NINE MONTHS LATER...CARSON HAD VISIONS OF what bringing her baby home would be like. How everything would be perfect. Her maternity clothes would be gone. Jessica had bought her that adorable maxi dress Carson wanted to wear home. She'd be comfortable. Family would be in the wings ready to fawn over the child.Reality was anything but."Welcome home." Ryan beamed at her, already settling into the role of excited new dad with gusto."Is she still asleep? Did you check her?" Carson had hoped her waddling days were over, but after two days of being in labor, most of her still hurt."She's fine. You're the one I'm worried about. Come on." He took her hands and guided her through their tiny living room, down the hall and into the master bedroom.Their big, comfortable bed beckoned. After being in the hospital for a week between the delivery and recovering from her emergency C-section, the mattress was a slice of heaven. She was looking forward to lying down without having to dodge
Volume 7: Dangerous BetrayalALEC ESPOSITO KNEW AN impossible op when he saw one. He'd been on plenty of impossible ops during his days as a SEAL. Foolishly, he'd thought civilian life would be easier. Somehow his private security days were a lot more harrowing.Sitting in the conference room of the Aegis Group Seattle office, he could feel the bite of danger just watching the intel unfold. His housemates were there with him, focused on the screen laying out the numerous reasons why they should not be focused on this op. And yet, they'd all promised to go. Because every military branch and diplomatic mission had failed one woman for ten years. It was a miracle the almost sixty-year-old documentary film maker was still alive after being in the hands of Al-Qaeda then ISIS. Their latest intel said that Jules Neilson had traded hands again and was temporarily in Damascus, Syria.There was another woman in that city. One Alec had a far more personal connection to.Vara Price.His hea
ALEC GUNNED THE MOTORCYCLE'S engine and didn't slow down heading into the turn. The wheels skidded and the ungodly motorcycle-cart contraption went in a wide arc onto the next street. This late at night there wasn't as much foot traffic, which was a blessing and a curse. He glanced down the road behind them at the truck barreling after them."Hold on, Jules." Alec gave the bike everything he had and prayed it would be enough. "Ryan? Zain? Anyone-do you copy?"Still no fucking answer.Everything was going to hell. If they made it past tonight without getting their brains splattered across the pavement, he'd call it a win. He had no idea where his team was or if they were alive.His focus was Jules. It had to be. He couldn't risk thinking about anyone else until he'd secured her. How he was going to do that was a mystery.If Alec didn't make it through the two security checkpoints in the next twenty minutes he'd be stuck in this area until morning. The curfew was about to drop and t
VARA PRICE STARED OVER her cards at the three men studying their odds."I'm out," the one on her left said and slouched back in his seat.The man across from her took a long, slow drag on his cigarette, studying her. She smiled back, content to wait them out.She liked playing cards with her new hires. How a man handled the cards told her a lot about who they were. How they assessed danger and risk. Too much time spent making decisions, and she knew they weren't long for her team. React too fast and she knew they'd walk into a dangerous situation with no idea they were about to lose their head.Her life and the success of her mission depended on these men, and they didn't have any clue what they were really doing. The old pang of guilt stabbed at her, but she was beyond letting that emotion get the best of her. What they didn't know might save their lives.A commotion in the hall outside the communal room drew the attention of the other two men. The third pulled his cigarette from
RAFAT NOUR DIDN'T BELIEVE in coincidences.He stroked his chin and stared out the window onto his domain.This had never been his goal in life. He'd taken over the family shop selling rugs in his teens, expanded their store, opened others and had built a nice business before the conflict began. His business had died then, but not his means to make money. Smuggling had become a way of life. He worked with the government and military to move goods they couldn't get through normal channels, not with so many sanctions on their country. Rafat did good work.But this business had an expiration date on it. In the future, the very hand of the government that allowed him to work freely would crush him in the name of honest commerce. Which was why Rafat had plans in place.Plans that were now slipping through his fingers."Sir?" A man hovered in the doorway leading to Rafat's office."The soldiers didn't find anything?" Calling them in had been a calculated move on his part."No, sir.""
Alec still couldn't make up his mind who he should be trusting."Over here." Vara turned right. There wasn't a whole lot of building left that way."Where are we going?" Alec asked."Out of here.""We can't go out there." Alec reached out and grabbed Vara's elbow, turning her around. The sizzle of awareness sank into his skin and he held on tighter.Their eyes met for the first time since the shadow shrouded moment when she'd first discovered them. That didn't really count because he'd been blinded by the flashlight. Now, he fell headlong into her whisky brown eyes flashing with emotion. Frustration was the most obvious one with the set of her jaw."You can't stay here. Rafa's people will notice you and after tonight you do not want him to notice you." She spoke in a rush, her voice low."We can't go out there." Alec couldn't keep running and carrying Jules. She was too frail and too tired. His mind was also focused on her, the shape of her lips, the little scar on her chin, all
VARA SAT ON THE sofa watching the street. Or more accurately the windows across the street. With the streetlight down the way she had a perfect reflection of the entrance to the tunnels. She doubted anyone had followed them. Nothing about the inspection had seemed odd to anyone besides the new hires or Wyatt, for different reasons.Her new recruits wouldn't be a problem. But Wyatt? He'd been with her so long she thought he had to have guessed that some of what she did served another purpose. They'd never talked about it, because truth was she couldn't trust anyone. Not even her right-hand man. And especially not this blast from her past.She resisted the urge to glance at the stairs.Was Alec still a SEAL?She hadn't kept track of him. Her heart couldn't take the awareness. Even after all these years looking at him hurt. One glance and she was in the throes of first love turning into first heartbreak all over again.The door upstairs creaked shut. She heard the rustle of fabric on
VARA STROLLED ALONG THE gravel boulevard leading toward the reflecting pool. The last summer blooms perfumed the air. The horizon was highlighted, heralding the new day. People hustled home or to work from the pre-dawn prayer, consumed with the day to come.That was why Vara liked this time of day. People didn't pay her much mind. She was just another figure in the rush.Only this morning she wasn't.Tension knotted her shoulders.She'd slept, but only in fits. Memories kept waking her. Stolen moments with Alec at the embassy. Highlights of their trip.There'd been years since their fling, and yet Vara's body remembered his touch as though they'd been together last week or last month.It wasn't fair. But she couldn't choose who she fell in love with. She just had to deal with it.The walk was good for her. Stretching her legs and breathing in the bite in the morning air helped bring her mind around to right now. She slowed as she reached the reflection pool and turned to look at