Read Shadow Ops: Danger's Desire (Kindle Worlds Novella) (A Shadow Ops Novella Book 1) for Free Online Page B

heart ripped at its chains—no way would he allow her to get mixed up in this cesspool.
    “Who’s that? Another target?” Billy pressed.
    “No, Krystal Laveau—they call her Voodoo.” He reached for the coffee cup, surprised to find it empty. His shoulders stiffened. “She can’t get involved with these people—it’s too dangerous.” He bit his lip at the overexposed advocacy he felt for Laveau.
    “You know her?” Rose’s directed question seethed—as though she knew he was guilty.
    “We can’t allow local cops to get involved at this level. We’ve been trained to combat these vile fuckers. These good folks just want to go home at the end of the day. I’m pulling the red card on this until you contrive another way to undermine their plan.” He paced to release tension that stiffened his back and hips.
    “That’s not an option given the immediate threat.” Rose said.
    “Everything’s an option. Don’t play me.” Hollywood’s posture reeled up from anger as cords twanged in his neck. The waiter stopped in his approach and backed away with open palms.
    “They swore to an oath, just like we did. Nothing makes us better than them. She’s got to be the one,” Rose rationalized.
    Hollywood’s gut wrenched. He dropped the paper basket with two beignets into the garbage can—he knew what was coming.
    “Tell me why can’t you deploy a local team attached to STR? There are DEA and ATF field offices here.” He scraped scarred knuckles across his teeth as her green eyes and milk chocolate skin ran through his memory.
    “Thanks to the still uncovered leak in the system, the Preacher’s disciples have every federal agents profile at their fingertips. The DOJ and Treasury Department have suspended U/C ops until the training of new secret operatives can be completed,” Rose explained.
    “So what’s that got to do with Voodoo?” He rubbed sandbagged eyelids. The earliest of sun’s light had begun to take its eternal toll. He sucked in soupy gulps of humidity-burdened air to clear his head.
    “She’s bait. A fresh fish.” Billy spoke quickly.
    “At least mobilize STR and get down here to help me cover this.” He tugged at his clothes, which now seemed to bind him, and picked at the deep-fried crumbs, finally throwing his hands up in surrender.
    “Sorry, no-can-do. In the big scheme of things, this crew of local cops is…” Billy walked Hollywood to the ethical cliff.
    “…expendable.” Rose pushed him over it.
    “She’s correct—expendable.”

CHAPTER 6
    Voodoo rocketed across the rock-topped levee toward the Task Force headquarters just outside of Chalmette. Glimmers of sun bounced off of the Mississippi River. Dust spewed from beneath four-wheel drive Wrangler tires, while sunshine baked her dark hair and face. She stole glances at the mirror as she eyed the next slide of gravel and oyster shells that led to the warehouse.
    “Not today,” she said, looking at her reflection. “That damn hunk gonna be in the house and I look like shit.” Voodoo rarely fussed to fix herself up for duty. Sure, a dab of deodorant and fingers through her hair, but no need for makeup among the group of Task Force agents. She’d been raised to hunt and fish—no waiting on Mr. Right to take care of her, she was a true bayou brat.
    She shoved the stick shift forward. Her body lurched as the transmission ground back a gear for the descent. Voodoo smacked moist lips, her mouth opening to expose a set of perfect pearly whites.
    The thought of her grandmother, who’d labored three jobs to pay for braces, brought a smile to her face. Her mawmaw had passed away before Voodoo could afford to repay, or thank, her. Then thought of Hollywood shooting his cum all over her teeth caused her tongue to slide across them like ice coated by oil. She shut off her thoughts, unwilling for the cop and Mawmaw to share space in her head. But a rumble echoed in her throat. She throbbed at the thought of him, and it wasn’t