Debt of Honor: A Rough Romance, page 1
DEBT OF HONOR
PIPER STONE
CONTENTS
Eagle Force
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Afterword
Books of the Sinners and Saints Series
Books of the Benedetti Empire Series
Books of the Merciless Kings Series
Books of the Mafia Masters Series
Books of the Dark Overture Series
Books of the Club Darkness Series
More Mafia and Billionaire Romances by Piper Stone
Books of the Dangerous Business Series
Books of the Montana Bad Boys Series
Books of the Alpha Dynasty Series
Books of the Alpha Beasts Series
More Stormy Night Books by Piper Stone
About Piper Stone
Copyright © 2022 by Stormy Night Publications and Piper Stone
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Published by Stormy Night Publications and Design, LLC.
www.StormyNightPublications.com
Stone, Piper
Debt of Honor
Cover Design by Korey Mae Johnson
Images by Depositphotos/Mikeguta, Shutterstock/Lucky-photographer, and Shutterstock/Wilqkuku
This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults.
EAGLE FORCE
Eagle Force is a covert unit comprised of former Black Ops soldiers established by a division of the Pentagon. The organization is secret and not subject to traditional federal standards.
Their mission is to provide protection of individuals from high level threats placed by powerful, dangerous enemies. Any methods of extraction and eradication are acceptable. Once a soldier becomes a member, he is on his own, his identity wiped from all databases.
CHAPTER 1
Jagger
Washington D.C.
Treat level high. Abduction imminent. Remove target.
The text was clear. There was no time to waste.
I piled out of the van, the mercenaries I’d hired for the two-hour extraction here for a single goal.
Removing the target safely.
However, they were also prepared for the onslaught of enemy soldiers, their instructions clear.
Shoot to kill.
They were buddies, men I’d served with for years. They were well-trained snipers, and they were trustworthy, never asking a single question when I’d made the initial contact. While I usually worked alone, this was the single instance where assistance was needed. I couldn’t underestimate the enemy. Not for a second.
I motioned toward the leader, waiting for only a few seconds as they began to surround the nightclub. After checking my watch, I headed toward the back door. I’d already determined the best point of entry, the rear exit kept unlocked until after close of business. I moved inside, scanning the corridor. While my weapon was secured, the intent to remove the target without incident, I couldn’t rule out the possibility the Russians had already pinged her whereabouts.
The few people I passed backed away. I was a formidable presence and obviously not inside the club for entertainment purposes. As I moved into the main room, I made an immediate threat assessment.
The clock was ticking.
I shifted through the crowd, keeping my actions limited to ensure there was no trouble from the few bouncers who walked the floors. After a few seconds, I homed in on the mark, easing my hand to my weapon. However, I had to look twice, then a third time. She was wearing a wig. No wonder she’d managed to slide away from her security detail.
I’d studied her file for hours, learning everything I could about the young woman. I’d also been told she was difficult to handle, an attribute I considered dangerous. However, it seemed she had a second personality, a penchant for risking her life for nights out. What else didn’t I know about the woman?
As I headed in her direction, my hackles were instantly raised. She was already being watched. There was no time to lose. Once I was within two feet, I studied her face, shifting my gaze down the length of her body to confirm her identity. Every aspect of her physical features, facial expressions, likes and dislikes as well as the locations she frequented had been memorized.
What I wasn’t prepared for was my reaction to the sight of Isabella Adams, the gorgeous woman swaying her hips on the dancefloor very little like her photographs. While there was no doubt I was correct in my determination, the immediate temptation was a red flag and unexpected as hell. The fact I was instantly attracted to her could prove to be perilous.
This wasn’t my first rodeo in reconnaissance, but it was with a civilian. Most prisoners of war were immediately grateful for being rescued. I could instantly tell the pampered princess was going to cause me problems.
The clock continued to tick.
I reacted without another thought, my years of training eliminating my personal feelings. I closed the distance, taking her by the arm and leading her into the shadows. “This is a matter of national security, Ms. Adams. You’re required to come with me.”
“Hey, jerk. Take your hands off me!” Isabella yanked her arm free, her voice loud enough that a few people heard her exclaim, although not a single asshole stepped up to the plate to help her.
Except for the friend she’d arrived with.
“Izzy. Is everything okay?” The bottled blonde came within two feet, her expression guarded.
“She’s just fine, Jenny. I’m just trying to ask Izzy to dance. Perhaps I came on a little too strong.” The last thing I needed was for Jennifer Beaumont to make a scene at this point. While I’d already anticipated the best friend would contact the authorities after Isabella disappeared, with little to go on, the police would find themselves trying to locate a ghost. Granted, there couldn’t be a worse place for an extraction, but the text had been clear.
I’d run out of time.
I’d planned to remove her quickly and quietly from her apartment, working with her Secret Service agents to smooth the way. However, the bozos had lost her, not realizing that for the fifth time in only two months she’d managed to sneak out without their knowledge. The two men should be terminated but it wasn’t up to me.
Whether or not Isabella believed the crap I’d just offered was difficult to tell but she smiled, her eyes opening wide as she nodded to her friend. Suddenly, her entire demeanor had changed. “I’m fine, Jen. I can handle this dude.” She winked at her friend, her cavalier attitude surprising the hell out me. She’d been labeled conservative and often difficult but not reckless. Tonight, her behavior had crossed that line. Sneaking out of her apartment to visit a friend was one thing. This was just asking someone to make good on various threats and no disguise would hide her real identity. There were men and women trained to search for facial features, tattoos and moles, utilizing the latest equipment to guarantee their success.
The organization identified as the antagonist had the tools and means to locate anyone in the world within hours.
“Okay. If you say so.” Her friend, Jennifer Beaumont, daughter of a local senator, gave me another hard look, hesitating before walking away.
“Who do you think you are?” Isabella demanded as she tried to jerk her arm away.
“Ms. Adams. Time is of the essence,” I insisted, leaning in closer
“I don’t think I like your tone. You need to tell me who the hell you are, buddy, or so help me God I’m going to scream bloody murder.”
This would have been so much easier if she hadn’t ditched the Secret Service men assigned to her, but the stunning woman obviously had her methods down to a science. While she’d been cagey in her method of leaving her apartment through a second story window, changing clothes in Jennifer’s car on the way over, the woman hadn’t noticed I’d been following them the entire time, planning on taking her as soon as she left the club. Now this bullshit. I might as well launch into the spiel I’d been provided to say in case of a public situation.
“Isabella Adams. I’ve been ordered by the federal government to take you to a secure location for your safety. It is vital that you come with me.” As soon as I issued the words, I tossed them from my vocabulary forever. What crap.
While her eyes opened wide, she tried to pull away a second time. “Excuse me?” She tossed her long, dark hair, straightening up to her full height.
“This is a serious situation, ma’am. I have less than two minutes to get you out of here safely.” I was already losing my patience.
“I’m not going anywhere with you, at least until you dance with me,” she said with less conviction. “Even if you are one hunk of a hero. A girl’s ultimate fantasy.”
This was a new tactic. “Yes, I’m afraid you are going to follow my orders to the letter. We need to leave now.”
I removed her hand, lowering my head.
“You need to listen to me carefully. Because it’s what your father requested. We have little time. Come with me quietly and I’ll get you to a safe location.” I flashed her the identification I’d been given, although the limited information provided little more than my operational name and rank, the tagline indicating the government agency was falsified for security purposes.
She barely glanced at the laminated card. “Over my dead body, Cobra. I don’t care if you are a venomous snake; I’m not leaving this club with you.” Without any hesitation, she attempted to bolt into the crowd, creating the kind of scene that would immediately get us noticed.
Goddamn it.
Hissing, I moved quickly, yanking her against me and heading for the rear exit. That’s when she turned into a hellcat, elbowing me in the chest, the blow hard enough she broke the hold. When she threw a hard punch to my jaw, several members of the crowd gasped. There was no doubt her antics had been noticed.
With the clock almost out of time, I moved swiftly, grabbing and tossing her over my shoulder, taking long strides toward the exit. The moment a bouncer stepped in front of me, I yanked my weapon into view, daring him to get in my way. This was the last thing I’d wanted to happen. My fucking skills needed honing. Two years of retirement and I’d lost the ability to make an extraction without causing unwanted attention.
Why had I been chosen for this mission? Maybe because the man in charge of the program figured I’d have a fighting chance to deal with the likes of Ms. Adams.
Isabella fought me as I slammed my hand against the door, managing to exit the facility without incident. As I headed for the van, I kept my gun positioned in my hand, sensing enemies were already in pursuit. As soon as I rounded the corner, a single shot was fired. I took off running, making it to the van in less than fifteen seconds. Every moment had been timed, but her interference might cost us.
As soon as I tried to place her in the back, she managed to throw another punch, scrambling to get out of my hold.
Goddamn it. The second she slipped out of my fingers, her wig falling to the side of the road, another shot was fired.
Then all hell seemed to break loose.
While she was faster than anticipated, her long legs pumping, within eight seconds I was able to retrieve her, but by then our method of extraction had been discovered.
The mercenaries I’d hired appeared, firing off several shots as assailants swept in from the shadows.
She screamed, forcing me to shove my hand across her mouth. There was no time to explain the situation, the only thing on my mind getting her behind the bulletproof metal of the vehicle. The second I shoved her inside, one of the soldiers I’d hired was gunned down, the bullets he’d taken likely saving her life.
The extraction had been well planned, the soldiers arriving in a second vehicle. Another member would stay behind, providing assistance for the fallen man. The others would remain by my side until we reached the designated drop-off point. Then they’d wait for their ride.
As other men jumped inside, I pushed her further into the van, forced to fire off several shots, killing at least three of the men heading in our direction. As the driver pressed down on the accelerator, I slammed the door, finally taking a deep breath.
The extraction had been unacceptable, messy and violent. That could become a serious problem. Unfortunately, I’d had no other choice, her usual evening activities differing on this single night.
“A little rough. Aren’t you?” she huffed, scampering to crawl further away.
“Sit the fuck down.” I grabbed her purse, yanking her phone into my hand.
“What the hell are you doing? That’s mine!” She tried to grab it from my fingers, but I smashed it on the floor of the van, using my boot to grind the components into fragments. The last thing I needed was for her to be tracked by the use of her phone.
“Protecting you,” I snarled.
“Whoa. Who the fuck are you?” Isabella demanded, but her voice was shaky. Even with her skimpy sequined dress, she seemed entirely different without her long raven wig. Soft curls slipped from pins holding her natural hair in place and she appeared much younger than before, even with garish makeup.
I secured my weapon before addressing her. “As I told you, I was sent to save your life. You need to cooperate with me.”
“Okay. Let me get this straight. You’re not from some agency? This isn’t my birthday present?”
“Meaning what?” Why did it matter?
She fisted her hand, moving closer. “Come on. Tell the truth. I like the whole deal, even the gunshots, but you did come across a little heavy. Still, a nice touch. My best friend always does something like this for my birthday.”
Had she been told about our unit? She wasn’t making any sense. “Ms. Adams. Those were real bullets and one of my men was injured or killed because you ran.”
“Okay. Then you need to let me leave. Now.” She glared at me then scanned the van as if prepared to attempt another escape.
“Listen up!” I grabbed her arm, dragging her closer, doing everything I could to remain calm around her. “I’m not some fantasy hired for your pleasure. I’m with an agency created to provide protection. When we’re called, that means the situation is threat level six. You do know what that means, don’t you, unicorn?”
Her eyes opened wide.
I’d hesitated to use the codename provided by the Secret Service, but at this point I had to get through to her.
“Hold on,” Ryker said from the front.
Mike swerved, the force pitching us back and forth, hard enough I lost my grip. She tumbled onto the metal floor, gasping for air. The popping noises continued for several seconds. Fuck. They’d sent an entire brigade to try to snatch her. This was more dangerous than I’d been led to believe.
“What the hell?” she half whispered when the danger had passed.
“Now do you understand this isn’t a game?”
“Then tell me who sent you. You know my codename.”
“That means you can trust me.”
“Not so fast. I need more information.”
I was more concerned with any additional activity than with her constant questions. “Lose them fast,” I told the man driving.
“Don’t worry, buddy.” Mike threw the van around a sharp corner. He knew every shortcut in the city, able to avoid a significant portion of the traffic jams. Even at this time of night, DC was crawling with activity. I had to get her to the safehouse quickly.
“Who the hell sent you?” Her restraint lasted for three seconds. Then she lost her cool. When she threw herself against me, doing everything she could to scratch out my eyes, I was forced to subdue her. As I wrapped my hand around both her wrists, she spit in my face, issuing several curse words. I yanked her into my lap, the limited light coming from the windshield barely highlighting her face. But there was no doubt about her level of fury.
“You’re not taking me anywhere,” she snapped.
