Dominance Never Dies (Masters and Mercenaries #11)(121)

Kent flipped the laptop back around and stared down at the screen, his hands moving on the keyboard. “They refueled in Morocco and according to satellite data they should be landing soon. But there’s some bad news. Dr. McDonald isn’t on the plane. We have no idea where she is and she’ll very likely figure out her whole operation has been compromised quickly. My boss wants to stand down and allow McDonald to join her crew before moving in.”

Ten sighed. “Damn it. Why isn’t she with them? We need that intel. We need to apprehend McDonald or she’ll just set up another clinic in another country and continue her research.”

Stephanie stepped up. “I’m ready. Brody and I have been working the last couple of weeks to make sure we can deal with this situation.”

Brody stood beside the doctor, his big frame looming over hers. “We’ve got the rooms ready and everything. You can monitor the situation while we wait for McDonald.”

“No.” Lawless faced the big Aussie. “I’m not going to let my sister stay here. If you won’t save her, I’ll walk away right f*cking now and hire someone who will.” He turned to Case. “Come on. I’ll get you all the backing you could hope for, Case.”

He’d come a long way with that family. The fact that Drew Lawless just assumed immediately that Case’s first priority would be Mia meant he’d properly settled into his role as Mia’s future husband.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Ian said. “Stop slinging your big old wallet dick around. You should know that we’re backing Case and Case won’t allow his wife to be used as a pawn.”

“Or my brother.” It seemed like everyone knew him pretty well. It settled something deep inside him. Mia was almost here and she knew him, too. She would be waiting for him to save her. She wouldn’t be crying in a corner and praying. She would know damn straight that her man would come for her.

His only problem would be the fact that his Mia would try to look out for his brother and Hutch, too. She was fierce and she would be a warrior.

Kent looked at him. “You know what you’re giving up.”

Revenge on Hope McDonald. It was an easy choice to make. Revenge or his loved ones. He would choose them every single time. “I know that I’m getting my wife and brother and friend back. That’s a good f*cking day in my books.”

Kent nodded. “Well, I’m sure I can figure out a way to explain it all to my boss. I’ll probably get stuck with babysitting duty for a few years, but I’ve gotten used to Dallas.”

Brody got a big smile on his face and he put a hand on Stephanie’s shoulder. “Told you we wouldn’t really be needed, luv.”

Stephanie grinned up at him. “He did. He got the report this morning and told me my time as a spy was almost done. It sucks. I was so ready to play Mata Hari. I was going to seduce someone.”

Kent frowned at her. “I don’t think you want to seduce any of those guys. One of them was in prison for murder, two of them probably qualify as mentally ill at this point, and Santos was a walking venereal disease when he was with the Agency. Now he’s a traitorous walking venereal disease.”

Stephanie sighed. “It seems so glamorous in the movies. Like that one about Pierce Craig.”

Everyone else groaned but Ian perked up. “I know. That dude’s awesome, right?”

Sean’s eyes rolled. “I curse the day Serena sold that book to Hollywood.”

Because that book had been loosely based on Ian’s life and Ian never let them forget it. Luckily that one had a happy ending.

“Let’s suit up. This is going down soon,” Case said.

He was going to make sure this op ended happily, too.





Mia was shaking by the time the plane taxied toward the hanger. Cargo planes didn’t land quite the same way corporate jets did.

“You all right?” If Theo had been bothered by the landing, she couldn’t tell. He seemed perfectly steady.

She was fairly certain she’d gone a nice shade of green. She managed to nod his way. “I’m good. Do you think I could get some clothes soon?”

He grinned. “I was going to ask you why you were in a robe. Are you one of the girls Tony brings in? Robert’s going to love you, but you have to stay away from Victor. He’s my brother and I care about him, of course, but he’s not great with women.”

She bit back a groan. This was what it was like to talk to Theo. He seemed almost normal one minute and then he forgot what she’d told him not ten minutes before. The only thing he seemed to keep a firm grasp on were his orders. He hadn’t left her side once. She’d even tried to ask for things like a bottle of water to see if she could get a minute or two alone, but he wouldn’t move.

“Maybe you should stay close to me,” Theo said, his voice grim.

“I will.” She was definitely going to try.

The plane rolled to a stop and Mia’s stomach took a dive. They were here. She had no idea how long it would take Case to reevaluate and reorganize the operation, but she was sure he would be here as soon as he could. It was up to her to stay alive until then.

That’s all she had to do. Stay alive.

“Tony wants us to gather our gear and get ready,” a dark voice said.

She looked up and it seemed as though Victor had gotten over his motion sickness. He loomed over her, his eyes staring down.