The Hero She Needs (Unbroken Heroes Book 1)(45)

Boone’s body knew its training. He moved silently through the trees. Just like the ghost his team had been named for. When his Ghost Ops team had been deployed on missions, there had been times they’d laid in wait, not moving for hours. People had walked right by them and never spotted them in their hiding places.

“Come out with the girl,” a man shouted.

That’s it, asshole, give me your location. He noted the Romanian accent. It was Radu. Boone slowed. Clearly the bullet Boone had put in the guy’s shoulder in Denver hadn’t slowed him down.

“Give her to us and we’ll let you live.”

Boone gave a mental snort. Sure, he was totally buying that. He crept in closer, his rifle up and ready. He noted movement off to his right, by the cabins. He saw a big merc moving closer. The guy had to be six foot six.

Boone needed to take him out first. He swung his rifle onto his shoulder, then darted through the trees. He paused and peeked through some foliage.

The merc was looking through the window of an empty cabin.

Across the clearing, he saw three other mercenaries fanning out. They’d come in force to get Gemma.

Behind the men, a big shape darted from the trees. Shep, Ka-Bar knife in hand, took one merc down silently. He dropped the body to the ground, then dissolved back into the trees.

“Oscar’s down!” Another merc rushed to help his fallen friend.

The third merc frowned. “Grivas and Dale aren’t answering comms.”

“Find these fuckers!” Radu yelled from nearby.

Boom.

A small explosion rocked the clearing. Boone crouched lower and smiled. Someone had set off one of Shep’s booby-traps. A cloud of smoke blew through the clearing.

Boone heard shouts, but he quickly moved in behind the cabins. He saw the big merc with his back to him.

Boone attacked. He wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, and caught him in a chokehold. Boone used his body weight to pull them both backward, putting pressure on the man’s throat and cutting off his air.

The guy struggled, and he was strong. Boone gritted his teeth and held tight.

The man rammed an elbow into Boone’s thigh.

Fuck. Pain shot down his leg, but he ground his teeth together and pulled harder. He wasn’t letting go. Finally, he felt the guy’s body go lax, and lowered him to the ground. Quickly, Boone pulled zip-ties from his pocket and bound the man.

“You’ve signed your death warrants.” Radu’s raised voice echoed through the clearing. “We will kill you all. Slowly and painfully.”

“Someone’s pissed,” Shep said dryly. “I’m coming your way.”

“Acknowledged.” Boone tried to see through the smoke hanging in the clearing from the explosion. How many mercs were left?

He pressed his back to the wall of another cabin and peered around.

Bullets hit the wood inches from his face, and he quickly ducked back.

“There’s one of them! By the cabins.”

Moving fast, Boone changed directions and darted between two other cabins.

“Where did he go?” a merc yelled.

“They’re like fucking ghosts. There must be at least six of them.”

Boone smiled.

“Get the thermal camera out,” Radu ordered.

Shit. That wiped Boone’s smile away. That would put him and Shep at a big disadvantage.

A second later, Shep appeared and crouched beside Boone.

“Still a few left,” his friend said.

“Yeah. We need a plan fast, before they get that thermal camera up and running.”

“Agreed.” Shep looked around the corner of the cabin and stiffened. “Oh, shit.”

Boone leaned around…

And spotted a merc aiming an RPG launcher toward the cabins.

“Fuck. Run.”

Shep and Boone sprinted for the trees.

Behind them, he heard the distinctive sound of the RPG firing.

Boom.

One of the cabins exploded in flames.





Crouched on the rocky ground, with only the faint illumination from her flashlight to help her see, Gemma stroked Atlas’ side.

Waiting was horrible. Her brain was doing its best to come up with the worst possible scenarios.

“God,” she said shakily.

Boone and Shep were out there, fighting to protect her. They were risking themselves for her.

Sensing her anxiety, Atlas rose and pressed against her. She buried her face in his fur.

“He’ll be okay, right? He’ll come back to us.”

Suddenly, she felt a vibration beneath her, and in the distance, a faint muffled explosion. Atlas tensed.

“Oh, no.” She couldn’t just sit here. What if Boone needed help? She rose. She just needed to check was what going on. “Come on, Atlas. We’ll just have a little look.”

She moved back down the tunnel at a jog, praying she didn’t take a wrong turn. The place was creepy as hell.

She got to the entrance and hovered at the doorway. Beside her, Atlas whined.

“I know. You’re worried about him too.” She stroked the dog’s back. “He’ll be all right.”

She wanted to fall in love with Boone Hendrix. The words resonated through her. She’d already started that fall, and it was exciting, scary, exhilarating.