Romancing Rayne Read online

  Romancing Rayne

  (Special Forces: Operation Alpha)

  Riley Edwards

  Contents

  Foreword

  A Special Thank You

  BEFORE YOU BEGIN

  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

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Books by Riley Edwards

  More Special Forces: Operation Alpha World Books

  Books by Susan Stoker

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  © 2018 ACES PRESS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this work may be used, stored, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher except for brief quotations for review purposes as permitted by law.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy.

  Dear Readers,

  Welcome to the Special Forces: Operation Alpha Fan-Fiction world!

  If you are new to this amazing world, in a nutshell the author wrote a story using one or more of my characters in it. Sometimes that character has a major role in the story, and other times they are only mentioned briefly. This is perfectly legal and allowable because they are going through Aces Press to publish the story.

  This book is entirely the work of the author who wrote it. While I might have assisted with brainstorming and other ideas about which of my characters to use, I didn’t have any part in the process or writing or editing the story.

  I’m proud and excited that so many authors loved my characters enough that they wanted to write them into their own story. Thank you for supporting them, and me!

  READ ON!

  Xoxo

  Susan Stoker

  Ghost and Rayne are back.

  Their story began two years ago and left fans begging for more. In this all new adventure we catch up with some of Susan Stoker’s most beloved characters.

  Keane “Ghost” Bryson met the feisty flight attendant Rayne Jackson while on a layover in London. A chance meeting that proved to be life-changing. Now he's finally got his ring on her finger he wants to take her back to where it all began.

  A perfect recreation of their first trip, but this time with the fairytale ending Rayne deserves. From Big Ben to the Tower of London, Ghost takes Rayne on a holiday she'll never forget, complete with a very royal surprise.

  But just when life seems perfect, disaster strikes and it'll take a few of Ghost's longtime friends to help him keep Rayne safe.

  A Special Thank You

  For Susan.

  I cannot begin to express my gratitude for all your guidance and wisdom. You, my friend, are as kick-ass as they come. Your words not only inspire me but give me hours of enjoyment as I get lost in the worlds you create.

  I hope you enjoy the recreation of Ghost and Rayne (with a Y and an E.).

  xoxo

  BEFORE YOU BEGIN

  By now I think everyone knows what fan fiction is. But just in case you are unfamiliar, let me explain. Fan fiction is exactly what it sounds like. As a fan of the fabulous Susan Stoker I wrote Romancing Rayne solely based in her universe, using the characters, Ghost and Rayne from her book Rescuing Rayne: Delta Force Heroes Book 1. You will also see other characters from Susan’s Delta Heroes series sprinkled throughout.

  I have written this book as I, the reader, understood the characters. Though I am not Susan Stoker, I tried my hardest to stay true to the characters as she originally wrote them, but you will see differences. In keeping with my desire to render Rayne and Ghost as faithfully as possible, I read and reread Rescuing Rayne to give you the best book I could.

  Romancing Rayne picks up after Rescuing Mary. While this book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend you read Susan’s Delta Force Heroes before reading Romancing Rayne. Not only will you get a better insight into Ghost and Rayne, but the series is phenomenal, and a must read! (And the first book is currently FREE!)

  Grab your copy here

  *I have used celebrities and noteworthy public figures in a fictitious fashion. I make no claim that the manner in which I used their likenesses is true in any way. The characters I based around their celebrity are fictional and done in the spirit of light-hearted fun.

  I hope you enjoy Romancing Rayne as much as I enjoyed creating it for you.

  Sign up for the Riley’s Rebels mailing list to receive a FREE COPY of Unbroken and stay up to date on releases, sales, and giveaways.

  https://www.subscribepage.com/rileyedwardsfreebook

  1

  Rayne

  “You may kiss your bride.”

  At the officiant’s declaration, the room erupted, the cheers and whooping a startling contrast to the solemn silence while we exchanged our vows.

  Ghost didn’t move, and his smile faded.

  “Ghost, kiss me,” I whispered.

  “Not yet, Rayne.” Pure love shone in his eyes. “I’ll never forget this moment. How beautiful you look in your dress. Us promising our lives to each other. None of it. You’ve made me the happiest man in the world.”

  “Kiss me,” I urged, needing to feel his lips on mine.

  “With pleasure.”

  I vaguely heard Truck and Mary being presented as husband and wife for the second time. But between the magic of Ghost’s kiss and the crowds’ renewed cheers, I was lost in my husband.

  Husband.

  He pulled back, turned us toward our friends, and waited for Truck to finish devouring Mary. We did it. The silly marriage pact Mary and I had made all those years ago had finally come to fruition. Ghost’s hand tightened around mine, and I knew he was just as happy for our friends as I was. Though, I wished Truck would hurry up; I had a surprise for Ghost, and it was burning a hole in my pocket.

  By the time we made our way down the aisle toward the exit of the church, I was nearly jogging. Ghost, Truck, Beatle, and Blade had said they wanted the biggest celebration our town had ever seen, but I had no idea they’d meant something this large. The church had been standing room only, filled with scores of people I’d never met. I looked out over the sea of uniforms; Navy and Army seemed to fill most the room, however I’d bet I’d find police, fire, and some Texas Rangers among the crowd as well. It was a beautiful testament to how well respected the team was.

  “In a hurry?” Ghost chuckled when I tugged on his hand after he’d stopped to say hello to Wolf and Caroline.

  “My feet hurt,” I lied.

  With a nod, he lifted me in his arms and continued to the waiting limo.

  “Put me down.”

  “Not a chance.”

  He placed me in the back seat and arranged my dress, making me thankful I hadn’t worn one of those huge, puffy, frilly dresses some brides dream of, opting, instead, for something simple and elegant, and it had cool, hidden pockets—perfect for holding my surprise.

  We pulled away from the curb, and suddenly I was nervous. I was being silly; I knew Ghost would be happy, but now I
was questioning the timing.

  “Have I told you how beautiful you look?” he started.

  “A few times, yes. Ghost?”

  “Yeah, Princess?”

  “Thank you.”

  “I hope today was everything you dreamed it would be,” he said.

  I thought back and tried to remember a time I’d ever been this happy and found I couldn’t. I was right where I was supposed to be, and not a moment too soon.

  “How could it not be? I married the man of my dreams, my super-secret spy.”

  Ghost chuckled, and I continued, “Thank you for waiting, for being so patient. Thank you for loving me and wanting to share your life with me.”

  There had been days I’d felt horrible for making Ghost wait for us to get married. But after today, I knew in the marrow of my bones, everything happened for a reason.

  “There’s no place I’d rather be than by your side.”

  On a deep exhale, I turned to fully face him.

  “Most of all, thank you for giving me this.”

  I reached into my pocket and pulled out the pregnancy test, showing him the results.

  “Are you . . .? Are we . . .?” he stuttered. “You’re having my baby, Rayne?”

  I nodded, too overcome with emotion to verbally answer.

  Ghost

  I tried to keep my hand steady as I stared at the word PREGNANT displayed in the digital window. It was amazing how a simple piece of plastic could forever change your life. I thought my life had been complete a few minutes ago when Rayne became my wife. I’d never been more wrong. This baby only added to my already full heart.

  Placing the proof I was going to be a father in the pocket of my suit jacket, I reached for the phone connected directly to the chauffeur.

  “Drive around and don’t stop until I tell you.”

  “Ghost! We can’t be late. Everyone’s waiting for us.”

  “Princess, they’ve been waiting years for you to make an honest man out of me. Another hour won’t kill them.”

  “An hour?”

  “Oh, yeah. We have a lot to celebrate, and when I’m done with you, there’ll be no doubt just how thankful I am.”

  Her protest died when I covered her perfect lips with mine.

  I, indeed, spent the next hour making sure my wife knew she was more than worth the wait.

  Wife.

  2

  Ghost

  Rayne’s discomfort was palpable. It had started this morning when we woke up and continued all the way to the airport. Now that we’d boarded the aircraft, she was practically vibrating with anxiety.

  “Rayne? Rayne Jackson, is that you?” the flight attendant said from beside me.

  Rayne’s face lit up, and she stood.

  “Lou Anne. Oh my God. It’s been forever.” After some careful maneuvering Rayne was in the aisle, pulling the older woman in for a hug. “I can’t believe you’re still on the international run.”

  “You know me. I love the adventure.”

  While her smile remained, the light had dimmed in Rayne’s eyes. There was a time when my wife had been adventurous, too. The first day I met her she’d told me about her exploits, dinner at the Eiffel Tower, gondola rides in Italy, she’d even smoked a joint in Amsterdam. But that was before Egypt. Before she’d been caught in the middle of a plot to overthrow the government. Before I’d found her shackled to a bed. No. I couldn’t go there. This trip was supposed to be about making new memories, not dwelling on the past.

  Lou Anne must have noticed the change in Rayne and changed topics.

  “So, London? First stop or will you be staying?”

  “Staying. It’s our honeymoon.” Rayne lifted her left hand and showed off her ring. “Rayne Bryson—as of yesterday.”

  My heart swelled hearing Rayne say her new name.

  Lou Anne looked down at me and smiled. “Girllll . . .” She drew out the L and Rayne laughed.

  “I know, right? Meet my husband Keane.” I stood and offered her my hand. “Lou Anne and I used to work international runs together.”

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “The pleasure is all mine. I always knew Rayne would catch herself a hunk. Do you have any brothers?” She added a wink, and I instantly liked Lou Anne. She had spunk for a woman who looked like she was nearing seventy.

  “Afraid not.”

  I caught Rayne around the middle and pulled her out of the aisle before a man with a suitcase far too large for the overhead compartments could jostle her.

  “A gentleman, too. I’ll be around later, duty calls.” She gestured toward the man with the offending luggage and followed after him.

  “A hunk, huh?”

  Rayne rolled her eyes and settled back into her seat. “Of course, you wouldn’t miss that.”

  An hour into our flight, Rayne’s eyes kept shifting around the cabin. I wasn’t sure if it was an occupational hazard or nerves. But it was something akin to torture seeing her so uncomfortable. Grateful first-class seating only allowed two to a row and a fold up armrest, I tugged Rayne over and wrapped my arm around her.

  “Relax.”

  “I’m trying. I don’t want to ruin this trip.”

  “There’s nothing you could do to ruin anything.”

  She cuddled into my side and slowed her breathing.

  “Remember the first time we were in London together?”

  “How could I forget?” Her arm tightened across me. “Best decision I ever made sitting down next to a handsome stranger.”

  “No, the best decision was checking my ID and sending it to Mary before you’d let me take you to lunch.”

  “Nope. That may’ve been my smartest one. But the best certainly was seeing you across the room and deciding to chat you up.”

  “Chat me up?” I laughed.

  “Well, yeah. I did most of the talking. You sat there staring at me, trying to figure out why a crazy person was talking to you.”

  “No, Princess. I was devising a plan to get a sexy woman to go to the hotel with me.”

  “Dog.” She gently slapped my chest. “Doubtful. I was in my airline uniform, nothing sexy about that.”

  “No, but imagining what was underneath was driving me wild. And when we were in the taxi on the way to the city, I was trying as discretely as possible to adjust my cock in my pants. It was a long ride, and I was pretty sure I was going to have permanent marks from my zipper.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing there were no lasting side effects.”

  “It was touch and go there for a while. Especially after you kissed me. You tasted like heaven. I had never been so hard in my life from a single kiss. It was killing me. I think that’s when I started falling in love with you.”

  Rayne

  I knew what Ghost was doing, and while I appreciated him, reminding me of the first time we kissed had me squirming in my seat.

  “You’ve never told me that.”

  “It’s the truth.” He kissed the top of my head, and I wished we were alone so he could kiss other places.

  “Hmm. I don’t know if I like that all it took was me giving you a hard-on for you to fall in love,” I teased.

  “It wasn’t the hard-on.”

  “No?”

  “No. It was the promise behind the kiss.”

  “The promise?”

  “The promise of a beautiful life. Something I never thought I’d have. The promise of you.” Ghost’s hand came up and covered mine where it rested on his chest before he brought our combined hands lower until he finally stopped over his crotch and held them there. “And every day since then, all I have to do is think about you and this happens.”

  “Even on a mission?”

  “Yes. Even then.”

  “That sounds uncomfortable.”

  “It is.” I couldn’t contain my laughter at the images he was provoking. “What’s funny?”

  “All I can picture is you chasing a terrorist with a tent pole in your pants, leaving them to wonder if you
’re hiding another pistol in there.”

  “A pistol? Try a .50 cal BMG.” Ghost lifted his hips and pushed his hard-on into my palm, reminding me exactly what he had hiding under his cargo pants.

  Ghost tightened his arm around me, making me feel safe and protected, just like he’d done the day he’d rescued me in Egypt and every day since.

  My nervousness turned to excitement, and I couldn’t wait until we landed.

  3

  Ghost

  Turbulence jostled me awake, giving me the perfect opportunity to watch Rayne sleep. I thought back to the pregnancy test she’d given me in the limo and my pulse began to race. We’d debated whether or not to tell our friends and after some consideration, we’d decided to keep it to ourselves until we got back.

  Mary knew, Rayne had confessed to telling her first and, in a way, I was happy she had. Their friendship had suffered some blows in the past few months. Even though Mary and Rayne had repaired what had been broken, they needed this. A secret between them. Something just the two of them knew. Besides, I was sure there was some woman code that said the best friend must know all the important stuff before the husband.

  It sounded counterproductive considering a secret was what had torn our group apart in the first place. If I’ve learned anything since being with Rayne, it was that women thought differently than men. There was no use trying to figure out why they did and said what they did. After Emily, Harley, Kassie, Casey, Wendy, and even Bryn and Sadie came into our lives it was confirmed that women will stick together and gang up on the men whenever they could. And not a single man on my team would have it any other way. We go into battle together; we fight, kill, and are willing to die for one another. But the women? They’re just as much a team as we are. They rally around each other when we’re gone and none of them would allow any of the others to be alone. They’ve forged deep bonds and had the same commitment to their girl pack as the guys had to the team. No woman was ever left behind. I loved that Rayne had that. It made going on missions a little easier knowing her girls would take care of her while I was gone. And our baby would have that, too.