Rescued by the SEAL (Black Ops)

The agent and I suddenly rounded the corner, guns aimed at the heads of the two men who weren’t holding Cora.

“Let them go,” I warned in a deadly tone. I gave myself one brief glance at her to make sure she wasn’t harmed before focusing on the two bastards threatening her.

The man holding the bank manager started to put a gun to his head, but I put a bullet between his eyes before he’d even lifted his arm halfway.

The manager fell to his knees, and tears streamed down his pudgy face as he scrambled into a corner, curling up to make himself as little as possible. Pussy.

“Make another move, and I’ll kill her,” the brick house responded flatly—obviously not bothered one bit by the fact that I’d just killed his crewmate.

“You wouldn’t make it a single step before I took you down,” I snarled.

“Maybe, but I’ll take her with me.” He gestured to his last conspirator. “Grab the bag.”

The other man picked up a small sack. They left everything else as they backed down a hallway to the rear exit. “Tell them to let us through, or she’s dead.”

The agent spoke into the radio on his vest before nodding. “You’re clear.”

When I finally let myself meet Cora’s eyes, they were filled with terror. But she wasn’t falling apart, not even a glimmer of tears in her eyes. I was so fucking proud of her, and her show of strength just hammered home the fact that I’d been shortchanging her. She was right. The decision to be together wasn’t mine alone. “You’re going to be all right, gingersnap.”

“I know,” she said softly, her voice steady as she looked at me with faith in her expression. Letting her down wasn’t a fucking option. Now that I’d finally given in to my need for Cora, I wasn’t about to lose her.

“Once we’re somewhere safe, we’ll call the bank and tell you where to pick her up.”

“If she so much as breaks a fingernail,” I growled, “I’ll make you bleed before I end your life.”

My gaze never wavered from the dead man holding my girl as he exited the building. I looked for an opportunity to take him out, but I wasn’t going to risk it unless I was certain there was no chance of Cora being hurt.

The agent and I followed them outside, and the man holding the bag jumped into the driver’s side of a nondescript white van. The other carefully maneuvered into the back, basically using Cora as a human shield.

Police cars raced after the vehicle, but ten minutes later, they radioed to say they'd lost it when at least five matching vans entered the highway, clearly there to give the robbers cover.

I was being debriefed by the FBI agent in charge when they called it in. My hands balled into fists, and I counted to ten so I wouldn’t put a dent in the car next to me.

“We’re done,” I announced and stalked away, pulling out my phone and hitting a number as soon as I knew I wouldn’t be overheard.

“Reed?” Cash answered after one ring.

“I need your help.”

3

Cora

I’d kept my eyes on Huntley the entire time the robber dragged me out of the bank. He was my lifeline, keeping me calm right up until the moment when the door to the white van slammed shut. I felt as though all of the air was knocked out of my lungs when I was shoved down and the van sped forward, but not because of how hard I landed. The loss of Huntley’s steady gaze was what impacted me the most.

I was filled with regret over waiting so long to speak up about my feelings for him. If I’d said something sooner, forced his hand before he’d been deployed four months ago, maybe we would have had time together as a couple. Then I would’ve had the chance to get to know Huntley. To learn about the things he liked. Go out on dates. Feel his lips brush against mine as our tongues tangled together while we kissed.

Being taken hostage by two bank robbers—one of whom creeped me out big time with all his talk about the things he wanted to do once he got me alone—made me wonder if those things were ever going to happen. I didn’t doubt that Huntley would do everything in his power to find me, but I wasn’t sure I would be the same person when that happened.

I’d already seen someone die after Huntley shot the robber who’d been ready to aim his gun at my boss, Mr. Jones. And I was ashamed to admit that a part of me had wished that the one who was using me as a shield had been the one he’d killed instead because then I’d be free. Or at least the creepy jerk wouldn’t be in the back of this van with me now. While his partner was busy evading the police cars who were chasing us, he’d taken full advantage of our position to cop a few feels. But he’d paid for it when I nailed him in the balls with my knee and was still cupping his groin a few minutes later.