Captured - Special Forces Team Series 3

By Susan Raynes

**STANDALONE BOOK**
Jeffrey Blackwood wanted to give up his job as a special agent and slow down. He only had to finish one last assignment, and it looked like a slam dunk. A quick trip to Mexico City to find, collect and bring his boss’s niece back home. Piece of cake … or so Jeff thought.
Everything changed the moment he came face to face with Lesley Townsend for the first time. The boss’s niece was determined to enjoy her freedom to the fullest and didn’t have any intention of dutifully following her “babysitter” back home.
Blackwood took chase. If she wanted fun, he would give it to her. Lesley needed to learn what it meant to have a hard-nosed agent on her heels. And he wouldn’t give up until he had what he wanted – the woman of his dreams in his arms, in his bed and with a ring on her finger …

Special Forces Team Series Order:

Tempted (Special Forces Team Series Book 1)
Tamed (Special Forces Team Series Book 2)
Captured (Special Forces Team Series Book 3)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Latos Publishing
• Release date: Jun 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9783945766675

Book preview

Captured

Special Forces Team Series Book 3

Susan Raynes and Lesley Schuldt

ISBN: 978-3-94576-667-5

All rights reserved. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork herein is prohibited.

Any similarities to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Dear Reader

Imprint

Prologue

An energetic knock on the door tore Lesley from sleep. She raised her head, swept the long tangle of curls out of her face and peeked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Its glowing red digital display showed 6:21. Who in the hell was waking her up so early on a Saturday morning?

The knocking didn’t stop. Someone was banging their fists against the door. Lesley dragged herself out of bed, threw on a thin bathrobe and hoped the matter was truly urgent.

Yeah, yeah… she said, going to the door and opening it a crack. Lesley grimaced, took a step back and let the unwelcome visitor into her apartment. Good morning, Uncle Edward. To what do I owe the honor of this visit at such an early hour?

I just wanted to see how you were. Edward Townsend looked unabashedly around the small, but comfortably furnished apartment. He picked up a book from the couch. It was about human anatomy, and he briefly leafed through it before setting it back down on the desk under the window. His fingertips wandered over a picture frame on the wall, and he straightened a different one that was crooked.

Lesley followed his movements the whole time. Although Edward was approaching sixty and his gray hair was slowly thinning, he appeared to be anything but old or frail. He kept his slightly stocky body rigid and straight. Nothing less was expected of a Lt. General. She knew he hadn’t come by just to inspect her place; something else was going on.

I hardly believe you came all the way here just to tidy my apartment. What are you really here for?

You haven’t gotten in touch with us for weeks or even visited in the last three months.

He furrowed his brow and fixed an accusatory gaze on Lesley, which she calmly returned.

I was busy. That tends to happen with students. She balled her hands into fists in the pockets of her bathrobe. So much anger was building in her.

So, you were busy with schoolwork? Edward pressed his lips together into a narrow slit. He pulled an envelope out of his inside jacket pocket, unfolded the letter and held it out to Lesley. So what’s the meaning of this?

Lesley recognized the University logo on the letterhead. And she had a pretty good idea what was in the letter. Good, she’d been caught.

I needed a break, she said, shrugging as she turned around to go into the tiny kitchen and turn on the coffeemaker. Actually, it wasn’t much of a kitchen, because it only consisted of a sink, a double-door cabinet with a built-in refrigerator on which stood a microwave and a double hotplate, and a short counter with room for two.

What’s wrong with you Lesley? Edward followed her carrying the letter confirming her leave of absence. He set the letter on the bar. First I don’t hear anything for weeks, which is understandable when you’re dealing with intensive courses, then I receive this notice that for a week you’ve done everything … except study.

I just told you. I needed a break, so I took it. What’s so wrong with that?

What did you need a break for? The money I give you every month isn’t enough? If that’s what this is about, just say the word. I want you to concentrate fully on school with no exceptions. You don’t have to work and go to school.

You don’t understand me, said Lesley with a sigh. I need a break to figure out if what I’m doing is even right for me. Whether I really want to be a doctor.

Of course you want to be a doctor. You’ve wanted that since you were little.

Why, because I bandaged my dolls and teddy bears and patched them up? Besides, every kid wants to be a doctor at some point. That doesn’t mean when they grow up they really want to pursue that as a career. Lesley poured two cups of coffee and handed one to her uncle before she poured some milk into her own. I just want to make sure it’s right, nothing more.

"Well I am absolutely certain that being a doctor is the right thing for you. This break is completely unnecessary. You’re wasting valuable time you could be investing in your classes."

Don’t you even want to understand me? I just need some time…

Her bedroom door opened and a blond giant wearing only boxers walked in.

The bathroom…? he asked in a husky voice after he greeted the surprised Edward with a brief nod. With her thumb, Lesley pointed to the right and he shuffled off in the indicated direction scratching his head.

So that’s why you need a break, said Edward. You can’t be serious. And how does that the guy not even know where the bathroom is? Do you even know his name?

She, in fact, didn’t know his name. Why bother? Last night after a few drinks, they had a one night stand. Who cared about names? And if he had told it to her, she wouldn’t have heard it over the loud music. They both wanted to have fun and they did.

I’ll take care of it so that beginning next week you’ll officially be registered at the university again. Edward put the empty cup on the kitchen counter, folded the letter and put it back in his pocket. And you, my dear, will get your butt back to school. End of discussion.

No, I won’t. I’m taking a break, no matter how you feel about it.

To do what? Spend your time having flings with guys like this beach-boy-trash whose name you don’t even know? Absolutely not!

Who I let into my bed is of no concern to you. I’m 25—a grown-up, not a little girl anymore. What are you going to do? Drive me to school every day? With your packed schedule, I find that hard to believe.

I won’t need to do that, because you will get to school on your own. Edward buttoned his coat and looked down sternly at Lesley. His face appeared to be chiseled out of stone. If you don’t, I’ll discontinue the payments until you stop this nonsense and come to your senses.

***

After her uncle left, Lesley came to a decision. The ultimatum he gave her would be his last. He tried to dictate how she lived her life once too often. She was not one of his recruits he could push around. Never again would she let him force her into something that she didn’t want to do.

Chapter 1

Jeff opened his locker and looked around the locker room. In recent years he had been at Camp Blanding often. His past assignments began not just here, but at virtually every army base in existence. Now they all looked nearly the same to him.

Jeff undid the buckles on his black uniform and slipped the vest from his shoulders. It had barely been an hour since he completed his last assignment. He wasn’t officially a TDA any longer which meant he wasn’t a special agent with top security classification.

For most, being a special agent conjured up adventurous activities. The job, however, didn’t have anything in common with James Bond assignments—no manhunts in smart suits with beautiful women in tow. Instead, a TDA did the dirty work that no other institution wanted to do or could undertake. Publicly and even as far as the military was concerned, TDAs didn’t exist. And since they didn’t officially exist, it was simply named for the man who had created it. TDA merely stood for Townsend’s Dozen Agents—the twelve best-trained men with the license to kill. Incidentally, the only similarity it had with James Bond.

Would he miss his job? Probably, but his hunch told him walking away was the right decision. Jeff had to leave the unit behind to come to terms with himself.

The incident in Alabama two years ago had kindled his first doubt. The assignment had almost cost his sister-in-law, Liz, her life. And that was only because he had misjudged a situation and reacted too late. He and his men had been sent for only one reason: to support Liz and get her to safety.

Neither his brother, Gray, nor Liz, ever blamed him, and yet… Since then, Jeff awoke increasingly more often during the night bathed in sweat. He simply couldn’t push away the images of the assailants firing a Kalashnikov at Liz and how she was peppered with bullets before she hit the ground. If she hadn’t worn two bullet-proof vests that day, one on top of the other, her injuries would have been severe. She probably would have died, along with her unborn child.

Jeff looked up from the wrinkled shirt in his hands and into the small mirror in his locker. Gray eyes looked back at him from a distinctively chiseled, slightly tanned face. He wondered whether in the future he would wear his hair somewhat longer rather than the military-short style. His facial features wouldn’t appear quite so harsh with it, but he couldn’t do anything about his scars. A thin faded scar graced his temple. A second scar only stood out because it went as far as his left eyebrow and visibly severed the black brow.

The job had clearly left its mark, but it wasn’t the scars from the various injuries that bothered him. He wore them with a certain pride; they were a sign of his successfully completed missions. He had looked death in the eye simply too often and in too many ways; no person could take it in perpetuity. Another reason why his time as an active agent was over now.

He thought about what he would do in the future and even he didn’t know what that might be. Maybe he would accept the proffered position as instructor for the new recruits. He could clearly slow down in that job. Or would he get a job in a prestigious security company? Men with his experience were highly coveted.

Jeff threw the shirt into the open bag in his locker and slid the black pants down his thighs before he sat on the narrow bench between the rows of lockers. He could maybe even treat himself to a longer break and properly annoy his brother and his family. That had always taken his mind off his gloomy thoughts. Besides, he was long overdue for a visit. For too long he had wriggled his way out of it because he didn’t have things sorted out with himself and didn’t want anyone to notice.

That’s it, old man? You’re just calling it quits? His partner, Joey McAdams, planted himself in front of Jeff with his arms crossed and looked down at him. Camouflage paint was still visible on his face and short, dark-blond hair. He hadn’t taken time to shed his combat gear or take a shower.

In his work clothes, Joey seemed a great deal more threatening than Jeff. Jeff wasn’t exactly short at 6’2" and definitely didn’t look