Devoted

by Shirleen Davies

  The sound of shuffling came through their earpieces. After a few seconds, Gunner spoke.

  “On your knees. Hands behind your heads.” Another second passed, the pop, pop, pop of a silenced M4 ringing in their ears. “Knees. Now,” Gunner said, louder this time.

  Several minutes passed before he spoke again.

  “All clear, Ghost. No packages present. Repeat. The package has already been sent. Two security guards. I think one pissed his pants.”

  It would’ve been funny if they hadn’t been sent on another mission with bad intel. The third time in the last six months.

  They heard Ghost curse under his breath over the earpiece. “Bring them. We need to get going.”

  Rock looked at Tracker, jaw clenching. “We’ve got to find the fucker who’s feeding us bad intel.”

  “Grayson said he’s checking all sources several times before passing missions on to us,” Tracker said.

  “Yeah, and we’ve seen how well that’s going.”

  Banner leaned forward, arms resting on his legs. “Makes you wonder if there were any women here to begin with.”

  A thought blistered through Tracker’s mind. “You don’t think—” His words were interrupted when Wrath’s voice came through the comm.

  “Abort. Abort. It’s a setup. Return to the clubhouse. We’re under fire. Repeat. The clubhouse is under attack.”

  Chapter Two

  Coronado, California

  Julia placed the last item into the packing box and closed the top. Sealing it with two strips of tape, she grabbed a black marker, identifying the contents. Looking around, she felt a pang of regret.

  She loved this house. Its open floor plan, beautiful back yard, and location a block from the ocean had been why Julia had bought it during her pediatric residency. Without her father’s generosity, she wouldn’t have had a chance of qualifying. She was one of the fortunate few.

  He’d paid for all her schooling after graduating a year early from high school. When she’d completed her undergraduate degree and started medical school, he’d deposited a huge sum into her checking account without telling her. She remembered her shock when withdrawing money from an ATM, seeing the balance. It had taken thirty minutes with the bank manager and a call to her father to clear up the mystery.

  She’d planned to pay for the house out of the funds he provided, but her father insisted on paying for it himself, leaving her with no debt. Her heart ached at how well he’d treated her and her younger sister, Victoria. Julia had never thought she’d ever move out. Swallowing another pang of regret at leaving her lovely home, she shook off the doubt.

  “You made the right decision,” she muttered to herself, taking one more tour of the house. In three days, tenants would move in, making her home their own. At least for the length of their lease.

  Julia assured herself the doctor she’d gone to medical school with, his wife, and two sons would take good care of the house she’d always loved. He’d entered medical school late, after two tours of active duty as a medic. A good man with an endearing personality, he was one of the few people she knew who’d met Nate Kincaid.

  Ignoring thoughts of the man who’d so cruelly hurt her, Julia started down the hall, checking each room. The furniture she planned to use in her new home had been sent ahead the day before, along with most of the boxes filled with clothes, books, and personal items. The movers would arrive in Liberty Lake today, meeting her friend, Tessa Walker, who’d provide access to a storage unit.

  Julia would be living in an extended stay hotel until the management company painted and cleaned the apartment. In a week, she’d be able to move in. She could no longer put off the inevitable. The time had come to let her father know of her decision, and hope he didn’t do something foolish, such as forbid her to leave.

  Sucking in a slow breath, then letting it out, she slid the phone from her back pocket and was about to place the call when a loud knock on the front door interrupted her. Before she could get there, the door opened and her sister walked inside.

  “Tori. What a nice surprise. I didn’t think I’d see you again after saying our goodbyes last night.” Hugging each other, they both stepped back, allowing Julia to study her. Victoria’s eyes were red, face flushed, the usual exuberant smile missing. “What’s wrong?”

  Dropping her purse to the floor, she wrapped her arms around her waist, something Julia was used to seeing when her sister was upset. “What isn’t?”

  Heading to the kitchen, Victoria opened the refrigerator, pulling out a bottle of coconut water. Before she could open it, Julia was beside her.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

  “I quit.” Opening the bottle, she took several gulps.

  “Quit? You loved your job at the animal clinic.”

  “Not any longer.”

  Looking around, her gaze landed on the raised fireplace hearth. Julia grabbed Victoria’s hand and pulled her toward it.

  “Sit down and tell me what happened.”

  Taking another swallow, Victoria set the bottle down beside her. “Doc Volmer agreed to sell the practice to another veterinarian.”

  “But he promised to sell it to you.”

  “Well, he changed his mind. He decided a man would be in a better position to make monthly payments than me.” A broken chuckle left her lips before she continued. “The paperwork has already been completed and the new doc is scheduled to arrive this afternoon.” She looked up at Julia. “I grabbed my belongings and walked out.”

  Sitting beside Victoria, she shifted to look at her. “Did he try to stop you?”

  “Of course. Volmer followed me to my car, ranting the entire time about why he’d gone back on his word and how a woman couldn’t run a clinic focusing on large animals.”

  “What a complete jerk.”

  “Oh, he’s much worse than that, but it doesn’t matter. Before getting into the car, I told him where he could put his rationalizations and chauvinistic ways. Then my bitch streak came out.”

  Julia couldn’t stop a small smile. She’d always been the calm and serious sister, while Victoria was known for her bright smile, outgoing personality, and biting tongue.

  “All right. Tell me what else you said to him.”

  “It isn’t what I told him. It’s what I showed him. My latest bank statement was in my purse. I thought Volmer would have a heart attack when I got out of the car and let him see it.”

  A burst of laughter tore from Julia’s lips. Their father had done the same for Victoria as he had for Julia, except he’d yet to buy her sister a house. Smart and savvy, Victoria had invested well, growing the already obscene sum another fifty percent since entering vet school.

  “When I told him I’d planned to pay cash for the clinic, his face turned purple. It would’ve been funny if the entire thing hadn’t hurt so much.”

  Putting an arm around Victoria’s shoulders, Julia felt her sister’s pain as if it were her own. “What will you do now?”

  A mischievous grin appeared on her face. “I’m going with you to Liberty Lake.”

  Eternal Brethren Clubhouse

  Tracker searched through what remained of the repair garage at the back of the compound. Four bikes had been inside, waiting for repairs. Even though the Brethren owned a couple public repair shops, their personal bikes and vehicles were repaired here. At least the fireproof walls of the arsenal, the indoor shooting range, and extra storage room had protected those areas.

  They’d returned to Liberty Lake after midnight and did a cursory search before deciding it best to secure the compound and investigate the attack in the light of day. Wrath’s brother, Ethan, the sheriff of Kingston County, had already come and gone, promising to do whatever he could to help identify the men who attacked the compound. As much as Tracker liked Ethan, he doubted the sheriff would come up with much.

  Bending, he picked up a piece of twisted metal, dropping it in disgust when he saw Wrath and Rock approach.

  “
It was a fucking setup. Someone sent us on a false mission, leaving the compound undermanned and open for attack.” Picking up another piece of metal, Tracker threw it across the open expanse before turning to look at Wrath. “We’ve got to find the motherfucker who did this.”

  Forcing a calm he didn’t feel, Wrath crossed his arms, surveying the damage for the tenth time. “Grayson’s on it.”

  “Yeah, that’s what the old man said the last two times we realized we’d been played.” Tracker had nothing against the admiral who’d helped found the undercover military biker club. Dedicated and brilliant, Grayson was a man they all respected. Lately though, the team had begun to doubt the man’s focus on mission safety and security.

  Wrath shot a meaningful glance at Rock, seeing his crisp nod. “Just because Grayson’s working on it doesn’t mean we can’t do the same. You, Rock, Ghost, and I are meeting with some people at noon.”

  Tracker lifted a brow. “People?”

  “Men we trust to help us locate the traitor inside the FBI.” Wrath’s normally stoic features turned to ice. “I can’t abide betrayal of any kind.”

  The comment stabbed through Tracker as if he’d been speared with a sword. Julia believed he’d betrayed her, and in truth, he had. Even though he’d never believed she had knowledge of her father’s involvement in illegal activities, he wouldn’t be granted a chance to explain, make things right.

  “Where do you want me to meet you, Prez?”

  “You two take another look around, then come to my office and we’ll talk.” Wrath headed for the clubhouse, leaving Rock and Tracker to help the other men sort through the damage.

  “Where’s he going with this?” he asked Rock.

  “You’ve been around him long enough to know Wrath’s not going to sit still and wait for Grayson. He’s called in a shitload of chits to make this meeting happen.”

  “It makes sense for you and Ghost to be there. Why me?”

  “Wrath’s got his reasons.” Rock’s gaze landed on an object at his feet. “Sonofabitch.” Picking it up, he studied it before handing it to Tracker.

  The remains of the broken, charred box held blackened wiring. “Damn. It’s a remote detonation device.”

  “You ever see one of these?” Rock asked.

  “No, but I’ve read about them. Works with a transmitter and two receivers that initiate blasting caps and detonate C4 or other types of explosives. Army’s got a contract out to some defense contractor to build them.” Tracker stared down at the object. “Somebody was able to get one or more of these into the garage.”

  “Probably on one of the bikes.”

  Tracker nodded. “Yeah. Then they waited for us to leave on a bogus mission and detonated them.”

  “They could’ve placed them on a bike anytime and waited.”

  “I don’t think so, Rock. My guess is they were attached in the last day or two. It would’ve been too risky to place them earlier.” Tracker whipped around. “We need to check all the other vehicles.”

  “I’ll get some of the men on it, but I doubt they have more explosives within the compound. They would’ve detonated all of them last night.”

  “I agree, but who wants to risk it?” Tracker handed the device back to Rock. “While the guys check outside, let’s see if we can find any more in the garage.”

  “You get started. I need to speak with Wrath and get the men out here to search.”

  Stepping over the wreckage, Tracker’s anger rose. Someone wanted the Eternal Brethren eliminated. He wanted to know who ordered the false missions and why they hadn’t attacked earlier. Any of the bogus assignments could’ve trigged this type of assault. Then it hit him.

  “Numbers,” he murmured. They wanted most of the men away from the compound, leaving the Brethren more vulnerable.

  Searching through the rubble, Tracker didn’t find another device. At least they had the one. Wrath would have it dissected until they’d learned everything possible about its design and use.

  Emerging from the garage, he moved to the arsenal, then the indoor range, finding nothing. Frustrated, Tracker joined the men searching the remaining vehicles and clubhouse. Another hour passed, everyone moving methodically without locating another device.

  “Tracker.” He shifted to see Ghost approaching. “Get to Wrath’s truck. We’re ready to roll.”

  “Where are we headed?”

  Ghost looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “You know how these things go. Wrath knows our destination and he’s not sharing.”

  Jogging to the front of the clubhouse, he and Ghost climbed inside the black Chevy, joining Rock and Wrath. Seconds later, they were on the road, heading away from Liberty Lake.

  Half an hour later, they turned onto what appeared to be more of a wide trail than another road. Several more minutes passed before Wrath came to a stop in front of an impressive log home.

  No one spoke as they got out. Hands resting above the grip of their guns, they bounded up the wooden front steps, stopping at the front door.

  “Whose place is this, Wrath?” Tracker asked.

  “A friend.” Knocking twice, then three times, the door opened, a burly man of medium height spearing them with a stern look.

  “About time you got here. We thought you’d decided not to come.” He pulled Wrath into a hug. “It’s good to see you.”

  “You, too, Charlie. It’s been too long.” Wrath motioned toward the others. “This is Ghost, Rock, and Tracker. Gentlemen, meet Charlie, the best undercover agent and assassin the CIA has ever produced.”

  They didn’t show any reaction as they shook Charlie’s outstretched hand. “Come on in. The others are waiting.”

  Following him through the large structure, Tracker couldn’t help marveling at the remarkable craftsmanship. Walking past the dining room, Charlie turned, motioning them to follow into the kitchen where three other men stood around, each holding a cup of coffee.

  Tracker’s gaze moved from one to the next, nostrils flaring when he recognized the last man. Repressed anger rushed through him at the sight of the DEA agent who’d lied to him, broken every promise he’d made.

  Unable to stop himself, Tracker shoved past the others, launching himself at the man. Tackling him to the floor, he landed a hard blow to his jaw, hoping the sharp crack signaled he’d broken a bone. Lifting his arm to deliver another blow, strong hands grabbed him, pulling him off.

  “Sonofabitch, Tracker,” Wrath said. “What the hell are you doing?”

  He looked down at the man whose blood trailed down his chin, then at his commanding officer. “Jaeger Delphine. The lying asshole who cost me Julia.”

  Chapter Three

  Liberty Lake

  Julia stood on the sidewalk in front of what was supposed to be the apartment she’d now be sharing with Victoria, ignoring the tirade on the other end of the phone. This was why she’d put off calling their father. The kind and generous man who raised them turned into an overprotective beast when it came to his children.

  “Father, please listen to me.”

  Julia shot a look at Tori when Armando continued to rage. Another minute passed before he ran out of words, giving her an opening.

  “This is why I didn’t contact you sooner. I knew you wouldn’t take my leaving Coronado well.”

  “And now you’ve taken Victoria with you. What would make you do such a foolish thing?”

  Letting out a ragged breath, she stared down the street, waiting for the moving van to arrive with her furniture. She knew this wouldn’t be easy, but never expected it to be this hard.

  “I have my reasons, Father, and so does Tori.”

  “Then explain them to me, Juliana.”

  She could almost picture him resting both arms on the massive desk in his home office, rubbing his eyebrows as he always did when upset. “I have friends in Liberty Lake, Father. One is a pediatrician I met at a medical conference. We’ve been corresponding. I mentioned a desire to join a practice where I could spend
more time with my patients, maybe have time for a life outside of medicine. She called a couple months ago about an opening at a large clinic in Liberty Lake. I came out for an interview and they offered me the position.”

  “Of course they did, Juliana. You are a bright, successful doctor. Who would not want you on their staff? Still, it doesn’t answer why you’d leave your home and friends.”

  A slice of pain ripped through her before she shoved it aside. “That was the problem. The hours I put in at the clinic didn’t allow me time to make friends.”

  “But you have only the one friend in Arizona.”

  “No, Father. I have two. Plus, Tori is with me.” The comment triggered another round of temper. “Would you like to speak with her, Father?”

  “Sí. Put her on.”

  Several more minutes passed while Victoria explained what happened at the animal clinic and why she quit. It didn’t pacify him, but at least he calmed down before she handed the phone back to Julia.

  “So you are determined to stay in Liberty Lake.”

  “Yes, Father. We will both be living here.”

  “Then I will find you a suitable home. One that is appropriate for my daughters.”

  “I already have an apartment—”

  “A secure one in a gated community?” Armando interrupted.

  Stomach clenching, she winced. “Well, no. My home in Coronado wasn’t secure, other than my alarm system.”

  “I do not know this Liberty Lake. If you and Victoria are to stay there, you will allow me to purchase a proper place for you to live.”

  And if I don’t? she almost asked, then pursed her lips. “There’s very little crime here.”

  “Maybe so, querida. But your mother and I will not rest until we know we’ve done everything possible to keep both of you safe.”

  Knowing that arguing would serve no purpose, she shrugged at Victoria. “All right, Father. I know of a gated community on a golf course. Would that be suitable?”