“I pray you are right.” She smiled a watery smile and he knew her tears were for him. For how his emotions might be in chaos right now. God, he loved her. No one else cared for him as she did.
“I love you, Maddy Cole.”
She patted his chest. “I love you too, Jace Kaiser.”
“Come on, babe. Let’s go to lunch. Then we’re going back to your place and doing what I should have done to you the first day we kissed.”
She snorted. “You will never get over giving orders, will you?”
He laughed. “Okay, okay. Would you like to go to lunch and then go home and have an orgasm or several?”
She put her arm in his. “I thought you would never ask.”
Epilogue
Two weeks later…
* * *
Maddy was nervous.
Jace squeezed her hand. “Baby, relax. It’s going to be okay.”
“She might not recognize me today. How can I introduce you to her if she doesn’t recognize me?”
Jace stopped her. They were walking toward the entrance of the Oaks, and she was about to vibrate apart with anxiety. It was a gorgeous sunny day, with birds singing and a soft breeze, and Maddy wasn’t enjoying any of it. She wanted Mimi to meet Jace, but she was having second thoughts. Not because she didn’t want Jace to meet her grandmother, but because she couldn’t predict what her grandmother would do or say.
He put his hands on her arms as if imparting strength. “Maddy, it’s okay. If she thinks I’m the janitor, I don’t care. If she thinks I’m her long lost boyfriend from high school, it’s okay. Doesn’t matter. We’re going to see her, you’re going to love her like you always do, and we’re going to leave again without you loving her any less. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”
“You’re too good to be true, you know that?”
He grinned. “So you said this morning after that thing we did in the shower.”
And there came the heat in her cheeks. She laughed. “Rotten man. Making me blush before we go inside.”
He took her hand and kissed it. “Come on, let’s go.”
Mimi was in her room, sitting by the window with a book. She looked up as the nurse announced she had a visitor. Her whole face lit up with joy. “Hello, honey,” she said as Maddy went over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Her gaze drifted to Jace standing in the doorway. “Oh, you brought my son with you. Oh my goodness, Christopher, where have you been?”
Maddy panicked. “No, Mimi—”
“Hello, Mama,” Jace said, walking over and taking the hand Mimi held out. He knelt beside her, holding her hand gently, and Maddy’s heart filled with love and sorrow at the same time. “I’ve been working. I see you’re looking beautiful as always.”
“This is my son,” Mimi said to the nurse. She said it so proudly. The nurse said all the appropriate things even though she knew Jace wasn’t Mimi’s son. Jace met Maddy’s gaze over Mimi’s head while Mimi held on to his hand tightly and started to talk about whatever popped into her head. He smiled to let her know it was okay.
And it was. They stayed for an hour, until Mimi began to drift off to sleep. She’d held Jace’s hand the entire time. They walked back to the car and Maddy sucked in a breath so she wouldn’t cry. Jace took her in his arms and held her beneath the shade of the tree he’d parked under.
“Baby. It’s okay. She’s happy.”
She clutched him. But she didn’t cry. Acceptance settled over her at last. “You’re right, she is. And you were wonderful. I didn’t know she’d think you were my dad. Thank you for playing along.”
“Honey, if she thinks I’m him every time, I don’t care. She might not ever know that I’m your husband, but that’s okay.”
Maddy blinked. Then she tipped her head back to gaze up at him. “Husband?”
He looked a little uncertain for the first time since she’d known him. Jace, uncertain? Her badass protector? Her warrior?
“Yeah. I was hoping maybe… Someday… When you’re ready…”
“Yes.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Yes? That’s it, just yes?”
Maddy laughed as she stood on tiptoe to kiss him. “You looked like you needed a basic answer you could process before you died of embarrassment on the spot.”
He laughed too. “I’m not embarrassed. But I’ve never asked anyone to marry me before.”
“You still didn’t. Not really. But that’s okay. I like the side of you that gives me orders. It’s a turn on.”
“I didn’t order you to marry me.” He sounded indignant.
“Of course you didn’t. But you would have it you’d thought it would work.”
“Yeah, I would have. Marry me, Maddy Cole. Be my wife and have my children—assuming you want kids—and let’s grow old together.”
“I do want kids, and yes, I want to grow old with you.”
“Then it’s settled.”
“It is. There’s only one thing left that I still need to do to you.”
His blue eyes sharpened. “What’s that?”
“Hand cuffs, baby. Your turn to spend some time in them while I have all the control.”
He shuddered, but she didn’t think it was in a bad way. “I only cuffed you because I thought you’d kill us all if I didn’t.”
“I know. But I still get a turn. Maybe you’ll like it.”
“Maybe I will.”
“Only one way to find out.”
“That’s true.” He swatted her ass. “Get in the car, babe. We’re going home. Now.”
One month later…
* * *
“You are just the picture of domestic bliss, my friend,” Brett Wheeler said as Jace stood at the grill and flipped burgers.
Jace grinned. “You think?” He picked up his light beer and sipped it. His gaze sought out Maddy. She was sitting at the big table they’d put in the backyard, chatting with Angie.
“Yep, look at you. Living here in this cute little house with your pretty art historian, flipping burgers in the backyard, a cat inside. All that’s left is a wedding ring and a baby.”
“Yeah, maybe so.”
“She domesticated you. Never thought I’d see the day.”
“It happens, my friend. You better watch out.”
Brett snorted. “Oh no, man. Not me. Been there, done that. Not doing it again. I married the mega bitch from hell. Barely escaped with my balls intact.” He tipped his chin toward where Colt sat near Angie Turner. “Look at poor Colt. He wants that girl so bad and she won’t give him the time of day.”
Jace had yet to figure that situation out. When Colt was injured, Angie had visited him in the hospital a few times. Then she’d come around Maddy’s house a few times when Colt was hanging out, but lately she’d started freezing him out.
“Yeah, well maybe she’s not the one for him.”
“Somebody better tell Colt.”
“I’m sure he’ll figure it out.”
Brett looked up and cheered. “The boss is here.”
Ian swaggered into the yard, grinning. He held up two six packs of beer. “Brought the good stuff. How’s it going, friends?”
Ian went over to the table to greet everyone. Brett peeled off and went to join them. After a few minutes, Ian got up and walked over to where Jace still stood at the grill, watching the burgers and enjoying the sheer American normalcy of having a cook out.
“How you doing, Jace?”
“Never better. You?”
Ian shrugged. Jace knew he’d never get the real story out of Ian. He was a man who held his emotions in check and played his cards close to the chest. He shot at look at the gathering around the table.
“I have to admit I didn’t think this would work out for you, but damn if you don’t look like a natural.”
Jace laughed. “Even mercenaries get to have lives.”
“Yep.”
“You hear anything from the Syndicate?” What he meant was anything about Natasha, but he didn’t have to say
it. Ian knew.
“Nope. Nothing yet.”
“I still don’t know why you let her go.” He was somewhat upset about it, but Ian knew what he was doing. He hoped.
“She wanted to go. If she decides to help us, she’ll be more effective there.”
“Yeah, but what she must have went through—”
“Let it go, Jace. She’s twenty-six. Old enough to make her own decisions. We can’t change what happened to her, but we can be there when she needs us.”
“If she needs us.”
“She will.”
He looked so certain that Jace just shook his head and flipped a burger.
“So let me get this straight,” Ian said. “You and Colton and Ty and Brett paid Mr. Tom Walls a visit in his garage last week?”
“Would have done it sooner but Colt wanted to be involved.”
“Did you break his balls for him?”
“He won’t bother Angie again. I’m not sure he’ll bother anybody. He has a very fine understanding of consent now.”
Ian laughed and slapped him on the back. “You kids. So crazy. The things you do without telling Daddy.”
Jace snorted. “You’d have gone with us if you knew we were going.”
Ian’s expression darkened. “No, I’d have gone alone—and they’d have never found the body.”
Jace met Ian’s gaze. He didn’t know what was behind those words, but he understood that Ian meant them. “I hear you, boss.”
“Hurry up with those burgers, would you? I’m starved.”
“Coming right up.”
Ian wandered back to the table, beer in hand. Maddy got up and came over to put her arms around Jace. He kissed the top of her head. “Everything good?” she asked.
“Better than good,” he told her. “Everything is perfect.”
THANK YOU!
Thanks for reading the first novel of this new series! It’s still HOT, just HOT Mercenaries! The next book in the series, BLACK TIE, will be coming soon! So be sure to get your notifications by signing up here:
www.LynnRayeHarris.com/newsletter
* * *
The first book in the HOSTILE OPERATIONS TEAM series is HOT PURSUIT. That’s the book that started the HOT world. If you’ve missed the beginning of the series, you’ll want to get your copy!
* * *
Have you read the HOT SEAL TEAM yet? That’s another branch of HOT with exciting books that stand alone. Start with Book 1: HOT SEAL, and enjoy some sexy SEALs!
* * *
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Also by Lynn Raye Harris
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* * *
HOT Heroes for Hire: Mercenaries
Black’s Bandits
* * *
Book 1: BLACK LIST - Jace & Maddy
* * *
Book 2: BLACK TIE - Coming Soon!
* * *
Book 3: BLACK OUT Coming Soon!
* * *
Sign up for my newsletter to be notified about all future releases!
The Hostile Operations Team Books
(Click on link for more info)
Book 0: RECKLESS HEAT
* * *
Book 1: HOT PURSUIT - Matt & Evie
* * *
Book 2: HOT MESS - Sam & Georgie
* * *
Book 3: HOT PACKAGE - Billy & Olivia
* * *
Book 4: DANGEROUSLY HOT - Kev & Lucky
* * *
Book 5: HOT SHOT - Jack & Gina
* * *
Book 6: HOT REBEL - Nick & Victoria
* * *
Book 7: HOT ICE - Garrett & Grace
* * *
Book 8: HOT & BOTHERED - Ryan & Emily
* * *
Book 9: HOT PROTECTOR - Chase & Sophie
* * *
Book 10: HOT ADDICTION - Dex & Annabelle
* * *
Book 11: HOT VALOR - Mendez & Kat
* * *
Book 12: HOT ANGEL - Cade & Brooke
* * *
Book 13: HOT SECRETS - Sky & Bliss
* * *
Book 14: HOT JUSTICE - Wolf & Haylee
* * *
Book 15: HOT STORM - Mal ~ Coming Soon!
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The HOT SEAL Team Books
(Click on link for more info)
Book 1: HOT SEAL - Dane & Ivy
* * *
Book 2: HOT SEAL Lover - Remy & Christina
* * *
Book 3: HOT SEAL Rescue - Cody & Miranda
* * *
Book 4: HOT SEAL BRIDE - Cash & Ella
* * *
Book 5: HOT SEAL REDEMPTION - Alex & Bailey
* * *
Book 6: HOT SEAL TARGET - Adam & Quinn
* * *
Book 7: HOT SEAL HERO - Ryan & ?? ~ Coming soon!
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The HOT Novella in Liliana Hart’s MacKenzie Family Series
HOT WITNESS - Jake & Eva
7 Brides for 7 Brothers
MAX (Book 5) - Max & Ellie
7 Brides for 7 Soldiers
WYATT (Book 4) - Max & Ellie
Who’s HOT?
Alpha Squad
Matt “Richie Rich” Girard (Book 0 & 1)
Sam “Knight Rider” McKnight (Book 2)
Billy “the Kid” Blake (Book 3)
Kev “Big Mac” MacDonald (Book 4)
Jack “Hawk” Hunter (Book 5)
Nick “Brandy” Brandon (Book 6)
Garrett “Iceman” Spencer (Book 7)
Ryan “Flash” Gordon (Book 8)
Chase “Fiddler” Daniels (Book 9)
Dex “Double Dee” Davidson (Book 10)
* * *
Commander
John “Viper” Mendez (Book 11)
* * *
Deputy Commander
Alex “Ghost” Bishop
* * *
Echo Squad
Cade “Saint” Rodgers (Book 12)
Sky “Hacker” Kelley (Book 13)
Dean “Wolf” Garner (Book 14)
Malcom “Mal” McCoy (Book 15)
Jake “Harley” Ryan (HOT WITNESS)
Jax “Gem” Stone
Noah “Easy” Cross
Ryder “Muffin” Hanson
* * *
SEAL Team
Dane “Viking” Erikson (Book 1)
Remy “Cage” Marchand (Book 2)
Cody “Cowboy” McCormick (Book 3)
Cash “Money” McQuaid (Book 4)
Alexei “Camel” Kamarov (Book 5)
Adam “Blade” Garrison (Book 6)
Ryan “Dirty Harry” Callahan (Book 7)
Zach “Neo” Anderson
* * *
Black’s Bandits
Ian Black
Brett Wheeler
Jace Kaiser
Colton Duchaine
Jared
Rascal
? Unnamed Team Members
* * *
Freelance Contractors
Lucinda “Lucky” San Ramos, now MacDonald (Book 4)
Victoria “Vee” Royal, now Brandon (Book 6)
Emily Royal, now Gordon (Book 8)
Miranda Lockwood, now McCormick (SEAL Team Book 3)
Bliss Bennett, (Book 13)
About the A
uthor
Lynn Raye Harris is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the HOSTILE OPERATIONS TEAM SERIES of military romances as well as twenty books for Harlequin Presents. A former finalist for the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award and the National Readers Choice Award, Lynn lives in Alabama with her handsome former-military husband, two crazy cats, and one spoiled American Saddlebred horse. Lynn's books have been called “exceptional and emotional,” “intense,” and “sizzling.” Lynn's books have sold over three million copies worldwide.
Black List: HOT Heroes for Hire: Mercenaries: A Black’s Bandits Novel Page 24
