ELITE Damnit (Guardian ELITE Book 6)

Chapter 1

Alex Wolf hated these goodbyes,but Kat’s job often required her to leave with very few hours notice. As the Ladies of Black Swan team leader, an all-female group of secretly trained Special Operators, Katlin Callahan’s team were the most lethal women on the planet. Their team was a secret weapon that Homeland Security took advantage of regularly. They could quickly and easily work their way into almost any facility or group, eliminate the target, and leave without scrutiny.

But while the team was on a mission, they were truly missed by the men standing outside the Guardian Security SUVs parked next to the aging drab-green hangar at Marine Corps Base Quantico. All the men were saying goodbye to their wives, fiancés, and girlfriends.

The women couldn’t tell them where they were going, how long they’d be gone, or when they’d be back. Operational security was critical.

As a former commanding officer of a Marine Raider company, Alex knew exactly what Katlin and her team were feeling. Now, on the other side of that relationship, he understood what every significant other of a Navy SEAL, Army Special Forces—and this time, Marine Raider—felt as they kissed the ones they loved goodbye.

They prayed it would not be the last time.

They memorized the warm softness of their lips, the press of their toned body, and the scent of their fresh showered skin. With one final gaze deep into their face, they cataloged each and every feature.

They suppressed every negative emotion. The worst thing that could happen to a couple as one of them headed off to war was to leave things unsettled.

Damnit nudged Katlin’s hand.

“What’s wrong, boy?” Kat kneeled next to her one-hundred-pound Rottweiler Mastiff mix rescue dog and stared him in the face.

“Are you going to be a good boy for Alex?” Her voice cracked, just a little. As though the dog could read her emotions, he licked her face with his thick, wide tongue.

“I’m going to miss you, too.” Kat stood and wiped the dog slobber off with the long sleeve of her black flight suit. She quickly glanced around, as did Alex. Her team members were gathering their bags, giving their loved ones one last kiss, and heading toward the door guarded by an armed Marine.

She glanced at the dog before returning her gaze to Alex. “You have his service dog vest, and I’m pretty sure I left the leash attached. His flight paperwork is in the clear pocket, but I left a copy on your desk. Our executive jet service is accustomed to him, but just in case you have to fly somewhere commercial, they might require you to leave a copy with them.”

Alex cupped her face with his hands and gave her a light kiss. “Babe, you and I have been flying with Damnit for over two years. I’ve got this.” Alex reached down and stroked the dog’s head. “We’ve got this, don’t we, big boy?”

“I know, but this is the first time you’ve had to take care of him while I was on a mission.” Kat seemed edgy. She stroked Damnit’s head and scratched behind his ears. “I’m sorry Tanner can’t take care of him.”

Once again, leaning in to kiss her, he held her gaze. “It’s not your fault that some other service dog training kennel burned, and Tanner took in all the dogs. Damnit and I will be fine, damn it.”

Kat giggled at the little joke. As a puppy, Damnit had learned his name by accident. Since all five of Kat’s team members lived together, it was a joint effort trying to name him. No one agreed. But after hearing; “Damn it, stop that.” Damn it, no.” “Damn it, dog, give that to me,” and other such expletives, he thought his name was Damnit. The name stuck.

When she bent down to snuggle the dog one last time, Alex felt jealous. This was his time with Katlin. Normally, she’d said goodbye to her dog hours before Alex had to take her to Quantico. They had their own routine in these last minutes, which he now had to share with her dog.

“Are you going to miss me as much as you’re going to miss your dog?” Alex couldn’t help the cynical little bite in his voice.

Standing, Kat wrapped her arms around him. “I’m going to miss you more. You own my heart. Take care of it.” Their kiss was long and slow. He savored her taste as he swept into her mouth, tangling their tongues in a dance of promise rather than seduction.

He pulled on the titanium chain hanging permanently around her neck. “I gave you my heart even before I gave you this ring.” When she was on a mission, it held their engagement ring next to her heart. He kissed the ring and tucked it between her full breasts. “Take care of my heart and bring it back to me.”

Their last kiss was brief before Kat turned and grabbed her black duffel bags. As she headed toward the hangar door, the dog whined until she glanced back at the two of them. “Damnit, take care of Alex for me.”

As though the dog understood the command, he moved next to Alex and looked up at him as though waiting for his next command.

After Katlin disappeared behind the guarded door, the men gathered near Alex in what had become their tradition. Saying nothing, they all listened as the large hangar doors opened on the runway side. Two powerful Rolls-Royce engines screamed to life, unseen in the dark of night, blocked by the old hangers. The customized shiny black Gulfstream five-fifty was another state secret. Runway lights flashed on for less than thirty seconds as the jet sped down the airstrip and lifted toward the stars, disappearing almost immediately.

“I’ve got to get home to the kids,” Daniel announced. He was Kat’s older and only brother, married to the team doctor, Nita. “Call me next time you’re in town and we’ll get together for a beer. If our women ever stay in town long enough, we’d love to have everybody back over to the house. The deep end of that swimming pool doesn’t get used very often, and I need a reason to cook steaks and drink beer with adult men. Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids, but with Nita gone so much, I miss adult conversation that isn’t work-related.”

“I know exactly how you feel.” Henry Morgan V, better known as Shakespeare, was the newest member of their group since he’d recently started dating Lei Lu, the team’s communication expert. “Moving the foundation offices from New York City to D.C. has been easy, but I get so tired answering questions, especially since I don’t have a clue. As a SEAL, I didn’t give a shit what my chair looked like. I was just glad there was something soft to sit on other than the damp ground. When I go home at night, I don’t have anybody to talk to when Lei Lu is away.”

“Same here,” Marcus said with a chuckle. “At least I can go next door and talk to Rafe and Harper, but they’re so busy making up for missed hours with baby Skyler, I hate to interrupt.” The heavily scarred ATF agent had moved in with Tori a few months ago.

“Here’s my cell number, give me a call if you want to go out for a beer.” Shakespeare passed out business cards to Marcus and Daniel. “I play a mean game of darts if you’re interested.”

The idea of hanging out with these men really appealed to Alex. It would be nice to just be one of the guys.

When Kat was away on a mission, Alex’s life revolved around work. He visited as many of Guardian Security’s centers located around the USA as he could before her return. He was the boss and treated as such. Although he was friendly with everyone who worked for him, he had very few real friends. Parker “Griffin” Mitchell III was the exception. His Miami Center manager was engaged to Grace Hall with the pretty auburn hair and green eyes, the primary pilot for Katlin’s team.

As though conjured by his thought, Griffin strode up with his duffel bags. “Can you still give me a ride to the airport on your way home?”

“Of course.”

Everyone said their goodbyes and hopped into the three Guardian SUVs to be taken to their personal vehicles parked off the secure military base. Alex made a promise to himself that on his next rotation through D.C., he’d make it a point to be free at least one evening and get the local men together for a beer.

Holding open the back door to his vehicle, Alex ordered, “Load, Damnit.” The huge dog leaped onto the seat and stretched out.

He felt better with the big animal in the backseat. As a child, growing up on the seedier side of D.C., he wasn’t allowed to have a dog, or any pet for that matter. It would’ve been just one more mouth to feed. His parents had already been stretched to their limit feeding half the neglected neighborhood children. His mother’s huge heart wouldn’t allow any child to go hungry if she could do something about it.

Grinning, he admitted to himself that Damnit was bigger than most of the children who had found their way to his mother’s dining table. Maybe that’s why Alex didn’t feel comfortable around the massive canine.

After dropping Griffin off at the private aircraft side of Reagan National, he glanced into the backseat. “You ready to go home, Damnit?” At his name, the dog raised his head and looked straight at Alex. With his tongue hanging out, panting, his head seemed to bob up and down in agreement.

Half an hour later, before heading upstairs to his penthouse apartment, Alex grabbed Damnit’s leash and walked out the side door of the underground parking garage to the small patch of manicured grass at the side of the nondescript building housing Guardian Security D.C. Center. A brass plaque next to the street side door was the only indication as to what was housed inside. Alex liked it that way.

Damnit had been to the spot so many times with Kat, he quickly watered one of the evergreen bushes then squatted.

Damn, the dog shits as much as a teenage boy.

Damnit trotted back and looked up expectantly.

“I take it that means you’re ready to go to bed now?” He petted the dog’s head and couldn’t help but smile. “I’m exhausted. Let’s go.”