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  This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Stoker Aces Production, LLC. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Special Forces: Operation Alpha remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Stoker Aces Production, LLC, or their affiliates or licensors.

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  Protecting Maria

  Nicole Flockton

  Contents

  About the Book

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Available Now

  Also by Nicole Flockton

  About the Book

  She'd thought she'd left her old life behind. She was wrong.

  Surgical resident Maria Moretti's life is finally becoming her own, that is until her past catches up with her and she is forced to operate on her uncle. Normally, saving a loved one isn't a problem, unless you’re related to one of the most notorious mob families in New York. Now, the family Maria's distanced herself from is doing everything they can to bring her back into the fold.

  Former Navy SEAL turned security expert, Riley "Ash" Ashland, is reluctant to take on the job of protecting Maria. That is, until he meets her. Seeing how much she wants her freedom from the stranglehold her family has on her changes his mind. Even though she refuses to believe she needs protection, Riley watches over her. When her life is threatened, he calls on all his resources to keep her safe. But can he protect his heart at the same time?

  Can Maria keep from dragging Riley into her twisted mob world while she fights for her independence all over again?

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you Susan Stoker for allowing me to be part of your awesome Kindle World. It was hard to choose from all your characters which ones to put in my story.

  To Wren Michaels for bugging me, well encouraging me, to take the plunge and dive into the world of SEALs. Have to say it was well worth it!

  As always I have a wonderful cover because of Jennifer from More Than Words Promotions. Thank you for working your magic again, and for everything else you do for me.

  To the readers of Susan’s world—I really hope you enjoy Riley and Maria’s story. Thank you for making me feel so welcome and taking the time to one click my story.

  Finally, to my family, you truly are the best.

  Dedication

  To Susan Stoker & her Readers – thank you for letting me be part of your world.

  Chapter One

  Maria twisted the knot until it tightened and held before snipping the fine, silky black thread. Sweat trickled down her spine. The fact her hands remained steady was only due to her determination not to let the bastards know they were getting to her.

  She threw the suture needle into the metal kidney shaped dish, the small tool joining the three bullets she’d extracted. "There it's done."

  The removal of the gun barrel that had been held against her head for the last two hours should've been a relief. Only it wasn't. Maria Moretti knew, after tonight, the life she'd spent the last ten years working hard to create was over. Her past had found her and she knew it wouldn't let her go.

  “Very good, Dr. Moretti. I’m sure Uncle Vittorio is very grateful that you saved his life.”

  The sleaze ball who snatched her out of the hospital parking lot was far too smug for her liking.

  “Like I had a choice,” she muttered and snapped off her latex gloves. “Now, how about you and your goons, take my Uncle and get the hell away from me. I don’t want anything to do with him or the family anymore. My father knows this. And if you happen to see my loser of a father, give him the following message.” She glared at sleaze ball, waiting until he nodded. “Stay the fuck out of my life. Like he promised he would.”

  Without waiting for a response of any kind, she grabbed her bag and walked out of the dirty, drafty doctor’s surgery they’d taken her to. Having been bundled in the back of a windowless van, she had no idea where in the city she was. But this was New York; if she walked a couple of blocks she’d find a cab or a subway station. All she needed to do was get as far away from this place as possible. God, she hoped this would be the last time she’d see anyone from her mob family again. Somehow she didn’t think she was going to be so lucky.

  A loud banging on her apartment door jolted Maria from her sleep. A quick glance at her bedside clock and the green luminous numbers showed six a.m.

  Who the hell knocking on her front door at this time of the morning?

  Throwing back the covers she made her way toward the door. “I’m coming,” she yelled at whoever was on the other side of her wooden door pounding loud enough to wake the dead. Her neighbors were going to love her for their early morning wake up call.

  After the night she’d had there was no way she was going to unlatch the chain and disengage the locks. She may be sleepy, but no one ever said Maria Moretti didn’t have any street smarts. It was a damn pity exhaustion had had her off her game last night. If she’d been more aware, she may not have found herself in the situation she ended up in.

  “Who’s there?” she asked.

  “FBI, Ma’am. Open up please.”

  FBI? What the fuck?

  Of course, it could be a trick. If the goon from last night had passed on her message to dear old dad, she wouldn’t put it past him pull a trick like this on her.

  Maria twisted the locks and opened the door until the chain caught. “Show me your badge?”

  A second later a meaty looking hand protruded through the door holding out a leather pouch with a glittering gold badge and the name Agent Scott Whittaker typed neatly beside the FBI emblem.

  Everything looked legit. But looks could be deceiving. She didn’t think that was the case this time though. Maria suspected the early morning visit was connected to the out of the way surgery she performed last night.

  After so many years of freedom she’d thought it was safe to stop looking over her shoulder. Last night proved she’d always have to look.

  She had no choice—again. If she refused their entry, they’d only force their way in.

  “Watch your hand,” she commanded as she pushed the door shut and disengaged the chain.

  Maria held the door open and three men dressed in suits walked in. Who the hell wore suits at six in the morning?

  Her normally spacious looking foyer seemed tiny with three large men taking up the space. Manners took over. “Why don’t we go into the living room and you can tell me why you needed to almost breakdown my door this early in the morning?”

  The man whose badge she read spoke. “As I showed you. I’m Agent Whittaker,” he then pointed to the man to his right. “This is Agent Williams and this is Agent Clements.” He canted his head to the left. “We’re sorry to disturb you so early, Dr. Moretti, but we believe you have some information that could help us with a case.”

  Her stomach plummeted as her suspicions were confirmed. No way was she going to let the Feds know she had an idea why they were visiting. Adopting her concerned doctor face she lifted her chin and looked Agent Whittaker in the eye. “I’m not sure what y
ou’re talking about.”

  Whittaker’s eyebrows rose a fraction. “Can you confirm that you are the daughter of Giovanni Moretti, currently residing in New Jersey? Also the suspected leader of the Moretti Mafia.”

  And there it was. The name she’d sworn never to think of again after she’d walked out of the monstrosity that had been her home and headed to college. Her father had agreed to release her from any familial obligations. Until he needed a surgeon, of course, and then he used her. Why did she have to be working the night Uncle Vittorio got shot? Actually, it probably wouldn’t have mattered if she hadn’t been working. Dear old papa would’ve taken her from her house. She wasn’t stupid enough to think he didn’t know where she lived. The irony of her moving to New York to do her surgical residency wasn’t lost on her. If she’d had any sense she would’ve gone to a West Coast Hospital.

  “Ms. Moretti? I didn’t think my question was that difficult to answer.”

  No, not difficult, just admitting out loud what she was trying hard to forget wasn’t easy. No matter how much she tried, she knew it was impossible. How could you forget your heritage? No matter how bloody that heritage was.

  “Yes. I am Giovanni Moretti’s daughter.”

  “Are you a surgical resident at Bridgedale Hospital in Brooklyn?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you perform an unscheduled surgery last night in a non-hospital environment?”

  How the fuck did they know about that? She was in a no win situation: lying to federal agents could have her spending time in jail. If she told the truth, the family she longed to forget would come after her. Either option would put her career in jeopardy, and she’d be damned if she’d lose everything she’d worked the last ten years to achieve.

  Shit, she hated her family for dragging her back into their snake pit.

  “May I remind you Ms. Moretti, lying to a federal agent will land you in serious trouble.”

  “I’m aware of that. Yes, I performed a surgery last night.”

  Agent Whittaker scribbled something in his notebook, and then looked back at her. “Are you permitted to perform surgeries away from the hospital? You’re still a resident aren’t you?”

  Memories of the previous evening burst to life in her mind in all its technicolor glory. “You know, when you get snatched off your feet as you’re walking to your car, shoved into the back of a van, and taken to some hole in the wall facility to perform surgery on a man you haven’t seen in a decade. All while being held at gunpoint, you don’t have time to say—hey I’m a fourth year surgical resident. I’m not supposed to be performing surgeries unsupervised just yet—all I was thinking about was keeping myself alive.”

  She hadn’t meant to reveal so much but once the words started she couldn’t stop them.

  Agent Whittaker made a couple more notes before he stood. “I think that’s all we need at the moment.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slim black folder. He extracted a card and handed it to her. “I’ll be in touch and if you need anything, and I mean anything at all, please call.”

  Maria took the card knowing full well there was no way she was going to contact the agent. She wanted nothing to do with the feds and she especially didn’t want anything to do with her family.

  A yawn ripped through Maria as she studied the case files for her up and coming surgeries. All pretty straight forward, nothing nearly as complicated as the one she’d performed the previous evening. Even under the less than sanitary circumstances, and without all the equipment she was used to having, she’d saved a life. The fact the life she’d saved didn’t deserve to still be breathing today, annoyed the hell out of her. She’d honored her oath. An oath her father knew she wouldn’t ignore, which was no doubt why he’d tracked her down.

  Her pocket vibrated and she pulled out her phone and smiled when she saw Melody’s name pop up.

  “Hiya, Melody, how are you? How’s Tex? And the girls?”

  “Hey Maria. I’m good. Tex and the girls are great.

  “I bet Hope is getting bigger with each day that passes. And I’m sure all she has to do is smile and Tex is putty in her hand.”

  Melody laughed loudly. “You have no idea. Hope is growing like a weed and, as for Tex, well sometimes I swear he loves that girl more than me. He melts whenever Hope giggles or smiles at him.”

  “The big bad SEAL humbled by a toothless grin.” Maria couldn’t keep the jealousy out of her voice. She loved her career and was super proud of what she’d achieved. Except there was a hole in her life: she had no one special to share her milestones with. No one who put her first and made her weak at the knees like she knew Tex did to Melody.

  “Oh, trust me, he’s still the big bad SEAL and whenever I take the girls anywhere without him, he always checks the location and all routes to get to said destination. He always has eyes on us to makes sure the girls and I are safe.”

  If Tex had eyes on her maybe she wouldn’t have been in this dilemma, but then again, why would Tex be interested in what she did or where she went.

  “You’re lucky, Mel. I need to come and visit you guys.”

  “Yes, you do. But,” Melody’s voice turned serious. “How are you doing? Is everything okay?”

  Maria opened her mouth to spill her troubles, but held back. Melody was one of the few friends she had. With her family connections it was safer to keep a distance between any relationships she made. Even though Melody had Tex and a whole SEAL team looking out for her. When it came to the Mob, even the military couldn’t penetrate their walls.

  She couldn’t expose Melody to the dangers of her family, no matter how much she wanted to talk to someone about everything that had happened to her in the last twenty-four hours.

  “Everything’s fine. I’m just tired, still working insane hours.”

  “Are you sure that’s all?”

  Maria had never told Melody about her Mob family. She’d met Melody when they’d both been vacationing in Philadelphia. Maria had been lost and Melody had helped her out. They’d been friends ever since. But still, Maria had been shocked when she’d found out that Melody had been stalked and Tex had rescued her.

  “Yep, long hours and early wake up calls don’t make for a very happy Maria.”

  “Look,” Melody paused. “I know about your family, and if you need any help at all. Tex and I are here for you.”

  The words rushing out of Melody’s mouth struck her speechless. She knew about her family? No, it was impossible. How could she know?

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Tex, being Tex, looked into your background. He did that with all my friends after the Diane incident.”

  Her stomach bottomed out at Melody’s declaration—they knew she was the daughter of the head of the infamous Moretti Mob. And they hadn’t breathed a word to her. “And he still let you remain friends with me?”

  Melody chuckled. “I love Tex, but I also treasure my friends, I told him I didn’t want to cut you off. I don’t deny he had his doubts. I told him you’d never once given me any reason to be concerned about you. If you were as heartless as your father, you wouldn’t be a surgeon saving lives.”

  “Thank you for your belief in me. I’m not sure I deserve it.”

  “Trust me, you more than deserve it. So, now that’s out of the way, you wanna tell me what’s really going on with you.”

  A colleague walked past reminding Maria she wasn’t sitting in the privacy of her own home. She didn’t want to say too much over the phone. After today she was off for the next three days, a very rare long weekend. Maybe a trip to Pennsylvania would be good for her. Give her some breathing space between what happened and the fallout from it.

  “Are you up for a visitor?” Maria asked.

  “You don’t need to ask. When can we expect you?”

  “I can be there tomorrow morning. I’ll catch an early train. I’ll find a hotel and will call you once I get settled.”

  “You’ll do no such thing. You c
an stay with us. And I’m not taking no for an answer and neither will Tex. Even with Hope, we’ve still got a spare room.”

  Maria knew arguing with Melody would be pointless. Plus she was too exhausted to argue. Knowing she had a friend who she could unburden herself to lightened the load on her shoulders.

  “Great. I’ll see you tomorrow. And Mel?”

  “Yes?”

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome, honey. Don’t forget to text me all your details.”

  “I won’t. Bye.”

  Ending the call, she put her phone beside her. A couple of days out of town was just want the doctor ordered. Lucky she was good at self-diagnosis.

  Chapter Two

  Thank God it was Friday. It had been a hell of a week. After finalizing a particularly hairy surveillance job, Riley Ash Ashland, was looking forward to a quiet day.

  Coffee in hand he opened the door to Warren & Ashland Security Services and headed toward his office.

  “Lily, sweetheart, you don’t need a birth plan.”

  Riley chuckled to himself as Grayson ‘Storm’ Warren’s voice floated down the hallway.

  “But Gray, the books all say, a birth plan is the way to go if you want to have your perfect birth.”

  Listening in on a conversation about birth plans wasn’t quite how he wanted to start his morning. He reached Storm’s office and poked his head through the open doorway.