Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Blurb
Chapter 1A
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
Epilogue
About the Author
Copyright
Black and Blue
Black Star Security
Book One
Cynthia Rayne
“I get up and pace the room as if I can leave my guilt behind me.
But it tracks me as I walk, an ugly shadow made by myself.”
Rosamund Lupton
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Blurb
Chapter 1A
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
Epilogue
About the Author
Copyright
Blurb
Life can leave you bruised
Former Navy SEAL, Jackson West, is starting over. After his son died, West chose between serving his country and being the parent his young daughter deserves. West formed Black Star Security with his military buddies, and they’re gonna kick a little @ss. For a price.
Sometimes you need a second chance
Deputy U.S. Marshal Annie Foster accidentally got her partner killed during a routine prisoner transport. Now three dangerous felons are roaming the Kentucky countryside, and it’s all her fault. West is also hunting the fugitives, and Annie’s assisting. She’s devastated but determined to make it right. Although, Annie didn’t count on West, a big, bad alpha male who’s an intoxicating mixture of ruthless and tender.
Will they capture the escaped convicts? And will West and Annie take a chance on each other?
Chapter 1A
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Chapter 1
Louisville, Kentucky
“Where’s mine?”
Glaring at her partner, Assistant U.S. Marshal Annie Foster took a defiant sip of her venti mocha.
Too bad I didn’t have time for yoga. I’d be a lot less bitchy.
The hot chocolatey liquid tasted delicious on such a cold night. It was two in the morning on a random Monday in late November. Six inches of snow was forecasted to fall, and she wanted to be in her bed underneath a fuzzy blanket.
Saying she wasn’t a morning person was a huge understatement. Plus, transporting three felons is a shitty way to start the week.
Annie had gone through a 24 hour Starbucks on her way to work and grabbed a coffee along with a gooey chocolate croissant. The caffeine and chocolate hadn’t been enough of a pick me up. She needed a couple extra coffees and at least eight more hours of sleep to fully function, but it would have to do.
“Oh, Lordy, it’s gonna be one of those days, huh?” Mike Danes chuckled. “So, what happened? Too much fun?” He made a left turn onto the highway.
They were traveling in an aging government van to a correctional institute. After picking up three prisoners, they’d be transporting them to another penitentiary. Shuttling convicts was considered the crap detail, and since they were the two lowest officers on the staff totem pole, they got stuck with it a lot. They’d taken tours of every federal prison in the Bluegrass state, and it had gotten old. Fast.
“Nope. My roommate broke up with her boyfriend and stayed up until midnight sobbing.” A vein in her temple throbbed, and she massaged it.
“And you consoled the poor sweet flower?”
She’d entertained Mike with stories of the blonde bombshell she shared an apartment with. Annie was originally from Ohio, and she’d answered a Craigslist roommate ad when she’d moved to Louisville, so they weren’t friends.
“For the first couple of hours and then I gave up.” Annie had listened to every detail of the breakup and shared a bowl of ice cream with Susie, too.
‘There’s nothin’ worse than a cryin’ woman.” Mike shook his head in sympathy. He’d been born and bred in Kentucky, and she loved his accent.
“I tried to sleep, but she wouldn’t stop.” Susie had called all of her friends and posted on her social media networks with a blow-by-blow account of what happened. Her phone vibrated, dinged, and binged for several hours, in between the crying jags.
Annie wasn’t even on Twitter or Facebook and certainly wouldn’t hang her dirty laundry out for anyone to see. They were complete opposites, and as soon as she scraped up enough cash, Annie was out of there.
“Hey now, a broken heart heals slowly.”
Annie wouldn’t know because she’d never fallen in love. Yet. Although, she had every intention of meeting the man of her dreams, buying a house with the white picket fence, and settling down to have at least two kids and a dog. Annie kept waiting for somebody to turn her head, but she’d dated a series of dipshits and dicks.
It was depressing.
“This is her third break up this year. Susie always says the guy’s her soulmate and he never is.” Maybe because she found all these losers on Tinder.
She pulled down the sun visor and examined her reflection in the mirror. There were dark creases underneath her dark brown eyes. While she wasn’t exactly a Plain Jane, no one would ever mistake Annie for a bombshell either.
Annie never wore makeup to work. She’d pulled her long dark hair back into a French braided bun to keep it out of the way. No fuss. No muss.
Since she worked with fugitives, felons, and the like, Annie preferred to tone down her appearance. Just like one of the boys. Make-up, jewelry, and perfume elicited unwanted attention. Like Mike, Annie wore a pair of khakis with a blue button down shirt and a U.S. Marshal fleece jacket to identify herself.
“Don’t be so harsh.”
“What do you know about being broken hearted? You’re so in love with Becky, it isn’t even funny.”
“Watch it. I traveled a long and bumpy road to meet Becky.”
They’d been dating for a bit over two years and were meant to be. Becky Clay was a gorgeous redheaded realtor and the two of them were so in love with one another, it almost made Annie queasy. Almost.
On one level she was green with envy. Annie didn’t have any romantic feelings toward Mike, but she wanted what he had. Didn’t everyone?
“At least you got your happy ending.”
He grinned. “It’s about to get even better.”
“Oh yeah?”
He glanced at her. “I’m gonna ask her to marry me.”
“Shut up!” She smacked his arm. “Congratulations.”
“Ow.” He rolled his shoulder.
“Oh, suck it up, you’re fine.”
“Yeah, you’re not that tough, slugger.”
“Give me some details. When? How are you gonna do it?”
“I’m askin’ Becky on her birthday.” Becky had been born on the Fourth of July and her family always had a big picnic and went to the town fireworks together.
“Then she doesn’t have a clue?”
“Non
e. I wanted it to be a surprise.” Mike reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet ring box. “Take a look and tell me what you think.”
“You’re carrying it around with you?”
“I picked it up from the jeweler last night and I’m gonna put it in my safety deposit box on the way home from work. If I leave it at my place, she’ll eventually locate it. Becky’s like a bloodhound when it comes to findin’ Christmas presents.” He handed it to her. “Check it out—I had it engraved.”
Annie opened the box to reveal a princess cut solitaire engagement ring with a white gold setting. It was a full carrot, so it had cost him a pretty penny.
“Wow.” Her jaw nearly dropped.
He beamed. “Yeah, that’s the reaction I want.”
“How on earth did you afford it?”
“I save a hell of a lot more than I spend.”
“Can I read the inscription?”
“Sure.”
Gently, Annie lifted the ring. It read: This Kiss. She glanced at him for an explanation.
“It’s our song. You know, the one by Faith Hill?”
Annie nodded. She’d heard it before. It was a very dreamy song, perfect for Becky and Mike.
“I was a goner as soon as we had our first kiss.” With a sigh, Mike rubbed the palm of his hand over his heart. “Think she’ll say yes?”
“I know she will.” Sometimes she got a romantic contact high just from being around them. Annie wished the universe had someone wonderful in mind for her as well. “I’m so happy for you.”
Annie squeezed his shoulder and then handed the box over. He placed it back into his pocket.
“Thank you.”
“And it’s about time, by the way. After all, she’s practically moved in with you already. And didn’t you make her your next of kin?”
“Yes, she’s my rock, the one person I depend on.” He said the words quietly, but she could hear the love in his tone.
Mike didn’t have much in the way of family. His dad had died when he was a kid, and his mother had passed away a year ago. He didn’t have any siblings either and wasn’t close to his extended family. Except for her and Becky, Mike was all alone in the world. Since they worked in a dangerous field, they’d had to designate someone to make medical decisions for them.
“So, I’ve gotta ask. Am I gonna be your best man? Or best woman, as the case may be.”
“I’ll ask you after she says yes.”
“Spoiler alert, I’m gonna agree.”
“Thanks.” He gave her a quick, one-armed hug. “You’ve gotta catch up, Annie.”
They’d both trained at Glynco together, in Georgia, and then they were assigned to the same field office. Mike was the closest thing she had to a brother, and Annie loved him dearly. “You’ve gotta get a move on—get hitched and settle down. I want our kids to play together, go to the same schools.”
It sounded wonderful to Annie.
Sometimes Annie felt like she was running behind everyone else. She’d just turned twenty-seven, and all of her friends were settling down, having babies, and buying houses. Annie lived like a college student in her two bedroom apartment.
“I’m trying, but it isn’t easy out there.”
“What about the guy you’ve been seein’?” He frowned. “What’s his face…?”
“Jim?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s history.”
She’d given him his walking papers a couple of weeks ago. Annie couldn’t decide if she attracted assholes, or there were just so many of them in the single male population, the odds were stacked against her.
She scrunched up her nose. “Jim wasn’t the right fit.”
“Are you tryin’ to date him, or hire the man for a job?”
“A bit of both, actually.”
She had some standards and marriage was a big deal. Annie was sick of fooling around with guys who weren’t relationship material.
Chuckling, Mike shook his head.
“What? I’ve gotta do something. I’m sick of jerks.”
“Why don’t you try dating a LEO instead?” It was an acronym for a law enforcement officer.
“I want my work and private life to be separate.” Annie refused to compromise her career prospects.
Although, Mike might have a point. The guys she dated didn’t understand her schedule. She could be called in at any time.
It didn’t sound very modern, but sometimes she felt like the man. Some of them had never handled a gun or knew what to do in an emergency situation. Was it too much to ask to date a man who was more macho than she was? If a prowler came around the house, Jim would have run screaming, rather than handle the situation.
He shrugged. “Then don’t date a marshal, find a sheriff or cop, or an ex-military guy.”
“Did you actually give me dating advice?”
“Yup, and it’s damn good if I do say so myself. You oughtta take it.”
She rolled her eyes but laughed.
Soon, they reached their destination.
“Okay, you ready to do this?” They were getting close to Rocklake according to the GPS.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Annie downed the last of her coffee. “Let’s do this.”
After they went through the security checkpoints and parked the van by the loading area, they went inside to retrieve their convicts.
With Mike at her side, she tromped down a series of brick and cement corridors, through several gates. The walls were done in a cheerful yellow, which was an odd choice, given the purpose of the place. Maybe they should’ve gone with gray? Or a soul crushing black?
Finally, they arrived at the guard station.
Mike flashed his badge. “Deputy U.S. Marshal Danes. I’m here to pick up Adam Ryder, Richard Turner, and John Doe.”
There was no reply from the corrections officer at the desk as he scrolled through his phone. It’s as if they didn’t exist.
“Excuse me?” Mike glanced at the name on his shirt. “Officer Sykes?”
No reply.
Mike slammed a palm on the desk.
Gasping, Sykes glanced up. “Huh?”
“I’m here to transport the convicts to Desmond.”
“Sorry! Oh yeah.” He snapped his fingers. “They’re all present and accounted for. We’ve got them ready for you, too.” The corrections officer handed Mike a clipboard and asked for his signature.
Sykes didn’t look much more than eighteen or nineteen years old, and he didn’t seem to give a damn about this job. Rocklake was a privately run facility, and Annie had her doubts about their methods. From what she’d seen, they hired warm bodies, rather than qualified staff and didn’t offer them much in the way of training either.
“Bring the prisoners for transport to Desmond, Johnson,” Sykes bellowed into his staff radio.
A few minutes later, three shackled men hobbled through the gate. They wore matching flame orange jumpsuits and cheap canvas shoes.
“Did you pat them down?” Mike asked.
“It’s standard procedure.”
Mike glanced at Annie and then back at Sykes. “That wasn’t a yes.”
“Meaning you took care of it?” Annie asked. “Right?”
He shrugged. “Not me personally, but I’m sure Johnson did.”
Annie sighed, before turning to their prisoners. They couldn’t take any chances, so she’d give them a once over.
“Arms out to your sides, look directly ahead.”
Annie took the skinny one on the end first. Before coming on this trip, they’d studied the files. Annie liked to know what she was up against before getting into a potentially sticky situation.
The prisoner’s name was Adam Ryder, and he was only an inch or so above five feet tall. According to his rap sheet, he’d been caught with a crapload of heroin, and it was his third offense, so his sentence had been severe.
“Turn around.”
Ryder did as he was told and Annie briskly patted him down, searching f
or any weapons. Mike watched the proceedings with a hand on his gun, in case any of them got frisky. Luckily, she didn’t feel anything beneath the jumpsuit. Thank God, because she really didn’t want to strip search him.
Or worse yet, a body cavity search.
Convicts had a way of hiding things in their asses which was disgusting for everyone involved. They called it keistering, as in shoving something up your keister. She’d pulled all kinds of things out of people.
Annie moved on to the next in line, John Doe.
“Marshal,” he said, with a nod.
Annie didn’t reply.
Unlike Ryder, Doe was handsome with a square jaw, sandy blond hair, and warm brown eyes. He was tall, broad shouldered, and majorly cut as though he spent all his considerable free time working out. He raised a wicked brow, lips curling into a naughty smile, as she frisked him. Annie didn’t look him in the eye and went about her business.
“Nice day for a drive, ain’t it?”
A convict is hitting on me? I must be a magnet.
“Shut your fuckin’ mouth.” Mike’s face was grim.
His parents hadn’t christened him John Doe, but the penal system hadn’t been able to determine his real name. Doe was wanted in a series of robberies. He targeted wealthy douchebags, people who’d made their money by using super cheap labor, trashy reality television stars, and the like. He’d also never hurt anyone in any of his robberies.
Of course, he was still a convicted felon, but there were way worse scumbags. It’s all a matter of degree.
Doe always wore a disguise, even though he’d been captured on film several times. The government had done everything in its considerable power to discover his true identity but had come up empty, and he’d refused to cooperate with investigators.
When she finished, Annie moved on to the last one, Turner.
He’d raped and murdered twenty-four young women over a six year time span after he’d been dishonorably discharged from the Army. His victims were vulnerable—homeless women and prostitutes. Turner’s story had gotten some national press and he’d received the death penalty for his crimes. Turner was down to his last appeal, and Annie doubted this one would be successful either, at least she hoped it wouldn’t.
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