Rescued Heart Excerpt

One of his own had turned.

He’d spent the past ten hours dissecting the members of his squad and their behavior over the last year. Lieutenant Fallon Carter was next. His jaw relaxed and he swallowed.

She was a bright spot in his unit and his life. It was by reliving special moments with her that he’d gotten through his two beatings, and she’d no doubt help him through several more. The woman had captured his heart and soul the moment she’d walked into his office.

Sure, he’d read her file. She’d come highly recommended, never fraternized with subordinates, always accomplished her missions. He’d even seen her picture, knew she was beautiful, smart, and a crack shot. Still, nothing had prepared him for the real deal.

He’d been on his cell phone, looking out his office window, when a knock on his opened door and a puff of air had sent every hair on the back of his body standing at attention. He remembered turning around and snapping his phone shut, but to this day, he couldn’t recall who he’d talked to or even if he’d ended the call.

A curvy vision in fatigues stood before him and sucker punched the breath from his lungs. Her brown, sun-kissed hair was braided to her head, dark lashes surrounded exotic brown eyes, and full lips titled up slightly when she spoke. His groin had tightened and he’d realized she’d reported for duty when her right hand snapped to her forehead and hovered there, waiting for his response.

He’d cleared his throat, answered her salute, and ordered her to sit down. He’d wondered what was wrong with him. He acted like an ROTC cadet. Sitting down, he opened her file and pretended to read while he brought his body under control. By the time she’d left his office, he’d made sure their conversation had proven to her that the brain in his head did function despite lack of blood flow.

He snickered, then grimaced as pain pierced his side and brought him back to the present. “Damn stooges.”

Inhaling slowly, he wondered if the State Department had sanctioned his rescue. Either way, he was walking out of this compound with that thumb drive in his pocket. He sat up straight and ignored his wounds.

He just hoped Fallon didn’t do anything rash.