CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
NOAH
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I toss the cards onto the table. “I’m out.”
“Yes!” Cole drags the chips from the middle of the table and grins like an idiot.
He keeps winning.
“He’s cheating.” Aidan narrows his eyes at the male.
“I’m not cheating; I’m just good.”
“You counting cards?” Josh asks, lowering his cards.
Cole chuckles.
“Deal me in.” Hayden grabs a chair, spins it around and leans on the back of it, wiggling his fingers. “I’ll beat his ass.”
“Way to make friends and influence new peers, there, Captain.” Cole laughs. “But go right ahead. Another whiskey, please, server.”
We all glance at Marshall, who freezes. “I’m not your fucking server, and you’re lucky I’m not armed.”
I lean back in my chair and laugh.
I’ve always been shit at poker, but tonight I got hammered and lost a couple of Benjamins. Glancing at the time on my watch, I consider heading to Quinn’s room, but I’m not sure how to handle this.
Handle her.
Tyrell is watching, and while none of the trainees are socializing with us tonight, I’m unsure if I want to risk him spotting me.
More for Quinn than me.
Things are delicate between us. One wrong move, and everything I’ve achieved so far could be destroyed.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t let her know I’m thinking of her. I pull out my phone and message.
Stop staring at the door waiting for me.
...
...
Just when I think Quinn is going to ignore me, her message arrives.
You’re so full of yourself.
I grin stupidly.
You want to be full of me.
OMG, Noah, I can’t believe you said that!
Sweetheart, shocking you is going to be a lot of fun.
I slide my phone away before I get myself too excited and march right over to her building without thinking it through.
Tonight was a good distraction. A few of the boys from the office drove over to the BBQ. Ryder and Jayden were heading to NYC with Declan, so they weren’t here, but Jake, Liam and Marshall had shown up.
I start paying a little more attention as Cole whips Hayden’s ass next while Josh and Liam stand behind him watching his cards.
“You’re counting them.” Liam props his hands on his hips.
“Am I?” Cole chuckles.
“We could use this.” Josh glances at Aidan, who purses his lips in contemplation.
“What we need to do is send a message to the cartel that the BHS training facility isn’t going anywhere, and they need to stop fucking with our business.” Aidan leans back in his chair and sips his beer.
“Has something else happened?” I ask.
“They pulled up to the entrance later today and tried to intimidate the guys on security,” Aidan replies.
“Bold.” Hayden shows his hand, and Cole curses.
“Huh.” Josh slaps his shoulder and walks a few feet away, leaning his ass on a table. “Yeah, they’re becoming a problem.”
“You talk to local law enforcement?” I ask the SEAL.
He nods. “There has been a lot of friction recently, so it’s no surprise they’re triggered by us being here.”
All of us have come into contact with different gangs, mafias and cartels in our military careers.
They may not be in the news like they were a few decades ago, but they’re still very active across the world.
We all stare at one another, different memories resurfacing as the reality of the situation sinks in; they aren’t going to let it go.
“What’s the plan?” Marshall asks. “We go visit one night and surprise them?”
Josh rubs his jaw, glancing at Aidan. “Yeah, something like that. Taking a legal route is unlikely to be very effective, but I never said that.”
Everyone mumbles to say they never heard a thing as I count the days that Quinn will remain inside the compound. I don’t want her here if we are going to have a conflict with the fucking local mob. I don’t care how trained she is.
“Count me in.” I toss back my beer and climb off my chair, stretching my arms and neck. Right now, I’m liquored up, and my bed is calling me.
Nothing is going to happen tonight, but tomorrow I’m sure Josh and Aidan will have a plan ready for us to launch into action. And I’ll be there with bells on.
“I’m heading to—”
An alarm blares, and everyone freezes, looking up. A second later, boots are slamming on the floor, chairs are scraping and a dozen highly trained warriors are racing towards the exit.
“It’s the perimeter,” someone yells.
“Grab two vehicles,” Josh instructs, running down the hall. “Aidan, Noah and Cole go in one. Hayden, Marshall and Jake with me. Liam and the rest of you, grab the guys on duty and secure the entrance and buildings.”
“Got it!” Liam disappears.
“Grab some weapons.” Aidan rips open a cupboard after punching in a code and tosses a Glock my way. “Josh!”
“I have one on me.” The SEAL is through the door and crunching on the gravel, and I’m right on his tail. “Fucking cartels. Looks like they’re getting that message tonight.”
Hoorah!
Being a little more sober would be good, but here we are.
Two Humvees sit in the parking lot. We all leap into the allocated vehicles as Aidan and Josh fire them up with a loud roar. Rubber burns, stones go flying and in seconds the two Hummers are headed in different directions.
I hang on to the frame, my gun tightly gripped in my hand as the trainees run out of their rooms. Quinn’s face is the last one I see and lock on to, as we drive out of sight.
Go back inside, sweetheart. Please.
I know she won’t.
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QUINN
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“WHAT’S HAPPENING?” I yell out to a few of the guys as Marlene joins me in her pajamas and a sweatshirt.
I’m dressed much the same way, except my sleep shorts are pink, and my feet are stuffed into a pair of Nikes. Thankfully, I have a black sweatshirt on.
A couple of guys check out my legs, but I glare pointedly at them, and they clear their throats, looking away.
Idiots.
Liam and another BHS guy jog over. “Everyone should head back inside. We’ve had a perimeter breach.”
Is it the cartel?
No one is going to tell us, and I shouldn’t even know, so I keep my question to myself.
“Who’s trying to break in here?” Marlene asks, frowning.
“Someone who’ll regret it.” Liam chuckles, but nods to the building. “See you all in the morning.”
We walk back inside, but I don’t buy that it will be that easy to deter them if they are trying to get into the compound again. It sounds like they are trying to intimidate BHS. After the razor incident and now this, clearly the cartel has an axe to grind and doesn’t want them here.
Watching Noah standing on the back of the Jeep was nothing I hadn’t seen before over the years, but never when engaging with a real enemy. Even if that enemy is American.
Not going to lie, he looked sexy as hell, but as I say goodnight to Marlene and stand in the open doorway of my room, I’m worried. Which is ridiculous; he survived the Middle East. He’s a captain, highly trained in combat and more than capable of defending himself.
I should go to bed.
Closing the door, I walk inside, spot my tactical pants lying on top of the chair and then tell myself this is a bad idea.
Or...