by Susan Stoker
“Uh, I hate to burst your bubble, gorgeous, but none of us are letting you girls go. You’re stuck with us,” Benny said while nuzzling the side of Jess’s neck.
“Tex,” Jessyka said matter-of-factly. “He’s a defacto part of this team too. And from what I understand, he isn’t with anyone.”
The group was silent for a moment, then Dude spoke up. “Hon, we haven’t really sat down with Tex and talked through any of this shit, but he’s even more sensitive about his leg than I am with my hand.”
It was true. Tex talked a good game when it came to the prosthetic he wore ever since he’d been medically retired from the Navy, but everyone was aware that he joked a little too much about how he was crippled and laughed when women turned him down once they found out about his injury.
“But Dude, Tex is a part of this team. He has to find his perfect match. Face it, if we all somehow found each other, he will too.” Jess leaned back against Benny, resting her head on his shoulder and her cheek on his chest. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and idly played with his hair at the nape of his neck. “I don’t know how, and I don’t know where, but you guys have all said it yourself. Tex can find anyone no matter what. I have a good feeling about this. He’ll find his woman, one way or another.”
* * *
Thousands of miles away, on the other side of the country, Tex tapped rapidly on his keyboard.
Mel? Are you there? Haven’t heard from you in a while.
After a few minutes with no response, Tex tried again.
I’m worried about you. Please. Talk to me. I miss your sarcasm. ;)
When there was still no response, Tex tried one last time to connect with the woman he’d been chatting with online for the last few months.
If you don’t answer me, I’m going to have to do something drastic to make sure you’re all right. I know you never wanted to talk on the phone, or exchange photos, but I have to know you’re okay. I’ve already given you my cell number, please call me.
Tex got up and adjusted his prosthetic before walking into his kitchen to grab something to eat for dinner. He brought his plate back into his computer room and glanced over the three monitors sitting on his desk, then he looked over at the GPS coordinates that were constantly displayed on a map. He smiled. All his friends, and their women, were currently at Aces, most likely eating and hanging out as friends did.
Tex loved each and every one of them, and he was pleased he played a part in keeping them together. Using his computer and his skills to track people down, made him feel good, when most days he didn’t feel very worthy. He’d missed feeling as if he was part of a team when he retired. He lost the adrenaline rush that came from successfully completing a mission when he’d left.
He’d been cut off from everything he’d loved and hadn’t had a chance to figure out what he was going to do with his life. The Navy had been his life. But he’d always been good with computers. And between his computer skills and some of the nefarious people he’d met in his life, he’d found his new niche.
If he felt jealous of his friends and the wonderful women they’d found to spend the rest of their lives with, Tex would never let on.
Tex thought back to the conversation he’d had with Jess, Benny’s woman, the other night. She’d called to thank him for noticing so quickly something was weird the night Benny had been used as a lure to get her out of Aces. She’d ranted and raved at him that it was asinine to only track the women. She’d had a compelling argument, telling Tex that if he’d been tracking Benny the night he’d been kidnapped by her crazy ex, she never would’ve had to put herself in danger.
When Jess had put it that way, Tex couldn’t disagree with her. Thus, the six big bad Navy SEALs he’d gotten to know very well over the last months, were now all owners of shiny new tracking devices.
The men had balked about wearing the trackers when they were out of the country on a mission, but Tex had pointed out that he was the only one who knew about the devices, and it couldn’t hurt to have the extra protection when they were in foreign countries doing the dirty work that was too dangerous for most other military teams. They’d agreed to put the devices in their packs as a concession. Tex wanted to point out that packs could be lost or stolen, but the women had been so relieved, he’d dropped it.
Tex turned back to his computer screen, trying to put his friends out of his mind. Hopefully they’d seen the last of the drama they’d all been through over the last year or so.
He clicked some buttons on his keyboard and stared at the chat box he’d just been using to talk to Melody.
User unknown
Tex frantically clicked more buttons, then swore under his breath and leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. She’d deleted her account. She wasn’t just logged off, she’d severed the only connection they had with each other.
They’d been talking for months, and she’d never given any overt indication that anything was wrong, but Tex still sensed there was something. Obviously he was right. He knew her well enough to know she was too polite to just up and disappear without a word . . . at least he thought he did.
They hadn’t gotten into anything sexual, but they’d definitely shared some intimate thoughts. Melody was the only person he’d told how useless he felt and how, even though he’d ultimately begged the doctor to remove his mangled leg, he hated the fact that he wasn’t whole. He’d even opened up to her about the phantom pain he still felt all the time in his leg, a leg that wasn’t even there.
Melody had understood. She’d said all the right things. But thinking about it now, Tex realized she’d never really told him anything about herself. Oh, he knew she liked to eat Mexican food and that pink was her favorite color, but she’d never opened up to him about the things that really mattered in her life.
He pushed up the sleeves on the shirt he was wearing and crouched over his keyboard. If Melody thought she could erase their connection as easily as deleting her user account, she had another think coming.
The SEALs always said he could find anyone, it was time to put his skills to use . . . for himself this time. Something was wrong. He’d find Melody and figure out what it was. Hopefully he wouldn’t be too late.
Find out what happens in Tex’s story
Protecting Melody-- coming in September
Read on for an exclusive excerpt from the first book in Susan’s exciting new series:
Justice for Mackenzie
Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes, Book 1
…Mackenzie walked over to the door and looked through the peephole. Damn. The man standing at her door was so good looking, she felt a zing shoot through her body, ending between her legs. It was the same reaction she’d gotten the night of the charity event. He was staring right at the peephole as if he knew she was on the other side looking at him. Mackenzie took a deep breath and opened the door until the chain stopped it from opening any further.
“Daxton?”
“Yup. That’s me.”
Mackenzie shoved her hand through the small opening of the door and said, “ID please.”
Dax chuckled, not offended in the least. “Good girl.” He reached behind him and took his wallet out from his pocket and pulled out his driver’s license and put it into Mackenzie’s outstretched hand. “There you go.”
Mackenzie looked down at the plastic card in her hand. Daxton Chambers. Forty six years old. Six foot one and two hundred thirty pounds. She gulped. Damn, almost a hundred pounds heavier than she was. She went to hand it back and dropped it.
“Shit, sorry.”
Dax just laughed quietly and kneeled down to pick up the dropped license. “No problem.”
Mackenzie held out her hand again. “Ranger ID now please.”
Dax smiled even more broadly. “Damn, woman.”
Mackenzie faltered a bit, but bravely said, “IDs are easy to fake nowadays, I just want to make sure.”
“Oh, I wasn’t complaining. No fucking way. I’m pleas
ed as hell you don’t trust me. I’d be more worried if you did. Here you go.” Dax held out his Texas Ranger badge that he’d pulled from his other pocket. “I don’t go anywhere without it, just in case. Good thinking.” She took it from his hand and Dax could see her hands shaking.
“If it’s okay . . . I’ll just . . .” Mackenzie gestured back inside her apartment.
“Take your time, Mackenzie. I’ll be right here.”
Mackenzie shut and locked her apartment door and quickly walked over to her phone. She snapped a picture of Daxton’s Ranger badge and texted it to Matthew, Mark, and Laine. Laine knew she was going out with Daxton, but she wanted to inform her brothers as well. She told them she was going to dinner with Daxton, who was a Texas Ranger, and she’d be home later. She trusted Daxton was who he said he was, but she’d be an idiot to take him at his word. She wanted her brothers to know who it was she was going out with and what time she expected to be home. Even though she was thirty seven years old, she wanted to be safe. She’d call Laine when she got back home. It was their ritual whenever one of them went out.
Mackenzie thought hard about calling the local Ranger Station and checking on Daxton that way as well, but then decided she was being an idiot. She’d seen him at the charity event with a table full of other officers. Hell, he’d been with the Highway Patrolman when she’d been pulled over. If Daxton was lying, he was an expert. Mackenzie went back to the door, took off the chain and opened it all the way.
“Hi, Daxton.” Her smile was bright and welcoming, as if this was the first time she’d opened the door that night and she hadn’t demanded he show his IDs to her and treated him like a criminal.
Dax chuckled. Damn, she was adorable. She pulled him out of his bad mood easily. “Hey.”
“Here’s your ID back. Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be sorry. You have no idea how hot that was.”
“Uh, what?”
“Yeah, hot. I see all sorts of shit in my line of work. I love knowing you’re cautious. I just wish more people were like you.”
“Oh, well, okay.” Mackenzie handed Daxton his Ranger ID back.
“What’d you do with it when you were in there?”
“Uh . . .” Mackenzie was unsure if she should tell him. “I don’t know . . . um . . . I’ve never dated a cop before.”
Dax stood there watching Mackenzie with an amused glint in his eye. “Okay.”
“And I’ve never been in trouble before. I mean, really in trouble. I got detention in high school once, but it wasn’t my fault. Stupid Darci Birchfield decided to pick on one of the guys on the chess team and I told her if she didn’t lay off him she’d answer to me, and she didn’t lay off him, so she answered to me and I got a full week of detention for it. But she never messed with him again. I had to endure Bobby telling me for the rest of our high school years thank you, and shit, he still sends me a Christmas card every year, but still . . . it was totally worth it.”
Daxton leaned against the wall next to the door, loving how fucking cute she was. He crossed his arms over his chest, holding his cowboy hat in one hand and settled in to listen to Mackenzie babble.
“Okay, I also got in trouble at work last year for telling one of the other managers to go fuck himself, but that wasn’t my fault either. He was totally harassing one of the lesbian women I work with. Calling her a dyke and shit like that. That’s just not cool. I mean really, in today’s day and age that crap is totally uncalled for. So I told him off, explaining how a dyke was actually an artificial wall used to regulate water levels, and called a levee here in the States. Okay, I probably also used some other not-so-nice words as well, but he turned around and complained to HR about me, when he was the one being an asshat. I was sent home for a week, paid, while an investigation went on, but was called back after only three days because Ginger totally told HR what a dick Peter was and that I’d been defending her and since everyone in the office backed Ginger, they ended up letting Peter go and not me.”
Mackenzie paused, biting her lip. Shit. She’d done it again. She tried to finish her thought quickly. “So, I’ve never really been in trouble, or even been around any cops, other than the charity thing each year, so I have no idea what’s legal and what’s not, so I’ll tell you what I did, if you promise not to arrest me. I’m claiming ignorance here.”
“What’d you do, Mackenzie?” Dax asked with no rancor in his voice.
“I took a picture of your ID and sent it to my brothers and best friend so if I end up dead in a ditch somewhere tonight they’ll know who it was that took me out. I totally planned on deleting the picture when we got home, though. It’s not like I was gonna put it on the Internet for someone to make a fake ID from or anything.”
“Good for you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. But you know, that name could be totally fake. If I did want to kill you and dump your body and your brothers or friend checked me out, they might not ever find me if I used a fake name.”
“Damn.” Mackenzie liked this guy. “So what should I have done instead?”
“Called the Ranger Station and checked me out. Told them you’re about to go on a date with a man that claims to be a Ranger and that you have a badge and you want to know if it’s legit or not.”
“I totally was going to do that!” Mackenzie exclaimed excitedly.
“Why didn’t you?” Dax asked curious.
“Well, because it felt like a shitty thing to do . . . not trust you when you gave me your ID without giving me crap about it.”
“Do it now.”
“What?”
“Do it now. Call. Check me out.”
“But you’re standing right there. And I believe you.”
“Do it.” Dax’s voice was unrelenting.
“Oh, all right. Jeez.”
Pre-order it now:
Justice for Mackenzie
Daxton Chambers, a member of the oldest and most distinguished law enforcement agency in the state of Texas, could never understand why people kill. But this new case, where someone was kidnapping and burying women alive, was a whole new level of depravity. As a Texas Ranger it was his job to keep San Antonio safe, but whoever this was, always seemed to be one step ahead of him.
Mackenzie Morgan lived what she considered a normal life. She worked at a non-profit agency, hung out with her best friend, had an annoying, but loving, family, and had a tendency to ramble when she was nervous. She wasn’t looking for a man, but when Dax storms into her life, and won’t take no for an answer, she’s all in.
Meeting Mack, and finding out just how perfect she was for him, wasn’t a part of Dax’s plan…but he’d be damned if he was going to walk away from the most interesting and fun woman he’d met in a long time. Unfortunately, anyone Dax cares about is suddenly in danger. It’ll take every ounce of knowledge he’s gained from years in law enforcement to keep Mack alive.
Discover other titles by Susan Stoker
SEAL of Protection Series:
Protecting Caroline
Protecting Alabama
Protecting Fiona
Marrying Caroline (novella)
Protecting Summer
Protecting Cheyenne
Protecting Jessyka
Protecting Melody (Sept 2015)
Protecting the Future (Dec 2015)
Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Series
Justice for Mackenzie (Aug 2015)
Justice for Mickie (Nov 2015)
Justice for Corrie (TBA)
Justice for Boone (TBA)
Justice for Milena (TBA)
Justice for Kinley (TBA)
Justice for Sidney (TBA)
Beyond Reality Series:
Outback Hearts
Flaming Hearts
Frozen Hearts
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Website: www.StokerAces.com
About the Author
Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Texas where she lives, but this all American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, and Indiana. She’s married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.
As Mr. Stoker says, Susan has been training to become a romance author her entire life. She’s been reading romances since middle school and writes what she loves.
She debuted her first series in 2014 and quickly followed that up with the SEAL of Protection Series, which solidified her love of writing and creating stories readers can get lost in.
If you enjoyed this book, or any book, please consider leaving a review. It’s appreciated by authors more than you’ll know.
Table of Contents
Protecting Jessyka
Table of Contents
Note from the Author
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Discover other titles by Susan Stoker
