Page 1 of Operation: Return

Prologue

Connor Kincade shifted slightly and burning pain sliced through his upper torso to his shoulder. He tensed, sucking in a breath. The moment he’d been shot replayed in his head. He’d almost died that day, and twice since then from infections.

A gentle hand squeezed his and he didn’t need to open his eyes to know who was there. Aside from the three days she’d gone home to help with Junior and Gabby’s wedding a few days before, she’d been at his side in his hospital room. He wasn’t sure how they were going to pay for all the hotel stays and food, but he wouldn’t ask her to leave, either.

“Hey, big guy. I heard your breathing change. Are you awake?”

Her voice brought him back to the very bright lights above his head and the cold chill of the machines around him. How much longer could he stand to stay there before he forced himself free. “Hey yourself,” he answered, wishing he still had the right to lift her palm to his lips.

“I’m sure you want an update, that’s what you ask for every single time you wake up.” She scrunched her nose and heaved a long sigh.

He held in a chuckle that would hurt anyway. “If you’d rather not, we could just go home and I could get an update myself.” He hated being grumpy with her, but they enjoyed pushing each other’s buttons a little too much.

“You know I won’t take you from this room until your doctor says you can leave. We tried doing it your way and . . .” She closed her eyes and didn’t finish.

And he’d been too weak to even walk to the wheelchair. He’d collapsed and that’s when they found the infection no one knew he had. “I’m not sick anymore. I just want to heal in my own bed, without all this.” He motioned to the equipment all around him and the IV that felt like a part of him now.

“How about I just tell you that things are very quiet, too quiet, at home.”

Meaning the traffickers who had invaded his home and eventually shot him were still on the loose, but not making a move. “So no one has heard anything? Did they get any information from the men they arrested? Has anyone gotten to Viceroy?”

Lacy glanced at the door, then stood and closed it. She frowned deeply. “I don’t know how far his reach is, but I don’t want to assume we’re safe here. We’ve heard nothing, except that the men who were arrested, and Scarlet’s aunt, never made it to deposition.”

He’d worried about that. Darlene, Scarlet’s aunt, had said as much. It wouldn’t matter if she never said a word, those above her would assume she could and eliminate her. “I’m sorry to hear that. I know they chose their paths in life and choices have consequences, but that doesn’t mean I like it.”

Lacy slowly sat down again. “I know we aren’t out of the woods, but I don’t know when the threat will come. It’s not like they’ll just give up.”

He couldn’t do a thing about it from here, but he wanted to know all the same. “What about Cole? Is he on his way to complete his mission yet?”

Lacy rolled her eyes. “In the very same breath that you find out the threat is still out there you ask if Cole is going to bring a young woman who doesn’t know anything about what we do to our ranch? Isn’t that asking for trouble?”

He chuckled because Lacy was the only one who would talk to him like that, challenge him. He missed challenging her right back. “I never said he had to bring her back to the ranch. And if he does, he’s smart enough to confirm with Edwyn that everything is clear. You’ve stepped up security while I’ve been stuck in here. You’ve had the guys install more cameras and are riding around every morning looking for any hint the perimeter has been breached. Things are finally returning to life as normal at the ranch after two months of careful hiding and limited riding.”

“All true.”

He could only imagine how hard it was for the few clients they had staying with them right now. They must feel just as pent up and chained as they once had been. He was surprised some of them hadn’t left. “So?”

“Cole is leaving tomorrow as far as I know. The woman lives in Colorado, as does a man named Trace who is a friend of Scarlet’s from their time with Viceroy. She asked us to find him.” Lacy’s jaw hardened and she straightened her back. “I hope you don’t think for one second that you will try thismissionwith me.”

He knew what the answer would be if he did. Lacy had told him that, without question, she would leave if he ever tried to be anything more than her friend. He’d hurt her too deeply, too completely, to ever forgive. She could be the person he needed to help run the ranch, she would stand by his father until the day he died, but she would never, ever, wear his ring again.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Though he had, almost every day since he’d asked his brothers in arms to take this challenge.

“Good, then we understand each other.” She grinned. “By the way. Doctor says you might get out of here in a week if you’re good.”

He chuckled, knowing she wanted him to. “Then I’m in trouble because I’ve never been good a day in my life.”

She laid her hand atop his and the warmth surprised him. “When Trace comes, will you want to talk to him? This will be the first intake at the ranch that you haven’t personally done.”

He shook his head and resisted the extreme urge to flip his hand over and clasp her fingers between his. “I trust Edwyn. He’s talked to you every single day. He’s gotten direction from my dad and from you. I know he’ll do the right thing, even if I wouldn’t have agreed to take Trace on in the first place.”

Not only was Trace a male who was potentially romantically connected to a female who was already in residence, Cole was the last man he’d have given the job to work with Trace. Cole could be cold and brooding with other men. He was purely professional with women, but with men he acted like he had a chip on his shoulder. Mainly because men he’d trusted with his life had failed him, starting with his father, then his country, he wouldn’t give his friends the chance to fail him.

“Agreed or not, Cole is going to get him and I worry that bringing another victim who was rescued from Viceroy is only going to make the situation worse. Especially one so connected to Scarlet. Coledoeshave to bring Erica back to Wayside, because there’s no way he could possibly work with Trace outside the security of the ranch.”

He had to be losing his touch since that hadn’t occurred to him. He needed to be back at his desk, doing his job, helping his people. Staying here was only making him weak, in body, spirit, and mind. “I’m sure Cole will do what’s right.”

And he prayed that he was home in time to help if Cole couldn’t.

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