Page 2 of Witness Protection

The commander flashes a map up on the screen of the large mansion where Bates and Fortini are having their dinner. It is the residence of Bates and heavily fortified. There is a good chance that a firefight will break out, but that is what we are trained for.

“All right team let’s move.” I hustle out to the waiting vans and get in with my other teammates.

“You ready to lock and load big daddy.” My best friend Chase and teammate says holding out his knuckles.

“Let’s do this,” I say knocking my knuckles against his.

****

I creep across the lawn of the expansive mansion, my commander whispering through my earpiece. The two front guards have been taken out, and we are quickly moving forward.

We bust through the front door, and the firing starts. The team leader is screaming orders in our ears and I duck behind a door, feeling bullet whiz by me. I take a quick look around for Chase, but he is nowhere to be seen. I hope he is ok and moves from my hiding place, taking out one of the guards and moving swiftly down the hallway. Bates will have a bolthole a different way out of the house and we need to get to him before he uses it.

I hear voices coming from a closed door. I kick it open and point my gun into the room. Three of my team spread out behind me, pointing guns at the occupants of the room.

“Commander we have them.” I keep my gun pointed at the men in the room. I recognize them from the photos at the briefing they weren’t able to escape in time. My eyes scan over them and then stop on the other occupant of the room.

Bates brings up a gun from behind his back. I take him down before he has time to get it past his waist. The sharpshooter training I had in the marines comes in handy in this job.

I swing the gun to Fortini and dare him with my eyes to make a move.

“Don’t make a move or you will join your, friend.”

I take my eyes off Fortini as agents and soldiers flood the room and get my first good look at the other occupant of the room.

I feel my breath whoosh out of my lungs as I take a long look down her body.

She is beautiful with long curly hair and curves to die for. She is dressed in a body-hugging ice blue gown that leaves nothing to the imagination and her large brown eyes are wide and scared.

This must be Elise Stuart, the daughter that Fortini was using as a bargaining chip. I knew that looks could be, but she looks innocent and scared.

The other members of my team cuff Fortini as I walk over and take Elise lightly by the arm.

Fortini looks over at her, his gaze hard on her face, “Not a word do you hear me? Not a word. Call my lawyer.” He says as he is dragged out of the room.

She looks down at the floor and just nods. Seeing her this way it makes my heart hurt. She waits until his back is turned, and then she lifts her head and glares at his back. This is no little damsel in distress, this girl has fire in her. The feeling of protectiveness inside of me grows. There is something about this woman that just calls to me. I want to protect her and make her mine.

It is a strange feeling I have never felt for a woman before and this is not the place to explore it.

I need to get her out of here and somewhere safe so she can be debriefed. If she is willing, she might be the key to taking down two of the biggest drug runners in the city.

“Miss, my name is Jason Archer I need you to come with me,” I say this gently, and she looks up at me. I am suddenly drowning in a big pair of chocolate brown eyes.

“Am I going to jail?” She asks looking from my hand on her arm back to my face.

I quickly take my hand from her arm and shake my head, “No, you are not going to jail I just want to take you somewhere safe.” I tell her, escorting her out of the room and out of the mansion.

She comes willingly and I slide into the waiting vehicle next to her. I am not leaving her, she needs to be protected and I know that I am the one to do it.

Chapter Three- Elise

It all happened so fast. One minute I am standing in the study being talked about like I am some piece of art and then next moment a handsome man is busting in and changing the course of my entire life. It happened so fast and it was frightening. He stood there with his gun pointed at us and I wasn’t sure if this was the end of my life or the beginning.

I can feel the warmth of his body as he sits next to me in the vehicle. My head is spinning with all that has just happened. Bates the man that I was being sold to for Craig’s debts was lying on the floor in a pool of blood, having been shot by this man who had entered the room swiftly and with the air of command.

I sneak a peek at the man he has dark close-cropped hair, gray eyes, a chiseled jaw, and muscles for days.

I feel a thrill run through my body. This man saved me, I hope that this is the first day in a new life and not just an interruption of my old one. I saw the way his eyes swept my form after Craig was handcuffed and led away. I have seen that look of lust on other men’s faces before, many times in my position as hostess. It is actually a surprise that this is the first time Craig has tried to sell me to the highest bidder. I contemplate that it may not be, and a shiver runs up my spine. The possessive way that this man looks at me though it makes me feel safe and protected unlike the way I felt when other men looked at me in the same way.

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