A HOT Christmas Miracle: A Hostile Operations Team Holiday Story Read online

  A HOT Christmas Miracle

  A Hostile Operations Team Holiday Story

  Lynn Raye Harris

  Contents

  About this Book

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Epilogue

  Books by Lynn Raye Harris

  About the Author

  About this Book

  Twenty years ago, badass military commander John “Viper” Mendez lost the love of his life. But fate brought them back together when he discovered she was still alive. Now they live a happily married life - and Kat’s pregnant. As Christmas approaches, they’re more in love than ever and looking forward to welcoming their new baby.

  But old secrets begin to resurface and old enemies might be coming back to haunt them. The only way to know is to hire rogue mercenary Ian Black to do some dirty work while Mendez stays close to his wife and keeps her safe - and keeps the investigation a secret from her.

  Christmas is a time of miracles. A season of snowy promises and gifts from the heart. When the holiday lights twinkle brightest, Mendez will either go on the offensive to save his family - or discover a truth that’ll change their lives forever.

  **This story is a sequel to the events of HOT VALOR, Book 11 in the Hostile Operations Team Series. If you haven’t read that book, you’ll probably be lost. I highly recommend you read it before this Christmas story! Click the title to be taken to your retailer of choice: HOT VALOR

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  1

  December 18th - HOT HQ

  General John “Viper” Mendez looked up at the knock on his door. “Come in.”

  He’d sent his aide home early today so there was no one to announce visitors. The lieutenant had a new girlfriend and he still needed to find the perfect Christmas present, so Mendez had told him to go. It was only a week until Christmas and time was running out for the kid.

  Thankfully, he had his own perfect gift tucked away for Kat. A beautiful white gold necklace with four shining diamonds—one for each of them, and one for each of their children. Though Mendez had never met his son, who’d died in a car accident as a child, Roman was always on his mind. He wanted Kat to know it, too.

  The office door opened, and his heart flipped in his chest at the sight of the woman standing there—the very pregnant woman with vibrant red hair that grew longer by the day, and glowing cheeks that said she’d been out in the cold just a few minutes ago.

  “Kat.” He bolted up and hurried to her side. She smiled as he put an arm around her and drew her close. “What are you doing here, solnishko? You should be resting at home.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Johnny, you cannot be that forgetful.”

  It took him a second. Her coat was buttoned up, but he realized that she had a cocktail dress on beneath it. “Oh, shit.”

  “That’s right, mister. We are invited to President and Mrs. Campbell’s private gathering at the White House tonight. Your suit will be here in a minute. Ghost went to fetch it for me.”

  “You didn’t drive yourself, did you?”

  “I’m pregnant, not helpless.”

  He knew better than to push her further, but hell, she was his entire world and the thought of something happening to her out there on slick roads—or any roads—was more than he could bear. He’d already lost her once—and lost the son he’d never known—and he wasn’t going to let it happen again.

  He closed his eyes as he pulled her close and pressed his lips to her hair. She smelled like sunshine and vanilla and everything that was right in the world. His heart beat for her. For her and the child she carried. He needed them more than she knew.

  “I know you aren’t helpless,” he whispered against her temple. “But I love you and our baby, and I don’t want you doing anything alone right now, okay? Wait until the baby comes. Please.”

  She squeezed him. “Okay, Johnny. But it’s not dark yet, and the roads are clear. I knew you wouldn’t remember if I didn’t come and remind you.”

  “Phones, Kat. We have them. They are these remarkable little devices that connect people across miles. You can say anything you want and the person on the other end will hear you.”

  “Smartass,” she laughed as she slapped him playfully on the shoulder. “Truthfully, I thought you’d try to weasel out of it if I didn’t show up ready to go.”

  He stepped back to blink down at her. Guilt pricked him at the knowing look on her face. “Okay, maybe I would have. Not because I don’t like President Campbell, but you never know who’ll be at these things. I fucking hate politics.”

  Kat shook her head. “Baby, you need to take a page from Matt Girard’s book and start saying firetruck every time you want to swear. For the sake of our child’s language. You firetrucking hate politics, am I right?”

  He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Fine, I hate the firetruck out of them. I just want to do my job to the best of my firetrucking ability, not play games with politicians.”

  Her blue eyes sparkled as she gazed up at him. “Campbell likes you. He owes you nothing less than his life and his presidency, so I wouldn’t worry about games tonight.”

  “I didn’t mean him. I mean the others who could be there.”

  “Johnny. It’s a private gathering—only the people he likes. Garrett and Grace will be there. You don’t think Campbell would invite his son-in-law to a political meeting, do you?”

  Mendez thought about Garrett “Iceman” Spencer for a moment. Ice was as tough as they came. And even though he’d had a mother who taught manners and etiquette for a living and had therefore practiced her skills on him quite a bit, he still had rough edges that he didn’t apologize for. No, the president wouldn’t very likely invite his Special Operator son-in-law to mingle with political donors or senators whose favor he wanted to court. Because Ice wouldn’t pretend to like anyone he didn’t have to.

  “No, I don’t think he would.”

  “Precisely. Ah, here’s your suit,” Kat finished as Alex “Ghost” Bishop appeared in the open door, carrying a garment bag.

  Ghost strode in and laid the bag over a chair. “I’ve got everything covered, General,” Ghost said. “If you’d like to get out of here.”

  Mendez looked at his wife and his second-in-command. He was outgunned on this one and he knew it. Kat arched an eyebrow and grinned knowingly. Ghost had a poker face that didn’t give a hint to his mood.

  Mendez swept the bag into his hand. “Fine. I’m getting dressed. Kat, sit down. Ghost, stop yanking my chain with that general business.”

  Ghost’s grin was sudden. “Sorry, Viper. Can’t help it. I’m thrilled as shit you pinned it on. Everyone is.”

  Mendez didn’t have to look down at his uniform to know there was a star on each shoulder. He’d felt the weight of those silver stars every moment since he’d first put them on. “I’m not unhappy about it either. Just not used to it yet. I thought I’d die a full-bird.”

  Kat snor ted delicately. “As I have informed you many times, you do not know everything.”

  He laughed. “No, apparently I don’t.”

  “I will tell you something else you don’t know,” she said. “I’m starving! So hurry up and change. The baby and I want to pig out at the White House tonight.”

  “On my way.”

  “And no sneaking out of the bathroom in that escape tunnel!” she called after him.

  Mendez laughed as he shut the door and started to change. If he hadn’t bolted from HOT HQ that day back in the spring, using the false door and tunnel in the private bathroom he currently stood in, he wouldn’t have found Kat again. And he wouldn’t be the happiest man in the world today.

  2

  The White House was a beautiful building at any time, but especially so at Christmas. Kat and Johnny were admitted after undergoing a security check and then ushered to the second-floor central hall, which was part of the private quarters the president and his wife occupied. President Preston H. Campbell III was a handsome man with iron gray hair and a booming laugh. He came over to greet them personally. His wife Helena joined him, hugging Kat and asking when she was due.

  “The thirty-first,” Kat said. “New Year’s Eve.”

  “Oh my,” Helena Campbell exclaimed, taking her elbow gently. “I think we’d better get you to a chair.”

  Kat laughed. “I feel fine. Really.”

  And she did. It was no picnic having a baby at nearly forty-four years of age, but she had always been exceptionally fit. She’d exercised regularly during her pregnancy, jogging right up until the doctor had told her not to anymore. Now she walked, doing at least two miles a day on her treadmill.

  “You look fabulous, I might add,” Helena said. “Still, please humor me. Come and talk to my daughter, Grace. She’s due in April—though I suppose you already know that since Garrett works for your husband.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I do,” Kat said as she accompanied Helena over to where Grace sat with one of her sisters—Charity, Kat thought.

  “Oh please, call me Helena tonight.”

  “Yes, ma’am—Helena,” Kat finished, laughing.

  “Mrs. Mendez,” Grace said with a smile as they approached. “I’m so glad you and the general could make it.”

  Introductions were made—it was indeed Charity sitting with Grace—and then Kat took a seat with the women, accepting a virgin cranberry spritzer from a waiter.

  “Your mother has made me call her Helena tonight,” she said. “I think you should call me Kat.”

  Grace smiled. “Okay then. Kat.”

  It wasn’t that the women didn’t know each other or like each other. It was just that Johnny was in charge of the Hostile Operations Team and she was his wife. In the military, the lines of formality were drawn rather strictly—and Garrett Spencer was enlisted, not an officer. It was protocol and tradition to separate the ranks, and Kat wasn’t about to insist it be otherwise. Yet tonight she could be Kat instead of Mrs. Mendez or the commander’s wife.

  “Congratulations to you and your husband on his new rank,” Grace said.

  Kat followed her gaze to where Johnny stood with the president and a couple of others, so tall and handsome in his suit. The gathering was casual, but nothing was ever truly casual when you were invited to the White House, so Johnny looked resplendent in a dark navy suit with a white shirt open at the throat. No tie for him. He’d refused to wear it. And she was glad because he looked absolutely stunning with that hint of skin showing. President Campbell wasn’t wearing a tie either, she’d noticed.

  “Thank you,” Kat replied. “Nobody deserves it more in my extremely biased opinion.”

  Grace laughed. “Well, I’m not as biased as you and I’d still agree. I don’t think there’s any man my husband admires more than yours.”

  The talk turned to other things then. Due dates, genders, and potential names for their babies. It was the kind of talk that Kat wouldn’t have pictured herself being a part of just a few short months ago. She’d thought her window of opportunity had closed. She’d certainly never considered she would reunite with the man who was the love of her life and have his baby again.

  Sadness wrapped around her heart at the thought of the son he’d never known. The son taken from them too soon. She put a hand over her belly almost without thought. She loved this little one who would soon make an appearance, but she missed her son. Roman had been a sweet boy. He’d reminded her of his father with his dark good looks, and he’d been wicked smart to boot. He’d be twenty-one now, with his whole life still in front of him. Anger threaded itself between the lines of her sadness, making her want to scream at the unfairness of life.

  She didn’t know for certain, but she would always believe her son had been killed by her old FSB handler, Dmitri Leonov. Ordered to do it by mafia boss Sergei Turov because Kat would not shoot an innocent girl for him. Sergei had deliberately destroyed his hold over her because he’d thought she would break. She’d broke all right. She’d broke free, and then she’d spent years thwarting Sergei at every turn.

  “Is everything okay, Kat?”

  Kat looked up to find Grace staring at her, concern on her pretty face. Kat swallowed down her bitterness. It wasn’t good for the baby. “Yes, fine. I’m sorry. My mind wanders sometimes. Pregnancy brain.”

  Grace laughed. “I’m beginning to realize that’s a thing. I didn’t believe my mother when she told me, but it sure is.”

  Kat almost said something about her first pregnancy, then bit her lip and didn’t. Too hard to explain. Too emotional to have to.

  A few minutes later, Helena announced the food was ready and Kat made her way to the buffet with the other women, intent on piling a plate to the max. Drowning her feelings about her lost son with food was a good start. She was happy, truly, but thinking of her first pregnancy made her sad. She didn’t want to be sad, not when she had so much to be thankful for.

  A male voice spoke just behind her before she reached the buffet. “Hello, Kat.”

  Kat nearly jumped out of her skin. Then she lumbered around to wrap Ian Black in a hug. “Ian. It’s so nice to see you.”

  He gave her a quick squeeze and set her away from him. “You’ve put on some weight, I see.”

  He said it with a grin, so she didn’t smack him. “Yes. I have eaten a basketball apparently.”

  “You look great. And happy. I’m glad you’re happy.”

  “I am,” she said, her heart so full she thought she might burst with it. “How are you? I haven’t seen you in at least two months.”

  He shrugged. “Work keeps me busy.”

  “Yes, well I suspect I also don’t see you because of this rivalry between you and Johnny. He likes you, Ian.”

  “And I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for him. Which is why I’m not calling up his wife for a chat from time to time.”

  Johnny appeared then, slipping an arm around her and drawing her in to the solid warmth of his body. Her every cell tingled at his touch. Her very soul glowed with warmth and belonging. He chased away the shadows and made her thrill to be alive.

  “Hello, Ian. Haven’t seen you in a while.”

  Kat looked up at her husband. “I was just saying as much to him, Johnny.”

  Johnny’s eyes filled with love. “Were you? Ian, you need to stop by more often. Kat misses you.”

  If Ian was surprised, he didn’t show it. But she knew he must be. She did miss him. He’d helped her more than he knew. Saved her in many ways. If she hadn’t worked for him during the long lonely years after she’d lost Roman, she’d have gone mad. He’d given her a purpose when she’d lost everything. He’d also brought her and Johnny together again. She would always love him for that.

  “I’ll make a point of it then,” he said.

  “Good. Be sure you do. Whatever makes Kat happy is my priority.”

  Ian’s gaze bounced between them. “Do you think I could get a minute of your time tonight, General?”

  Kat groaned. “It’s always business, isn’t it? Neither of you can help yourselves.”

  Johnny gave her a squeeze. “Maybe not tonight, Ian. Call me tomorrow. Or come by HOT—assuming you’re not pretending not to know us these days. And it’s John, not general.”

  Ian snorted. “Not pretending a thing, John. Sorry, Kat, I can’t help myself. But yes, I’ll make a point of catching up to you this week. Before Christmas.”

  “Great,” Kat said. “Now that you two have settled that, can we please eat?”

  3

  Kat fell asleep in the car. Mendez didn’t mind. Snow had started to fall softly, but the roads weren’t slick with it. Christmas carols played on the radio. Kat loved them, so Mendez put them on whenever they drove somewhere.

  He didn’t mind the music, but it also wasn’t something he’d have listened to on his own. His mother had loved carols, but they also made her cry for his sister who’d drowned at age three. Christmas had never been the same after little Ava died. It was always a teary affair, never joyous as it should be.

  Mendez thought of his own son, lost before he’d ever known about the boy, and his heart ached for what might have been. A glance at Kat filled his heart with love and fierce protectiveness. Kat wasn’t paralyzed by her loss the way his mother had been. The baby she carried would never be ignored because she was busy grieving the child she’d lost. Not the way he’d been.

  He’d wanted his mother’s love and attention, and he’d had it, but it was never an all-encompassing thing. She’d loved from a distance. After his father died a few years later, when Mendez was still in high school, his mother withdrew even further.