Page 9 of Mated to Team Shadow

"Done." I reported the list of what I found and Ryker's expression turned sour.

"Doc, get on that engine."

"For heaven’s sake," said Jeanine. "Are you always this grumpy?"

I had to turn away, so he didn't see me laughing. Chief's bad moods when an op didn't go as planned were legendary.

"Chief," said Damon, "is always this grumpy."

"Damon, give Doc a hand," growled Ryker. "We can't sit out here without power."

"Aye, aye, Chief."

"What are you guys anyway?" Jeanine said.

"That's on a need-to-know basis," grumbled Ryker.

"Since I'm on a ship in the middle of the Caribbean with four strangers, I need to know."

Ryker raised an eyebrow and turned away.

"I'll check things down below," he said.

The Chief could be a dick, but it didn't bother us because we gave it right back. But we couldn't in front of the civilian. Her adorable face was now marred by a frustrated frown. So I sat next to her.

"Don't mind him. We muffed Morgan not making it off that ship. It upsets him when an op gets blown."

"Let me get this straight. A mysterious U.S. government four-man team was on a ship of a suspected pirate to kill him? And screwed the op?"

"What were you doing on there? And don't tell me 'to party' because you enter a pirate's private room for only two reasons—to have sex with him, or to steal from him. Which was it?"

"I've nothing to hide," she said lifting her chin. "A friend of mine partied with Morgan and then disappeared. She sent me a message saying she was in trouble, and then her messages stopped."

"Did you contact the authorities?"

"Which authorities would that be? Who takes an interest in a girl who parties with a suspected criminal?"

I had to admit she was correct.

"What's her name?"

"Surma Jones. Black girl, 5'8" inches, about one-hundred-forty pounds."

"We've been on Morgan's ship for three months. I didn't see her."

She bit her lip, which my inner beast found adorable. He growled within me to get closer, and though in the back of my head I realized I shouldn't, I put my arm around her. Her hair's scent, laden with the sea, and the essence of her wafted up my nose. It was enticing and intoxicating.

Mine, said my jaguar.

Yeah, sure, buddy. And what would we do with her?

Do I have to spell it out?

The urge to nuzzle her neck came over me, and I stopped short of leaning over to put my mouth on her creamy skin. Inside my beastly side complained and loudly.

Work, not play.

It was weird scolding yourself, and things got more ridiculous when my dick thickened. But, me making a play for her would not work out with my team, especially since we were dead in the water and miles from rescue.

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