Chapter 20
Ice waited in an attack boat, around the bend of a cove, hidden from view of the Petrov compound. With him was the team he’d been assigned to lead. One human woman, two male betas, and a female alpha. Plus, Hazard.
The advance team, dressed in ghillie suits covered with faux grass to make them indistinguishable from the physical environment, would move in first. Once they had the all clear that the advance team had taken the fifty calibers out of commission, Ice’s team would strike. They sat waiting — tense, ready for action. Suddenly, there was the deafening boom of two explosions, one right after the other. Ice stayed calm and still. That was the advance team’s attack on the compound’s entry gate. He knew what was coming next.
“Red team, green team you are both clear to proceed,” base command said over the communication link.
At Ice’s nod, the boat’s pilot started the motor. They sped out of the cove, moving so fast that they bounced over the surface of the bay. Frigid water sprayed, soaking everyone aboard. When they reached the island’s shore the team jumped out onto the bank, boots landing with a wet splash. They immediately took off running, quickly making their way to the mansion inside the compound.
Ice used his sledgehammer to breach the front door. They came under fire the moment they entered. His team didn’t hesitate to engage. Their goal was to sweep up all the high-level members of Petrov’s inner circle. But in an environment like this, where everything was bullets and chaos, they’d have to take everyone into custody and sort them out later.
The home’s entryway was lavishly decorated in Russian opulence. A curving double staircase covered with red carpet, its banister gilded gold, soared to a wide landing above. And on that landing Petrov and one of his lieutenants were making their escape, surrounded by a crowd of guards.
“The target is above!” Ice shouted. “Eaton and Cole with me on the left. Hazard, Abara, Richards, take the right side and flank them!”
“Rog!” Hazard shouted back before carrying out his order. The team split and rushed up the two sides of the staircase.
When they reached the top, Eaton rushed ahead on his own. He was so eager to reach Petrov, he didn’t see the guard partially hidden in the hallway alcove.
“Get back!” Ice gripped the soldier by the collar and yanked him out of the way, right before the guard could smash a heavy bronze statue into Eaton’s face. Before Ice could get himself clear, the guard swung again, hitting Ice on the upper arm. The blow hurt but he didn’t let it slow him down. He took out the guard with two quick shots, one in the gut, one in the head.
“Stay behind me,” he ordered the over-eager soldier.
Eaton gave a shaky nod. “Yes, sir.”
Their two groups converged as they chased after the men desperately trying to escape. They followed them through the halls of the mansion and then outside onto a terrace courtyard. Petrov’s lieutenant peeled off and ran in a different direction, no doubt hoping he’d have a better chance if he separated from the main target.
“Hazard!” Ice pointed after the fleeing man, silently ordering his partner to go after him.
“I’m on him, Captain.”
Hazard sprinted after the lieutenant. Still focused on his own prey, Ice heard Hazard take the lieutenant down. He threw a quick glance Hazard’s way, expecting to see him returning to his side with the prisoner secured. Instead, he saw a giant of a man round the side of the building, barreling toward Hazard. Before Ice could swing his gun around to take him out, the giant slammed into the omega. His momentum sent them crashing through a set of glass balcony doors and they both disappeared from sight.
Fuck. He wanted to get to Hazard, make sure he was okay, but he had to stay focused on the mission. He trusted in Hazard’s skills and knew he wouldn’t go down easy. Still, he wanted to get to him as soon as he could. And to do that, he had to take out these fucking guards and capture Petrov.
His teeth set in a snarl behind his mask, he went after his prey with laser focused intent. He fired his weapon again and again, until he ran out of bullets. Instead of reloading, he switched to knives — throwing them with deadly accuracy at enemies who were out of reach, and slicing his blade across the throats of those who were up close.
He killed with grim determination, all while hoping to hell that Hazard was still alive and fighting. Blood sprayed with each kill until he was wet with it from his mask to his boots. The smell of copper and gun smoke clung to him. Was thick in his nose. Finally, all of Petrov’s guards were down, either dead or on the ground incapacitated.
Petrov was left standing alone. He stared at Ice, his eyes wide with fear, and raised his hands in surrender without being told to do so.
“Hellhound,” he whispered in a heavily accented voice.
He was no hellhound, but he’d fought like a demon to make sure they captured this son of a bitch. “Don’t move,” he ordered as he strode over to the target.
Petrov nodded, otherwise remaining still while Ice got his hands cuffed behind his back.
“Petrov is secured,” he said over the comms.
“Roger that, Ice. Bring him out.”
Ice turned the prisoner over to Cole and Lewis with orders to get him to command. They could handle Petrov. His priority now was to check on Hazard. He ran across the courtyard to where Hazard had disappeared. There was no sound of fighting coming from that direction, which worried him. Ice stepped through the shattered glass doors just in time to see Hazard rising to his feet, while his opponent lay unmoving, face down on the floor.
With three quick strides, he crossed the room to get to his squadmate. “You good?” he asked as he visually checked him over.
Hazard nodded while clutching his side. “Bruised as fuck but I’m good.”
“You took that big bastard down.” He was impressed, but not surprised that Hazard had managed to do so.
Hazard laughed. He quickly cut it off with a pained wince, but the smile stayed on his face. “Like I told Private Bell. It’s not always the biggest size that wins fights.”
Seeing that smile, a sense of overwhelming relief suddenly swept through Ice. Before he knew what he was doing, he dropped his forehead to Hazard’s. Hazard gasped in surprise, but he didn’t move. Ice held his position, drawing in a deep breath. But that wasn’t enough. Following his instincts, he lowered his head further, tucking his face into the cradle of Hazard’s neck and shoulder. With another inhale, he took in the scent of apples. As he breathed, two words throbbed to life in his chest. Safe . Secure .
It was a shock to feel those words so strongly without Hazard speaking them. The sensation was odd, but he couldn’t deny that it helped settle the worry and fear that had gripped his heart when he saw Hazard go down. After one more deep breath, he lifted his head and looked down at his partner.
“You’re good.” This time it wasn’t a question.
Hazard nodded, a smile lighting his pretty green eyes. “Yeah, Captain. I’m good.”