Intentional Risk (R.I.S.C. Book 4)

by Anna Blakely

  “Intentional Risk”

  R.I.S.C. Series

  Book 4

  By: Anna Blakely

  Intentional Risk

  R.I.S.C. Series 4

  First Edition

  Copyright © 2019 Anna Blakely

  All rights reserved.

  All cover art and logo Copyright © 2019

  Publisher: Anna Blakely

  Cover by Lori Jackson Design

  Content Editing by Trenda London

  Copy Editing by Tracy Roelle

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, and places portrayed in this book are entirely products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.00.

  If you find any eBooks being sold or shared illegally, please contact the author at anna@annablakelycom.

  Contents

  “Intentional Risk”

  Other Books by Anna Blakely

  DEDICATION

  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

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Epilogue

  Want to read more from Ms. Blakely’s R.I.S.C. Series?

  Rescuing Gracelynn Blurb

  Excerpt from Rescuing Gracelynn

  Want to connect with Anna?

  Other Books by Anna Blakely

  R.I.S.C. SERIES:

  Taking A Risk, Part One

  Taking A Risk, Part Two

  Beautiful Risk

  R.I.S.C. Bravo Team Series

  (Special Forces: Operation Alpha World)

  Rescuing Gracelynn

  DEDICATION

  To C, my very own Alpha hero. You’re my rock and I can’t imagine my life without you. I love you bunches...dear. ;)

  Trigger Warning:

  This story deals with the heartache and struggles that come with domestic violence. While fictional, some scenes may contain dialogue and/or actions that could possibly be a trigger for certain readers.

  Chapter 1

  Eleven years ago...

  A swarm of butterflies fluttered inside Charlie Stone's belly as she stared at her reflection. Even though she'd already done so countless times in the last hour, she checked again to make sure everything was exactly as it should be.

  From the curls in her shoulder-length, mahogany hair to the pink polish on her toes, Charlie had taken the extra time to make sure she looked her very best. She'd never been much of a girly-girl, but tonight had to be perfect. And for good reason.

  She was going to see Derek tonight. For the first time in months, Charlie was going to be able to spend time with her best friend.

  They'd eat and laugh and talk like they always did. She'd get to see his incredible smile and hear his infectious laugh. And hopefully, for the first time ever, Charlie would finally get to taste those gorgeous, kiss-worthy lips.

  Derek had left their small Texas town six months ago to complete BUD/S training and was now an honest-to-goodness Navy SEAL. Her insides squealed with excitement for him.

  While he was away, she and Derek had kept in touch through emails and texts. In the beginning, he'd kept his side of things light. Lately, however, his messages had started to take on a different tone.

  At first, Charlie had blown it all off as her wishful thinking going into overdrive. But as she'd gone back over every text and email with fresh eyes and an open mind, Charlie was convinced she wasn't alone in her feelings.

  He was still the same sweet, caring guy he’d always been, but something was just...different. Things between them seemed to have become more personal, which was exactly what Charlie had hoped for.

  A few years ago, when her feelings toward Derek had first begun to change, their four-year age difference seemed much too large to ever cross. Now that she was eighteen and Charlie was officially an adult, the gap was no longer an issue.

  She just prayed Derek felt the same.

  Charlie needed him to think of her as more than just his buddy who lived down the street with the crappy house and even crappier parents. She longed for Derek to finally see her as a woman and not just the friend he and Eric, his twin brother, had grown up with.

  From the sound of the messages he'd sent over the last few weeks, she thought maybe he had.

  No, he hadn’t actually come out and said he liked her as more than a friend. But he had said a few things here and there that were definitely on the side of flirtatious.

  More than ready to find out, Charlie grabbed her purse and keys and left her tiny bedroom. Thankfully, her dad was working and wouldn't be home until morning. Otherwise, the short, denim skirt she'd bought and then promptly hidden would’ve caused a battle of mega proportions.

  He wouldn't have hit her over it. He’d always saved that special treatment for her mother. But since she'd left them both two years ago, her dad pretty much acted as though Charlie didn't exist. Until he drank.

  When her father was drunk, he’d spew words of hatred and anger that always cut her deep. Words she'd never forget.

  Charlie's phone dinged, making her smile. It was the special tone she'd set for when Derek texted.

  With all thoughts of her dad's alcoholic rages gone, she hurried to open the message.

  You still coming? Mom said dinner will be ready in 10.

  Charlie typed back as fast as her fingers would go.

  Leaving now. Can't wait to see you!

  Her phone dinged again.

  You, either. Brought a friend I met at boot camp home with me. Didn't want them alone during the holidays. I think you two will really hit it off.

  It was just like Derek to bring one of the guys home with him so they wouldn't have to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas alone. He’d always had such a big heart.

  Charlie responded...

  Be there in two. Keep your panties on. Look forward to meeting your friend.

  With a bounce in her step, she walked out the door and down the broken sidewalk to her car. It wasn't much to look at, but it was hers. She'd bought it with the money she'd saved over the last three years while working at the grocery store in town.

  She shivered as she walked. The new skirt showcased her long, toned legs, and the blouse she'd bought to go with it helped to spotlight her perky breasts. However, neither was a match for the crisp, fall weather.

  As Charlie pulled out of her drive and headed the few blocks to where Derek and his brother grew up, those dang butterflies began swarming around in full-force. She couldn't wait to see his expression when she walked through the front door.
>
  Singing to the radio, Charlie pulled her car up next to the curb and put it in park. She was about to pull the key from the ignition when she caught a glimpse of him through the large, picture window at the front of the house.

  Her heart stuttered in her chest. God, he was cute. Not in a typical, Hollywood way, but in his own, Derek West way. He had no idea she was there, and she guessed the reason was the loud music his mother always played when she was busy cooking in the kitchen.

  Taking advantage of the moment, Charlie used the opportunity to stare at the man she’d been imagining herself with...in all the best, most amazing ways.

  His sandy blond hair had grown out a bit—apparently, being a Navy SEAL meant Derek didn't have to keep their hair buzzed like when he'd gone through boot camp. Charlie was glad. She’d always liked it on the longer side. Long enough to run my fingers through it.

  The thought had her praying for time alone with him after dinner. She was finally ready to face her fears and tell him how she really felt.

  Charlie freed her key and opened her door. She'd only gotten one leg out of the car before she saw it. Or more accurately, her.

  Through the window, Charlie watched as a beautiful girl walked up to Derek's side. He smiled down at her, his face filling with affection as he put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

  While the girl inside with Derek leaned into his embrace, Charlie sat there, frozen in time. The two smiled and laughed together as they talked to someone else in the room.

  It didn't matter who the other person was. The look on Derek's face and the smile on the other girl's told Charlie everything she needed to. Oh, God.

  The friend he'd brought home wasn't one of the guys. It was another girl. A young woman, actually. And from what Charlie could see, she was absolutely gorgeous.

  With her heart in her throat and a ball of lead in her stomach, Charlie closed her door as quickly and quietly as she could. The last thing she wanted was for Derek to see her.

  Feeling like she was going to throw up, she did her best not to squeal the tires as she sped off.

  Five minutes later, she got another text from Derek. Through her tears, she picked up the phone and read it.

  You okay? Where are you?

  Crap. She couldn't tell him the truth, but she sure as heck wasn't going back to his house.

  Charlie's mind raced to come up with a plausible excuse as to why she suddenly had to cancel her plans to come over.

  An idea formed. It wasn't the best, but it was all she could think of.

  Praying Derek would buy her story, she drove with one hand and texted with the other.

  Dad called. He forgot to take food with him to work. Have to pick something up and take it to him.

  The factory where her father worked was an hour away from home. The time it would normally take for her to get food, drive it to him, walk it in, and drive back home would be enough to excuse her from tonight's dinner at the West's.

  Derek wrote back...

  Seriously? Can't he just have something delivered?

  Damn it. She should have known it wouldn't be easy.

  You know Dad.

  Charlie sent the text and kept driving aimlessly. She couldn't go back to Derek's, and the last thing she wanted to do was sit at home, alone.

  When her phone dinged again, she was tempted to throw the damn thing out her window.

  As usual, Derek didn’t hide what he was feeling.

  Yeah. I do. He can find his own damn food.

  Derek did know her father. All too well. He knew all about her messed-up family.

  She, Derek, and Eric had always been close. So much so, they’d called themselves The Three Musketeers.

  For reasons she’d never understood, however, Charlie had always felt a special bond with Derek. He was the only one she'd ever confided in. The guy knew her better than anyone.

  Another text came through...

  Plenty of food here. Mom said you can take some to your dad. Please, darlin'. I really want to see you.

  The term of endearment left her bottom lip quivering and a knot growing in her throat. No matter how hard she fought them, more tears spilled over her lids and down onto her cheeks.

  Why did he want her there so badly when it was obvious he was with someone else? God, she was such an idiot.

  She'd spent the last six months romanticizing a relationship that didn't even exist. Apparently, she'd wanted it to be real so badly her heart had somehow convinced her mind that it was.

  Charlie had left the house tonight certain their friendship was going to change into something else. Something more. You should have known better.

  Of course, a guy like Derek wouldn't want her as anything more than a friend. He was a freaking Navy SEAL now and could probably get any woman he wanted. Why would he waste his time on someone like her?

  She was a nobody. Just a girl who lived down the street with barely two nickels to rub together. She couldn't even afford to go to college.

  More tears escaped as Charlie realized she had nothing to offer someone like Derek. Deep down, she’d always known it. Apparently, so did he.

  Hating herself for being so stupid, Charlie swiped at the moisture on her face. Emotional anger and stubborn, teenage pride replaced the heartache as she grabbed her phone and sent one final message.

  Already out of town. Tell your mom thanks, anyway. Enjoy your night. She reluctantly added Hope to see you soon.

  After hitting ‘send', Charlie turned off her phone and drove. As she got onto the highway with no real destination in mind, she started to cry even harder.

  Through her hard, pathetically loud sobs, she mourned not only the loss of a dream but also of her closest friend. Because after tonight, there’d be no going back.

  Her aching heart shattered even more when she realized she couldn't just be friends with Derek anymore. And there was no way she would sit back, waiting in the wings, while he smiled and swooned over another woman.

  She may be a pathetic loser, but she wasn't a masochist.

  Lost in her soul-crushing grief, time passed quickly. It had begun to get dark, the evening sky making it even harder to see the road through the tears still falling from her eyes.

  Not paying attention to how fast she was going, Charlie took a curve too quickly and started to lose control of the car.

  The back end fishtailed, and she screamed as she worked the steering wheel with everything she had. Eventually, the car came to a sliding stop at the edge of the road.

  After catching her breath and thanking her lucky stars, Charlie shook out her tingling fingers and pushed down on the gas. The car didn't move.

  She tried it again and again. Each time, the engine would rev but she remained where she was.

  Great.

  Slamming it into park, she got out and walked around the front to see what the problem was. It didn't take long to figure it out.

  Her right front tire had stopped in the grassy area near a shallow ditch. There was a muddy, bare patch in the grass now from where the tire had spun in the mud.

  “You've got to be kidding me,” she groaned, wanting to scream at the unfairness of it all. “Perfect ending to a perfect night,” she muttered to herself as she started back to the driver's side of the car.

  Avoiding the mud as best she could, Charlie made it back onto the gravel. Goosebumps covered her exposed skin as she started to reach for her door.

  Just then, a set of bright, white headlights blinded her as another car approached.

  Squinting, she put her hand to her brow to try and see, but all she could make out was the silhouette of a sporty-looking car pulling up behind hers.

  Her heart thumped. Derek drove a sports car. It was an older model Dodge Charger he and his dad had spent one summer restoring. Had he come looking for her?

  The driver got out of the car, and her heart sank.

  The man wasn't as tall as Derek, she guessed maybe five-ten, and he was leaner, too. Not ski
nny, but not nearly as buff as Derek had become through his recent training. This guy looked like he was a couple of years older, too.

  “You stuck?” he asked. His voice was thick like honey.

  As he got closer, Charlie got a better look at his features. His brown hair was shorter than Derek's, almost buzzed on the sides but a tad bit longer on top. It was styled in a way that looked a little messy, yet somehow still perfectly put together.

  This guy could be a model.

  “Yeah.” Charlie cleared her throat and stood a little taller, praying he couldn't tell she'd been crying.

  The Good Samaritan's brows turned inward. “Hey, are you okay? Were you hurt?”

  The concern mixed with the smooth tone was oddly comforting.

  “No.” She shook her head. “I'm fine.”

  “Then, why the tears?”

  “Oh, um...” Charlie sniffled. “It's just been a bad day, and this didn't help.”

  “Well”—the man smiled, showing off a pristine set of white teeth—“let's see if I can't do something about that, yeah?”

  The guy seems nice enough.

  “Okay.” Charlie nodded shyly, appreciative of the offer. Noticing his suit and dress shoes, she quickly changed her mind. “Oh, wait. I-I don't want you to get your nice clothes dirty. I can call someone to come pick me up.”

  She had no idea who, but she'd figure something out.

  “What about your car?”

  Charlie bit her bottom lip. “Um...” she thought for a minute. “I can just leave it here until tomorrow. I'm sure my dad can get it unstuck.” And chew my ass in the process.

  “Don't be silly.” He began rolling up his sleeves. “Hop in and roll down your window so you can hear me. Put it in reverse, but hold down the break. I'll tell you when to go.”

  “Really, it's okay. You don't have to—”

  “What kind of man would I be if I left a beautiful young woman such as yourself stranded all alone on the side of the road?”

  Charlie's chest tightened. He'd called her beautiful. No one but her mother had ever called her that.

  Charlie swallowed. “O-okay. If you're sure.”