Free HOT SEAL Rescue (HOT SEAL Team - Book 3) by Lynn Raye Harris Page B

were smarter ways to go about eliminating a high-value target like Conti. And Miranda wasn’t stupid. If that had been her goal, she’d have gotten the job done.
    “Cowboy?” Viking said when Cody stayed silent.
    “When and where?” he asked from behind gritted teeth. Because he couldn’t disobey a direct order. It would be treason to do so. How the fuck was he going to get out of this?
    “Tonight. Ms. Spencer is flying into Vegas. Take Miss Lockwood to the airport, and Ms. Spencer will take it from there.”
    “Jesus H. Christ,” Cody said. “I don’t like this, Viking. It’s not right.”
    “If she was HOT, would you stop Mendez from doing what needed done?”
    His temples throbbed with a fresh headache. If Miranda was in the military and a member of HOT, no, he wouldn’t stop Mendez from taking care of business. But he knew Mendez. Trusted him. He didn’t know Samantha Spencer very well, and he damn sure didn’t know the CIA brass who wanted Miranda to turn herself in. All he knew was that Miranda didn’t want to go. That she was convinced she’d end up dead if she did.
    But maybe that was an act—or maybe she really was in need of help. Christ, what a mess.
    “No, I wouldn’t.”
    “Same thing, man. The spooks have their own chain of command just like we do.”
    He blew out a harsh breath. Golden sunlight spilled over the sand and scrub, making everything seem beautiful and new. Hid the ugliness and unfairness of what he had to do to the woman still sleeping in the bed they’d shared last night. Damn it, he wanted more time with her.
    But he wasn’t going to get it.
    “Yeah, all right. What the fuck am I supposed to tell her?”
    “Tell her we’re helping her solve her problem.”

    * * *
    A buzzing noise sounded near her head. Miranda swatted at it, thinking it was a fly or a mosquito—and then she came fully awake when she realized what it really was. The burner phone sat on the bedside table. Ringing.
    It shouldn’t be ringing. She’d blocked the number before she called Badger. She snatched it up, considering whether or not she should answer. But curiosity overwhelmed her, and she pressed the button.
    “Miranda?” a female voice said. “Are you there?”
    “Who wants to know?” She didn’t recognize the voice, but clearly the woman knew who she was. And knew the number to call.
    “It’s Samantha Spencer.”
    She pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it for a moment. “How do I know that’s true?”
    She knew who Samantha Spencer was. She’d been on the Middle East bureau for quite some time, and she was legendary. Then she’d left and presumably returned to Washington. Miranda didn’t know that for certain because she wasn’t acquainted with Samantha. Mark had known her though.
    “I was a friend of Mark Reed’s,” she said, almost as if reading the direction of Miranda’s thoughts. “We worked together several years ago.”
    “If you were his friend, then tell me his childhood nickname. The one he hated.”
    “What makes you think we were that close?”
    “If you don’t know it, I’m hanging up.”
    There was a sigh on the other end. “Really, darling, you shouldn’t go off half-cocked all the time. That’s what gets good operatives in trouble. And his nickname was Bubba. Which, yes, he despised. His sister told me at a party once.”
    Miranda closed her eyes. “What do you want, Ms. Spencer?”
    “Call me Sam. Right now that handsome SEAL you’re with is being told to bring you in. He’s not going to want to do it—but he will in the end.”
    There was a sharp pain right behind her eyes at that news. Yes, they’d had one hot night together—but they still had jobs to do. Cody wasn’t going to risk his career for her—just like she wouldn’t risk hers for him if the situation were reversed. A prickle of doubt slid down her spine, but she shook it off.
    No, of course she wouldn’t risk her career for him. She didn’t even know him. Not