Case slapped a hand over his chest and pretended to be in pain. “I’m hurt, brother.”
Tomi giggled and wrapped her arm around Cole’s neck. “Be nice to him.”
Case grinned from behind her. “You better play nice, Cole, or Tomi’s gonna punish you.”
Tomi turned and glared, but totally ruined the effect with her accompanying broad grin. “Stop baiting him.”
Cole gave his brother a warning look, threaded his fingers in Tomi’s hair and turned her back to face him. The light laughter in her eyes warmed him to his toes. Cole lowered his head, sweeping a soft kiss across her teasing lips. “I don’t think I’m the one who needs punishing.”
Tomi’s breath caught and her nipples beaded through her shirt, pressing into his chest. “I think you’re right. What do you have in mind?”
Cole groaned as she snuggled up against him. “I think I can manage to come up with something appropriate.”
“Is that a promise?” she said breathlessly.
“For the rest of your life, baby girl.”
32
“Get these damn wires off of me.” Adam Wise snarled as the nurse ran through a quick check of his vitals.
Cole ignored his surly tone just like the nurse. “You have to wait on the doc to clear you.”
The nurse, a tiny thing that didn’t even reach Cole’s shoulder, straightened and scanned her clipboard without the least bit of worry. “Your vitals look good, Mr. Wise. The doctor will be in shortly to give you the final clearance for release.” She hung the clipboard on the end of Adam’s bed and left the room.
“I don’t have time for this shit. I’m fine. The poison didn’t kill me. Tara’s still out there somewhere and the longer I sit in this invalid’s bed, the further away she gets.” Tortured worry filled Adam’s tone.
Guilt hit Cole square in the gut. He couldn’t imagine the fear Wise was experiencing and Cole felt partly responsible. They’d failed to find Tara. Luis had disappeared off the fucking planet and they weren’t any closer to finding El Oscuro than they had been when this whole mess started.
“It’s not your fault, Cole.” Tomi slid a supportive arm around him and Cole accepted her comfort with relief. She didn’t make the guilt go away altogether but she soothed him.
He dropped a kiss to her head, not correcting her even though she was wrong. “Thank you for coming.”
Cole looked at Adam. “I’m sorry, man.”
Adam scrubbed a hand down the thick shadow of a beard that had grown since he’d been in the hospital. This was the first time Cole had ever seen the man with a beard.
“She’s right,” Adam said in a gruff tone, “It’s not your fault. It’s that dead fucking agent. What I wouldn’t give to wrap my hands around his neck.”
“Case took care of him.”
“Fill me in on the rest. What’s the plan?” Adam pushed off the mattress and sat up straighter. Tomi rushed from Cole’s side to fix his pillow.
“Troy’s working on hacking the FBI’s database to gather intel on Luis and El Oscuro. Marsh, Donham and McKay are gearing up to go find Rico and Carrie.” Both of them were MIA.
Tomi shot Cole a worried look and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Do you think they’re okay?”
Cole answered honestly. “If the cartel had her, Luis would make sure we knew. He’d make an example of her.”
Tomi wrapped a hand around her throat and dropped into the chair next to Adam’s bed. “Oh my God.”
“But they haven’t.” Cole didn’t like seeing the horror back on her beautiful face. He went to her, lifted her from the seat and settled in the chair, pulling her onto his lap so he could hold her. “And Rico is one of our best. If anyone could slip in and grab her, it’s him. He’ll contact us as soon as it’s safe. I’m sure of it.”
“He’s right, Tomi. Rico’s a damn ghost. Never seen a man with that much stealth.” Adam shifted towards them.
She nodded and Cole drew her against his chest. “Case, Carter and Clint are out looking for Luis and any clues of where he might have gone.”
“The Frenchman?” Adam asked.
“Back in France for now. He got the hell out of the States after the attack went down at the compound,” Cole said.
“Shit. We have no leads. We’re further away from finding Tara than we were when we started.” Adam collapsed back against the pillows.
The hospital door opened and Marsh, Donham and McKay filed into the room. Cole looked at McKay and raised a brow. McKay nodded in affirmation to Cole’s silent question.
Cole smiled. “We’ve got one lead. A big, fat one.”
McKay approached the bed while Marsh and Donham hung back. “We’ve got Chaplinsky.”
Adam straightened. “Where?”
“In a nice little holding cell waiting on your visit,” McKay answered.
Without a word, Adam bent over and ripped the power cord to his blood pressure monitor from the wall. Then he pulled the oxygen monitor off his finger. The whole room filled with loud alarms. “Get my boots, Cole. And get me my goddamn gun.”
Adam swung his legs over the edge of the bed. The nurse flew through the door, her worry fading when she saw the reason for the alarms. “I should have known. Get back in bed. The doctor’s making his rounds now.”
Adam held out his arm, his face set. “If you don’t take this IV out, I’m ripping it out.”
McKay smiled and the nurse glared at him. He quickly recovered, crossing his arms behind his back and stared straight ahead, his smile gone from his lips but not his eyes.
Cole suppressed his own smile and said, “Nurse, he’s not joking.”
She held up a hand. “Fine. The sooner I get you out of here, the sooner I can have peace in my hospital. Stay put. I’ll go get your doctor right now.” She stomped out, Marsh and Donham jumping out of her way.
“Adam, sit down. Get your clearance. I’ve got your gear. We’ll take you straight to Chaplinsky,” Cole said.
Tomi leaned into his chest and Cole buried his face in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent and for the thousandth time, he was thankful for having found her.
“Luis is gone, probably in Mexico. He took Rafael.” McKay scrubbed a hand over his neck, looking up at Tomi. “I’m sorry we couldn’t get to him first.”
She trembled but lifted her chin. “Thank you for trying. Luis loves his son. That’s about the only thing I can say good about him. He won’t harm Rafael.”
But he would immerse his son in the life of crime and danger.
McKay met Cole’s gaze. “We’re moving out now. Rico’s last point of contact was outside of Cancun. We’re starting our search there. I’ll contact you when we make landfall.”
“What about the other thing you were looking for?” Tomi had told him about Tiger on the way from the op and he’d sent McKay to look for him without telling her. He wanted to give that to her, make her happy, but he didn’t want to get her hopes up. It had been a while since she’d been home and if the cat had been trapped inside the whole time…
McKay gave him a nod. “Found him hungry, but alive. He’s at your house.”
Tomi shot him a questioning look. “What’s he talking about?”
Damn the vulnerability in her eyes made his chest ache. “We found Tiger.”
Her eyes welled with tears and she threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”
He hugged her tight and gave McKay a thumbs up, mouthing thank you. McKay saluted and ushered the rest of the guys from the room.
Cole blew out a breath, relieved his team was on their way to find Rico and Carrie. He’d worry about them, but they were the best. They’d get the job done.
“Mr. Wise, I hear you are anxious to get home.” A tall, thin doctor breezed into the room, eyeing Adam with eyebrow raised.
Cole rose from the chair, grabbed Tomi’s hand and tugged her from the room. “Adam, we’ll be in the hall.”
As soon as they were out, Tomi tugged him to her, wrapping h
er arms around his waist. “I love you, Cole Fury. Thank you for saving Tiger. You’re a good man.”
Warmth flooded his chest. Cole dipped his head, unable to resist the temptation of her lips. “Anything for you, baby. Always.”
Right there in the hallway, surrounded by nurses and doctors and staff, he took her mouth with every bit of possessive need and love he had in him. He would do anything it took to make her happy. She was his life. His sun. His air.
His everything.
Before you go…
From the author: I hope you enjoyed Wild Fury and thank you so much for joining the adventure. Authors live and die by reviews, and I’m no different. If you’ve got a spare sec, I’d love for you to leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads.
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To claim your FREE copy of Redemption River: Men of Mercy Book 1, click HERE
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–Lindsay Cross
To connect with Lindsay Cross
www.lindsaycross.com
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Also by Lindsay Cross
Mayhem’s Warrior: Operation Mayhem Book 1
Mayhem’s Desire: Operation Mayhem Book 2
Mayhem’s Hero: Operation Mayhem Book 3
Redemption River: Men of Mercy Book 1
Resurrection River: Men of Mercy Book 2
Reckless River: Men of Mercy Book 3
Ravaged River: Men of Mercy Book 4
Ethan’s Promise: Men of Mercy, Book 5, in Desiree Holt’s Team Omega Kindle Worlds
Aaron’s Honor: Men of Mercy, Book 6 in Susan Stoker’s Special Ops Kindle Worlds
Revenge River: Men of Mercy, Book 7
Relentless River: Men of Mercy, Book 8
Riser’s Resolve: Men of Mercy, Book 9, in Elle James Brotherhood Protectors Kindle Worlds
Mercy and Mayhem: Men of Mercy, Book 10
Raylan: Novella
David: Novella
Praise for the Men of Mercy Series
“Lindsay Cross delivers high-powered action, alpha heroes and an exciting conclusion!”
- ELLE JAMES
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
"This is one of those books that the phrase sit down, shut up and hang on would be used because it’s a wild ride from page one to the end."
- 5 Star Goodreads Review, Redemption River
"This book was wall to wall action. Once the danger hit, it never slowed down. I was late leaving my house because there was no way I could stop reading."
- 5 Star NetGalley Review, Redemption River
Acknowledgments
I want to give a huge thank you to Megan Mitcham for your daily motivation and for keeping it real. Your badass Base Branch Series rocks!!! I couldn’t have done it without you!
Another big shout out to Kari March - without you and a bucket load of patience, Fury Security would never have these truly awesome covers. Thank you Lynn Mullan for your awesome proofreading skills!
Thank you to my dad for giving me the love of reading and to my mom for dropping everything to read my books and catch those last minute mistakes.
My beautiful beta readers, Jenna, Jamie and Lauren-you’ve helped make the Men of Mercy shine.
And last, but most definitely not least, thank you to my true military hero-my husband. I love you all.
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