Ninja shit.
In dusty black jeans—ripped in the thigh from hopping a barbed fence the past week—and a thick black long-sleeve shirt with enough pockets to carry gear, he pulled out an instrument used to pick the lock on the delivery receiving door. By that time of night, it was closed off and secured. It was a good thing he was an expert at that shit. He could do it in his sleep. He had his black hood up, his black mask on and the barrel of his pistol dug into his tailbone, held by a pancake holster in the back of his jeans. He didn’t expect trouble—but he intended to create it.
Delta was comforted by the cold steel of the gun’s barrel chilling his skin as he crouched low to assess a light he saw on the bottom part of the door frame. It flickered, and he flinched before taking a deep breath to calm his mind. It wasn’t a camera. Just a light reflection, he realized, before returning to his task.
Seeing Kendra was a mindfuck and had left him feeling all shades of messed up—even more messed up than a guy who spent all night, every night, doing anything but sleeping. Hell, every goddamn night, being alone reminded him of what he’d lost. Though, he wasn’t sure if he’d really lost something he’d never gained. It had only been one night.
Unfortunately, the memory of her pouting, sexy mouth pressed against his was just fucking distracting—so much so that he nearly dropped his instrument on the concrete. Fumbling to catch it, he felt the lock crack. Shit. He froze, holding the door handle tightly, praying to fucking God that he hadn’t wrecked the damn mission.
Damn, memories of Kendra were wildly disruptive. It had been a year since their one-night stand, but he’d never gotten over it. His mind stirred, unable to shake the sensory details—her long, lean back arching as he held her wrists down, on top of her, giving her everything he had. She liked it hard and rough, liked it when he owned her. She wanted to be claimed, and he had been more than happy to do it. That aging memory had served him more times than he’d like to count that year, deployed in another hellhole with nothing but a helmet to serve as a pillow.
Delta sucked in air, dazed. It was time to raid. He braced himself against the door, exhaling slowly, trying to refocus his mind and urging the blood back out of his cock. He didn’t have enough in his system to supply both his dick and his brain at the same time. And once he breached the door, it was fucking time. He had to get his game face on. He had to be in and out—and be smart about it, too—get what he needed and get out before getting caught.
Turning the handle to test, he gazed down at his glove, the one he’d recovered, and noticed a small hole in the knuckle. Letting out a breath of relief, he counted his blessings when the door popped and opened. He shook his head. Luck was always on his side. A cold rush rippled up his arms, like an icy storm brewing.
Within seconds, Delta was stalking silently up the stairs, honing in on the lab stationed on the top floor. He’d been there before, so he knew where he was going. Out of the stairwell, the hallway was as quiet as the night, and he needed it to stay that way. He slunk low and quick, making his path to the secure entry to the lab, where he knew guards were stationed. He’d have to fight his way in.
Delta had fought for his country for years—fighting for what was right, fighting for the innocent in the worst, most insane war zones. Now, he should be like his best friend—retired with a girl on his arm and a kid on the way. But that wasn’t him. He was a hunter, and he was hunting…because he didn’t have a choice.
Why the fuck are they doing it? Delta thought, gripping his pistol outside the secure entry, listening to the voices inside. He didn’t fear the fight into the lab, but he feared what he would find inside. They’d been progressing faster than planned, faster than Delta could keep up with. Innocent people were getting caught up in a game they didn’t understand.
Pulling his pistol out of the back of his jeans, he leaned against the wall beside the secure entry, out of sight of the camera that hung in the corner as well as the peephole on the office door. Delta knew the angles. He’d been trained to know. They’d trained him to be the best, and he’d trained himself to be better than that.
With a curt rap on the door, he waited patiently as surprised voices scuffled about within. The guards were checking security cameras. Cameras, he knew, were everywhere in the building. But that was exactly what was on his side. There were too many cameras for them to adequately watch them all. Delta relied on his inhuman speed and stealth for the element of surprise.
So, he remained out of sight, which allowed the familiar sound of shock and fear to be heard from the interior. Those were sounds he recognized well—ones that energized him and ran through his veins like a tonic. Sounds that gave him the feeling that shit was about to go down.
The security door opened a crack, but before he let the staff get a good look, he hurtled his heavy foot against the door, crashing it open and aiming his gun at the guards.
“Get the fuck down!” he ordered.
Chapter Seven
One year before
“Why are we training with the SEALs?” Kendra balked as she tied her running shoe that was propped against her car.
Beside her, adjusting his workout shorts, Hunter snickered. “Don’t worry, kid. They won’t bite.”
Kid? Kendra stood, giving her staff sergeant the side-eye. Fiddling with her outfit—black athletic tights and slack-fit light gray T-shirt—she silently fumed. Hunter’s words surprisingly failed to comfort her.
Hunter kicked off, marching through the SEAL base toward the training course, forcing Kendra to catch up behind him. Since she’d been jogging, the heat rose at the back of her neck. For the middle of an LA winter, it was unseasonably warm. Up in the mountain traverses, she gazed down to the valley where the afternoon’s sweltering heat was rising. She tugged again at her T-shirt, wondering if it was too tight. Or was it too loose? Or maybe it was too warm for the weather? Whatever it was, it wasn’t good enough.
She was freaking out.
“Jesus.” She brushed a bead of sweat off her forehead, observing the obstacle course set up by the Navy to train special operators in urban warfare.
She was more nervous than her time at the police academy—the young, female academic who hadn’t quite belonged then or even now. And the guys sure as hell hadn’t let her forget it. She was a scientist, first and foremost—a bookish nerd. Forensics was the only place she felt at ease.
Certainly not at military facilities, she thought as she gazed in horror over the scene in front of her. The only thing more intimidating than the rope climbs and tower jumps was the array of SEALs lined up in the distance, confident and assured, casually chatting with the cops from her group. There were about thirty of them in total, and they’d formed a small crowd around the first obstacle—where their ‘team building’ session was supposed to start. It reminded her of everything she’d done at the police academy—and everything she sucked at.
She trailed behind Hunter, hiding in his wake, as they made their way to the larger group of cops waiting for further instruction. Most of the cops were eager to get on with it, eager to train alongside the infamous rough-and-ready SEALs. Adding to her dread, she was one of the few women there. And the way her blonde hair caught the sun like a beacon, she knew she’d be a target. It wasn’t easy being a woman in a man’s world.
Let’s just get this over with. Kendra breathed in shakily as she secretly watched the military operators leaning against the rappelling tower not far from her. Everything in her body screamed for her to get back to her car and drive away. The whole experience, which promised to be fun for the guys, represented the maximum in discomfort to her.
She didn’t miss the sly looks she was getting from the SEALs, who were sniffing her out. Crossing her arms tightly, like a self-hug, she found herself trying to appear unapproachable, serious.
“Heads up, people,” gray-haired Inspector Hall called over the crowd from the front, checking to make sure everyone was there. The big boss from LAPD.
As the group
silenced, he continued, “Thanks for showing up today—and thanks to Paul for giving us the opportunity for a different type of training.”
Hall nodded to a veteran SEAL beside him who was literally shaped like an upside-down triangle. With a shaved head and aerodynamic sunglasses, the man stood as still as a statue, seemingly scanning the group for weakness. Once he got to Kendra, she felt like she’d been X-rayed and diagnosed as ‘soft’.
After Hall continued with safety protocols and instructions, the mass of cops and operators were split up into teams to run the obstacle course. Hall made it clear that after the tower climbs, rope jumps and holding bars, they were expected to rappel off a three-story metal structure. Kendra literally shook at the thought, already knowing the truth.
I can’t do this, a little voice inside her head shrieked. Embarrassed already, she watched the first wave of teams attack the course with ferocity—leaping, jumping and barreling over obstacles.
Doesn’t anyone else have any fear? Her question was quickly answered as teams started breaking off onto the course. Her team was the last scheduled to go—even worse. They’d all have time to sit back and watch her fail.
“Nervous?” a deep voice came from behind her.
She whipped around, searching.
And there he stood—a towering, muscled SEAL with a boyish grin, perfect teeth and flowing dark blond hair. His brown eyes poured into her, his mouth widening in understanding, assessing her.
“It’s okay if you are,” he added, keeping his voice down.
“I’m not,” she rebuffed quickly, unwilling to get vulnerable.
“Are you Kendra?”
Her eyebrow raised, she nodded quickly, feeling a little shellshocked under his alluring gaze.
“Delta.” He reached out, offering her his hand. “You’re on my team.”
She took it, feeling his rough, calloused powerful handshake. She pumped back as hard as possible, promising herself that she wouldn’t be weak—that she could be tough.
“I’ll walk you through this,” Delta assured her, nodding to the course.
But someone else cut in.
“I’ve got her. Don’t worry.” A less-than-amused voice belonging to Hunter appeared on the other side of her.
Kendra’s head spun, observing Hunter to her right and Delta to her left. She didn’t want to say it, but Delta was everything Hunter was not. The SEAL was a dominant, bold presence—Alpha. Hunter clearly felt that, felt threatened, and pushed forward to stand closer to Kendra, as if being closer meant that they were a tight duo.
Someone at the starting line called for their team, letting them know they were on deck. Hunter sped off, leaving the SEAL in his dust. Kendra didn’t mistake the competitiveness rising in the air.
Watching the last teams break out onto the course, she let out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding as she caught up to the starting line. The first obstacle was like a net made of rope that one had to climb up to the top. It was probably close to two stories high. In her usual habit, she ran her teeth along her bottom lip, feeling nervousness creep up. She had to climb…that in front of everyone?
“I just can’t.”
“Sure, you can”—Delta’s head dropped beside her—“mind over matter.”
She turned up to him, realizing how close he was standing. Where’d he come from?
“I’ll go with you,” he added.
“With me?” she repeated.
“Sure, and you don’t have to crest the top.” His eyes glimmered as he checked her out, his gaze trailing up and down. “You’ve got this.”
She took in a deep breath, following behind him as he positioned them at the starting line. She surprised herself as she breathed him in, relishing the masculine scent of his body. Something mounted inside her, like an awakening.
“I won’t let you fall,” he added, seeming to understand. His golden hair glinted in the raging sunlight as he gazed down, continually assessing her.
She only could guess what he was thinking.
“Thanks,” she squeaked out before trying to appear more relaxed.
“Do you want me to stay behind you?” he asked, exposing the fact that he was the only man in the entire group who gave a fuck.
She bit her lip again, glancing back up at the ridiculous obstacle, then at him.
“I don’t want to put you out,” she replied, feeling guilty for being fucking dead weight. “I’m sure you want to do your best. You don’t have to follow me around.”
Delta laughed, dismissing her. “Nah, I do this one all the time. I’d rather get you through it. Come on.”
She blinked back at him, lost for words. His casual confidence was more than reassuring. In the sea of chaos and male grunting in the background, no one seemed to notice what was happening between them—no one except Hunter, who stood off to the side, giving the SEAL a fierce side-eye.
It didn’t take long for all the other teams to get through the obstacles, and the timekeeper yelled at them to go. Right away, a huffing Hunter made for the ropes, likely attempting to prove his masculinity was equal to that of the SEALs.
“So, what do you say?” Delta focused on her, watching Hunter race off.
She gazed at him, realizing he was the only guy left standing beside her. She bit her lip and nodded.
“Okay. Sure.”
Sprinting with him to the first obstacle, she realized that he made her feel like she could do it. Absorbing the energy off his body as he ran behind her, she realized he was staying close. Not weirdly close, but close enough to be promising. He was there.
He had her back.
Abruptly halting before the first obstacle—the rope structure—she glanced up, watching Hunter climb to what seemed like impossible heights.
“You can do this.” Delta’s voice was quiet but firm as he motioned for her to come beside him, stepping on the first rope. “Come on.”
Kendra sucked in a bottomless breath and jumped up onto the first rope beside Delta to start her climb. For the first time, she felt like it was going to be okay. She began to feel relief washing over her, knowing that she wasn’t going to have to do it alone.
The ropes swayed in the wind. It was damn hard, testing her physically and mentally. She climbed up and up, feeling Delta beside her, watching her. He stayed right there, close enough to grab her if she fell. On the other side, Hunter was already climbing down and glaring at her through the ropes.
Seeing that she wasn’t far from the top, her next question was—how the hell am I supposed to flip myself over the top and climb back down the other side? Her body shook when she understood her problem.
“Please, legs, don’t fail me now,” she begged.
“Just don’t look down,” Delta ordered, and she realized he was reaching out to hold her.
His warm touch assured her just a little—just enough to get her nodding her understanding.
He continued, unrelenting, “Just pretend you’re hopping a fence. Crest the top, and crawl down the other side.”
“Oh my God,” she whispered again as she grabbed the top, trying to heave herself up and over. “Like I’m hopping a fence? Who do you think I am?”
He laughed, working to get her to the top. She tensed, unsure if it was the fear of heights or just the feeling of his hands on her.
White-knuckled and gripping the top rope, she grumbled to him, “This isn’t my thing. I like thinking and books and stuff.”
Delta’s thick paw was on her waist, stabilizing her, and he quipped back, “Thinking is cool and all, but have you ever rappelled off a building?”
“I’ll be lucky if I never do,” she countered, swinging her leg over the top.
“Well, have I got a surprise for you.” He chuckled as he heaved her over the fulcrum. His support and encouragement were all that kept her moving, thawing her frozen limbs.
“Oh God.” Her grip tightening in abject fear, she wanted to scream as she observed all the people below. They were like ants.
“You’re almost there,” Delta assured her. “Just get the other leg over. I told you that I won’t let you fall. I’ve got you, so just trust me.” His words hit her hard, and they locked eyes. She let out a tense breath, taking in his stunning brown gaze that was caught in sunlight as their bodies swayed on the ropes.
Trust him?
“Okay,” she replied, her voice shaking. “Okay.”
She followed his commands as he directed her, and next thing she knew, she was on the other side. She let out a little yelp of joy, followed by Delta chuckling to himself. Once he was over the top and on the other side, he began climbing down next to her.
“Nice guy,” Delta grumbled sarcastically, his eyes narrowing on her staff sergeant before turning back to her. She tightened her hands on the rope, watching Hunter moving fast through the next obstacle, like he’d forgotten she existed.
“And people ask me what it’s like being a woman in a male-dominated job.” Kendra exhaled as she shakily lowered herself down onto the next rope, moving slowly down the structure. “You’re always on your own, at least by my experience.”
Feeling Delta’s presence beside her, he said, “On my team, you’re never alone.”
She froze, but this time for a different reason. If only she’d had someone whispering those supportive words to her at police academy and throughout her career. Connecting with him, she couldn’t deny that he lit something in her that she couldn’t explain—a confidence to push forward, to push herself.
More determined and more focused, she moved methodically down the ropes, watching Delta climb down beside her and mirroring his movements. He was much, much better at it than her, obviously. She was unstable, to say the least. But she was trying and, surprisingly, she was still alive.
Under Pressure Page 5
