A HOT Christmas Miracle
A Hostile Operations Team Holiday Story
Lynn Raye Harris
Contents
About this Book
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
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Epilogue
Books by Lynn Raye Harris
About the Author
About this Book
Twenty years ago, badass military commander John “Viper” Mendez lost the love of his life. But fate brought them back together when he discovered she was still alive. Now they live a happily married life - and Kat’s pregnant. As Christmas approaches, they’re more in love than ever and looking forward to welcoming their new baby.
But old secrets begin to resurface and old enemies might be coming back to haunt them. The only way to know is to hire rogue mercenary Ian Black to do some dirty work while Mendez stays close to his wife and keeps her safe - and keeps the investigation a secret from her.
Christmas is a time of miracles. A season of snowy promises and gifts from the heart. When the holiday lights twinkle brightest, Mendez will either go on the offensive to save his family - or discover a truth that’ll change their lives forever.
**This story is a sequel to the events of HOT VALOR, Book 11 in the Hostile Operations Team Series. If you haven’t read that book, you’ll probably be lost. I highly recommend you read it before this Christmas story! Click the title to be taken to your retailer of choice: HOT VALOR
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1
December 18th - HOT HQ
General John “Viper” Mendez looked up at the knock on his door. “Come in.”
He’d sent his aide home early today so there was no one to announce visitors. The lieutenant had a new girlfriend and he still needed to find the perfect Christmas present, so Mendez had told him to go. It was only a week until Christmas and time was running out for the kid.
Thankfully, he had his own perfect gift tucked away for Kat. A beautiful white gold necklace with four shining diamonds—one for each of them, and one for each of their children. Though Mendez had never met his son, who’d died in a car accident as a child, Roman was always on his mind. He wanted Kat to know it, too.
The office door opened, and his heart flipped in his chest at the sight of the woman standing there—the very pregnant woman with vibrant red hair that grew longer by the day, and glowing cheeks that said she’d been out in the cold just a few minutes ago.
“Kat.” He bolted up and hurried to her side. She smiled as he put an arm around her and drew her close. “What are you doing here, solnishko? You should be resting at home.”
She rolled her eyes. “Johnny, you cannot be that forgetful.”
It took him a second. Her coat was buttoned up, but he realized that she had a cocktail dress on beneath it. “Oh, shit.”
“That’s right, mister. We are invited to President and Mrs. Campbell’s private gathering at the White House tonight. Your suit will be here in a minute. Ghost went to fetch it for me.”
“You didn’t drive yourself, did you?”
“I’m pregnant, not helpless.”
He knew better than to push her further, but hell, she was his entire world and the thought of something happening to her out there on slick roads—or any roads—was more than he could bear. He’d already lost her once—and lost the son he’d never known—and he wasn’t going to let it happen again.
He closed his eyes as he pulled her close and pressed his lips to her hair. She smelled like sunshine and vanilla and everything that was right in the world. His heart beat for her. For her and the child she carried. He needed them more than she knew.
“I know you aren’t helpless,” he whispered against her temple. “But I love you and our baby, and I don’t want you doing anything alone right now, okay? Wait until the baby comes. Please.”
She squeezed him. “Okay, Johnny. But it’s not dark yet, and the roads are clear. I knew you wouldn’t remember if I didn’t come and remind you.”
“Phones, Kat. We have them. They are these remarkable little devices that connect people across miles. You can say anything you want and the person on the other end will hear you.”
“Smartass,” she laughed as she slapped him playfully on the shoulder. “Truthfully, I thought you’d try to weasel out of it if I didn’t show up ready to go.”
He stepped back to blink down at her. Guilt pricked him at the knowing look on her face. “Okay, maybe I would have. Not because I don’t like President Campbell, but you never know who’ll be at these things. I fucking hate politics.”
Kat shook her head. “Baby, you need to take a page from Matt Girard’s book and start saying firetruck every time you want to swear. For the sake of our child’s language. You firetrucking hate politics, am I right?”
He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Fine, I hate the firetruck out of them. I just want to do my job to the best of my firetrucking ability, not play games with politicians.”
Her blue eyes sparkled as she gazed up at him. “Campbell likes you. He owes you nothing less than his life and his presidency, so I wouldn’t worry about games tonight.”
“I didn’t mean him. I mean the others who could be there.”
“Johnny. It’s a private gathering—only the people he likes. Garrett and Grace will be there. You don’t think Campbell would invite his son-in-law to a political meeting, do you?”
Mendez thought about Garrett “Iceman” Spencer for a moment. Ice was as tough as they came. And even though he’d had a mother who taught manners and etiquette for a living and had therefore practiced her skills on him quite a bit, he still had rough
