Kiss Me Harder: Unbreakable Series Read online

  Kiss Me Harder

  Unbreakable Series

  Aja Cole

  Contents

  Thank You!

  Before you start...

  1. Naja

  2. Elias

  3. Elias

  4. Naja

  5. Elias

  6. Elias

  7. Naja

  8. Elias

  9. Naja

  10. Elias

  11. Naja

  12. Elias

  13. Naja

  14. Elias

  15. Naja

  16. Elias

  17. Naja

  18. Elias

  19. Naja

  20. Naja

  21. Elias

  22. Elias

  23. Naja

  24. Elias

  25. Elias

  26. Naja

  27. Naja

  28. Elias

  29. Naja

  30. Elias

  31. Naja

  32. Naja

  33. Elias

  34. Naja

  35. Naja

  Epilogue

  Excerpt

  Also by Aja Cole

  Stay Connected!

  About the Author

  Kiss Me Harder

  Aja Cole

  Copyright © 2018 by Aja Cole.

  All Rights Reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  First Edition September 2018

  To all of my family and friends that have supported me every time I’ve said, “I’m writing a book.”

  I couldn’t have done it without your love and constant encouragement.

  To everyone who reads my books and comes back for more…you fucking rock.

  To my author friends and the people who let me vent and freak out and constantly inspire me to keep going…

  Thank you. I love you all.

  And to my little leapfrogs, may you always know how much you are loved.

  Thank You!

  I just wanted to say a quick thank you for giving my writing a chance, and I hope it gives you everything you’re looking for!

  I like my love scenes steamy and my sweet scenes sappy.

  Now, please enjoy and I hope you love my characters as much as I do!

  ~ Aja Cole

  Before you start...

  This book contains explicit content meant for readers 18+, along with a sweet hero and a smitten heroine. If such language or material offends you, please be aware.

  1

  Naja

  Two years ago

  “Pull up that schematic again,” I murmur, swiping across the clear screen. Something is bothering me about this layout, but I don’t want to say anything until I figure out what.

  Technology has come a long way, and it makes me as wary as it does grateful.

  The advancements mean the good guys can do our jobs with a little more help, but it also means the bad guys can too. What you don’t want is a level playing field with criminals.

  We want to be ahead of them, in front of them, and most of the time—we are. It’s because of meetings like this, strategy planning and thinking through every little detail of an op, that we’re able to minimize the fallout and casualties.

  I’m also of the mind that if you do something vile enough for us to come after you, then you deserve whatever you get.

  I don’t enjoy shedding blood, but I don’t shy away from it either. You complete the mission however you need to, and you figure out how to sleep at night after it.

  If I wanted to deal with bullshit bureaucracy and rules and more time spent on glad-handing than saving lives, I’d work for the government in a sanctioned capacity.

  That’s exactly why I don’t. Or at least, I don’t anymore.

  I left home when I was sixteen, because my parents had the asinine idea to marry me off to some idiot son of the family they were aligned with.

  That wasn’t happening.

  My biggest regret is leaving my little sister, Nova, behind, but one day, I’ll explain it all to her and I just hope she welcomes me with open arms.

  I needed to start fresh, and without my parents’ choices over my head.

  Naja Quentin disappeared, and Naomi Tyler very convincingly took her place. I used that fake persona for a few years, and if I do anything that requires a paper trail—I still do.

  Paperwork is rare in this job. Someone else handles that, while we do the grunt work.

  To those closest to me, to my team, I’m Naja. But to the world—I’m a ghost, and I’m whoever I need to be.

  I joined the army when I turned 18, gave them five years of my life before I realized I was itching for something different, something where I’d feel like I was making a real difference instead of just being one of many soldiers.

  That’s when I met Cameron, and he brought me onto his team.

  Well, first he tried to get me into his bed, and when that didn’t work, he asked me if I wanted to make a difference.

  We’ve been inseparable ever since, but don’t think I didn’t make him work for it before I gave in to his charms.

  I relegated him to just being a friend and a mentor, no matter how hard he tried. He trained me, fought me, and helped me grow into the woman that I am. Now he loves me fiercer than anyone I’ve known.

  He’s not perfect, and I have to remind him who he’s speaking to sometimes, but he’s mine. And I’m his.

  “Status?” The deep voice comes from behind me, and I let a small smile creep onto my lips, even though I don’t acknowledge him.

  Lyssa, our new tech woman, glances at me nervously, like she’s afraid I’m going to get a reaming for not answering the team leader. It’s a reminder that she’s new around here, but she’ll realize the dynamic we have soon enough.

  “Good, sir. Everything is in place for tomorrow.” Her eyes cut to me again, like she’s waiting on me to chime in with reassurances.

  I swipe a finger to the side, bringing up another file.

  “Thank you, Lyssa.” He doesn’t need to say she’s dismissed; it’s in his voice. Cameron isn’t a man whose orders are often misunderstood. He radiates command, even with only a few words.

  Lyssa logs out with her credentials and leaves the small command room, heading up the stairs to the sleeping quarters. In a tightly secured, hidden bunker in Niger, we’re a well-kept secret.

  One of many.

  As long as we do our jobs and don’t fuck up, we get to run our missions as we please and without answering to asinine politicians who don’t know a damn thing about what it’s like being on the ground. It’s easy to make judgments and solve hypothetical problems when you’re sitting behind a desk, but that doesn’t mean a damned thing out here.

  When you hold a child in your arms that’s had their innocence ripped away for pure greed, when you watch a man cradle his deceased wife in his arms because a combatant got trigger-happy, when you have to hold your teammate’s hand while they bleed out and promise that you’ll make sure their family is okay—then you can make judgments.

  Too many people are quick to idealize everything they wouldn’t do when it’s the things we do that make sure they never
have to.

  “You’re undermining my authority when you do things like that.” Hands settle low on my hips.

  “That would imply that you have any authority in the first place.” My words are clear and quick, and Cameron chuckles. For a man who likes to pretend that he’s as cold as ice, his laugh has always been full of warmth.

  “One day, you’re going to be nice to me and I don’t know how I’m going to handle it.” I turn in his arms and lift a brow at his words, taking in his chocolate brown skin and short goatee.

  “Nice? What’s that?”

  “Something you’re going to figure out if you want any of this.” He gestures to his body, clad in a tight black t-shirt, combat boots, and black BDUs.

  “Don’t pretend like you can resist me.” I lean closer, locking eyes with his dark gaze. “I’m the woman of your dreams.”

  “Your arrogance is oddly endearing.” He gives me a long-suffering look that makes me laugh, then he wraps me in his arms, kissing me tenderly. My big teddy bear.

  He’s asked me to marry him, but I keep laughing him off. You get close to people easily doing this, being in the trenches. I’ve known him for three years now, and been intimate with him for two.

  I told him that I want him to ask me when we’re free of this, when we’re boring and adrenaline isn’t the tie holding us together.

  He kisses me so well and for so long that it feels like the ground is moving beneath me. It’s not until the low alarms sound and I hear the running and shouts from above that I realize this is more than just a mind-blowing connection.

  We’ve been breached.

  I draw my gun from my thigh holster and Cameron nods to the edge of the room, where there’s a hidden tunnel. If there was no intel from inside this compound, then they won’t know about it.

  If they do, then we’re fucked. My knives are strapped to my other thigh, and I’ll use them if I need to.

  “You got me?” Cameron demands.

  “Always.” Together, we stalk through the passageway, on high alert and listening to shots being fired above us.

  Cam pushes open the door at the end, sliding out and beckoning me forward when the coast is clear. Together, we cover the hallway, coming out near the kitchen.

  That’s when I see Teagan, Cam’s second-in-command, propped up against the doorway, holding her side. She’s like a sister to him, to all of us. I lower my weapon, kneeling to her, but she pushes me away.

  “I’ve accepted my fate.” She smiles through her pain, a trickle of blood leaking from her lip. “I’ve said my paidreacha. Go, help our team. I love you.” A tear falls down her cheek and I swallow my own searing pain, hating to leave her.

  “I love you, too. Oíche mhaith agus codladh sámh.” Goodnight and sleep well, in Irish Gaelic, the language of Teagan’s home. It’s not one that’s spoken as much now, but Teagan was raised in the highlands by grandparents who were very close to their history.

  Cameron takes a moment with her, and I steel my emotions. Now, I want blood.

  “Let’s go,” he says quietly, and then everything is a blur.

  I see Kane and Trev, covering each other’s backs and firing off rounds faster than anyone should be able to. The sounds are deafening, and adrenaline pumps through me, pushing my instinct to the forefront.

  Tear gas flows around us, and the only thing on my mind is survival. I shoot first, praying that my team is holding their own. Following the plan in case of breach, I move the enemy towards the middle of the bunker. Every time I think it’s over, another one appears, and I hear the ominous click that lets me know I’ve fired my last round.

  Time slows. The man clad in all black and I stare at each other for what feels like too long.

  Why isn’t he pulling the trigger? Even with my reflexes, I can’t get my knife in time to disarm him, but I kick a leg out at his feet, dropping to the ground and taking him by surprise.

  My eyes are burning, and so are my lungs, but I’ll be damned if I give up today. We grapple with his weapon and I whip out one of my knives, slashing out with zero hesitation.

  “Naja!” I hear the warning shout and then I hear a gun go off right before I hear another, one of ours.

  I feel weight at my back and I turn from where I’m straddling my attacker, pulling my knife from his body and wiping it against his clothes.

  I’m shaking even before my vision clears, and I see Cameron, laying on the ground, bullets that were meant for me riddling his chest.

  Cam reaches for my hand and I clutch at him, pulling his head into my lap and yanking off my shirt, pressing it to his wounds. But it’s not enough; nothing is enough.

  “Hold on, baby. Please hold on,” I plead, stroking his face. “You can’t leave me, Cam. I can’t do this without you.”

  “You can do anything you set out to.” His breathing is shallow and he coughs up deep red blood, shaking his head. “You’re all heart. You make me so proud.”

  “Cam,” I moan, my tears wetting his face. Trev and Kane drop to the floor, pressing cloths to his body too.

  “Who else?” he croaks, still caring about everyone else when his own life is in jeopardy. He tries to sit up, but I don’t let him.

  “Don’t worry about it, man. Save your strength.”

  “Tell me, Kane. I need to know. Need to know who I couldn’t protect.” His eyes close and he forces them open, gritting his teeth. I can’t stop sobbing. I’m so scared, so damn scared.

  “You didn’t do this man. Someone sold us out.” Trev wipes his own eyes, jaw clenching.

  “Tell me,” Cam says again, chest heaving with the effort to speak.

  “They got Lyssa first,” Kane starts, voice stony. “I don’t know how they got in, but I found her first. We lost Teagan and Kyle.” Kyle and Kane grew up together, they were two peas in a pod. To Kane’s dark, Kyle was light, and always quick with a silly joke.

  “Bali?” I croak, thinking of the woman that’s family to me too.

  “She’s okay; she’s securing a prisoner. He’s the only lead we have now.”

  “I’m sorry,” Cam breathes, “Just know that I’m sorry.” His eyes move to me, and I see the finality in them.

  “Cam.” My breath hitches. “No, please, god.”

  “I love you, Naja.” He turns his head with the little strength he has. “All of you.”

  “Love you too, man.” The pain on Kane and Trev’s faces guts me more than I already am.

  “I love you, Cameron. I will always love you.” I press my forehead to his, holding his hands tight.

  I feel it the moment he slips away from me, and I can’t stop myself from breaking down.

  * * *

  I remember reading a book in high school, when the most pressing issue in my life was whether or not my mom was going to ground me again, and there was a line that stuck with me.

  I hold Cameron’s ashes, and all I feel is numbness. The bite of the cold air doesn’t touch my rage or my pain. Part of me is tempted to step off the edge of this mountain and give in to the clawing despair that’s been welling up in me since I saw Cameron’s wounds and saw the fear in his eyes as his breath rattled and we tried to stop the blood.

  There was so much blood.

  “Naja,” Kane says quietly, laying a gentle hand on my shoulder. “You sure you want to do this?”

  I nod once, uncapping the small container as Trev takes one of my hands. Bali, the only other one of the original eight of us that’s unharmed physically, stands close to me.

  Now there are four of us, and I don’t know when the emotional scars will heal.

  “Lyssa.” Trev speaks, the wind picking up the loose ashes that he releases.

  “Teagan.” Kane follows.

  “Kyle.” Bali whispers, fingers wrapping tightly around the vial after she empties it.

  “Cameron.” I watch the minuscule black particles spread and disappear, and with them, my belief in justice and goodness.

  There’s no justice in this. There�
�s no good here, only unfairness and evil.

  I remember that line from the book.

  When he died, all things soft and beautiful and bright would be buried with him.

  When I find the person responsible, the traitor who ensured that half my team—half the people I’d come to think of as family—were taken from this world, I’ll be judge and jury.

  I will get my revenge, or I will die trying.

  2

  Elias

  Present

  I would recognize her anywhere.

  Other people wouldn’t, and most likely don’t.

  All they would see is the different hair, the different colored eyes, and the more reserved demeanor.

  But I know better.

  It’s in the way her hips swing the tiniest bit without her consent. It’s the way her lips have a permanent pout to them that haunts my dreams. It’s the distinctive sheen to her brown skin that makes it look like bronzed gold when it peeks through her modest clothing.

  I sit in the corner of the small establishment on the outskirts of Marrakesh, blending into the dim atmosphere and keeping to myself.