The Base Branch Series and Desiree Holt's OMEGA TEAM Series Team Up |
FURIOUSLY MINEShe's the last person he wants to see and the only one who can help him.
As a former Major in the Army, Natalie Winston is accustomed to calling the shots. As a former MP Detective, she habitually got her man, except for the one she walked away from. With a career stalled in bureaucratic bullshit and an opportunity as an elite operative for the UN’s Special Forces unit to continue the work she loves, Natalie blows the States. After all, how hard could it be to find civilian contractors missing from an Army base in the middle of Afghanistan? Pretty damn hard when her cover is a no-rank laundry woman, working under a capital B that doesn’t stand for boss. Add a horde of lewd soldiers and a head-on collision with the only man she ever loved to the combustible mix, and the odds against her and the missing women mount. Dixon McCabe is trying his damnedest to follow Base Branch orders and find the civilian contractors missing from US Army Base on foreign soil. The task would've been easier with a heads-up that ghosts from his past haunted the place. Nothing could have prepared him for the run-in with the woman who stomped his heart out of his chest. She shouldn’t be here. She should be in a military castle shouting down orders from on high. When Dixon finds himself in the base’s military police holding cell—the same kind he used to throw trash into before he found his calling for K-9 training—he’s glad to have one loyal ally, the abused shepherd he liberated from the base. Too bad the dog doesn’t have opposable thumbs. Dixon must rely on the one person guaranteed to hurt him like no other to uncover the truth behind the missing contractors. |
ISBN: 978-1-941899-34-2
Release: June, 2017
Length: 100 pages
Release: June, 2017
Length: 100 pages
Excerpt
Coast clear, McCabe motioned Zeppelin inside his barracks and followed. The moment he ensured the place was empty, he pulled the phone he shouldn’t be carrying from his pocket and dialed his boss. Well, one of his bosses—half of the lead of the Omega Team, Grey Holden. He could yell at Grey. Athena, not so much. Old fashioned, though it might be, he tried his damnedest not to yell at women. Natalie tried him on that time and again, and again.
“I thought I’d hear from you three days ago.” Grey chuckled and mumbled something into the background.
“You didn’t tell me she was going to be here,” McCabe accused.
“She?” Grey hummed.
“Don’t play dumb with me. You see all things, know all things, except who the hell is taking these women.”
“I guess you don’t either then?” Grey shot back.
“One topic at a time,” McCabe barked. Zeppelin stopped his inspection of the bunks and eyed him. “Why didn’t you tell me she was going to be here?” he managed to ask more calmly.
“Don’t be a pussy, McCabe.” Athena’s husky voice poked him through the phone.
“Because you wouldn’t have gone, would you?” Grey asked.
“Hell, no.” Not for double his contract. “Who’s she working for? I know it’s not regular Army. She’s wearing civilian clothes, but that doesn’t fit either.”
“Two sets of eyes are better than one,” Athena offered. “At least, that’s been our experience.”
“You hired her?” McCabe growled.
The dog stopped his exploration and sat. His alert. It didn’t make sense. His yell should have incited him to aggression or submission. He called him to heel, and the big guy obeyed.
“No, but I would’ve,” Grey challenged. “They snatched her up too fast.”
“Who?” McCabe let his fingers sift through the dog’s sable mane.
“You have access to the male areas and security. She can access the female bunks and—”
“Who hired her, Grey?” McCabe begged.
“Base Branch hired her the day she retired from her position as major over the CID,” Athena said, cutting him some slack.
“As in the super-secret, super Special Forces for the UN?” McCabe asked. Moving about the globe, they were phantoms who snuffed out genocide, cartels, and traffickers with a wave of their hands. No one saw what they did, only the epic aftermath. The thought of Natalie being mixed up in the melee twisted his guts.
“The very,” Grey assured.
“How do you know?” Zeppelin alerted again, pulling half his attention from the phone. The dog was abused, not stupid. He wouldn’t alert without cause. Especially not twice.
“Because we’re super-secret and super special too,” Athena offered.
“Get over it and get to work,” Grey ordered.
“I have been.” McCabe strained for a sound and looked for movement.
“And,” Athena urged.
“And nothing. It’s like these girls disappeared like E.T. phone home and all that.” The ground shook, and the incendiary blasts of RPGs peppered his eardrums.
His stomach mimicked his reaction to Natalie as a member of the Base Branch’s elite Special Forces unit.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Is that a—”
“Yes, it’s an attack,” he cut Athena off. “What’s her job at the camp. Natalie’s?”
“Same as you. Investigate. Find the missing girls and the bastards who took them,” Athena answered.
“No, her cover in camp.” McCabe called Zep to heel and jogged for the door.
“Shit,” Athena muttered as he heard pages flipped. “Laundry.”
“South end of the compound,” Grey supplied.
“Closest to the booms,” McCabe snarled. Farthest away from him. He ended the call, stuffed the phone into his pocket, put Zeppelin on a lead, and ran.
Everywhere, soldiers hustled. Some moved to artillery posts, other to HMMWVs, and others still to the Blackhawks on hand. They’d smoke out the rats in minutes and make them wish they’d chosen a different god.
Auxiliary personnel herded into bunkers. They weren’t in immediate danger, but the blasts were closer than any before at this site. He’d done the research. Two miles closer and they’d need body bags by the thousands.
McCabe redoubled his efforts at the thought of Natalie in the line of fire. His gaze dropped to the black and slightly tan coat blowing in the wind they created. The dog held the charge with him. He heard it then; the sultry bark of take-no-prisoners orders like only Natalie Winston could give. In any other situation, his cock would have jumped to attention, but luckily, it came equipped with battle sense.
He turned down a row of tents to find her standing tall, screaming a long line of hunched and horrified women into a bunker.
When their eyes collided, Natalie’s orders ceased. Her words, at least. Her hands continued to shove the stark white—some green—shocked figures into cover. Flushed red lips spread from a harsh line to an O.
McCabe’s feet turned to lead, and he stopped. He couldn’t tell if her mouth read an Oh fuck, Oh yeah, or Oh hell no. Shit, he needed some signals to work with because instinct demanded he cover her body with his and that pretty red O with his mouth.
The last woman in line scurried into the opening.
A blast vibrated under his feet. Natalie’s mouth snapped closed and killed any hope he may have had for an Oh, hell yeah. Next to him, Zeppelin shuffled. Another boom fell. Natalie ducked into the opening, and McCabe moved forward with the dog at his side. The moment they cleared the entrance, Natalie was on him. Her hand wrapped around his collar and pulled his lips within inches of hers.
The dark brown eyes that haunted his dreams narrowed into accusing slits. Next to him, a low growl gave warning.
“Nein.” McCabe gave Zeppelin a calm negative. This was not a target. Though she was a threat of the greatest magnitude, the rumble stalled.
“You don’t know me, okay?” Her mouth moved so closely to his that he could flex his chin, snag her bottom lip between his teeth, and never let go.
Natalie released her hold on his collar, but she didn’t step away. Her eyes danced from his to the dog and back. He nodded because his mouth always got him into trouble where she was concerned.
Sobs filtered into the bunker’s foyer. Around them, RPGs continued to drop.
She planted a hand on his chest and pushed back. McCabe couldn’t tell if she was holding herself back or him. For a moment, a look of sheer pain and vulnerability etched her stunning features. Then it vanished, replaced by the hard, strong features he knew and understood. They were two orphaned kids at heart, trying to make their way in the world the best they knew how.
Natalie, it always seemed, had more to prove.
“You should go.” Her palm and fingers open on his chest shoved him away.
McCabe planted his hand atop hers, broke her control at the elbow, and reeled her back in. “Whoever is taking these girls has nothing to lose. Be careful, Natalie.”
Her eyes widened. Her mouth fell open and then screwed up tight.
He released her and stepped back. After one last look, he turned. Her arm shot out, halting him, and the feel of her skin on his bicep shot through him. It was the purest form of adrenaline; the greatest aphrodisiac he’d ever known.
“Why do you even care? You should want me served up hogtied to whoever is doing this.”
Joy, anger, and sadness toyed with him as though he were a schoolboy, even after all this time, and that twisted his nut sack. His gaze lowered to her hold, and she released him.
“I should,” he agreed.
“I thought I’d hear from you three days ago.” Grey chuckled and mumbled something into the background.
“You didn’t tell me she was going to be here,” McCabe accused.
“She?” Grey hummed.
“Don’t play dumb with me. You see all things, know all things, except who the hell is taking these women.”
“I guess you don’t either then?” Grey shot back.
“One topic at a time,” McCabe barked. Zeppelin stopped his inspection of the bunks and eyed him. “Why didn’t you tell me she was going to be here?” he managed to ask more calmly.
“Don’t be a pussy, McCabe.” Athena’s husky voice poked him through the phone.
“Because you wouldn’t have gone, would you?” Grey asked.
“Hell, no.” Not for double his contract. “Who’s she working for? I know it’s not regular Army. She’s wearing civilian clothes, but that doesn’t fit either.”
“Two sets of eyes are better than one,” Athena offered. “At least, that’s been our experience.”
“You hired her?” McCabe growled.
The dog stopped his exploration and sat. His alert. It didn’t make sense. His yell should have incited him to aggression or submission. He called him to heel, and the big guy obeyed.
“No, but I would’ve,” Grey challenged. “They snatched her up too fast.”
“Who?” McCabe let his fingers sift through the dog’s sable mane.
“You have access to the male areas and security. She can access the female bunks and—”
“Who hired her, Grey?” McCabe begged.
“Base Branch hired her the day she retired from her position as major over the CID,” Athena said, cutting him some slack.
“As in the super-secret, super Special Forces for the UN?” McCabe asked. Moving about the globe, they were phantoms who snuffed out genocide, cartels, and traffickers with a wave of their hands. No one saw what they did, only the epic aftermath. The thought of Natalie being mixed up in the melee twisted his guts.
“The very,” Grey assured.
“How do you know?” Zeppelin alerted again, pulling half his attention from the phone. The dog was abused, not stupid. He wouldn’t alert without cause. Especially not twice.
“Because we’re super-secret and super special too,” Athena offered.
“Get over it and get to work,” Grey ordered.
“I have been.” McCabe strained for a sound and looked for movement.
“And,” Athena urged.
“And nothing. It’s like these girls disappeared like E.T. phone home and all that.” The ground shook, and the incendiary blasts of RPGs peppered his eardrums.
His stomach mimicked his reaction to Natalie as a member of the Base Branch’s elite Special Forces unit.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Is that a—”
“Yes, it’s an attack,” he cut Athena off. “What’s her job at the camp. Natalie’s?”
“Same as you. Investigate. Find the missing girls and the bastards who took them,” Athena answered.
“No, her cover in camp.” McCabe called Zep to heel and jogged for the door.
“Shit,” Athena muttered as he heard pages flipped. “Laundry.”
“South end of the compound,” Grey supplied.
“Closest to the booms,” McCabe snarled. Farthest away from him. He ended the call, stuffed the phone into his pocket, put Zeppelin on a lead, and ran.
Everywhere, soldiers hustled. Some moved to artillery posts, other to HMMWVs, and others still to the Blackhawks on hand. They’d smoke out the rats in minutes and make them wish they’d chosen a different god.
Auxiliary personnel herded into bunkers. They weren’t in immediate danger, but the blasts were closer than any before at this site. He’d done the research. Two miles closer and they’d need body bags by the thousands.
McCabe redoubled his efforts at the thought of Natalie in the line of fire. His gaze dropped to the black and slightly tan coat blowing in the wind they created. The dog held the charge with him. He heard it then; the sultry bark of take-no-prisoners orders like only Natalie Winston could give. In any other situation, his cock would have jumped to attention, but luckily, it came equipped with battle sense.
He turned down a row of tents to find her standing tall, screaming a long line of hunched and horrified women into a bunker.
When their eyes collided, Natalie’s orders ceased. Her words, at least. Her hands continued to shove the stark white—some green—shocked figures into cover. Flushed red lips spread from a harsh line to an O.
McCabe’s feet turned to lead, and he stopped. He couldn’t tell if her mouth read an Oh fuck, Oh yeah, or Oh hell no. Shit, he needed some signals to work with because instinct demanded he cover her body with his and that pretty red O with his mouth.
The last woman in line scurried into the opening.
A blast vibrated under his feet. Natalie’s mouth snapped closed and killed any hope he may have had for an Oh, hell yeah. Next to him, Zeppelin shuffled. Another boom fell. Natalie ducked into the opening, and McCabe moved forward with the dog at his side. The moment they cleared the entrance, Natalie was on him. Her hand wrapped around his collar and pulled his lips within inches of hers.
The dark brown eyes that haunted his dreams narrowed into accusing slits. Next to him, a low growl gave warning.
“Nein.” McCabe gave Zeppelin a calm negative. This was not a target. Though she was a threat of the greatest magnitude, the rumble stalled.
“You don’t know me, okay?” Her mouth moved so closely to his that he could flex his chin, snag her bottom lip between his teeth, and never let go.
Natalie released her hold on his collar, but she didn’t step away. Her eyes danced from his to the dog and back. He nodded because his mouth always got him into trouble where she was concerned.
Sobs filtered into the bunker’s foyer. Around them, RPGs continued to drop.
She planted a hand on his chest and pushed back. McCabe couldn’t tell if she was holding herself back or him. For a moment, a look of sheer pain and vulnerability etched her stunning features. Then it vanished, replaced by the hard, strong features he knew and understood. They were two orphaned kids at heart, trying to make their way in the world the best they knew how.
Natalie, it always seemed, had more to prove.
“You should go.” Her palm and fingers open on his chest shoved him away.
McCabe planted his hand atop hers, broke her control at the elbow, and reeled her back in. “Whoever is taking these girls has nothing to lose. Be careful, Natalie.”
Her eyes widened. Her mouth fell open and then screwed up tight.
He released her and stepped back. After one last look, he turned. Her arm shot out, halting him, and the feel of her skin on his bicep shot through him. It was the purest form of adrenaline; the greatest aphrodisiac he’d ever known.
“Why do you even care? You should want me served up hogtied to whoever is doing this.”
Joy, anger, and sadness toyed with him as though he were a schoolboy, even after all this time, and that twisted his nut sack. His gaze lowered to her hold, and she released him.
“I should,” he agreed.