by D. R. Grady
Nerds in Force Blurb
Determined Harlow Maxwell is on a mission. She’s not about to allow anyone, even massive, sweet Keith Monnette to hinder her progress. He might curl her toes and make her long for things she’s never had, but she has a serious job to do and she can’t afford any distractions.
No matter how gorgeous he is.
Army veteran Keith Monnette left the military to protect his family from the evil company whose vile body count is climbing. It takes three attempts on Harlow’s life and her emerging history to make him question whether she’s on his side of this battle. He knows she’s keeping secrets but maybe they’re justified?
Maybe.
Now someone wants her and members of his family dead. Keith has a few pithy suggestions but so far the bad guys aren’t listening. Whoever they are…
Men
Aleksi de Leos, Prince of Rurikstan - married to Tia Morrison, cousin to the Wellingtons, runs Rurikstan [Bad Nerd Rising – Book 7]
Beau DuBois – cousin to Helena and Karis, musician and famous composer, engaged to Molly Wellington [Nerds in Harmony – Book 14]
Brett Bentwater – former special ops Marine, dating Ainsley Morrison and helping her with her coffee shop [Baking with Nerds – Book 13]
Bryce – bodyguard to Savannah, former Special Ops, the funny one
Chad Maxwell Horgate – autistic brother to Harlow Horgate, computer genius
Clay Morrison – brother to Ainsley, engaged to Sarah, former Army Ranger, works with Cian and Greg in their own security business [The Trouble with Nerds - Book 11]
Cian Hunter – secret operative, dating/engaged to Verity Wellington, works with Greg and Clay in their own security business [The Nerd Who Spied Me – Book 12]
Emerson Rhodes – cousin to Aleksi and the Wellingtons, best friend to Aleksi and Maks, runs the Rurikstani Palace, married to Karis, Helena’s sister
Eric Monnette – retired Navy SEAL, bodyguard to Savannah, and her biological brother, brother to Keith
Finn Rembrandt – billionaire twin to Gage, cousin (but more like brother to Harlow and Chad), friend to the Monnettes
Gage Rembrandt – billionaire twin to Finn, cousin (but more like brother to Harlow and Chad), friend to the Monnettes
Greg Gilmore – brother to KC, married to Dr. Janine Morris, a legendary former secret operative, works with Cian and Clay in their own security business [Shadows and Spice - Book 5 ]
Keith Monnette – retired from the Army, new brother to Savannah, brother to Eric [Nerds in Force - Book 16]
Maks Wellington – elder brother to Vlad, Molly, and Verity, best friend and cousin to Aleksi, financial genius, manages Rurikstan’s finances
Mike – bodyguard to Savannah, former Special Ops
Tom – bodyguard to Savannah, former Special Ops
Trace Montgomery – Head of Security for Savannah, former Special Ops in the military [Nerds in Danger – Book 15]
Vance – bodyguard to Savannah, brilliant planner, former Special Ops
Vlad Wellington – brother to Maks, Molly, and Verity, cousin to Aleksi – Commander in Chief of Rurikstani Military, super-soldier, married to Helena [Bad Nerd Falling – Book 8]
Women
Ainsley Morrison – sister to Clay, dating Brett Bentwater, opened a coffee shop, chef and pastry chef [Baking with Nerds – Book 13]
Janine Morris Gilmore – sister, to Ben Morrison, married to Greg Gilmore, a surgeon, a former Corpsman, and a part of Greg’s secret operative team [Shadows and Spice - Book 5 ]
Helena Dubrinsky Wellington – sister to Karis, cousin to Beau, scientist in The Pageant Lab, married to Vlad Wellington [Bad Nerd Falling - Book 8]
Harlow Maxwell Horgate – troubleshooter and future CEO of Horgate Industries, love interest to Keith Monnette [Nerds in Force - Book 16]
Karis Dubrinsky Rhodes – sister to Helena, cousin to Beau, nurse practitioner, married to Emerson
Molly Wellington – sister to Maks, Vlad, and Verity, cousin to Aleksi, musician who plays for Savannah, best friends with Savannah, engaged to Beau DuBois [Nerds in Harmony – Book 14]
Patricia Benson Swanson – Savannah and Eric’s mother, died while working for Horgate Industries
Riley D’Arpino - finishing her commitment to the Army, from Toliliel, friends with Verity and Harlow
Savannah Swanson – pop star, musician, best friends to Molly Wellington, new sister to Eric and Keith, new daughter to Talia, very interested in Trace Montgomery [Nerds in Danger - Book 15]
Talia Monnette – mother to Keith and Eric, adopts Savannah immediately
Tia Morrison-de Leos, Princess of Rurikstan – married to Aleksi de Leos, PhD in Microbiology, heads The Pageant Lab, one of 800 Morrisons [Bad Nerd Rising - Book 7]
Vanessa “Van” Stevens – bodyguard to Savannah
Verity Wellington – sister to Maks, Vlad, and Molly, cousin to Aleksi, secret operative and computer hacker extraordinaire, dating/engaged to Cian Hunter [The Nerd Who Spied Me – Book 12]
Chapter 1
Well, this has been a disappointing run. Keith Monnette wiped sweat from his brow Saturday morning as he jogged the last stretch of beach toward the sprawling house they currently called home. The structure had been built by friends of his and his younger brother, Eric. The friends were twins and probably the wealthiest people on the island of Toliliel. Not that they lived here much.
Their many businesses kept them in New York City.
Keith was thankful for the fortress of a house that kept him, his brother, his brother’s biological sister, her fiancé, her myriad bodyguards, plus Verity and Molly Wellington and their significant others safe. In addition, his mom was here, also getting to know their newest family member. He had welcomed Savannah Swanson into his life with the same love and happiness as the rest of the family.
His mom and dad hadn’t been able to have children after him, so they adopted blue-eyed, blond Eric. Now they had discovered gray-eyed, blonde Savannah to be Eric’s full sibling. Keith himself was biracial, as were both of his parents. Yet Eric, and now Savannah, fit perfectly into his family.
He hadn’t counted on all the extra people who accompanied well known music star Savannah. He had retired from the military with the intention of keeping his family safe. His plans hadn’t encompassed anything more. Perhaps they should have.
How has my life come to this?
The last steps of his run proved the hardest. All of his limbs had turned gelatinous and he savored the thought of a shower, breakfast, and coffee. He no sooner thought that when he nearly ran over an entwined couple on the lower deck. Ugh. Did they have to block the door?
He backpedaled and made to enter the house through a door part way down. Only to encounter another couple, so caught up in each other they didn’t notice his attempt to enter the door behind them.
All these unwelcome encounters only served to remind him all too well of his single state.
Normally he didn’t mind. This morning, he about faced and headed to the far door on the other side of the house. This couple both noticed him and eyed him like the operatives they were. Verity Wellington and her man, Cian Hunter, were of an identical caliber.
Keith took this many couples blocking the doors as a sign. He huffed out a long breath, turned, and pounded back down the beach.
With all the new energy surging through him, maybe a second run would prove more satisfying. Maybe he could outrun his single status.
§
Harlow Maxwell Horgate hated her grandfather’s new condition. His shoulders slumped, a gray tinge had swept out his usual healthy color, and his usual twinkling eyes were dulled with confusion. He knew her but struggled to remember her place in his life.
Her heart ached and she grip
ped his hand harder in a vain attempt to prevent him from succumbing. To what, she didn’t know as she hadn’t gotten answers to his sudden, mysterious illness.
“Grandy, stay with me.” She urged him to listen. His unfocused gaze slid to the window.
Harlow swallowed the urge to cry. If she allowed that, her bawling would alarm her grandfather and the kind staff who rallied around him. Maybe it would alarm her grandfather.
He’d slipped away from her in the past day. To the point that she barely recognized him.
“Grandy, do you know who I am?” A knot leapt into her throat in an attempt to choke that agonizing question.
The dulled gaze slid to her. “You’re Harlow.” His limited focus returned to the window. “A smart child. Unafraid of anything, that granddaughter of mine.”
While he did know her, he talked about her as though she wasn’t in the room. He’d never done that before.
“I’m here, Grandy. Harlow.”
“Yes, child. Run along now and play with your friends. I’m fine.” He shooed her away as though she was five.
Harlow had left that age behind twenty-five years ago.
Her eyebrows snapped together. “Grandy…”
But he waved her away with more vehemence and his housekeeper indicated for her to accompany her to the door.
“Grace, he’s…”
“Yes, Miss Harlow, he’s sunken into this state and we’re not sure what to do about it.” Grace’s careworn forehead crinkled as she gazed at her long time employer.
Harlow’s mouth firmed. “I’ll be back. Call me if you need me.”
“I’ll do that. He was running a slight fever this morning.”
She stored that away for later as she headed out the door. Once outside the house she called her grandfather’s personal assistant.
The man answered immediately. Harlow had worked with him for years so she didn’t hesitate to start asking questions. Her mood grew grimmer with each additional answer.
As she shot off inquiries, she stalked to her car but didn’t turn it on until all of her queries had answers.
Harlow thanked him and ended the call. She pointed her car toward the office. Spending the day at work on Saturday wasn’t how she had intended to enjoy this day. But she needed additional answers and those, she suspected, were to be found in the president’s suite of Horgate Industries.
None of the security guards did more than wave as she swept through the doors after using her badge to enter the premises. Of course they wouldn’t.
This wasn’t the first Saturday she had spent at her desk.
Only today wouldn’t be spent at her desk. Her grandfather had progressively been checking out of life and she suspected at least part of it had to do with some vicious rumors that had been circulating about Horgate Industries being involved in the suspicious deaths of several employees.
Harlow had heard those same rumors. She had actively been looking into them but ran up against several traps and triggers.
That had confirmed her suspicions and fears that those rumors might hold substance. If even she, with her level of clearance, couldn’t dig deep into the issues, then they had several problems.
Her genius brother hadn’t minded being handed the assignment to dig deeper. Chad had been as concerned as her about the allegations, although no one mentioned them in their presence.
Harlow wasn’t about to allow any deaths on her record.
She had a family to protect, employees who depended on them, and a beloved grandfather whose decline alarmed her more than she’d ever been in her life.
When fear encroached, it indicated to her that action was needed. Harlow understood action.
Chapter 2
This time when he finished his run, the second of the day, no couples blocked all the back entrances into the house. Keith breathed a sigh of relief as he made his way inside. The house was so immense and quiet it raised the hairs on the back of his neck.
But noise from the kitchen reassured him.
That meant everyone had probably congregated there. If his mother had risen, the smells of breakfast should emanate from that direction.
As soon as he hit the hallway that led to the kitchen he caught more than a whiff of his mother’s cooking.
This added hustle to his steps as he hurried to the bathroom near his bedroom to shower. No one needed to smell his workout efforts.
If they did, the teasing would be endless, so he made certain to shower off the evidence and dress for the day. Hmm should probably allow this running gear time to air out. He was careful to lay it out so it could dry before tossing it into the laundry hamper in his closet.
It didn’t take long to dress and head for the kitchen.
His Mama stood in front of the fancy range, spatula in hand. The scents that assaulted him made his stomach growl.
“Good morning, Keith.” The smile she offered made him lean forward to kiss her cheek. “I still can’t believe I birthed you.”
His mother wasn’t short, but he still stood head and shoulders above her. He grinned. “I haven’t always been this tall and wide.”
A snort from behind didn’t make him jump. He’d been aware of Trace Montgomery entering the kitchen. This man was engaged to his new baby sister. “You’ve been this size for as long as I’ve known you.”
Keith rolled his eyes in the exact manner he knew would make Trace cuff him.
“He was a big baby.” His Mama expertly flipped something in the pan. “But that didn’t even clue us in to how tall he’d get.
“Speaking of babies, where is my little brother?” But Keith suspected.
“He’s doing a round.” Trace answered in a low voice.
His mother had good ears and an even better brain. Her small sigh didn’t go unnoticed. He leaned against the counter and folded his arms.
“Mama, you know we’re in danger. Eric is well equipped to check things out.” He glanced at Trace. “Keeps up his skills.”
Trace poured himself a cup of coffee and sniggered into the mug. “Right.”
As a former Navy SEAL, Eric’s training might have exceeded all of theirs. Maybe. Keith’s training had come through the Army and had been plenty extensive, as had Trace’s and Beau DuBois, Molly Wellington’s fiancé. None of them had necessarily been Army Rangers. They’d gone a different route, but with a similar outcome.
Keith had done some Ranger training, with Clay Morrison, but his superiors had decided to send him off for other training. Namely, he’d been sent to Rurikstan to learn their martial arts and then on to a few other countries where he’d received training, not unlike Molly’s brother Vlad and their sister Verity.
He’d taken some of that training with Vlad, as had Trace. “Did Eric have breakfast?”
“Of course.” His mother sent him a look, one he’d seen so often it didn’t faze him. He helped himself to a cup of coffee while his mother finished scooping up food she then slid onto a plate that she set on the counter. He seated himself in front of one of the plates.
Trace didn’t loiter. He selected a different chair with a plate.
Keith counted the plates.
“Verity and Hunter already ate?”
He directed this to Trace who nodded. A frown formed between his eyebrows.
“Mama, you didn’t eat either?”
“Not yet. I thought I’d wait for my girls.” She glanced at the doorway.
“They’re coming.” Trace sipped more coffee. “They were having their morning chat when I checked on them.”
Keith snorted. He’d heard about those. “I think I’m going to enjoy having a little sister.”
“Good.” His new sister in question popped into the kitchen and dropped a kiss on his head before hugging the stuffing out of Mama.
Molly was right behind Savannah and she ruffled his hair but also hugged Mama. Who took this affection as her due. Both women got coffee and sat with them at the counter.
“Where’s Beau?” Molly asked
after they gave thanks and dug into the fare.
“He decided to join Eric in checking things out.”
“Oh, he didn’t tell me that.” Molly frowned at Trace.
“It appeared to be a last minute decision.”
“And Verity and Cian are already hard at work?”
“They are.” Mama answered this. “They ate and headed to the basement.”
“The basement?” Savannah paused in devouring her breakfast. A good sign. She hadn’t been eating from what Eric and Trace reported.
“The twins have an elaborate set-up in the basement. A server and fast computers and all sorts of fancy equipment.” Keith didn’t go into detail but he was pretty sure Verity had squealed when she spotted all the toys down there.
Few knew that one of the most deadly secret operatives of all time was also a huge computer geek. Only a select few, him among that number, enjoyed teasing her about this fact. Few more lived to tell the tale.
“Speak of the devil,” Trace muttered when Verity popped out of basement.
She smacked him on her way to the coffee machine. Few would dare do that, but then again, Verity could hold her own against any one of them, him included.
She might very well win the whole skirmish. Judging by her expression, she enjoyed the interactions as much as they did.
He’d heard she wasn’t afraid to fight dirty and her skills were impressive. The woman had three older siblings, so she knew what she was doing all the way around.
He liked that in a woman. Keith paused to think about what else he liked in a woman. Where had this come from? Upon reflection, he did appreciate a woman who could hold her own and who stood up for herself.
Hmm…his gaze landed on his mother. Ah, yes, he’d grown up with a great role model of women. And men. And this woman had raised him and Eric alone after their dad died in a car accident.
Memories of learning of his father’s death twisted his guts, so he was thankful for Molly smiling at her sister.
