Free Jax: A Navy SEAL Romantic Suspense by Autumn Gunn

leave.”
     
    “I’m not coming back.”
     
    “But sir, the movie hasn’t even started yet.”
     
    “Tom Cruise is going to pretend to save the world by himself today.  I’m about to do the real thing.”
     
    A line that sounds corny in hindsight especially if it isn’t delivered with the appropriate corresponding body language, but I wasn’t thinking about looking back.  I knew something was about to happen and the only way was forward.  And that’s why it wasn’t a line.  I meant it one hundred percent.
     
    Sure enough.  I was right.
     
    Kong
     
    It couldn’t be Kong.  I landed three rounds square in his chest at Daepo Jusangjeolli Cliff.  Watched him fall backwards more than 40 meters into the East China Sea.  There was no escaping death.
     
    Even though it couldn’t be Kong, it must be someone aware of the situation.  The list of people who were still upright with knowledge of that night was awfully short.  It’s not Kong, but it’s someone who knows the situation and knows my operative name.  I need to figure this out.  I’ll play along.
     
    What do you want?
     
    Watch your luck run out.
     
    How’s that?
     
    Try and save Jerry and Kate.   Interested?   Don’t worry.   Uncle Kwang-jo taking good care of them.   Pacific Palisades.   Thursday they ship out to start their new careers.
     
    I hit one on my speed dial.  Kate’s number went unanswered.  I hit two.
     
    “Thought you were at the movies?”
     
    “Cole, did Jerry send you any text messages today after school?”
     
    “No, strange too.  I promised yesterday to show him a new move.  Usually he gets excited and asks me about it all day beforehand.  He seemed really fired up.  Everything OK?”
     
    “Gotta run.  Going to Jersey.”
     
    “What’s going on?”
     
    “I’ll call you if it escalates.  Please take care of Jasmine.”
     
    “Of course.”
     
    “Thanks, brother.”
     
    I hung up.  I knew I didn’t need to get in a long conversation with Cole.  He gets it.  He’s also Jasmine’s godfather, and although I would never take advantage of that, I knew Cole was always looking out for her, not matter if I asked him to or not.  That’s what SEALs do.
     
    This sounded like a trap, but someone had way too much information about that night in South Korea and I was in way too deep.
     
    On the way.   Don’t touch them.
     
    Would never damage the merchandise.   First time is biggest money.
     
    I could feel vomit enter my mouth.  I can’t remember the last time I had a mission that felt so personal.  I wasn’t even active duty anymore, but this was going to be my biggest mission ever.  I jumped in the Jeep and headed straight to the airport.  Unexpected trip to Jersey.

 
     
    Chapter 13
     
    Now
     
    I u-turned and bee lined it back toward town.  I had to get to Target.
     
    Kong had just said he had Kate and Jerry, but Kate just spoke with me.  This didn’t make sense.  When I got to Target I was going to straighten this out once and for all.  Who is Kate Koval and why is she involving me in this sick game?  Part of me thought she was a lunatic, the other part of me was only concerned with how Kong got my number…and how he was even alive.
     
    I pulled right to the front doors of the Target and ran inside.  I saw the security guard sitting just where he always was.  He looked like he was about ready to settle in for an afternoon nap.  Lovely.
     
    “Sir, I’m a military veteran.  Have you seen a woman about 5’5”, curvy, brown hair in this section trying on sunglasses?”
     
    “Sir, that describes half of our shoppers in the woman’s section.”
     
    “In the last five minutes.  Anyone that fits that description and anyone strange speaking with her?”
     
    “No one’s been in sunglasses for at least 10 or 15 minutes.  Clouds came out, people aren’t thinking about sunglasses now.”
     
    “No one.  Were there any dispatch calls to this