Bone

by Ainsley Cole

  Braedon “Bones” Roberts is used to getting his own way. As leader of Black Dove Security, he runs an efficient and often deadly team of operatives who specialize in keeping the rich and famous safe. There isn't a situation in the world he can’t tackle and come out on top of...until he meets Witty and smart Doctor Abigail Baker, the lead scientist who's tasked with discovering the cause of mass bleeding deaths in the Kenyan desert.

  Abigail grinds on Bones’ nerves with her forthright honesty, but he can’t keep her out of his mind and his dirty fantasies, and before long, they're closing in on becoming more than colleagues in a dangerous realm.

  When the local militia find out who Abigail is, the hunt is on, and the Black Dove Security team leap into action. Their primary goal is keeping Abigail on the move and away from the militia is going to be harder than they hoped.

  Bones has a decision to make—keep Abigail in Kenya to find out what is causing the disease, or flee from the militia and protect her life.

  Either way, he’s playing with fire, and at the center of it all, she's a woman he’d lay down his life for.

  BONES

  Black Dove Security, #1

  Ainsley Cole

  Published by Tirgearr Publishing

  Author Copyright 2019 Ainsley Cole

  Cover Art: Cora Graphics (www.coragrpahics.it)

  Editor: Sharon Pickrel

  Proofreader: Lucy Felthouse

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away. If you would like to share this book, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not given to you for the purpose of review, then please log into the publisher’s website and purchase your own copy.

  Thank you for respecting our author’s hard work.

  This story is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, incidents are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  Publishers and authors are always happy to exchange their book for an honest review. If you have obtained a copy of this book without purchase or from the publisher or author, please consider leaving a review on one of the vendor sites, as reviews help authors market their work more effectively. Thank you.

  DEDICATION

  Cheree, Jade and Jess. The boys have finally found a home!

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Firstly, to my family. Thank you. Putting up with my longs nights and days of tapping away will pay off one day. I promise.

  Secondly to my Beta readers for this series—Cheree, Jess and Jade. Without your input, these 5 guys wouldn’t have made it to the page.

  And lastly, to everyone else who’s told me I can do it and have stuck by me since the beginning.

  Thank you.

  Oh... and Janey. Who doesn’t read much, but Bones had her hot and reading the whole thing in only a few short hours. Loved the commentary after each chapter. Thank you!

  BONES

  Black Dove Security, #1

  Ainsley Cole

  Chapter One

  Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, 10:38a.m.

  Braedon ‘Bones’ Roberts groaned, shifting to the sound of his phone.

  The long tanned arms and legs which were tangled around his, moved. He rolled to the side, reaching for the shrilling device. Holding it to his ear, a large hand scrubbed over his face, knowing exactly who it’d be.

  “What, Wolf?”

  “Get out of bed. It’s almost lunchtime, and we have a mission.” Wolf’s smooth voice floated down the line to him.

  “I don’t want to,” he whined like a little kid.

  “Too bad. You must. You’re the boss.”

  The phone clicked, and Bones’ eyes rolled back in his head.

  The device thudded to the soft shag carpet. Rolling over onto his back, his head tipped over the side of the bed as his mind played games with his body. The last thing he wanted to do right now was go on a mission.

  Hands slid through his chest hair, teasing over his nipples.

  Another set of hands, cooler than the others—slid over his stomach, moving south. Bones closed his eyes, letting the woman’s hands grip him.

  Ping!

  Opening his eyes, he pushed both women away. Rolling to the side, he picked up the phone and stared at the text message.

  Get out of bed now! Before I send in Reaper!

  Gritting his teeth, Bones’ head dropped to the mattress as the women started to move against him again. One pressed her breasts against his back, her tongue licking the edge of his ear. The other’s lips were…

  Bang, bang, bang!

  The booming on the door snapped him out of the lull, the women’s hands disappearing, and he groaned.

  “Sorry, ladies. That’s it for today. Have to go to work.” Pushing himself away, Bones climbed off the bed, picking up his jeans and shirt.

  “Aww, don’t go. Stay and play with us.”

  He turned, watching as the blondes started to writhe against each other.

  Kissing, fondling…

  “Boss!”

  “Ugh.” He slipped on his jeans, covering his growing erection, and pulled on the shirt. Moving his jacket, he picked up his holster, slipping it on. The pair of pistols in the leather sat against his sides. “Sorry, girls, I must go. By all means, stay and continue. The room’s paid up for the rest of the day.”

  Bones turned, not wanting to watch the women as they pleased each other. He checked his pockets as he walked to the door. Making sure the women hadn’t nicked off with his wallet during the night. It wouldn't have been the first time, and he doubted it would be the last.

  Throwing open the door, Bones lifted his gaze, coming face to face with Reaper.

  Huge, bull-necked, long ginger dreadlocks.

  Joshua Grimm was frightening on his good days—this didn’t look to be one of them. “Reaper.”

  The man’s emerald green gaze moved to the women in the bed. It moved back to him, his thick accent showing his boredom. “Make sure you get tested.”

  The huge Irishman turned, walking down the hall, and Bones blinked.

  “Yeah… okay.” Turning to close the door, he threw one more look at the women. They had their fingers in places he wanted to have his, and he felt his cock bounce with need. “Damn it.”

  Inhaling, he closed the door, shutting off the sight of the women getting intimate. Following the hunkering man down the hallway of the hotel, he skipped a little, trying to keep up with him. “Hey, has Wolf told you anything?”

  “No.”

  “Do you know where we’re going?” The man didn’t answer, and Bones frowned, stepping up next to him, waiting for the elevator. Reaper didn’t look at him. “Is everyone else getting the VIP pick-up, too?”

  “No.”

  “Is it because I’m the boss?” Bones asked, chuckling, doing the belt up on his jeans.

  Reaper turned his head, raising an eyebrow. “No, it’s because you’re the only one who won’t show up unless someone comes to get you.”

  The doors to the elevator pinged and he stepped inside, leaving Bones on the landing.

  “Not true. What about Queenie?” Bones stepped into the elevator, the doors slid closed behind them, and he looked at the big man.

  “He’s already waiting in the car.”

  Pushing his hands through his hair, Bones screwed his nose up. Damn the Greek for being on time for once.

  The trip down the six floors was silent, the whir the only sound.

  Heading out of the elevator, a dark Humvee waited at the front of the hotel for the pair.

  It would be full of the re
st of his team.

  Ethan ‘Wolf’ Whitefeather.

  Bastian ‘Apollo’ Phoenix.

  Milo ‘Queenie’ Price.

  They’d all be sitting in the vehicle, chuckling to each other, as he did the walk of shame. While they were all prone to their moments of passion with the fairer sex, Bones seemed to be the only one who hooked up with the wrong type of woman.

  Usually, ones who liked to take off with his wallet.

  Stepping out into the chilly air, he opened the door of the car.

  Reaper took up his customary position in the front and Bones climbed into the back.

  “Bones.”

  Shifting his gaze to the driver, he nodded to the blond. The man's blue eyes flashed with amusement in the rear-view mirror.

  “Apollo.”

  The Humvee started off, taking them away from the hotel and the two women Bones had been with. Pity. He had been enjoying himself.

  “So, what’s the mission?” he asked, turning his attention to the man by his side.

  Wolf turned his head. Dark chocolate brown eyes staring at him.

  Wolf handed him a folder, close to the thickness of his little finger.

  Taking the folder, Bones looked at the cover. “Waterford Bio Medical? Who the hell are they?”

  “They’re a small medical research company out of London,” Wolf explained. “We have to take three doctors into a small village and bring them back out. Alive.”

  “Why just three?” Opening the folder, Bones flipped through the contents.

  Documents of incidence. Infection reports. Photos of the victims. Group bios.

  “They will only be there to seek out the incident of infection and report back to the WHO if they deem it necessary.”

  Bones flipped over the bio sheets, coming face to face with a pair of doe brown eyes. “Oh, hello there, beautiful.”

  “Doctor Abigail Baker. She is the one who is assigned to be the leader of the group, and the woman you have to deal with.” Wolf took the file and placed it on his lap. “Try to keep it in your pants.”

  Bones acted offended, screwing his nose up at the man beside him. “Hey. When I am working, I happen to be a very professional man.”

  “It’s only when you’re not working, you become an animal,” Queenie quipped, looking around Wolf to his boss. “How many did you leave back there?”

  Bones’ face heated, and Reaper held up his hand, two fingers wiggling in the air.

  “Only two? Wow. Why not more?”

  “I have one dick and one mouth, Queenie. I can only do so much.”

  The whole car erupted in laughter. Once it had died down, Bones tipped his head back, looking up at the roof lining of the vehicle. “So, when do we leave?”

  “Now.”

  Bones had a feeling it would have been the case. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have come and gotten him. He would have been left to have fun with the women and called later in the day. “My things packed?”

  “Of course. Apollo saw to it,” Wolf replied.

  “Thanks, Baz,” Bones said, earning a wink from the driver. They were more than team-mates. They were adopted into the same family as kids. Bastian was the only one who had a key to his house, knew how he lived. He would have only had to walk in a couple of feet and picked up the bag from the last mission and walk out. Bones was like that. Didn’t even like to live in his own house. “And the gear?”

  “Reaper’s already seen to it. It’s all waiting at the base.”

  “Good.” The scenery flashed by, the vehicle’s occupants falling silent. “So, where we off to?”

  No-one answered, and Bones turned his head. “Wolf?”

  The Native American by his side blinked, turning his head, lips pursing. “Kenya.”

  The pit of Bones’ stomach rebelled, and he gripped the handle on the car door. The scar which ran from the middle of his forehead, down around his right eye, ending at the corner of his mouth—itched. Burning as memories flashed through his brain.

  “How much are they paying?”

  “Waterford?”

  “Yes,” Bones replied through clenched teeth. They wanted him to go halfway across the world. To a place which brought back bad memories. There’d want to be fucking good compensation.

  “One million.”

  One million.

  After paying for the trip and equipment, flights and other costs—each member would pocket $150,000. A few days in Kenya to make more than what most people could in a year? He could deal with that if he had to. He’d gone to hell and back for less.

  “One million to take a group of doctors to Kenya and back?”

  “Yep.”

  Bones’ eyebrows scrunched together as he looked out the window and the vehicle fell silent again.

  Now he knew why Reaper hadn’t told him where they were going.

  Everyone knew why Bones hated that country so much.

  The scar on his face itched again, and he lifted his hand, rubbing at it.

  Kenya.

  One of the last places on earth he wanted to revisit.

  But he had a company to run and a reputation to uphold. There wasn’t a place they wouldn’t go or a person they wouldn’t protect—for the right price.

  Grinding his teeth together until his jaw ached, Bones’ day went from bad to worse.

  He didn’t want to go to Africa.

  * * *

  After close to twenty-four hours waiting, Abigail Baker watched the crew climbing out of the Humvee, two stories below Waterford Bio Medical.

  Five men.

  These five would be the ones who would take them in and out of Kenya. Make sure they came back in one piece. They would be the last and only line of defense between them and the native militia.

  They looked formidable enough. Crazy enough to be able to carry out this mission.

  There was one with long ginger dreadlocks, bigger than any man she’d seen before.

  One with immaculate dark hair and clothing, almost skipping out of the car.

  A blond with curls and tanned skin, shaking his head at the previous man.

  An American Indian. His long hair in a braid down his back.

  And then there was the last one.

  This man looked like the leader. The way he held himself. The way the men listened to him, before peeling off toward the building. He was broad-shouldered and thin-waisted. He carried his confidence like a shield around him.

  They disappeared into the building, and her breath steadied.

  She didn’t work well with men like this. They did it for the glory, the money—but she needed security in and out of Kenya. This group came recommended above all others.

  “Abigail?”

  Turning, she looked at the man standing in the doorway. “Andrew.”

  “The security team is here. You ready?”

  Nodding, she picked up her case, heading toward the door. “Yes, I am.”

  He held the door open for her, and she scooted past him. Starting down the hall to the conference room, her stomach roiled. She’d only ever been in the labs. This was her first field mission. The top brass had decided they would be able to test her mettle out there in the African wilderness. She would be the one in charge. The one to take the blame if something went wrong and the man who stepped up behind her, would be the one to make her remember that.

  Andrew had been less than impressed with the idea she’d gotten the lead on the job over him. But he had only been with the company for a year. Abigail had been with them for close to ten.

  Stopping in front of the conference room, she inhaled, trying to calm her nerves.

  In the room behind that closed door was the team which would make sure she came back to her small apartment. The ones who’d protect the team as they found the source of the outbreak and contained it. Gripping the door handle, she pushed the door open. Walking in, her nerves in tatters, she plastered a fake smile on her lips. Time to get working.

  * * *

  Long,
shapely legs. Rounded ass. Thick, long dark hair. An outfit which seemed one size too small. Bones raised an eyebrow, waiting for the buttons on Dr. Baker’s blouse to pop and show him her breasts…

  It didn’t happen, and he frowned, leaning back in his chair as she continued her speech.

  “The village has roughly two hundred people in it. It’s remote. The teens have gotten into militia fighting. The ones left are coming of age and ripe for the militia to come back for.” Her voice was smooth, if not a tiny bit raspy, as if she once smoked a pack a day. She turned as the slide moved to the next one and Bones’ gaze shifted to the body in the picture.

  Blood.

  Bones didn’t think he’d seen so much blood come from one body in his life and he’d been privy to some gruesome deaths.

  “Each of the victims bled out. Completely.” The slide moved to the man’s face. There was not a patch of skin which wasn’t coated in thick blood.

  “Ewww,” Queenie quipped, earning a reproachful stare from Bones. The man frowned, dropping his head to his chest, fiddling with the buttons on his pants pocket.

  “Do you know what’s causing it?”

  Bones turned his head, looking to Apollo. He was their medical officer. Their own personal doctor—but he was also their sniper. The deadliest man with a gun he’d ever come across. He could shoot you from five-hundred meters, then patch you up afterward—if he wanted to.

  Dr. Baker shut off the projector, and the lights came back on, “No, we don’t. That’s why you and your team are taking us into Kenya to find out.”

  Apollo nodded, jotting something down on his notepad.

  “We have three doctors, including myself. That’s all. A small, compact team. We need to know if this is viral, contagious. Find out if a report needs to be sent to the WHO.”

  Bones shifted his gaze back to the woman, admiring her figure, tilting his head to the side. She did have the nicest pair of—