Scandalous Heroes Box Set (42 page)

* * * *

Reeve tapped his foot as his impatience increased. They hadn’t found her yet. Two days and no sight or anything from Affrica. Or Miles. He slanted his gaze to the left and stared at the men who were accompanying him.

All of them had their game faces on. They were on the outskirts of a smaller town in upper New York. The men had weapons on and comms. He sat in the backseat of the black SUV and wished he could get out.

The door opened, and Scott stuck his head in there. “You, stay here.”

He narrowed his gaze. “What? No. I’m not staying behind. If she’s in there, I’m going.”

“Nope.”

His brother’s voice was so final. Reeve leaned forward. “Why? Why am I staying in here?”

“I need to know you’re safe in here.”

“This isn’t about me; it’s about Affrica.”

The other door opened, and Hondo peered in. “We doing this or what?”

“Be right there,” Scott said. “Just telling him to stay put.”

Reeve bit back a growl. “I’m not staying put.”

Hondo pinned him with a glare. “Yes, you are. We don’t need to be worried that you could get captured as well. You stay here. You’ll hear us, and if anything comes in behind us, you let us know. Don’t leave this vehicle.”

“You’re not giving me orders.”

“Yeah, I am. You wanting to be out there puts
my
sister in more danger because you’re going on emotion. I won’t let that happen.”

“And you don’t have emotion?”

“I have done this a long time. Let us do what we do. Don’t leave.” Hondo backed out and slammed the door.

Scott met his gaze. “We’ll find her, Reeve, but let us put all our attention on getting her out of there safe and not worrying if you’re okay or not.”

“Scott?”

His brother had been in the process of leaving but he appeared fully once more. “Yeah?”

“Find her.”

“We will.” A sharp nod, and he was gone as well.

Reeve watched as the four men spread out and worked with precise unity. They didn’t walk; they flowed. He’d never seen anything like it. Definitely not in movies.

The dead autumn leaves swirled around, and he blinked and frowned. They were gone. All of them. There one minute, gone the next. He stared from where they had been to the door. The moment his hand curved around the lever, his brother’s voice reached him.

“Don’t even think about it, Reeve. Stay put.”

He scowled and lifted the binoculars they’d left for him. Staring at the old farmhouse, he sighed.
How can they be so sure she’s in there?
They couldn’t. He knew that but they seemed confident by the intel they’d gotten. Reeve had to trust them and take into account their experiences and let them decide things.

He lowered the black matte item and gazed out the window his shoulder rested against. Movement. He frowned, rubbed his eyes and looked again.

A large explosion rocked the area, and he jumped, as did the person who’d been hiding in the tree line. In his ear, he could hear the men remaining in constant communication as they closed in upon the area.

“I see her.” Reeve said as he pushed open the door. “I see Affrica.”

“Location?”

“Running along the tree line to my south. I’m going after her.”

He jumped out and slammed the door. Without even one final gaze up to the house, he took off after her. “Affrica!” he called as he ran.

She slowed and turned. He knew the moment she recognized him for she ran out toward him. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the only one there. Another emerged from the trees, and Reeve ran faster as he saw Miles.

“He’s here! He’s here!” he relayed the information to the others. “Miles is after her. I see him.”

Muttered curses fell into his ear, and while he didn’t understand all of them, the gist of them he got. Most definitely. When the first shots rang out, he wasn’t ready for them. Sure, logically he knew he should have been—Miles had a gun—but he hadn’t been.

He reached Affrica and tackled her to the ground, keeping her below him and hopefully out of harm. Her body was ice cold, and she shivered, but damn it all, she was alive.

“You scared me, sweetcheeks.”

“What are ya doin’ here, Reeve?”

“The big boys allowed me to tag along.” He lifted his head to discover Miles was running toward them, even faster now. There wasn’t anywhere for them to go. They were in the middle of the field. “I need you to keep running.”

She held him. “We stick together.”

“No. You get to safety. I’ll distract him.”

“I willna leave ya, Reeve.”

Tearing his gaze from the approaching Miles, he stared down at her. “Yes, you will. This isn’t up for debate, Affrica O’Shea. You will run.”

“He may shoot ya.”

“Better me than you.” He kissed her hard and fast, pouring everything he felt—all the things he didn’t have time to say to her—into it. “Ready?” He allowed her to slide out from under him.

“Nae.”

“Good. I love you, Affrica. I just wanted you to know.”

“You dinna get to say such words to me now, Reeve. You say them proper when there be no danger.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He took one more look at her. “Go!”

They jumped up simultaneously, and he ran directly for Miles, who seemed startled by his action. The man hesitated before lifting his pistol and firing. Reeve swore as the shot hit him in the upper thigh, and he stumbled. As he went down, he saw Miles fly backward as if something jerked him. It took Reeve a moment to realize it was courtesy of the bullets which thudded into the other man.

He peered over his shoulder to see the four SEALs running toward him. Hondo stopped at his sister’s side, and they hugged. Then, she whirled around and headed straight back for Reeve.

Scott reached him first. “I thought I told you to stay in the vehicle.”

He winced as his brother poked at the wound. “I never was good at following your orders, Scott.”

“Reeve!” Affrica skidded to the ground beside him. “He shot ya! Are ya all right?” She kissed him repeatedly.

“It’s a flesh wound, Affrica. Stop embarrassing the man.”

Reeve looked up to see Hondo standing there, staring down at the two of them. The man gave him a nod, one Maverick echoed. He returned it to both of the males.

“I’m fine, Affrica,” he assured her. “I’ll be just fine.”

“Out of the way, Affrica. We should get him to a hospital.” Her brother spoke in his usual commanding way.

Maverick and Hondo each took a side and helped Reeve up. Affrica went with Scott and Dimitri, leaving the very dead body of Miles Horne behind them. Reeve glanced back and forth between the two helping him.

“Does this mean I get to call you brother?”

Both men grumbled but didn’t say anything. He chuckled despite the pain in his body. Once in the SUV, Affrica held his hand as Dimitri wrapped his wound. Scott called the cops, and Hondo glared. Maverick seemed to have some humor in his expression.

“Ya were saying something out there ta me, Reeve. Did ya mean it?”

Taking his attention from the four men around them, he focused on the woman. Smoothing some of her hair from her dirty cheek, he nodded.

“Every single word of it. I love you, Affrica. I want to marry you. Make your brother an uncle. Bring another into the family. Know that you’re mine and let the world know that I’m yours. I was a cold man before you exposed me to the truth of what I wanted. You. Everything about you. I know I’m not the best—“

Her kiss silenced him. “I love ya, too, Reeve Leighton. Nothing else need be said right now.” She pressed her mouth to his again.

“Come on now, enough,” Hondo complained.

He opened his eyes to see Affrica waving off her sibling. Scott winked at him and slapped Hondo on the back. “Welcome to the family.”

Reeve allowed his lids to lower again, shutting them out. There would be time enough later to deal with them. Right now, he had all he needed. Affrica.

Epilogue

Affrica tucked some wayward strands back behind her ear and readjusted her pull-on beanie cap. Flexing her fingers, she blinked as the wind picked up and sent more of the piercing cold into her face.

“Are you sure this is what you wanted to do for your honeymoon?”

With a grin she met her husband’s gaze. Husband. She’d actually married Reeve Leighton.

“Aye. Are ya not havin’ fun?”

“Oh, I’m having a blast. I just thought you might want to sit on a beach on some island somewhere, not come hiking up in the snow-covered Himalayas.”

She shrugged. “Ya should know me better than that by now.”

He nodded. “I should.”

Reeve made it to her side and slipped an arm around her waist. “Thank you,” he said in her ear.

“For?”

“Marrying me.”

“It wasna a hardship, Reeve. Stop lettin’ mah brother tease ya about it.”

“Ready to go back?”

She stood there, overlooking one of the most stunning of views, the man she loved more than anything at her side.
My world is perfect.
“Aye. I have to get some food anyway.”

“Didn’t you just eat?”

“It be your seed growing in mah belly, Reeve. It’s telling me how hungry I am. Do ya ken?”

His laughter warmed her. “Aye, lass. I ken. Come on then. Let me get you back to the hotel and feed you.”

“See ya do.”

They made their way back, and as he held the door for her, she paused and placed her hand along his cheek. “
Tá grá agam duit
.”

He kissed her lips lightly. “I love you, too, Affrica. Always.”

Her contented smile never left her face as they made their way to their room and on to dinner. She hoped it never would. What had started out as a rocky beginning for them had turned into something wonderful and perfect.

Other Titles by Aliyah Burke

His Purrfect Mate

A Love for Lera (Haikon series)

Hearth, Honor, & Holly

What the Earl Desires

Her Reluctant Viscount

Something Tangible

Under the Mask

May You Always

That Fateful Ride

If You Dare (Red Hot Valentine series)

On the High Seas (in What White Boyz Desire anthology)

Kincade’s Rose (Megalodon Team, Book 1)

Harrier’s Healer (Megalodon Team, Book 2)

Connelly’s Flame (Megalodon Team, Book 3)

Greeley’s Spyce (Megalodon Team, Book 4)

Vittano’s Willow (Megalodon Team, Book 5)

Dimitri’s Moon (Megalodon Team, Book 6)

O’Shea’s Love (Megalodon Team, Book 7)

Chayton’s Tempest (Megalodon Team, Book 8)

The Detective’s Lover

Born To Fly: Landing In Love

Born To Fly: You Save Me

Born To Fly: Wild As The Wind

Just A Dream

Add A Little Mistletoe

Sin Is Not A Four-Letter Word

Seducing Damian

Casanova In Training (In Aeternum, Book 1)

Harbour of Refuge (In Aeternum, Book 2)

Protected by Shadows (In Aeternum, Book 3)

Temporary Home (Interludes, Book 1)

Alone with You (Interludes Book 2)

Through The Fire

A Marriage Of Convenience (also in Camouflaged Hearts anthology)

The Lieutenant’s Ex-Wife (Code of Honour series Book 1)

A Man Like No Other (Code of Honour series Book 2)

When Stars Collide (Code of Honour series Book 3)

Keeper of the Stars – serial Part 1

Keeper of the Stars – serial Part 2

Keeper of the Stars – serial Part 3

Keeper of the Stars – serial Part 4

Keeper of the Stars – serial Part 5

Chasing the Storm (Astral Guardians, Book 1)

Love Under the Endless African Sky (in Coming Together: At Last Vol. 2)

Dutch & Lobo (in the In the Trenches anthology)

Co-authored with Taige Crenshaw:

Talios

Devi

Linc

Saffron

Taber

Ashia

Co-authored with McKenna Jeffries:

Wicked Burn (part of Hearts Afire: August)

All the Wright Moves (McKingley series Book 1)

The Best Thing Yet (McKingley series Book 2)

Risky Pleasures (McKingley series Book 3)

Pure Harmony (McKingley series Book 4)

Irresistible Forces (McKingley series Book 5)

Seductions Dance (McKingley series Book 6)

McKingley Vol. 1 – print

McKingley Vol. 2 – print

McKingley Vol. 3 – print

About the Author

Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached
here
, or feel free to apply to join her yahoo group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aliyah_burke
.

She is married to a career military man. They are owned by three Borzoi, and a DSH cat. She spends her days sharing time between work, writing, and dog training.