“You’re not supposed to be the heroes,” she whispered.
Sometimes a situation was fluid, and directives changed. He just wished Jamie wouldn’t be so near the action. “We can’t lose those weapons. The Zetas will sell them to the highest bidders, and they’ve sheltered ISIS operatives.”
Wolf tapped his shoulder. “They have the crates loaded.” Then he pulled back and stood. “We try to head them off before they get to the gates.”
Sky nodded. So did Jamie. They ran back the way they came, still sticking to the shadows until they reached the first long warehouse building before sprinting to the end.
Sky glanced around the corner. “They’re coming.”
“I hear the helos,” came Piper’s voice in his ear.
“No time to wait,” Wolf said. “We do this now.” He settled at the corner of the building and went down on his belly. He shot at the tires and the grille of the car preceding the van.
The car came to grinding halt, and the doors opened. Dark figures spilled out, weapons raised and firing in their direction as the van sped up and made a wide circle around the shooters, charging toward the gate.
“Tessa, voraus!” shouted Jamie from the darkness.
Tessa darted out, heading toward the nearest of the black-suited figures. She leaped at his chest and took him to the ground. His screams filled the air as Tessa latched onto his arm and shook.
Sky returned fire, hoping Wolf was locked on the van, and ran toward the sedan, bullets whizzing past him. From the corner of his goggles, he spotted Jamie, running toward Tessa.
“Tessa, aus!” she shouted and ducked into the shadows of the second warehouse.
Sky laid down fire, shooting over the vehicle to keep the men behind it pinned down.
Tessa dropped the mangled arm of her first target and ran back to Jamie.
Jamie raised her arm toward the car. “Voraus!”
Again, Tessa streaked forward, rounding the vehicle and disappearing.
On the far side, he heard more screams and watched shadowy figures flee.
Jamie ran, crouched low, toward the front of the vehicle.
“Goddammit, Jamie,” he muttered under his breath. He followed her, sliding to a halt beside the front grille of the car, then darted upward, weapon pointed, and fired at the fleeing men, taking down one, then another. He scanned his weapon to cover the exposed area. When he spotted no more movement, he glanced back at the van, which was careening toward the gate. Muzzle fire blazed from the shadows. Wolf fired, shattering glass.
The van smashed into the fence. The back door of the van opened, and more men tumbled out.
In tandem, Wolf and Sky picked them off.
“We’re approaching,” Piper said. “Pull back. Don’t get caught in the crossfire. We have this.”
Sky lowered his weapon and slipped around the rear of the vehicle. Jamie was on her knees beside Tessa.
Nearby, a man sobbed, bleeding from his groin.
Sky passed her and crept around the corner of the car. No movement was visible from the ground, just strewn bodies and low moans sounding. Sky kept his weapon trained, but eased his butt to the ground and glanced back at Jamie. “You okay?”
Smiling, she nodded. “Only hero here is Tessa.”
Sky shook his head. Kneeling beside her dog, her handgun resting against her thigh, and looking cool as a cucumber, Jamie looked like a damn hero to him. Sky pulled zip ties from a pocket of his cargo pants. “I’ll secure these bastards.”
She jogged her eyebrows up and down. “Don’t think they’ll give you any trouble, but we’ll cover you.”
Sky crawled from still figure to still figure and rolled them, knocking away weapons and securing wrists. One man’s breath rattled, but Sky didn’t care if he drowned in his blood. He wasn’t risking Jamie’s or Tessa’s neck by rendering aid.
Quickly, the warehouse tarmac filled with armed men. Sky pushed up from the ground and strode toward Jamie, who was rising as well. Tessa’s tail wagged as she gave the pair a toothy dog grin.
After wrapping his arms around Jamie, he closed his eyes and said a little prayer of thanks. “Wolf, Piper,” he said, “sound off.”
“Piper, here.”
“Wolf, here. You two?”
“No injuries.”
Piper gave a whoop that blasted his ear.
“Teague says we can head back to the house,” Piper said.
“Meet you at the car.” Then Sky tipped up Jamie’s face and kissed her.
Three days later, Sky found Jamie on their front porch. She sat in a rocking chair staring out at the Crazy Mountains, Tessa lying at her feet.
“You should have woken me,” Sky said, settling in the chair beside hers to drink in the silence.
“I like it here,” she said softly. Her head turned. Her golden-brown gaze locked with his. “Every time I leave on one of the agency’s assignments, I look forward to this. The peace and quiet. I can hear my thoughts.”
Sky drew a deep breath. “Deke left a voice mail. Said they all arrived safe in Dallas. Bryson called to let him know all the weapons were accounted for, and Ochoa made it out of his second surgery. He doesn’t hold out much hope Ochoa will be willing to strike a deal and roll on any of his organization, or even tell us where those weapons were headed.”
Jamie sighed. “Well, at least he won’t see sunlight other than through solid steel bars for the rest of his life.”
“There is that.” He shifted in his chair. “Deke offered his congratulations. Said he might throw more work at your agency.” He waved a hand in her direction. “At you.”
Jamie pursed her lips. “I hope not for a while. I’m ready for a little R&R.”
“You hear from Fetch?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Said things were dull as dirt around here. Said he used the time to interview a few new hunters. Might send a couple our way.”
He raised his eyebrows. “How in the world can there be so many bail jumpers and escaped felons that he needs to hire more hunters?”
“We’re getting licensed to operate all over the Rockies. Going big-time.” She rolled her eyes then rested her chin on her raised fist. “Said he could use someone with military training. Wasn’t very subtle either.”
Sky shook his head. “Maybe someday.” Fact was, he’d been thinking more about the possibility, but wasn’t quite ready to make the jump. However, he was willing to make one change. This last mission had convinced him he couldn’t take anything for granted.
Stiffening his neck and his resolve, Sky pushed up on the arms of his chair and stepped in front of Jamie. Then he knelt on one knee and gazed into her startled eyes.
“What are you doing?” Her gaze ran the length of him then narrowed.
“Someone told me I should put a ring on it.”
Jamie slowly shook her head. “And you don’t even want to know where my mind just went.”
“Probably not,” he said, his tone dry. He reached for her left hand and trailed a finger along the top of the one digit he planned to fill. “You know I love you, right?”
“I do.” Jamie placed her free hand on his cheek.
“Good choice of words.”
“Is it, now?” she said, a smile beginning to stretch.
He cleared his throat, because his mouth had gone dry and a lump was forming at the back of his throat. Why was this so damn hard? “Well, we’re already living together...”
She arched a brow, her smile stiffening.
His heart began to thud against his chest. Usually, he could read her expressions better than he could today. “Someday, I’d think we might want kids...”
“Someday?”
A flush of heat crept up his neck and filled his cheeks. “I suck at this.”
A vehicle sounded in the distance. Gravel crunched, but Sky didn’t give a shit who had arrived. He’d decided now was the time.
“This what I think it is?” Reaper drawled.
Sky grimaced, but held stro
ng from taking his gaze from Jamie’s beautiful face. “Not a good time, Reap.”
“You even buy her a ring?”
“Not your damn business.” His jaw clenched.
Jamie’s eyebrows shot upward. “No ring?” She shook her head.
“I thought you might like to choose it yourself, seeing as you’ll be wearing it for the rest of your damn life.” That defense came out harsher than he’d intended. He sucked in a breath and let it seep through his tight lips.
Reaper chuckled.
But Jamie was staring—and not breathing, as far as he could tell. “Don’t suppose you’ll give us a minute,” he said, glancing back at Reaper whose cool blue eyes were locked on him.
Reaper’s mouth curved. “Jamie and me are partners. Means I have a stake in this, too.”
He narrowed his gaze, hoping to at least send the man back to his vehicle. “You have no stake in our marriage.”
“Marriage?” Jamie said. The single word whooshed into the air.
“I’ll get to the point,” Sky bit out.
“Better hurry,” Reaper drawled. “Jamie and I got a job. Maury Lofton missed his drug test.”
“Maury can wait,” Jamie said, her gaze not leaving Sky’s face.
Sky’s chest tightened, and his next exasperated breath billowed his cheeks. “We’re getting married.”
Reaper chuckled. “Dude, you’re supposed to ask the girl.”
“I don’t have to.” He swallowed and gazed into her eyes, searching for clues she shared the same feelings he knew he couldn’t hide. “Do I?”
Jamie smiled. “You were taking your sweet time. I thought I’d have to do the asking. But I’m okay skipping all that shit.”
He squeezed her hand, grateful she wasn’t pissed he’d fucked this up.
She scooted forward in the chair. “But I have to go. Reaper and I have a job.”
Sky moved back to give her room to rise. When he could stand, he noted his legs were shaking.
Jamie turned to Reaper. “I’ll be a second. Need to get my badge and weapon.” Then she disappeared inside.
Reaper stood at the bottom of the steps, shaking his head. “Man, she didn’t say yes.”
No, she hadn’t. Sky froze, and then he gave Reaper a glare. “She didn’t have to.”
The screen door slapped the frame as Jamie stepped outside. Her sparkling gaze went from Sky to Reaper and back again.
“Well?” Reaper said, looking at Jamie, but tilting his head toward Sky.
“He didn’t ask,” she snapped. “So he didn’t expect an answer. He stated a fact. We’re getting married.” She stepped toward Sky, bumping her chest against his and looking into his eyes. “We’ve been heading down this road since we first met and you saved my ass.” She rose on tiptoe and gave him a quick smacking kiss. “Don’t know when I’ll be back.” She began to move away.
But Sky wasn’t done. He kissed her again, with tongue. What started as a quick branding, more for Reaper’s sake than theirs, turned steamier. When he pulled back, he liked the misty look she wore: her mouth red, her cheeks pink, and her breaths soft and short.
And because she looked a little dazed, he gripped her shoulders, turned her toward Reaper, and gave her ass a sharp slap. “Call when you can, babe. Come, Tessa.”
Feeling as bright as the sunshine outside, he whistled as he entered the house, and then grinned as Reaper’s laughter followed him inside.
If you loved this story and want to see more Uncharted SEALs, let me know! And if you loved getting a glimpse of Montana Bounty Hunters, and think the agency needs its own spin-off series, let me know that, too! Reaper’s story is bouncing around inside my head...
About Delilah Devlin
Delilah Devlin is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of erotica and sexy romance with a rapidly expanding reputation for writing deliciously edgy stories with complex characters. She has published over a hundred seventy erotic stories in multiple genres and lengths, and she is published by Atria/Strebor, Avon, Berkley, Black Lace, Cleis Press, Ellora’s Cave, Grand Central, Harlequin Spice, HarperCollins: Mischief, Kensington, Kindle, Kindle Worlds, Montlake Romance, Running Press, and Samhain Publishing.
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Also by Delilah Devlin
If you love a suspense with sexy heroes, check out more of Delilah’s UNCHARTED SEALS series:
Watch Over Me
Her Next Breath
Through Her Eyes
Dream of Me
Baby, It’s You
Before We Kiss
Between a SEAL and a Hard Place
Heart of a SEAL
Hard SEAL to Love
Big Sky SEAL
Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Head Over SEAL (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Uncharted SEALs Book 11) Page 6
