HOT Mess (Expanded Edition)(Hostile Operations Team - Book 2) Read online

  Sam looked up to find Kevin MacDonald standing over him. Big Mac was the second-in-command of their squad. No one else was around right now except Billy “the Kid” Blake, who sat hunched over his computer, fingers flying as he worked to crack some kind of code or write a program. Or, hell, maybe he was hacking into China or something.

  Sam had no idea since that wasn’t his thing. Weapons, that was his deal. Just give him some guns or explosives and he was good to go. The other new guy, Garrett “Iceman” Spencer, was much the same. They’d already talked about their favorite types of breaching devices and compared notes.

  Sam threw a glance at Kid. It had definitely crossed his mind that Kid could find Jake Hamilton. If Sam could ever manage to ask about it. Sam was still new enough that he wasn’t quite sure about these guys yet. He’d been training with them pretty hard, and he knew they were all brilliant at what they did. He had no doubt his ass would be safer than all the gold in Fort Knox when he was out on a mission with HOT. But that didn’t mean he felt comfortable enough to ask for information he wanted for personal reasons.

  “Yeah, man. Doing great,” he answered.

  Big Mac sank into a chair opposite. “So, you go see your friend?”

  “Before work.” He tapped his fingers on the desk. If he didn’t at least float the idea, he’d never know. Maybe he’d get an answer. Maybe he wouldn’t. But at least he’d know the boundaries then. “She teaches college classes at the Pentagon. Says one of her students is missing. An active-duty guy.”

  Big Mac frowned. “Probably a short-notice deployment.”

  “That’s what I told her. She isn’t convinced, and no one will give her any information.” He leaned back in the seat, bouncing it a little bit. “The guy works for DARPA. Nothing unusual in a short-notice assignment.”

  Big Mac shrugged. “Ask Kid. He could locate the record in half a minute. If it’s classified, that’s the end of it. But maybe he had emergency leave or something. At least then you could tell her not to worry.” He grinned. “Or maybe you want the guy to stay gone? Give you a chance, right? Is she pretty?”

  Sam couldn’t find his voice. Was she pretty? Hell, yeah. Pretty—and so fucking sexy he could grow hard thinking about her. But he wouldn’t. He had too much self-discipline for that.

  Riiiight.

  He cleared his throat. “She’s like a sister to me, dude. I grew up with her and her brother.”

  “Ah.” Big Mac stood. “Well then, different story. Hey, Kid, got something for you,” he called. Then he winked at Sam and strode out of the room.

  Sam glanced over at Billy Blake, who was looking at him quizzically. “What d’you need, man?”

  Georgie decided she needed to get out of the house. She had no classes today, but that still wasn’t an excuse to lie around and do nothing. Besides, sitting at home, all she could seem to think about was Sam standing in her living room and the mixed-up tangle of emotions she’d felt from the moment she opened the door and saw him on her threshold.

  It was early on an August day, and the humidity was already approaching unbearable. Still, Georgie forged onward until she reached her favorite café, ordered a latte, and took a seat in the corner where she could watch people go by. She’d been there for about a half hour, scrolling through e-mail on her laptop, when a man sat down across from her.

  She looked up in surprise. The café wasn’t full and there were plenty of other tables.

  “Hi,” he said, smiling. He was dark eyed, dark skinned, quite possible Middle Eastern though she didn’t know for sure. His smile did not reach his eyes.

  “Can I help you?” She infused her voice with her best frosty tone, learned at the feet of her debutante mother, and waited for him to take the hint.

  “You’re pretty,” he said.

  “Thank you, but I’m not interested.”

  He reached for her hand, gripping it in a surprisingly strong hold. Georgie tried to jerk away but he held her tight. Her heart hammered and her stomach bottomed out as a wave of bitter acid flooded her tongue. She opened her mouth to yell for help.

  Before she could say anything, the man leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with malice. “Your boyfriend lied to us, Dr. Hayes. If you don’t wish to fall onto the tracks the next time, you will give us the information he promised. We will be in touch.”

  He let her go and shoved back from the table. Georgie sat there with her heart in her throat, her skin flushing hot. Her boyfriend? What the hell? She wanted to call out and tell him he had the wrong person, in spite of the fact he’d used her name, but the man was gone.

  A river of ice poured down her spine as the rest of his words sank in.

  Last night hadn’t been an accident. Someone had actually pushed her on purpose. Had they saved her too?

  Bile rolled in sickening waves in her belly.

  Georgie sucked in a breath, and then another and another as she tried not to hyperventilate. Cold fear gripped her hard, shaking her until her entire body trembled uncontrollably. She darted her gaze around the coffee shop but no one seemed to be interested in her. Hastily, she grabbed her things and shoved them into her bag with hands that shook so hard she could barely perform the task.

  The day was bright, the streets filled with tourists and residents alike. She told herself no one would approach her again as she hurried home. She wanted to be inside her house where no stranger could grab her like he had the right. Where no one could threaten her.

  She reached her street, flew up her steps, and put her key into the lock with trembling fingers. Once inside, she locked the door behind her and let out a shaky sigh. She set her purse on the table in the hall and headed toward the kitchen. A glass of ice with some vodka and tonic—heavy on the vodka—was just what she needed. Then she could think again.

  Maybe she’d call Sam and tell him about it, get his advice. Or maybe she wouldn’t because Sam would probably tell Rick.

  Fear clutched her heart in a cold fist as she stepped into the kitchen.

  The back door stood wide open.

  5

  Georgie was not one to fall apart. She’d been raised to be gracious, strong, and flexible in all things. Her mother was pure Texas steel and her father had more grit than a beach. But this was not the same as dealing with a surly waiter or a pushy car salesman. This was dead serious and far outside her area of expertise.

  The instant she saw the open door she sprinted back through the house and out the front, snagging her purse along the way. There were people on the street, tourists walking through Old Town, and she was reasonably certain nobody would try to grab her in front of witnesses. Shivering, she whipped out her cell phone and called the first person she could think of.

  Sam answered on the third ring. Relief made her knees wobble. His voice was warm and gravelly and she wanted to wrap it around her like a blanket.

  “Hi, Georgie.”

  Tears pressed against the backs of her eyes. “Sam,” she said hoarsely.

  “Georgie? What’s wrong?”

  She loved that he instantly knew. He sounded intense, determined. Protective.

  “I—I think someone was in my house.”

  “In your house? Are you there now?”

  “N-no. I’m outside.” She dragged in air. “I-I went to the coffee shop on the corner. There was a man. He sat at my table and grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go. Then he said th-that my boyfriend lied to him and he wanted the information. He said he’d be in touch. I don’t know what information he’s talking about—and I don’t have a boyfriend either. When I got home, the back door was open—I panicked.”

  Sam’s voice was strong and hard-edged as a diamond. “Is there a neighbor’s house you can go to?”

  “Yes. My next-door neighbor. She’s a stay-at-home mom with toddlers. She’s usually there.”

  “Go. I’ll stay on the phone until she answers the door.”

  “Okay.” Her throat was tight. “My cat—I didn’t look for her. She’s inside—” He
r voice choked off.

  Belle was the kind of cat who hid whenever she heard a noise, so she had to be okay. She had to. She’d be tucked under the bed or the couch—and even if she came out, she wouldn’t leave the relative safety of the house.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Don’t worry, Georgie. We’ll find her. And I won’t let anything happen to either of you.”

  She believed him. “Hurry, Sam. Please hurry.”

  “I’m on my way. Now get inside so I can stop worrying about you exposed on the street.”

  Georgie dashed up her neighbor’s steps and rang the bell. Sam hung up once Sissy let her in. Sissy sat her down and went to fix a pot of tea.

  Georgie pulled in a breath and tried to think logically. Maybe she should have called the police instead of Sam, but he’d been the first person she’d thought of.

  If he thought she needed to call the police after he checked everything out, then she would. If she was wrong about somebody being inside and it was her own carelessness at fault, she didn’t need to waste police time.

  Sissy brought a tray with hot tea, her pretty face bordering on terrified. “I’ve been telling Don we need to install an alarm system.” She picked up her cup, her fingers trembling. In the background, her toddlers screamed along to something on the television. “What if someone tried to break in here when it’s just me and the girls?”

  Georgie willed her thumping heart to beat a little slower. “I’m sure I must have left the door unlocked,” she said, wanting to calm Sissy’s fears as much as her own. “Someone could have just walked right in. Or maybe I didn’t push it all the way closed and it worked itself free while I was gone.”

  Sissy chewed her lip. “That’s possible. And it’s not like we’ve had a rash of break-ins. Still, I’ll feel better once we get that alarm. Maybe we should call the police, just in case…”

  “I already called my friend. He’s a badass military guy, so I know he’ll make sure everything is fine. If he thinks someone broke in and I should call the police, I will.”

  Sissy nodded. “That sounds sensible. It’s not like the police don’t have enough to do, right?”

  “Right.”

  But there was a downside to calling Sam, and Georgie had been thinking about that too—not that she’d thought of it when she’d first dialed. But what if he told Rick? Oh mercy…

  She’d never hear the end of it. Her brother would very likely hop on a plane and come here to try and force her back to Texas. Which would result in a fight of epic proportions. She hadn’t tucked her tail and ran when her life with Tim fell apart. She wasn’t running now.

  The phone chose that moment to blare and Georgie jumped in spite of the noise of the television and Sissy’s toddlers. Sissy snatched it up and started filling her husband in.

  Georgie clutched her cup in her fingers and went over everything in her mind from the moment she’d left the house until she returned. Had she left the door unlocked? Could it have swung open from the pressure when she’d closed the front door? It had happened before, when she’d first moved in, but not for a long time now.

  Georgie wanted to go back and check for Belle, but she knew better. All she could do was wait for Sam to arrive while second-guessing herself every possible way.

  Within the hour, someone banged on the door. Georgie and Sissy both jumped, but then Sissy got up and went to answer it. A moment later Sam entered the room and a wave of relief washed over Georgie. She didn’t even hesitate before getting up and flinging herself into his arms. It was as natural as breathing.

  He seemed stunned at first, but then his arms tightened around her. “You’re okay,” he said softly. “And Belle is okay too. There’s no one there.”

  She sucked in a shaky breath and pushed back to look up at him. He was blurry.

  “You’re sure? She’s really okay?” Logically, she knew her kitty was fine. Belle didn’t trust easily.

  “Yes, she’s okay. She was hiding beneath the couch.” His dark eyes gleamed hot, and she knew he was suppressing something. She’d always known when Sam was shoving his feelings deep and twisting the screws down on the lid. It made her heart throb and her stomach clench tight.

  “I want to see her.”

  “Sure.”

  Georgie didn’t ask if he’d discovered whether or not someone had broken in because she didn’t want to alarm Sissy. There was time for that when they were alone.

  She thanked Sissy, and then she and Sam went next door and into her house, which he’d locked up tight before coming over to get her. She stooped down and called for Belle, who came trotting and meowing almost immediately. Georgie picked her up and stroked her soft fur. Belle purred as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

  “Could you tell if anyone was in here?” she asked Sam.

  “The lock on the back door was forced.”

  Georgie’s belly twisted. “Is that all?”

  “No. Come on and I’ll show you.”

  Georgie buried her nose in Belle’s caramel fur and rubbed her cheek against the cat’s soft body as she followed Sam to the kitchen. Belle continued to purr happily.

  Thank God.

  As soon as they walked in, Georgie noticed what she hadn’t noticed before. She’d vaguely thought something was out of place, but the second she’d seen the open door, she hadn’t stayed to look around.

  The papers and books on her kitchen table were dumped on the floor. Drawers were torn open in the credenza that sat in the eat-in part of the kitchen.

  Her gaze met Sam’s. He looked quietly furious. “Is there more?”

  “Somebody went through your drawers in your office, and upstairs in your room. They got about halfway through your closet before you returned. You must have scared them.”

  Georgie felt her color drain away. “You mean somebody was inside when I came back?”

  “Probably.”

  “I should call the police. Shouldn’t I?”

  “Why don’t you see if anything’s missing first.” It wasn’t a question.

  Georgie put Belle down and nodded. “I hadn’t thought of that. I mean if it was a robbery, why didn’t they take that silver serving bowl on the table? Or the desktop computer in my office? Or my television?”

  She had a lot of stuff that a thief should have taken, but everywhere she looked, nothing was missing. She went up to her bedroom, Sam on her heels. Her drawers were ransacked and her closet was tossed about, but it was all there.

  Sam was frowning, hands in pockets as he watched her. “Based on what you told me about the coffee shop, I think the two events are connected. Which means these guys weren’t looking to steal from you. You can call the police if you want, but they aren’t going to find who did this.”

  Georgie blinked at her surroundings. This was her bedroom, the place where she slept at night. Her retreat. And someone had been in here, pawing through her stuff.

  “I don’t want to stay here tonight.”

  “I wasn’t planning to let you. Pack your things and let’s get out of here.”

  Georgie’s heart twisted. She wanted to do exactly as he said and give away the responsibility for this situation, yet she’d learned a hard lesson with Tim. Never give your power to a man. Never let a man control you.

  Should she go with Sam, or should she check into a hotel for the night? If she checked into a hotel, then she’d still be making her own decisions.

  “But then what? Who’s going to find them?” Georgie shook her head, confused. “Maybe I should just stay, face the fear. I have a shotgun. I could sleep with it by the bed. And if they didn’t find what they were looking for, maybe they won’t come back. Maybe this was the end of it.”

  Sam stepped forward, and she realized again just how big and hard he was. In spite of herself, a little flame leapt and curled in her belly.

  Sam McKnight. Still so handsome. Still so remote.

  And still not interested in Georgie Hayes.

  Not that she needed to be
worrying about that right now, but it was somehow easier to concentrate on Sam and all her latent feelings than on the fact someone had threatened her just an hour ago.

  “I wasn’t giving you a choice. Get packed.”

  Something in his tone rubbed her the wrong way, making her think of days long ago. “I’m not twelve anymore, and you can’t tell me what to do. I have a life, a job. And my cat. I can’t just leave her.”

  “Take her with you. But you are leaving, Georgie. One way or the other.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  His eyes glittered with determination. “It means I’ll throw you over my shoulder if I have to.”

  Georgie swallowed. “How do I know you aren’t just being overprotective because you think you owe Rick something?”

  She knew it was more than that, but old habits died hard. Rick and Sam had always been there, ready to beat up anyone and everyone who looked at her cross-eyed. This was so much more than childhood bullies, though. They both knew it.

  Sam swore, soft and low. “All right. I wasn’t going to tell you this just yet, but you need to come with me because I found Jake Hamilton for you—”

  “You found Jake?” Oh my God, she’d nearly forgotten about Jake over the last couple of hours. How had that happened?

  He nodded, his expression firm and unhappy at the same time. Dread took up residence in her heart.

  “He’s not coming back, Georgie.”

  “Something happened to him?” Her voice was little more than a whisper. She’d known it. Somehow, she’d known.

  Sam nodded. “Yes.”

  Her legs just sort of collapsed beneath her. She found herself sitting on her bed, looking up at Sam through a haze of tears. “I don’t understand.”

  Sam came over and hunkered down in front of her. He brushed the tears off her cheeks. “I need you to trust me, Georgie. I need you to pack some things, get your cat, and come with me. This is a lot bigger than you realize. And a lot more dangerous.”

  She sucked in another breath and tried not to lose it. “I have no idea what’s going on. Do you think that man in the coffee shop was talking about Jake when he said my boyfriend?”