by Liliana Hart
Her smile grew wider. “Sophia Huxley. Declan’s never mentioned you,” she said, her eyes sparkling.
“That’s harsh,” Shane said. “I like her, Dec. She’ll fit right in.”
“I can’t tell you how much I’ve been longing to hear those words from your mouth,” Declan said dryly. “Soph, the man standing patiently next to my Neanderthal brother is Brady Scott,” Declan said. “He’s Darcy’s husband’s brother, and he and Shane belong to the same SEAL team. They help us out on occasion.”
“On occasion?” Shane snorted. “We pull your asses out of a lot of situations to just be considered occasional help. You’re welcome by the way.”
“It’s not like you’re working for free,” Dec said. “If your prices keep going up I’m going to start using SEAL Team Eight as backup. There’d probably be less whining.”
“You get what you pay for, brother. And we’re the best of the best,” Shane said grinning cockily.
“I’d like it noted that I have no objections to working more than occasionally,” Brady said. “I’ve almost got my house built and paid for.”
Shane laughed and slapped Brady on the back. “Don’t be a kiss-ass.” He winked at Sophia. “Brady has strong ideas about home and hearth. I’ve never met a SEAL so bent on putting down roots. It doesn’t seem natural.”
“Better watch it, Shane,” Cat said. “It’ll be you next. You’re the last MacKenzie standing.”
“Bite your tongue, woman.” The thought of giving it all up for a woman blew his mind. But all his brothers were older and maybe ready for a slower life. He shuddered at the thought. He’d rather be dead. “I can guarantee that this MacKenzie is going to be footloose and carefree for a lot of years. Someone has to carry on the MacKenzie family tradition since all of you seem to enjoy being shackled a little too much for my liking. Think of all the disappointed ladies there are now that you all are committed to just one woman.”
“How lucky for you that you’re there to comfort them,” Brady said dryly.
“I do what I can for society,” Shane said, shrugging.
“How’s the perimeter?” Dec asked, moving on to business.
“It’s secure,” he said. “The rest of the team is on shifts. You’ve done a hell of a job with the setup, so it’s made our jobs easier. We added a few bonus features spanning out several miles from the perimeter of the compound, but it’s ready. We’ve split up into teams of two.”
He laid a couple of napkins out flat and picked up several utensils that were laying nearby.
“This napkin is the original MacKenzie land. It’s a lot of space to cover, and I don’t think there will be any danger to anyone outside of your location, but I have two men set up in the hunting cabin out by the lake just to be safe.” He put a fork in the general location of the hunting cabin. “There’s more than a hundred acres that stretched between the compound and this property.”
He put another fork down where Declan’s home and the command center were. “I’ve got another team of two set up at the cabin you built outside the walls on the southwest and another team of two in the cabin to the northeast. Brady will stay inside the gated perimeter and be backup for you there just in case, and I’ll monitor the nifty electronics we’ve got placed around. Everyone needs to stay clear of open land, because we have a few surprises in strategic locations. It shouldn’t be a problem since it’s open land anyway, but you probably want to avoid any romantic picnics in the middle of the hayfields. It would be a terrible thing to lose a vital part of your anatomy when you’re just getting to use it again.”
The men at the table snickered and the women rolled their eyes.
“Someday some woman is going to put you in your place, and I’m going to enjoy watching it happen,” Dec said.
“When hell freezes over,” Shane said good-naturedly. “I’m assuming that you’ve been doing some work on your end and haven’t just been relying on the SEALs to do everything for you?”
“Sophia’s ex-husband has a pretty extensive knowledge of computers that goes beyond mere hacking. I’ve set up some cyber-bait to see how far he’s willing to go to track her. He’s trying to tie up loose ends, and taking Sophia is his bargaining chip. As far as the private hunters who are tracking her go, they only want Kane’s passwords and account numbers. And they’re after Soph because they think Kane had her memorize all the numbers and they want to extract them from her.”
“No offense, Sophia, but your husband is a real dick,” Shane said.
“Ex-husband,” she corrected. “And believe me, I know that better than you.”
“It’s bad news all around. They won’t stop coming for you until you’re dead. Or we kill them.” Shane wanted to make sure she understood the gravity of the situation. Declan was in love and wanted to protect her. But Shane needed to deal in reality and plan for it. If she couldn’t hold up under the fear and pressure, he’d have to change his game plan for keeping her safe.
“Then I guess we need to make sure they’re dead first,” she said, her gaze even with his.
“Why can’t you just make it known that she doesn’t know the codes?” Annabeth asked.
“Because Sophia has a photographic memory, and she was married to Kane Huxley for a lot of years. They’ll never believe she wasn’t in on it with him, especially since she has some very useful skills. Kane made sure to plant the seeds that she was involved in their minds. He’s a long-term strategist. He knew what he was going to do and how he was going to do it before he even married her.”
Shane watched Sophia and his brother share a look, and Declan took her hand and squeezed it. Brady had been right. Dec had been in love with her all these years. But she’d married Kane Huxley anyway.
Shane continued. “As soon as Kane told them she had the information memorized, then Sophia became the target instead of the money itself. They’ll do whatever they can to get to her, and then they’ll do whatever it takes to get her to talk.”
Chapter 4
Heavy storms swept through overnight, keeping everyone awake and alert as the feeling of impending doom grew closer.
The team had been on high alert throughout the night, as the cover of rain was the perfect opportunity to attack. The weather had also triggered some of the sensors around the property, so by the time dawn came, Shane and the rest of his team, were soaked to the bone after taking the Jeeps out to check perimeters. It was a good thing they worked as well in the wet as when it was dry.
Declan was busy with the day-to-day workings of MacKenzie Security. Especially since reinforcements had come in late the night before. Their brother, Cade, and his brother-in-law, Brant had arrived. Family stuck together. And it was clear everyone already considered Sophia family. She was Declan’s. And that was all that mattered.
He’d come back from checking the perimeter that morning and gone straight to the command center for a team briefing. He was still soaking wet, he hadn’t slept, and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on Kane Huxley. The anticipation kept his adrenaline riding high, and he’d sleep when it was over. Training always prevailed, and he was as alert now as he was sixteen hours before.
When he got to the command center, Declan was nowhere to be seen. There was a dedicated wall of computer screens and equipment. Elena Nayal sat at the helm and communicated with an agent in Moscow that needed extraction. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her fingers flew quickly across the keyboard.
She wore a black tanktop and black cargo pants, and he noticed she’d changed a lot over the last couple of years. She’d been softer when she’d first come to them. Shy and scared, jumping at any movement. The fear in her eyes whenever a man came close to her was heartbreaking, so they always stood across the room when they needed to talk to her.
They’d met Elena on a mission in Mexico, when they’d been tracking the drug lord, Alexander Ramos. Unfortunately, Ramos had kidnapped and killed Elena’s father, and then Ramos had sent men after Elena. She’d been torture
d for days, and raped repeatedly by Ramos’s men. They’d left her for dead, naked and beaten in an alley, where some of Declan’s men had found her.
Her physical wounds had healed, even though he could see the mark of Alexander Ramos on her left shoulder, where Alexander Ramos had branded her like a piece of cattle. But the innocence she’d had when they’d first met was long gone, and in its place was a wounded woman who didn’t trust easily and always looked over her shoulder. The MacKenzies had taken her in like an adopted daughter. The MacKenzie women had all gotten close to her, and their love and support, along with counseling had helped Elena tremendously. She was especially close with Cade’s wife, Bayleigh, and Marnie Whitlock, who’d grown up in an abusive home and was his sister Darcy’s best friend.
Elena had lost the physical softness her body had once had. She was lean and sinew, her arms and shoulders muscular. She trained daily with weights and also a mix of boxing and MMA fighting, to make sure she could fight back if she was ever attacked again. Declan had made sure she was trained with weapons as well. He wanted her to feel safe, first of all, and he wanted to be able to rely on her for backup if she was ever needed.
Cade sat at the long conference table, along with Brant, Brady, Max, and Jade, who were the primary agents for MacKenzie Security. The SEALs from dinner the night before were there, as well as a couple of newer agents Declan had recently brought in.
James Quartermain was quiet and bland as wallpaper, but his eyes noticed everything. He was maybe five-ten or eleven, and he looked to be in his late forties. Shane didn’t know him and didn’t trust him, but Declan and Cade must have or the man wouldn’t be there.
The other agent, Jane Stone, was one of those women who scared the hell out of any man in the vicinity, at least the sane ones. He never was much for caution or sanity when it came to women. His first thought was maneater. She was Nordic in looks, at least six-feet in height and built—her breasts full and her ass nice and round—and her face had the kind of beauty that made a person want to stare. Her hair was white-blonde and her eyes pale blue. He’d have to be dead not to notice her. Hell, it was her looks she used so often on the job. But Shane knew she was a cold and calculated killer when she needed to be.
They both worked out of the Dallas office under Cade. He must’ve brought them in for back up. And the fact that Cade thought they needed that much backup just went to show how dangerous the situation was.
It didn’t pass Shane’s notice that Brady kept glancing in Elena’s direction. He’d been with the group that had found her in the alley, and it had always haunted him.
“Where’s Declan?” Shane asked. “I thought we had a briefing.”
“He pushed back the time,” Cade answered. He had a steaming cup of coffee to his right and a stack of papers in front of him. “It’ll give me time to go through these purchase orders. My own damned brother makes me put in requisition forms for weapons that MacKenzie Security develops.”
“He probably charges you double too,” Jane said.
Cade grinned and the others laughed.
Shane stayed silent because he didn’t want to question Declan’s change in plans in front of others, but he said, “I’ll be back in a minute,” and turned on his heel to head back out.
Shane’s temper was bubbling as he got back in the Jeep and headed down the road toward Declan’s farmhouse. He didn’t like to be kept in the dark on schedule changes. And added to the fact that he’d been up all night and he was wet and muddy, he’d just as soon take it out on Declan.
As soon as he skidded to a stop in front of Declan’s he heard the sound of glass shattering. Thoughts of being annoyed vanished and his training kicked in. He leapt from the Jeep, drawing his weapons, and jumped the stairs that led to the wraparound porch. Grunts and more glass breaking had him drawing his weapon and pounding at the front door. He was leaning back to kick the door down when he heard a different kind of sound. This one a long, low moan he recognized all too well.
He grinned and rang the doorbell several times just for the hell of it. Now he was irritated and horny, because he still hadn’t had the chance to connect with anyone since he’d been back from his mission. It had been almost seven weeks since he’d felt a woman’s body beneath his, and damned if he was going to wait much longer. Especially if his brother was getting laid and he wasn’t.
“Everything all right?” he called out. “It sounds like a war zone in there. I think someone fell over.”
Shane heard a thump against the wall and Declan groan. And then he heard Sophia whisper, “Maybe if we’re quiet he’ll go away.”
“I thought we were supposed to have a meeting this morning,” Shane said loud enough that they could hear him through the door. “Maybe I’d better come in and make sure everything is all right. I’d really like to get this meeting over with.”
“If you do, you die,” Declan yelled through the door. “Go away, Shane.”
“And pass up this opportunity? I don’t think so. I’ll just wait here on the porch for ten minutes and knock again. But maybe y’all should go to a different room because you’re pretty loud. Anyone passing by can hear you. What if a crowd starts to gather?”
“Come back in an hour or I’m going to shoot you,” Declan said.
“You can try,” Shane answered good-naturedly. “But since you’re the one in there having a good time and I’m stuck out here waiting for one of your briefings, I might get the jump on you. You are getting older after all.”
“One hour, Shane. Hit the road.”
“An hour?” Shane asked. “That’s impressive, brother. Looks like you’ve gotten better with age. Take your time and take two hours. I’ve got some things to see to.”
Shane holstered his weapon and shook his head. He headed back down the stairs frustrated as hell, his cock so hard it was painful behind his damp clothing. Sophia’s screams of pleasure followed him all the way back to the Jeep.
From the age of fifteen, when he’d had his first experience with a girl two years older and a heck of a lot more experienced, he’d loved sex. He loved women period. And they loved him. He’d never had any trouble finding a willing partner. He was one of those happy-go-lucky kind of guys that women seemed drawn to. He knew he was blessed, and he was more than happy to take full advantage of it.
He respected women for all their differences, quirks, and intelligence. They were fascinating in every size and shape. He was always a gentleman and when he was with a woman—or in some cases, more than one woman when he was looking for something a little different—he gave them his full, undivided attention. And when it was time to move on, he made sure they were prepared so there were no hard feelings. Most of his partners only lasted a few weeks. Sometimes longer, if the sex was mind-blowing. Even after the sex was over—he’d never been in a relationship, so he couldn’t call it that—he made sure he and past lovers were on friendly terms.
By his way of thinking, life was meant to be enjoyed, and sex was one of those things a person should do until they couldn’t do it anymore. Sex was meant to be fun and pleasurable for both parties, and he always made sure that’s what it was. It was a physical release necessary to life—just like eating and breathing—and once it was over and the need was sated, everyone could go their separate ways with no messy emotions or attachments.
He looked at his watch. He had two hours of reprieve. By the time he called up a friend or two and made the drive into town, he’d have just enough time to get fucked. Hard, sweaty sex that would take the edge off.
Shane handled the Jeep with ease as he navigated his way past Declan’s house and the command center. He had time for a shower and a change of clothes, but food would have to wait. He was on a mission now.
He was scrolling through the contacts on his phone when he noticed a streak of blonde hair and long legs slipping inside the big red barn behind Declan’s property. The barn was private property, and no one but family should have access to it. Having an unknown agent on t
he property didn’t sit well with him, even if Cade and Declan did trust her.
One-lane, dirt roads were the only paths between the buildings inside the compound, so he drove the Jeep into the grass a good distance from the barn, but to the side so visibility from inside the barn was limited. There was no cover in this area other than a few trees, so he moved quickly until his back was pressed to the red wood of the barn. His gun was down at his side and he worked his way to the back of the barn, to the entrance opposite from where she’d entered.
He moved in low and silent through the door that led into the little corner room that was used for medicating the animals, and then towards the door that led into the main area of the barn. His brows raised in surprise when he saw her standing in the center aisle between the stalls.
“Care to join me?” Jane asked, standing with her back to him.
“You want to tell me what you’re doing in one of the private family buildings?” he asked in return.
She turned to face him and her mouth quirked in a smile. “I think you can figure that out for yourself. Though I don’t think you’ll be needing that particular weapon,” she said, nodding to the gun at his side.
His already hard dick spiked and he moved into the room, so they faced each other like gunslingers. “I don’t need a gun to kill someone,” he said and tossed the weapon in a small mound of hay against the wall.
“Funny. Neither do I.” She pulled a knife in one smooth motion from a sheath at her back and then undid the strap to her thigh holster, tossing both weapons to the side.
“Call me suspicious, but maybe you’re here for another reason than thinking to seduce me. Don’t get me wrong. I love the offer. And I’m happy to take you up on it. But it seems highly unlikely that you’d know I’d be passing by at this time and follow you in here.”
“My business is to know how men like you think. I saw a caged beast ready to break free back in that conference room. I’m just taking advantage of being first in your line of sight once you let the beast out. I’m an opportunist like that.” She smiled and looked down his body, staring at his cock with hunger in her eyes. “I figured you’d be heading to Declan’s, and I calculated the chances of you coming back this direction. And look where you are? Right where I want you.”
