by Susan Bliler
Recker
(Skin Walkers Book 17)
By
Susan Bliler
Copyright © 2018 by Susan Bliler
www.susanbliler.com
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Cover fonts, spine, and back cover done by:
Susan Bliler
Cover image courtesy of:
Shutterstock
Editing done by:
Grammarly
As always thanks to my Beta reader:
Cindy Hubbard
I couldn’t do this without you.
Thanks for believing in me.
;o) ting
This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidences are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Susan A. Bliler.
Dedication:
For Debbie Pothin.
Hey, lady, thank you for your tireless effort on my behalf. Don’t think it’s gone unnoticed how much “pimping” you do for me on Facebook, which is amazing. Few readers are willing to go to such lengths for one of their favorite authors, and I love that you took it upon yourself to do all this work for me simply because you enjoy my writing. Plus, you’ve been at it for years, and I want you to know that I appreciate it so damn much. Thank you for supporting me and sticking with me all this time. You may just be my number one Stalker ;o)
Ahwoooooooooooo!
Chapter 1
“Hey, Recker. So, here’s the list.” Amanda held out a fist full of papers then frowned at them when he didn’t immediately take them. Pulling her hand back she offered, “Oooor I can send it to your smartphone.”
“Do that,” he grumbled as the corner of his eye pinched. “Tell me again, what I did to piss off Monroe for this assignment.”
“You Walkers,” she frowned with a slight head shake. “If it doesn’t involve maiming or bloodshed, you’re offended by it.” Turning, she walked back to her desk. “It’s an easy ‘A’, Recker. These people have all been vetted and vouched for.”
“Then why in the hell am I going?”
“Because,” she busied herself with typing, ignoring the scowl that was boring into her. “Monroe wants Walker/human interaction before hiring.”
“So I tell them I’m a Walker?”
Amanda shrugged a slim shoulder. “I dunno. That’s your job. You figure out how to determine if they’re a good fit here.”
“So waltz up to ‘em and shift?”
Her eyes left her screen. “I wouldn’t do that.”
“Then how in the hell…”
“Don’t know,” she shrugged again, eyes going back to her screen. “You’ll figure something out. Just start at the top and work your way down.”
“And there’s no one else for this job?” He growled, still holding a faint hope of getting out of the assignment. “Someone less imposing. A female? What about Aries?”
Amanda blinked hard, and when her eyes opened, they weren’t on her screen but on Recker. “Did you actually just imply that Aries Drago is not imposing?”
Recker swallowed hard.
Amanda shoved up out of her chair. “Are you actually implying that you are more impressive or magnificent a Walker than Commander Conn Drago’s Angel? The very Angel who evaded capture for years by going on the run. The same Aries who evaded the Commander Conn Drago and his elite team?” She stood taller. “The very same woman who before she even knew how to shift rolled out of a flying helicopter and free-fell with a parachute she’d snagged on her roll out of the chopper clutched to her chest!”
Aw hell! He knew all this about Aries, everyone did. She was a legend among Skin Walkers, and he hadn’t been trying to imply that he was better than her in any regard. Scrubbing his hand over the back of his neck, he had the good sense to look sheepish. “I just meant someone smaller.”
Cheeks still red, Amanda slowly sat. Everyone knew she and Aries were good friends. All the females at StoneCrow and Apex were. Recker assumed it was because they were so few that they banded together.
“I meant no offense, Amanda.”
She huffed a breath and seemed to calm a little. “Take the list, Recker, and find me employees.”
He reached over and snagged the sheet of paper off her desk and eyed it. “Uhhh,” he held the paper up. “There’s only one person on here.”
“I know.” Amanda’s lips lifted at the corners. “Other Walkers will be assigned to the other potential candidates.”
His brows snapped down, and alarms started going off in his head. “What gives?”
Amanda was smiling now, but it wasn’t the friendly oh-it’s-fine smile. No, this was an I’m-about-to-pay-you-back-for-the-Aries-comment smile. “Mr. StoneCrow feels it’s best to assign a Walker to each candidate. If you approve your choice for employment, then the new employee will be assigned to you.”
“Assigned to me?”
“Yes. He doesn’t want another incident like Cindy and RedKnife. He feels that if the new employee is watched, then we’ll be aware of whether or not their intentions are pure.”
Recker’s eyes rounded. “Watched? For how long? I didn’t sign up for that. I was just supposed to go retrieve this guy. Not bring him back and babysit!”
“It’s not babysitting,” she frowned. “It’s ensuring the safety of StoneCrow and Walkers. It’s important Recker. RedKnife thought Cindy was an enemy here under the guise of work. He misjudged her and ended up having to hide her from Monroe until he could prove her innocence.” Her eyes narrowed at him. “Don’t make the same mistake. Watch your candidate and make sure before you give your final report that what you’re claiming is accurate. Retrieval and surveillance. Monroe expects your final report in three months.”
“Three months!” He paled, and his eyes shot to the paper. “I’m supposed to follow this guy around for three months?” He quieted a moment as he re-read the name. Alex Hayworth. “That sounds boring as shit! I’m a Sentry! I should be fighting somewhere!”
Amanda stood again. “Think about it, Recker. Your candidate could be a Megalya infiltrator. I know this feels like a lame assignment, but it’s not. Walkers are counting on you.”
Well, when she put it like that. He heaved a sigh. Fuck! “Fine. Where?”
Amanda grinned. “Great Falls. Obviously.” She lowered herself back into her seat and jotted something on a post-it. “Here,” she handed him the paper. “Place of employment. I’ll text you the rest. Everything else is up to you.”
He took the paper. “Does he at least know I’m coming?”
Red-tipped fingers shooed him toward the door. “The candidates know someone is coming.” She clucked her tongue, “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Times a wastin’.”
Growling, he turned and stormed out the door.
Chapter 2
Alex was so damn mad she couldn’t even see straight. Why did people have to be such assholes? Bending she used her towel to mop up the milkshake that had been intentionally dumped on the ground. This group of four men always came into the restaurant on her shift, and she knew it was intentional. One of them, Fitz she’d heard his friends call him, always asked her out and she always refused. The result? No tip and a huge mess. The idiot would actually wait a week and then show back up with his friends and ask her out again like his mistreatment of her the week before was somehow forgotten or was supposed to make her see the error of her ways and change her mind. Idiots! God, she hated men, and she hated this job even more. She�
��d been waiting to hear back from her friend, Stoney, about a job opening at the StoneCrow Wild Life Refuge. She knew it was more but didn’t even want to think about what was going on up in the Highwood Mountains for fear of any of the local cidiots finding out. There was too much at stake.
The bell over the door chimed, and she didn’t bother peeking up. Probably just more disgusting men to ruin her day. “Be right with you.”
Slapping the now brown rag onto her tray, she stood and hurried behind the counter before tossing the rag into the sink and washing her hands. Glancing up, she saw broad shoulders in a back booth and groaned inwardly. Snagging a menu, she straightened her apron and headed for the waiting customer. “Hello,” she offered lamely as she placed the menu on the table. “Can I get you something to drink?”
The guy didn’t look at her and didn’t pick up the menu. “Water.”
“Water it is. I’ll give you a few minutes with the menu.” Walking back to the counter she busied herself filling a glass with ice. Her eyes shot to the large behemoth in the both. He was huge. She could see the muscles of his back through the material of his form-fitting gray shirt. Her eyes skimmed over his jeans and down to the black boots peeking out of from the hem of the denim. You could tell a lot about a man by his shoes, and these ones were nice. Functional, clean, yet badass enough to suit the wearer.
Cold water tickled her fingers, and she looked down to realize her ogling had caused the guy’s drink to overflow. Pulling the glass from the soda fountain, she dumped some of the water into the drain tray and used a clean cloth to wipe the glass down as she headed back to the table.
“Here ya go.” She set the cup down. “One water.” Pulling her pen from behind her ear and her order booklet from her apron she asked, “What can I get you?”
The guy shoved the menu away but still didn’t look up, which was a shame. She was curious about what his face looked like.
“Just the water.” He responded gruffly. “I’m looking for Alex.”
Her heart startled hard and then she remembered Alexander Cady, her co-worker who washed the dishes on weekends. “A-Alex isn’t working today.” When the man didn’t respond, she asked, “You a friend?”
“Yeah,” he muttered. “When will he be working? I’d like to see him?”
Alex relaxed a little. If the guy was Alexander’s friend, then he couldn’t be too bad. “Weekends,” she supplied. “He’ll be here on Friday ‘bout noonish.”
The guy grunted as if dissatisfied then took a sip of his water.
“You got his number?” She asked and then supplied helpfully, “You should give him a call; let him know you’re here. Town’s pretty small. He could probably meet you.”
“No,” the guy set his water down and looked up at her and holy shit!
He was smoking hot with raven black hair brushed back from the strong bones of his face. He was all high cheekbones, masculine jaw, and five o’clock shadow. Beneath frowning dark brows, piercing blue eyes pinned her hard. Alex was so temporarily mesmerized by the guy’s sheer beauty that she came hurtling back to earth with his next words.
“I lost Mr. Hayworth’s number a while back.”
Alex dropped the menu. Holy shit!
Adrenaline flooded her system, and her brain screamed at her to run. Instead, she stalled by quickly bending to retrieve the menu. “Uhhhh. Alex Hayworth, huh?” The guy wasn’t here for her co-worker, Alex. He was here for her! Standing slowly, she prayed he didn’t notice the sudden flush on her cheeks or shaking menu she held in her trembling hands. The guy’s gaze sliced to her and she froze in her slow retreat. His nostrils flared, and blue eyes narrowed as he slowly pushed up from the table.
“Alex?”
Shit! She threw the menu at his face and spun for the back door. She didn’t stop to see if he was following as she zig-zagged through the kitchen and shoved the back door open before racing down the alley. With no idea who in the hell the guy was, or why he’d be looking for her, she wasn’t going to take a chance at finding out.
She was mid-run when both feet left the ground as strong arms clamped around her middle.
“Put me down you mother fucker!” she shrieked and threw her head back. It connected with something and stars exploded in her sight. Behind her, she heard a grunt and then a muttered curse. Still, she fought. Lifting a foot, she shoved it back hoping to connect with a knee and wishing she’d have worn her hiking boots instead of plain old tennis shoes. She missed, but the momentum nearly made the guy drop her. He cursed again and then she was tossed in the air where she flailed like a scared cat. Trying to twist around mid-air, she landed with a great “oomph” as the guy’s shoulder connected with her stomach.
SMACK!
A loud crack rent the air. It took a second for the sting to kick in before she realized that he’d just spanked her.
This sonofa…
“Lady, calm the hell down before I spank you again.”
Reaching a hand back, she buried it in the soft black hair at the nape of his neck and jerked hard!
Chapter 3
I’m going to kill Amanda! I’m going to kill Amanda! I’m going to kill Amanda!
The chant had started playing on a loop in Recker’s head the second a face-full of menu had him flinching back from the tiny little woman now settled over his shoulder. She was fighting like a damn mountain lion and… Aaaagh! She was going to rip his fucking hair out!
“Jesus, lady!” he clamped his arm tighter around her thighs. “I was sent from StoneCrow.” He wasn’t sure how much she knew but hoped the name would at least rattle her. “I’m here to interview you.” She stilled and released his hair. He was satisfied until he got a hard punch right to his back.
“Why didn’t you say so,” she hissed and started squirming. “Put me down, a-hole!”
O-kay. Well, this was turning to shit. Bending, he lowered the woman to the ground. As he straightened to his towering height, he watched her shove soft ebony locks back from her face as she scowled up at him with sparking chocolate colored eyes. She was beautiful, all pissed and glaring hard with those dark eyes set in creamy mocha-colored skin. Her hair was long, past her shoulders, and sat in a thick mass of tumbling curls. She wasn’t wearing much make-up that he could tell. She didn’t need to. Her lips were full and rosy, her lashes were thick and dark, and her smooth skin looked so damn soft. She was exquisite.
“What is wrong with you,” she growled. “A, you could’ve just said that! And, B, you didn’t need to scare the piss outta me!” Turning, she stomped back toward the restaurant and unsure what else to do, he followed.
Recker couldn’t help the grin that lifted his lips at the punch she’d given him. His jaw was sore where she’d head-butted him, his shin ached from where her heel had grazed him, and she didn’t hold back at all on trying to rip his hair out. Lifting a hand, he rubbed gingerly at the back of his head; certain he was going to have a bald spot. Still, it didn’t stop his eyes from settling on the sway of her hips as…
She turned suddenly to scowl up at him. “And don’t be staring at my ass!”
He jerked his chin up. “Wasn’t!”
“Mmmhmm,” she pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes on him before turning back around to jerk the back door to the restaurant open. His eyes settled back on her luscious ass.
He followed her in and for the first time noted the vacant kitchen. “Where’s your cook?”
“You’re staring at her ass.”
“I wasn’t,” he jerked his eyes up in case she turned around again.
When they got to the dining room, he nearly knocked her over when she stopped in front of him. He caught her though and steadied her before stepping back and earning himself another of her dirty looks.
Even if she passed the interview, he was certain she’d want nothing to do with StoneCrow now, so he took a step toward the door. “I’m just gonna go.”
“The hell you are,” she snapped. “You said I had an interview.”
&n
bsp; He nodded.
“I want it.” She took a seat at one of the stools at the counter. “Name’s Alex.” She smiled. “Alex-andra Hayworth. And I need that job, Mr….”
“Rhodes.” He supplied. “Recker Rhodes.”
Her lips curled up in a stunning smile as she eyed him up and down. “Recker Rhodes?” One dainty brow lifted, and she chuffed a laugh. “What are you? A professional wrestler?”
Now it was his turn to scowl. “No. I’m a Walker.”
He’d wondered earlier how much she knew of his kind, but with his last sentence and the way her eyes rounded, he knew that she knew enough. Thank fuck, because he’d just made a damn serious breach in Skin Walker protocol. What in the hell am I doing?
He grew uneasy when Alex continued to gape at him before she snapped her mouth shut and eyed the empty restaurant.
Looking back at him she scolded, “Jesus! Blab much? You can’t just be throwing that information around. It’s classified!”
Claiming a seat two down from her to leave an empty stool between them, he was hesitant to reach out and turn her stool to face him. Damn woman probably bites! Luckily, he didn’t have to because she turned to face him as he explained. “They said you might know.”
“Well I do, but you don’t know who else could be lingering in this place.” She crossed her arms and lifted her chin haughtily. “What if I had a dishwasher in the back?”
His gaze flicked to the kitchen area suddenly feeling nervous. “Uhhhh. Is there a dishwasher in the back?”
She uncrossed her arms with a scowl. “No. I do that too.” She jabbed a finger at him. “But you didn’t know that! Be more careful!”
He just stared at her in shock wondering if this was the worst interview in Skin Walker history.
“Well,” she prompted. “Recker Rhodes, what do you want to know?”
“Just Recker is fine.” He sat taller and thought about the questions he’d formulated as part of his ‘interview’. “How did you hear about the position at StoneCrow?”
