by Liliana Hart
Main Street had all the staples. There was a florist, ice cream parlor, mercantile, diner, feed and western store, and a bakery. His brother Grant’s wife, Annabeth, owned a fancy clothing boutique, and Marnie Whitlock, who was practically an adopted MacKenzie owned the photography studio directly across the street from Annabeth. The sheriff’s office was in the corner building, where his cousin Cooper had run things for more than a decade.
Shane didn’t mind the curious stares from the people who saw him drive through town. He and his brothers and cousins had always gotten stares, usually from the older folks because they’d caused some kind of mischief. But as adults, they got looks from the single women, and a few of the married ones. He had enough of an ego to know that they’d all inherited excellent genes. And he—and his brothers, when they’d been single—had taken full advantage.
They passed the library and Duffey’s Bar before taking the long road that led to MacKenzie land. And then Shane pressed all the way down on the pedal and Brady let out another whoop beside him.
Brady Scott was his best friend in the world. He also happened to be family—kind of—because his sister was married to Shane’s brother, Cade. They’d been in the same BUD/S class and had pushed each other when most of their classmates rang the bell and washed out. Brady had moved up the ranks with him and was the other junior officer in their platoon. He was as much his brother as Cade, Declan, and Grant were.
They were opposites in looks. Shane had inherited the same coloring as his great-grandfather, Cole MacKenzie. Dark hair, olive skin, and cobalt blue eyes. Brady was his exact opposite, though they were almost the same height and weight. Brady was fair-skinned and ruddy-complected. His hair was blond and his eyes an unusual shade of army-green with golden flecks. Where Shane had tattoos that covered both his arms and shoulders, Brady only had one tattoo—the trident insignia of the Navy SEALs. After BUD/S graduation they’d all gotten drunk and got the same tattoo. It was tradition. And tradition meant everything.
“How much time do we have before the rest of the guys gets here?” Brady asked as they skidded around another corner.
“A couple of hours,” Shane said. “Declan was pretty insistent we get here as soon as possible. All I know is what I told you on the plane after we got the summons. He said his woman was in danger and if I didn’t get my ass back to Surrender and bring some backup then he’d make me regret it. I’m thinking by his tone he’s pretty serious about her.”
Brady stared at him and shook his head in bafflement. “It sometimes amazes me how you’re so astute when it comes to our missions, but you miss things that are happening in everyday life. I’ve known you for almost fifteen years, and even I know that Declan’s been in love with Sophia Huxley for at least half of that time.”
“Really?” Shane asked. He tried to think back and remember if Declan had ever mentioned her or brought her around, but he was coming up with a blank. “I don’t know, man. Declan’s a weird one. I can’t see him pining after a woman for that many years. Besides, she was married. And Kane Huxley and Dec were good friends. At least before Kane turned out to be a traitorous bastard.”
“All I’m saying is there’s a story there. Dec loved this woman a decade ago, she goes and marries another man, the man dies on a mission in Central America, proof surfaces that Kane Huxley was a traitor to his country, then we find out he faked his death, and he sends a hit squad after his wife because she knows too much. Then Declan shows up to protect her and threatens his favorite brother if he doesn’t protect her too. It’s a hell of a love story, if you ask me.”
“It’s fucked up, if you ask me. And I didn’t realize you were so interested in love stories. I bet you’ve seen The Notebook a dozen times,” Shane taunted his friend.
“Only once,” Brady said. “I’m secure in my masculinity. Besides, I’m not opposed to romance. You should try it sometime.”
“Hell, I’m the king of romance. I fucking love romance. In fact, after I get a solid eight hours, I’m going to look through my phone and see who wants a piece of my romance.”
Brady snorted out a laugh. “You’re a jackass. You’re the king of one-night-stands. Believe me, it’s not the same as romance. Some woman is going to knock you on your ass one day, and you’re going to fall head first.”
“I have no illusions of white picket fences in my future. I’ve got everything I want and need. You’re the one looking for Mrs. Right to share that monstrosity of a house you’re building. I’m perfectly content to be your best man once you find her and bounce your kids on my knee.”
“You can’t command the team forever. Age is going to kick you in the ass one day. Haven’t you thought about what you’re going to do then?”
“Hell, no,” Shane said. Even thinking the word retirement gave him an uneasy feeling. He knew he’d always have a place at MacKenzie Security. Declan had set it up so they all owned a small percentage of the company. But being a SEAL was what he lived for. “I’m going to be the Bullfrog,” he said, referring to the SEAL that has the longest active duty. “I’d rather them bring me home in a body bag than have to give it up. You saw what happened to Jenkins when he retired.”
“He retired from active duty,” Brady said. “Not life. He was forty-two years old. The shit we do doesn’t get easier as you get older. And Jenkins is fine. He’s still in shape and he’s got that construction business now.”
“He’s twitchy.”
“Twitchy?” Brady asked, straight-faced.
“I heard from Bartell that the last time he went to visit him, Jenkins rappelled out the second story window and tried to take him out because he thought he was a terrorist.”
“He probably tried to take him out because it was Bartell. Bartell is an idiot.”
“What I’m saying is that Jenkins misses the adventure. He has that look in his eyes of a man whose adrenaline is building inside of him with no outlet. I’m telling you, he’s going to explode one day, and it’s not going to be pretty.”
“I’ll tell you what,” Brady said. “If I notice that you’re starting to get close to retirement age or are in danger of falling in love, I’ll just shoot you and put you out of your misery.”
“I’d expect no less.” Shane grinned and slowed down as they approached the MacKenzie compound.
The compound was fairly new, and Shane regretted that it had to be built in the first place. But MacKenzie Security didn’t allow them to take any chances with their safety. Especially the safety of the family.
The MacKenzies owned hundreds of acres of land. His Uncle John was the oldest, so the family homestead had passed on to him. It was a sprawling, patchwork-quilt of a house that had been added onto with each generation. When John passed away, the house had gone to Cooper as the oldest son, but though Cooper had lived there awhile, he wasn’t a fan of the number of people that were constantly coming in and out of the house since the family was quite large, so he’d built a little place farther down the road that lent his family more privacy. Since Cooper’s brother, Thomas, was the town doctor, and he ran his practice out of the house, Cooper had deeded it over to him.
Shane’s father, James, was the younger of the two sons, so he’d been given the property on the other side of the small lake. The home Shane had grown up in had plenty of room for five children to run and play in, and some of his best memories were in that farmhouse or the big red barn behind it.
With five kids growing up in his house, and four more growing up in his aunt and uncle’s house across the lake, each of them were given a piece of the MacKenzie land so they could build their own home. Only MacKenzies could build on MacKenzie land, so it was preserved for future generations as well. So far, he was the only one of his generation who hadn’t built anything. He would, eventually, but having his own home was serious business. It was something that needed time and maintenance.
He had laid claim to his piece of the land though. It was at the farthest corner of their property and didn’t have the lak
e view like his siblings and cousins had chosen. For the moment, it was nothing but a field of tall grass blowing in the breeze. But it was the mountains behind it that had made him want that particular spot. There was something about the mountains he’d always been drawn to. Maybe their strength. The ability to stand still and strong when the storms raged around them.
Shane missed being able to see the houses and lake, framed by the mountains, as he came over the last hill. Now there was a twelve-foot concrete fence that enclosed the property and the gate to enter needed a numerical code and a fingerprint, so only family could enter unless they were expecting company.
Shane would give Declan credit, though. Once inside the wall, he’d done a good job of making it seem like the wall wasn’t there. Somehow, the design didn’t impede the views or give it a closed-in feeling. They could see the lakes and mountains as clearly as ever. The only changes had been the small cabins Declan had built around the perimeter of the fence, away from the main houses. They were lookout points and guest quarters all-in-one. Because there were oftentimes important government officials from various countries who might be staying on the property.
The other change was the home Declan had built for himself and the massive barn-like structure in the back of it. It wasn’t really a barn—though it was the same red as the barn across the lake—but a place for business and negotiations. Inside, there were several offices, a command center, and a large conference room. There was also a fully equipped gym, a pool, a kitchen, and five apartments in case they had to go into lockdown mode. Declan was always prepared for everything. There was also an underground bunker that held several surprises. Shane had helped his brother set it up, so they were the only two who knew about it. There hadn’t been need for it. Yet.
“I can’t believe four members of the team volunteered to take leave to do this job. I had to turn a couple of them away. Between us and them, six SEALs should be more than enough to guard the compound. Easiest damned money they’ve probably ever made. My brother can be a convincing son of a bitch.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Brady said. “He pays us enough in two weeks to live on half the year. Doing details for MacKenzie Security has seriously padded my bank account. And Dec never calls us in unless it’s something good. There’s nothing like going into a job knowing the chance of survival is low.”
“Hooyah,” Shane yelled, bumping his forearm against Brady’s.
Chapter 3
Getting eight solid hours wasn’t in the cards.
Shane had claimed one of the cabins toward the back of the property. If he was the enemy and wanted to penetrate Declan’s seemingly impenetrable fortress, he and his team would parachute out on the other side of the mountain and take a week to hike from one side to the other, coming out close to where his own property was located. Declan had sensors that lined the perimeter on the mountain-side of the property, but there was technology available that would make the sensors virtually useless. Shane should know since MacKenzie Security R&D had developed the technology.
The cabins all had the same floor plan and were furnished. And they’d been built strategically around the property. By the time he’d unpacked, greeted the SEALs that had shown up at the gate less than an hour later, and been debriefed by Declan, he’d had time to grab half an hour of shut-eye before dinner. He could’ve passed up dinner in favor of sleep. No one would’ve blamed him. But there was little in this world he would miss other than a meal prepared by Cat MacKenzie.
Thomas’s wife had become one of his favorite people. And never in a million years would he have picked her as a match for his straight-laced cousin. Okay, maybe not completely straight-laced, as Thomas had a hell of a right hook and had caused his fair share of mischief. Responsible was probably the better description. He was the town doctor after all.
But Cat MacKenzie hadn’t always been so responsible, though no one outside of the family knew much about her background. She’d been one of the best cat burglars in the world, but she’d eventually used her talents for good and gone to work for the FBI to recover stolen art. Once she’d met Thomas and settled down to have a family, she’d put the thieving life behind her. Mostly. Though Declan used her from time to time in delicate situations, so it kept her skills sharp. Fortunately for the entire family, she’d decided taking cooking classes was a good way to channel all the leftover energy she had from not breaking into high security buildings.
Shane had taken the Jeep and picked up Brady at his cabin before heading over to the main house for dinner.
“Jesus, God,” Brady said, inhaling the scent of something amazing after they’d opened the front door. “Don’t tell Declan, but I’d do these details for free as long as I got to eat Cat’s cooking.”
“I’ll remember that if we ever need to cut the budget,” Declan said, coming down the stairs and greeting them. “I was wondering if you’d show up tonight. Everyone else is already in the kitchen.”
“There’s not much that would keep me from whatever she’s got in the oven. Sleep can wait,” Shane said and headed toward the boisterous sounds in the kitchen.
Family meals were a hectic time, and this was no different. The kitchen table fit twelve on a normal day, but sixteen could be sat in a pinch. When the entire family was together the number was more than thirty, and it seemed that number was always increasing. The MacKenzies were a virile bunch.
A good bit of the family was scattered across the country at the moment. When Declan had launched MacKenzie Security he’d done it big. Shane’s brother, Cade, was in charge of the Dallas, Texas office, and his brother-in-law, Brant, was in charge of the Washington D.C. office. Declan didn’t recruit anyone but the best, so his top field agents were Max and Jade Devlin, Archer Ryan, Gabe Brennan, and Cal Colter. Elena Nayal was Declan’s right-hand woman when it came to keeping agents and missions organized. And then there were the SEAL teams that were on leave Declan used from time to time. Since Declan had been CIA, there had been many times he and the SEALs had worked together, and many of the SEALs owed Declan favors. He also paid well, so it wasn’t a hardship to do an occasional odd job for their friend.
Shane walked up behind Cat and kissed her on top of the head in greeting.
“When are you going to leave that loser cousin of mine and run away with me so you can cook for me every night?” he asked her.
“Gee, that’s a tempting offer, but I’m going to have to stay with the MacKenzie that gives me hours of pleasure in the bedroom and doesn’t take off for random parts of the world for weeks at a time.”
Shane grinned and gave her a wink. “Man, he must be getting old if he’s only giving you pleasure in the bedroom. How many times has one of us walked in on…”
Cat put her finger against his lips. “Which is why we keep things in the bedroom,” she said, and then she elbowed him in the ribs. “There’s no damned privacy in this house. A woman can’t even have sex on her own kitchen table without someone walking in.”
“Now, now, Cat. Surely an adventurous woman like you can figure out a way to liven things up a bit.”
She snorted and gave him a yeah, right look. “Are you volunteering to babysit?”
“That’s what I heard,” Annabeth said, grinning a little evilly. Annabeth was his brother Grant’s wife. “In fact, it sounds to me like Shane just volunteered to watch all the kids so we can spend some quality time with our spouses. You’re a real peach, Shane.”
“Ha, ha,” he said, his blood running cold at the thought of being alone with all the MacKenzie offspring. It was enough to make a hardened SEAL shudder. Those kids were ruthless.
“Grab a plate and sit down before you pass out from shock,” Cat said. “There’s room for you and Brady both at the table if you can get the others to move down.”
There were more SEALs at the table, and they all had a heaping plate full of food. Ezra Creed and Louis Ford were both members of the Special Warfare Development Group, just like Shane and Brady. Or in more
common terms, the elite SEAL Team 6, though the government had stopped using the moniker decades before. Josh Holland and Knox Jenkins were also SEALs at the table, but they were from SEAL Team One out of Coronado in California.
Shane noticed the blonde sitting at the far end of the table, but he didn’t say anything as he made his plate. He wanted to reserve judgment. He knew the woman had to be Sophia Huxley, the woman Declan had lost his damned mind over. Declan MacKenzie, his hardened, bad-ass older brother, had taken the fall. And never in a million years would Shane have believed it unless he’d seen it with his own eyes.
Declan was…different. He’d always been different. He was brilliant, but that was only part of what made him the best black ops agent in existence. Declan had a solid steel core, and when other agents didn’t have the resolve to get the job done, no matter the consequences, it was Declan they sent in. Shane knew his brother had lived through his fair share of nightmares—you couldn’t escape nightmares in their line of work—and too often Shane had wondered how long Declan would be able to withstand the darkness without light to balance things out.
Shane had his SEAL team at his back. Always. That was his light in the darkness. But Declan worked alone. He always had. But there was something about the way Declan looked at Sophia Huxley that softened him. Shane had never seen that look in his brother’s eyes—the softness—the love.
He just hoped like hell she didn’t break Declan’s heart.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your lady friend?” Shane asked.
“Nope,” Declan replied and sat down next to Sophia.
“He’s always had horrible manners,” Shane told Sophia apologetically.
“Yes, I know,” she said, the dimple in her cheek fluttering slightly.
“We’re almost certain mom and dad adopted him from a primate sanctuary. I’m Shane,” he said, holding out a hand as he sat down across from her. “Nice to meet you. I like that mole by your mouth. Very sexy,” he said, waggling his eyebrows.
