Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Jungle Buck (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Sealed With A Kiss Book 3) Read online

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  JUNGLE BUCK

  Sealed with a Kiss Series, Book 3

  By Margaret Madigan

  A Special Forces: Operation Alpha and Breaking the SEAL Crossover Novella

  Cover Art by LeTeisha Newton of Boundless Tales Designs

  About the Book

  Two months after her second run-in with the Russian mafia, Dr. Melinda Emerson finally admits she’s struggling with PTSD. Her relationships are suffering—especially with her boyfriend Grady “Buck” McCormick, who’s recently moved into her house. She’s just decided to get help when she gets a lead on a village in the Amazon where nobody’s ever had dementia. Ever. After the disastrous experiment that led to the catastrophe in Siberia, Melinda’s determined to refocus her work on a cure for Alzheimer’s, and puts together an expedition to the jungle.

  Grady “Buck” McCormick is on leave after almost dying in Siberia. Melinda believes it was her fault, but he’s done everything he can to support her. After all, he’s seen enough vets with PTSD to know what it does to a person. So when she plans a trip to the Amazon, he insists on going along as security detail, not that anything will happen that requires security. He just wants a chance for them to talk and begin healing.

  Buck’s hope for relationship-building is snuffed out when Melinda brings along her lab assistants April and Cody. On top of that, when a logging company clearing land for farming threatens to destroy the village, Buck agrees to talk to them only to find an old SEAL buddy in charge. The village elders refuse to leave their homes, Melinda refuses to move her research, and his buddy refuses to back down, leaving Buck stuck in the middle. Things go sideways when his buddy kidnaps Melinda to force Buck to his point of view. Bad idea. Nobody threatens Melinda without paying for it.

  Dedication

  For Susan Stoker – I know how much you love jungle rescues, so here’s another one! Also, thank you so much for welcoming me (and Buck and Melinda) into your Kindle World. It’s so much fun to be part of this wonderful community!

  To my husband Darin who helped brainstorm the story idea. Some stories I just couldn’t do without you.

  To all those who wear the uniform of the American military, you have our boundless gratitude.

  CHAPTER 1

  Melinda sat naked on the edge of the bathtub and wept into her hands. She tried to keep the noise down so she didn’t upset Buck. She’d done that enough in the last two months.

  They’d just had the worst consensual sex ever. Probably in the history of humans. And it was all her fault.

  She sighed and sniffed and reached for the toilet paper, rolling out a handful of squares to wipe her face and blow her nose.

  She needed to get it together.

  Which reminded her, she still had to call Jayla to see if she’d watch Melinda’s cat, Mr. Wiggles, while Melinda and Buck headed off to the Amazon jungle for a work trip. Melinda dreaded the trip, only because their relationship had become strained and she felt guilty dragging Buck away from civilization to traipse around the jungle while she did research.

  The research—new evidence that could lead to a treatment, if not a cure, for Alzheimer’s—had her excited.

  The fact that Buck didn’t scared the crap out of her.

  At this point, though, she had to talk to Jayla about more than just Mr. Wiggles. She needed her BFF.

  Melinda grabbed her cell and dialed.

  “Yo, Nerd,” Jayla said.

  “Hey, Punk.”

  “Whoa. What’s up? You sound awful.”

  Melinda burst into tears again, Jayla’s worried words only half-registering until she managed to pull herself back together.

  “Sorry,” Melinda said, sniffing after she wiped her face again.

  “Tell me what’s wrong.” Jayla’s tense words revealed her concern.

  “I feel like I’m falling apart. I hardly sleep anymore, and when I do I have nightmares. But all I want to do is sleep. I’m not interested in work or friends or even Buck. Oh God…” she heaved a shameful sigh. “I just faked an orgasm because I wanted the sex to be over faster.”

  Silence greeted her from the other end of the line for just a moment before Jayla finally said, “You need help. That mess in Russia has you fucked up and you need help getting unfucked.”

  “You mean a counselor?”

  “Some kind of shrink, yeah. You’re a civilian. You’re not trained like me or Buckaroo or Noah to deal with this shit. Hell, even when you’re trained it can mess you up. Go. Get. Help.”

  It made sense. Melinda had been thrown into not one but two violent encounters with the Russian mafia in the last four months, and after each she’d just gone back to work as usual. Even when Claudia Lynch, the CIA handler assigned to Melinda on the mission to Siberia had talked to her afterwards, Melinda had wanted nothing more than to put it behind her and go back to what she knew best—work. Now, after weeks of festering, the wisdom of debriefing seemed obvious.

  “You’re right,” Melinda said.

  “Of course I am. I know what I’m talking about.”

  “I’ll go after we get back from the Amazon. Which reminds me, will you watch Mr. Wiggles while I’m gone? Or do you have some big CIA mission planned?”

  “Nope. No plans. I’ll babysit the cat for you while you prance around the jungle. And when you get back, I’ll have a list of counselors for you to choose from.”

  Melinda’s heart lightened just a bit, as it did every time she talked to Jayla. “Okay, it’s a deal.”

  “And Melinda? You should talk to Buck. Tell him what’s going on.”

  “Says the woman who does the exact opposite with her boyfriend,” Melinda said with a chuckle.

  “Hey, it’s easier to preach than practice, bee-yotch.”

  “Don’t I know it. But I’ll try.”

  “You want to lose him?”

  “No.”

  “Then. Talk.”

  ***

  Buck watched Mindy white-knuckle the armrest between them as the plane made its final descent. He couldn’t see April Nguyen and Cody Raines, Mindy’s lab assistants, in the seat behind them so he had no idea how they were doing but if he had to guess, probably a lot like Mindy

  They’d all been fine on their previous three flights, but he didn’t blame them for this one. The size of the planes had decreased with the shrinking airports. They’d boarded this plane at an airport two hops outside of La Paz, Peru. At least that place had had a paved runway, and the plane seemed safe enough. Unlike this one.

  He peeked out the window as the dirt runway at this airport—thankfully the final one—rushed up to meet the underbelly of the rickety aircraft.

  “Almost on the ground,” he said, patting Mindy’s hand.

  She sat rigid in the seat, her eyes squeezed shut. “This thing’s a piece of junk.”

  Buck chuckled. He’d flown in and jumped out of all kinds of aircraft, including buckets of bolts just like this one. “Yeah. Next time you charter a flight you should ask if t
he plane’s from this century.”

  “Pretty sure this one’s been around for at least a century,” she said. “And I didn’t get us onto this contraption. Arranging flights was Cody’s job.”

  Buck smirked. Another black mark against Cody. Buck didn’t like Cody and his dark curly hair that flopped coyly into his eyes, or his straight white teeth that flashed every time he grinned. He had lazy, rich, charming frat boy written all over him which meant he probably half-assed everything he did. Buck hated half-assers. It meant more work for everyone else. On top of that, he imagined Cody flirting with the women at work, especially Mindy, and that didn’t work for him. Nobody put moves on his woman and got away with it.

  When Mindy had told him she was planning this trip, he’d volunteered to go along as her security detail. He didn’t like the idea of being apart that long given her shaky emotional situation. Besides, he’d figured it might give them a chance to talk outside their usual routine. When she’d told him she’d be taking April and Cody, he’d been happy he could keep an eye on Half-Ass Cody and his horny frat-boy moves. Turned out to be a good call, too, given Mindy’s field getup of khaki shorts, black tank top, calf-high socks and hiking boots. What ever happened to pants? And loose t-shirts?

  He glanced over at her, and even in distress she was the sexiest thing he’d ever laid eyes on. A wavy tendril of dark hair had escaped the pile on top of her head and he wanted to tuck it behind her ear, then kiss her cheek.

  He shook his head, facing forward again. No way he wanted charming, handsome Cody cozied up to Mindy for months in the Amazon, especially since he and Mindy had been on rocky ground lately. She’d faked her orgasm the night before, something she’d never done before. On the one hand, it put an end to the long, awkward sex. He’d been formulating a game plan as he pistoned in and out, holding onto his own climax, and then she’d dropped the fake and he’d been grateful to let go and have it over with. On the other hand, it freaked him out and had him worried about their relationship.

  Thankfully for him, the timing of the trip was perfect. Buck’s team and Wolf Steele’s team were on month four of leave after their last mission to Russia. He, his teammate Ice, and Wolf specifically had all been ordered to take some time off after being injected with the super drug Amaranthine and nearly dying. Dozer hadn’t been lucky enough to survive.

  They’d gone through the usual debrief, medical monitoring, and some precautionary psych workup, which they’d all passed without difficulty. But their new commander Vaughn “Chief” Bogo had insisted the three of them take some R&R. They had, but Buck started getting bored a few days in. Mindy’s trip to the jungle would be a welcome diversion.

  The landing gear hit the dirt with a squeak and groan, and the plane bounced and shimmied. Mindy whimpered beside him, grabbing and squeezing the shit out of his hand. His bigger concern was Mindy. They’d been living together for the last two months and while he’d been happy as a pig in shit, at least until recently, their two encounters with the Russian mob had left her a mess. At first, she’d seemed fine, but the more time passed, the more withdrawn and irritable and difficult she’d become. Still, she tried hard to put on a normal front. He’d known enough vets with PTSD to recognize it when he saw it. The fake orgasm was the icing on the cake. Mindy needed help.

  As the plane taxied to what passed as a terminal at this airport—not much more than a metal shed—he unbuckled and started collecting their things.

  “Come on,” he said. “I want off this rust bucket.”

  In the seat behind them Half-Ass looked less cocky than usual. Actually, he looked green around the edges, like he’d puke at any moment. April didn’t look much better.

  “Amen to that,” Mindy said, grabbing her backpack. “Doesn’t matter how many times I fly to places like this, these tiny planes and airports are nerve-wracking.”

  The plane came to a halt and the pilot scrambled from of his seat to open the door for them. They all piled out with thankful moans and sighs. Outside with their feet back on good old Mother Earth, they unloaded the rest of the lab equipment and luggage from the plane’s cramped cargo hold.

  Buck slung his pack over his shoulder. While they’d been on layover in La Paz waiting for the first of the increasingly smaller hops, he’d headed for customs to pick up the package he’d shipped ahead of time containing his weapons. He done it all legally and with the proper forms and knowledge of authorities. Being elite U.S. military greased a lot of wheels.

  “Gracias,” Mindy said to the pilot.

  Thank you for not killing them? Or was she just being polite?

  “De nada, miss,” the pilot said, then looking around at the deserted airport he asked, “You wait for someone?”

  “Yes. We arranged a ride with a local man. Pedro Figueroa. You know him?”

  “Si. Pedro. Buen hombre. Buena suerte.”

  After wishing them good luck, he saluted, turned on his heel, and headed back to his plane. While Buck helped the team collect all their cases, the pilot taxied to the end of the runway and took off again, leaving them alone in a lingering cloud of dust.

  Once gone, silence and then the sounds of the jungle, descended around them.

  “Where is everyone?” Cody asked.

  Nothing more than a clearing cut into the jungle at the top of the mountain, and the airport seemed abandoned. Buck shrugged. No need for gate agents or customs. Flights probably only arrived when they felt like it, and more than likely most of them were moving drugs of some sort. The fewer people involved, the better.

  A dirt track nearby disappeared into the jungle—the local equivalent of a super highway.

  “Siesta time,” Buck said, giving Cody shit as he plopped onto a bench outside the metal airport building.

  Cody tried the door handle, only to find it locked, then cupped his hands around his face to peek into the window. “I don’t see anybody inside. You really think they’re sleeping?”

  April rolled her eyes and sat next to Buck. “Idiot,” she muttered under her breath. Buck bit his lip to keep from snorting. April apparently liked Cody as much as Buck did.

  “He’s teasing you, Cody,” Mindy said. “There’s nobody here.”

  April, dressed similar to Mindy in khakis, boots, and a too-tight t-shirt, slid her sunglasses from the top of her head down over her eyes and leaned back against the building, crossing her arms to get comfortable. Her sleek black ponytail shined in the hot tropical sun.

  Cody shot Buck a hurt look, and Buck almost felt bad. But not quite.

  “Where’s our ride?” Cody asked.

  “He’ll be here,” Mindy said, sitting next to Buck.

  “When?” Cody asked. “I mean, are we just supposed to wait here until he decides to show up? Doesn’t he know when the flights arrive?”

  Buck snorted. “This isn’t LAX. There’s no schedule. Planes come and go whenever. Sit down and get comfortable. He’ll show up when he shows up.”

  Cody frowned, an expression probably meant to convey his disgust and that he didn’t like Buck, but Buck didn’t care. The guy was a pansy. Maybe he’d been wrong to worry about Cody on this trip. He might be cocky in civilization, but apparently he fell apart and became a whiney baby in the field. No way any woman found that appealing, and sure as hell not Mindy.

  Either way, it didn’t matter he wouldn’t have to keep Cody’s flirting in check; Buck had no desire to be anywhere else. Out of the house and by Mindy’s side, excitement bubbled up in his gut. Finally. Something to do.

  “Just be patient, Cody. I’ve made dozens of these trips. Time moves differently in these places. He’ll be here,” Mindy said.

  “There’s no place to sit,” Cody said.

  Buck, Mindy, and April filled up the bench. “The ground not good enough for you?” Buck asked.

  Mindy reached over and rested a hand on Buck’s thigh, a warning to cool it. Cody harrumphed before disappearing around the shady side of the building. Maybe he’d discover some new kind o
f stinging bugs while he sat over there.

  “Take it easy on him,” Mindy said, her voice low so Cody wouldn’t hear.

  “He’s a dumb-ass,” Buck said.

  April snickered next to him, but otherwise didn’t move.

  “The two of you need to be nicer to him,” Mindy said, a hint of exhaustion in her voice, triggering Buck’s worry again. She hadn’t been quite the same since they returned from Siberia. She’d been a little more tired, a little more distracted, like she’d lost some of her spirit.

  He grit his teeth and took a deep breath before saying, “You’re right. He irritates the hell out of me, but that’s not enough reason to give him so much shit. Sorry.”

  She turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow as she did. “Are you okay?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “You just admitted you were wrong and apologized.”

  He grunted and leaned back against the hot metal building, a bead of sweat tracking down his low back. “Very funny. I’ve admitted I was wrong and apologized before.”

  “Not very often.”

  “Maybe I’m just not wrong very often.”

  More snickering from April.

  “Mhm,” Mindy said. “I didn’t hire him for his personality. I hired him because he’s a good botanist.”

  “He’s what, twelve?”

  “He’s in his twenties, and he already has a PhD. What he lacks in social skills, he makes up for in science skills.”

  “Great. So he’s a rich, spoiled, super nerd with a pretty face,” Buck said.

  Beside him April coughed what sounded like the word “jealous.”

  “Go back to sleep, Nguyen. Nobody asked you,” Buck said, but April just smiled.

  “This trip is important to me, Buck,” Mindy said. “I’d like it if we could all get along.”