Breaking Away (Delta Force Strong #3) - Elle James Page 0,3
snorted. “Under control when you were about to be shot in the head?”
She shrugged. “Well, I did…until those last four came bustin’ through.” Kylie sighed. “I guess I should thank you for saving my life.”
“Don’t sound so disappointed.” He held out his hand. “And you could do a better job of saying thank you.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she laid her hand in his.
Suddenly, she was yanked onto her feet and into his arms. He kissed her hard, his mouth claiming hers just like he had all those years ago.
And just like she had every time he’d held her in his arms, she melted against him, her arm circling the back of his neck. She returned the kiss, hungry for him.
She could have lost herself in him forever.
“Kylie?” Josh called out. “You okay?”
Mac held onto her a moment longer, finally releasing her lips, though his arm remained around her waist.
“I’m okay,” Kylie called out, her voice husky. Safe from the Taliban, but not sure she was safe from heartache.
“Is it safe to come out?” Josh called out. “Sergeant Garcia needs a medic.”
“You can come out,” she said and stepped away from Mac.
His jaw tightened the way it had when she’d walked away from him all those years ago. Yeah, she’d missed him, and the spark was still there on her part. Based on his kiss, he hadn’t forgotten her either.
The spark was there, but had he forgiven her for choosing her career over him?
“Mac! You in there?” a male voice called out from the outside of the building. Rucker Sloan burst through the door, his weapon ready. He aimed at Mac and Kylie until recognition dawned in his eyes. “Damn it, Mac. I thought you were a dead man when I heard all that shooting.”
“I’m fine,” Mac said, though his chest felt as if he’d been punched in the ribs. “Found a few of our Taliban friends about to make Swiss cheese out of one of our citizens.”
Several more of his teammates entered, Sergeant Ryan “Dash” Hayes in the lead.
Dash stopped, his eyes widening, a grin spreading across his face. “Whoa, Mac, where’d you find the babe?”
Mac frowned. “She’s not a babe.”
“From where I’m standing, I’d say she is,” Mike “Blade” Calhoun said with a flash of his bright blue eyes. He pulled his K-Bar knife out of the scabbard attached to his belt and rubbed his thumb across the blade. “You took care of all six of these guys?”
“There was a seventh man, but he got away.” Mac shook his head. “I only got three of these. Miss Adams took out the first three before I arrived.”
John “Tank” Sanders and Craig “Bull” Bullington turned over the three Kylie had killed.
Tank whistled. “Hey, I think we have a winner.”
“What do you mean?” Mac asked.
Tank lifted his chin toward the body. “This guy looks like one of the guys on our most wanted list.”
Rucker, Dash and Mac gathered around the dead man.
“Looks like Abdul Ahktar,” Rucker confirmed.
“Brother of Mullah Ahktar?” Dash asked.
Tank nodded.
“Isn’t Mullah Ahktar one of the bloodiest field commanders of the Taliban?” Kylie asked.
Rucker nodded. “He’s not going to be happy to learn his brother was killed. Even worse…by a woman.”
“Sweetheart,” Dash said, “you’ll have a price on your head as long as you’re in the theater.”
“You might want to consider leaving Afghanistan,” Tank said.
“I can’t leave,” Kylie said, frowning. “I’m covering the war for my syndicate. They expect me to give them live-action news about the war efforts.”
“Ahktar will hunt you down.” Rucker said. “He’s done it before. That Marine who killed Ahktar’s second in command lasted a total of five days before Ahktar’s best sniper took him out.”
Mac’s frown deepened. “Rucker’s right. Ahktar’s like a bulldog with his teeth sunk deep. He won’t let go. Kylie, you’re not safe around here.”
“I was never safe to begin with. I’ll manage,” Kylie said.
“You don’t understand.” Mac gripped her arms. “You killed his brother. Once he gets wind of his brother’s death, Ahktar won’t let you out of this country alive. Your best bet is to get the hell out before he learns who did the shooting. That it was a woman will make him even angrier.”
Kylie’s brow dipped. “I’m not going. This is my job. It’s what I do. Besides, I came to get footage on the extraction and to interview Faaid.” She squared her shoulders and faced Rucker, her chin rising. “Now, we should concentrate on more important matters.”
“What’s more important than keeping you alive?”