WAR: Disruption (41 page)

Heat filled her cheeks. “You’re going to pay for this, Max Lansing,” she whispered. “Just you wait.”

“Oh yeah, baby, I’m counting on it.”

Emily cleared her throat and gestured behind her. “Ah… Your brother is here.” She hoped no one could tell from her expression what Max had been saying to her, but the heat in her cheeks probably gave her away. Thank God her parents weren’t here yet. Her eagle-eyed father would know immediately what Max had been saying and would want to know Max’s intentions.

At least she was spared that humiliation for the moment. Besides, she didn’t want her family intruding on her time with Max. This was about her, her newfound strength, and the love she held for this amazing man. Showing her father that she was no longer the depressed, purposeless woman she’d been when she left the United States could wait for another day.

Wil walked over. “I know it goes against your nature, Max, but for once in your goddamn life obey orders without questioning everything. The doctors really do know what they’re talking about, and you’ll heal faster if you just do as they say. Once you’re in a wheelchair, I’m gonna give you some pointers, then I’m gonna kick your ass at wheelchair basketball. And since I hate using the chair, you better recognize how fucking generous I’m being.”

Max narrowed his eyes. “You’re on.”

“Enough of that,” the female nurse said. “Mr. Lansing, we’re taking you back to your room now. Once there you will rest, or we won’t let your girlfriend or your family in to visit. Do you understand?”

Max rolled his eyes. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Love you,” Emily said, placing a quick kiss on his forehead before they wheeled him away.

“Good to see you’re okay, bro,” Wil said.

“Love you both,” Max said groggily. “Later.” His eyes closed as the nurses pushed the gurney down the hall.

Emily wiped her eyes and saw Wil surreptitiously do the same. She blew her nose and cleared her throat.

“Okay,” Wil said. “You owe me a rematch on that game of Parcheesi. Let’s go.”

With one last look in the direction Max had gone, she summoned up a watery smile and headed down to the game room, feeling lighter than she had in days.

Three Months Later

Rental House, Chesapeake Bay

United States

MAX SAT ON the enclosed porch, wrapping up a discussion with Wil and Kris via Skype.

“Thanks to Emily’s photos, we’ve tentatively identified Dietrich’s buyer as Jonathan Morenga,” Kris said from his office at WAR’s headquarters. “Mixed race, born in Nigeria before the revolution. Known to support groups with radical, pan-African leanings. Currently believed to be working for the African Freedom Army.”

While most of Morenga’s men had been killed by Dietrich’s guards, Morenga himself had escaped. “Any idea where he disappeared to?” Max asked.

“Negative. We’ve got word out to our informants to let us know if they hear anything.”

“Right. Wil?” His brother was back at his office at the U.S. compound in the Greater Niger Republic.

“The weapon prototypes have been turned over to the Department of Defense’s research division,” Wil said. “If they’ve figured out what the weapon does, they’re keeping silent about it.”

“Typical,” Max snorted.

“Yeah.”

“As far as we know, AFA has not yet lined up another weapon, so they’ve had to call off their planned attack,” Kris added. “Again, our informants will keep us apprised of the situation.”

Max glanced out the window to where Emily was playing on the beach with the next door neighbor’s dog. Her shoulder had healed well, although Max still had the occasional nightmare where she died from the shot, just like her friend Crystal. “Any sign of Dietrich’s sponsor?” Dietrich had died of an alleged heart attack a month after being taken into custody. Max suspected Dietrich’s sponsor had arranged for his death.

“Not a clue. Dietrich didn’t say a word before he died,” Wil said.

“Of course not, that would have been too easy,” Max grumbled.

“But we have confirmed that you’re no longer considered AWOL from Unit 3. Technically, they would have accepted you back—”

“Over my dead body,” Max said.

“Yeah, well, your record is clean. You now have an official honorable discharge. And all charges that you kidnapped Emily have been dropped.”

“Thanks, bro.” Max cleared his throat.

“Before you ask, no. We don’t know yet who leaked WAR’s existence to Dietrich,” Wil said. “But we think it came from my side, not from within WAR.”

“Wil—”

“No, I don’t blame myself. Dietrich’s sponsor has already proved he has access to the most classified areas of the military. Why not my base, too?”

Max raised an eyebrow. His brother might know it wasn’t his fault, but that didn’t erase the bitterness from his voice. After all, an insider had leaked the plans of Wil’s previous base, setting off the chain of events that had led to the attack. Still, Max tried to ease the tension by joking “Why should you be exempt? Join the club.”

Wil snorted, then gave Max a small nod of acknowledgment.

“All right, enough small talk,” Kris said. “Are you and Emily in or not?”

Emily had finished playing with the dog and now stood on the porch steps, kicking sand off her feet. She’d finally put on some weight and lost the constant wariness that had stuck with her for weeks, resulting in a number of panic attacks. In addition to her physical therapy, she’d worked with a PTSD expert to reduce her anxiety and now only rarely had an attack.

He was so proud of her, his chest ached.

She stepped inside and he motioned her over.

She glanced at the computer, shook her head, then started to inch toward the kitchen door.

“Don’t go. Kris wants to know if we’re accepting his job offer.”

“Oh.” She walked over and put her hand on his shoulder.

Just that simple touch sent his body into overdrive. Needing to feel her warm skin under his, he put his hand on top of hers. As he’d promised, the moment his body had been strong enough, he’d taken her to bed and started fulfilling all their sexual fantasies.

Emily glanced from the computer screen to Max.

“Why don’t you tell him,” Max said.

She shrugged, then directed her attention to the image of Kris. “Yes. We accept.”

Both Kris and Wil whooped.

Emily shared an amused glance with Max. The agreement was that Max would resume his cover of being a professor working on a book. Only this time, Emily would accompany him as the photographer for his research. In reality, they’d document abuses by the rebels, gather intel, and coordinate activities with WAR’s civilian supporters such as Rene. They’d also work with Wil in his position of unofficial liaison between WAR and the U.S. military.

Fifteen minutes later, they’d finalized the logistics for the transition to their new life. The plan was for Max and Emily to move to West Africa in six months. Max needed to wait until the doctors had cleared him for heavy activity, which would probably take another month. Then he had to get back up to combat fitness. Although Emily’s work would be mostly as an observer, due to the danger in the region she would undergo training to enhance her current skills and qualify her as a low-level operator. She’d also work with her psychiatrist on techniques she could use in the field to avoid future panic attacks. Once they’d said good-bye to Kris and Wil, Max shut off the computer.

He stood up and pulled Emily into his arms, right where she belonged. Then he took her mouth in a deep kiss. “I thought they’d never shut up,” he murmured as he switched to planting kisses all over her face.

Emily laughed. “Face it, you love their attention. You missed being part of a team, didn’t you?”

He sighed and rested his forehead against hers. “Yeah. It feels good to know that someone has my back.” It humbled him knowing that Wil and Kris had never given up on him, despite his attempt to freeze them out of his life. “I’m a lucky guy.”

“You are. I like them. And,” she snuggled against him, “unless I’m wrong, Kristoff more than likes Wil. I think he has a major crush on your brother.”

“Yeah, I noticed that, too.”

“Do you think Wil knows it? He’s harder to read than Kristoff.”

Max nibbled on her ear. “Oh, Wil’s definitely noticed. And he’s interested. But wary after his previous lover died in the attack against the base. Plus, he’s still adjusting to his new job and life without his lower legs. It’ll take him a while to decide whether to get involved with Kris.”

“Well, they seem like a good fit. I hope they end up together.” Emily arched her neck and Max took her invitation, kissing his way from her ear to her collarbone and back again.

“Wil knows I’ll back him no matter what.”

“Mmm… He’s lucky to have you as a brother.”

Max just shrugged and took her mouth in a longer, deeper kiss.

“So,” he began when he came up for air. He ran his hands down her back to her butt and stroked over the curves she’d recently put on once she’d started eating again. “How about heading to West Africa as my wife?”

She raised laughing eyes to him. “Max Lansing, is that the best you can do for a proposal?”

“What? I love you. You love me. Marriage is a natural next step.” One he’d never thought he’d take. Or be so eager for. But he wanted this so badly, he’d actually approached her terrifying father—he held very old-fashioned views regarding his daughter’s love life—for permission. Max figured since her dad had eventually said yes, odds were in his favor here.

Shaking her head, Emily briefly touched her lips to his. “You’re one in a million, Max Lansing, but you do lack what my parents would call the finer social skills.”

“What? Did I do something wrong? Your dad said it was okay.”

“You talked to my dad?” She choked back laughter. “I bet that was intense.”

“Yeah. So you have to say yes, as compensation for enduring the interrogation he put me through.”

Shaking her head and smiling, she kissed him again, this time teasing him with a featherlight brush of her tongue. “You are completely unconventional and one of a kind, Max.”

Uh-oh. That didn’t sound good. Was she thinking of saying no? He’d been so sure…

She took his face in her hands and stared into his eyes. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Max threw his head back and shouted in joy. Then he scooped her up and carried her inside. “I believe we’re up to fantasy number thirty-nine,” he murmured as he set her on the bed and began to strip her of her clothes.

When she was naked, Emily sprawled on her back, unashamedly letting him see her scars as she raised her arms to him. “I don’t remember that one,” she said.

He shed his clothes and covered her body with his. “Let me remind you.” He whispered in her ear exactly what he was going to do to her and what he wanted her to do in return.

She laughed in delight and ran her hands down his back.

Max lowered his mouth to hers. Felt that now familiar sensation of coming home.

Yes. He’d finally found his place in the world. He belonged here, in the arms of this amazing woman.

And for the first time in years, he looked to the future with hope.

Dear Reader

Dear Reader,

Thank you for reading
WAR: Disruption
. The WAR series has been a long time in the making, ever since the days when I lived in West Africa. I’m so excited to finally share these characters with you.

Max wasn’t too happy with me, but I had a lot of fun putting him through hell.
 

Do you think the acid attack against Emily sounds familiar? The idea was triggered by the acid attack in January 2013 against the Bolshoi Ballet Theater’s artistic director, Sergei Filin.

Book two,
WAR: Intrusion
, is tentatively scheduled for release on June 1, 2015, although I hope to have it finished before then. The hero is Lachlan MacKay, the leader of the WAR team that comes in at the end of
Disruption
to take Dietrich and his men into custody. Lachlan is Scottish and a former SAS commander. The heroine is Helen Kirk, an American medical doctor who works at a clinic in West Africa. If you’re interested in reading some lines from
Intrusion
, check out the #1LineWed entries on my
blog
starting 12/17/14, or follow me on
Twitter
to see my #1LineWed entries every Wednesday.

To receive exclusive content and information on the progress of
Intrusion
, click
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www.vanessakier.com

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or email me at
[email protected]
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Finally, if you enjoyed reading
WAR: Disruption
, I would appreciate it if you would help others enjoy this book, too.

Recommend it.
Please help others discover this book by recommending it to family, friends, readers’ groups, and anyone else you think might be interested in Max and Emily’s adventures.

Review it.
Reviews are another fantastic way to spread the word about a book. Please consider reviewing
WAR: Disruption
at All Romance eBooks or on Goodreads.

Keep reading for an excerpt from
Vengeance
, Book 1 of the Surgical Strike Unit series.

Happy reading!

Vanessa

Excerpt from
Vengeance

by Vanessa Kier

Wednesday, Late Afternoon

Surgical Strike Unit Training Compound

Oregon

JENNA PATERSON HAD five minutes to rescue the hostage.

She nodded and her partner rammed open the door. With steady hands, Jenna pulled the pin on a flash grenade and lobbed it into the room. She quickly turned her head away, closing her eyes to protect her vision against the brilliant explosion. Then waited for her team leader to give the signal to enter. Thankfully, the shock of the grenade had startled the hostage inside into silence. Jenna had been afraid that one more minute of listening to the woman’s terrified screams would throw her back to the night two years ago when she’d been attacked.