Pitbull_Special Forces_Operation Alpha

by Kendra Mei Chailyn

  Zero rested a hand on her shoulder and Anke nodded.

  “Zero, Anke.” Barbie and Pitbull came running out.“We need to go.”

  “What?” Anke asked. “Go where?”

  “Zero, I need you to get suited up,” Pitbull said as they skidded to a stop in front of them.

  No questions at all, Zero took off running. Anke looked up into Pitbull’s eyes. “What’s going on?”

  “She told us where the girl is,” Barbie explained. “We’re going to get her—Zero and I.”

  “What do I do?” Anke questioned.

  “Well, you and I are going to make them think we’re the ones to follow,” Pitbull said. “There is someone watching us. If we leave in a big hurry, they—”

  “They’ll chase us while Barbie and Zero get her.”

  “Bingo!” Barbie nodded.

  Zero showed up with a large bag resembling one they carried a guitar in. He handed it to Barbie. The beautiful woman accepted it and instantly tossed it over her shoulder and across her body. She turned to look at Pitbull who nodded and together, Anke darted out the door with Pitbull.

  They rushed toward the SUV, ensuring to make as much fuss as they could. All the while, Anke was trying to look around to see who was watching them. When they climbed in, she barely had her seatbelt on before the SUV peeled from the parking space. The large gates slid open for them and Pitbull turned it left out the driveway. They sped away from the headquarters, blowing the speed limit out of the stratosphere.

  As they blew past the first turn, a black car pulled from the side road and pulled up behind them. “Daniel…”

  “I see him.”

  “How did you guys know they were there and would take the bait?”

  Pitbull glanced in the mirror and shook his head. “We know criminals. They are all the same. Plus, Tex can find a needle on the moon.”

  Anke had to smile.

  “Hang on.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “A place where by the time they realize what’s happening, it’ll be too late. We want to give Barbie and Zero a chance to get where they need to be.”

  Anke tried hard not to turn in her seat to watch the car behind them. Instead, she kept glancing in the mirror, keeping her eyes on the vehicle, memorizing the license plate to keep her mind active.

  They pulled up to a diner and Pitbull parked. “Let’s go inside.”

  “But we’re being followed.” Anke didn’t move. He wanted them to get out of the car where those creeps could get a hold of them—no thanks.

  Pitbull turned to smile at her. “I know. But as far as they know, we have no clue. All we’re going to do is get something to eat.”

  They alighted from the vehicle and made their way into the building and were seated by the window. Though Anke wasn’t hungry, she played along. She used the moment as their first date. Nothing said romance like being followed around by men with homicide on their minds.

  When Pitbull reached across to take her hand, Anke couldn’t help smiling.

  “Is this our first date?” Anke asked.

  “I hope not,” Pitbull said. “I mean, being chased by armed idiots doesn’t do well for the after-date kiss.”

  She sighed. “I just wish we’d met under different circumstances. I mean, there are so many other things we could be doing right now.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  Before Anke could speak, their waitress arrived. It didn’t take very long to place their orders but it felt like an eternity to her. Pitbull had just leaned in, his eyes had turned to heated puddles and curiosity flashed through them.

  “You were saying?” Pitbull pushed.

  “We could be making love right now.” Anke pouted. “I miss having your hands on me.”

  Pitbull bowed his head. After a breath, he looked up, glanced outside then returned his gaze to her. “I tell you what,” Pitbull said. “When this is all over, I’ll take you away. Once we get to the hotel, you never have to leave my bed.”

  Anke trembled. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

  He smiled. “Anke Fischer—I never make promises I can’t keep. Care to shake on it?”

  Instead of accepting his hand, Anke leaned across the table and kissed him. “Deal.”

  Pitbull laughed.

  She nibbled on French fries trying not to keep looking out the glass at the car waiting in the parking lot. Instead, she focused on Pitbull, loving the way his tattoos peeked out the neck of his shirt then down his muscular arm. She couldn’t understand how sexy he looked to her.

  “We have to wrap this up, Pitbull. I’m…”

  He scooted around to sit beside her and lowered his hand beneath the table. Anke smiled and sighed as his large palm made its way up her thigh.

  “Pit…”

  “Yes, my darling?”

  “You can’t. We’re in public and the bad guys are right outside.”

  He smiled and snaked his hand down the waist of her pants. He caressed her, stroking her intimately until Anke sighed and melted into the seat.

  “You better not be messing with me, Daniel Hunt,” Anke threatened. “When this is over, you won’t be able to walk straight for a month.”

  Pitbull smiled and leaned in to kiss her. “Challenge accepted.”

  Before she could speak, Pitbull’s phone rang. Before he answered it, Pitbull pulled his hand away from her body.

  She wanted to combust.

  He spoke to Tex but he never took his eyes off Anke. When he hung up, Pitbull leaned in to nip at her shoulder.

  “We can go back. They found her. Maybe she can shed some light on what’s going on here.”

  Anke nodded. But she didn’t move right away—Anke didn’t think her feet would be able to hold her.

  13

  The girl they rescued wasn’t talking. Barbie made it known she suspected something was definitely off. Pitbull agreed wholeheartedly but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Sure, there was being traumatized by the kidnapping and then forced to live in silence and secret. There wasn’t a scratch on her. The one upside is, she seemed to have an eye for Crash who had taken a break from training and the girl to sit in on the case. Pitbull frowned with his arms folded across his chest as they watched her seated in the interrogation room. He had an idea then.

  “Okay.” Pitbull exhaled long and hard. “Barbie, you’re not gonna like this.”

  “Try me.” She turned to look at him.

  “I go in there. This time, I bring Crash with me”

  Barbie growled.

  “Told you. You weren’t gonna like it.” Pitbull sighed. “But we don’t really have much of a choice. From what I can tell from your last session with her, she seems to have a thing for Crash.”

  “I know. I really don’t like some chick ogling him.”

  “Hey! I’m right here.” Crash leaned in to kiss Barbie’s head. “I feel like a piece of bacon. But if it will help move this damn case along…”

  Barbie unfolded her arms to touch Crash’s cheek. For a moment, Pitbull watched the silent conversation between the two of them. He wondered if things would ever get like that with Anke. Frustrated with his back and forth feelings toward her, he turned for the door. He could hear Crash’s footsteps following him until they arrived at the door to the interrogation room.

  When they entered, Pitbull was first. The girl’s expression didn’t change. Then he stepped aside and the moment she saw Crash, she perked up. Pitbull stood in one corner while Crash took a seat across from the woman.

  “The thing is, Ms. Lesner—” Crash started.

  “Abi.” Abigail Lesner was quick to correct him.

  Crash offered a tight smile. “Abi—we want to catch the people who were after you when Claudia found you. It wouldn’t be right for our team to leave this half-assed—forgive my language.”

  “Does he have to be here?” Abigail motioned toward Pitbull.

  Though Pitbull said nothing, he didn’t move either. If this chick
thought he was going to leave her alone in a room with Barbie’s heart, she had another thing coming. Crash was a good guy. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt Barbie. But Pitbull didn’t trust this girl.

  “Yeah—it’s protocol to ensure nothing sketchy happens.”

  “Um…” She looked down at her fingers then leaned forward. “It wasn’t supposed to be a big deal. I was alone, you see. And I figured if I could make a quick buck, I could buy a plane ticket and move to London. I wanted to get out of here.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They told me all I had to do was this one job,” Abigail said. “All I had to do was one thing for them and I would be out. The debt I owed them would be clean. I’d be—free.”

  “Debt?” Pitbull asked.

  Abigail glanced at Crash who nodded. “My brother borrowed money from them. When he couldn’t pay—well…”

  “It became your debt,” Crash said.

  Abigail nodded. “I figured, this was my chance, you know? I’d have enough money to payback what Demo owed and move away from this cursed place. All I had to do, was get Claudia to trust me then they would take care of the rest.”

  “When you say the rest…” Crash pushed.

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. The man who contacted me said her brother had done something to hurt him and his wife. And the cops wouldn’t help so he had to take care of things for himself.”

  “So, you set her up.” Pitbull didn’t move.

  From the way Abigail swung to face him, Pitbull knew she’d forgotten he was there. He didn’t care.

  “I just wanted to get out! You don’t understand.” She pleaded.

  “You’re damn right, I don’t understand!” Pitbull growled.

  “Pit!” Crash warned.

  Fear filled Abigail’s eyes but all Pitbull could muster toward her was rage. He swallowed. “Who was the man.”

  “I don’t know.” Abigail said.

  “Who was the man?” Pitbull pushed.

  “I don’t know!” She sobbed.

  “Pitbull.” Crash rose.

  Pitbull moved then, walking toward Abigail. The girl shrunk in her chair as he hunched down beside her and glared into her eyes. “My name is Daniel Hunt. Do you know who I am now?”

  She stared at him blankly for a second before swallowing hard. “Hunt?”

  “I’m assuming you do.” Pitbull continued. “Claudia Hunt is my sister. Thanks to you my sister is in a whole lot of trouble. For the next little while, Abi, and quite possibly the rest of your miserable life, I will be your shadow. Every time you close your eyes thinking you have some peace—some quiet—I’ll be there.”

  “Pit…you’re scaring her.”

  “She should be scared.” Pitbull said. “She should be downright petrified. Because in the end these guys never keep their word. They promise you freedom? You will die in this.”

  “They already paid me. That’s partially keeping their word.” She stuttered.

  Pitbull drew himself to his full height and backed away. “I’m not sure how long you’ve been in the world, Abigail. But you sure are stupid.”

  Without another word he headed for the door.

  “Where is the money now?” Crashed asked.

  “In my bank account. I’m not under arrest, am I?”

  “We don’t know yet,” Crash replied.

  “You can’t keep me here!” Abigail shouted. “I didn’t do anything wrong!”

  “Actually—” Pitbull jerked around.

  “Actually.” Crash interjected. “We can. You’re a kidnapping victim and was rescued by an anti-terror team. We can keep you here until reckoning.”

  “What?” Abigail squealed.

  Pitbull smirked and together he and Crash exited the room and slammed the door shut behind them.

  The team gathered in the war room. Each finding their own spot to sit in silent contemplation. The news they’d gotten from Abigail sat on Pitbull’s chest like a bad piece of meat eaten too late to be digested.

  “So, she set Claudia up.” Zero was the first to break the silence. “She knew Claudia would want to help. She found what would make Claudia jump into action and used it against her. I really don’t know about the human race anymore.”

  “It’s not all of us.” Barbie frowned. “Some people are born assholes.”

  “The question now, is what can I do with the information.” Tex drawled. He rubbed his eyes.

  “Maybe we should all get some sleep.” Mouth suggested. “It’s been a long day and I for one am starting to ache in places I didn’t remember I had.”

  The group chuckled.

  Pitbull glanced over to see Anke had fallen asleep. The others hugged him and left him alone in the room with her. He walked over to her in the chair and hunched down beside her. Unable to stop himself, he caressed her cheek. “Anke…”

  She shifted, moaned, but didn’t open her eyes.

  With a smile, he bushed his lips against her hair line. “Darling…wake up.”

  “Daniel, we can make love later. I’m really tired.”

  Pitbull laughed softly. “Anke, open your eyes for me.”

  Though she groaned, Anke did as he asked. For a moment she seemed to have forgotten where she was. When she looked back into his face, Pitbull grinned.

  “So, you said we could make love later—should I hold you to that?”

  Anke bowed her forehead against his shoulder and all Pitbull could do was laugh until she smacked his arm.

  “Okay. Let me take you home. I can feed you, then take you to bed.”

  “For sleep, Daniel Hunt. No hanky panky.”

  “Scout’s honour.”

  Anke crinkled her nose at him. “I have a feeling you were never a scout.”

  “I admit nothing.”

  Once home, Pitbull realized there was no food in the house. Instead of panicking, he ordered a pizza while Anke showered. He remained in the kitchen, shirtless and tapping away at his keyboards, going through a list of all the guys with records known to target the prostitution racket within CIRO’s jurisdiction. But he couldn’t focus.

  Although he doesn’t know it yet, Daniel Hunt is mine. And if because you refuse to talk, I lose him, I’ll be coming for you.

  Those where Anke’s words. He had a feeling she didn’t know anyone was on the other side of the glass. Or even if they were, they couldn’t hear what was being said. He was certain, Anke didn’t mean for him to hear those words.

  Daniel Hunt is mine.

  He trembled. For the first time in his life he reveled in belonging to a woman. Just the idea she claimed him made him want to charge up the stairs and crash into her body as hard as he could. He loved the idea—it made every part of him warm even as a charge of electricity rushed along his spine.

  Mine.

  “I hope you’re sure, Anke.” He whispered.

  “Sure about what?”

  He turned and eyed her. “Don’t sneak up on me.”

  “Sorry.” She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned her shoulder against the doorframe.

  “It’s okay.” Pitbull rubbed the back of his neck. “As for your question, I wanted to make sure you’re sure about getting into all of this. I mean, we can leave you at home with someone while we…”

  “Nope. My life too and I want to fight for it.”

  Pitbull nodded. He extended a hand to her and when she accepted, he pulled her into his body. Anke pressed her face into his throat and he moaned at her closeness. No words passed between them. It wasn’t for a lack of trying. Pitbull wanted to soothe her, to give her words to set her mind at ease. But all he had was his body. Weak with helplessness, he kissed the side of her head. He dragged his mouth along her hairline to her forehead and placed a kiss there.

  A loud knock interrupted, and he frowned. He wanted to ignore it but he was pretty sure it was the pizza he’d ordered. They could always continue after—that was why they invented microwaves.

  With a sigh, he eased her awa
y from him, checked to ensure his gun was still strapped around his thigh. Satisfied, he reached for his wallet.

  Out of habit, he peered through the peeping hole and noticed something was sitting on the step, but no one was there. He frowned and made his way back to the kitchen. “Here’s what I want you to do,” Pitbull said. “I want you to go upstairs, grab the heavy blanket from the bed and crawl into the bathtub. Cover yourself with it and keep your head down. Don’t come out until I come get you. No matter what you hear…”

  “Daniel—you’re scaring me.”

  “Anke, please.”

  She kissed him deeply then darted up the stairs. He waited until he couldn’t hear the thump of her footsteps before pulling out his cell and dialing.

  “Gerhart.”

  “Beast—we got a problem.”

  “What’s up?” Beast asked.

  “Someone left a little care package on my front steps.” Pitbull went back to the peephole and looked out. “It’s wrapped up so I can’t see inside but I know it’s a bomb.”

  “Shit—okay…I’ll grab Zero and some equipment and be on our way.”

  “In the meantime, I’m opening it.”

  “Pit, wait until we get there.”

  “I can’t run the risk it’s on a timer.”

  “Shit…” Beast grunted.

  “These assholes were on my property, Beast!” Pitbull growled. “They’re coming after my woman! I’m not taking this lightly.”

  “Your—we can talk about that later. We’ll see you soon. Pass auf.”

  “I’ll be careful,” Pitbull promised.

  He hung up, dumped his phone into his pocket and grabbed an exacto-knife. Though his heart raced, he ignored it and made his way to the front porch. Before he did anything, he wandered around the property, looking for an intruder.

  Whomever left the package was long gone.

  Just as he was making his way back to the front, he noticed the pizza guy and cut him off at the edge of the driveway. With that fiasco avoided, he carried the pizza back to the house and dropped them on the ground. Food was the last thing on his mind then.