X-Ops Exposed Read online

  She picked up one of the magazines and loaded it, her hands moving more confidently than they had the first time. “Yeah, but I was aiming for the center of the target. What am I doing wrong?”

  He watched as she slid the magazine back in the pistol and released the receiver. Damn, she was getting good at that. “Let’s see how you shoot this magazine. Then I’ll give you some ideas on how you can improve.”

  Gage took up the guide position behind her that he’d been in before. Mackenzie didn’t complain. Hell, if anything, she pushed her jean-clad ass back a little more than necessary, just so they’d be in close contact. Man, this woman was dangerous. She could turn him to mush with no effort at all. The scary part was that he could actually feel that tingling in his gums that told him his fangs were trying to slip out. Her mind-numbing scent practically had him on the edge of losing control.

  Damn, he hadn’t experienced control issues like this since he’d first turned years ago. And if her rapidly beating heart was any indication, this attraction wasn’t all one-sided—she was feeling the same way. He’d thought so last night, but he hadn’t been sure of anything until they’d gotten on the range.

  He had to admit, he’d been jealous as hell when Mike told him Mackenzie had brought some guy with her that morning. For some stupid reason, that had pissed him off. He’d been out of his seat and headed for the gate before he even knew what he was doing. The moment he’d laid eyes on Zak, though, his anger had disappeared. In a way only a werewolf could know, Zak had friend written all over him.

  That was also when Gage knew Mackenzie Stone had gotten to him.

  “Okay,” he said loud enough for her to hear over the sound of the pistol. “Stop for a minute. I know what you’re doing wrong.” He reached around and put his hands under hers, supporting the lightweight weapon. “First of all, you’re not breathing like I told you to. Take a deep breath and let it half out. Pause. Then shoot.”

  Mackenzie practiced breathing deep like that a few times, which made for an enjoyable view of her expanding T-shirt. He barely stifled the groan this time. God save him.

  “This next part is critical.” He moved his mouth closer to her muff-covered ears so he wouldn’t have to shout. “You’re jerking too hard.”

  She turned her head to give him a teasing smile. “Jerking too hard? Is that even possible?”

  Okay, maybe picking a word that had such a sexual connotation hadn’t been the best idea. “Oh yeah, it’s possible. And you’re doing it.”

  “Huh. So, can you show me the proper way I should be jerking it?”

  Gage groaned. Thank God none of the guys were close enough to hear this little exchange. He’d never live it down.

  He repositioned her fingers around the grip, then moved her left hand into a better position to support the weapon. “Remember to squeeze it firmly, but not hard. You want your grip to be tight enough that it won’t pop out when it bucks, but not so tight that your fingers get tired.”

  “Wouldn’t want my fingers to get tired,” she agreed. “Okay, now what? Just shoot?”

  “No, not yet. You’ve got the breathing and the grip down. Now I have to make sure you know how to stroke the trigger.”

  That flirty smile of hers was back. “You’re making this up, right?”

  “Absolutely not. These are time-honored shooting tips that everyone in SWAT learns.”

  “Uh-uh.” She looked down the barrel of the .22 again. “So, are you going to share these tips or do I just have to guess?”

  “You can’t rush these things.” He pressed himself more tightly against her and put his mouth close to her ear. He was about to tell her to tighten her grip on the pistol when he felt her bottom moving slightly side to side, like she was shifting her weight from foot to foot. It might have been a completely subconscious effort to get more comfortable, but it sure as hell seemed like she was purposely rubbing her ass against his hard-on.

  He immediately went from really frigging hard to painfully stiff in the span of a few heartbeats, which only seemed to encourage Mackenzie more. Damn, it was all he could do to not drop his hands down to her hips and pull her ass tightly against him.

  Then he realized that Mackenzie’s breath was coming faster. For a moment he wondered if she was going to start panting.

  It was the tips of his fangs pressing into his tongue that jerked him out of his trance and forced him to get control of himself and the situation. Yeah, Mackenzie was amazing, but he had to remember what was at stake here. His pack was depending on him to deal with this woman.

  He backed off an inch or two, enough to break the contact between her butt and his groin. That also broke the almost hypnotic hold she seemed to have on him. He ignored what could have been a moan of disappointment and leaned his mouth close to her ear again, ready to get back to the task they were supposed to be here for. It was tough, but controlling emotions was part of being a werewolf.

  “Get a firm grip on the weapon, then take a breath and let it out halfway.” He waited until he felt her breath hitch. “Now, slowly caress the trigger. Don’t squeeze it. You should be completely surprised when it goes off.”

  The gun still jumped in her hand, but she had a better grip this time, so it didn’t move nearly as much as before.

  Mackenzie laughed. “I hit the target dead center.”

  He couldn’t help but smile with her. “Yes, you did. Now do it again.”

  She breathed deep, took her time, and put every shot through the nine ring. When she’d emptied the magazine, she set the pistol down on the counter and spun around in his arms, hugging him with a breathless laugh.

  “I did it!”

  Even though he knew he shouldn’t, Gage found himself automatically wrapping his arms around her. Her breasts were soft against his chest, her hips enticing. And her lips… The way they were parted, it was like they were begging to be kissed. God, he could almost taste them. Something told him one kiss wouldn’t be enough. But he was willing to take the risk. He might have done it too, but luckily she pulled away.

  “I want to do it again,” she said excitedly.

  “Okay,” he laughed. “Unless you want to…”

  “Unless I want to…?”

  The way she was looking at him almost made him forget again that she was here looking for a story that could destroy his life and the lives of his pack members. And just like that Gage felt the stirrings of a foolish emotion he shouldn’t be feeling right now—definitely not this fast, and definitely not for this woman.

  He reached around her, picking up the 9mm he’d brought. “Or we could try something a little bigger?”

  Her lips curved. “You think I can handle something bigger?”

  He turned her around so that her ass was pressed snugly against him, then placed the 9mm in her hands and aimed it at the target. “Something tells me you can handle just about anything.”

  * * *

  Mac had no idea target shooting could be so much fun, but she was hooked. She was already thinking about what kind of handgun she wanted to buy for herself. She adored the .22 she fired first, but the 9mm had been so fun. And Gage had told her that most of the well-known manufacturers even had model lines specifically for women, with accessories like pink handgrips. She was definitely getting one of those.

  She wanted to tell Zak about her shooting lessons, but everyone around the handful of tables the restaurant staff had pushed together for the SWAT team in the large back room of the steak house had a story to tell. And Zak was talking louder than any of them. It turned out that in order to escape the horrible villains holding him hostage, Zak had to take a more active role than expected of an average hostage.

  Mac couldn’t stop laughing as Zak described how he’d been cut loose by some of the guys on Mike’s squad, then crawled out of the dark building on his hands and knees, only to find himself on the roof. Then h
e’d been taught enough about rappelling to lower himself down to the ground.

  Unfortunately, just when it seemed that he’d get away safely, Xander’s squad had reappeared and started shooting at him with paintball guns. Zak—who was covered from head to toe in orange paint—had picked up a weapon when one of Mike’s team had gone down and helped the team fight their way to freedom.

  “I have to admit I didn’t think you had it in you,” Mike said to Zak. “But you did good.”

  Everyone around the table applauded, including Mac. She wasn’t sure how much training the guys had accomplished that morning considering that paintball was involved, but it sounded like they had fun.

  “Did you know they were going to do that to Zak?” she whispered to Gage.

  “I figured they’d do something to have a little fun with him, but I didn’t think they’d break out the paintball guns,” he said. “They only do that when they think a person can handle it. Your photographer must have a little action hero in him.”

  She laughed. “I wouldn’t have figured that in a hundred years, but I guess so.”

  Two waitresses came to take their orders, which reduced the noise around the table to a mild roar. When Gage leaned in to tell her about something on the menu, he still had to put his mouth close to her ear. The feel of his warm breath on her skin made her shiver, and she closed her eyes until it passed. When she opened them, Mac saw that Zak was smiling at her from the other side of the table. She stuck out her tongue at him.

  “What was that about?” Gage asked.

  She turned and leaned in close again, enjoying the feeling of heat coming off his skin. If it were anyone else, she’d think he had a fever, but instinct told her Gage ran hot. “Nothing. You know, I was just thinking that I really owe you one for that shooting lesson.”

  “You don’t owe me anything.” He grinned. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

  Oh, she had enjoyed herself. If she thought he’d gotten her hot and bothered last night, that was nothing in comparison to what it was like to have Gage’s big arms around her and his hard-on pressing into her ass as she practiced shooting targets. Thank God she had to keep both hands wrapped around the pistol or she might have been tempted to touch herself. Or him.

  It was official, Gage Dixon could arouse her just by being near her.

  Something else was official, too. She was seriously close to tanking this story idea. She was so crazy about Gage that she was ready to ignore anything he’d ever done wrong short of a felony. And from the way Zak was laughing and joking with the SWAT officers at the table, he’d agree with her. Maybe she’d do a story on the day-in-the-life of the men who made up the SWAT unit and leave it at that.

  The men tore into their meals with the same gusto they’d attacked the donuts that morning. Mac didn’t know whether to laugh or shake her head. They ate like a pack of wild animals.

  She was still cutting her baked chicken and steamed vegetables when the whole table suddenly fell silent. She looked up, watching as each of the men set their forks and knives down, as if they were done eating. Which didn’t make sense, not with that much food left on their plates. What was going on?

  She gave Zak a questioning look, but he seemed as confused as she did.

  Mac turned to ask Gage, but the words died on her lips as eight men strode into the room. She wasn’t sure how it was possible, but something told her they were the reason the SWAT guys suddenly went on high alert. Despite their expensive suits and clean-cut looks, the men were trouble. She’d seen enough men like them in her line of work to be sure of that.

  They spread out along the wall behind her, surrounding the table while at the same time blocking the doorway. Mac’s heart kicked into high gear as she caught a glimpse of the pistol underneath the coat of the man closest to her.

  “I’m looking for Gage Dixon,” the man with the gun said.

  Gage was on his feet before Mac even saw him move. A single step put him inches away from the man, making their difference in height immediately apparent. The guy in the suit backed up almost involuntarily.

  “It’s your lucky day then,” Gage said in a much calmer voice than she could have managed. “You’ve found him.”

  “I need you to come with me,” the man said.

  “I’m in the middle of lunch.”

  The man’s lip curled. “That’s too damn bad. The man I work for wants to talk to you.” When Gage didn’t say anything, the man opened his jacket to show him the large handgun in an underarm holster. “Now.”

  Crap.

  Mac knew she’d seen the man somewhere, but couldn’t remember where until now. His name was Roscoe Patterson and he was Walter Hardy’s enforcer. She had to warn Gage.

  She started to get to her feet, but Xander pulled her back down and shook his head. What the hell? How could he and the rest of the SWAT team just sit there while Hardy’s thugs dragged Gage out of the restaurant?

  She whirled around in her seat just in time to see Patterson put his hand on Gage’s shoulder and shove him toward the door.

  But Gage didn’t go anywhere, he didn’t move at all. “I said I’m in the middle of lunch. If you give me a name and an address, I’ll stop by and see your boss when I get a chance.”

  Patterson’s eyes narrowed. “Are you stupid? I have a gun.”

  “Yeah, I noticed that,” Gage said. “Funny thing about guns, they don’t work if they’re shoved up your ass.”

  Mac was glad she hadn’t eaten anything yet because her stomach was one big knot. She didn’t know Patterson very well, but he looked like the kind of guy who wouldn’t be afraid to pull his gun and shoot Gage right there in front of fifteen other cops.

  But Gage didn’t give him the chance. He grabbed Patterson by the front of his suit jacket and shoved him against the wall. The rest of Hardy’s thugs scrambled for their guns only to freeze when every cop at the table drew their weapons and aimed in their direction.

  Mac did a double take. How had the SWAT guys moved so fast?

  She couldn’t see Gage’s face because his back was to her now, but the look he gave Patterson must have scared the hell out of him because the man went white.

  “That’s the problem with guns these days,” Gage said softly. “Everybody’s got one.”

  Holding Patterson still with one hand, he reached under the man’s jacket with the other and came out with a flashy automatic. It looked a little like the 9mm she’d fired that morning, only bigger.

  “You should probably leave now.” Gage released Patterson. “If you feel like getting this back, you can come by the compound for it. I’m sure you know where it is.”

  Patterson swallowed hard. His eyes darted around the room, a frown creasing his brow as if he couldn’t understand how the tables had turned so quickly on him and his men. He gave them a nod and jerked his head toward the door. They hesitated, but then slowly filed out.

  Patterson made a show of straightening his jacket, then headed for the door. Once there, though, he stopped to fix Gage with a glare.

  “Yeah, I know,” Gage said before the other man could speak. “I’ll regret this. I’ll be sorry. This isn’t over. Whatever. Get out.”

  He didn’t wait to see if Patterson followed orders, but instead walked back to the table and sat down beside Mac. She watched over her shoulder as Hardy’s enforcer stormed out of the room. When she turned around, it was to find Gage reaching for the bottle of steak sauce.

  He gave Xander an accusing look as he took off the cap. “Did you drink this or something? It was full just a second ago.”

  “Wasn’t me.” Xander grabbed the bottle in front of Delaney and reached across her to hand it to Gage. “It was empty before I got it.”

  And just like that, everyone started arguing, one side talking about who’d hogged all the steak sauce while the other debated why anyone would ruin a perf
ectly good steak with the stuff to begin with.

  Mac stared at them. How could they sit there and debate the merits of steak sauce as if nothing had happened? Didn’t they realize that any one of them could have been shot a minute ago?

  “Aren’t you going to do something?” she asked Gage.

  He stopped cutting his steak to look at her. “What do you think I should do—arrest them?”

  “Well… Yeah.” She would have thought that was obvious. “They had guns and they threatened you.”

  He went back to cutting his steak. “This is Texas. Everyone has guns. But they never actually pulled their weapons or even said they were going to hurt me. They simply said their boss wanted to talk to me. That’s all. Nothing there to warrant an arrest.”

  Nothing there? “Those men work for Hardy.”

  His hand stilled on the knife, the muscle in his jaw flexing. At least he wasn’t taking this as lightly as it seemed. “It doesn’t change anything.”

  How the heck could he be so calm about this? There was a rich, powerful, violent man out there who blamed SWAT for the death of his son—and Gage was the face of SWAT.

  “They’ll come after you again,” she said quietly. “You know that, right?”

  “Then I’ll be ready for them.”

  He sounded so casual about the whole thing it made her want to scream. Mac pushed her plate away. She’d lost her appetite.

  Gage might have dealt with Patterson, but that wouldn’t be the end of it. Hardy was coming for him, and now he’d be even more determined than before.

  And for some reason, that scared her more than if the man had been after her.

  Chapter 6

  Gage drove Mackenzie home that night. She’d told him she was fine catching a ride with Zak, but after that episode at the restaurant, he felt better doing it himself. He didn’t have to try too hard to convince her. Just another indication of how upset she still was after the run-in with Hardy’s men.

  It wasn’t just her, either. Regardless of how relaxed the team had seemed after Hardy’s thugs left the restaurant, they’d been anything but. Even after Mackenzie had allowed them to cajole her into taking Zak’s place as the hostage in the afternoon training session, his guys were on edge. They knew Hardy wasn’t someone to take lightly. If he wanted to come after any of them, he could do some damage.