Merciless (Option Zero 1)

Nora and her associates had been lucky to get out alive. Chaos had surrounded them as glass and debris zoomed through the air. It had taken every bit of her courage and willpower to escape. She still bore a horrible scar from a cut on her arm.

Drake wasn’t the only one who blamed Nora for the debacle. In her opinion, that was grossly unfair. Okay, yes, she coordinated the meeting, but she also brought in extra security to keep everyone safe. Was it her fault they failed? Instead of placing the blame where it belonged, she was held responsible for the entire disaster.

In hindsight, she should have ensured there were no survivors. When the helicopter had lifted from the ground, she had looked down at the destruction and believed that no one would survive. The cartel that had attacked them had been closing in. Even though she’d seen a couple of men running around, she had assumed they’d be dead in moments. How was she to know that Asher Drake would live to tell the tale?

Putting that horrendous day behind her had been her only option. And if Drake had been killed that day, she would have been able to do so. Instead, he was the sole survivor and refused to let that day die a natural death. He continued to chisel away at what happened, trying to uncover the truth.

Despite all the frustration and aggravation, Drake and his people wouldn’t succeed. The truth was buried so deep that no one, not even the OZ organization, could dig that far. All the people who’d been there were either dead or had as much to lose as Nora. No one was going to talk. But that didn’t mean Drake couldn’t cause problems.

While Drake had some influential friends, they weren’t even close to being as powerful as Nora’s. Plus, Drake had his organization to be concerned with. He had people to protect and a lot to lose.

She needed to rid herself of Asher Drake for good. The first time she’d tried had been an abysmal failure. At the time, it had looked like the perfect solution, and she hadn’t gotten her hands dirty at all. A serial killer bent on revenge escapes and goes after the man who put him away? It should have worked. But it didn’t. Instead of Drake dying, his wife died instead. What a mess that had been. All that remained was a man even more bent on revenge than before and another black mark on Nora’s record.

This time, she was going with a professional. Jessie Diamond was going to fix her problem. Once Drake was ruined, she could put all that nasty business behind her, once and for all.

If that didn’t work out, Nora had one last option. She had been assured that Diamond could handle that as well. No matter what, Asher Drake had to be stopped. If that meant he had to stop breathing, then so be it.

Chapter Eighteen

Montana

OZ Headquarters

The instant the SUV entered OZ territory, Ash had the vehicle on his radar and a visual on the security monitor. The newest member of OZ had arrived. He had wondered if she would make it in time. The plane was fueled up and ready to go. With regret, he’d had to put a hold on the job he had originally chosen. Liam Stryker was on an op and needed backup now.

Ash met Jules at the door and had to ignore the gut-punch of attraction. Dressed in an above-the-knee multicolored dress, she looked like she’d be much more comfortable at an afternoon social than on an OZ op. For just an instant, he had the unusual wish that they could be two people with nothing more on their minds than going out for an enjoyable evening while they explored this sizzle of heat between them. Instead, they were headed into darkness.

Which was, he reminded himself, exactly where he was the most comfortable.

“You have any trouble finding the place?”

She gave a light laugh. “Since this place doesn’t even have an address, finding it without the coordinates you sent would have been impossible.”

“That’s the point. Keeps us off the radar.” He glanced over to the small parking area where she’d left her SUV. “You got stuff to unload?”

“Not a lot. Just a couple of boxes and suitcases. I put most of my personal stuff in storage.”

“Got your go bag with you?”

She shifted a bag hanging from her left shoulder. “Always.”

“Good. We’re going. Leave your vehicle unlocked, and someone will unload your stuff and store it till you get back.”

“Whe

re are we going?”

“Washington.”

“DC?”

“No. State.”

She stood on her toes to peer over his shoulder. “Just us?”

“Jazz and Xavier are already on the plane. I’ll brief you on the way.” He shifted the duffel bag on his shoulder. “Let’s go. Our pilot’s waiting.”

She followed him to his vehicle and, on the way, clicked her key fob to unlock her car. “Tell whomever unloads my car that the candy wrappers in the floorboard are from the previous owner.”