Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Protecting Maddie (Kindle Worlds Novella) (An Omega Team Crossover Book 4) by Desiree Holt

with the possible exception of the Glock 9mm she carried.
    Here we go, he thought. I hope to fuck this all works.
    *****
    Maddie appreciated the fact Derek was doing his best to keep her calm and make sure her mind was occupied, but nothing could settle her nerves.
    “Can you at least tell me what they’re doing?” she asked. “There’s something going on no one is explaining. I don’t want anyone to get killed on my behalf.”
    Derek smiled. “Trust me, Maddie. It takes better men than these to kill Grey Holden, and I’m guessing your Hawkeye is the same.”
    Her Hawkeye. But was he?
    “They’ll be back soon,” he assured her. “And in one piece.”
    She hoped that was the truth. She sat rigid as a steel rod, trying not to watch the clock, until Grey’s SUV pulled into the parking garage. As soon as Hawkeye hopped out of the vehicle and opened her door, she fell into his arms.
    “Is it okay? Did it go okay?” She was patting him all over as if looking for wounds.
    “It’s fine.” He cupped her chin and looked straight into her eyes. “No one got shot, certainly not us, and the bad guys are all in handcuffs.”
    “They are?” she squeaked. “How did that happen?”
    “Well,” he drawled, “the cops helped a little.”
    “Cops?” She looked from him to Grey. “You called the police?”
    Grey gave her a slow smile. “Whenever it suits my purpose. And today it suited. But let’s get the hell out of this garage, okay?”
    Hawkeye put her in his car and jogged around to the driver’s side. “See you at your office,” he told Grey as he climbed in.”
    Maddie was full of questions, but Hawkeye asked her to keep it together until they got to The Omega Team offices. They’d have a complete debrief, and then the two of them could go home.
    And that was exactly what happened. Grey explained how Jacquie, hacking into the ultra-secure Marshals’ system, discovered the two Marshals they dealt with were actually on Gus Scalzo’s payroll. They’d been stupid enough to actually exchange emails with Scalzo. There were enough police there to take all three men plus the pilot down to headquarters, with a laundry list of charges against them.
    And no shots had been fired. That was the best part, as far as Maddie was concerned.
    They were barely in the house before she threw herself at him, hugging him and kissing every inch of his face.
    “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
    “You’re welcome.” He set her slightly away from him. “I need to call Ghost and tell him it’s all wrapped up.”
    “And I should call Gretchen.”
    The look in his eyes gave her an unsettled feeling. “Then I’ll take you home.”
    “Home?” She felt as if an icy knife had stabbed her. “But I thought—”
    “Maddie.” His face was expressionless, as if he’d wiped every emotion from his mind. “Let’s not discuss this here, okay?”
    She had a hard time swallowing against the tightness in her throat. “Okay. But we will definitely talk about it.”
    Since she had her suitcase with her, there was no need to detour to his house, so he took her straight to hers. Out of habit, he checked everything before walking inside with her. He had refused to discuss anything as they drove, but, as soon as they were inside, he turned her to face him.
    “I have to leave,” he told her. “I’ll be getting my medical clearance this week, and my team is waiting for me.”
    “But we still have the next couple of days, right? And we can discuss what happens after that?”
    “Listen to me,” he told her. “Nothing is happening after that. Nothing is happening now. The kind of life I lead doesn’t make for good lasting relationships. My job is everything to me.”
    “Others make it work,” she protested.
    “Maybe. But I’ve never seen myself in a permanent relationship.” He cupped her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to mislead you, so that’s all on me. But it’s better if we end it before it starts. Before I hurt you any more