Shadowed by Kariss Lynch Read Free Book Online

you can’t say
it yet. But you need to know. I love you. I will do whatever necessary to protect
you, and right now that means taking out . . . ” He stopped short, his eyes showing
a split second of fear. “Right now that means leaving.”
    She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. His hand came up to her face, tracing the tear
marks before drifting to the back of her neck causing her face to heat. His lips
hovered inches from hers. She could see the blue of his eyes, reaching all the way
to her heart and strengthening the cords that bound them the first time he said those
three little words only days before. “I love you, Kaylan Lee Richards. Do you trust
me?”
    She nodded, fearing the tears would come again if she responded.
    â€œDo you trust the Lord has a better plan for us than either you or I could write?”
    Peace stole through the air as she remembered Jeremiah 29:11. Why did she always
panic before she remembered Scripture? “Plans for a hope and a future,” she whispered.
    He nodded.
    â€œCome back to me. Be safe.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, desperate to capture
the memory of his arms around her.
    â€œHawk!” Kaylan sensed Micah’s impatience. Time was up.
    Nick’s lips stole hers, gentle at first then passionate, bordering on desperate as
his hands gripped her neck and waist, holding her close to him. She sensed his love,
his fear, his desire to make her understand.
    Then with a whispered “bye,” he was gone. And her tears fell like rain, yet her heart
stood firm. She would see him soon. She had to.

Chapter 6
    F OR THE FIRST time since joining the SEALs, Nick had left something behind. It wasn’t
something he could fit in a bag or carry in his uniform pocket. He left behind his
heart with an auburn-haired, green-eyed beauty. And he didn’t want it back. As far
as he was concerned, she could keep it until he died. Which would not happen on this
mission if he had anything to say about it. He shot up a prayer for Kaylan’s peace
and the decisions the team would need to make in the hours to come.
    The roar of the C-17 permeated his thoughts as Kaylan slipped into the recesses of
his mind. He locked away the memory, knew he couldn’t allow thoughts of her to dominate
his consciousness while they tracked Janus. It was time to catch a killer.
    Nick’s blood boiled at the thought of young men and women who had sacrificed their
lives for their country at the hands of weapons Janus and her mysterious boss had
provided to bloodthirsty tribal leaders. Would there never be an end to people’s
greed and lust for power and possessions? He thought of the verses in the Bible that
prophesied that war would continue until the end of time. Great job security for
him. But he fought to provide justice and an end to the bloodshed. He ached for
a time of peace.
    Would his children always know the cruelties of war? If he stayed in the SEALs as
he planned, his kids would gain an early understanding of duty, justice, and sacrifice.
SEAL teams would die. Men, SEALs, they would know as family. He couldn’t control
it. Death respected no person or situation. It came. Nick thanked God for the promise
of eternity for those who believe. It left a small measure of hope, brought purpose
to the pointless skirmishes over land and religion.
    Micah elbowed him, raising his voice over the drone of the plane, “You good, man?”
    He gave a thumbs-up. “Just thinking about what’s ahead.”
    â€œI want this chick so bad I can taste it. I hope our intel’s solid. She hasn’t stayed
in one place long. Maybe we finally found her home base. Yalta, Ukraine, is a pretty
busy port, though.”
    Nick shrugged. “May be perfect for anonymity.” Nick remembered the first time they
laid eyes on Janus in the jungle of Nicaragua. He’d injured his back in an explosion
that night. He remembered his shock as the scarf