Guarding Brielle - Guardian SEALs Book 5
Special Forces: Operation Alpha
Nicole Flockton
About the Book
Brielle Wilson may be home safe and sound but being kidnapped while on vacation has left her a broken woman. Every day is a battle. When her therapist suggests she take a trip, she suffers an anxiety attack in the office. Go on another trip? No thank you, not after her last one. But fate gives her the push she needs when a college girlfriend calls and asks her to attend a wedding on the other side of the country. She only hopes she won’t regret her decision.
After a couple of harrowing missions, Navy SEAL Tim ‘T-Rex’ Exeter is ready for some down time. When he recognizes a blonde at a bar, as the woman he rescued on a recent assignment, he’s intrigued and drawn to her in a way he never has been before. When she experiences a PTSD attack, he’s compelled to help. Under the worst of circumstances, he finds himself wanting to protect her and keep her close by his side.
Will spending time with Tim be a constant reminder of the horrors she only wants to forget, or will he give her the strength to move forward? When the threat against Brielle’s life becomes real again, Tim will do everything in his power to bring her home, no matter what the cost.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
© 2018 ACES PRESS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this work may be used, stored, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher except for brief quotations for review purposes as permitted by law.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy.
To my readers - thank you!
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Also by Nicole Flockton
Books by Susan Stoker
More Special Forces: Operation Alpha World Books
Prologue
The thump thump thump of the helicopter blades was a foreign sound to Brielle. As foreign as the big strong man sitting next to her, his hard thigh pressed firmly against hers. She couldn’t see his face, like everyone else around her, it was covered in black paint.
A low moan sounded from the soldier sitting across from her, his hand gripped his leg and a dark blood stain marred his trousers. It did nothing to stop the red liquid from seeping out beneath his fingers.
Guilt and fear vied for top billing within her leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. Fear had been her constant companion since she’d been snatched from the streets of Mumbai, India and taken to god knows where. The place had been dark and had stunk worse than the fishermen’s wharf she’d visited the first day of her trip. She’d lost track of the days once she’d been taken. They’d all blended into one long nightmare. She’d eaten the dirty food they’d tossed at her and waited for the one time when her kidnappers would walk into the room and rape or kill her. Her stomach cramped now in remembrance of waking up lying in her own vomit one day.
The helicopter banked sharply, and she grabbed her rescuer’s leg in panic. His large callused hand covered hers.
“The bird’s just turning. Are you doing okay, Ma’am?”
After so many days listening to men talk in a language she didn’t understand, hearing the comforting tones of an American accent was a beautiful sound. Not to mention the gentleness with which he spoke to her. Her kidnappers had yelled and screamed at her. “I think so.” Her voice caught on the last words.
“We should be landing soon, but you’re safe now. Nothing’s going to harm you while I’m around.” His big arm curled around her shoulders and brought her to his side.
Her eyes drifted shut as a sense of safety, a sensation she’d never thought she’d experience again, washed over her, dueling with the exhaustion seeping into her bones. God, she was so tired. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Ma’am.”
Finally, her nightmare was over, and she could get on with life—she hoped.
Chapter One
Four Months Later
“You’re not going to like the sound of this, but you need to go on a trip. It’s not healthy the way you keep yourself locked away in your apartment, leaving only to go to your job and to come here.”
Brielle Wilson stared at her shrink’s face in disbelief. The woman expected her to get on a plane and go to a strange place for a vacation? Who needed a psychiatrist now? “You’re not serious, are you? The reason I’m here is because the last time I took a trip I was kidnapped and held for ransom.”
The familiar pit of misery coiled tightly in her belly whenever she thought about her trip to India. A trip that was supposed to be an experience of a lifetime. Oh, it was definitely that and more all right, it had ended up being the worst type of experience a woman could ever dream of having.
Sweat beaded on her forehead and her heart rate kicked up a couple of notches as misery sunk its claws in, and instead of sitting in a plush doctor’s office, she was back in that small windowless room, where the rough concrete floor scraped against her clothes whenever she moved. Where a bucket in the corner was her means to relieve herself, and where her sense of time had been stolen from her.
“Brielle, you’re safe. Come on, breathe in and out. You’re safe. No one is going to hurt you here.”
The doctor’s voice slowly penetrated her fog of terror, but it wasn’t the feminine tones she was hearing. Instead a strong masculine voice assured her she was safe, and a warm arm held her safely against his side as he half carried, half walked her out of her prison.
Brielle blinked hard and the room slowly came into focus. Her breath shuddered out and she wiped her sweaty palms down the sides of her jeans.
“You really think going on vacation is the best thing for me?” she practically shrieked at her doctor. “I just had an anxiety attack sitting in your office at the mere mention of the word.”
Dr. Baker looked at her. “Yes, I think you should. But, before you interject because I know you were about to, hear me out.” Her shrink sat back, crossed her ankles and Brielle caught a flash of a red sole. Nice to know her sessions were paying for the doctor’s Louboutins.
Whoa, that was a bitchy comment? Totally out of character but having an attack had shaken her more than she liked.
When will it end?
Will they ever stop?
“Brielle?”
She looked back up to find Dr. Baker studying her again. “It’s fine I was thinking. I wasn’t having another attack,” she rushed to assure her.
“I was aware of that,” she smiled gently. “I can tell the difference.”
“Right.” Of course, she could, she was the doctor. The professional.
“As I was saying, I recommend you take a trip, but not overseas. Why don’t you take a trip within the continental United States?” She looked down at the file in her lap. “
You went to University of Southern California, I’m sure you’ve still got some college friends you could catch up with in that state. Spend some time in a different environment than your home and work place.”
“I suppose,” Brielle muttered mentally going through the list of sorority sisters she still kept in touch with. Most had married or were ready to get married—she was still the single one. A status that hadn’t bothered her until her kidnapping and there’d been no one to hold her during the nights when terror took over sleep after her return.
“Why don’t you think about it? I’m not saying you need to leave on a plane right this minute, but you need to push yourself to try and get out more. I understand it’s difficult, but I would be remiss in my job if I didn’t push you to help your recovery.”
“I’ll think about it,” she told Dr. Baker.
“Excellent.”
Fifteen minutes later Brielle walked out into the bright Virginia sunshine, the heat in the air warming her chilled bones. As she strode down the street, to where she’d parked her car, a million thoughts rolled in her mind like waves crashing on the shore.
Could she do what the doctor suggested?
Could she get on a plane full of strangers?
The buzzing of her cellphone tamed the thoughts and she pulled out her phone, smiling when she saw her father’s name pop up on the screen. Brielle swiped to accept. “Hey Dad, how are you?”
“Hello, ma petite, how was your session?” Without fail Denis Wilson always called her when she was walking back to her car after her appointments. He probably had a reminder set in his calendar.
Brielle sighed, the last thing she wanted to talk about was her session, but if she didn’t her dad would get worried. She had no doubt he was sitting in his plush New York office now tapping his pen as he waited for her to continue. “It was okay.”
“What do you mean okay?”
Brielle slipped into her car, glad that she’d have a little privacy when she told him everything that happened. “Dr. Baker suggested I take a vacation and I had an anxiety attack in her office.”
“Dammit Brielle, how are you now?” Over the line she picked up the clattering of something hitting his desk.
Her eyes filled with tears at the concern in her father’s voice, she was glad they weren’t FaceTiming. If they had been, he’d be on his private jet rushing to see her in a flash. “As I said, I’m okay. I was a little shaky after the episode, but I didn’t feel anxious walking to my car.”
“If Baker wants you to go somewhere, come here to New York. Have a staycation with me, I can look after you.”
Brielle’s love for her father increased ten-fold. After her mom died when she was fifteen it had been the two of them. He hadn’t raised an eyebrow when she made the decision to attend a college on the other side of the country from him. Nor when she decided to move to Virginia to work at a boutique advertising agency. He’d helped her pack and find a place to stay, both times, his support of her choices unconditional. “Look Dad, I need to get to work. I’ll call you tonight and we can talk some more.”
Over the phone line she heard his breath huff out. “Fine. But if you have another episode today, call me and I’ll get my pilot to file a flight plan to come and get you.”
“I love you, Dad.” Brielle deliberately ignored the last part of his sentence.
“I love you too, ma petite.”
Brielle disconnected the call and started her car. As she drove to work the idea of taking a trip played on repeat in her mind. For her whole life she’d been proactive in her decisions, always stepping outside of her comfort zone to try new things and cultures—that was how she ended up in India. Now, going somewhere, other than her home, still scared her, although not as much as it had when Dr. Baker had initially suggested it.
Perhaps her shrink was right, and a trip was just what she needed to fully recover from her ordeal.
Unlocking the door to her apartment, Brielle entered and kicked off her shoes. Once she’d gotten back to the office, work had consumed her, and she hadn’t had time to even think about her session. For that she was glad. Work had been fantastic with her after she’d returned following her abduction. The first day had been the hardest with everyone asking her questions, but after that their curiosity was satisfied and they treated her liked they’d always done.
A sigh of relief to be home escape out of her as she sat on the couch, a second later her phone trilled. She immediately dove into her purse and pulled out her cell, smiling when she saw the name of one of her sorority sisters flashing on the screen. “Hi Gemima, how are you?”
“Hey Brielle, I’m wonderful. I’m so excited. I have big news.” The words tripped over each other in Gemima’s haste to get them out of her mouth.
She’d always been over-exuberant at school. The peppy one, no matter how late they’d stayed up partying or studying the night before. “What have you got to tell me?”
“I’m getting married,” she squealed so loudly Brielle had to pull the phone away from her ear.
“Congratulations, that’s wonderful.” Last she knew Gemima had found herself a hot Navy SEAL. It wasn’t long after she’d been rescued that her friend had called her to pass on her news. Brielle wondered at the time if her friend’s new man was one of the guys who’d saved her from her ordeal, but Brielle hadn’t felt comfortable asking her about it.
“I know, but it’s happening in two weeks and I want you to come to San Diego for the wedding.”
“Two weeks? How can you plan a wedding in two weeks? And why so quick?”
“Chad is being deployed and we didn’t want to wait. So, can you come?”
Pinpricks of sweat broke out over Brielle’s forehead, and shadows began to creep into the corner of her eyes.
No. I’m not going to panic. I’m not going to have an attack.
Closing her eyes, she focused on her breathing, concentrated on her lungs expanding with each deep breath she took. The way they contracted when she exhaled through her nose. The pounding of her heartbeat subsided and when she opened her eyes the shadows had disappeared.
“Brielle, are you still there? Did the call drop out?” Gemima’s muttering bloomed in her consciousness.
“Sorry. Yes, I’m still here. I’ll have to think about it, Gem. I’m not sure I’ll be able to get time off work.” Now that was a weak excuse. She couldn’t ask for more supportive employers. They’d told her, when she returned after her ordeal, that however much time she needed they’d give it to her. If she needed some time off, she’d have it. She didn’t know what she’d done to deserve such great bosses, but she was grateful for them.
“Oh please, see if you can. I know it hasn’t been long since…”
“I was kidnapped.” She finished for her friend. While she appreciated her not wanting to say the words, perhaps they needed to be said by the people surrounding her. Perhaps one of the reasons she wasn’t recovering well was because her friends didn’t talk to her about her ordeal?
No, she couldn’t blame her support system. It was as much up to her as those surrounding her to talk about it. Dr. Baker’s words from their session came back to her.
You went to University of Southern California. I’m sure you’ve still got some college friends you could catch up with.
A few hours after her appointment, Gemima calls and invites her to San Diego. If that wasn’t a sign she should do something about taking a trip, she didn’t know what was.
“Yes.” She said the word loudly. “Yes. I’ll come. I’d love to see you get married.”
“Oh, I’m so happy you’re coming. I can’t wait to see you. I’m really glad you’re okay, Brielle.”
There was no denying the sincerity in her sorority sister’s voice. If she had to take anti-anxiety medication to get from Virginia to San Diego, then she would. “I am too.”
They chatted a few more minutes before hanging up. Brielle immediately emailed her bosses to request some time off and included that her d
octor recommended for her to take a trip. Their response was an immediate yes.
Looked like she was going on to San Diego.
The minute Tim ‘T-Rex’ Exeter walked into Aces Bar and Grill the noise hit him, music blared from the jukebox, laughter sounding from the occupants as well as loud conversation, each person talking above the next. Over the din he heard his name being called. Glancing around the bar, his eyes locked on Wolf and his team sitting at a long table, it was good to see the other guys he and his own SEAL team had worked with on occasion. As he walked over to them, his gaze roamed around the venue, noticing exit points in the event there was an emergency. Not that there was the chance of one happening, especially not in a bar full of military personnel. Still it was never wise to let his guard down, the second he did, disaster would strike.
Pulling up a chair, he maneuvered it in a position so he had a good view of the main entrance. “Hey guys.” He fist-bumped everyone around him and received a chorus of hello’s in return.
“What brings you to our neck of the woods?” asked Abe loudly.
“My nephew and I are in town. I’m looking after him while my sister and her husband go on a second honeymoon.”
Benny leaned forward. “How old is he? And where is he now?”
Tim picked up the glass of beer that was placed in front of him, taking a swallow, the cool liquid hitting the spot. “Chris is eleven. A friend from his school has moved down here, he’s spending the night with him and tomorrow I’m picking him up and we’re heading out to Legoland.”
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