From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Susan Stoker comes a new story in her Delta Force Heroes series…

After years of estrangement, Mercedes Laughlin has finally reconciled with her older brother. It should be the happiest time of her life, getting to know Truck and his new wife…and it would be, if an ex wasn’t causing her trouble. Add in Truck’s boss, Colonel Colton Robinson, an amazingly distracting man whom she met under embarrassing circumstances, and Macie’s got a bit more on her plate than she can handle.

From the moment they met, Colt was fascinated by Macie, and helping her through an anxiety attack at her brother’s wedding didn’t diminish the appeal. He’d do his best to sweep her off her feet, if not for a little voice telling him to tread lightly—until a frantic phone call changes the plan. Macie’s being targeted, and Colt’s determined to keep her safe while he and her brother eliminate the threat.

Colt isn’t about to let his friend lose his sister again so soon…or miss his own chance at a happy ending with Macie before they’ve barely had a beginning.

Series:

Delta Force Heroes

Book 11

Can be read as a standalone

Excerpt: Rescuing Macie

“Mace, slow down. What’s wrong?” Truck asked.

Colt’s blood ran cold. He hurried to catch up, trying to control himself and not rip the phone out of Truck’s hand.

“I’m coming!” he said urgently. “Find a place to hide. I’m on my way.”

That was it. Colt was done. “Give me the phone,” he ordered.

Truck’s gaze went to his, and his brows drew down in surprise and annoyance.

Colt wiggled his fingers. “Give her to me. You drive. I’ll talk.”

Surprisingly, Truck nodded and handed him his phone. Both men ran down the hall to the door that led out to the parking lot. Colt reached in his pocket and threw his keychain at Truck even as he brought the phone up to his ear. “Macie?”

“Yeah?” was the weak answer.

“It’s Colt. From Truck’s wedding. What’s going on? Where are you?” He could hear her wheezing as she hyperventilated, and it only increased his concern.

“My apartment. Men broke in. I got out but I don’t know where to go!”

Colt’s heart dropped at her words. He and Truck arrived at his Jeep Wrangler and both jumped in. He pulled out his own cell and dialed 9-1-1, then handed it to Truck. The other man started the Jeep and began talking to the dispatcher at the same time. Within seconds, they were racing out of the parking lot and headed for the front gate of the Army post.

“What do you see around you?” Colt asked Macie. “Look around, Macie. Tell me what you’re looking at,” he ordered.

“A big open parking area. Trees at the edge.”

“Are there lights? Cars parked close together?”

“Lights near the buildings, not as many farther out. There’s lots of cars. Oh shit…” she said.

“What? Macie, talk to me,” Colt barked.

“I hear the men,” Macie whispered. “They’re looking for me.”

The terror in her voice made panic rise within Colt and he held the phone against his chest for a second to try to regain his composure. He turned to Truck. “Hurry. Drive as fast as you fucking can. They’re hunting her.”

The second the words left his mouth, Colt felt the Jeep lurch forward. It was a good thing it was the middle of the night and no one was on the streets. Truck was driving like a bat out of hell.

It was thirty miles to Lampasas. There was no way they could get there in time to help if the assholes got their hands on her. Truck had called the cops, but Colt knew what he told Macie in the next couple minutes could be a matter of life and death.

“Head away from the lights. If it’s dark, they can’t see where you are exactly,” he told her urgently. “Do you understand?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Have they seen you?”

“I-I don’t think so.”

She was breathing hard and still wheezing. Colt’s chest hurt for her. “Good. Head for a row of cars as far away from the lights as possible. Get under one. Not behind it, but under it. Then if you need to, you can crawl under the one next to it. Then the next. Keep moving if you have to. If it’s possible, work your way around the cars until you get to a section of vehicles they’ve already checked. As a last resort, head into the trees, but only if they don’t see you. The last thing you want is to go farther away from civilization where the men could do whatever they want to you without someone hearing or seeing. Understand?”

She didn’t answer him, but he heard her breaths coming quick and shallow through the phone.

“I’m here,” he said, forcing his voice to lower and calm. She needed him to be her rock right now. He couldn’t let her hear one ounce of panic in his tone. “I’ve got you, Macie. You’re doing great. Just listen to me. You’re amazing. I’m sure they didn’t expect you to outsmart them. Just keep doing what you’re doing. You’ve got this.” Colt kept up the litany of praise even as he gripped the phone so tightly his fingers were cramping.

He glanced at the speedometer and saw that Truck was doing ninety-five. The Wrangler shook slightly from the speed, but the only thing Colt could think was, Go faster. God, just go faster.

“They’re coming this way,” Macie said—and Colt lowered his chin to his chest, closed his eyes and prayed harder than he’d ever prayed before.