Knight Shift (Knight Ops Book 5) Read online

  By her estimate, she had enough for a cheap motel for the night. The idea of a hot shower thrilled her so much that she headed away from the park and toward another section of town.

  She’d been on the streets long enough to get more comfortable that she wouldn’t be recognized by anyone she passed, not running in the homeless, penniless circles she had been. But she still kept her head down and tried to conjure the persona she’d created. In her prep school, she’d done some theater, and this wasn’t much different than a role. Staying in character was difficult at times, like back when she’d given sweet Southern girl manners to the rough guys in the pub.

  She lengthened her strides so even her walk wouldn’t be recognizable, taking long, loping steps that carried her faster. Toward that hot shower.

  A shout sounded from her right, and she snapped her head in that direction. Fear took hold. Had she been spotted?

  She took off down a side street to avoid whatever it was, heart pounding hard against her chest. Breathing was difficult, and she had to slow her pace to keep from gasping for air. The streets blurred by, and she practically ran into the motel office. Not as seedy as the one she’d stopped to transform her appearance in but far from luxury.

  Five minutes later she closed the door of the room and twisted the deadbolt. Out of instinct, she went on tiptoe to peer through the peephole, checking that nobody had followed her, but all she saw was a grubby courtyard with cracked cement.

  Leaning against the door, relief swept her.

  This was the safest she’d felt since before Frankie had… She swallowed the thought and dropped the small backpack she’d purchased at the thrift store to carry her few possessions.

  She started shedding her clothing. Kicking off her good Italian leather boots that had served her well in all her walking travels. Then her jeans needing a good wash and the T-shirt bearing the death metal band name that Fleur Sutton wouldn’t be caught dead wearing.

  When she stood naked before the bathroom mirror, she stared at the small gold heart locket that hung just above her breasts, no larger than her thumbnail. It carried two photos inside, one of her mother and one of her father. Without opening the locket to look, she could say they had been a beautiful couple.

  Both with dark hair, her daddy with dashing good looks she always imagined had swept her mother off her feet.

  But that had been the fairytale Fleur had concocted in her mind. Now the light her father stood in had been reduced to shadows and lies and trickery. He’d even lied to her, tricked her… and dragged her deep into the shadows surrounding him.

  She switched on the hot water and climbed into the shower. After scrubbing head to toe twice with the complimentary bottle of cheap shampoo, she stood under the spray, eyes closed.

  Everything around her had been a house of cards and now it had crumbled. She saw the bones of her life, white and bleached with the truth.

  Her daddy didn’t have power because people loved him and his business smarts earned him the position. No, he commanded it. Demanded it.

  Looking back, she realized his friends weren’t friends at all, but men who feared him and probably did his bidding to keep from being shot too.

  Her father, Darius Sutton, was a crime lord.

  She’d seen so much over her lifetime and yet never pieced it together. The times he couldn’t read her a bedtime story because he had a “shipment” to see to. How she’d walk in after school to see big, bulky black bags on the table—stacks of them. Even trips to Dublin and the quaint house of family friends they’d stayed at countless times smacked of illegal guns trade.

  What else was her dear daddy into?

  She leaned against the tile and let the water wash away the grime of naivety from her pores. Then wash away her tears.

  When she switched off the water, she toweled dry and fell into bed naked, aware of nothing but the exhaustion overcoming her.

  Okay, maybe not aware of nothing.

  She recognized a new strength deep inside her. A new person was emerging, and this woman was strong and self-sufficient.

  Getting money was a start, paving a way to the next chapter in her life.

  Tomorrow she’d look for another gaming table and had no doubt that by week’s end, she’d have enough money to never be on the streets again. A good thing, because her father also had men on the streets, and she needed to get out of the Big Easy as quick as possible.

  Chapter Two

  “Jesus Christ. When we finish this, I’m taking off a week and relaxing.” A bullet whizzed past Chaz’s ear, and he tilted his head to the side, raising his weapon in the same movement.

  He had a sort of blind radar for taking down opponents and when he squeezed off the shot, he heard that satisfying thump as the shooter fell.

  At his side, his brother Ben grunted. “How the hell you think you’re getting time off from this party, man?”

  All hell rained down on them in the form of hot, lethal bullets. Ben barked an order into the comms unit all six of them had in their ears as he and Chaz hit the dirt. Ten yards down the line, Sean popped up and unloaded his weapon in a spray of well-placed shots. Two more shooters fell.

  “Fuckin’ Mississippi,” Chaz drawled as he aimed to take on the next two homegrown terrorist assholes. They’d been holed up for a week in some cabins along a tributary, receiving arms from boats coming up from the Gulf—along with enough explosives to blow the state off the map. Which was fine with Chaz right about now. If he never had to come back to this damn state where Knight Ops spent so much of their time, he’d be more than happy.

  “C’mon, it’s not Mississippi’s fault.” Ben’s response was cheery—totally Ben.

  “Why don’t you build a summer home here then?” Dylan added to their banter.

  “I just might. Weather’s nice.” Ben jerked his arm. “Fire in the hole!” He hurled the smoke bomb and it launched through the cabin window they’d just shot out.

  Rocko sprinted out of nowhere, did a tuck and roll and landed next to Chaz. He held out a fist to his fellow teammate, and Rocko grinned before bumping knuckles with him.

  “I got all the ones in that far cabin smoked out. Or they will be in about…” He checked his military-issue watch, his eyes bright against the camo grease paint covering his face.

  The screams sounded right on cue. Music to Chaz’s ears—it meant they were one step closer to taking down this whole operation, loading up and heading home where he could get that relaxation he needed.

  After four solid weeks, Chaz had slept in a bed maybe three or four nights. And not his own bed either. He could use a twenty-four-hour nap and one of his maman’s homecooked meals. Gator, if he had his preference, and chances were he’d get it too. Being the last unmarried Knight boy had its benefits.

  “Incoming!” one of the guys yelled and they all ran for it, heads low. An explosion rocked the earth beneath them, and dirt showered over him, Ben and Rocko.

  “Goddamn, that’s too close for my comfort. Let’s end this right the fuck now.” Ben’s shout had all of them in action. Chaz stole around the grouping of cabins and disarmed two men but not without a fight. By the time he was finished, he was panting and covered in blood.

  His other brother Roades joined him in time for them to take a pelting of bullets.

  “In that fucking tree,” Chaz rolled into the cover of some bushes, raised his weapon and took the shot.

  The shot was true and the man’s cry died quickly as he hit the ground, followed by his weapon a second later.

  He met Roades’ gaze and his brother’s face split into a grin. Killing men was no laughing matter, but it sure as hell beat being the one splayed out on the ground with his guts spilling out. And these guys had asked for it.

  Other chuckles sounded through the comms. Silence sounded around them, and it seemed the worst of it was over. Ten minutes later, they had all the remaining assholes seated in a line, bound hand and foot and awaiting transport to the nearest holding cell, where
they’d be grilled to within an inch of their sanity.

  Chaz folded his arms and stared back at the prisoners. At his side, Roades kicked at a tuft of grass. “Anytime now. I’d like to get home and actually see my wife. If she hasn’t left me already.”

  Roades and Carissa had been married all of three months, and he hadn’t gotten much time at home with her, that was true. All of his brothers were in the same boat, which was why Chaz had no plans to marry anytime soon, if ever. He loved his playboy status. Love ’em and leave ’em. He could do without all that deep emotional bullshit. Give him a good round of hot sex, a beer and a fishin’ rod and he was good to go for several more months.

  Which made him think of who he’d look up once he got home. Kallie was always good for a fun time. But Addison could scorch a set of sheets. And Kath was a freak in bed.

  Another hour and several black vehicles pulled up to the cabins. When Colonel Jackson climbed out of an SUV, they all turned to salute him.

  The older man’s eagle-sharp eyes scanned the scene—dead bodies laid out in one area with the bound survivors in another.

  “Good job, men.”

  Jackson stood with Ben for a long time, gathering a few details. Then he dismissed them to return and debrief.

  Chaz always rode a high after a mission, and the adrenaline flowed through his veins, making him horny as fuck. He reached the Knight Ops SUV first and grabbed a rifle.

  Sean jumped behind the wheel and shot Chaz a grin. “Be nice to get home and fall into my own bed for once.”

  “Unless OFFSUS calls us out before we even get there.” He glanced in the side mirror to see his brothers and Rocko approaching the vehicle, all laughing. When they got in and slammed the doors, silence rang out for a second before everybody cracked up.

  “Jesus, I don’t ever want to see another sign for the state of Mississippi again.” Ben dropped his head against the headrest and laughed long and hard.

  “I can’t believe none of us took a hit. I haven’t been under fire like that since Afghanistan,” Roades said.

  Rocko broke into the cooler at his feet and passed around energy drinks. They were still slightly cold and Chaz welcomed the liquid on his parched throat.

  “Debriefing’s gonna be fun,” he said.

  “Yeah, lots to share with so many assholes on the scene.” Sean shook his head. “I just want to get home to Elise and the baby.” The little one had been born in one of Sean’s fortunate nights near home and he’d been able to make it to the birth of his first son. But since then, he hadn’t seen his wife or child in weeks. That had to sting.

  Ben chugged his energy drink and crushed the can in his fist, tossing it to the floor. “I feel ya, man. I can’t wait to hug my wife and baby girl. She’s probably grown six inches since I’ve been home last.”

  The laughter died out at their ruminations, and Chaz once more was thankful he didn't have anybody at home waiting for him. It was bad enough seeing the toll it took on their parents, having six out of seven children in the military. And one of their hellcat daughters had recently run off without word of her whereabouts, only a note that she was doing some soul-searching.

  Chaz stretched his legs and relaxed more with every mile they covered between here and home. Listening to his team make plans about what they’d do first.

  “What about you, Chaz?” Sean threw him a look and maxed out at eighty on the interstate.

  “I’m gonna ask Maman for a nice blackened gator tail and then sleep for a full day and a night.”

  Groans of appreciation at mention of the meal sounded from the guys.

  “Then what? Fishin’ at the cabin?”

  He shrugged. Now that he thought on it, fishin’ wasn’t exactly what he wanted. Given a week off, sure. But he was itching for something new. An adventure. “I don’t know yet. I might head to the beach.”

  “Pretty girls in bikinis? Sounds like a plan.” Sean grinned, teeth white in his tanned face, and put the SUV on cruise control.

  The more Chaz thought on his plans, the better it sounded. He was a Knight, free to come and go as he pleased. And he was sure as hell taking advantage of it.

  * * * * *

  “Knight.”

  Chaz stood with spine straight and feet together, his salute for Colonel Jackson sharp. “Sir.”

  “At ease and take a seat. You’ve had a long day.”

  That he had. His body was screaming out for that long nap and the gator tail, but he’d been stuck in Jackson’s office for an hour waiting for some orders while his brothers and Rocko had gotten to leave.

  “I’ll get right to the point. We need a man on the ground and you’re it.”

  Chaz blinked at his superior officer. “I am?”

  “Yes. We’re on the hunt for a man who’s been on our radar for a long time for weapons trade. He’s gotten more guns into this country than our own military has in its stores. But now they’ve been put into the hands of a select group that OFFSUS is bent on taking down. And this arms dealer has killed at least one man.”

  “Who is he?” Chaz’s curiosity outweighed his exhaustion and the rumble of hunger in his stomach. He reached for the file lying on Jackson’s desk, and the colonel waved a hand for him to take it.

  “Darius Sutton, plantation owner and a big player overseas with several extremist groups. One of his so-called friends was gunned down in his own apartment and left there for the neighbor to find.”

  Chaz leafed through the file and lifted his gaze to Jackson. “And I’m supposed to find whatever rock he’s hiding under?”

  “No. You’re going to keep an eye on his daughter.”

  “Like… babysitting?” He arched a brow.

  “If that’s what you want to call it. We think she witnessed the murder and took off. A neighbor had security footage and we were able to see her come and go from the house. She’s still in the city, though, and is hiding.”

  “But of course, we know where she is.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Let me get this straight. I’m supposed to watch over her or investigate her?”

  An amused look passed Jackson’s face. “Both.”

  Chaz pushed out a sigh. So much for the beach and slick female bodies drenched in oil. “Where can I find her?”

  “Ever hear of a club called Nuit?” Jackson pushed a photo toward him.

  Chaz examined the woman’s lovely high cheekbones and the artful way her dark hair waved around her face. “She’s in Nuit?” The place was an elite underground gambling club, and he could only imagine what a woman in hiding might be doing there. He’d seen a lot of women offer themselves out of desperation, and this woman had to be desperate.

  “She was seen there the past two nights. Get cleaned up, grab a quick bite and get in there, Knight.”

  His dreams of a blackened gator tail died with the sexy beach bodies. The best he could hope for was a cold turkey sandwich. At least he’d get a hot shower.

  Chaz stood and gave his colonel a salute. “I’m your man, sir.”

  “I know you are. The doorman’s been greased and you won’t have any problem getting in.”

  At the door, he tossed a grin at Jackson. “I wouldn’t have had a problem anyway, but thanks.”

  Outside, he looked up at the darkening sky. He had about three hours to himself before he was on the job again.

  * * * * *

  Chaz’s cell rang as he entered the doors of the underground club. Christ, he hoped this wasn’t a Knight Ops call while he was currently acting for OFFSUS. He was still grouchy, though he’d gotten an hour of sleep and his big meal of blackened gator tail, thanks to his maman spoiling him.

  His cell rang a second time before he got it out of his pocket. “Knight.”

  A giggle sounded. “Hey, Chaz, it’s Dani. Haven’t you gotten my texts?”

  His mind swirled with the feminine voice, trying to place it along with the name. A second later, a female image stepped out of the archives of his brain. He’
d met Dani two months back at a social gathering.

  She’d been wearing a denim miniskirt and wore rings on her toes.

  “Hey, Dani. Sorry, I’ve been working a lot of long hours. I haven’t been replying to texts much.”

  As he walked into Nuit, he did what any Knight would do—located the exits. Then he started scanning the crowd, checking for shady postures or even just dodgy looks. Rule number one was if shit went sideways, you knew how to handle yourself.

  Exits on his twelve and six. The space was all high ceilings with industrial exposed beams and should sound hollow, but it was strangely intimate with tables set close together, each one packed with people placing bets.

  His gaze landed on a bright blonde head and traveled downward over the woman seated between two men at a card table. She wore a simple black top, sleeveless, and he was a sucker for a set of kissable shoulders. Damn, she had a sultry appeal that made Chaz want to keep looking.

  When she lifted her head and laughed, his boots were riveted to the spot. In his ear, Dani chattered away, telling him what she’d been up to and then ending with a “What do you think?”

  He had no idea what she’d said.

  He had his work cut out for him right here. “I’ll have to get back to you.” He ended the call and pocketed his phone, moving through the warehouse transformed into a club that was by special invitation only.

  He didn’t glance away from the blonde. There were women here, but he noted they were all serving drinks, wearing fitted black dresses and with their hair pinned up, leaving them looking much classier than the clubs he usually frequented.

  The only female seated at a table was the blonde not the brunette he’d seen in the photograph, and yet he knew without a doubt this was the woman he was looking for.

  He stopped a waitress with a hand on her forearm. She blinked up at him and then switched gears to a coy batting of lashes. He gave her a crooked smile. “Can I get a shot of Jameson?”