Ranger's Baby Surprise (Special Forces Elite 2)

1

Jake

It had been two weeks.

Two weeks since I had been back on US soil. Sometimes it felt as if the desert air and sand were still in my nose. In my lungs. Clogging my throat. As if the grit coated my uniform and skin in so many layers it would never come off. Now that I was stateside, I vaguely remembered what breathing clean air was like.

Sure, it was a hell of a lot nicer being back on this side of the world. There were things like showers and beds. Hot food to eat and phones that worked. I could walk down the street without fear. But in Kiawai I had a mission. I had a purpose. I had a drive that was with me twenty-four seven.

That mission wasn’t over until the target was taken out. The problem was the target kept moving. He kept switching the plan. Making it impossible to capture him.

I had been tracking the target for over a year. He was the highest-ranking member of Kiawai’s regime, and he was well guarded and well connected.

It hadn’t been my choice to back down, but we needed fresh intel if we were going to succeed. For now, my team was scattered, waiting on orders before we could go back into the country.

I didn’t want to leave. They had to force me out. If I hadn’t made a promise it probably would have taken the entire army to remove me.

While I waited to return, I had another mission. One I would rather never have to complete. It was the kind of mission I dreaded.

I turned on the windshield wipers on the Jeep and made another turn. I had been driving for hours, trying to find his way on Oregon’s back roads. When Elliot told me he lived in the middle of nowhere, he meant it. There was nothing here but tall trees, rain and a stillness that made him uneasy.

I slowed the car when I saw the last name on the mailbox: Flynn.

I groaned and pulled in a gravel driveway that crunched under the tires.

“I can’t believe you made me promise this,” I muttered.

I parked and stood staring at the brick house in front of me. This was it.

I slammed the Jeep’s door behind me and climbed the stairs. There was a wreath on the front door. A yellow ribbon tied to the base.

I pulled his shoulders back, ready to knock. Ready to fulfill my duty. Ready to try to right some of the wrong that happened to Elliot’s family.

2

Olivia

I climbed the rocky steps cut into the side of the cliff that led back to the house. I wrapped the cashmere sweater around me shoulders, pulling the edges tight against my chest. The wind picked up the ends of my auburn hair, no matter how much I tried to tuck them into my ponytail holder. It was pointless.

The waves crashed fiercely below me, angry and menacing. Even with me back to the ocean, I felt the chill cut through her.

It had been good to take a break. I needed to get out of the house. The memories were almost suffocating. But I didn’t know if watching the waves made things any better. All I could think about were the summers when Elliot and I played on the beach.

The last month had been the worst of my life. My restaurant had burned to the ground. My brother had been killed and no one would give me any answers. I was left with a house that was falling apart, just like me.

When I didn’t think I could take the icy winds anymore, I decided to pack more boxes. They weren’t going to pack themselves.

As I reached the top of the cliff and made my way through the shell covered path that opened to the house I saw a Jeep parked in the driveway.

I crossed the yard, keeping one eye on the Jeep. I tried to open the gate, but the latch was stuck. The damn thing had been broken longer than I could remember.

I rattled the handle until it finally let loose.

I looked around for the driver. She wasn’t expecting anyone. No one drove this far out of the city limits. Elliot’s memorial service was a month ago. The flower deliveries and nosy sympathizers had both come to a screeching halt two weeks ago.

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nbsp; I took one step and then another before I saw someone standing on the porch.

“Hello?” I called.

His back was turned to me. He was staring off the edge of the porch, looking over the cliff. From there he could see the waves crash and hurl on top of the rocks.

When he turned around I almost tripped over the last step. It didn’t help there was a loose board.

“Whoa.” He reached out to grab me before I landed face first on the porch.

His hand circled my waist, catching me as if I were light as a feather. He stood me upright.

“Hi.” I stared into his deep blue eyes. I was sure I saw flecks of gold that glinted as he stared back at me.

He cleared his throat.

I tried to wiggle free, but his hand was clamped to my waist. His grip was firm.

“Thanks.” My hands landed where his fingers were wrapped against me. They were thick strong fingers.

“You’re welcome.” He finally released me, his chest expanding.

“Can I help you with something?”

His brow furrowed. He took a step back. “Holy hell,” he whispered.

“Excuse me?”

“Sorry. It’s just…” He held out his hand. “Crane. Uhh, Jake Crane.”

I took his hand, noticing how rough it felt closing around my palm. “Nice to meet you. I think.”

He nodded. “It is.”

“Are you lost? Or are you selling something?” I asked.

I tried to figure out why this man was standing on my doorstep. I didn’t know faces like that existed. His jawline was square and his cheekbones high. His hair was dark, almost black, which was a dangerous combination with those eyes.

“Neither.” He smiled.