Free 9781618854704HolidayGemBeckNC by Paloma Beck

“Why didn’t you tell me how close you were with him?”
    “I didn’t know how.
He’s like a brother to me and losing him is not an option.”
    “Are you worried it has
something to do with the people who took Caedon’s parents? I know TEU hasn’t
tracked them down yet.”
    “I don’t think it’s
likely, but I honestly can’t figure out what went wrong. I’m just sticking to
the objective. I’ll get in, get him out and get home to you.”
    “ I’ll be here waiting ,” she spoke through their newly acquired bond before
kissing him again, deeper this time. Without words, they both knew the kiss
would have to last them until Seamus returned.

 
     
     
    Chapter Six
     
     
    She was certain she’d
done the right thing by encouraging him to find Donovan. There was not a doubt
in her mind about that. Still she feared for him. Gemma put on her big-girl
panties and stood by him while Caedon and Madden went over mission objectives
and details, much of it she didn’t understand. She held herself together and
forced all her emotions down so as not to worry Seamus.
    But before he left,
Gemma needed Seamus to know he could count on her. She jumped up and wrapped
her arms around his shoulders. “ I am
yours ,” she spoke into his mind so others wouldn’t hear.
    Seamus’ response was
immediate as his lips crushed down on hers. This wasn’t the sweet kiss of
earlier, and Gemma returned his intensity and encouraged him to pull her closer
and deepen the kiss even further. Seamus grabbed her bottom and forced her to
wrap her legs around his waist. The thought that she should be embarrassed in
front of the others crossed her mind but it was only fleeting. Everything
inside her focused on her mate.
    Gemma did hear one of
the men gasp however. She opened her eyes for just a moment and saw the colors
of light. Seamus and her combined emotions caused bursts of sparkling light to
swirl around them. Incredible joy pounded in her veins and she knew she loved
this man. He felt right against her as his lips pressed against hers and his
teeth nipped at her lower lip.
    A cough from behind
them broke their moment. Seamus squeezed his eyes closed before opening them,
shaking his head and placing her down on the floor. With his hand around her
waist, he looked to Nicolaus.
    “I place my mate in
your keeping.” Seamus spoke solemnly.
    “I swear my oath to her
safety,” Nicolaus dipped his head slightly and nodded once.
    Seamus grabbed her
face, his hands on either side, and placed his forehead against hers.
    “I will be back as
quickly as possible.”
    “I will be right here
waiting,” Gemma offered the only assurance she had to give.
     
    * * * *
     
    “The damn coordinates
tell us he’s right here,” Seamus spoke to Caedon through his earpiece. “There’s
nothing here. It’s a shack. A damn shack.” Seamus
kicked around broken furniture that lay on the dirty floors.
    Gage searched the other
rooms while Seamus reported in. They’d used stealth and entered the village in
the middle of the night despite all intel showing it
was uninhabited. Donovan’s GPS signal led them here though, and Seamus didn’t
intend to leave until he figured out what the fuck was going on. Through the
pitch-dark, with only their night-vision goggles, he and Gage had searched the
entire village. They’d found two chickens and a dog that was now following him
around the building he stood in, but no other sign of life.
    “We have a lock in this
location. He’s there somewhere,” Caedon said.
    “Or his GPS tracker is
there,” Madden suggested. A deafening silence followed that statement because
they each knew the doctors had surgically installed their trackers.  
    “Seamus,” Gage called
out and interrupted the thoughts beginning to eat at Seamus.
    He followed Gage’s
voice through another room that smelled of rotten food and stale sweat. The
shack was uninhabitable. Seamus couldn’t imagine this had been used as a home
in years. It’s