PROLOGUE
Covert Iraqi MilitaryTraining Facility
Somewhere near the Iraqi border
Three years ago…
“Good job, Malik.”Second Lieutenant Raegan Perry assessed the Iraqi soldier’s stance. “That’s really good.”
The man standing before her beamed with pride, his dark brown eyes shining bright with his uplifted smile.
“I practice.” He gave an energetic nod of his head. “Every morning. Every night.”
His English was a bit broken, and his Middle Eastern accent was strong, but Raegan had understood him perfectly.
“It shows, Malik.” She returned the man’s smile with a friendly pat on his camo-covered shoulder. “Good job.”
She moved to the next man in line. This one was less disciplined in his stance, and the way he was holding his weapon…
“Try holding it like this, Samer.” Raegan repositioned the man’s hold on his rifle. “With your right hand here, and yourleft…here. That way, if you have to engage quickly, you’re prepared.”
Unlike Malik, Samer Nasim Ali didn’t take as kindly to her constructive criticism.
“I’ve been shooting weapons since I was a child.” He shot her a glare. “I know how to hold a fucking gun.”
The man’s accent was less prominent than Malik’s, but his disdain for her was clear as freaking day.
It wasn’t like Samer’s attitude toward her was anything new. He’d been a challenge from the moment her unit had arrived nearly three months ago. Not quite as much toward the men, though his feelings for Americans in general seemed more than a little lackluster.
But being questioned by others—or sometimes even blatantly ignored—wasn’t new territory for her. Raegan had dealt with the samemen-are-better-than-womenattitude since she’d first joined the Army seven years ago. It only got worse when she decided to become part of the Army Military Police Corps.
Of course, being five-four, petite, and blonde probably didn’t help her case any. And while she was tempted to remind Samer that her M.P. unit had been sent to Iraq to help keep his and his men’s asses alive, she refused to take the bait.
This wasn’t Fort Hood, and the notion of women as military leaders still didn’t sit well with some Middle Eastern men. While Raegan thought the archaic view was, well…archaic…she’d also been trained in the art of respecting cultural differences.
Whether she agreed with them or not.
“I understand you’re familiar with weapons, Samer.” She kept her expression schooled and her smile friendly. “No one is questioning that. I was just trying to point out that this particular rifle is different than the one you and your men are used to carrying. And since it’s my job to make sure you canmaneuver it quickly and efficiently, when the time comes, I wanted to show you another alternative.”
Samer’s gaze darkened with a chill she felt down her spine. Using slow, exaggerated movements, the jerk put his hands and weapon back down exactly as they’d been before she’d tried to help.
To hell with biting my tongue.
Inching closer, Raegan craned her head back a bit more to meet the thirty-five-year-old’s icy stare. “You don’t want to listen to me, fine.” Her voice held strong. “But you keep refusing our help, and youwillend up getting yourself or one of your men killed.”
Because she’d seen Samer’s skills behind the trigger. He was a good shot. The man wouldn’t be here otherwise. But good wasn’t great, and Samer would never get there if he didn’t knock that giant ass chip off his shoulder and listen to what she was trying to say.
Like that’s ever going to happen.
The man’s light brown face twisted with hatred, and for a fleeting second, Raegan was tempted to ask if all men with micro penises were as charming as him. Thankfully, her professionalism prevailed, and she moved to the next soldier waiting in line.
One week, Rae. Just one more week, and you’ll never have to see him again.
That’s right. Seven days was all she had left of her time in this sweltering hell hole, and she refused to let Samer, and his smug, holier-than-thou attitude get to her now.
With the mental pep-talk pushing her forward, Raegan moved down the line and continued on with her day.
Hours later, Samer and the rest of his covert group left for the night, and Raegan and her colleagues were finally given the chance to clean up and grab a bite to eat. After a quick, coolshower, she and three other M.P.s in her unit were finishing up their final meal of the day.