Chapter 14

Midnight.

And still nothing.

Blake rolled her shoulders, drawing in a deep breath in an effort to ease the nervous flutter in her chest. While she was accustomed to dangerous missions, waiting for something to happen was new. And she didn't know how the men looked so relaxed when Russo's entourage could be landing on the beach, right now.

Kian nudged her thigh. "You okay?"

Of course he'd noticed she was anxious. The man seemed to have become an expert in reading her body language since they'd tumbled in the sheets four nights ago. Or maybe he'd been reading her from the start. Either way, it was as annoying as it was sweet.

She faked a smile. "Fine. Why?"

He tsked, leaning in close. "I really hope you lied better in the Coast Guard, sweetheart, because it's obvious you're uptight. Honestly, I'd be more worried if you weren't. Waiting sucks. No doubt about it."

"First of all, I lie just fine. And second, none of you seem uptight."

He shrugged. "Waiting is part of every mission. Sometimes to the point you wonder if it's ever going to happen. We've all gotten used to it. Not that it's fun, but it's part of being a SEAL. I imagine it's completely the opposite for you. You got a call and had to respond as fast as possible. Lives on the line and all that. So, this is new."

She rolled her shoulders, again, scanning the area. Lane was off in some kind of sniper nest. Blake didn't even know where, just that he'd be "watching" and providing an overwatch. Raider had set up a few perimeter countermeasures, as he'd put it. Nothing that would do any permanent damage to the delicate ecosystem. More of a sound and light show. Enough to give them a warning that shit was going down.

Harlan was just sitting and talking to Porter around the small fire they had going. Not enough to bathe the area in light. Just a small glow they hoped would draw in Russo's men.

She pursed her lips, finally meeting Kian's gaze. "What if they don't make a move?"

"They will."

"How can you be so sure? They've been following us for two days and haven't so much as fired a single shot when they could have."

"While I don't know Henry Russo, I know his type. He wants you to know he's on to you. Have you agonizing over where and when he'll attack. But I'm betting he also needs to be fairly confident we can't call in backup, and he won't get caught by the Coast Guard or even idle onlookers. He's in this mess because you saw him pulling the trigger. I can't imagine he's going to make that mistake, again. And this is his best chance at taking us out."

Blake inhaled, rerunning the last few days since they'd left. "Oh my god, you all planned this from the start, didn't you? It hasn't been some random hop from island to island. You wanted him to see us leave the Big Island and you wanted him to follow us all the way here. To limit any collateral damage."

God, the smile he flashed her. "Waylen always has a plan. Some good. Some questionable. But he always has something. This one was better than most."

"And you didn't tell me because…"

"Because you're so hellbent on sacrificing yourself to save all of us, I didn't want you diving off the boat and trying to swim here that first day. Besides, it was all contingent on Russo actually tagging along. We weren't sure he'd arrange boats and men. Guess we got lucky."

She gave him her best stink eye. "You're so getting a beat down when this is over."

"As long as you're breathing and in one piece, I'll take it."

"Oh no. Don't try to charm your way out. Just wait until we're up in the air, next. I'll get my revenge."

He took her hand and raised it to his mouth, softly kissing the back. "Deal."

"Jackass."

He smiled, then pulled her in for a long, slow kiss. The kind that had led to them making love for hours the past few nights. Not that it would end that way tonight. This was more of a distraction to ease her tension.

Until a resounding bang echoed through the forest, the beach lighting up like the Fourth of July.

Kian was on his feet with her at his side a heartbeat later, weapon already in his left hand. He made a few signals with his right, nodding at his buddies as they dispersed. Literally vanished into the trees in a matter of seconds. There, then gone. Even Porter disappeared as if he'd run covert missions for years. And hell, maybe he had. The man rarely talked about his past. Seemed to prefer people not knowing just how skilled he was. Though, thinking back to all the times he'd safeguarded her over the eighteen months she'd been in protective custody, the guy had never missed a shot.

Kian glanced at his watch, then over to her. "I know you're a trained warrior. That you can run and jump and shoot as well as any of us, but this one time…"

She smiled. "I'll stick to your ass like glue and not take any wild chances."

She didn't add the part where all bets were off if his or his buddies' lives were at stake. That she'd never be able to look at herself in the mirror with their blood on her hands. She already had enough bad memories of not getting to her teammates in time to save them. She wouldn't repeat that. Not if she wanted a future she could live with.

And she really wanted a future with Kian.

He inhaled, held it then nodded in return. "You know the plan. We try to lead whatever men my team doesn't take out over toward that other beach where we'll have a few surprises waiting. Waylen and Porter will meet us there with the Scarab. Then, it's out to Russo's main yacht where I'll have a personal chat with him."

"You mean, where U.S. Deputy Marshal Porter will arrest his ass as a wanted felon."

"Exactly what I said. You ready?"

Kian didn't wait for her to reply, just grabbed her hand then took off. He paused long enough to toss the bucket of sand over the small flames, casting the area into total darkness. Nothing but the stars and rising moon to guide their way.

Not that Kian seemed to have any trouble navigating the area. One minute in, and he had them on course to that beach — probably a quarter of the way already. He stayed low, weaving them through the trees and underbrush, following a path that barely passed as an animal trail. But he made it look easy, stopping once they reached a thick stand of trees.

He motioned for her to get behind them. "I'm going to help out the guys. Please stay here, and if anyone other than me pops out of the forest…"

"I don't need to stay hidden. I can help."

Kian moved in close, somehow still scanning the area while looking her in the eyes. "I know. And I promise, the next time crazed men are after you, I'll let you take point. But if Russo gets his hands on you…"

"This isn't just about Russo."

He clenched his jaw, making the muscle in his temple jump. "I love you, Blake."

"And I love you. Do you think I'll be remotely okay if anything happens to you?"

"I just…"

She sighed. "That flight I promised to take you on just got even rougher. And it now involves a closeup view of Kilauea in all her glory."

He smiled, dipped down for a quick kiss. "Sounds perfect. I won't be long."

He turned, gazed back at her for what seemed like forever, as if he was putting everything into memory in case he didn't get another chance. Then he vanished. Just like his buddies had. His silhouette strong and tall against the dim light one second, nothing but empty forest the next. No sound. No branches moving or twigs snapping.

Just dead space.

God, she hoped that wasn't the last time she ever saw him still breathing. That she'd have to face a future where she'd gotten the only man she knew she'd ever love killed. And that wasn't even considering the fallout if his team got hurt. What if Presley lost Waylen? Or Cassie lost Lane? And Harlan and Storm were just figuring everything out. Like Raider and Piper reconnecting. Discovering they needed to give their love another try.

Blake glanced at the gun in her hand. Kian had gotten her a Beretta, claiming it fit her hand. Would allow her to shoot one-handed if necessary. Something about planning for the worst. She was simply touched he'd thought of her and had picked the same weapon she'd had as her personal firearm throughout her career with the Coast Guard.

A reminder that it was time she remembered exactly who she was. And after three years of hiding, she was done sticking to the shadows. Which meant, making her own contingency plan if things went sideways. How she could eliminate Russo if it came down to it.

Blake moved into the best position and waited. She'd give Kian fifteen minutes, then she was going hunting.

Kian ducked beneath some branches, sticking to the shadows as he doubled back toward the camp. Cursing the eerie silence that enveloped the forest. Other than the initial display from Raider's countermeasures, Kian hadn't heard so much as a single gunshot. Which meant, these tangos weren't Russo's usual thugs.

It made sense, especially when the man's crew had tracked them down at Hawk's ranch. While the Brotherhood Protectors didn't advertise their company to the general public, it wasn't a secret. And Kian had no doubts Russo had the kind of connections to source out what kind of threat his people would be facing.

And that meant these men were expecting Kian's team's level of expertise and still thought they could win.

He glanced back at the path where he'd left Blake, questioning if he should alter his plans — stay by her side. While he knew she was more than capable of handling herself, if these tangos had come prepared to kill a SEAL team, it might be beyond what she'd faced in the Coast Guard. If she was in the air, he'd bet his ass that she could outsmart and outfly anyone Russo had on his payroll. But on the ground, surrounded by rainforest, in the dark…

This was his wheelhouse. And he didn't lose.

A scuff. Off to the right. Barely discernible, but he'd caught it. Knew there was some asshole trying to flank him. Whether the guy knew Kian was there or was just following the route they'd taken — how they'd bent the leaves and left more of a path through the trees than a simple animal trail — he wasn't sure. Only that the bastard was heading for Blake.

No fucking way he was leaving her to face some highly trained mercenary.

He turned, making his way along a parallel route. The guy was moving slowly, carefully picking his way through the underbrush. Trying not to make a sound.

But he wasn't silent.

Kian crept over to the asshole's side, slipping in behind him. He didn't rush, crouching low when the guy spun, checking his six for a few moments before continuing up the trail. Either a sixth sense or a routine scan of the forest. Not that it mattered. He hadn't spotted Kian, and that would be the man's last mistake.

A jump up and a few racing steps forward, and Kian was right behind the guy — inside the strike zone. Realizing the bastard had Kevlar and NVGs only showcased he was more than the average fare — meant serious business. It also meant Kian couldn't go for a quick shot.

Not a problem. A grab and a kick, and he had the fucker's knee dislocated — the bastard's head turned off to one side. All that was left was a quick swipe of his knife and it was over. The guy's body limp on the path once Kian released him. No cries for help. No shouting. Just a slight gurgle of the asshole's last breath mixed with the flow of blood, then silence.

One down.

He dragged the man off to the side, hiding him beneath a bunch of low-hanging palm leaves, then headed back toward his buddies. While his heart wanted him to return to Blake's side, he knew he needed to trust in her skill if he had any chance of spending the rest of his life with her. Believe that she could handle the odd tango if any got past him.

He didn't plan on any getting past him.

The rising moon added a slight glow to the forest floor as he wove through the trees, fast but controlled. Just another few minutes and he'd be back at the campsite — should be able to track down Raider or Harlan.

They'd had to forgo with the usual communication tech. Porter had been concerned about Russo discovering their frequency — listening in. The marshal hadn't elaborated, but Kian felt as if the man suspected there was a mole involved. And with no cell service, they'd been left to do things the old-fashioned way.

Having Raider appear out of the brush a moment later had Kian stopping short — assessing the situation. Spying four silhouettes dressed in black racing out of the forest behind his buddy confirmed the guy he'd eliminated wasn't the only one armed for resistance. Not with them wearing the same body armor. What looked like M4s and AKs with pistols and grenades strapped to their vests.

Kian popped up enough for Raider to see him, gun ready. No worries about whether the shots would echo through the forest or not. Give away his position. Raider looked up then dove, disappearing beneath the brush.

That was all the opening Kian needed. Three head shots, three hits, with the fourth going wide. He recalculated and fired just as a bullet grazed his thigh — had him reeling back a step. But the asshole dropped a second later, his shot hitting home.

Raider moved in beside him, gun at the ready, what looked like a similar graze on his arm. "There's way more than we planned on. Close to thirty. Russo's definitely got a boat anchored somewhere just out of sight. Harlan's taken out five, alone. I was working on number six with my knife when that whole group charged me." He slapped Kian on the chest. "Thanks for the save."

"My pleasure. Your arm okay?"

"Better than your thigh."

He smiled. Raider rarely took anything seriously. "Lane still in position?"

"He's got our backs covered once we draw them to the Scarab. I saw Waylen and Porter race off. A couple boats followed, but there were only two onboard each. They'll have them eliminated in no time."

Raider arched a brow. "I swear Porter's an ex-Army Ranger. He hit one of those assholes while jumping into the boat with only a second to aim. Guy's exceptional."

"I figured as much after the hits from the back of the truck. I'll go right. You stay left. Blake's half a mile up at that stand of trees. She's armed so… don't surprise her if you reach her before me. I have a feeling she's far more skilled than my heart's willing to believe."

"She's something. Stay low. There was another group heading east when I made a run for it Probably trying to flank the other side — come in behind her."

Kian nodded then took off, ignoring the burn along his thigh. Nothing too serious but the damn thing would scar. Not that he cared. He'd get a thousand scars to keep Blake and his buddies safe.

Branches cracked and broke behind him. Apparently, Russo's men weren't worried about stealth, anymore. Not after hearing the shots. Kian headed farther east, cutting in behind the group Raider had mentioned. They were only a few hundred meters away from Blake's position, and far too close for Kian's liking.

He ran ahead, scrambling over an outcrop of rocks, then dropping down the other side — landing just off to their left. The guy taking point turned. Gasped. Then fell a moment later. The rest scattered, firing off a flurry of bullets. They cut through the palm leaves, ricocheting off the rocks behind him. Leaving another groove across the top of his shoulder.

He hit the dirt, waited for a lull then popped up — catching one merc as he changed his magazine. A dive and a roll, and he was in close to the next — the one who'd tried to charge him. Catch him by surprise.

A jab of his knife, and the guy was down. Not quite dead, but Kian doubted he'd be getting back up. Kian switched to his Sig, dropping two more when they showed their heads around a couple trees. Gave him just enough of a target to take them out.

Another group down.

Shots sounding from Blake's direction had him racing up the path. Leaping over rocks and dodging branches. He didn't worry that he was making noise, not when that group he'd heard could have slipped past him. He doubted it with Raider manning the other side, but shit happened.

He hit the opening still running, gun sweeping the area, ready to take out anyone targeting Blake. Three men were on the ground, blood pooling beneath their bodies, a few groans suggesting they weren't all dead.

Blake spun, her weapon aimed his way before she inhaled, and lowered it, shaking her head. "Christ, I nearly fired."

He didn't slow until he'd reached her, doing his best to block any viable shot if more men jumped out of the trees. "I heard the shots…"

He didn't add that he wasn't sure what he was going to find. If she was injured. Dead.

Blake moved in behind him, guarding his six. Just like she'd promised she would. "I told you I can handle myself. Raider showed up after I'd dropped the third guy. Took off after four more who scattered."

She gave him a quick once-over. "Shit. You're hit. Twice."

"Just grazes."

"Right, which explains why there's so much blood." She muttered something under her breath, tugging on his sleeve. "Take a moment to at least slow the bleeding. I can take point."

"There'll be time to patch up wounds, later. We need to head to the rendezvous site. See if Waylen's made it there, yet. Russo must really want you. He's pulled out all the stops, this time."

"I told you he had unlimited resources. The guy's insane."

"Something tells me he wants you alive. Which was why those men at the clinic didn't shoot until we started firing. I have a feeling he wants to kill you, himself. And that's our advantage."

"Tell that to all the men out here because I'm not sure they got that memo."

Kian grinned. "They're aiming at us, sweetheart. But, no sense taking any chances. You got enough ammo?"

"Only used three shots. I'm good."

He looked over at her. "I know you're skilled, I just…"

She snorted. "You love me."

"Cliché, but true."

"Try not to take any more hits. Even a guy your size will run out of blood. I've got your six. Lead the way."

He pulled her in for a quick kiss, then took off, again. Slower than before, checking every direction before taking his next step. He booted one of the men in the head when he looked as if he was trying to push onto his elbow, before continuing on. That eerie silence hung over the forest, the stillness making the hairs on the back of his neck prickle.

Kian stopped, crouching behind more low leaves. He hadn't spent twenty years in the service without knowing an ambush when he sensed it. And that voice inside his head was screaming there were men just waiting for him and Blake to step out of the trees and make a dash across the beach.

Blake tucked in behind him. She didn't ask why he'd stopped and was continuously scanning the area around them. He didn't know if it was simply her trust in him or that she sensed that something was off, too. Regardless, he made a mental note to thank her later. And not just for this. For not shooting him in the ass for wanting to protect her when she'd proven she was every bit the warrior he was.

They waited, that silence weighing heavily on his shoulders, when a stick cracked off to his right followed by a hushed grunt. He motioned for her to stay, creeping forward, when Raider popped up enough for Kian to spot him. He motioned for them to join him, covering their asses as Kian grabbed her hand, then darted across to Raider's position.

Another tango was at Raider's feet when they moved in behind him. His buddy motioned toward the rendezvous site. "I've cleared the path to the beach. Waylen's got the boat ready by that long stretch of rocks. You should be able to jump right in. You two go ahead. I'll set off my countermeasures when those assholes on the other side of that rock formation try to follow you onto the sand."

Blake shook her head. "We're not leaving without you."

"Harlan was just here. He's procured one of their boats and will be waiting for me by the camp. I'll hoof it back and we'll make sure any remaining forces don't have a way off the island other than swimming, then meet you at the main boat. Trust me. I'll be fine. Just like old times."

"Right, until I have to tell Piper you didn't quite make it."

"Piper knows the deal, and she'd be the first one to tear me a new one if I didn't do all I could to help you. Go. I'll see you shortly."

Blake didn't reply, but Kian knew she wasn't happy. That their little ambush had turned into a full-scale war. Though, he doubted even Porter had anticipated the sheer number of men Russo had hired. Which made Kian's idea of Russo wanting her alive a bit overzealous. Still… Kian couldn't quite shake that feeling. That if Blake hadn't been armed or was only half as good as she claimed, she'd be hogtied in the back of one of those boats, heading for Russo's yacht.

Kian slapped Raider on the back, then leaned into Blake. "I know this is hard for you, letting others take the risk, but it's almost over. We've taken out the bulk of his forces. And the rest will be marooned until the Coast Guard comes to round them up. This is the eleventh hour, sweetheart. And we're all still breathing. Time to end it."