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  “Come on, we’re getting you out of here and someplace safe.”

  In Turkish, she replied, “I don’t want to go. I want to see Lilly.”

  “We need to get you out of here. It isn’t safe,” the woman told her, and they pulled her from the bed and got her into the wheelchair. She cried. She wasn’t sure if she should believe them.

  “We are going to protect you and get you to your father as soon as it is safe and things are resolved,” she said. She looked out the door, saw it was clear, and they wheeled her down the hallway toward the elevator.

  Agent Ledkin was standing there. “We need to hurry. Supposedly, there are people in the town and probably heading here. Let’s fucking move,” he said.

  They got her into the elevator, went down two floors, and as the doors opened, they wheeled her to the left just as Lilly and Deputy Vega headed their way.

  It happened so fast.

  “Oh shit, no! Fuck! They’re here, take cover,” the agent said as Azra saw the men with masks pointing their weapons then firing. She slid from the wheelchair as the agent was shot and killed, then the guy who had wheeled her. She heard yelling and then return gunfire as one of the masked men shot the interpreter, grabbed Azra, and started pulling her.

  “No!” Lilly screamed as two other men started firing toward Lilly and the deputy. Azra didn’t know what was happing when she felt the guy release her, then someone tackled Azra to the ground, covering her and grunting. Lilly had a gun she pulled from the man who tried to take Azra, and she was firing, hitting multiple men. More shots rang out, sirens blared, and two men exited the door. She inhaled, recognized the smell of the perfume, and knew it was Lilly.

  “Lilly, Lilly are you okay? It’s Azra,” Azra said to Lilly.

  As more police arrived and the deputy helped Lilly up while nurses helped Azra, she saw the blood on Lilly’s side. Lilly protected her with her life. She didn’t have a gun and ran toward her to stop the men from taking her. Then she grabbed the gun from one of the bad men and used it to protect them both. Lilly was amazing. Could Azra trust her? Azra hugged Lilly tight as Brian held them both.

  “What the fuck is going on?” Simo asked. He got the call from Brian that there was a situation and their military connections would be needed. Jordo and Colt were with him as the deputies let them through. They saw the state police, the Texas Rangers, and the coroner. “Where is Brian? Is he okay?” he asked Sheriff Lantern.

  “He’s keeping watch over Lilly and Azra, the victim from the car accident. It’s a fucking mess, Simo, and seems that the CIA agent who was leading the case may or may not be involved in Azra’s attempted abduction. We’re trying to figure it all out.”

  “Let me talk to Brian and Caden.”

  “They’re in there.” He pointed to the door, and he and the team headed that way. As they entered, he saw the young woman laying on a bed sleeping. On another table was a half-naked woman, laying down on a table as a doctor was doing stitches. Brian was caressing her hair with one hand and leaning with his fist on the bed by her hip. She was only wearing a sports bra and spandex shorts.

  The gorgeous woman from the dojo?

  “What is she doing here?” Colt asked as Jordo whistled low.

  Brian looked up just as Jordo and Colt made comments about the woman. He looked relieved to see them and then serious. “My team,” he said to her, and as Simo got closer, he saw the damage to her skin as well as an older gunshot wound to her hip and another in her arm.

  “This is Simo, our commander, that’s Jordo and—”

  “Colt,” she said and held their gazes, then squinted as the doctor continued stitching her up.

  Brian introduced them. “This is Lilly Hayes, a friend and someone I’m working this case with.”

  “We met,” Colt said, and this time Brian squinted.

  “At the dojo, we saw her coming out. Just hi and hello,” Simo said.

  “Okay, Lilly. I’m all done. We’ll get the paperwork complete and instructions on how to take care of those stitches and when to get them removed.”

  “Okay, doc. Thank you so much,” she said to him.

  “Andy, remember,” the doctor said and winked.

  She gave a soft smile. “Andy, thanks,” she said. Simo saw Brian’s facial expression change as if jealous and annoyed. Could he like this woman? When had he met her? What was this all about?

  “Doesn’t look like she needs instructions on how to care for stiches with those two scars,” Colt pointed out. She looked at him, eyed him over.

  “Make it a habit of being shot at?” Jordo asked her.

  “Actually, no, I don’t, and I definitely wasn’t expecting to come to the hospital after the dojo and be shot at by a bunch of gang banger amateurs,” she replied with attitude.

  “Amateurs? Looks like there were at least six of them,” Simo said, and then Brian began to explain what happened, why they were here, and Lilly’s involvement.

  “Let me get this straight, you ran toward gunfire, unarmed, to save that teenager in the bed over there?” Colt asked.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  “Yes, she did, and she and I will talk about that later on.”

  She looked at Brian. “Brian.”

  Brian leaned down and cupped her jaw and cheek. “We will be talking about this later. Jesus, Lilly, you scared the hell out of me,” he said and then pressed his lips to hers. Simo was shocked, a glance at Colt and Jordo confirmed they were shocked, too. What he hadn’t expected when Brian released Lilly’s lips was for her to look like they felt.

  “Brian?” she questioned.

  “Just don’t say anything. It was coming and we both know it. I’m thinking since you met my team before that this definitely isn’t something I’m ignoring.” She held his gaze and went to move her arm, but it obviously hurt as she cringed. “Easy,” Brian told her.

  Simo looked at her incredible body. She was toned and muscular, not an ounce of fat on her, and she took those stitches like a pro. How did she sustain the other shots? Was she a cop? Holy shit, her eyes are incredible. As Brian began to explain the situation, Simo lost focus on the woman and was angry about what happened.

  “This is not a cut and dry human trafficking case. You realize that?” Simo said testily.

  “We’re starting to put things together and not liking it. Caden feels like shit for trusting Agent Ledkin, but it seems the agent was just trying to help out a friend, the girl’s father. We’re going to place her under protection here in Warriorville while we all try to figure out what the hell went down. We’re going to need your help though,” Brian said to them.

  “What about her father? Can’t you just ship her home and then handle the rest of this?” Colt asked.

  “It’s being discussed as a possibility, but last I heard they couldn’t get in touch with him. Plus, no one in the CIA knew about Ledkin’s involvement in this case,” Brian revealed.

  “I wouldn’t just send her back to her father knowing his connections to the government as well as his dealings here in the United States,” Lilly said to them.

  Simo looked at her as she started lifting up. “Hold up,” Brian said and started helping her. When Jordo reached out, too, the entire atmosphere changed, and it was like this connection could be felt between his men and this woman.

  “Oh my God, I feel so light-headed,” she said as Brian helped her to move her legs off the side of the bed, his palm on her thigh, the sight arousing Simo. He licked his lower lip as he stepped closer.

  As she closed her eyes, he locked gazes with Brian. No words were exchanged, and then the sheriff and Caden walked into the room along with a few other law enforcement personnel.

  “Brian, can you help me with this?” she asked and held up a tank top with blood on it.

  “Maybe we can grab you something else?” Brian said.

  “Hey, I got this for you, Lilly. Brian said it was in the trunk of his patrol car.” Oliver walked by and checked her out as he handed
over the shirt.

  “Thanks,” she said and then started to pull it on. All eyes were on her body, her abundant breasts pouring from the sports bra, the bandage and stitches on her side along with a tattoo along her other hip. As her shorts raised up, Simo spotted another scar. How many times had this woman been shot before? Brian helped her as the sheriff began to explain what was going on.

  “So, we identified the men as members of a gang from New York.”

  “A gang?” Simo asked, and Brian looked at Lilly. She squinted and then looked at Tatum.

  “Yes, and from looking at Agent Ledkin’s phone calls and messages, he’s been in contact with Azra’s father all along. His daughter was never reported missing. We can’t ask him any questions because suddenly he’s disappeared.”

  “Disappeared as in taken like his daughter?” Simo asked.

  “We don’t know, and before we start calling in other resources, and considering all our agreement that agent Ledkin wasn’t being completely honest with us, I’d say we do some research ourselves and see what we come up with.”

  “And Azra?” Lilly asked.

  “We need a safe location. Someplace that won’t be so easily detected and that we three figure out so only we know.”

  Simo listened in and thought about what information they had and how he could use his resources to get more. Soon, they were leaving the hospital. Azra remained under care there with police protection until they worked out her safe place.

  “I don’t think you should drive,” Brian said to Lilly, placing his hand on her shoulder.

  “Brian, I’ll be fine. Plus, you have the patrol car and things to do with the investigation. Let’s figure out the plan for Azra together and then work things out to resolve this.”

  He reached up and stroked her jaw. She shied away from Brian’s touch. Then it was back to business.

  Chapter 5

  “Metra Arso is a multi-billionaire and businessman who has worked alongside multiple United States government agencies. His reputation is impeccable as of a year ago,” Simo told Brian, Tatum, Frank, Caden, and Oliver. Jordo and Colt were right beside him with more information.

  “Seems he went on a business trip to New York and was partying with some not so legit individuals. Ezekiel Grey is one main one who is under investigation for running an escort service that, let’s say, gives a happy ending every time,” Simo continued.

  “Charges were dropped against his most recent offense in regard to this and local detectives from New York are currently looking into human trafficking crimes taking place at one of Grey’s clubs. No concrete evidence or at least not enough to haul him in, however, through contact with friends of friends, an investigation is ongoing. It seems to be in the hands of one corrupt judge, who just happens to be the same one who got ahold of the first set of charges of the illegal escort service and charges were dismissed,” Colt told them.

  “So, Arso was working a business deal with this Grey guy?” Brian asked.

  “That is what we are assuming at this time, based on several key factors here. They were seen together various times. NYPD has surveillance of Arso attending parties in Ezekiel’s penthouse. Those men who you killed, are not part of his gang. We sent pictures, information, everything to our friends in NYPD and they are trying to get information on who the men are and how they’re a part of this,” Jordo said.

  “According to a piece of information we got from investigating, the NYPD is trying to research more of a military connection of some sort. Which from our understanding Lilly got something from Azra about her being held by men in uniform someplace like a warehouse. We’d like to try and question her a little more, or have Lilly do it since it seems your friend has formed a connection with her,” Simo suggested.

  “I can have Lilly do that. She is more than willing to help, and after everything that went down, Azra seems to only really trust Lilly and me,” Brian said.

  “Good, discuss what you need to ask her and then instead of us all being there we’ll let Brian and Lilly handle things. Now, what about the agent? What’s his involvement?” Tatum asked.

  “Ledkin has worked with and has known Arso for years. It seems to me he was trying to aid in this situation and not bring attention to Arso or the abduction. The only thing we can think of as a reason why not is that Arso was considering doing business with Ezekiel and maybe backed out. Ezekiel has a reputation of being a pretty intense individual, who covers his tracks well, and also does not take no for an answer. Again, the NYPD detectives have a great profile on the guy. If someone declines the man’s offers, they suffer in some way or another even if it’s just in their wallets. Ezekiel has pull,” Simo said.

  “What about other guys he hangs out with? Anyone else of interest?” Caden asked.

  “We’re getting everything we can from NYPD. As soon as we do we’ll keep investigating. Meanwhile, we got friends trying to get any information on Arso’s disappearance,” Simo told them.

  They talked a little more about the next steps, and then Brian walked out of the room as the others left the house.

  Lilly was thinking about what Azra told her and Brian about the military men and a warehouse. She didn’t know the location, but they were positive that the uniforms were military and that it hadn’t been a long drive from the warehouse there to where the accident had occurred. She relayed that to Brian and was currently on her way to his house to meet up with him and his team, who were gathering other information.

  She felt badly for having to tell Azra that they weren’t able to contact her father yet, and Azra cried. She mentioned the men who held her captive would talk about selling women for orders that were placed. She witnessed women being broken down, abused, and even raped if they fought back and defied orders. They were breaking them down. It had been a lot to take in, and she felt terribly for Azra. She was only fifteen, and it reminded her not only about Keeber and being abducted at the same age, but about her work as a military undercover agent helping to bring down cells of men in Turkey and Cyprus who were abducting women and selling them like objects, or forcing them to bear children, or just be at the beck and call of terrorist after business dealings.

  By the time she got to Brian’s she had a bad headache and felt the additional stress of being around the four men once again. It was becoming a routine, and finally Colt and Jordo began to speak a little bit more to her. Before she even got out of the car, Brian and Jordo were there to greet her. Brian pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tight.

  “My head is pounding,” she admitted.

  Jordo caressed her arm and shoulder, and as Brian eased back, Jordo stroked her cheek. “We’ll get you some ibuprofen.”

  “Did you eat?” Brian asked as they walked her into their home.

  “A little something, but I’ll be fine. It’s just a bad headache,” she replied as they walked toward the house. It was on a private piece of land adjacent to Warrior’s Way. Out in the distance, she saw several of the smaller new cottages and new construction nearby. She loved the idea behind it and that there would be a place for soldiers to live as they transitioned into civilian life and received any kind of therapy and counseling. It made her wonder about this team’s story and how they wound up here.

  When she walked into the room wearing her work attire—a sleeveless white blouse, beige skirt mid-thigh, and high heeled sandals—she caught Simo and Colt both look her over in appreciation.

  “Hello, Lilly,” Simo said. She smiled and met him halfway to kiss his cheek as he leaned down to kiss hers. The feel of his large, warm hand sliding along her waist aroused her just as much as when Brian or Jordo did that to her.