Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A chuckle, then the figure moved into the light. “I’m pretty sure Foster distinctly told you to keep your ass in the house all night.”
Zain cursed and lowered his weapon, stepping out from behind the post. “Seriously, Jordan? What if I’d shot first and worried who it was later?”
She shrugged, seemingly unfazed by the possibility. “I’ve been doing this for twenty years. You’re not the type to overreact.”
“Someone just tried to kill us. It wouldn’t be overreacting.”
“Maybe if you’d stayed at Saylor’s but here…” Jordan scrunched up her nose as if she thought he was crazy. “You have too much respect for your team. Though, I’m impressed you heard me. You really need to fix that damn board.”
“That’s why I left it.” He searched the tree line. “Where’s Kash? Because I know someone darted past my window a second before that board creaked, and there’s no way you rounded the corner that fast.”
Jordan motioned toward the woods. “Nyx caught a scent. Kash is checking it out.”
“Shouldn’t you have his back?”
“And leave you vulnerable?” Jordan held up her hand to stop him from interrupting.
“I know. You’ve got this sixth sense thing where tangos are concerned.
But on the off chance your exhaustion had kicked in, we agreed it was better if I stayed here.
Besides, Kash has this thing about me being around bullets. ”
Zain scoffed. “Maybe because you’re pregnant.”
“Please, I can still take out a wet squad.” Jordan grinned, nodding at Saylor. “Looks like you already have backup, though. How’s the shoulder?”
Saylor shuffled in beside him. “It burns, but nothing I can’t handle.”
“Spoken like a true warrior.” Jordan glanced over her shoulder. “Speak of the devil.”
A twig cracked then Nyx leaped over the railing, landing on the porch in a flurry of fur and mud. Water dripped off her coat as she sniffed the air, yipped and raced toward them, giving him and Saylor the once-over.
Zain grunted when the mutt leaned fully against him, soaking his pants. “Did you think about growling at me? Because I’ll reconsider sharing my bacon with you when that happens.”
The dog flopped onto the deck and offered her belly.
He groaned, giving it a quick rub. “Someone needs a bath.” He looked up when Kash vaulted over the railing a moment later. “Find anything? ”
Kash nudged Jordan’s shoulder. “He knows he’s supposed to be letting us handle security tonight, right?”
Jordan sighed. “We talked about it.”
Kash shook his head. “Nothing obvious, but…”
Zain straightened. He’d been teammates with Kash since their indoctrination into the Rangers. Even before they’d landed with Foster, Chase and the others. Zain knew a viable threat when he heard it. “Single or multiple?”
Kash glanced at Jordan, then Saylor. “Definitely more than one.”
Zain clenched his jaw. “Foster and Chase?”
“Already sent out a text. They’ll be grabbing stronger firepower and circling around to the north side. I figure we can split up and cover the rest.” Kash glanced at Saylor. “Assuming you’re okay backing Zain up? That your shoulder’s not going to get in the way.”
Saylor scoffed. “I survived the Vigilant . I think I can follow Zain through the woods without fainting.”
Kash chuckled. “I won’t question it, again. Zain? Brother, you good with this? Because we can alter the plan to quiet whatever voices are raging inside your head.”
“The voices are telling me we’re already wasting time.” He glanced over at Saylor. “Three mags enough?”
She gave him a long, slow sweep. “I’ll be lucky if you give me enough of a sightline to get off a single shot, let alone three mags’ worth. And that’s not counting all the times you’re going to pounce on top of me like you did at my place. ”
“If this is a viable threat, they’re here for you. I made you a promise. I won’t apologize for keeping it.”
Her gaze softened as she shook her head. “You’re lucky I think you’re cute. You got enough?”
“If we need more than four before backup arrives, we were never walking out of this alive.”
“That’s one way of thinking about it.” She stepped in and planted a quick, hot kiss on his mouth. “For luck.”
Zain thought about tugging her in for a second go — getting a real taste of her — until Kash snickered. Zain flipped off his buddy, then headed for the back of his place. The others followed after him, Jordan, Kash and Nyx branching off once they reached the trees.
Saylor waved him ahead, smiling when he arched a brow. “I’d never ask you to let me take point. I know just being here is probably eating you alive. That I might get hurt on your watch. But as I see it… There’s nowhere safer than by your side.”
“Holed up in Foster’s place with enough weapons to launch a small invasion might come close.”
“Maybe. But I know the way you think, and you can’t take a bullet for me if I’m not within reach.”
He snorted. “Like I said. One-of-a-kind. Stay close, only use the flashlight if you really need it and don’t get shot, again.”
She rolled her eyes, but fell in behind him, shadowing him as if she knew every step he’d make a second before he actually moved. The rain hampered the visibility, dropping it to maybe twenty meters as they wove through the foliage, the howling wind masking most of the forest sounds .
Zain stopped when they reached a fork in the trail, going to one knee as he searched the mud. Tracks. At least two different boot sizes. Branching off and disappearing into the thicker section of brush.
Saylor crouched beside him. “I guarantee there’s double that out here.”
Zain nodded. “No way whoever’s behind this didn’t send at least four guys. All likely heavily armed.”
“We can go back. Get more weapons from the armory I’m sure is hidden somewhere in your house.”
“It’s hard to be discriminate about who we target if we’re firing several hundred rounds per minute with an M4. We’ll follow. Stay low. And if I think they have the upper hand, we’re out.”
“I trust whatever you think’s best.” She sighed when he furrowed his brow. “I’m not unskilled, but I’ve never seen anyone as impressive as you with a gun. This is your wheelhouse, which means, I’ll default to your expertise.”
“Remind me to show you how much I appreciate your faith later.”
She smiled, and his damn heart kicked up.
The exact opposite of how he normally approached a mission.
Laser focused. Anything not directly related to the op stayed buried until he could examine it later.
Having all these feelings… It was foreign.
As if he’d walked into the middle of a firefight and had no idea whose side he should be on.
Saylor didn’t seem distracted. Followed him as if she’d spent her life immersed in black ops. Already knew which line to take, how to place each step to avoid leaving any trace behind. The kind of instincts that stemmed from innate ability, not training.
Voices.
Mumbled. Low. Barely rising above the patter of rain.
Zain ducked behind a large bush, giving Saylor room to sneak in behind him before slipping out to get a bead on the men.
There.
Off to the right.
Nothing more than shadows amidst the darkness, but he adapted — waited until they shifted enough for him to distinguish their silhouettes.
Four.
Make that five.
All wearing body armor and carrying assault rifles. What looked like frags on their vests. Definitely more than he’d bargained for, and exactly why he preferred to scout alone. When only his life was on the line. Having Saylor with him…
It changed everything.
His tactics. His motivation.
His entire thought process.
What if he made a move, and she got caught in the crossfire? Or he didn’t, and they capped her while he was trying to regroup?
What if he failed the only woman he suspected he’d ever love?
Saylor elbowed him. Not hard, but enough it got his attention. She made a few hand gestures. She’d go right while he flanked left. Exactly what he’d do if Kash or Chase had accompanied him.
He weighed his options. He could drop two before the bastards even knew he was there. And he bet his ass Saylor could down at least one. That would even the playing field, number wise. But with all that firepower…
Chances were, the others would retreat. Live to challenge them another day.
Otherwise, they’d be carrying RPGs. Would have launched an attack from the tree line and simply leveled his home.
The fact it looked as if they’d circled the property a few times meant this was likely a recon mission.
Probably planned to set up some cameras, a mic.
Mark his cabin in case they wanted to hit it from a drone, later.
Regardless, he hadn’t ventured this far in to turn around without assessing their skill set. Judged if they were ex-military looking to score some quick cash or just assholes who got off on the kill.
He nodded, mouthing that they’d only engage if provoked before moving off to the left as Saylor paralleled him on the right.
Trailing after the men as they wove through the forest, angling a bit west in what he assumed was an attempt to get a better sightline on his house.
He stayed low, pausing when any of them checked their six.
More of a habit, it appeared, than concern, each guy barely scanning the woods before carrying on.
Zain reached the spot where Jordan had confronted him the first night she’d stayed with Kash — the slight opening giving him a better view of the men — when a low hum vibrated through the air.
Barely perceivable. More like the distant growl of an engine than anything else.
The men obviously heard it, too, because they stopped — turned.
The guy Zain had pegged as the leader held his hand up to his ear, shushing his crew as he nodded to whoever was talking into his earpiece. Another damn red flag because comm units meant organized. What screamed Spec Op-type mission.