SocialPreyAllRomance (22 page)

“You’re not doing anything,” one of the agents said.

Scott sent him a scathing look. “As of now, this collaboration is over. Whether you
like it or not, we’re going in.”

“You’re going in blind,” another agent said. “You don’t know the compound.”

John held up a jump drive. “Yeah, we do.” Walking over he inserted it into the computer
open on the desk. “We don’t pay Kiley a fortune for nothing. We have a complete layout
of this guy’s compound as well as the number of men on hand at any given time of the
day. When we do these jobs, we make sure we know everything about who we’re going
after. Kiley’s phone has her location two miles from this compound and closing in.
We’re outnumbered, but then that’s what the government trained us for. Impossible
situations. I just wish we could’ve anticipated the voyeur.”

One of the agents stepped forward and stared in awe at the computer screen. “Where
the hell did she get all that?”

“I find it best not to ask,” John said.

Keith checked the clip in his gun and holstered it. “So that leaves you with two options,
gentleman. You can help, or you can get the hell out of the way. Either way, this
cartel is going down.”

“The D.E.A. get the glory,” the man in charge replied.

Keith rolled his eyes. “You can fucking party till the cows come home. All I want
is my sister in one piece.”

* * * *

occasionally shooting daggers at the man forced to remain as her guard. For the most
part he ignored her, keeping his gaze on the television in the corner.

With a sigh, she walked over to the window and stared out over the well-manicured
gardens.

Inside, she cried for Scott. She kept seeing him fall over and over in her mind. He’d
removed his bullet-proof vest as soon as they’d caught the guys. He hated the additional
weight. Had he acted too soon? Should they have seen this coming? Was this her fault
because she’d missed something?

Tears burned the back of her eyes as his lifeless image filled her head. He’d been
shot before and survived.

“Please let him be okay,” she whispered. “Please.”

The man watching her laughed at something on the television. Kiley scowled, but he
paid her no attention. In his mind, she wasn’t a threat.

She turned her stare back to the gardens and the approaching road. She knew her phone
had a GPS. She knew her brother would use it to find her. Keith would only pretend
to negotiate. She knew her brother. She knew he was out there. He would get her free
and the man who took her would pay.

That gave her little happiness for the thought of going back home without Scott was
too much to bear. She couldn’t lose him now. Not now.

The loud commotion on the lower level of the house caught her guard’s attention, and
he turned off the TV. He stood and listened. So did Kiley. Something was up.

She glanced toward the corner of the room and the large slender statue sitting on
the table. That would make a great weapon. She just had to figure out the best time
to use it. Too soon, and she would play her hand. Too late and well, then it would
just be too late.

Sighing, she began to slowly work her way over to that side of the room.

Scott worked his way through the house. More than once he’d had to stop and close
his eyes, wait for the spinning to stop. Even on a low dose those meds John gave him
packed a fucking punch. But then, he wasn’t supposed to be fighting on them. They
were meant to give the soldier enough pain relief to get out on his own feet, if he
still had two feet to walk on. But for him, the full dose knocked him out cold.

He rounded a corner and fired a shot at the figure just a few feet away. The man fell
silently to the ground. Scott kicked his gun aside and turned left down the hall.

“Kiley!” he shouted.

They’d found her phone downstairs with the cartel leader, so she had to be somewhere
in the massive house. His heart raced in fear as every yell went unanswered.

“Kiley!” he shouted again.

“Here,” she called.

Scott stopped. Had he heard her or was it just wishful thinking. “Kiley!”

“Scott? Scott is that you?” she called again, this time louder.

A pounding on a door several feet down the long hallway led him to where she was being
held.

“I’m here,” she called, obvious tears making her voice crack.

“Guys, I found her,” he said into his mouthpiece.

“Where?” Keith asked.

“Third floor, back of the house.” He turned the door knob, but it didn’t budge. “Kiley,
open the door.”

“I can’t. It’s locked somehow.”

“Damn,” he grumbled, then stepped back. “There’s no lock out here either. They must’ve
locked it with a key. Back away from the door, Kiley. As far as you can. I’m going
to blow the lock.”

He waited a few seconds then asked. “Are you out of the way?”

“I’m good.”

Scott placed the small electronic device just below the knob. These were specially
made for SEAL use. If the Navy knew they had them, they’d be in big trouble, but at
the moment Scott was happy to have them on hand. He hit the button and moved quickly
down the hall. The device exploded with a loud bang, sending metal parts across the
hall where they landed with a clang.

The door flew open, and Kiley launched herself into his arms. Scott grunted at the
pain of her chest hitting his shoulder, but he didn’t care. He had her in his arms
again, safe and sound.

Scott looked over her shoulder and into the room. A man was lying on the floor, blood
covering one side of his face, a broken vase on the floor next to him. Closing his
eyes briefly, Scott wrapped his arm around her back and held her close. He’d taught
her well.

“It’s okay, baby,” he whispered as he tightened his good arm around her. The other
held the gun and hung lifelessly at his side. Now that the commotion was over, he’d
begun to notice the pain; hot, sharp, piercing pain that worked its way through his
whole left side. “I’ve got you.

You’re never going on another mission again, Kiley. Are we clear on that?”

Kiley nodded and pulled back to look at him. Tears streamed down her face. Her gaze
landed on the blood covering his shoulder, and she gasped. “Oh, God. You’re bleeding.”

She began to frantically move the material aside to better see the wound. “Kiley,”
Scott said as he grasped her hands in his and held them against his chest. “I’m okay.”

She stared at his chest and her lower lip began to quiver. “Just a few inches to the
left…”

“Stop,” he commanded. “Look at me, baby.” When she lifted her gaze to his, he smiled
slightly.

“I’m okay. A little high at the moment, but otherwise fine.”

“A little high?” she whispered.

“Yeah. Pain meds. I figure now would be a good time to ask for something I would normally
say no to.”

Kiley laughed softly and then the tears began to once again flow. “I thought you were
dead,”

she sobbed.

“I’m not dead, sweetheart. I’m alive and well and anxious to get you home.” He rested
his forehead against hers. “I was so scared, Kiley,” he whispered. “I can’t lose you
now. I finally got you to admit you love me.”

Kiley made a sound between a laugh and a cry.

“Besides,” he purred. “You still owe me a sober strip tease.”

This time Kiley giggled and the sound couldn’t have been more beautiful to Scott’s
ears.

“There’s that beautiful smile,” he whispered. “I love you, Kiley.”

“Uh, Scott,” John said in his ear piece. “We can hear everything you say, man.”

Scott’s eyes widened at the sound of John’s voice. Crap, the mic. “Ah, shit.”

“What?” Kiley asked.

He quickly pulled away from Kiley and turned to stare down the hall. Keith stood just
a few feet away, shooting daggers at both of them.

“Keith,” Kiley said as she started toward him.

Keith shook his head and turned to walk away. Kiley stopped, staring in shock at her
brother.

Scott pulled the mic off and sighed. “He heard everything I said, Kiley.”

Kiley closed her eyes and sighed, “Oh, God.”

Keith stepped up to the plane and tossed his bag into the lower luggage bin beneath
the main cabin. Behind him, the other car pulled up carrying Scott and Kiley, but
he ignored it and jogged up the steps into the plane.

He wanted to see Paula and get his mind off what he heard Scott telling his sister.

“Keith,” Paula exclaimed with a smile as she rushed over to him.

He opened his arms and engulfed her into a tight hug. Sighing, he tightened his arms
around her enjoying the feel of her body against his. God, she felt so right in his
arms.

“Is something wrong?” she asked as she tried to pull away.

Keith wouldn’t let go. He held tight, holding her close. “No,” he finally said, then
loosened his hold. “Just glad to be back.”

John stepped onboard the plane and shot Keith a nasty scowl. “How long are you going
to ignore your sister? I think she’s jumping between wanting to cry and wanting to
slug your ass.”

“What happened?” Paula asked like a teacher scolding a child.

“Keith found out that apparently Scott and Kiley are a couple now and he’s not too
happy about it.”

Paula’s mouth dropped open. “Why are you so pissed about this?” she snapped.

“I’m not pissed,” he replied, giving her a pointed look.

Paula crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him. Keith liked this
side of her—this feisty, stand up for the friend she loved, kick his ass side. He
grinned slightly, and she tilted her head, watching him warily.

Kiley angrily stepped onto the plane and glared at Keith before turning to help Scott
the final steps.

“Looks like she’s thinking about slugging you again,” John mumbled before moving to
help Scott.

“Are you ready to go to the hospital now, you stubborn prick?” John said as he helped
Scott out of his shirt.

“I hurt too much right now to argue, man. Just knock me the hell out.”

John snickered and headed to the galley where they kept more of the pain killers.

Scott looked pale and tired. Kiley looked ready to kill him. Paula too for that matter.

“Are we ready to go?” Keith asked Mike, who stood back watching them all with interest.

“Yeah, I just need a co-pilot.”

“I’m coming,” Keith replied.

“No, you’re not,” John said as he prepared the syringe.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re going to stay out here and talk to your sister.”

Keith let out a tired sigh and walked over to John. Taking the needle from John’s
hand, he nodded to the cockpit. “Go fly the damn plane.”

John gave him a look of warning, but turned to lead Mike into the cockpit. Keith spun
back to Scott and frowned. He wasn’t mad…well, maybe not much. Despite the fact he’d
made Scott promise to keep his hands off Kiley, he’d also seen the way Scott was looking
at his sister. He loved her. And she loved him.

Scott shook his head. “Just hit me, Keith, and get it the fuck over with.”

“Shut up. When?” Keith asked. “When did you get with my sister?”

“Scott--” Kiley said.

Keith held up his hand. “Not now, Kiley.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. Paula came up and put her hands
on her shoulders, adding her glare as well. They could glare all they wanted. He was
going to make Scott sweat for a while.

Scott rotated his shoulder slightly, then winced. “Can we talk about this another
time?”

“Nope, we’re gonna talk about it now. When?”

“When you were in London.”

Keith pursed his lips. “I see.”

“No,” Scott said, shaking his head. “I don’t think—“

“Shut up.”

Scott eyes narrowed with murderous intent. “I swear, Keith, if you tell me to shut
up one more time…”

“Guys—“

“Not now, Kiley,” both Scott and Keith snapped in unison.

Kiley rolled her eyes.

Keith bent forward and put his hand on the back of the seat. Bringing his face close
to Scott’s, he positioned the needle on the side of Scott’s thigh. Scott watched him
warily as he pressed the needle against his skin through the material of his pants.

“If you hurt her,” Keith growled. “I’ll cut your heart out. Clear?”

Scott’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah. Clear.”

Keith pushed the needle into Scott’s leg, making him wince.

“Good,” Keith said as he pulled the needle out.

Scott took a slow, deep breath as the medicine began to work its way through his body.
“You’re gonna pay for that,” he mumbled.

Keith smiled slightly then turned to look at Kiley. She still shot daggers at him.
He shook his head and glanced toward the ceiling. The roar of the engines filled the
cabin, letting them know they would be taking off soon.

Wasn’t soon enough for Keith. He wanted to go home. He walked over and put his finger
under Kiley’s chin, holding her gaze steady with his. “Are you happy?” he asked.

“Not with you at the moment.”

“I kinda guessed that,” he said with a grin. “But that’s not what I meant. Does he
make you happy?”

Kiley softened her frown. “Yes. Very much. I love him.”

Keith sighed. “You’ve always loved him.” Tilting his head toward the seat, he grinned.
“Sit with him and buckle his seatbelt.”

“Do you forgive him?” she asked. “It would kill him if he thought you hated him over
this.”

“I forgave him the second I saw the way he looked at you back at the cartel’s compound.
I’m not stupid, Kiley. I know he loves you.”

Kiley frowned and pulled her chin from his grasp. “Then why the harsh injection of
the meds?”

“It was either that or hit him.” Keith shrugged. “Just call it a guy thing.”

Kiley twisted her lips and slapped at his shoulder with the back of her hand. Keith
chuckled as he watched her drop into the seat next to Scott.