Heat Force (Blackthorn Security #7)
Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
T he big black helicopter circled the clearing before landing. The rotor blades kicked up clouds of red dust, sending the gorillas in the nearby enclosures scrambling for cover. Many of the younger ones chattered frantically at the noise and sudden disorienting gusts of air.
Lexi stood at the edge of the clearing, watching. It was a half-hour flight from Goma, the nearest city with a functioning airport. The African sky was clear and blue, as it usually was at this time of morning. It had been the same when she first flew in, and the view of the thick canopy from above was so spectacular, she would never forget it.
Five men jumped down from the chopper, two in business attire and three in jeans and T-shirts. They proceeded to unload a bunch of equipment. The film crew, she guessed. For some reason, she’d expected more of them. Still, five was good. It would be easier to manage.
One of the two well-dressed men had to be the infamous “Hawk” Anderson. Engineer, visionary, CEO. The media painted him as an arrogant, demanding boss willing to venture where other mining conglomerates feared to go—trouble spots, unfriendly regimes, areas desperately in need of upliftment.
What kind of name was Hawk anyway?
She tried to get a good look at him but couldn’t see clearly through the swirling dust.
Robert, the manager of the gorilla sanctuary and her boss, approached them with an outstretched hand. They exchanged pleasantries as the roar of the rotor blades wound down. Then she was beckoned over.
Taking a deep breath, she pasted a smile on her face and walked over to the men.
Here goes.
Maybe he wasn’t the workaholic tyrant everyone said he was, she reasoned as the dust cleared. Her mother always used to say she was too quick to judge. Not all wealthy, successful, and powerful men were arrogant assholes. Apparently.
“Lexi, come and meet our new benefactor, Mr. Anderson.”
The taller of the two men turned to face her.
“Please, call me Hawk.” He flashed a self-deprecating grin, showing white, even teeth, and held out a hand. “Everybody else does.”
Goddamn.
He wasn’t anything like the chubby, middle-aged engineer she’d imagined. Late thirties, possibly early forties, but no older than that. Brown hair swept back from his face, a hard, chiseled jawline, and piercing blue eyes that took in a lot but gave nothing away.
She blew a hair off her face as she shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Rough skin, a hint of calluses on his palms. Hawk Anderson was a man used to working with his hands. She never would have guessed it by looking at him. Those pressed trousers fit him like they’d been custom made for him, and the white shirt was expensive. Lexi recognized quality when she saw it.
Growing up, her mother had insisted they shop only at the best stores and wear the most stylish clothes. “Image is everything,” she’d been fond of saying, and in the wealthy political circles they moved in, it was.
She shuddered, releasing Hawk Anderson’s hand. Thank God she was far away from that world now. His world.
Africa was so different. It was a place of dense jungles, soaring mountains, and cobalt blue skies. A place where things like a friendly smile, a helping hand, and a sack of flour mattered. A place where most people couldn’t afford the necessities, let alone designer gear.
“This is Lexi.” Robert introduced her. “She heads up our veterinarian team.”
“How interesting.” Those blue eyes fixed on her, and she wondered what he was thinking. Probably something predictable, like how did a nice girl like her end up in a place like this?
Usala Park, the gorilla sanctuary where she worked, was in the middle of the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most volatile countries in Africa. There were constant skirmishes with rebel groups, attacks on wildlife by poachers, and raids on local villages. Here, at the heavily guarded sanctuary, however, they were relatively safe.
Her friends thought she was crazy for taking a job out here. Her parents were convinced she was in the throes of a nervous breakdown, while Charles… She sniffed and smoothed down the surgical shirt she wore over her shorts and T-shirt. What Charles thought didn’t matter. Not anymore.
“Yes, I work in the clinic with the injured and orphaned gorillas.”
“A fellow American?” His gaze lingered on her hot, flushed face, dropping to her chest, where he scanned the nametag, then slowly rising back up again. She felt like he was stripping her bare. “You’re a long way from home.”
She self-consciously smoothed her hair down. It was coming loose from its ponytail, and she wore no makeup at all. Not even a hint of blush on her cheeks, or a touch of mascara to lengthen her lashes. Then, she scowled and straightened her shoulders. Why should she care what a man like Hawk Anderson thought? He was only here because his company needed the PR. Sponsoring a gorilla sanctuary in the country where they were negotiating a mining deal was a clever ploy to get the world on their side and sweeten the deal with the DRC government. She wasn’t buying his humanitarian bullshit.
“So are you.”
He chuckled and spread out a hand. “This is my job.”
Her gaze collided with his. “Mine too. I wanted to do something meaningful.”
A hard stare and he turned back to the perspiring man in the suit and blazer beside him. Of course, this jerk wouldn’t be interested in her reasons for being here; he was just making small talk. Hawk Anderson didn’t seem like the type to do anything unless it benefited him or his company in some way. “This is Jasper, my PR manager. He’ll filter the material through the proper channels once we’re back in New York.”
Jasper smiled, his glasses slipping down his nose. He couldn’t have looked more out of place if he’d tried. Nervous and edgy, his restless eyes kept darting toward the undergrowth as if he expected a wild animal to jump out at any moment.
“Welcome, Jasper.” Robert shook his hand, then gestured to her. “If you need any information about the medical services we offer at the sanctuary, just ask Lexi.”
She nodded. “Of course. I’m at your disposal. Anything you need.”
The PR guru removed his glasses, wiping them on a handkerchief he pulled from his blazer pocket. Lexi didn’t know people still used those. The poor guy was very much out of his comfort zone. His boss, surprisingly, looked relaxed and very much at ease despite the suit and stiff white shirt.
The film crew was introduced. Lexi tried to remember all their names. She was good with that, having grown up in a family where connections were important. There was Rex, the director of the documentary; John, the soundman; and Dan, an enthusiastic cameraman who could scarcely contain his excitement about being in Africa. “This is the most exotic location I’ve ever filmed in,” he said, eyes shining. “The jungle is just like I imagined. I can’t wait to explore.”
“I thought the same thing when I first arrived.” She smiled at his energy. Caution was necessary, however. “I’ve since learned that, while beautiful, it’s practically impenetrable and surprisingly easy to get lost in. If you do go exploring, be sure to take a guide with you. The caretakers are all locals and won’t mind showing you around. They know this part of the jungle like the back of their hands.”
“Understood.” He shot her an easy grin. “Lesson One: Don’t go wandering off alone.”
“You got it.”
She liked Dan. He was friendly, unlike Hawk, who she’d just noticed was watching their exchange even while still in conversation with Robert. She glanced pointedly at him, but instead of looking away, the corners of his mouth flickered upward before he diverted his attention back to Robert.
Frowning, she hoped Hawk Anderson wasn’t going to be a pain in her butt while he was here.
Robert was saying, “Why don’t we go up to the Lodge and have some refreshments, then I’ll give you the grand tour. Our medical center is only a fraction of the private reserve. Usala was originally started by the local community as an eco-project, but when funding dried up, it closed. Luckily, I was able to resurrect it.” The clinic, staff quarters, canteen, and monitored animal enclosures were all in the same area, surrounding a large clearing in the jungle.
“It’s larger than I expected,” Hawk acknowledged, looking pleased. “And I believe it has many natural resources.”
Lexi narrowed her gaze. He’d better not be thinking about the mining potential. “The endangered animals are our most precious resource,” she cut in.
Robert shot her a warning glance.
Crap. He was desperate to make a good impression, and by jumping down their new benefactor’s throat, she was ruining it. Lexi shut up and didn’t say anything else.
“Of course,” Hawk agreed, quirking an eyebrow as if he was surprised she had the audacity to challenge him. Well, she wasn’t one of his minions, and out here, there were different rules. This wasn’t corporate Wall Street, the next acquisition didn’t matter. Out here, life often hung by a thread, and survival was the most important thing—for the people, the wildlife, and the sanctuary.
She forced a conciliatory smile and gestured toward the clinic. “I’d better head back. See you later.”
“Lexi, perhaps you can kick things off by giving the men a tour of the clinic once they’ve settled in?” Robert looked at her expectantly. “Then I’ll take Mr. Anderson—sorry, Hawk—and the crew to the border patrols and show them the rest of the park.”
How could she refuse? She’d promised to help out in any way she could, and the sanctuary needed this investment. Without it, they wouldn’t survive.
Besides, once the orientation was over, they’d be busy filming, hopefully miles away from her little patch of the sanctuary, and she’d be left in peace. “No problem. I’ll be here.”
Robert beamed and gestured for the men to follow him. The Lodge, as it was known by everyone at the sanctuary, was where Robert and his wife lived. It was positioned at the end of a winding dirt track, half a mile from the clearing and surrounded by dense vegetation. To her surprise, Hawk gave her a curt nod before following Robert along the track.
Until later then.
She marched back to the clinic, feeling frazzled but not sure why. Hawk Anderson was not what she’d expected, with his intense physicality and piercing blue eyes, but he did have that typical wealthy businessman vibe, too. The arrogance and disdain that came with giving orders, with having people do your bidding.
She snorted. Good luck with that out here. If anywhere had the ability to kick some humility into the self-important jackass, it was this place. The next few weeks were going to be very interesting indeed.