Delta Recon (SEAL Team Phantom Series, Book 2) by Elle Boon Page A

to get them all something to eat.
    He eased out of the chair, making sure Jaqui slept. “What aren’t you telling us?” Tay asked Kai once he reached the front of the aircraft.
    “I don’t think Medellin, or the Bloque Cartel for that matter, are happy with us. They will be out for blood. With the one tie they can connect being that little gal back there. The leader isn’t known for losing, and to have a woman escape would be the ultimate insult to him.” Kai’s dark gaze stared back toward Jaqui’s sleeping form.
    Tay felt the force of the implication hit him. “How the fuck does he know she wasn’t killed in that attack, Kai?” He’d realized they’d had a leak when the woman who’d been pretending to be a nurse had tried to kill Jaqui. Now he wondered if their location was compromised as well.
    Kai stood taller in the galley of the plane. “That’s what I aim to find out. Which is why we are all going to be staying in the same place for the next few weeks. Call it a mini vacation or staycation, since we’ll be on our home turf. Nobody will be allowed in or out that we don’t trust explicitly, and that number just dropped dramatically.”
    He searched Kai’s expression, and knew the SEAL was talking, not the man. “What about Alexa? I know you want to get back to her.”
    A grin kicked up the corner of his lips. “Hell yeah I do. She’ll be one of the trusted few. Besides, I think Jaqui could use some female company. Don’t you?”
    What he wanted was time alone with the little spitfire, but until she was healed, it was probably best they had a chaperone. Not that he thought she’d welcome him back into her arms so easily. He’d screwed up and had a lot of making up to do.
    “You look like your plotting,” Kai muttered, but before he could question further, Coyle and Dallas boarded the plane with their arms full with bags of food.
    “What did you do? Buy one of everything you passed?” Kai grabbed a bag from each of them.
    Coyle shrugged. “Wasn’t sure what you’d want since we weren’t sure what was available. Besides, some might taste like cardboard.”
    Within another half hour their flight was taking off for the final leg of their journey. He’d eaten, then when Jaqui woke gave her some soup the guys had been thoughtful enough to buy.
    When they landed at the airstrip at Barking Sands Missile Range Navy Base in Kekaha, Hawaii, they were all ready to find their own beds. With most of them living near base in the plantation style homes at Barking Sands, their bodies seemed to know they were close to home.
    It was dark outside as they disembarked the plane, each of them had grabbed a duffel from the overhead compartment before they’d stepped down. Two vehicles sat waiting for them, making Tay raise his eyebrow in question.
    “We’re not taking any chances. Just roll with it.” Kai pointed to the first Hummer.
    Tay and Jaqui walked side-by-side to the vehicle Kai indicated. He helped her into the back, noticing the flash of pain race across her bruised and swollen face she tried to hide.
    Coyle and Dallas followed behind in the other military vehicle, but nobody said a word, other than the driver to welcome them home. Tay shook his head at the awe in the young soldier’s tone as he looked at Kai sitting next to him. Poor kid, Kai didn’t seem to notice as he was busy typing on his cell, more than likely letting Alexa know he’d landed and would be there shortly.
    He sat back with a sigh, then hoped he’d not left a mess in his own quarters before he’d been called out on his last mission.
    Jaqui cleared her throat. “How many bedrooms does Kai’s place have?”
    Her abrupt question had him turning to stare at her through the dark interior. “Why?”
    “Where is everyone staying? I mean I assumed he’d be heading straight home, and said we would all be under the same roof...” her voice trailed off.
    “You and I will be staying with Kai and Alexa. Coyle and Oz live a mile