Firestorm (Security Specialists International Book 6)

by Monette Michaels

  Ren grunted. "I saw her medical report and read all the after-action reports. I've said it before and I'll say it again—she's a fucking hero. She'd have sailed through BUDs. I'm proud to have her as part of our SSI team."

  "Woman sure as fuck are the stronger sex when it comes to survival," Trey said. "I still remember Keely fighting off the mercs while in the end stages of labor. She might look like a Disney pixie, but she's got the soul and stamina of any Force Recon Marine I know."

  "That's my baby sister." Tweeter chuckled. "She kicked my and my friends' asses many a time when we played war games. Mom would then kick my ass for letting Keely get dirty and bruised, but Imp would just tag along the next time we played. No quit in her. None in Tara, either, that I can see. Give her the ring, Price. Set a date. I've seen the way she watches you when you aren't looking. She loves you and is probably waiting on you to make the next move."

  "Thanks, Tweeter." Price nodded. "Ren, you never did answer my question about Miller."

  Ren angled his head toward Tweeter. "I'll let the man who's gonna lose this hand tell you what the latest intel was."

  "I call." Tweeter threw in the chips. "Show me your hand."

  Ren had two pair, jacks and tens.

  Tweeter grinned as he turned over a straight flush, king high. "Finally." He raked in the pot. "There was a Miller-spotting just over the Idaho state line, near Pullman, Washington."

  "That's pretty gutsy," Trey said. "That's farm country. No place to hide, unless it's in a wheat field. Strangers would be noticed."

  "Theory is he has some of his white supremacist buddies in the area and they're hiding him," Ren said. "Pullman law enforcement is aware he's a fugitive and the U.S. Marshal's Service has a team there, questioning locals where the sighting occurred."

  "Where was the sighting?" Price asked.

  "The Greyhound bus station," Tweeter replied. "You can buy a ticket online easily enough and get one with an open-ended destination for a certain time period. A person can check in with false I.D. and those bus station clerks would never know. It's nothing like airport security at all."

  Price wasn't the only one who frowned. Terrorists could use the bus system to travel anywhere with weapons in a carry-on or their luggage and no one would know.

  "When was he seen?" Vanko asked.

  "Two days ago," Tweeter said. "That means, two days ago he was about three hours from Sanctuary. If I were a betting man, and obviously I am since I'm playing poker with you card sharks, he has boots-on-the-ground in Elk City and Grangeville, seeking a way to get into Sanctuary to nab our girl."

  "My girl." Yeah, it was a knee-jerk response, but Price was feeling very territorial.

  "Yeah, your girl, but you're one of us, so that means she's ours also," Trey said.

  "And we protect our own," Ren said. "How's Tara taking the continued restrictions I placed on her?"

  "As she told me, you're the boss, but," sighing, Price shook his head, "she's going stir crazy. I think that's another reason why her nightmares are coming more frequently. My woman's used to doing what she pleases, when she pleases. But she's also not stupid and the clusterfuck at the GAC drove home the point that more than just her life is at stake where her enemies are concerned."

  * * * *

  Sitting in Trey and Fee's great room in front of the fireplace, Tara and the ladies had just finished several hours of sloughing, buffing, and slathering lotion on their bodies. She inhaled deeply. Coconut, orange, and musk from the lotions and creams they'd used hung in the air. Stroking a finger over her forearm, she wondered if Price would like the scent and feel of her. Wondered where he would start kissing her first. Her man liked to drive her nuts by kissing, licking, and nibbling her from head to toe. Though, sometimes he started at her toes and stopped at her pussy.

  Her pussy was bare and glowed from the coconut oil she'd rubbed in after Keely had helped her wax. She swallowed hard as she grew wet just thinking of how much Price would like her bare mound and pussy lips. Her face flushed just thinking of how many orgasms he might give her before he took her with his cock.

  "Um, Tara, you're red. Since it is not that hot in here and none of the products should've caused that color on you face," Fee said, "I can only conclude you're thinking about my brother and the hot sex you're gonna have later."

  Tara opened her mouth, but was cut off by Fee raising a hand.

  "Nope, please don't share. It's bad enough I know I'm right, you don't have to confirm it. I've still not recovered from walking in on him and Mary Jo Jenkins, post-Senior prom night. They were naked and, well, I hadn't known that guys liked to do that to girls."

  Tara laughed. "Where were your parents?"

  "In Barbados. The maid was drunk and in her quarters." Fee scrunched her nose. "I didn't feel good and I'd heard Price come home. So I went to find him. I blame me throwing up all over them on the shock and not the spoiled fish the maid served for supper."

  The women laughed.

  "Poor Price," Tara said.

  Fee grinned. "Yeah, Mary Jo refused to talk to him after that, and she'd walk the other way when she saw me."

  Laughter and the spa evening with the best friends a gal could have had eased some of the stress Tara had felt since Miller escaped.

  "A toast." Fee lifted her glass of wine in the air. Keely, Elana, DJ, and Tara lifted their beverages of choice. "To Tara, the woman who's captured my big brother's heart and soul. Welcome to the SSI family, and soon to mine. By the way, have you two set a date and why hasn't my sluggard of a brother bought you a ring, yet?"

  "No date yet. Price has tried to talk about our future, but—" Tara sipped her wine and sighed. "He's not a sluggard. He's being patient with me. As for the ring, I think he has one. I caught him measuring one of my rings for size."

  "That's great." Fee's eyes were lit with happiness.

  "Yeah, it is. I love him very much. Now, it's my turn to propose a toast." Tara raised her wine. "To Fee. Thank you, for having the good sense to get captured by morons so I could help you escape and then meet your brother. It was the best day of my life. I'm proud to be part of the SSI family and can't wait to be a part of yours."

  "Hear, hear." DJ lifted her glass. "So glad to have another former military female at SSI. While I love all my other SSI sisters—who kick ass and take names in their own special ways—you and I share a wartime experience that's hard to explain to people who've never been there."

  Tara nodded. "We do." She closed her eyes. "Lately, I…um, I've been having some serious nightmares."

  If she couldn't share her worries with her best friends, who could she share with?

  "Price has been so patient and loving. I can tell he's concerned about me. He listens really well and we talk things out. I sleep better knowing he's there for me."

  "Are the nightmares getting worse? Are you having PTSD during the day?" Fee asked.

  "Yes and yes." Tara set her glass of wine on the cocktail table and then braced her forearms on her thighs. "It's Miller. The longer he's out there, the worse the nightmares have become. The PTSD flashbacks aren't nearly as bad. I had that minor flashback when we were on the roof at the firefighters' barracks the day Gaither was captured, but DJ recognized what it was and easily brought me out of it."

  "It was my fault," DJ rubbed Tara's back. "I reminded you of things that had happened to you while Miller had you. You came out of it quickly enough. Have you had instances since then?"

  "On the shooting range yesterday. One of the new guys let loose with a nice string of typical Marine vulgarity, and I flashed back to a time in the 'Stan when our base was being attacked. Some Force Recon Marines were in the mess with me when the mortars started striking the base, so you can imagine the swearing as we all rushed to shelter."

  The sound of bombs exploding. The dust swirling in the air. The freezing wind piercing her very bones. The shouts and curses—and screams of the dying. It was far away and then as close as her next breath.

  "Tara?"
DJ gave her a quick hug. "Here. Take a drink."

  She took her glass of wine from DJ and took a large sip. "Thanks. It—"

  "I know." DJ's eyes held the same memories. "It's okay. You're okay. I didn't notice you going off yesterday. You handled it."

  Keely said, "My dad curses like that. No one curses like a Marine. Mom always made a lot of money off him and the boys. I didn't notice anything odd yesterday either."

  "Plus, you outshot those new guys to boot." DJ grinned and gave Tara a fist bump.

  "Good to know I didn't freak you out. I always feel like everyone can see me losing it." Tara sat back and took a couple of deep breaths and let the tension flow out of her. "The PTSD I can handle, because my conscious mind kicks in and shows me what's real and what's memory. The nightmares are beginning to rattle me, though. In them, I don't get away from Miller, from the slavers—but I damn well did get away from both. And then I put Miller and the slavers in prison."

  "Well, I'm no dream analyst, and I hated the psych rotation I had to take in medical school," Fee said, "but I'd say your nightmares are manifestations of Miller being loose and a subconscious fear of the potential of being caught again."

  "Yeah, that's what I figured." Tara took another sip of her wine. "So, how are we gonna get him?"

  Keely grinned and rubbed her hands. "My kind of woman. Your first thought is going after the problem and eliminating it. But my husband would kick our asses if we did, ground us like little kids—"

  "I'm already grounded," Tara pointed out, "unless there's a fire—and even then I have a minder in the field."

  Ren had made it clear to the SSI ops who formed the firefighting crew and then to the Grangeville crews that she was always to be within the sight of someone on the crews.

  "Yeah." Keely teethed her lower lip. "I'll talk to him. We can't go after Miller, since we don't know where he frick-fracking is, exactly. But you obviously need a day out. How about a lingerie-shopping-day in Coeur d'Alene? One or even two of our men can go with us as our bodyguards and can carry our bags. Our vehicles are armored. We'd be armed. So even if Miller got wind of it, we could more than handle him and his buddies."

  "Are you setting us up to lure Miller out of his hole?" Fee asked. "I remind you DJ and Elana are pregnant."

  Keely narrowed her eyes at Fee. "Miller might have people watching for us to leave Sanctuary, but he would have no idea where we were going and if we can't spot a tail, then we shouldn't be in the security business. So I would call a quick shopping trip to and from Coeur d'Alene to be a low-risk op."

  DJ nodded. "I agree. Plus, Miller isn't stupid. He wouldn't attack us on the road when we're armed and have armed male escorts. He wants Tara. Not the rest of us. He wants to snag her and get away." She turned to Tara. "Sorry, Tara."

  "Nope, that's exactly what he wants." Tara looked at Fee. "He'll want no witnesses and he wants to escape. So, a shopping trip sounds wonderful. I could use some more clothes. Though lingerie is nice, too."

  "Count me in. Am I too pregnant to buy sexy lingerie?" Elana asked, sipping her iced tea. "I'm two months further along than DJ, who doesn't even look pregnant." Elana rubbed her baby bump, which to Tara's eyes wasn't all that big.

  "Why the hell not?" DJ said. "Ace loves me in my sexy undies, not that they stay on very long. His eyes light up and he practically salivates."

  "Ick. Don't talk about my brother lighting up and slobbering." Keely scrunched her nose. "Well, I guess we all want to go sexy undie shopping. I'll get Ren on board and make him go with us." She grinned when they all laughed. "So, before we adjourn to get our men and rock their worlds with our fantastic selves, I want to know what the frick-fracking hell is going on with this fire season? Am I imagining it, or are there more one-to-five acre fires popping up this year than over the last few years?"

  "You're not imagining it," Tara said.

  Fee said, "That one last weekend came damn close to my clinic. I cancelled all appointments and sent the staff home. Trey almost had a cow when he heard about it."

  "That one was started by a camper who violated the burn ban. He was cited," Tara said. "Most of the small fires are ignited by tossed cigarettes, sparks off a dragging tail pipe, cars backfiring, and dry lightning strikes. The grass is high and dry and so easily ignited. That's why I took some guys out with me and we created fire lines all over Sanctuary. Those will slow down the grass and shrub fires as long as there's little or no wind. Not much we can do if a fire starts and the winds blow sparks all over the place. At that point, we have to go in, attack the fire, and try to get ahead of it."

  What she didn't say was that she'd thought several of the fires had been deliberately set. The other firefighters who'd responded had agreed.

  Her gut told her it was Miller. He was testing her and the team she worked with. Her leaving the Forest Service had probably set him back. She'd bet that he'd planned to take her while on the job. Now, he couldn't get to her as easily.

  The last time, she also only had herself to count on to take Miller down. This time she had a team covering her six.

  She sensed the day of reckoning was coming, and she was more than ready for it to be over. She wanted to embrace her future with Price, but felt she couldn't until she put the past to rest.

  After everyone said goodnight and left Fee's house, Tara turned to head up the lane that dead-ended into her and Price's home.

  "Tara?" DJ tugged on her sleeve, halting her. "You okay? You got so quiet and looked, well, grim there at the end of the fire season discussion. What's wrong? What aren't you telling us?"

  Tara turned and looked at DJ. The night around them was cool and quiet, the sky so clear that the stars were easily seen. She took a deep breath of the clean, pine-scented air. "My gut's telling me something. I can't prove anything."

  "This is about the fires near Elk City, right?" DJ said.

  "Yeah, I think they're being set by Miller. He's watching how we respond, seeing who's with me. How to separate me from my crew."

  "Do you think he has people in the Grangeville firefighting unit?" DJ asked.

  "No. He's a Zulie, born and bred. All his close firefighting friends are Zulies. I checked. No one has transferred over from Missoula since I moved to Idaho. My brothers are keeping an eye on his particular friends on the Missoula crew. So far they've been too busy jumping fires to drive over to Idaho and kidnap me for Miller."

  DJ nodded. "Yeah, the west seems to be on fire."

  "Miller's not in Montana. My people are keeping an eye open for him." Tara's lips tightened. Her father and brothers had made it clear that if they or any of the Blackfoot people found Miller, he'd be buried so deeply on the rez no one would ever find him. She didn't want that for her family or her people, but there was nothing she could do about it. At least—"Tweeter told me Miller was spotted in Washington state just across the Idaho line."

  "Easy to set fires in Idaho, go across the line, and keep a low profile." DJ hummed. "Have you told Ren about your gut feeling? He'd believe you."

  "That's what I'm afraid of." Tara blew out an exasperated breath. "The only way we're gonna get Miller is to lure him out. I'm the lure. So if Ren keeps me from fighting fires to protect me, Miller will never get a chance to nab me. I need to be in the field, on the fire lines, doing my job, and keeping aware."

  "You'll need someone to cover your ass. Someone Miller wouldn't feel threatened by." DJ pointed to her chest. "That would be me."

  "No. Your husband would shit that litter of kittens you mentioned. And you inhaling all that smoke and ash and other detritus wouldn't be good." Tara hugged DJ. "If you weren't pregnant, I'd have you for my fire buddy in a hot damn minute."

  "Then you need to tell Price, get him on board, then go to Ren. He can put more plans in place than he already has when you're on the fire. You don't have to do this alone, Tara. You have a team just like you had a crew in the Air Force. Use us. Let's turn Miller's trap for you back on him."

  "Just like a backfire, sett
ing a fire to stop a fire by denying it fuel," Tara said.

  "Exactly." DJ grinned. "And while I can't fight fire on the ground to cover your ass, I'll be flying the crews in and out of the fire zone. So you radio me if you ever need me, and I'll fly into hell and pluck you and the guys out. Can't be any worse than ferrying Spec Op teams in and out of war zones."

  "Deal." With tears in her eyes at DJ's offer, Tara held her hand out and they shook.

  * * * *

  "No, fuck no." Price turned on his side and looked into the eyes of the woman he loved more than life itself. "If you think Miller is setting small fires to test us, to see how to get to you, then you need to stay the fuck on Sanctuary where you'll be safe."

  "Píítaa, he has to be caught." She smoothed a hand over his naked chest.

  He closed his eyes. He craved her touch now. Relished this closeness after they'd just made love. Everything in him rebelled at the thought she could be taken away from him.

  "Price, I want a future with you without the threat of Miller looming over our lives. I want to set a date, get married, and have your babies, so they can grow up and play with our friends' children. That can't happen until he's gone. I want this over."

  Opening his eyes, he looked into the deep gold of hers. "God, Tara. So do I, but not at the risk of your life." He grasped the hand that teased his skin, brought it to his mouth, and kissed the palm. "I love you. I want you to have our children, but to do that you have to live."

  "Price," she smiled, "I have you and the SSI team behind me." She pulled her hand from his and massaged his jaw with her thumb. "So tense. I hate that you're so afraid for me. But we're warriors, you and I. We don't hide. We take it to the enemy, be it fire, foreign terrorists, or scum buckets like Miller. Fight at my side, have my back, Price. That's what I would do for you."

  He pulled her into his arms, her head resting on his chest over the heart that now beat every second of every day for her.

  Tara rubbed her cheek against his naked skin and he shuddered. She seemed so small and fragile against him, but she wasn't. She was strong and so brave it scared the fucking shit out of him.