“No idea.”
“You work for the woman and you’ve never met her?”
“Yep.”
“What do you do for her?” Ajax’s curiosity was growing.
“Whatever she asks. Usually, I find people, arrange meetings, keep track of her missions.”
Ajax lifted a brow. “She does this often? Rescue lost SEALs.”
“Nope. It’s always different.”
“Do you always travel with whoever she hires to the location?”
“Nope. Never.”
He turned to more fully face her. “Then why now?”
“I have my suspicions, but I’m not entirely certain. What I do know is that I trust her. Whatever she needs us to know, she’ll make it happen when the time is right.”
Ajax leaned back again, face forward. He was still skeptical. There was no doubt of that. But he did get the sense this woman wasn’t quite as soft and fragile as he’d first suspected. And his gut did not tell him her intention was to have him murdered.
Chapter 5
Ryker was grumbling when they got off the plane. Considering the man at least had more leg room than Ajax and hadn’t had to share an armrest with Serena for thirteen hours, Ajax didn’t think Ryker should be the one in the worst mood. But he was.
He glared at Serena after they made it through customs. “What next, Your Royal Highness? Are we only privy to the agenda one step at a time? Please tell me your boss arranged a driver and a decent hotel. I need a shower before we move to the next phase of your secret plan.”
Interestingly, Serena was in a rather good mood. She laughed at his snarky attitude and turned toward the exit. “Follow me, boys.”
Ryker growled, which made Ajax chuckle.
“This princess is going to get us killed before sundown.”
Ajax glanced at him. “My gut tells me otherwise.”
Ryker lifted a brow. “Oh yeah, Birdman? Her clothing alone is liable to get us killed.”
“She’s covered. Knees. Elbows. Let’s see what she’s got up her sleeve.”
She glanced over her shoulder. “I can hear you, you know?”
“Don’t care,” Ryker retorted.
When they stepped out into the stifling heat, Serena glanced around for a few seconds and then nodded toward a non-descript black vehicle before heading toward it.
Ajax followed with Ryker at his side, noticing that the man next to the car held up a sign in Amharic. He had yet to fully grasp what that said about Serena until they reached the driver and Serena began to speak to the man in fluent Amharic.
Ryker gasped.
Ajax smirked and shook his head. Of course. Why wasn’t he the least bit shocked?
The driver nodded to Ajax and Ryker, helped them load their luggage, and then spoke once again to Serena, who responded as she slid into the passenger seat.
Ajax and Ryker climbed into the back.
“Figures,” Ryker muttered.
“So this is why Charley sent you with us,” Ajax stated as the car pulled away from the curb.
“I have to assume,” she responded. The woman knew very little more than Ajax. That was becoming clearer by the hour.
He remained silent on the short drive to the center of Addis Ababa, staring out the window at the city skyline. He’d been here several times. Never as a tourist of course. Nor was he a tourist today, though that’s what it said on his visa.
The driver deposited them at one of the nicer downtown hotels, and then Ajax was once again at the mercy of Serena who spoke to the front desk staff. Granted, the staff would all speak English. But it was always more beneficial to speak in the native language whenever possible.
Fifteen minutes later, they were standing in adjoining rooms on the tenth floor. Serena immediately opened the doors between them and then shockingly announced she was going to take a shower.
Ajax stared at the open doorway as the door to her bathroom shut and he heard the sound of water. He decided it would be in his best interest to use the time showering himself. There was no telling when the slave driver might suddenly announce they had an appointment. He grabbed several things out of his duffle as he glanced at Ryker.
Ryker had dropped dramatically onto his back on one of the queen-sized beds. His hands were tucked under his neck, and his eyes were closed. “You go first.” That was all that needed to be said between them. They were on the same page.
Ajax was quick in the shower, returning to the main room with damp hair, cargo pants, and a khaki shirt. He was afraid to sit down, thinking he might fall asleep, and it was best to plow through this first day. He’d learned that lesson many years ago. Resist sleep until nighttime or end up with a seriously fucked circadian rhythm.
Ryker had pushed to sitting, more than likely thinking the same thing as Ajax about not wanting to risk sleeping. “Do you suppose that woman is going to wear tight skirts and fuck-me heels the entire time we’re here?”
Ajax shrugged. He couldn’t hear the water running any longer in her room, but he assumed Ryker would know if she’d exited the bathroom.
Ryker smirked. “I get that she speaks the language and all, but how the fuck is she going to defend herself if we get in a bind? Babysitting while I’m focused on a mission is not my thing.”
Ajax still heard nothing coming from the other room. “Maybe she can sweet-talk any would-be assailant in their native language.”
Suddenly, Ryker’s gaze jerked past Ajax and his eyes went wide.
Ajax slowly turned around, half-sorry she’d overheard him, half not giving a fuck because he still wasn’t fond of her tagging along at all.
The first thing he noticed as he faced her was that she’d definitely changed. The woman was now wearing a loose, white, long-sleeved, linen shirt and long, loose khaki trousers that could pass for a floor-length skirt if she was standing still. She was not standing still right now, however. She was barreling toward him.
Ajax only had moments to take in her attire, however, because seconds later, she had one arm around his biceps and one hand shoved up against his throat. When she swung out a strong leg in a perfect self-defense move, she swept his feet off the ground and sent him reeling backward until he landed flat on his back.
Her knee was on his chest. Her palm was still at his jaw. Her other hand was cupping his balls.
The breath was knocked out of him, but not so much that he was unaware of her fingers wrapped around his package.
He was stunned, and then all he could think about was how hot it was having her hovering over him, besting him, and her hand on his cock… Fuck me.
He licked his lips and slowly smiled. “If you wanted to touch my balls, Serena, all you had to do was ask.”
She jerked her hand away from his crotch and snarled at him. “No thank you. What I want is for you to stop wondering if I can fucking take care of myself. Have I made myself clear?”
“Crystal.”
She dug her knee in a bit deeper, making him suck in a breath. “You done smirking at me?”
He nodded. He was also done letting her have the upper hand. He grabbed her by the waist and flipped her onto her back so fast that she had no idea what was coming. Suddenly, she was the one pinned to the floor, only he played a bit dirtier. He grabbed her wrists, held them above her head, and flattened the rest of her with one thigh.
With his free hand, he cupped her face, enjoying her stunned expression. He grinned. “I get that you’ve had some interesting self-defense classes, and kudos to your instructor, but next time you flatten me to the floor and cup my balls, you should probably be prepared to take things a step further.”
She gasped.
He lifted a brow. “You want me to flatten my palm to your pussy so we’re even?”
She shook her head rapidly. “No,” she whispered.
“I didn’t think so.” He released his grip and jumped to his feet, hauling her with him.
Ryker stood from the bed. “Yeah, I’m going to take a shower now.�
�� The man fled the room so fast, it was hard to see him moving.
Serena spun around and rushed back into her own room.
Ajax followed, not letting her shut the door as he reached it right on her heels.
She rolled her eyes and hurried over to her open suitcase, pretending to organize things as if they’d gotten messy.
He leaned one shoulder casually against the door frame. “So, you speak the language, you know what to wear, and you have self-defense skills. What else do I need to know about the mysterious Serena who has no last name?”
She turned and shot him a glare. “Patton. Serena Patton.”
“Patton. Hmmm. Patton…” The name was familiar. Suddenly, he righted himself. “Fuck me. Your father is Josiah Patton, isn’t he?”
“That’s the one.”
“No wonder you didn’t reveal your last name to me.”
“Yep.”
“If you didn’t want me to know who you were, why tell me now though?”
She shrugged and then dropped to sit on the edge of one of the beds. “You were relentless.” She leaned back, setting her palms behind her to prop herself up, probably trying hard not to fidget. This woman worked very hard to look tough no matter what exterior she presented—both the sleek pencil-skirt look and this new comfortable desert-clothing ensemble.
He shoved off the door frame and came closer, pulling out the desk chair to sit on it several feet from her. He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. He felt like an ass now. “Tell me your story.”
She sighed. “Not really in the mood, Ajax.” Her voice was defensive. He couldn’t blame her. He’d done nothing but needle her from the moment they met. Now he realized he needed her. There was a reason Charley sent Serena on this mission. There were a lot of reasons.
He drew in a breath and stared at her. “I’m sorry.”
She narrowed her gaze. “For what part exactly? For being a jerk from the moment you met me? For assuming I would be ill-equipped to make this trip? Or maybe you’re going back even further. Are you sorry my father was murdered in this country?”
Yes. All of that. He swallowed, holding his tongue for a while, watching her chest rise and fall as she breathed heavily.
“When was the last time you were in Ethiopia?”
“Ten years ago.”
“I only vaguely know the story, Serena. Please tell me so I’ll understand.”
She sighed. “I’ll give you the short version. That’s all I can handle right now.”
“Okay.” He tried to sound far more polite and human than he had thus far with her.
She inhaled slowly. “I was four when my family came here. My father was a pastor. He felt called to bring his family here as missionaries. My brother was two. My mother had three more kids while we were here in Ethiopia. We lived near the border between Ethiopia and Djibouti in the Afar region.”
When she paused, he said, “Go on.”
“You pretty much know my story, Ajax. The entire world does. I was eighteen when my father was kidnapped. My mother, my siblings, and I were rescued by SEALs. Everyone around the globe saw the video of my father’s beheading.”
He winced. He had seen that, both at the time and several times since then. He hadn’t been in Djibouti then. He hadn’t been a SEAL yet. “I’m so sorry.”
“You mentioned that.” She forced a smile.
“Why would Charley send you back here?”
She shrugged. “We’ve been through the reasons. I speak the language. I know the people.”
He held her gaze. “It’s more than that isn’t it?”
She stared at him. “Maybe.”
“You don’t even know, do you?”
“I have a suspicion.”
“I do too. We’ll leave it at that for now.” He should leave her room. Go back to his own. Give her some privacy. He couldn’t bring himself to move though. Not yet.
He knew now that she wasn’t nearly as soft as she originally appeared to be. Not physically or emotionally. This woman was strong and she could take care of herself. Maybe not if she were up against militants, but she would never let anyone fuck with her in regular society.
There was a lot more to know about Serena Patton. He may not feel even half as antagonistic toward her as he had up until now, but he still didn’t like the idea of her being here with him and Ryker. This country was a dangerous place, and this mission was going to be the most dangerous one he’d ever undertaken. He did not want to be responsible for Serena’s life on top of everything else. He wasn’t sure how to get her out of this mess yet either, so for now, he would bide his time.
Tomorrow Serena would hook Ryker and Ajax up with their liaison. Hopefully, at that time, Serena would be cut loose and no longer be needed for the mission. She could return to the States and go on with her life.
Ajax thought the chances of that tidy picture being accurate were slim. Charley didn’t send Serena here strictly to hook the men up with an informant. Charley could have seen to that herself even from afar. Serena had more involvement than either of them knew yet.
Chapter 6
Serena woke up with a gasp, sitting upright in bed. She dragged in several deep breaths and glanced at the clock. Her entire sense of time was messed up. She’d forced herself to stay up until nine o’clock and then let sleep drag her under.
It was three AM now. Six hours of sleep. Not bad really. Not for her. She slid from the bed and shuffled quietly toward the bathroom, entering and closing the door softly before turning on the light and splashing water on her face.
Ajax had insisted they leave the adjoining doors open between them, so she didn’t want to wake either of the men up just because she was wide awake now. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and licked her lips. “What the hell are you doing here, Serena?” she murmured.
When Charley had asked her to go to D.C. and make the connection with Ajax and Ryker, Serena hadn’t known a thing about the mission these men would be asked to accomplish. She hadn’t known they would be going into Ethiopia. And she sure as shit hadn’t known Charley would require Serena to accompany them.
Serena had worked for Charley for two years. She wasn’t kidding when she said she’d never met the woman. She didn’t even know where Charley lived. All she knew was that she made a substantial amount of money working the backend for some of Charley’s jobs.
She rarely knew all the details of any given mission, and everything about Charley’s work was sketchy. But what Serena did know was that Charley had made it her life’s mission to help people, and often those people had been wronged.
How on earth Charley knew so much about the people she hunted down and brought into the fold, Serena would likely never understand. She’d learned to never ask questions. What kept her on the team was knowing she was helping other people every day of the week. Usually several people.
Serena had quickly come to realize that the men and women she was directed to meet up with and arrange for their employment were almost always in a dire situation themselves. A situation they were not responsible for.
In Ajax and Ryker’s case, the two of them had been set up for some reason. Their lives had been stolen without their knowledge by someone covering his or her own butt. Serena knew for a fact Ajax and Ryker had not done what the military accused them of. Her certainty stemmed from the knowledge that this was Charley’s MO every time.
This particular mission was complex. A lot of lives had been destroyed this time. Eight of them to be precise, not to mention their families. Serena prayed the six men being held somewhere in this region were still alive. She had no reason to believe they would be. No matter who took them captive in the first place, it was unlikely that entity would bother to keep them alive.
On the flip side, if the six SEALs were dead, there was a good chance their captors would have broadcast their murder all over the planet. That was what they did. Serena knew that better than most people.
She shuddered as she
ran a hand through her hair, her fingers dragging through the long strands until the hair finally floated free around her shoulders.
She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to chase away the demons. After ten years, she was back in Ethiopia. After Charley had instructed her to take this job, Serena had spent two days pacing and worrying. She’d considered telling Charley no. That would have been risky. She could’ve gotten fired. She hadn’t been sure if she cared.
The thing that stopped her was the constant nagging sensation that she was to be an integral part of this mission. Like she’d insinuated to Ajax, she wasn’t certain what her role was, but she had her suspicions. After all, she’d lived here for fourteen years. Half her life. She knew the area. She especially knew the Tigray region.
It would not come as a surprise tomorrow if their liaison informed them they would be heading north into the thick of things. The very part of the country Serena knew more about than just about any other American citizen.
“Serena?” The voice coming through the door made her gasp softly as she spun around. She opened the door to find Ajax standing on the other side. The man was wearing nothing but a pair of cotton shorts. Jesus. He got sexier every time she saw him.
She’d found him attractive when she first stepped into the meeting room two weeks ago, even though he’d had three months of hair growth and beard. Something about his eyes… The way he looked at her.
She still wanted to kick herself for not recognizing the two of them at Dulles airport. She should have known they would clean up before heading to Ethiopia. And though the whole mountain man image had worked for Ajax, she’d done a one-eighty and shifted gears when she set eyes on full military Ajax.
Ryker was attractive too, but something about Ajax got under her skin. Probably because he was constantly all up in her business, asking hard questions, meeting and holding her gaze until she struggled not to react.
Yep, Ajax in jeans and a tight black T-shirt—the outfit he’d worn to travel—had made her mouth water.
She herself had chosen to show up dressed similarly to the day she’d met them, mostly just to throw them off and keep them on their toes. No way would she dress like that now that she was in the country, but it had been a ruse at the time.
Shadow in the Desert (Shadow SEALs) Page 4
