by Anna Blakely
Taking several more long, controlled breaths, Gracie nodded. When she blinked again, another tear fell down across her cheek and Nate had to fist his free hand to keep from brushing it from her flawless skin.
Kole came back into the room, carrying a glass of water. Nate had been so focused on Gracie he hadn’t even realized his friend had left.
“Here, honey,” Kole held the glass out to her. “I called Sarah. She’s on her way up.”
At that, Gracie lifted her eyes.“What? Why?”
“You’re obviously upset. I figured you’d probably want to go home. You rode here with Sarah this morning, so I asked if she could drive you back to your place.” Kole looked to Jake for his belated approval, which their boss gave with a nod.
“No.” Gracie shook her head and set the glass down onto the table. Sitting up straighter, she wiped her face dry and looked at Jake. “I’m fine. I can still work. This was just very…unexpected, that’s all.”
With the same gentle tone Nate had heard him use with his wife, Jake asked Gracie the one question running through the mind of every man in the room.
“How did you know Craig Wyatt?”
“H-he’s…” She drew in a shaky breath and let it out slowly before correcting herself. “Craig was a patient where I used to volunteer.” Sniffing, she looked at Nate. In an almost-whisper, she added, “He’s the one who organized my going-away party.”
Gracie’s beautiful face crumbled, then more tears began to fall, each one causing the unfamiliar pressure in Nate’s chest to increase. Unable to keep from it, he pulled her into his arms and held her close.
He wanted to cry with her when he felt her small hands gripping the back of his shirt. It was as if holding onto him was the only thing keeping her together.
I’ve got you, baby.
Nate looked over her shoulder to Jake and offered a more detailed explanation to him and the others.
“Gracie volunteered at a VA hospital in Maryland. She’d go there a couple times a week to keep some of the Vets who didn’t have family close by company.”
Jake nodded. “She shared that with me when we first spoke on the phone.”
“That’s a really nice thing you did, Gracie,” Matt told her kindly. Gabe and Zade muttered their agreements.
She pulled away from Nate and wiped her face dry again before giving Matt and the others a watery smile. “Thanks.” She then looked up at Kole and said, “Call Sarah back and tell her I’m fine.”
“You just found out a friend of yours was brutally murdered. You’re not fine.”
Gracie grimaced at Kole’s words, making Nate want to kick his friend’s ass.
“Kole’s right,” Jake intervened. “With Alpha Team already indisposed on another op and Bravo going wheels up within the hour, I wasn’t planning on staying at the office, anyway.”
“But, what if someone calls or comes by?”
“I’ll re-route the number to ring into my business cell, and I’ll put a note on the door that says we will be back in the office tomorrow morning.”
“But—”
“What did I tell you when I first offered you the job here, Gracelynn? About taking care of my staff?”
Looking a little embarrassed, Gracie whispered, “That everyone at R.I.S.C. is like family.”
“That’s right. And now you are a part of that family.”
As an adorable blush began to spread across her cheeks, a certain part of Nate’s anatomy began to swell. And it wasn’t his heart.
Not now, asshole.
Doing his best to ignore the confusing reaction he was having to this woman, Nate gave Gracie’s hands a little squeeze and offered her a smile.
“Jake’s right, Gracie. We take care of our own, here.”
She looked as though she wanted to say something more, but Sarah walked in before she could.
Rushing to her sister’s side, she practically pushed Nate out of the way to give Gracie a hug.
“Oh, my gosh, sweetie. I’m so sorry.”
Nate stood to give the two women some space. Moving closer to where Kole was standing, he shoved his hands into his pockets but kept his eyes on Gracie.
“Seriously?” Kole whispered low enough only Nate could hear.
Turning his head toward his friend, Nate’s brows turned inward as he mouthed, “What?”
Rather than answer, Kole clenched his jaw and shook his head before looking back at his fiancee and Gracie.
“I’m fine. Really.” Gracie tried—and failed—to convince her sister she was okay.
“Come on.” Sarah stood straight, pulling Gracie to her feet. “I’ll take you home.”
Though he could tell she really didn’t want to leave, Gracie apparently knew when she’d lost a fight. She quietly thanked Jake before promising to be back to work in the morning.
“Take all the time you need,” their boss told her.
With a small nod, Gracie started to follow Sarah out the door.
“I’ll walk you two out,” Kole offered, not even bothering to ask for their boss’s permission. Jake would have given it to him, anyway.
To the rest of Bravo, Gracie turned and said, “Come back safely.”
Gabe and Zade both smiled as they nodded their heads.
Matt grinned. “Take care, Gracie.” Lifting his chin toward Jake, he added, “Make sure you keep the big boss in line while we’re gone.”
This made her smile a little wider. “I will.”
Nate was taken off guard at how disappointed he was that she hadn’t said anything directly to him. Then, as she walked out of the room, Gracie looked at him from over her shoulder.
“Be careful, Nate.”
Working hard to school his expression, he gave her a crooked grin and winked. “See you when we get back.”
With one final, shared look, Gracie turned and walked away. It was the first time since becoming a part of Bravo that Nate wanted to stay behind while the rest of the team went on without him.
Chapter 4
“Hey, Carter. Wait up!”
The sun shone down on the team as they made their way across the tarmac to the private jet Ryker had arranged for them to use. With his go-bag flung across his shoulder, Nate turned and saw Kole jogging to catch up to him.
“What’s up?”
“You tell me.”
Nate was about to ask his friend what he meant when Kole slapped something against his chest.
Grabbing the bunched-up material before it could fall, Nate held it out in front of him so he could see what had Kole so aggravated. His heart stuttered a little harder when he saw it was the shirt he’d let Gracie borrow.
Knowing Kole had his signals crossed, Nate played it off as if it were nothing. Which it was.
“Thanks, man. I was hoping to get this back.”
Still acting casual, Nate unzipped his bag and shoved the shirt inside.
He was zipping it up when Kole growled beside him. “Really? That’s all you’re gonna say?”
From behind his sunglasses, Nate looked back at his friend. “What were you expecting, a hug? Aw, you were. That’s why you’re so upset.” He made the tone of his voice mimic that of someone talking to a toddler. “I’m sorry, Kole. Come here and let Natey-watey give you a big hug.”
Moving in closer, Nate held both arms out as though he were actually going to wrap them around the other man.
“Quit fuckin’ around, asshole.” Kole shoved against Nate’s shoulder. “You know exactly why I’m upset. I told you not to start shit with Gracie.”
Feeling forced onto the defensive, Nate looked over at his buddy. “And I haven’t been.”
“Yeah? Then why the hell did she sleep in your favorite shirt last night?”
Nate’s heart did more than stutter that time. Schooling his expression, he asked, “How do you know she slept in it?”
“Because, dickhead, she was still wearing it when she opened the door for Sarah this morning.”
Okay, so that l
ittle tidbit made Nate much happier than it probably should have. Determined not to let it show, he gave a shrug. “We met up last night to plan yours and Sarah’s party. Chu’s was insanely busy, and there was no place to sit, so we got our food to go and took it to my place. Gracie dropped some meat on her shirt, so I gave her mine to wear home. End of story.”
Unfortunately.
Though he was also wearing sunglasses, Nate sensed Kole was narrowing his eyes at him suspiciously.
With a sincere tone, he swore to his friend, “Nothing happened between me and Gracie, Kole.”
“That’s the same thing she told Sarah.”
“Well, there ya go. Mystery solved. Now, can we please get on the plane before Gabe comes out and kicks both our asses for making the rest of the team wait?”
Both men started walking again, but Kole just couldn’t seem to let it go.
“If there’s nothing going on between you two, then what was all that in the conference room earlier?”
“All what?”
“You sure were quick to give her your seat.”
Up to now, Nate had done his best to control his temper, but he’d about had it with Kole’s bullshit.
“So what?” he shot back. “You went and got her a glass of water. Hell, man. That must mean you’re screwing your fiancée’s sister.”
In a swift move, Kole stepped in front of Nate and removed his glasses. Glaring, he bit out, “What’d you just say to me?”
Nate knew he was probably out of line. But damn it, he’d done nothing wrong and was sick of Kole making it seem as though he had.
Sliding his own glasses to the top of his head, Nate let out an exasperated sigh. “Calm your shit, Kole. I’m just trying to point out how ridiculous you sound right now. Gracie borrowed my shirt. So fucking what? Yes, I offered her my seat when she got upset. Big deal.”
And then, because he was pissed, Nate gave Kole his best teenage drama queen impression when he finished with, “And oh em gee, hold the presses...I put my hand on hers while she sat there, crying her eyes out.” Nate shook his head in disbelief. “Christ, Kole. The woman had just discovered a close friend of hers had been brutally murdered. Lighten the fuck up, already.”
From the expression on Kole’s face, Nate thought his words had finally begun to sink in. But then, albeit using a much calmer voice, Kole said, “I’m not blind, Nate. I saw the way you looked at her in there. Everyone did. It’s obvious you two have some sort of connection, or whatever. But, I know Gracelynn, and I’m telling you, she doesn’t do the whole casual thing.”
“And I’m going to tell you for the last time, Gracie and I are just friends. Now, will you please get out of my way so we can go do the job we’ve been hired to do?”
Kole stared back at him for a few seconds longer before giving him a single nod and stepping to the side.
“If you two ladies are finished arguing, the rest of us would like to fly our asses out of here.”
Both men looked up to see Matt sticking his head out of the plane’s open door.
“Keep your panties on, King,” Kole yelled back.
Nate expected Matt to flip them off. What he didn’t expect was for the guy to push his pants down and start shaking his bare ass at them.
“Jesus, that guy needs to grow the fuck up, already,” Kole muttered beside him.
“What, like we have?” Nate asked with an incredulous smirk.
“Touché.”
Kole’s silent laugh told Nate all was forgiven. Although, deep down, Nate was still a little ticked off.
No, he wasn’t looking for a relationship, but if he did want to start something with Gracie, it wasn’t any of Kole’s business.
Nate was a grown-ass man, and Gracie was one fine, intelligent woman. If they wanted to go fuck like bunnies in the back of his truck, they could. And there was nothing anybody could say about it.
Aaaand…just like that, the crotch of his jeans began to tighten.
Nate knew he’d have to keep those and any other thoughts about Gracie at bay for the duration of this op. If Kole saw him sporting a woody while thinking about his almost-sister-in-law, he’d kick Nate’s ass for sure.
Once the team was finally settled and airborne, Gabe walked to the front of the jet to debrief them on the details of their mission. Once their team leader started talking, it wasn’t hard to push everything else out of his head.
The bastard they were after was one mean sonofabitch. And if Edric Yavuz was in bed with the monster, the United States could be at risk for a whole lot more than just a broken treaty.
“Alright, gentlemen. Listen up. This man is our initial mark. He’s been an informant for Ryker’s people for a while now. Our job is to locate him and get him to tell us where we can find our real target, Achim Akmar.”
Nate and the others each opened the folders they’d been given. On top was a copy of the same picture Gabe was holding up.
“Who is he?” Zade asked the obvious.
“Name’s Baran Karas. Goes by Barry.”
“Karas…that’s a Greek surname, right?” Nate asked curiously.
“Barry’s mom is Turkish. His father was Greek,” Gabe explained. “His dad died when he was still a baby, after which, Barry’s mom moved them back to Turkey to be closer to family.”
“So, how did this guy become an informant for the U.S.?”
Nate couldn’t help himself. Curious by nature, he was always that kid who asked a billion questions about a topic no one else in the class gave a shit about.
Probably why he went into the tech field. He loved learning new information. About pretty much everything.
Not bothering to hide his frustration, Gabe answered with, “Don’t know, and I honestly don’t give a rat’s ass, Carter. What’s important is, this guy was the informant Seal Team Five was slated to meet with the day their Humvee’s got blown into a million fucking pieces. It’s also believed he knows the whereabouts of Akmar. Now, we don’t know if Karas was directly involved with what happened to our guys, nor do we even know for sure he has intel about Akmar. Either way, we need to find him.”
“Duly noted.” Nate motioned for their team leader to continue.
Gabe continued to address the team. “Inside each folder, you’ll find the most up-to-date information we have on Karas. When we land in Ankara, we’ll check into our rooms, deal with our clothes and shit, and meet back at the café down the block from where we’re staying.”
Ankara was Turkey’s capital and, lucky for them, a relatively safe place for Americans to visit.
“We’ll grab a bite to eat then head back to my room to map out our next move.”
“Do we even know whether this Barry guy is actually in Ankara?” Zade asked Gabe.
“Homeland’s latest intel says he is, though he has been keeping a low profile since last summer. The man is smart. He knows he’s a suspect in what happened to our SEALS, so he’s been staying out of sight.”
“If the Navy and Homeland have both been looking for this guy, what makes Ryker think we can find him?”
Though, Zade was the one who asked the question, Gabe directed his answer to the whole team.
“Ryker believes the way to Akmar is through Karas. Those above Ryker’s pay grade only want to focus on the big dogs, which is why he handed this to us.”
Matt groaned. “Ankara’s a big city, Boss. It would be hard enough to find someone who wanted to be found. Locating a guy who’s gone dark is gonna be like finding a goddamn needle in a Turkish haystack.”
“Better get your magnifying glasses out, boys. This is the job Ryker’s paying us to do.”
Four days later, after busting their asses, Bravo Team finally found their needle.
Spread out amongst the crowd, each man was strategically positioned in the seats of the amphitheater located in Segmenler Park, the central point of Ankara.
Tonight’s performance was a benefit concert consisting of songs sung by various local artists. Being forced t
o sit and listen to a bunch of lyrics he couldn’t understand was annoying as fuck.
Nate was fluent in several languages including Spanish, Dari, Pashto. But not Turkish.
“Anyone have eyes on our guy?”
Gabe’s low voice came through the covert earpiece each team member wore. They served as both receivers and mics, which made concealment that much easier, and their sensitivity was so high, a mere whisper came through clear as a bell.
Even more than the others, Nate appreciated the fact that McQueen spared no expense when it came to buying tools of the trade.
“Nothing yet,” he responded under his breath.
The bands were between sets, so several people had gotten out of their seats and were moving around.
“Hold that thought.” Zade’s voice came through next. Then, just as quickly, he said, “Nope. Never mind. That’s a negatory, Boss.”
“I’ve got nothing on my end,” Kole spoke up. “I don’t get it. If this guy’s supposed to be hiding out, why would he come here with all these people around?
“He’s hiding in plain sight,” Nate explained to his friend a split second before Matt chimed in.
“I’ve got him. My two o’clock. Second section from the stage. Fourth row, seven seats from the east.”
All coms were silent as they waited for Gabe to give the next directive.
“Stand down for now. Keep him in your sight, Turner. Carter, do you have a visual?”
Nate casually glanced that direction, but his view was obstructed by two young women standing nearby. They whispered and giggled like most women did, but it wasn’t until he moved his eyes upward that he realized one was smiling straight back at him.
Both women were attractive, and if he weren’t on the job…
Another woman’s face flashed through Nate’s mind. Suddenly, it wasn’t some strange woman smiling back at him. It was Gracie.
She was wearing the same yellow sundress she’d had on at Kole’s a few days ago. Like that night, her hair was down and falling across her bare shoulders.
Nate watched as she licked her lips and gave him a look that said she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He was about to stand up and go to her when Gabe’s voice hit his ear once more.
