glanced over his shoulder at her. She set the mug down on the bedside table and stood on the bed to be face to face with him. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Anke cradled his face and kissed him. The kiss was gentle, tentative—soft.

  “What was that for?” Daniel asked.

  She looked into his face to see his eyes were still closed. “Just in case I didn’t get another chance. I want you to know—yes, you do turn me on and if our lives were different I would give myself to you.”

  Daniel said nothing.

  “I’m not usually this bold, but I felt if I didn’t feel your lips against mine, I’d regret it.”

  “I see.” Daniel opened his eyes.

  Anke gasped. His dazzling blues now resembled and ocean set on fire. He wrapped his arms around her hips and drew her roughly into his chest.

  “If you truly wanted a kiss to remember me by, Anke.” Pitbull angled his mouth. “Then I’ll give you a real one.”

  He sucked her protests into his mouth, swirling his tongue around hers and erasing all logical thoughts from her mind. Her body pulsed for him, arched into him, yearned for him. With that one kiss, she trembled against his hard body. Anke tangled here arms about his neck and melted into him, allowing Daniel to use her mouth as if it would save her very soul.

  By the time he lifted his head, Anke didn’t know which way was up and she didn’t care. She was aroused and aching to have his large hands against her bare skin. The kiss told her so much about Pitbull and the kind of man he was in the bedroom. Anke knew then, he would ravage her should he get the chance. And as he helped her to her bum on the bed, Anke was positive she wouldn’t feel and ounce of guilt about it.

  “Daniel?”

  “Yes, Anke.”

  “I don’t want this to be the only kiss we share.”

  She couldn’t meet his eyes. Anke had never been that kind of woman. She never go into something thinking she would seduce anyone. Yet, there she was, kissing Daniel Hunt as if he belonged to her. But how could she not? His eyes alone made her melt.

  “Is that right?” His voice was warm, like warm honey over vanilla ice-cream.

  “Yes. But I know it’s not possible for us to be anymore more than we are or share anything else other than this one moment. So, thank you.”

  To her surprise, Daniel cradled her cheek. His work roughened hand was electric against her flesh.

  “I’m sorry if I messed things up between you and your doctor.” She whispered.

  “You mean Mack? Anke, I thought we’d already discussed what Mack and I are.”

  “We did. I know the two of you are together and the last thing I wanted to be was someone’s other woman, but…”

  She wasn’t able to finish. Daniel’s cell rang and though his gaze was worried, he picked it up and answered it all without looking away from her.

  “Hunt?” Daniel frowned. “Yeah. We’ll be right there.”

  “We have to go?”

  Daniel nodded and left her in the room. It took everything in her to get off the bed. Her knees were weak from the kiss and the guilt of breaking up Daniel’s relationship. This was all Claudia’s fault. If she would stop acting like such an ass—

  With a sigh, Anke got dressed, washed her face and brushed her teeth. Once she was ready, she made her way out into the living room to see Daniel removing his gun from a wall safe and shoving it into his holster. He then grabbed his badge from the coffee table and turned to face her.

  “Ready?”

  Anke nodded.

  The ride to HQ was short but could have been the distance between earth and Mars. The silence threatened to drive Anke crazy so she reached down and turned the radio on. A rather raunchy love song blared from the speakers making her w
ant to smash her fist into the stereo system. Instead, she gripped the knob and twisted, plunging the interior of the vehicle back into a maddening quiet.

  At the station, Daniel took her hand and helped her from the truck before escorting her inside. The moment the stepped through the door, they were greeted by Mozart who had a quizzical look on his face.

  “Hey.” He greeted them. “Beast wants to see us in the war room.”

  Daniel and Anke exchanged looks but they hurried along a corridor, then down a few steps into a large room. Mozart and Daniel stepped aside to allow her in ahead of them. She was greeted by waves, a coy grin from Mouth, a salute from Tex, and a curt nod from Beast and Zero. Anke blushed but waved shyly and accepted the chair Zero offered her.

  Once they were all seated, Beast cleared his throat. “Pit—you arrested Claudia—tell me why?”

  “There’s a bounty on her head because she took a girl the traffickers were going to take.” Pitbull responded, his voice hard. “She won’t tell us where the girl is, so I arrested her for obstruction. We know how this ends. They won’t stop coming until they find their property and they don’t care who they kill to get her back.”

  Anke winced at hearing someone being called property.

  “He’s right,” Zero spoke up. “When you take an asset, they are out thousands if not millions of dollars. If Claudia doesn’t tell us where this girl is, sooner or later they will find her. And if it’s later rather than sooner, they would have had her replaced, recouped their money and they will kill her just because she tried running.”

  “So, they would blame the girl for going away when Claudia hid her?” Anke asked.

  “Yeah—unfortunately, it’s how they operate,” Mozart said. “It’s the same State-side too.”

  “This sucks,” Barbie piped up. “As if we didn’t get our fill of trafficking in Rotterdam.”

  “Tex?” Beast asked.

  “I’ve been trying to get a running map of the towers her phone pinged from,” Tex explained. “But she kept turning off her phone—see here?”

  Tex rose and walked over to a large screen on the far wall. It lit up and a map appeared with red dots all over it. “The past four weeks she’s gone to all these places. But the only one she visited more than once is here…”