Deadly Obsession. Elle James

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СКАЧАТЬ wide on Nova’s face. “Sí. Not only is she muy bonita, she’s smart, tough and a fighter.”

      “You need a woman like that when you’re in the business we’re in.” Their SOS assignments took them all over the world.

      Chance’s last assignment had been to Syria to rescue a missionary surrounded by an organization by the name of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. Had Chance not arrived when he had, the missionary would have been tortured and killed as a warning to other Christians. Luckily, he’d arrived on the outskirts of the small village as a twenty-man contingent raided the missionary’s hideout.

      By staging an explosive distraction, Chance had been able to slip in, free the missionary and get him out. But it had cost him.

      The explosion and the resulting gunfire threw his mind back into his final mission in Afghanistan before he was medically retired from the army rangers. It was all he could do to keep his head on straight and pull the missionary out while his mind played tricks on him, making him think he was fighting the Taliban.

      Everything that could have gone wrong did on his final active-duty mission. No matter how much his gut told him it was a bad deal, he’d had no choice. The intelligence guys had gotten a hot lead. One of the most notorious Taliban leaders had taken refuge in a small village. His team had to move quickly, but from the moment they’d put boots on the ground at the drop zone, everything had gone to hell.

      Rappelling from the chopper, one member of his squad hit hard on a big rock, rolled his ankle and broke it. The chopper was forced to land to retrieve him and two other teammates had to help get him back into the helicopter, thus slowing the entire mission.

      They’d scaled the village wall and moved in, seeking their quarry. The village was quiet. Too quiet. Chance had opened his mouth to tell his men to fall back when all hell broke loose.

      An explosion rocked the walls around them, and automatic gunfire filled the air, tracer rounds lighting the night.

      Too late to turn back, the men had to fight their way out, outnumbered two to one. One by one, his men were picked off. All Chance could do was get as many out as possible.

      His radio communications man called for reinforcement before he took a hit that rendered his radio unusable, and he nearly didn’t make it out with his own life.

      Chance felt a sting in his right hip, but pushed on, adrenaline pumping, the safety of his squad on his shoulders. He was responsible for those men. He’d have to face all their wives, mothers and children if they didn’t come home alive.

      A hand on his shoulder brought him out of Afghanistan and back to the McGregor B and B.

      “Thinking about it again?” Nova asked.

      Chance shook himself to clear the images that filled his memories and dreams. He gave Nova half a smile. “Sometimes it creeps up on me.”

      “I know. It does me, too. But you can’t let it run your life. We did everything we could to get them out alive.”

      So they said. Chance still felt he could have done more. Again, he focused on the present, the way his therapist had taught him. “I’m here to help with the wedding preparations. What can I do?”

      Nova clapped a hand to his back. “That’s more like it. I’m not really sure what we need to do. Molly’s friend Jillian has the plan well in hand, or so they say. They won’t let me do anything except fetch and carry.”

      “So you’re telling me we just sit on the front porch and drink beer while the women do all the work?” Chance’s lips quirked. “I’m all for relaxing and drinking beer, but I can’t stand by while others are working hard.”

      Nova laughed. “Same here. I’ve been doing repairs to the B and B and some touch-up painting. Molly wants to have the wedding out near the cliffs with the cape as the backdrop. I think it involves setting up chairs and an arched trellis I have yet to see or be tasked with going to the rental shop and acquiring.”

      “When does your family arrive?” Chance asked.

      “Some are coming in the day after tomorrow and the rest arrive a couple days before the wedding. We have a few days of relative peace until that time. Then all bets are off.”

      Chance chuckled. “I remember.” He’d visited Nova’s family while they’d both been on terminal leave, having been discharged from the army. His mother had welcomed him like one of her own. And she probably wouldn’t have noticed he wasn’t one of them, considering all the people moving through his parents’ home.

      Nova was one of eight children. Some of his siblings were already married with children of their own. It had been overwhelming for Chance, whose one brother rarely contacted him. And their parents were retired and traveling all the time.

      “I look forward to seeing your family,” Chance said, and meant it. The Valdezes were close-knit, valuing the time they spent together.

      “Once you get settled, come down to the kitchen. Molly will have a list of things for us to do before dinner.” Nova hugged Chance again. “Damn, it’s good to see you.”

      After Nova left, Chance stood in the room with a knot in his throat, his chest tight. Nova had his head on straight. PTSD wasn’t ruling his life, and he had a lot going for him—a hot fiancée, living among some of the most beautiful scenery Chance had ever encountered and having a home to go to when he finished assignments.

      Chance found himself wanting what Nova had, knowing he never could. Not when he was struggling with violent dreams and having the feeling he needed to be moving all the time. He was afraid if he stopped for too long, the memories would come crashing in.

      Chance had no business starting a relationship with a woman. He wasn’t what he considered good boyfriend material, much less husband material.

      Getting the itch to move, stretch his legs and walk off some of the pent-up energy he’d had to contain en route, he tossed his duffel bag in a corner and went in search of the communal bathroom. A splash of cool water on his face did a lot to restore his focus. After drying his hands and face, he headed down to the kitchen.

      The great room had a huge fireplace with hearty leather sofas positioned to take advantage of the warmth of a fire. The nights would be cool enough for a crackling blaze.

      The scent of cookies drifted across his senses. Something with chocolate, like his mother used to bake. The McGregor mansion seemed to wrap around Chance and make him feel at home.

      Passing through the large dining room with small tables scattered around, he heard the rattle of pans and a giggle behind a swinging door.

      He paused for a moment before pushing against the wood panel. With the door half-open and the strong, rich scent of baking luring him inside, Chance opened his mouth to ask what was cooking.

      A loud bang sent him diving for the floor, covering the back of his head. The swinging door slammed against the wall and bounced back to hit him in the ribs.

      For moment, Chance was back in that village in Afghanistan, his side torn open in a gaping wound caused by an explosion. He felt for the blood but came away with a dry hand. Then he realized he wasn’t in Afghanistan. He was lying on the kitchen floor, a large stockpot resting on the floor beside his head.

      “I’m СКАЧАТЬ