“I know.” Fuck, I knew. My grip tight on the steering wheel, leaving her had felt wrong.

  “Goddamn it.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m going to miss her graduation.”

  So was I.

  And that almost felt fucking worse than leaving her.

  Billy looked back out the window. “I should’ve moved her up to Virginia Beach with us. She could’ve stayed in your guest room until I found us a place up there.”

  “Taking her away from everything she knows wasn’t the right move.” Moving her into my apartment would’ve been an even worse move. Not that I didn’t want her there.

  “You’re right.” Shaking his head in resignation, Billy sighed. “She would’ve been pissed.”

  Royally fucking pissed. Emmy loved Florida as much as she loved her brother. “She needed to stay in the house.” In her home.

  “I know, but that doesn’t mean I’m okay with leaving her here with Mrs. Jansen and a housekeeper. Not that it’s any different than all the times Dad was gone.”

  “She’ll take care of herself.” I didn’t know if I was telling him or reassuring myself.

  “She always has. Strongest woman I know.”

  She wasn’t a woman, she was still a teenager. Something I needed to fucking remind myself as I thought of her in those damn shorts and tank top.

  “So how long do you think it’ll take us to eliminate this terrorist cell we’re slated to go after?”

  My phone vibrated in my pocket. “As long as it takes for another one to form.” Pulling it out, I glanced at the screen.

  “I really fucking hope this deployment doesn’t take as long as Davis is saying it’ll take.”

  I didn’t answer my best friend.

  My heart fucking pounding, I stopped at a light and read the text a second time.

  Emmy: I miss you already. But I really miss the way you held me in the kitchen last night. Stay safe. XO

  Adam

  Twelve Months Later

  “Exfil, exfil, exfil,” I ordered through my comms.

  Gunfire erupting everywhere, the partially collapsed building shook with another explosion.

  “Copy,” Zulu answered.

  “Copy,” Bravo barked.

  “Fucking squirters,” Echo warned, firing off more rounds. “North exit, couple dozen.”

  “South side too,” Delta added. “I can’t see how many.”

  “On my way, Echo.” Running down the stairs, my sights aimed, I exited the west side of the building and turned north. “Command, do you have a visual on Delta’s position?”

  “Affirmative, Alpha,” Command replied through my comms. “Heat signatures showing multiple hostiles exiting the building from north and south entrances. Three vehicles approaching from the main access road.”

  “Securing hostage and coming your way, Delta,” Bravo interjected.

  “Good copy, Command,” I answered, taking position at the northwest corner of the building behind a small shed before I glanced back at the road. “I have visual. Two trucks with vehicle mounted weapons, one armored SUV.” Who the fuck knew how many more hostiles. “Hot extraction. We need new exfil coordinates.”

  “Coming up on your six, Echo.” Zulu ran to Echo’s position and started firing.

  “Copy that, Alpha,” Command replied. “Hold position for new coordinates.”

  “Squirters retreating into the building,” Echo stated.

  Fucking good. “Delta, charges set?”

  “Set and ready to blow,” Delta replied.

  “Zulu, retrieve the hostage,” I ordered.

  “Already on it,” Zulu responded.

  Then we were out of here. “Northwest corner of the building, retreat, retreat, retreat,” I ordered my Team before replying to Command. “Negative on holding position, Command. HVT and his security detail are down, hostage secure, charges set. Too many hostiles, we’re ready to proceed.” We needed to level this fucking compound.

  “Hold your position, Alpha,” Command ordered as gunfire erupted through the shattered windows from the adjacent building. “Incoming intel on building two. Possible second HVT.”

  Zulu came up beside me with the blindfolded hostage who had his hands zip-tied behind his back. Echo and Delta followed, still picking off a few squirters.

  Billy brought up the rear. “What are we waiting for?”

  “Intel from Command.” I tipped my chin toward building two. “Possible second HVT.”

  “No easy day.” Bravo smiled, already turning toward the building. “Cover me, Zulu.”

  “Copy that.” Zulu dropped to a crouch and sighted his rifle.

  My comms crackled, and Command came back on the line. “Alpha, mission incomplete. Building two has a second HVT. Repeat, building two has a second HVT. Hold for description and exact location.”

  “Good copy, Command,” I replied before stopping Billy. “Hold position, Bravo. Waiting on sitrep from Command.”

  Billy glanced over his shoulder. “I’ll get the intel sooner. Sixy seconds. One sweep and I’ll know who we’re after.”

  I didn’t disagree, the terrorists protected their higher-ups. If there were any HVTs in that building, there’d be a security detail around them. But chain of command was chain of command. “Wait,” I ordered, as three shots hit right above my head, pinging off building one.

  The hostage dropped to the dirt as Delta and Echo spun and started firing.

  Ducking low, Billy pointed out the obvious. “We don’t have time to wait.”

  A halo of rounds from the convoy showered over our position, and the hostage cried out as he took one in the leg.

  Fuck this. “I’m going in,” I told Billy. “You and Zulu cover me.”

  “I got this one, Alpha.” Billy held his fist out to me. “Just relay the intel from Command when you get it, and remember the promise.”

  I fist bumped him and gave him our standing promise even thought he didn’t need to remind me of it. “I promise I’ll take care of her if you kick your last door down.” I’d always take care of Emmy.

  Billy held my stare and gave me his usual warning. “You better, or I’ll come back and beat your ass before kicking your ass.”

  Before I pulled the trigger with my first shots of cover fire, Billy was already double-timing it toward the adjacent building. Kicking in the southeast door, he disappeared inside.

  “Alpha, hold, we—”

  I didn’t hear the rest of the transmission from Command.

  Building two exploded.

  Flames shooting into the air, the blastwave threw everyone back.

  Rubble rained down.

  THANK YOU!

  Thank you so much for reading SEAL! Turn the page for a preview of ALPHA, the first heart-pounding, page-turning, exciting standalone book in the Alpha Elite Series!

  ALPHA

  Billionaire.

  Mercenary.

  Navy SEAL.

  The Teams trained me to be a killer. War taught me to be ruthless. Then an ill-fated mission proved I was human. Combat wounded, cut loose by the Navy, I had a choice. Fade into obscurity or use the skills I had.

  Alpha Elite Security was born, and three years later, my company was the most sought-after security contractor in the world. Five global locations, ten company jets, every one of my employees military trained—we were the best of the best. Overseeing operations, I didn’t have time for women or anything other than growing my company. My success rate unmatched, I’d never lost a client.

  Then I got a call, the only call that would get me back in the field. She was missing. The woman I’d left behind seven years ago. Now I had one objective.

  Code name: Alpha.

  Mission: Extraction.

  ALPHA is the first standalone book in the exciting Alpha Elite Series by USA Today Bestselling author, Sybil Bartel. Come meet Adam “Alpha” Trefor and the dominant, alpha heroes who work for AES!

  Turn the page for a sneak peek at ALPHA!

  PREVIEW OF ALPHA

  Adam

  My attention already shot, the vibration against my leg was only an excuse. Discreetly reaching into my pants pocket, I slid out my cell and read the text.

  Calling in ten seconds. Answer.

  I glanced at my friend and employee, Zane “Zulu” Silas, and tipped my chin toward the door.

  Speaking to three executives from a Fortune 100 company that was having supply issues with one of their manufacturing facilities because it was in a hot zone, Zulu didn’t falter in his assurance that we could eliminate their problem as he nodded at me.

  “Gentlemen, if you’ll please excuse me, an urgent matter has come up.” I stood. “Mr. Silas will be able to answer any of your questions and give you a schedule of our fees. Thank you for reaching out to Alpha Elite Security. We look forward to your business.”

  My cell already buzzing with an incoming call, I walked out of the conference room on the forty-seventh floor of AES’s Manhattan headquarters.

  Striding into my corner office, I shut the glass door and answered the call. “What’s up?”

  “I’m your best fucking friend is what’s up,” Vance Conlon, my first hire, boasted.

  My best friend was dead. “Because?” I demanded.

  “Because I’m having fun with your newly updated proprietary face-recognition software.”

  Staring at a skyline I hated, I didn’t bite.

  “You going to ask how much fun?” he taunted.

  “No.” He’d tell me. Vance never called unless he had something to say. “And it’s not proprietary. We’re testing it for the military, and you’re not supposed to have access to it yet.”

  “Okay, Alpha, you win, I give.” Vance chuckled. “I found her. Twenty-five minutes ago, she walked out of JFK and got in a cab. And for the record, I don’t give a shit whose software it is. If you didn’t want me using it, you shouldn’t have put it on the servers.”

  The air kicked out of my chest, and I leaned against my desk for support. “What else?”

  “Right, you knew I wouldn’t stop there.” I could practically hear him gloat before his tone turned all business. “Anyway, speaking of software, I hacked the cab company and tracked her. The driver has his GPS set for a small grocery mart near her co-op. If you leave the office now, you can get there before she’s done shopping for cheap white wine—Californian at least—dark chocolate, and mild salsa. Which if you ask me, the latter is sacrilegious and the first is just in poor taste.”

  “Do I want to know how you know her shopping list?”

  “Do you want to know how I know you’re leaning against your desk looking like you’ve just had your ass kicked?” he countered.

  Goddamn it. Glancing up, I scanned the bookshelf in front of me. “I’m sweeping my office after we hang up.”

  “Yes, do that,” he replied absently as he typed on his computer from wherever the hell he was today. “Check the lobby and the conference room while you’re at it. Let me know what you find.”

  “I’m going to regret introducing you to November, aren’t I?” Nathan “November” Rhys was the best cybersecurity specialist I knew. The Air Force’s loss was my gain when he went civilian.

  “No, but you’re going to regret not grabbing a car in the next three minutes if you want to stalk that market and see her.”

  I didn’t comment. Vance knew the drill. I didn’t see her, ever.

  I looked out for her, kept tabs on her travel, and occasionally checked her bank account balance to make sure she didn’t need anything—but I purposely never crossed paths with her.

  Vance gave me an exaggerated sigh. “Right. No contact. And why is that exactly?” The question rhetorical, he didn’t wait for an answer. “Oh, that’s right, because you have no balls.”

  I stared out at skyscrapers and miles of grayness. I didn’t want to admit my control was slipping. It’d been years. Her life was different. Mine was… fuck, really different.

  Except it wasn’t.

  I was still flying in jets, chasing down bad guys and collecting a paycheck for people shooting at me. I just wasn’t doing it for the Navy as a SEAL anymore. Regardless, Vance had a point. Time had passed, and seven years of hard-practiced resolve was wearing me down.

  “Tell you what,” Vance continued, “I’m going to read into your silence, and….” He trailed off as he typed. “There. A service not affiliated with AES just had a drop-off at your location. The driver’s swinging around, and he’ll be downstairs in thirty seconds. Since this isn’t one of our own, no one will be the wiser. Go lurk in the shadows. You’re good at that. Or walk the fuck up to her. I don’t care, just lay eyes on her. For all we know, it’ll be three weeks again before I spot her, and maybe seeing her will change your attitude.”

  I didn’t say no. I hesitated.

  Then I was walking.

  The phone still to my ear, my feet moving, I hit the call button for the elevator before I could tell myself everything I’d built wasn’t for her or the opportunity of this moment. “I don’t have an attitude.”

  “Yes, you do.” Vance chuckled as the doors opened immediately. “You have an attitude that says you haven’t been laid this side of the decade. Also, you’re welcome for the waiting lift.”

  Christ. “Did you hack the building’s security for this or call in a favor with the guys in the command room?”

  “Unlike sailors, a Marine never tells.”

  Ignoring his Navy versus Marines jab, I stepped into the elevator that I normally would’ve had to wait for. “This is a mistake.”

  Vance’s usual casual tone turned somber. “We’ve all made mistakes. Walking into a grocery store in Manhattan doesn’t come close to making the list, but regret does. Go see this woman, Trefor. It’s time.” He hung up.

  Adrenaline filled my veins like a fix. A fix I only got from two things in life. But it’d been years since my last HALO on the Teams, and even longer since I’d seen her. Two addictions, and neither one curable.

  I’d left the Teams, but I’d never left her.

  Impatient, I watched the last few floors tick down on the display, and a moment later the doors slid open to the busy lobby. Stalking across the polished floors and out the revolving doors, I made my way to a black Town Car double-parked in front of the building.

  Opening the rear passenger door, the driver, an older gentleman, smiled. “Good evening. Mr. Adam Trefor, I assume?”

  I nodded in acknowledgment even though after years of being a civilian, it was still odd to hear people call me Adam instead of Alpha. “Do you know where we’re going?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Hurry,” I demanded.

  “Of course, sir.” He shut my door, but he didn’t hurry. He couldn’t. It was fucking Manhattan at eighteen hundred hours on a Thursday.

  Thirteen punishing minutes later, he pulled in front of one of those small, overpriced delis that doubled as a grocery store for basic needs that Manhattan was infamous for. Before I could get out of the car, my cell vibrated with a new text.

  Perfect timing, she’s still inside. Last aisle by the white wines. But grab the Peju Province. You can thank me later.

  Vowing to find a new assignment for Vance the second I was back in the office, I glanced at the driver. “Can you circle the block until I come back out?”

  “Of course, sir. Take all the time you need.”

  “Thank you.” With a nod, I was out of the car and buttoning the jacket of my custom Ermenegildo Zegna suit as I aimed for the front door of the market.

  Ignoring the glances from women shopping by themselves, I cut across the front of the store and rounded the corner on the last aisle.

  Then I stopped dead in my tracks.

  Jesus.

  Blonde, ethereal, delicate, and more beautiful than I remembered, the only woman I’d ever loved stood mere feet away from me in a pale green dress.

  Staring, my heart pounding, the air in my lungs nonexistent, all I could think was how unforgivably selfish I’d been on the worst day of her life.

  I deserved her hate, but I told myself that was seven years ago. Time was on my side, and it’d been long enough. She had to forgive me.

  Move, Trefor.

  Make the move.

  As if sensing my presence, she suddenly looked over her shoulder, her gaze landing exactly where I stood.

  But she didn’t look up at me.

  Not all the way.

  Her head slightly dipped, her gaze cast down as if staring at my legs, her emerald green eyes didn’t meet mine.

  Fuck this.

  I stepped forward.

  The man came around the corner from the opposite end of the aisle. Dark haired, bearded, he smiled wide and kissed her cheek. She looked surprised, but she let him take the basket that was perched on top of her small rolling suitcase and the bottle of wine from her hand.

  Turning to the shelves of red zins in front of me, I tried to ignore the strike to my chest that wasn’t at all like the goddamn kick I’d felt in my office. This was a full-blown, direct hit IED.

  Leveled to nothing but shrapnel, I stood there.

  I just fucking stood there.

  Rooted like a coward, I watched the asshole put the wine back on the shelf and dump the basket on the floor. Taking her suitcase and smiling again as he spoke to her, he nodded toward the front of the store.

  She said something I couldn’t hear.

  He threw his head back and laughed.

  Not even cracking a smile, she listened as he spoke again.

  Then she nodded, and they both turned toward my position.

  I didn’t hesitate.

  I turned the corner, crossed the front of the store, and walked out.

  To find out what happens next, grab your copy of ALPHA!

  Sybil Bartel is a USA Today Bestselling author of unapologetic alpha heroes. Whether you’re reading her deliciously dominant mercenaries, bodyguards or military heroes, all of her heart-stopping, page-turning romantic suspense novels have sexy-as-sin alpha heroes!

 

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