Social Prey: Mercenary, #1

By Trista Ann Michaels

As computer hacker for her brother's band of mercenaries, Kiley believes she's pretty much seen it all. Until her best friend is inadvertently drawn into the dark world of drug trafficking and finds herself in a Turkish prison. Working to help her brother's team find a way to break her out, puts her way to close to her brother's best friend and fellow mercenary, Scott Devo—otherwise known as the man of her hot, erotic dreams.
Scott has always had a hard time keeping his hands off Kiley. Working this close together makes it even harder. When Kiley is taken hostage by the Peruvian drug cartel in retaliation for the mercenary's interference in their operation, Scott is faced with the fact that what he feels for Kiley is so much more than just physical.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trista Ann Michaels
• Release date: Jan 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393306634

Book preview

Prologue

The story begins with a young woman, Paula, who falls in love with a man online. But, James is not the man he claims to be. All her friends try to warn her, Kiley being the most vocal. Unfortunately, the young woman doesn’t listen and ends up shutting out all her friends over a man she’s never met in person.

He proposes marriage, but first she must fly to Peru to sign papers for him and cash in some bonds—a marriage gift given to them by James’ grandfather. James, who supposedly works in military intelligence, plans to meet her in London where they will marry. Paula leaves, excited about her new life. Unfortunately, she tells no one, including Kiley.

While in Peru, Paula is given a new laptop and case—a wedding gift from her fiancé’s uncle. She was also informed that there had been a change of plans. She was no longer going to London. Now she was going to meet James in Istanbul.

Paula expresses concern with this and states she wishes to meet up with James at another location. His uncle assures her that things will be fine, but a new location isn’t possible...it’s James’ job that’s insisting on the new assignment.

Once she has expressed her reservations, her flight is moved up, and she’s never left alone. She now feels as though something is up—that maybe she was foolish for not telling Kiley—for not listening to her.

Sneaking her international phone with her to the bathroom, she shoots off a quick email to Kiley telling her about the situation, the changes to her itinerary, naming names, giving descriptions, and anything else she can think of that might help Kiley if anything were to happen to her.

All the warning bells Kiley had tried to make her see were suddenly ringing loud in her ears.

Paula is escorted to the airport and introduced to her traveling companion—a man there for what she is told is her safety, but Paula believes otherwise. She tries twice to leave the new laptop behind, although truthfully, she can’t explain why—just a sixth sense that something wasn’t right. Both times it was given back to her, nicely, but no doubt firmly.

You don’t want to leave this behind, Paula, he said with a smile, but his eyes narrowed in warning.

Once she arrives in Istanbul, the authorities find the well-hidden drugs inside the new laptop James’ uncle had given her. She was arrested and taken immediately to prison. She now understands fully what has happened.

She’d been played. Paula knew how much Turkey hates drug traffickers. They show no mercy. What’s worse they hated Americans even more. Also bring in questioning tactics Paula believed didn’t come anywhere close to following the Geneva Convention and her fears increased tenfold.

Paula had no doubt...her life was now over.

Chapter One

Kiley Tipton was going to kill Paula...If she made it out of this nightmare alive that is. She’d been concerned ever since she hadn’t been able to reach Paula on the phone for several days. She thought maybe her friend was just ignoring her; that maybe Paula was still angry with her for not trusting James, for believing her friend was walking into a scam. She never imagined Paula would up and leave the country without telling anyone.

Paula knew how stupid and dangerous it was to meet up with someone in a foreign country she’d never met in person.

Kiley rushed into her brother’s office without knocking. She didn’t have time to knock. Keith looked up from the map spread out before him. He sat back in the chair and narrowed his brown eyes. The look that normally sent everyone else running didn’t phase her in the least. Her brother might come across to other people as a scary, hard core alpha, but Kiley knew him as the big loveable bear.

Speaking of alpha bears...next to Keith stood Scott Devo, her brother’s right hand and commanding officer of their band of mercenaries for hire. She’d known Scott since they were kids, but that didn’t stop the flutter in her stomach every time he looked at her with those gorgeous baby blues.

She tried to ignore the very amused look on his rugged, whisker covered face as she stomped over to her brother’s desk. You really need to shave, Scott, she grumbled.

Scott rubbed his hand over his jaw. It’s not as bad as it usually is.

Kiley rolled her eyes and turned her attention to her brother. You’re not going to believe this.

After everything I’ve seen, there’s not a whole lot I don’t believe.

Kiley slammed the printout down on top of the map covering her brother’s desk. Paula left the country, despite everything I told her and got herself arrested.

Well, you tried to warn her there was something off about James, Keith said as he reached for the paperwork. Let me guess. Trafficking? London will let her out—. Keith stared at the paper, and Kiley waited for the blowup. Son of a bitch! Turkey? He dropped the paper and stared up at Kiley in surprise. How the hell did she end up in Turkey? What the hell was she thinking?

Scott quickly grabbed the paper and scanned the printout. Looks like she’s being held as a remanded prisoner. In Turkey the minimum for trafficking is ten years and that’s only once she’s been convicted. He looked at Kiley with an apologetic tilt to his mouth. She’s American, Kiley. She won’t get bail and it will probably be years before this actually goes to trial.

That’s provided she survives the questioning. You know how they are over there, Keith added quietly to Scott.

Scott nodded sadly.

Kiley crossed her arms angrily over her chest. Thanks so much for that.

Come on, Kiley. You’ve got to be realistic, Keith cautioned. Has the Consulate been contacted yet?

Letting out a calming breath, Kiley nodded. I shot them an email before I came in here. I ran across the alert when I was trying to research some of the stuff she sent me. I know it’s the Duty Officer’s job to contact them when an American citizen is taken into custody, I just don’t trust them.

Scott snorted. What did she send you? And why? I thought she’d pretty much disowned all of you.

Something happened in Peru that made her panic. I can forward all the stuff to you if you want to see it.

Scott’s lips twisted as he set the paper back down on Keith’s desk. Paperwork and research are your forte, gorgeous. Not mine.

Kiley’s heart always skipped a beat whenever Scott called her gorgeous. She knew he mostly did it to push her buttons, like a brother to a younger sister, but it still didn’t stop the little thrill of excitement from traveling up her spine.

Scott was gorgeous, muscular, tall, but he was also an arrogant ass. Had been ever since Kiley knew him but that asshole side had seemed to increase about the time she turned eighteen.

Unable to stop herself, Kiley snorted. Yeah. We all know what your forte is.

Keith sighed and raised a hand. Let’s not get into a squabble in the middle of my office.  Kiley, what is you want us to do? We can find her an attorney, but—

I want you to go get her.

Keith and Scott both stared at her in shock. Excuse me? Keith murmured.

She’s in Silivri Penitentiaries Campus, Scott began. That’s the largest, most modern prison in Istanbul. That would be like trying to infiltrate a military base.

Kiley shrugged one shoulder in indifference. A task you guys have pulled off three times now.

Scott stepped around the desk and walked toward Kiley. As always, her heart sped up as he got closer, but she’d become very good at masking her emotions where Scott was concerned. She crossed her arms over her chest and stood her ground. She wasn’t about to let them talk her out of this. She wanted Paula out of there and the sooner the better.

Kiley, there’s a big difference between pulling someone from a terrorist group, or rescuing someone from a third world military camp, and trying to extract someone from a highly sophisticated prison. Something like this would take weeks, possibly even months to plan. We would need blueprints, history, personnel, watch schedules.

Kiley pulled a jump drive from her pocket and held it out to Scott.

Scott raised an eyebrow. Please tell me that’s not what I think it is.

It’s everything you asked for plus a little more.

Scott sighed and took the jump drive from her hand. Keith, you trained your sister way too damn well.

This is what people pay you guys hundreds of thousands of dollars to pull off. If I were a paying customer would you voice the same objections?

Keith stood to his full six foot three height and frowned. Come on, Kiley. That’s not fair. We always turn down jobs that are impossible to pull off successfully. This is one of them.

Scott leaned his hips on the desk with his back to Keith and leveled his gaze onto Kiley. He’s right, sweetheart, and you know it.

Kiley scowled. I know no such thing. I do know what you guys are capable of.

Scott sighed and turned his head to look at Keith. How about we do this? He turned back to Kiley. We’ll take a look at what you’ve got; see if it’s even possible. Do you know where she is inside the prison?

Based on my research, I know where she will probably be, but I’ll have to wait until she’s processed to find her exact location.

Keith nodded. We’ll need that before we can proceed.

You’ll have it. Kiley turned to leave, but then stopped. She spun back around. The tears she’d been fighting since reading that report threatened to spill over. I can’t believe she did this. If I had known she was going, I would’ve stopped her before she even got on the plane.

She’s an adult, Keith replied. You can’t stop her from doing stupid things. She would’ve hated you forever and left anyway when your back was turned. At that point, she wouldn’t have even contacted you about any of this. At least she sent you this intel so we can work towards getting the men responsible.

Kiley’s whole body deflated in disappointment as she thought about all the stuff her friend had sent and how, unfortunately, none of it would help.

They paid for everything in cash, so there is no way to trace them. Hotel room, airline tickets, everything. Even the travel agent they used was fake. I checked with the hotel she stayed at. It’s an older hotel. No video cameras or surveillance, which is probably why they used it. Other than actually going down there and trying to bribe the desk clerk to give us a description, I’ve got nothing. The only other alternative is to hack James’ Facebook page and see where that leads us.

Keith shrugged. You don’t need my okay to hack anything. What are you waiting for?

I’m waiting for you to say you’ll go get her, Kiley countered sarcastically.

Scott moved toward her, a look of sympathy on his handsome face that Kiley couldn’t take right now. She knew the second he touched her, she’d be in his arms, crying her eyes out. And that was the last thing she wanted to do. It was hard enough to keep her hands off her brother’s best friend and business partner. As part owner of the company he was her business partner as well.

Business and personal did not mix, especially not with their history. Scott had been around her family since both he and her brother were six years old. They’d gone to college together, joined the military together and became Navy Seals together. They did everything together. She would never come between them by starting a relationship that had no chance of going anywhere. Scott was too much of a player. Not to mention the fact her brother would tan her hide.

I need to get to work, Kiley mumbled just as Scott reached for her.

As quickly as possible, without appearing to run like a scared rabbit, she left the office and headed to her own.

Scott watched her go and sighed heavily. He hated to see Kiley upset. He wanted to run to her, hold her, tell her everything would be okay even if it wouldn’t.

Are you insane? Keith snapped.

Scott spun around to glare at his best friend. Are you seriously going to leave her there? We know this girl. We can’t abandon her.

Keith picked up his cup and headed to the coffee pot they kept in the office. They both drank more of that crap than they really should, but Keith lived on the stuff.

The only reason you want to do this is because of Kiley, admit it, Keith said.

Hey, I’m not denying I care for Kiley. Hell, she’s been part of my life since I was six, but she can’t talk me into doing something that could get me killed. It’s not going to hurt to check things out. See if it’s doable. It might be. Besides, you and I both know if we leave her there, even if she makes it back to the states at some point, that girl will never be the same.

Keith’s brow creased in worry and memories of his own torturous three days in Istanbul. Of all of them, Keith knew exactly how bad Turkey could be for Americans. I know, he said softly.

So, let’s check it out.

Keith sighed. Fine.

Chapter Two

Kiley sat in her home office staring at the computer screen. It had been easy to hack into James’ Facebook account and follow his i.p. address to other accounts. The more she dug, the more she found. She uncovered four more email accounts and ten more Facebook accounts, all under different names.

She broke so many laws doing this it wasn’t even funny. The amount of time she could spend in jail was probably more than this James jerk would get for his crimes — which was incredibly sad when one chose to spend much time thinking about it.

How was she going to be able to watch all this? She needed to know when these women left town to join up with their online fiancés. Paula didn’t post on Facebook when she left. Would the other women? Were they told not to? There were so many questions she wouldn’t have the answer to until she was able to speak to Paula and that didn’t look like it would happen anytime soon.

How did families handle this stuff? She would go nuts if her brother was over there, and she couldn’t speak to him; didn’t know how he was. Worry over Paula was bad enough.

Maybe she could create a program that would alert her to any of these women getting an airline ticket. Then maybe they could follow the women to Peru or whatever country just in case Peru wasn’t the only country they worked out of. That could work.

The front door opened and she froze, listening. She’d locked the door. Who had come in? As silently as possible, she opened the drawer to her right and rested her hand against the pistol she kept there. One of many she kept hidden throughout the house. Working in the type of business she did, she’d learned to be vigilant and always prepared.

It’s me, Scott called out.

Kiley breathed a sigh of relief, but then tensed for a different reason. He always made her feel edgy and slightly off kilter whenever he was around. But her brother’s friends were off limits.

Where are you? he asked.

In my office, she replied as she quietly the desk drawer.

Scott stuck his arm into the office with a bag of Chinese food dangling from his hand. Kiley’s brow creased into a frown.

What now? she demanded. You never bring over Chinese unless you want something.

Scott lowered the bag and then peered around the door jam. He wore a blue corduroy shirt that deepened the blue in his eyes. The white t-shirt beneath it made his tan look darker and the gray in his black hair more prominent. She loved that look on him—jeans, shirt open down the front, t-shirt beneath. He looked casual, carefree and so damn good looking she could hardly stop staring.

It’s a peace offering, he said.

Kiley sighed in disappointment. Let me guess. You’re not going to Istanbul.

No. I’m not.

Kiley shook her head in disgust and pushed her chair back. Then you and your Chinese food can—

You didn’t let me finish. Scott walked into the room and set the bag on the desk.

Kiley stood and crossed her arms over her chest. Fine. Finish.

Scott opened the bag. He pursed his lips and pouted. Kiley would normally find that look adorable, but right now she was too mad. She hated it when Scott teased her by pretending to pout.

All she wanted to know was how they could allow Paula to stay there? Especially knowing what would happen to her.

I don’t know, now. You’re so moody, he murmured.

Moody? she cried. I do have a gun in my desk drawer, asshole, so keep it up. Give me a reason to use it.

He grinned and glanced at her out of the tops of his eyes. I’m sure I’ve given you numerous reasons over the years and you haven’t shot me yet.

Her whole body heated, but she rolled her eyes more at herself than him. I wasn’t this pissed off. How could you—

Again, Kiley. You haven’t let me finish.

Well, would you hurry up? she snapped.

Scott