Page 40 of Playboy

In a flash, Bear and Nails leaped from the deck of her boat onto the slick, rolling surface of the sub. The ocean swelled around them, waves sloshing over the top of the sub, forcing the two SEALs to brace themselves to keep their balance. Gabby’s eyes stayed locked on the two SEALs as they crept forward, Bear leading the way as they approached the small hatch. She could hear them over comms. Their voices strained as they shouted for the operators inside to stop the sub.

“Stop the boat! U.S. Navy!” Bear bellowed, his voice fierce against the roaring wind and waves.

Nails pounded his fist against the metal hatch, his voice just as sharp. “Shut it down now!”

The sub didn’t slow. Gabby’s heart raced, each second dragging into an eternity as the boat refused to stop, surging forward through the churning ocean. For a terrifying moment, she thought the operators inside would rather die than surrender.

“Come on,” Gabby muttered under her breath, her grip tightening on the wheel as she fought to hold her position alongside them. The boat shifted beneath her, waves rolling and rocking it, but she held steady.

Then, finally, the sub powered down. The sudden stillness in the water sent an eerie vibe through Gabby. It was like the calm before the storm.

The rest of the team stood at the railing, covering their teammates with their weapons drawn, their eyes scanning for any threat. Overhead, the helicopter continued to circle and hover with a sniper ready to take out any potential threat.

Bear and Nails exchanged a quick glance, weapons drawn as the hatch slowly creaked open, the metal groaning in protest. Gabby’s breath hitched as the heavy lid lifted, revealing the dark interior of the sub.

Nails yanked the hatch fully open, his weapon trained on the men inside. "Get out, now!" he ordered, his voice cutting through the air.

The first man hesitated, but he had no choice. Bear and Nails didn’t give them a chance to think twice. They grabbed the two occupants by the arms, dragging them out of the sub and onto the top as the other SEALs began swarming the sub with their weapons drawn, ready for any resistance.

As the two sub crew members were cuffed and moved onto one of the other Coast Guard boats, Playboy and Jay Bird entered the sub.

Gabby’s heart raced, knowing there could still be danger lurking inside the sub. After a few minutes, though it had felt like hours, Jay Bird radioed in an “all clear.”

A wave of relief washed over Gabby as she exhaled, realizing she had been holding her breath.

After they had the sub secured and tied up to one of the other boats, the team prepared to assist with unloading the contraband.

Gabby looked on as the guys stowed some of their gear and congratulated each other. Playboy, at that moment, looked at Gabby and met her gaze. He grinned as he walked toward her.

“Nice driving, Captain,” he teased.

Gabby smirked. “Just doing my job, sailor.”

He leaned in closer, and Gabby’s heart rate spiked.

“I could kiss you right now,” he whispered so only she could hear.

Please do!The voice inside her head screamed though it would be very unprofessional.

And as if he knew what was going through her mind, he gave her arm a gentle squeeze and then whispered, “Later,” before winking and walking back to his team.

Oh, he was playing dirty by teasing her like that. She grinned. Two could play that game. And one day, she would return the favor.

Shaking her head, she reached for the radio to report in. The mission, at least for the moment, was a success.

CHAPTER NINE

Lorenzo Escalona stood along the railing near the bow of his boat, looking through his binoculars. His eyes narrowed as he watched from a distance as the Coast Guard swarmed over the narco-sub like ants as they offloaded the cocaine, bale by bale.

However, they barely made a dent—maybe a quarter of the cargo, at most. The tension in his jaw tightened as his anger built.

The sub had been caught, and all because the two idiots piloting it had made the fatal mistake of staying on the surface too long. They should’ve dived. They should’ve gone undetected. But now, here they were, about to lose over a hundred million dollars in product and their reputation along with it.

Lorenzo’s hands balled into fists as the thought of failure gnawed at him.Ramon’s going to kill me. His brother had warned him about taking risks, but he had to prove himself. He knew the game—if you didn’t take risks, you didn’t succeed. And Lorenzo wasn’t one to sit back while everything fell apart. He wasn’t going to be remembered as the one who let the family’s empire take a hit.

He glanced at the two men beside him—Carlos and Victor—both hardened and loyal, with enough experience to handle what he had in mind. The Coast Guard didn’t seem to have their full force on the scene; maybe they hadn’t expected the sub to carry so much cargo. And maybe that oversight would be their downfall. He could feel it—an opportunity.

Lorenzo turned to Carlos, his eyes sharp. “You think you can operate that sub if we get you on board?”

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