On the Line (Special Ops) (16 page)

Micah took the photo and he looked happy.

“Well don’t leave us hanging here,” Preston said.

“We’re going to have a baby,” Micah said as he hugged Natalia tight and kissed her cheek and then her forehead. “We’re going to have a baby!”

A loud round of congratulations followed behind that. Apparently they were so loud Julian could hear them up front because he came over the speaker and said, “I hope one of you plan to tell me what’s worth the celebratory noises I hear coming from back there.”

They all laughed. Julian was part of the family so of course he would be on the list as one of the need-to-know people.

When the laughter settled Micah shook his head at Natalia. “You still shouldn’t have come, baby.”

“Do you know how difficult it was to get Julian permission to leave?”

Micah shook his head no.

“It’s not usually that big of a problem,” Preston said.

“Well this time it was. I had to get Akira’s father to call in some favors just to get permission for Julian to leave. I was desperate and Mr. Bowman helped big time. I wanted to be here. I know it was dangerous, but I also knew the four of you would make it out. Together you all are one unstoppable force.” She kissed Micah softly. “I won’t apologize for coming for you, Micah. I love you too much to make false apologies.”

“Well I guess we all won this one,” Alex chuckled. “Jet has a beautiful, yet somewhat…um…rebelliously surprising wife,” Alex winked at Jet. “Micah has a strong woman who won’t take no for a final answer. Preston has his wife back where she belongs.”

“We’re not legally married yet,” Ariana said.

“You’re married in your heart, and your vow to love one another is enough in my book to make you husband and wife.”

“Then you and Zahara are the same.”

“Yes!” Natalia laughed. “I knew she was the one the second I saw the way you looked at her, Alex.

Zahara blushed. “Yep, she’s the one. I got my lady too. We all won this one.”
 
He took Zahara’s hand in his. “But my God you guys, something tells me the four of them together are going to be dangerous.”

They all laughed.

“You got that right,” Ariana grinned. “By the way, Natalia, Akira, I’m Ariana Lohan.
 
Soon to be Ariana Strauss once again.”

“Oh yay,” Akira giggled. “Four of us.”

“This could be trouble,” Preston shook his head. “This one is hell on wheels when she gets angry,” he pointed to Ariana and she slapped his hand away.

“This one too,” Micah confirmed.

“Mine is very sweet,” Jet tried to hold on to his composure, but Alex was sure there was a laugh waiting to burst out. “Don’t corrupt her ladies.”

“Oh please, that wife of yours is already one of us,” Natalia said. “Coming with me was her idea you know,” she winked at Akira.

“Oh God help me. And I thought you were one of the good ones,” he laughed.

“Oh, I am so good, Jet. But I also know how to do things my way when they need to be done that way. There are four of us, and four of you.”

“Do you guys think you are man enough to handle us?” Zahara added.

“Oh, trust me when I say we have no problem keeping up with the women behind the Squadron,” Preston said.

“And if we have to call in reinforcements I’m sure we can figure something out,” Jet patted Akira on her hip.

“Oh, I know of only one reinforcement us ladies would need. Her name starts with an S and ends with an A.”

“Oh hell, we’re going to need bigger guns,” Jet laughed. “Your mother could take down an entire military fleet when she gets angry.”

Akira laughed. “Well where do you think I get it from, honey?”

Alex threw his head back and laughed hard. “God, you all have to come to our wedding.”

“And to ours,” Ariana added.

The flight home had been one filled with joy. There was still an issue of getting Ammon and Jules and Victoria. As much as Preston wanted blood Alex knew he wouldn’t kill a woman unless that woman was trying to kill him. Ammon, however, would have to be stopped otherwise Preston and Ariana would never be safe. Soon they would have to go on the hunt and when they found Ammon, it would be war.

Preston had taken care of Panhsj in the desert. He was not the man who had escaped, but that did not mean Ammon wouldn’t be able to find somebody to replace him. He probably already had somebody in line to take over the spot of lackey. That was something they would have to worry about after they got everybody home safe, after they took care of their personal business, but they all knew they couldn’t wait much longer than that. For now, however, they were going to enjoy the moment as it was—the four guys with their four beautiful women either in their arms or within arm’s reach would be what they enjoyed. Later, they could think about their new war, the old nemesis, and the solution to their problem that would bring Preston and Ariana peace—at least from this guy. They all had enemies in their past that could come back to haunt them, but they would just have to handle them one at a time should those enemies come calling.

Chapter Fourteen

P
reston sat behind
his desk in his home office. Three months had passed. He and Ariana had gone to the Justice of Peace to get married all over again with everybody standing as their witnesses before a full on reception at his house that was now equally Ariana’s home. Alex and Zahara had decided to do their nuptials in a traditional Hawaiian wedding. All the guys with their wives had shown up. Jet had stayed at Akira’s father’s vacation home while the rest of them had taken a room at one of the closest hotels. It was a small gathering with Zahara’s parents there, and Alex had invited his family, but they hadn’t been able to attend. Apparently Kevin had some big awards dinner they wanted to attend. Preston didn’t think Alex cared much about that at all. In fact, he had a feeling his friend arranged the wedding date in a way that would ensure his family wouldn’t be there.

Preston picked the brown envelope in front of him and used his letter opener to open the package. He flipped the envelope upside down and watched the contents fall out. The photos landed face down, but the letter was on top so he took that one first. The post mark on the envelope was from Egypt. Not even the fact that he and Ariana had just arrived back home not even an hour ago could stop him from tending to business when he saw where the package had come from. There was no record of them being the ones to kill the men in the desert so he didn’t think he had a problem there. If he had he was sure he would have come home to something more threatening than a letter.

He unfolded the white paper and looked at the handwriting.
You are my friend, Preston. I am your contact because of the life you saved for me. My wife means the world to me and when Ammon took her and planned to behead her because I would not help him sabotage the Americans I thought I would die for the burden I placed upon her. But then you, you saved her. You saved me too, because I couldn’t survive without her. So for you I have saved you and your beautiful wife. I can never repay the debt I owe you, but I hope this helps assure you that I am forever your friend.

Peace be with you my friend,

Fineas

Preston picked up the photos and turned them over. What he saw shocked him, worried him and at the same time eased his worry. Ammon was there on the ground with a bullet in his head, beside him were Victoria and Jules. For them he was sorry. Even though they had both betrayed him and would have been the cause of his death had he not escaped, he still couldn’t say that he would have wanted their end to come this way. Justice, somehow, would have been what he sought and then he realized that justice is what Fineas had given him—maybe not in the way he would have done it for those women, but it was justice still.

“The wedding was beautiful and I can’t believe…” Ariana’s voice trailed off as she looked at the photos in his hand. “What are those?”

“Nothing you want to see,” he said as he spun around in his chair toward the fire place and tossed the pictures into the flames.”

“Preston?”

“Let’s just say you won’t ever have to worry about Ammon again.”

“I understand,” she said softly. “Are you okay?”

He nodded. “I had nothing to do with this, but even if I had I wouldn’t feel sorry that he’s dead.”

She nodded. “Well, then I guess that’s that. We’re safe.”

“We’re safe,” he nodded. He had Fineas to thank for that. “Now what were you saying when you came in here?” He returned his full attention to her, patting his lap for her to come and sit upon it.

“I was saying,” she said as she walked toward him and then curled up in his lap. “It was a beautiful wedding and I can’t believe how Zahara pulled it together so swiftly.”

“From what I hear her mother pulled some strings. She still has friends on the island and to make up to Zahara for turning Alex away she wanted to give her the perfect wedding.”

She nodded. “She was a beautiful bride.”

“You were a beautiful bride,” he said. “You were my beautiful bride.”

“I love you, Preston.” She pushed her fingers through his hair and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

“I love you too, Ariana. Forever and for always; I love you.” He kissed her passionately, holding her close and knowing that this time they were going to do it right. This time, there would be no goodbyes in life. This time was forever.

Next in the Special Ops Series:

The Witness Protection Segment

Book 1: Mine’s to Kill ~ Coming later in 2013

About the Author

Capri Montgomery is the bestselling author of books including Ride A Cowboy, Across the Lake, The Thirteenth Floor, 1965, The Admiral’s Daughter, and The Geneva Project. She enjoys nature—unless the insects are biting her, traveling, old movies, art, photography and music.

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