Reluctant Hero (TREX Rookies Book 1)

by Allie K. Adams

  “You said so yourself,” I point out and throw my bag over my shoulder before grabbing my coffee. “Our life is better than a John Hughes movie. I have to go talk to Britt.” He grins and steps back. I don’t trust that wicked glimmer in his eyes. “What?”

  “You said ‘our’ life. As in you and me.”

  I did. And I like the sound of it, but I can’t let him off that easy. “Don’t get too far ahead of yourself. I’m not ready to say I do.”

  “I already did.” He wiggles his brow. I slap his back. He laughs. “Boyfriend abuse.”

  “Quit saying things like that. That’s the quickest way to get this girl to freak out, Romeo.”

  “Always grooming me.” He winks and I smile as I walk backward away from him.

  “What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn’t challenge you? You said so yourself. I refuse to accept things the way they are.”

  “Did I just create a monster?”

  “No more than I did.” I blow him a kiss and run out of the CUB, across the quad, and over to my building. I’m shocked that I’m not even winded. The running every morning has definitely paid off. I take the stairs, knowing how ridiculously slow the elevators are. Once I throw the door open to my floor, I run down the hall and rush into my dorm. The RA looks up from her desk and shakes her head before returning her attention to the papers in front of her. She’s used to seeing me run past her by now.

  I barge into the dorm. Britt is there on her bed. Her eyes are red, swollen, and I freeze. I’m the reason she’s so miserable. I set my book bag on my bed and hurry to her. Without a word I pull her into my arms. She stiffens at first but then sobs as I hold her. I burst into tears and we sit there, crying on each other’s shoulders. After several minutes of blubbering and snotting all over each other, we push back.

  “I’m still mad at you,” she says as she wipes at the mascara on her cheek. “You don’t get to get off that easy.”

  “I’m a bitch.”

  She laughs. “I’ve been telling you that for years.”

  “I’m so sorry, Britt. You’re my best friend and I love you.”

  More tears melt down her face. “Dirty trick.”

  “I’ll buy all the drinks tonight.” I have no money, but I’ll find a way.

  She blinks. “Are we still on for a girls’ night out?”

  “I think we both need it.”

  “What about Ryan?”

  She called him by his name. “He’ll understand.”

  “Are you two back together? I saw him go after you.”

  “We are and I don’t care,” I declare. “I think I love him, Britt. I don’t care what anyone thinks about it. I don’t know how it happened, but somewhere in the middle of this game, I think I fell in love with a nerd.”

  She smiles wide. “It’s about time you find out what your type really is.” With a quick sniff, she gives me a nod. “Now we just have to figure out what my type is.”

  “What about Joe?” I’m proud I remember his name.

  “He’s a Delta. We both know what that means.”

  “He’s a player,” I conclude, ecstatic Ryan no longer falls into that category.

  “Which means I’m just playing with him.” Britt wiggles her eyebrows.

  “You’re terrible.” I stand. Despite our own personal drama, we still have classes to pass. “Are we good? I have chem.”

  She nods. “I’ll see you at happy hour. And Em? Ryan passes. He’s one of the good guys.”

  “Yeah, he is.” I smile and nod.

  “See if he has any friends.”

  I laugh as I think of all the horny online gamers I met. Maybe Britt’s type is more like Ryan and less like guys like Brad. Only time will tell.

  I run out of the room and down the hall, waving at the RA as I speed by. I hurry down the stairs out of the building, across the quad, and make it to chem just in time. I’m not even panting as I take my seat next to Ryan.

  He smiles at me. “Everything good?”

  “It is now.” I grab his hand and hold it in mine. He brings my hand up to his lips and brushes my knuckles. I melt and stare at him, lost in the moment.

  His grin widens as he watches me watching him. “I want to take you to dinner Friday.”

  “Another two-for-one coupon for hoagies at the CUB?”

  “What kind of boyfriend do you take me for?” He tries to sound offended but I see right through him. “This one’s for pizza.”

  I laugh and slap his shoulder. “Are you splurging for the makings for maraschino martinis this time? Or do we have to dig around in your couch again?”

  “If vodka and cherry syrup is what my girl wants, then that’s what she gets.” He kisses me and my toes curl.

  This entire experience has taught me more than I ever expected. I can find love despite my many attempts to screw it up. My happiness depends on me and only me, not me making everyone else happy. It certainly doesn’t revolve around making a guy happy…

  Unless he’s a cool nerd with steely gray eyes.

  Epilogue

  TREX HQ – Seattle, Washington

  Bailey chewed the thumbnail on her left hand. She’d already gnawed off the one on her right. Special Director Dan Weber sat at his desk reading her report, not a single emotion on his stony expression. He didn’t rush the review. He never rushed anything, instead taking his time to analyze every word and drive her insane with uncertainty.

  He finally closed the folder and pushed it aside before leaning in his chair to assess her. She didn’t speak. She didn’t breathe as she waited for him to either give her the green light on the program or have her escorted out of the building. He drew in a breath and held it. She did the same. When he let his out, she continued to hold hers.

  Those cool blue eyes drilled into her, making her want to explain herself even though she had nothing else to add. The report spared no detail, considering how important the find. Weber worked his jaw for several seconds as his expression grew even harder. The lines deepened on his face. He did not seem all that happy with her report.

  She was fired. She was so, so fired.

  “Has anyone else seen this report?” he finally asked.

  “No, sir. I finished it on the ferry ride here.”

  “Not even Snyder?”

  “I cleared it with him before writing it up. It was him who told me to be sure no one read the report until I showed you.”

  He nodded, like David’s insistence that Bailey not tell anyone else about the find made sense. She couldn’t even tell Jason or Jackson. It wasn’t like her BIL to keep things from the other agents on a find, which meant something about this find had him worried. “Does the recruit fully understand the importance of the find?”

  She didn’t even fully understand the importance of the find. “I’m not sure, sir. He followed orders and delivered the intel as instructed.”

  “According to this report, Stuart Ryan was after a seat in the senate not to bring more power to the Order, but to bring them down.” He hit her with that piercing blue glare. “Do you believe that?”

  “I believe his father has no reason to lie to his son. Cadet Ryan was insistent he be placed on whatever team would be responsible for bringing down the Order.”

  “That tells me he understands the importance just fine. He mentioned Spencer Allen by name.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Son of a bitch. This is not what Allen needs right now.” He pinched the skin between his eyes. “He just started his second round of chemo this week and needs to focus on beating his cancer, not getting wrapped up in another mission involving that goddamn society.”

  Bailey had read the report on the find that nearly cost SAC Allen his life thanks to the Order. The same society had been behind the find that left her brother partially paralyzed. Just when TREX cuts off one head, two more pop up and wreak havoc. They had to stop them at any cost.

  “Keep a close eye on this recruit,” Weber ordered. “We may be able to use him t
o our advantage.”

  She bristled. Ryan was a solid recruit who’d make a solid agent. He deserved the chance to prove that. “He’s already in the program and doing well. His data retrievals have been dead on.”

  “I’m not talking data retrievals.”

  “Are you thinking of moving him to the frontline?”

  “Nope.”

  Getting information out of the special director was like pulling teeth at times. “Sir?”

  “I’m thinking we’ll use the fact he’s a Ryan to infiltrate the Order.”

  Oh, God. No. If the Order so much as suspected a TREX agent within their ranks, they’d silence the member. Ryan would never see it coming. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “I’ll take that under advisement.” He nodded at the door. “I have to make a call and get the ball rolling before Stuart Ryan is too weak to be of any good to us.”

  Bailey stood and bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from calling the director a heartless bastard. He treated a dying man like a commodity and didn’t seem to care that Harold Ryan would be burying his father before summer. He only seemed to care about how fast he could take advantage of the Ryans.

  She went to the door and opened it. Against her better judgment, she whipped around. She refused to remain silent, to let Weber talk about Ryan and his father like they meant nothing. “Stuart Ryan spent years trying to take down the Order and passed that directive on to his son. Harold Ryan will do whatever it takes to carry out that directive. He promised his father.”

  “Your point, Agent McKoy?”

  “It’s our duty to protect our agents, not put them in harm’s way. He’s a twenty-three-year-old college student we just recruited into an internship program. He doesn’t have any idea what it takes to be a field agent, an undercover field agent at that. What you’re about to ask is something we’d reserve for our most experienced agents. The Order killed Gabriel Lyons, a special agent who used to lead one of the spec ops units. They trapped and nearly killed Spencer Allen, the special agent who took over the leadership from Lyons. They also nearly killed my brother Logan and partially paralyzed my brother Chris.”

  “I’m very well aware of the details behind those missions, McKoy. Again, what’s your point?”

  Her frustration mounted. “If the Order got the jump on TREX spec ops agents, what makes you think an intern has any chance against them?”

  “Like you told me when you pitched this program, we need a new generation of agents who don’t know the system.” Weber’s lips twitched. “Cadet Ryan isn’t a little piss ant, know-it-all in a uniform claiming to be an expert in our operations. You found me a rookie who has no idea of protocol. That’s why this is going to work.”

  Bailey cocked her head. “I’m not following.”

  “He doesn’t have to pretend to be green. He doesn’t have to go undercover at all. He just has to be himself—the son of an existing member. He’s a legacy.”

  She closed her eyes and shook her head. The last time Harold Ryan was forced into joining a group under the legacy clause, he was miserable and that was only a fraternity. This was so much more.

  “Congratulations, Agent McKoy.”

  His comment drew her attention. “Sir?”

  “Because of the success of this find—your first recruit is going to help us bring down the society we’ve been after for years—I’m approving the program. Let’s hope the next recruit is as good a find as Cadet Ryan. Now, if you don’t mind, I really do need to make that call.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Bailey shut the door behind her as angst gnawed at her midsection. She had no doubt Ryan would succeed in whatever mission the special director sent him on. It was his protective instincts that had her worried. Ryan would get in with the Order. He’d be invited to events that’d require he bring a date. He’d bring Emma. If he so much as sensed a threat, he’d go to any length to protect her, which could put them both in danger.

  She’d have to keep a very close watch on her new recruit. It was her duty as his handler to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid—like get himself killed. Pulling out her phone, she scrolled through the contacts until she reached the name of her next prospect and tapped the screen.

  It rang several times before someone picked up. “Bainbridge Island Fire Department. Cadet Jake Swanson speaking. Can I help you?”

  “Yes,” she said and pulled in her focus. It was time to recruit TREX’s next intern. “I believe you can.”

  The End

  Thank you for reading the first book in the new TREX ROOKIES series! Please consider leaving a review. It’s one of the absolute BEST things you can do for an author.

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  About the Author

  “Allie K. Adams burns up the pages!” – New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips

  “If you’re looking for non-stop, heart-racing action and sizzling romance, look no further. Allie K. Adams will take you there—and more!” – USA Today bestselling author Lucy Monroe

  Allie K. Adams is the USA Today bestselling author of several award-winning stories. An active member of the search and rescue, as well as previously served as a reserve deputy, Allie has firsthand experience in most of the dangers she writes about. Known for her highly thrilling, deeply intense suspense romances, she can be found most days in front of her computer, saving the world one sizzling story at a time. She grew up in Seattle and now currently lives in southwest Montana with the hubs and various other wildlife.

  She loves to hear from readers and encourages them to reach out to her through her website at www.alliekadams.com.

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  Books By Allie K. Adams

  THE TREX ROOKIES ADVENTURES — New Adult Romantic Comedy & Sasspense

  Reluctant Hero (#1)

  The Heat is On (#2) – Coming Soon!

  THE TREX ADVENTURES — Military Romantic Suspense

  First Response (#1 TREX Brief – FREE Read)

  Rescue Me (#2)

  At Any Cost (#3)

  No Way Out (#4 TREX Brief – Special Edition)

  Seek and Destroy (#5)

  Under the Covers (#6)

  Out of Time (#7)

  It Takes Two (#8)

  Merry TREXmas (#9 – Special Edition – FREE Read)

  Girls on Film (#10)

  THE MURPH & GRACE SERIES — Psychological Romantic Thriller

  I Will Find You (#1)

  They All Scream (#2) – Coming Soon!

  THE BRACE SERIES — Police Procedural Romantic Suspense

  Brace for Impact (#1)

  Brace for Contact (#2) – Unabridged Version Coming Soon!

  THE CAMPUS PLAYERS — New Adult Romance

  Grooming the Player (#1)

  Hiring the Player (#2)

  KINDLE WORLDS

  A Love Once Lost (Barbara Freethy’s The Callaways)

  Taking Chances, Part 1 (HM Ward’s The Arrangement)

  Truth or Dare (Carly Phillips’ Dare to Love)

  Turn the Page (Tiffany A. Snow’s Kathleen Turner)

  Taking Chances, Part 2 (HM Ward’s The Arrangement) – Coming Soon!

  THE ROADHOUSE SERIES – Cowboy Romantic Suspense Serial

  Riding Lessons – Masters’ Roadhouse, Part 1 (#1) – Out Now!

  Riding Double – Masters’ Roadhouse, Part 2 (#2) – Out Now!

  Riding Cowboys – Henry’s Roadhouse, Part 1 (#3)

  Riding the Fence – Henry’s Roadhouse, Part 2 (#4)

  Riding Bareback – Emerson’s Roadhouse, Part 1 (#5)

  The Last Rid
e – Emerson’s Roadhouse, Part 2 (#6)