She nodded her head, though she seemed reluctant. “I suppose. It’s just disturbing that I feel happy a human being is dead.”
“What was that thing between you and Kjerstin?” He wanted to change the subject from dead Mikhail.
“She gave Mikhail the antidote. I don’t know why. Maybe they had a thing. Maybe he made promises to her. Maybe she had Stockholm Syndrome. Whatever it was, she gave it to him and planned to go with him.”
“That explains how Mikhail called for the assault. He couldn’t have done that if he was still under the influence of the drug.”
“Exactly,” Mindy said.
“Where do you think Kjerstin will go?”
“I have no idea, but I’d wager a guess that she’ll end up with the Russians, and unfortunately even if Tex destroys everything in the world having to do with Amaranthine, Kjerstin will still have all of it in her mind,” Mindy said. “Those drugs won’t be gone as long as she’s around.”
13
Melinda woke with a start, springing up to sitting and searching her surroundings. When her cool, white office at Triada met her gaze, instead of the burning Siberian complex and Mikhail’s leering face of her nightmares, she took a deep cleansing breath and threw herself back in her office chair.
They’d been back in San Diego for a week. Both SEAL teams had been confined to base pending debriefing. Buck specifically faced investigation of shooting his commanding officer. It turned out Commander Hardigen was very much alive, but had involved himself in black market drugs and weapons deals, so he faced his own investigations.
Given the circumstances of being under the influence of Amaranthine and the Russian mafia, nobody doubted Buck would be cleared. But they still had to go through the process.
Otherwise, the whole mission was a cleanup disaster between Buck shooting his commander, losing Dozer’s body in the fire, and failing to collect the research on the drug.
Melinda checked the time on her phone—eleven a.m. She had a lunch date with Jayla, so she’d better get some work done before then. After having been gone for a while, she was behind on her latest project.
But first, she powered up her laptop and did her daily search for news about Kjerstin. She had no idea what had happened to her, but the responsibility to tie up that loose end hung over Melinda’s head. It had only taken a few days before she realized her inadequate search skills would yield exactly nothing, so she’d asked Tex if he’d look into it when he had a chance. So far he hadn’t reported anything, so she had to assume he had more pressing projects. She hoped he’d find something eventually. Until then, she’d continue her lame daily searches. At least it made her feel like she was doing something.
Surprisingly, Melinda missed Eun-Ji, who had gone home to Korea and reunited with her family. Maybe it was the intensity of the shared experience in Russia, but Melinda liked Eun-Ji and intended to nurture that friendship and professional relationship in the future.
She stood and headed for the door. Her lab assistant April Nguyen had been patient with her since her return, but Melinda owed April her focus and practical attention. It was time to get back to work.
At the door, Melinda bumped into Claudia Lynch, her CIA contact.
“Oh,” Melinda said. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I apologize for just dropping in. Do you have a few minutes?”
Melinda didn’t want to talk to Claudia, but short of telling her to get lost, she didn’t have much choice
“Just a few.”
Claudia settled into the chair on the other side of the desk, forcing Melinda to take her seat again.
“The mission didn’t go as planned,” Claudia said, stating the obvious.
“No, it didn’t.”
“Were you able to secure any of the information about the drugs?”
Melinda swallowed hard. She knew she’d eventually face questions about it, but had hoped she’d have more notice.
“No. Unfortunately, we were in the process of doing that when the facility was attacked by the Russians. We had to drop our work and run. I think everything was lost in the fire.”
“It’s very strange, but none of our computer experts have been able to find any reference to the drugs anywhere on the internet or the deep web. It’s almost as if they never existed.”
Claudia watched her as if she expected some response. Melinda arranged her features into the blankest expression she could manage.
“Wow. That’s too bad,” she said.
“It is. Now you’ll have to start over from scratch. I imagine having worked with the formula as much as you have, you shouldn’t have any trouble,” Claudia said.
Melinda snort-laughed, unable to contain it. “There’s no way I’ll recreate Amaranthine.”
“You’re sworn to serve your government, regardless of what they ask of you.”
“I’m not, actually. You can toss me in prison and throw away the key. I don’t care. I won’t recreate that drug. My government will have to do without it, as will every other government on the planet. It’s too dangerous and I won’t be responsible for anyone being exposed to it.”
Melinda crossed her arms and lifted her chin, defying Claudia to argue with her. For her part, Claudia remained noncommittal. Melinda couldn’t read her, which only made her nervous. If Claudia had yelled or demanded, Melinda could react to that. No response at all was unnerving.
“Hey Nerd, I’m a little early, hope that’s okay…”
Thank God for Jayla. She popped the door open without even knocking, and strode right in, but froze when she saw Claudia.
“Dr. McFadden,” Claudia said.
“I didn’t know you had company,” Jayla said to Melinda, ignoring Claudia.
“It’s okay. I was just leaving,” Claudia said, rising from the chair. “Give some thought to what we talked about, Dr. Emerson. I’ll be in touch.”
After she left, Melinda said, “She gives me the creeps.”
“She’s dating my dad,” Jayla said, flopping into the chair Claudia vacated.
“What? Clearly, I missed something.”
“You missed a lot. That’s why I brought lunch,” Jayla said, opening the bag she’d brought and distributing food from her favorite Thai restaurant. “So yeah, we have some catching up to do.”
“Okay, so start at the point about your dad.”
“Well, turns out he's been in Russia for the last fifteen years, handed over to the Russian mafia by fucking Commander Hardigen himself, in exchange for weapons, intel, and drug research.” Jayla shoved a chopstick full of noodles in her mouth.
Melinda's eyes widened. All these years Jayla had thought her dad was a traitor to his family. “You're kidding? So, he didn’t leave your family for another woman?”
Jayla shook her head. “Nope. Dad protected our family by staying with the Russians, as they threatened to kill my mom and us kids if he didn't comply. He gave up his life for us, to make sure we were safe.”
Tears welled in Jayla's eyes as she recounted his story. Melinda’s eyes stung from unshed tears, too. She couldn’t be happier that her best friend had her family back.
“Wow. I assume you did your Jayla magic and got him free while you were over there?”
“Yup. Brought them back over here. Tex helped slide things through with paperwork.” Jayla crunched an egg roll. “Oh, I have a grandmother, too!”
Melinda laughed. “Just tell me you didn't come back married and pregnant.”
Jayla coughed, choking on her egg roll. “Negative. But, I wouldn't mind making babies with Noah. Someday.”
Melinda smirked and dug into the rest of her food.
“So what about you?” Jayla asked. “Give me the deets of your adventures.”
“I don’t even want to talk about it. I’m still having nightmares. If I never see or hear or experience anything Russian again, it’ll be too soon,” Melinda said, using chopsticks to pick up a pork dumpling and dip it in Hoisin sauce.
“I’
m just glad you’re alive. I was worried sick about you on your first mission and all. I hear it went sideways?”
Melinda snorted. “You could say that. We were held captive, Buck almost died, the place burned down around us.”
“Sounds kinda like my mission. Oh, and by the way, Buck shot Noah. He shot him. I’m going hold that against him for a while, just FYI.”
Jayla grabbed another egg roll and crunched into it. Her words had an angry edge to them, but Melinda didn’t think Jayla would hold a serious grudge. She’d probably forever give Buck a hard time, though.
“Trust me, Buck’s going to have issues to work through after being on that drug.”
Jayla waved Melinda’s concern aside. “He’s got you. He’ll be fine.”
“Speaking of Buck having me, how are you and Noah? Last we talked the two of you were stuck in awkward, no sex mode.”
“Oh, we’re past that. We christened the condo, like every corner of it. I think we scared the crap out of Mal. I haven’t seen him for three days. Mal, not Noah.”
Melinda laughed. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“How about you and Buckaroo? Still good?”
“I haven’t seen him since we got back. He’s confined to the base. I’m kind of nervous about seeing him, though. It’s a lot to unpack, and before we left we were kind of stuck on some issues.”
“Do you love him?” Jayla asked.
“Yes.”
“Does he love you?”
“I think so.”
Jayla waved a potsticker pinched between her chopsticks. “He does. He’d be stupid if he didn’t and he doesn’t strike me as stupid. You keep telling me I’ll work out my stuff with Noah and you were right. I was all worried I couldn’t do normal and he’d get tired of me and leave, but he said he just wants what’s normal for us, whatever that is. We’ll figure out what that is. You and Buckaroo will, too.”
“When did you get so philosophical?”
“It’s a recent development, but don’t get used to it. I’m on a hormone high right now. All I want to do is jump Noah’s bones and have his babies.”
Melinda laughed. “My life would be so boring without you, Punk.”
“Darn right.”
Jayla popped a taro puff in her mouth, and they ate in companionable silence for a few minutes.
“What does Claudia want from you?” Jayla asked.
“To keep working on the drugs. I told her to take a hike, basically. Oh, hey, that reminds me.” Melinda put aside her lunch and dug in her purse, pulling out the flash drives she’d hidden in her bedroom. “I brought these for you to look at. I figured you could take them home and work on translating them. I don’t know what doom they contain, but it’s bound to be bad Russian shit that’ll screw up our lives somehow.”
“No doubt.” Jayla shoved them in her pocket. “I’ll let you know what I find.”
***
Buck heaved a huge sigh of relief as he drove off base free and clear of any charges or reprimands. He’d been surprised and grateful to learn Commander Hardigen hadn’t died because of him, but disgusted to learn of Hardigen’s involvement in black market drugs and weapons deals. Hardigen would face court marshal and probably prison for his role. His career and freedom were over.
Buck had briefly met his new commander, Vaughn “Chief” Bogo, an imposing man with dark skin and bright eyes. He seemed like a good guy who wasn’t as hardasss as Hardigan.
Buck pointed his truck in the direction of Mindy’s house, like it was a magnet. Or home. Like without her, he had no center.
They hadn’t spoken in a week, and he missed her far more than felt healthy.
At a stop light, he dialed her number.
“Buck?”
“Mindy. I’m free.”
“Thank God. Where are you?”
“On my way to your place. Where are you?”
“At work. I’ll meet you at home.”
He pulled up in front of the house, hopped out, and hurried up the walkway. Using the key she hid under a rock behind a bush, he let himself in, only to be greeted by Mr. Wiggles.
The cat jumped off the couch and trotted over to him, meowing and rubbing against his legs.
“What’s with you, Wiggles? Did you miss me?”
Buck scratched the cat between the ears, earning a loud purr. Then Wiggles collapsed to the floor and rolled to his back, exposing his belly.
Buck laughed. “I missed you, too.”
He rubbed the cat’s belly and it stretched, rolling side to side, purring louder.
“You two want to be alone?”
Mindy walked in the door and dropped her purse on the nearby table, a sly smile on her lips as she caught Buck stroking the cat.
“It’s not what it looks like,” he said, standing and holding his hands up in defense.
She stepped toward him, poking him in the chest. “It looks like you’re paying more attention to that fur beast than to me.”
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. “I can remedy that.”
She snaked her arms around his neck, and stood on her toes to kiss him. It started dirty and rough, her lips hard on his, eager and hungry, desperate to work past the anxiety of their trip. But then it changed.
She broke the kiss and buried her face in his chest, pressing her body to his and wrapping her arms around his waist. “I was so afraid I’d never see you again.”
Buck tucked her long chestnut hair behind her ear, then held her tight. “You can’t get rid of me that easy.”
“I don’t want to be rid of you,” she said. “I don’t want to say goodbye at night. I want to wake up with you every morning, and kick your dirty laundry out of my way, and curse you for leaving the toilet seat up.”
She looked up at him, earnest and sincere.
“Even if sometimes I still tell you how to drive?”
“Especially. We don’t need two homes. There’s plenty of space here for both of us.”
“Melinda Emerson, are you asking me to move in with you?”
Her smile lit up her face. “I am. Please say yes.”
He shrugged, trying for nonchalant teasing, but couldn’t manage it. That she’d asked him to move in made his heart swell in a very non-alpha male sort of way. It felt like Christmas Eve as an eight-year old, staying up late to catch Santa and hearing what had to be the jingle of sleighbells on the roof.
“Nothing would make me happier.” He kissed her forehead.
She nestled her head against his chest again. “I love you,” she said.
God, this woman had got under his skin. If someone had told him six months ago he’d be so completely, desperately, deeply in love, he would have laughed in their face. But here he was.
“I love you, too,” he said. “Always.”
If you enjoyed this book, don’t forget to read Bang for the Buck, the first book in the Sealed With A Kiss series.
Want more Special Forces: Operation Alpha Kindle World Books? Get them HERE!
For the Reader:
Thanks for purchasing and reading this ebook. Authors love it when readers review their work on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, blogs, or wherever else they think of. When you talk about something you’ve read, not only does it make authors ridiculously happy, it also lets other readers know it's a great read and they should run out and buy it. So if you enjoy something you’ve read (like this book), please review it! Authors will love you forever if you do.
Acknowledgments
To Wren, LeTeisha, and Anne: Thank you for your sharp eyes and spot-on suggestions and attention to detail. You helped polish the story and whip it into shape!
To Wren: I had so much fun weaving our stories together and I look forward to more adventures with Melinda, Jayla, Buck, and Hound!
To LeTeisha: Thank you for the fabulous cover. You’re amazing!
To my family: As always, thank you for being there for me. I love you.
To my readers: Thank you for your support and fo
r your enthusiasm for my books. I’d be nowhere without you!
Also by Margaret Madigan
Sealed With a Kiss Series
Bang for the Buck
Caine Brothers Series
Hunter
Xander
Damian
Jaxon
Nevada Bounty Series
Gambling on the Outlaw
Depending on the Doctor
Forever Faerie Series
Faerie Fate
Tales from Beyond the End Series
Hero for Hire
About the Author
I write historical romance for Entangled Publishing and paranormal romance for Evernight Publishing. I write contemporary romance, historical romance, and science fiction through M&M Publishing. I'm an Oregon Ducks fan. I'm a donut and pastry addict (pretty much any carbs, really). I like cats. I'm terrified of balloons. When I'm not writing you'll find me in a college classroom teaching English, or working as a literary agent for an amazing agency...and of course, wrangling my family.
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Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Buck the System (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Sealed With A Kiss Book 2) Page 13