Minefield [Black Ops Brotherhood 5] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Bella Juarez

  “Yes, Senior Chief Richards, we’re clear,” Dr. Vasquez said.

  “Good, welcome aboard. I need some information so I can put you in the system. You’re now a temporary civil service employee,” Alex said.

  “What?” Dr. Vasquez asked.

  “We’ll be paying you a salary. Is that a problem?” Alex asked.

  “Wouldn’t that make me your boss?”

  “Not unless you decide to join the Navy and put on a uniform,” Alex said, leading Dr. Vasquez back to the command center. “And I just can’t see you coming over to the dark side…angel.”

  Dr. Vasquez seemed to visibly relax and smiled at the prospect of working and keeping herself busy. Alex knew the wall she’d put up was more than just her dislike of the military. He could tell by observing her and listening to the things she said there was something unresolved in her life that was buried deep. He possessed a keen perception of people.

  That awareness made him a powerful, sought-after Dominant and Master when he had played in the BDSM dungeons so long ago. He was particularly pursued to train the more difficult and stubborn submissives. He always seemed to be able to lay them open after just a few sessions. Sometimes just once was all took. He’d put that life behind him when he joined the military and his wife, his slave, had left him.

  Alex reconfirmed his decision to leave the BDSM lifestyle at the thought of Mariah. It had been a marriage arranged by family. Alex never loved her. She was spoiled, weak, and so easy to train. For him, it had been selfish. Before they got married, he managed to get her so ingrained in his lifestyle she was totally dependent on him for her every move.

  When Alex joined the military, he needed to leave for eight months. Mariah was lost and fell apart. One of his best friends, another Dom, picked up the pieces and made her his own. Alex hadn’t realized how much he’d damaged her until Winston had contacted him. When Winston told him what had happened, Alex walked away from the life for good. He glanced at Dr. Vasquez as they walked. She was stirring feelings in him that he hadn’t had in a very long time—the need to possess someone. No, never again.

  Alex took Isabel to the chief of staff’s office after they finished preliminaries for her clearance at the camp. It was a slightly bigger office next to his. Part of their mission always included humanitarian aid, if needed. He and Dr. Vasquez discussed setting up a schedule for regular visits to Kush, so they could provide aid to the local villagers. After a few hours the command center called for Alex and Isabel. She was given papers to sign and cleared to begin work at Camp Echo and with SEAL Team 13.

  Kashi had brought Isabel’s personal things to the camp while she’d been resting in the hospital. He’d also managed to brief Kashi on her new status as a physician with Camp Echo. While Kashi agreed it was probably best for her safety, he was concerned how the villagers would handle her working for the American military.

  Alex showed Dr. Vasquez around the camp and introduced her to the staff that wasn’t sleeping. He showed her to one of the doctor’s quarters waiting for the physicians at Camp Echo and allowed her to make herself at home. They didn’t have long to wait for their first emergency.

  “Juan! Get Isaac to set up radiology! We need to get some pictures on number two,” Alex shouted.

  “Already done, Chief! Isaac is waiting,” Chief Villalobos responded.

  “Fuck, Chief! It’s just a flesh wound. Dig the fucking bullet out and let me get back to work!” Shaq demanded.

  “I can’t see the fucking bullet to take it out! I’m cutting you open a little more. It’s too deep and I need to know where I’m going. And you’re staying for observation,” Alex snapped.

  “What?” Shaq asked, slightly confused.

  “Don’t you remember our conversation yesterday? All three of you are staying. I hope you had time to sign that requisition,” Alex reminded him.

  “Oh shit!” Shaq uttered, wide eyed.

  “Tell me you approved it and sent it forward,” Alex said, unbelieving as he stepped away from Shaq.

  “U–uh…” Shaq stuttered.

  “Fuck! Shaq! You told me you would get it done! What the hell were you doing?” Alex demanded as he roughly dug deeper into the wound.

  “Ow! Shit! I know you’re pissed, but don’t hurt a brother! I’ll get it done right now! I had an Op to plan!” Shaq protested.

  “Thirty seconds was all you needed to send it forward! For Christ’s sake! I even filled out the fucking form for you,” Alex snapped, digging roughly once more, driving his point home.

  “Ow! Okay, okay! I fucked up! I’ll get it done as soon as you finish with me here,” Shaq said, wincing.

  “You’re damn right you will!” Alex growled.

  “What do you need me to do?” Dr. Vasquez asked as she slipped on her gloves, coming around the corner.

  “I’ve got three trauma patients who have been shot. Look at number two. He has bullet in his ankle. Check him out,” Alex barked over his shoulder.

  Alex heard Dr. Vasquez’s hurried footsteps to bed two as she started assessing the patient. Number two was the most critical at this point. The others were all flesh wounds. He smiled as he heard her give orders to the medics who were assisting her and when he heard the young SEAL who was injured start to flirt with her. She immediately sent her patient to radiology. Dr. Vasquez came around the curtain where Alex was still working on Shaq.

  “He’ll need surgery. His ankle is shattered. I won’t know how bad until I get an X-ray,” Dr. Vasquez informed.

  “Get prepped for surgery. I’ll assist you as soon as I’m done here,” Alex said to Isabel. “Juan! Open up JG a little more and get the bullet out as soon as you know where it is. Then escort him to his office. He has something to take care of,” Alex ordered, looking crossly at Shaq. “Admit all of them for twenty-four hours.”

  “All of them, Chief?” Juan asked, puzzled.

  “You heard me. I’m getting prepped for surgery,” Alex confirmed.

  Alex grabbed two more medics on his way to the OR. He met Dr. Vasquez in the OR prep area where she was studying the results of the X-rays she’d ordered. Alex started scrubbing himself down. One of the very junior medics that Alex had grabbed was helping them get prepared for surgery as they discussed Dr. Vasquez’s plan of attack.

  “The patient is out, Chief, and he’s ready,” said the medic who was monitoring the vital signs.

  “Doctor…” Alex said, turning to Isabel.

  “Okay, let’s go,” Dr. Vasquez said as she picked up a scalpel.

  The surgery went well and there were no complications. The damage wasn’t bad and the repair to the ankle went quickly. Alex carefully watched Dr. Vasquez work. She was a talented surgeon and he was glad Rock had agreed to allow her help. They got out of the OR and Dr. Vasquez went to monitor her patient’s progress in recovery. Alex turned the corner and saw Kashi waiting for him.

  “I’ve got two injured goat herders. Can I bring them in?” Kashi asked.

  “Absolutely, we’ll need to check them before they come in. Can you handle that for me?” Alex asked cautiously.

  “Yes, of course. I spoke to them about that. They’re suspicious, but they need help. Bring Isabel. It might help. They know her,” Kashi said.

  “Okay, I’ll meet you up front,” Alex said.

  Alex sought out Isabel and asked her to join him at the front of Camp Echo so they could assess the men that were being brought to the field hospital for treatment. She gathered a few things and followed him and Kashi out to the front of the camp where they assessed the two locals. One had only minor injuries and the other wasn’t a man but a woman, and she was in labor.

  “Kashi, she’s having a baby!” Alex snapped as some of the medics helped the woman onto a stretcher.

  “Why do you think I asked you to bring, Isabel? The midwife in the village says it’s breeched,” Kashi informed.

  “What the hell, Kashi? What are you, the fucking Joker? I don’t like surprises like this,” Alex sa
id, annoyed.

  “She might need a cesarean,” Isabel said as they walked the woman inside the compound.

  The woman’s husband followed close behind. Kashi was assigned to watch the man. The woman was grateful to see Isabel. Things would definitely go a lot smoother if no one was raising hell about being irrevocably damaged by a touch or look. Alex allowed Isabel to assess the woman, only stepping in if she needed him to. The woman was in bad shape. Apparently she’d been in labor since yesterday.

  “The baby is breeched and she’s fully dilated. The water broke. I think we need to do a cesarean. We don’t have a fetal heart monitor, do we?” Isabel asked.

  “Nope, these guys never have babies,” Alex said as he read the woman’s vital signs. He was worried now. The woman was in distress. “I agree, Doctor, your patient’s in trouble.”

  Isabel looked at the vital signs and sighed heavily. She turned to the woman and explained to her what was about to happen. The woman’s husband was called in and informed. There was a short protest until Kashi stepped in. The woman was prepared and sent to surgery. It took longer to prepare the patient than it did to deliver the baby.

  It was a fairly healthy baby despite the rough start. Alex assessed the baby and took him out to meet his father. The man saw the child and melted when he took his newborn son from Alex. He was thankful, offering his best mating pair of goats to Alex and Kashi, who politely declined and opted for some tea in his tent at a later date. Isabel was busy working with the woman, who was insistent on having her child close. It had been a long day.

  “How about I buy you a cup of tea?” Kashi asked Isabel and Alex.

  “Did you bring the backgammon board?” Isabel asked, smiling at Kashi.

  “I’ll buy,” Alex said, leading them to the dining facilities at the camp.

  Alex knew he was making a mistake eating because he would be fighting sleep after the meal. He was tired and needed some sleep. He knew the teams were starting to become more aggressive in their searches and operations, so the hospital would get busy as well. After the three of them ate, Alex excused himself.

  “Isabel, you should really think about turning in. You’re still not fully recovered,” Alex said.

  “I’m fine, Chief Richards. I’ll check on my patients and then I’ll turn in,” Isabel said.

  “Speaking of turning in, I’m staying here. This damn valley is riddled with bloody thieves and raiders right now,” Kashi said.

  “You know where to go?” Alex asked.

  “Yes. Night, all!” Kashi said as he got up and headed the opposite direction.

  “I need to check on those labs and do rounds,” Isabel said as they walked back to the field hospital.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll check on the labs. It’s too early for a stain to show anything. I’ll check when I wake up and let you know if there’s something there. You need to go back and get some rest,” Alex said.

  Alex and Isabel walked back to the hospital and parted ways at the door. He went to his quarters and lay down on his bed. He was restless. He thought about Isabel as he lay staring into the darkness. He heard shelling off in the distance and shook his head. I wish I had a fucking pause button for that noise. Unfortunately there was no pause button for war. He needed to get adjusted to being in a war zone again. It was a difficult thing to do because it made him paranoid and constantly on edge. He was exhausted and now pissed because he was being denied the sleep he so desperately wanted.

  Alex thought about Isabel Vasquez and closed his eyes. She was a very beautiful woman. In his mind he let his eyes trace over her lithe body and knew instantly her light mocha skin would be soft to the touch. Her big hazel eyes were like warm sea-green pools he could drift in and get lost. He relaxed at the thought of touching her. He wanted to hold her again and relieve the sense of edginess that ruled his life. Alex was sleeping soundly before he realized it.

  * * * *

  Izzy was too wired to sleep. She checked on the stains. Chief Richards was right. It was too early. She did rounds and finished all her paperwork and charting. The Afghani woman who she’d done a cesarean on earlier was resting comfortably. The baby was healthy and looked to be in good shape. She checked on her patient whose ankle she’d repaired and he was sleeping soundly. Izzy even checked on the three patients that were in observation. They were loudly playing poker. They asked her to join their game and she politely declined, making a hasty exit.

  Izzy returned to her quarters and decided to try and get some rest. She undressed down to her T-shirt and panties. She slid under the sheets and tried to relax. It had been a long, exhausting day and she wasn’t one hundred percent recovered. It felt good to be needed, and she knew she’d helped the small field hospital with her skills today.

  Chief Richards had wanted her to return to her quarters after dinner. He assured her he would get her as soon as the stains had shown something. She knew the patients were fine. They would’ve been showing signs of the infection within a few hours, but she was nervous and edgy and needed something to do. Her thoughts turned to Chief Richards. He was right. She needed some sleep, but he was the very reason why she was so tense right now. She couldn’t stop thinking about him and why she was so attracted to him. She kicked herself at the reaction to his compliments on her work in surgery this afternoon. Why did she want to please him and why did she gush with excitement when he complimented her work? She wasn’t in school anymore and it didn’t matter what the hell he thought. She was good at her job and she knew it. I don’t like him.

  Alex…His name rolled softly off her tongue like the whisper of the hot summer wind in Little Havana. She closed her eyes, snuggled deeper into the small bed, and tried to relax.

  “Alex…” Izzy whispered again. She remembered how he had to stand behind her as he assisted in helping her earlier. She’d felt the sudden gush of her juices as he pressed his body against hers briefly to reach around her. She recalled how his hard body and soothing touch felt as he held her while he was bringing her back to Camp Echo.

  Isabel…She heard his deep voice whisper her name and didn’t want to admit what it did to her every time he uttered a syllable. She had to keep reminding herself that she didn’t like him or any of the other men here. These men and what they stood for went against every fiber in her being. Especially Chief Richards, he was by far the worst of them. He intimidated her and attracted her at the same time, leaving her confused and scared. It was like a moth to a flame and she would end up getting burned. Stay away.

  Izzy closed her eyes and tried to relax. Isabel…The sound of his voice calling her name was melodic and hypnotizing. The vibrations that carried it to her ears went straight to her pussy every time she heard him say her name. You don’t like him. The command was a little firmer this time. She remembered how he’d held and tried to soothe her and all his little touches when he was taking care of her as she lay in a sick bed.

  Without thinking, Izzy’s hand ventured to her breast and found her nipple. She let out a carnal breath as she stroked her breasts. In her mind she pictured Alex’s big hands on her breasts as he kissed down her body. She flicked the nipple she was playing with, imagining his hot, wet tongue running over it, lapping the tips to a hard point. She moaned softly. Her other hand was already working down her body to her slick pussy.

  “Mmm…Alex,” Izzy softly moaned as she hissed in a breath.

  Izzy played with her body, wishing Alex was lying on top of her and that it was his hands and mouth teasing her at this moment. She reached down into her panties to the folds of her pussy and ran her hand over her clit. The sensation made her shudder in pleasure. As sensitive as her body was in carnal need, this would be quick. She slowed down and focused on Alex.

  Izzy could almost feel his facial hair tickling her inner thighs as he prepared to feast on her pussy. She ran her hand over her clit as she rolled her nipple in her fingers. If she rubbed her swollen clit one more time she would be over the edge. She stuffed two fingers inside her c
unt, wishing it was Alex’s cock filling her. She’d never wanted a man so bad in all her life. She found her G-spot and rubbed.

  “Ahhh…Alex,” Izzy moaned.

  Izzy was pushing herself to one of the most intense orgasms she’d experienced in some time. She pictured Alex plunging in and out of her weeping pussy, making her insane with lust. She pictured his flesh yielding to her nails as she dug into his back. She wanted Alex to fuck her until she was incoherent.

  “Faster…” Izzy whispered breathlessly.

  Pulling her fingers out of her pussy, she moved to the breast that had been ignored. She moved her fingers over her clit and had to fight the urge to scream as the powerful wave of her climax washed over her convulsing body. As she was rubbing her clit, she could imagine Alex’s tongue working her pussy into a frenzy, bringing her to the exact same sensation she was experiencing now.

  Izzy squeezed her eyes shut as her muscles locked and her pussy throbbed. She shoved her fingers inside her empty cunt and gave it the fullness it was screaming for. Her climax was so strong she involuntarily closed her legs around her hand. She was panting and covered in a thin layer of sweat, despite the coolness of the room. She softly stroked her body to completion and relaxed. She sighed sated by the release. She closed her eyes and fell asleep in seconds.

  * * * *

  Alex got up from his combat nap to check the results of the labs he’d run on Shaq and the other five men that had been wounded earlier. He got his answers and checked on the patients in the ward before heading for Dr. Vasquez’s quarters. He sincerely hoped she was sleeping. He looked at the time she’d logged out of the system and saw she’d just ended her shift for the evening about ten minutes ago. He walked to her quarters figuring she was probably still awake.

  Alex hesitated before he knocked. He turned around and looked down the short passageway. He thought he heard someone call his name in the distance. He raised his hand to gently knock when he heard Isabel gasp. He put his hand on the door handle in alarm and almost opened the door when he realized what kind of gasp he’d heard. If he didn’t know better, he would swear she had someone inside with her giving her one hell of a fuck. All of his men were accounted for and he knew the other SEALs at the camp would never come near her because of him. He waited, breathless, as he listened closer.