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CHAPTER ONE

VIOLET TREVELYAN RACED through the Lacandon jungle toward her teammate’s last known position. She hopped over a fallen tree, then twenty feet ahead bent to avoid the low-hanging branch of a massive Ceiba tree. Deftly avoiding the sprawling roots, she pressed ahead faster.

How bad was the injury? She had little time to patch up the principal. Cartel members were scouring the jungle in search of their prize hostage. Soon, one of them would stumble across Teagan, her Artemis teammate, and Taylor.

Violet pushed herself faster, wishing the tropical rainforest wasn’t so thick overhead, blocking most of the moonlight.

Sweat ran down her hairline in rivulets as she sprinted the final few hundred feet. Violet burst into a small clearing.

Riley and Rayne, two more of her Artemis teammates, stood near Teagan and Taylor Hunt, their principal. Sprawled on the ground, Taylor gritted her teeth as Teagan pressed her hands against the other woman’s side.

“What do we have?” Violet slid the mike bag off her shoulder and dropped to her knees beside the injured woman.

“A bullet wound, through and through.” Teagan lifted her hands for Violet to see the injury.

Violet ripped open a packet of alcohol wipes and cleaned around the site of the wound. She scowled. “Help me roll Taylor to her side. Taylor, don’t move a muscle. Let us do the work, all right?”

The other woman nodded.

Once Taylor lay on her side, Violet examined the wound on her back.

Iona, Artemis’ team leader, raced into the clearing. “Violet, you have five minutes, max. Make them count.”

“Copy that.” Without another option available, Violet grabbed two packets of QuikClot gauze and a bottle of saline wound wash. “Taylor, I don’t have time to be gentle, and you can’t make a sound.”

“Go for it. I don’t want to end up back in the cartel’s hands.”

Taking the woman at her word, Violet forced saline through the wound, ignoring the soft moans and hisses from Taylor. Once she irrigated the wound, she ripped open a package of QuikClot and pressed the treated gauze to each side of the wound. “Teagan, put pressure on her back wound. I’ll do the front.” Hopefully, the QuikClot would do the trick in the next couple of minutes. If not, she’d have to improvise on the run.

“Three minutes,” Iona murmured.

At the two-minute mark, Violet applied a pressure bandage to each side of the wound. She gathered the medical detritus scattered on the ground and shoved everything into a container in her mike bag. “Help me get Taylor to her feet.” With Teagan’s aid, Violet hoisted their principal from the ground. Seconds later, Taylor stood between them, pale but mobile. “Ready,” Violet murmured to Iona.

“Let’s roll.”

“What about Echo?” The five former detectives who were members of Echo unit were their partners on this mission into a hot zone in Mexico. Based on the gunshots peppering the jungle sporadically, the operatives were still engaged with the enemy.

“Heading this way. We need as much distance between Taylor and the enemy as possible. If Taylor gives out, Echo will carry her.”

Teagan and Violet each draped one of Taylor’s arms across their shoulders and took much of the injured woman’s weight as they propelled Taylor into motion.

To her credit, their principal didn’t complain, although Violet knew she was in pain from the gunshot wound and weak from blood loss. Both were taking a toll on the woman. As game as she was to continue the grueling pace Artemis set, Taylor was already slowing down.

“I’m sorry,” Taylor said, panting. “I know I’m too slow.”

“Just keep moving,” Teagan said. “One foot in front of the other. Block everything else out.”

“Right,” she huffed. “So, I should ignore the gunfire moving closer by the second?”

“That’s our teammates.” Violet squeezed Taylor’s hand, praying her statement was accurate.

She and Teagan carried Taylor another 400 yards before the other woman’s legs gave out and she sagged.

Taylor gave a soft moan. “I need a quick break.”

Violet glanced at Iona, who shook her head. “We can’t stop. Do what you can. We’ll handle the rest.”

She and Teagan continued to carry Taylor. Violet scanned the area, feeling as though the enemy breathed down their necks. Her skin prickled as her trouble radar warned of danger creeping closer.

Five minutes later, a deep male voice came through the comm devices nestled in the ears of Artemis members. “Echo One to Artemis. We’re one minute behind you. Don’t shoot us or gut us with your fancy knives.”

Iona snorted. “As long as you don’t sound like a herd of elephants like the cartel soldiers, you’ll be fine.”

Seth, Echo’s leader, chuckled. “Thirty seconds.”

Soon, five men emerged from the shadows of the Ceiba trees.

“Need a hand?” Noah Mann asked Violet.

She nodded. “She has a through-and-through gunshot wound to the right side. Although I’ve patched her up for now, Taylor needs a smooth ride.”

“Got it.” Noah smiled at Taylor. “Need a lift, Taylor?”

“I wouldn’t say no.”

Teagan stepped aside, and Noah scooped Taylor into his arms. “I don’t know about you, ma’am, but I’m tired of this humid jungle.”

“Right there with you,” she huffed out.

With Taylor in Noah’s arms, the teams picked up their pace. Violet and her teammates surrounded Noah and Taylor. Seth Dixon and Elias Knight led the way, with Andre Marsh and Grant Bowen bringing up the rear.

Fifteen minutes into their run, Seth held up a fist. He glanced at Marsh and Bowen, pointing to the right. The two men merged into the shadows and disappeared from view.

Noah carried Taylor into the deep shadows of a clump of trees to their left and waited for his colleagues to return.

Violet checked the bandages on Taylor’s torso, pleased to see the bleeding had stopped. Now, if the Fortress Security operatives could make it to the vehicles and then to the airfield soon, Taylor had a good chance to survive.

Yards away, a man’s shout cut off abruptly. Seconds later, bushes rustled as someone ran through the brush, heading toward where the operatives waited for Marsh and Bowen.

Violet and Teagan stepped in front of Taylor and Noah. Both women drew knives and waited.

A dark-haired man raced into view, the scowl on his face deepening when he saw the operatives. He opened his mouth to alert his fellow cartel members. Teagan’s knife sank into the cartel soldier’s throat. Violet’s knife drove deep into the man’s heart. The soldier dropped to the jungle floor, unmoving.

Marsh and Bowen emerged from the trees. Marsh’s eyebrows rose. “That makes six men on our tail.”

Taylor’s eyes widened.

“Let’s move,” Iona said.

Seth signaled for Knight to join him, and the two men took point. The rest of them fell into formation, with Noah and Taylor in the middle.

Twice more, the operatives paused their journey to take out more enemy soldiers. After two more miles covered on the run, Seth held up his fist. He and Knight melted into the shadows to check the SUVs before the rest of the group brought Taylor from cover.

The men returned two minutes later. “We’re clear,” Seth said. “We need to go. My skin is crawling.”

“Ditto,” Bowen muttered. The rest of his teammates exchanged grim glances.

Not good. If Echo’s members felt danger nipping at their heals, you could count on trouble finding them sooner rather than later.

“You heard them,” Iona said. “Let’s move.”

The operatives covered the last few hundred yards on the double with Noah in the middle holding Taylor, Violet by his side.

Noah laid Taylor gently on the backseat of a large SUV and stepped back to allow Violet to climb in with her patient. Soon, the operatives drove three SUVs from the cover of the trees, with members of both teams split between the vehicles.

Seth drove the middle SUV with Teagan riding shotgun and Noah in the cargo area, watching behind them for trouble.

Violet squeezed Taylor’s hand. “Hang in there. We’ll be at the airstrip soon.”

Her patient groaned as Seth hit yet another pothole in what passed for a road.

“Sorry,” Seth said. “The government isn’t wasting money on road maintenance.”

“Don’t care,” Taylor said between tightly gritted teeth. “As long as you get me out of this jungle, I’ll be happy.”

Teagan turned in her seat and smiled at their principal. “That’s the plan. Rest and leave everything else to us.”

“I don’t know what my husband is paying you and your team, but it’s not enough to compensate for the danger you’re facing.”

“Don’t worry about the money,” Violet said. “Focus on the fact that your husband loves you. We’re glad to help you reunite.”

“We’re thrilled to be a thorn in the side of the Moreno Cartel,” Seth added. “They’re nothing but a source of grief and trouble.” He fell silent, his gaze shifting from the rearview mirror to the side mirrors and back again. “Noah.”

“I see them.”

Violet peered over the backseat and grimaced. Not what she wanted to see coming at them.

Seth scowled. “Teagan, call Bowen.”

His new wife made the call and put it on speaker.

“Yeah, Bowen.”

“How many are on your tail?”

“Four vehicles, loaded. Iona is reporting another two coming toward her.”

Although the floor would be safer for Taylor, Violet couldn’t risk the other woman laying on it. With her injury, the bumpy ride could undo Violet’s patch job. The SUV had little in the way of shock absorption.

“Give us a minute, then shift to the right side of this cow path. Noah and Teagan will give you a hand with the tails.”

“Copy that.”

As Teagan lowered the passenger side window and assembled her sniper rifle, Noah kicked out the liftgate window and grabbed his own rifle.

“Hands over your ears,” Violet told Taylor. “It will get noisy in here fast.”

“What’s happening?”

“The cartel sent six vehicles with soldiers after us. We’ll take out two while our teammates handle the other four vehicles.”

“How?” Taylor’s voice shook.

“Leave that to us,” Seth said. “What do you want to do first when you get home?”

Their principal gave a short laugh. “Kiss my husband, Wyatt.”

Violet squeezed her hand. “Funny. That’s exactly what your husband said when our boss asked him the same question. How long have you been married?”

“Five years. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Violet’s gaze shifted to Noah, who watched the road behind them. “I understand,” she murmured to Taylor. “Focus on Wyatt and what you want to do and say when you’re stateside. Every minute that passes, you’re moving closer to that reunion.”

Tears streaked down the other woman’s cheeks. “Will I make it home, Violet?”

“You will. We’ll get you out of here and, in a few hours, you’ll be in Wyatt’s arms.”

“Bowen’s moving over now,” Seth warned. “Get ready.”

“Cover your ears,” Violet instructed Taylor. “Your job is to stay relaxed and gather your strength for the journey home. We’ve got this, Taylor.”

Taylor pressed her hands over her ears.

Violet got up on her knees and hovered over Taylor, resting her arm along the injured woman’s body to hold her in place. “We need a smooth ride, Seth.”

“I’ll try, but no guarantees. Hold on. I’m moving to the far side of the road.”

“Here they come,” Noah said. He raised his rifle to his shoulder and fired off multiple rounds at one vehicle pursuing them.

Teagan eased out the passenger-side window and braced herself on the frame. Seconds later, her sniper rifle joined the cacophony of noise. “One down,” she called out.

“Beautiful. Get back inside,” Seth snapped. “I don’t want to lose my wife to a pothole.”

She laughed and slid back into the passenger seat. “I knew you loved me, Mr. Dixon.”

“Madly, Mrs. Dixon. Noah, take that vehicle out. I’ll run out of passable road in two hundred yards.”

After Noah fired off another few rounds, he said, “Two down.”

“Took you long enough,” Teagan teased.

“Hey, some of us don’t have the magic touch with rifles.”

“Yeah, yeah. Some excuse.”

“In all fairness, the roads are terrible,” Violet said. “You should cut Noah some slack.”

Seth glanced in the mirror again. “Noah, any more bogeys on our tail?”

“No, sir. Knight took care of the remaining two.”

“Teagan, call Iona. See if they have things in hand or if they need an assist.”

A moment later, Iona’s voice came through the phone’s speaker. “Clear sailing for now.”

“Same back here. Floor it, Iona. We need to get Taylor to the jet as soon as possible.”

“Copy that.” She ended the call.

As the convoy of SUVs raced over the rough roads toward the private airstrip where the Fortress jet waited, Violet sat on the floorboard. She checked Taylor’s bandages and was pleased to see that despite the jostling, the pressure bandages and QuikClot had done their jobs.

Noah glanced over the seat at Violet. “You okay?”

She nodded. Of course he would ask. Noah Mann noticed everything about her. Leftover from the first mission they’d worked together a few weeks ago? Violet hoped that wasn’t the case, but when had such an amazing man paid this much attention to her? Never. Her sister Camilla had been the one to always attract men’s attention.

She needed to call Cami soon. She’d been putting off the phone conversation for a couple of days. The last thing she wanted to do was worry her gentle sister if she learned Violet had called her while deployed on a mission.

“Get ready to bail,” Seth said. “Two minutes to the airstrip.”

Violet and her teammates packed their gear while keeping an eye out for trouble.

“Sharp turn,” Seth warned.

Taylor gave a soft moan. “How much farther, Violet?”

She braced her patient as the SUV slid into a turn, tires squalling. “Thirty seconds, then we’ll make a run for the jet. All you have to do is hold on to Noah.”

A slight smile curved the other woman’s lips. “I can do that. I’d like to call my husband.”

“Once we’re airborne, we’ll make that happen.”

“Noah, I’ll get your bag,” Seth said. “Your only job is transporting Taylor to the jet.”

“Copy that.”

Seconds later, the SUV skidded to a stop. Violet threw open her door and slid out, grabbing her Go bag and mike bag. Palming her weapon, she took a position to protect Taylor as Noah scooped her patient from the vehicle.

Teagan joined Violet. “I’ve got this. Go with Noah.”

She spun and sprinted after Noah and Taylor. Bowen and Rayne raced ahead of them and positioned themselves at the top of the jet’s stairs to protect the rest of the team.

Noah surged up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Once inside the jet’s cabin, he carried Taylor to the bedroom at the back and laid Violet’s patient on the bed.

Violet set down her bags and, after Noah returned to the cabin to help their teammates, she checked Taylor’s injury. She breathed a sigh of relief. “Looking good, Taylor.”

“Wish I felt decent.”

“After we’re in the air and I consult with one of our doctors, I’ll give you something for the pain.”

“I’ll even take over-the-counter pain relievers at this point.”

“Hang on a few more minutes, all right?”

Taylor sighed. “Sorry. I’m not usually a whiner.”

“Ever been shot before?”

The other woman shook her head.

“I have. Bullet wounds hurt. I wanted to dull the pain, too.”

At that moment, the engines revved, and the jet taxied down the airstrip. In less than a minute, the jet was airborne.

Violet recorded Taylor’s vitals and set up an IV to administer fluids and any medicine the doctor prescribed. Once the jet leveled out, she called Ted Sorenson, one of the Fortress doctors.

“Yeah, Sorenson.”

“It’s Violet. We’re about six hours out with a gunshot victim.” She gave the doctor Taylor’s vitals and described the wound and her treatment of the patient. “No fever so far, but the patient is asking for pain meds.”

“Find out what she’s allergic to and do what you can to make her comfortable. Mild pain medicine is preferable.” Sorenson rattled off the names of medicines he wanted Taylor to have, depending on her tolerance. “If anything changes, I want to know about it.”

“Copy that, sir.”

After Sorenson ended the call, Violet got to work. By the time Noah knocked on the door and stepped inside, she had fluids, antibiotics, and pain meds dripping into the IV, and Taylor was more comfortable.

“Need anything?” Noah asked Violet.

“Water for both of us.”

“Food for you?”

Although she was starving, Violet glanced at Taylor. Her patient couldn’t eat in case Sorenson had to operate.

“Go ahead,” Taylor said. “In fact, if you leave me a phone, I’ll talk to my husband while you get a snack.”

“I won’t be gone long. One of my teammates will be close in case you need something. Don’t get up without help, all right? You don’t want to hurt yourself further.” Violet unlocked her phone, keyed in the number for Taylor’s husband, and handed the phone to Taylor.

Noah followed Violet from the bedroom. “How is she doing?” he asked, voice soft.

“Good, considering what she’s been through in the past two weeks. That gunshot wound may be the least of her troubles.”

The former cop eyed her, his expression grim. “She needs to be honest with Sorenson. She’ll need treatment and counseling if the cartel lived up to its reputation.”

Rape, drugs, and human trafficking, along with gunrunning. Yeah, Taylor would need someone to talk to and treatment for diseases. Hopefully, her husband was as supportive as Taylor claimed.

Violet paused by Rayne. “Will you listen in case Taylor needs anything? I won’t be long.”

“Sure.” Her teammate stood and turned toward the back of the jet. “Take your time, Violet.”

Noah rested his hand against Violet’s lower back and nudged her toward the galley. “I know you’re exhausted,” he murmured. “Sit at the table. I’ll bring you food.”

“You’re tired, too,” she protested. “You carried Taylor for miles.”

“I can rest now. You’re still on duty until we land in Texas.” He returned in minutes with a tray filled with sandwiches. “Take what you want. Once our teammates realize food is ready, there won’t be much left except crumbs.”

Knowing he was right, she did as he suggested, picked up a sandwich, and took a bite. Over the next few minutes, she polished off a turkey and cheese sandwich and drank a bottle of water. By the time she finished her quick meal, the rest of the operatives had loaded plates and demolished their food as well.

Violet pushed back from the table. “I need to check on Taylor,” she murmured to Noah.

“I’ll join you in a minute.”

“You should sleep, Noah.”

“Later.”

Although she rolled her eyes at his stubbornness, Violet was pleased that he still seemed invested in their friendship. Couldn’t call it a relationship, could she? After all, the pretend dating relationship had been for the sake of a mission. Right? Perhaps to Noah. For Violet, though, the former cop had slipped under her armor and wiggled close to her heart.

Did that make her a fool? Noah had never showed he planned to pursue a genuine relationship with her, but he sought her company frequently with and without their teammates around. She genuinely liked the man, but he’d been maddeningly silent about where they stood with each other.

When she approached Rayne, the other woman straightened from the doorway. “Any problem?”

Rayne shook her head. “She just ended a call to her husband.”

“Good. Thanks for staying close.”

“No problem.”

“Go eat. Medic’s orders.”

A quick grin from her friend. “Yes, ma’am.”

Violet entered the bedroom to see her patient resting against pillows. “How do you feel?”

“Better since I talked to Wyatt. He’s flying to Texas to meet me.”

She smiled. “You look happy about that.”

“I can’t wait to see him. It was a long two weeks.”

Two weeks. It was a miracle Echo and Artemis had found Taylor at all. The cartel didn’t show benevolence to hostages and human trafficking victims.

Violet rechecked her patient’s vitals. No change. Excellent. Hopefully that would remain true until the jet landed. “Rest, Taylor. I’ll stay with you and monitor your vital signs, but the best thing you can do for yourself is to sleep and give your body a chance to heal.”

Minutes later, Noah joined them. “Need anything?” he asked Violet, voice low.

She shook her head. “I think we’re set for now.”

A nod, then, “I’ll sack out on the floor in case you need me.”

Her heart turned over. She squeezed his forearm. “Noah, you’ll be more comfortable in the cabin.”

“Are you throwing me out?”

Violet’s cheeks burned. “You know I’m not.”

“Then I’m staying.”

Stubborn man. She went to the small closet, pulled out a blanket and pillow, and thrust them at him. “Here. At least be comfortable.”

He smiled. “I knew you cared,” Noah teased. He dropped a quick kiss to her mouth, dropped his blanket and pillow, and stretched out on the floor. Within seconds, he was asleep.

After checking the IV, Violet grabbed a book she’d stashed in her Go bag, sat at the small round table in the bedroom, and read.

Three hours later, Taylor moaned in her sleep.

Violet set down her book and crossed to her patient’s bedside. Taylor was restless and had broken into a sweat.

She checked Taylor’s vitals again and scowled. A fever. Not surprising, but unwelcome news.

Noah sat up. “What do you need?”

“Stay with her.” Violet hurried from the room to the drug cabinet at the front of the jet and grabbed a stronger antibiotic prescribed by Sorenson if needed. She also grabbed two chemically activated cold packs. No need to deplete the stash in her mike bag.

She returned to the bedroom, handed the cold packs to Noah, and quickly switched out the now-empty bag of antibiotic with the stronger one.

Noah shook the cold packs and placed one behind Taylor’s neck and draped one over her forehead.

“Thanks.” Violet turned toward Noah.

“Is she okay?”

“She has an infection. I’m giving her a stronger antibiotic, and I need to report the change to Sorenson.”

After a quick conversation with the trauma doctor, she settled in to watch and wait. Between them, she and Noah did their best to keep Taylor comfortable and the fever under control.

By the time they landed in Bayside, Texas, Violet was so exhausted she swayed on her feet as Sorenson’s med techs carried Taylor down the jet aisle on a stretcher.

Noah steadied her with an arm around her waist. “You good?” he murmured.

She nodded. “Thanks.”

Once the techs cleared the door, she turned back to get her gear and follow her patient to Sorenson’s clinic.

Noah took Violet’s Go bag and slid it over his own shoulder, then followed her from the jet.

When they stepped onto the tarmac, Violet and Noah came to an abrupt halt. A tall, broad-shouldered man with a buzz cut and icy blue eyes strode toward them, his expression grim.

“Brent,” Noah said, frowning. “What are you doing here?”

“Delivering a message from the Morrison Police.”

Violet gasped. “What is it? What’s happened?” As she spoke, she vaguely registered Noah’s hand pressing against her lower back in silent support.

Brent sighed. “There’s no easy way to say this, Violet, but your sister is dead.”