Impossibly Possible

by Amelia Shea

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  Published by The Hartwood Publishing Group, LLC,

  Hartwood Publishing, Phoenix, Arizona

  www.hartwoodpublishing.com

  Impossible Possible

  Copyright © 2017 by Amelia Shea

  Digital Release: November 2017

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Impossibly Possible by Amelia Shea

  Good Girl Kenzie Sutton just had her boring life turned completely upside down. When her best friend, Taylor, becomes a woman on the run, Kenzie steps in and helps her go into hiding. She has no clue what she’s gotten herself into, but she’s about to find out. When Taylor’s “foolproof” plan backfires, Kenzie find herself running—straight into the path of the Garrison brothers. She’s no match for the bounty hunters, and she’s left with two choices. Give up her friend’s location or stay with them until they find her. Her fierce loyalty to her best friend lands her under the watchful eye and protection of the tall, charming, and irresistibly sexy Bogs Garrison. Not a bad place to be under different circumstances. Being this close to him will definitely be a test on her self-control.

  Technical genius and resident funny guy, Bogs has a life that most men wish they had. An undeniable flirt and charmer, he’s never lacked for a woman’s company. While he’s watched his brothers find love, he’s always been completely content with his role as last man standing amongst the Garrison brothers. Until he set his sights on the green-eyed beauty currently tangled up in her best friend’s dangerous mess. She’s managed to do the impossible and has him rethinking his bachelor status. The last single guy standing is about to fall hard and fast.

  Undeniable chemistry and a deep connection find Bogs and Kenzie falling fast and deep for one another. The more time he spends with her, the clearer his future becomes with her. But everyone has a past, and when Kenzie’s past collides with Bogs’ present, he may just lose the one thing he didn’t even know he needed. Her.

  Dedication

  For Dan, my very own resident funny guy.

  Chapter One

  We’re screwed.

  It should have been the tagline for the life and friendship of Kenzie Sutton and Taylor Dennis.

  “This is bad,” Kenzie whispered to herself, shaking her head.

  Taylor snorted. “Well, it ain’t good.”

  Kenzie let go of the curtain she had been peeking through for the past ten minutes. She stepped back, bumping into Taylor, standing close behind.

  “I need you to take this seriously, Tay.” This was a familiar statement which had spanned their nearly decade-long friendship. Kenzie knew what the response would be before Taylor could even say it.

  “I am.”

  Typical and predictable.

  Kenzie rolled her eyes. “No, you aren’t. We’ve got two people in a dark SUV staking out my place. It’s like something out of a movie. Do you even know who they are?” Kenzie’s fear spiked to her chest. The truck had been parked in front of her apartment building for over an hour. It hadn’t moved, and the occupants hadn’t gotten out.

  “I have an idea.” Taylor sighed and sat on the arm of the couch. “Should we order a pizza?”

  Kenzie scowled feeling the crease between her brows. “Oh yeah, we should definitely order a pizza. Oh, and let’s have it delivered so we can actually buzz the guys in, then it’s not too hard to get into my building. After all, murdering us will probably make them break a sweat. Wouldn’t want them to exert too much energy.” Her voice rose as her frustration grew. “But, at least they’ll have pizza when they’re done slicing our throats and cutting up our bodies into a million pieces.”

  “A million pieces? Isn’t that a bit much?” Taylor smirked.

  “Taylor!” she shouted, running her hands into her hair.

  Taylor and Kenzie had been friends since high school. A friendship born on the brink of expulsion. Not how long-lasting relationships usually began, but it had been for them. The bad girl and the good girl, breaking rules for the common good. As with most friendships, there was the girl who leaned toward the bad decisions, and the other served as the voice of reason. Kenzie’s voice was not being heard.

  Taylor stood up from the couch and held her hands out in defense. “Okay, okay, calm down. I see the temple hard at work.”

  Kenzie squinted giving her best attempt at a death stare. She never could pull it off though. Her soft green eyes were incapable of glaring, though she tried her best. “I’m freaked out here.”

  All traces of humor faded from Taylor. Most people would consider Kenzie the weaker of the two, even Kenzie herself. She wasn’t necessarily a weak person, but when compared to Taylor, she didn’t stand a chance. Kenzie was a “do the right thing” kind of girl—she followed the rules, abided by the law, and dated the safe, easy men. Well, usually. She had fallen for a bad boy once. She had the restraining order to prove it. However, she learned her lesson. Taylor did not.

  “They’re not gonna kill us, I promise.” Taylor pressed her palms together. “Like I said earlier, they’re probably the guys from the bail bonds. They want their money, but seriously, Kenz, they aren’t gonna hurt us to get it.” She tilted her head. “You know I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

  It was true, Taylor would walk through fire before letting anything bad happen to her. But still, some things were out of her control. Kenzie gnawed on the remaining nail that had any substance. “They might when they find out we don’t have the money.”

  “Not yet.” Taylor chuckled. “Stop eating your finger. It’s gonna be fine.”

  Her nails were practically bitten down to the pads of her fingers. The red blistery cuticle ached, and still, she gnawed on her pinky. Biting her nails had been her bad habit since she was younger. Years later, she outgrew it. Except for moments of intense nervousness. Moments like this. She was screwed; they both were.

  Kenzie pulled her hand from her mouth and turned back to the window. This was all Drew’s fault. She had warned Taylor about him when she first met the now ex-boyfriend. The guy gave off the vibe that would send most women running. Not Taylor. She thrived on the bad boy. Now, look where they were. Trapped inside her apartment, with God knows who stalking them.

  She inched closer to the curtain, making sure she kept her body out of full view. She arched her neck to see past the curtain and pulled back a sliver.

  The black SUV with tinted windows remained parked across the street. A small glimmer of light shined from the windshield. The silhouetted bodies seated in the front seemed massive. Her heart raced, and immediately, she started in on her index finger.

  We’re screwed.

  »»•««

  Bogs Garrison sat in the passenger seat of their SUV staring up at the fourth-floor window. The corner of his lip curled. They had been watching the building, specifically apartment 4C, for the past two hours. As the sun set, the window illuminated with a peach hu
e. Every so often a figure would flash by, but in the last fifteen minutes, a silhouette would show from the side.

  It was a woman. No denying by the outline, though she did her best to conceal being seen. She failed epically. The curtain parted slightly and his lips spread to a smile. Whoever this girl was, she didn’t know shit about subtlety, or stealth mode.

  Bogs chuckled. “Spy girl’s back.” He had dubbed her “spy girl” about forty minutes ago.

  “Must be the friend.”

  Ah, the friend. Twenty-four-year-old, Mackenzie Sutton, born and raised in Texas where she lived with her dad and her brother. Bogs learned a few things about the beautiful Ms. Sutton when Trent called for the intel. She was a graduate of University of Dallas in business. She moved to Houston eight months ago, for a job with a hybrid communications company. She was a Network Analyst working with another woman in a downtown office complex. On paper, she was perfect. No debt. She paid her rent on time, and had no criminal past.

  The most interesting fact Bogs had uncovered was her driver’s license. Nothing out of the ordinary except for her photo. He’d never seen someone take a license picture that looked more like a model’s headshot. She was gorgeous—sea foam eyes, soft features, high cheekbones, and pouty lips surrounded by massive golden wavy locks. On a scale of one to ten, Mackenzie Sutton was a twelve.

  “Earth to asshole.” His brother’s voice snapped him out of his daydream and back to reality, casting the thought of the pretty friend out of his mind. Well, not completely out.

  He looked over at Stone and laughed. The smirk on his brother’s face said it all. “What?”

  Stone raised an eyebrow. “Got a hard-on for spy girl?”

  Bogs had no shame in admitting it. He shrugged. “Spy girl is fucking hot, brother. Even a pussy whipped, married motherfucker such as yourself has gotta see it.”

  Stone glanced up at the window then back to his phone in his lap. A small shoulder twitch was meant to shrug it off. Bogs took the opportunity. “Oh, man, weather girl’s gonna slice your balls off when I tell her.”

  “Fuck you. Tell her what? You’re the one with stiff dick, not me. Trust me, ain’t no woman alive holds a candle to Sadie.” Stone shook his head. “Not even your spy girl.”

  It was true. Since Stone had met Sadie, he was done. He had never seen a man fall so hard and fast for a woman, especially a man like his brother.

  Bogs turned back to the window snickering. It was expected for him to give his brothers shit when it came to their women. Possessive pricks. Not one to miss an opportunity, Bogs took his shot.

  “Yeah, you’re right. Sadie Stone, sister or no sister, girl’s a hot piece of…” He purposely paused. Nothing got a rise out of Stone more than another man talking about his wife.

  “Finish that sentence, and you’ll have a permanent impression of my fist on your fucking face.”

  Bogs burst out laughing. Stone was too easy to mess with. He had an ounce more patience than his brother T. When it came to T’s wife, Bogs made sure he was across the room when he made his comments about Cassie.

  “Too fucking easy, man.” Bogs gazed up at the figure standing slightly off center from the window. I can see you, spy girl.

  “You think she realizes we can see her?”

  “Probably not.”

  Bogs stared up at the window. In order to execute a perfect spy move, the lights from the room would need to be turned off. If he had to guess, he was sure she had no clue she was giving him the perfect view of the curve of her breasts in the profile view.

  The ringing of Stone’s phone had Bogs turning back to his brother.

  “Yeah.” There was a small pause before he answered. “About two hours. They’ve been holed up all night. Don’t think they’re leaving, at least not tonight. We’ll give it another hour before wrapping it up.”

  It was Trent. Lock-Hart was a bond company owned and operated by Trent and Declan, associates of theirs. They bought the business from them last year. They were doing well. Aside from Stone and T, they were the best bounty hunters in the area. It made sense since they had all worked together for years.

  “Gotcha. Later.” Stone ended the call and shifted in his seat.

  “What’s he got?” Bogs asked.

  “She bailed, cleaned out her apartment and bank account. He’s thinking either she’s on the run completely or…” Stone glanced up at the building.

  “Or?”

  Stone turned with a grimace. “Gonna try to come up with the bond money herself and find her ex.”

  Bogs snorted. The she Stone was referring to was Taylor Dennis. She cosigned the bond for her boyfriend who never showed up, leaving her responsible to pay it. All the research he’d done it was clear—she didn’t have the funds to pay it off.

  “She’ll never catch him. Hell, this asshole is giving us a run with no leads. What makes her think she can get him?” Between Lock-Hart and Garrison securities, it should have been an easy capture. It wasn’t. They had underestimated the jumper, Drew Carson. He obviously had friends in high places keeping him undercover. With all their connections, if they couldn’t get him, there was no way she would.

  Stone chuckled. “According to Trent? Bitch is batshit crazy. A little psychotic moron were his exact words. Never known anyone to get a rise outta Trent the way this girl has. It’s fucking hilarious.”

  Bogs smiled. Of all of them, Trent was the most controlled. Even in the most dangerous of situations, he never lost his cool or showed his anger.

  “So, how’d spy girl get wrapped up with her?”

  “Don’t know, they must be pretty tight. I’m guessing she’s got no clue she’s about to have her world turned upside down.” Stone paused. “We’ll give it another hour. Trent’s got her phone tracked, he’ll call if he needs us to come out again.”

  Bogs watched the window and caught a glimpse of her long curled brown locks swinging in front of the window before disappearing.

  Mackenzie Sutton may not know it, but she was involved in a potentially dangerous situation.

  Chapter Two

  Kenzie rushed to the main entrance of her building. Vinny from 5A was just through the door when he looked over his shoulder. She had little hope he would hold the door for her. With a quick scowl, he released the door seconds from her reaching it. Jerk! The man was a prick in the rarest sense of the word. There weren’t many people she didn’t get along with, but he was impossible. All because she wouldn’t sleep with him.

  Hard to believe he was the same guy who helped her move in and even brought her soup when she caught the flu two months earlier. She should have seen it coming. Taylor warned her. As usual, she saw the man as being sweet without seeing his ulterior motive. When she offered to cook for him, it was meant as a thank you for all he’d done. Unfortunately, he’d taken it as an offer into her bed. Taylor’s words rang true.

  “Men don’t just do nice things to be nice. He wants something, in the shape of a V. Unless you’re willing to give it up, I’d steer clear.”

  “He’s forty-five, Taylor. He has no interest in me other than friendship.”

  A sharp laugh from Taylor was her only response.

  She should have listened. Taylor knew men. Kenzie did not. Her kind gesture became a game of dodge and run, then an all-out shouting match with him calling her a tease. Luckily, he left her apartment without her having to call the police. It unnerved her that they lived in the same building, but moving wasn’t an option. She remained civil but from a distance.

  Her foot caught the door, and she pulled back. She was balancing her handbag and keys in one hand and the steaming hot, paper bag from the Mexican place downtown, in the other. She slipped past the heavy glass door and stopped for a breath.

  Between her job and racing around for Taylor, she was exhausted. Taylor had been staying for a week. She loved having her. It had been way too long since they’d gotten to spend any real time together. Her ex, Drew, was not a fan of Kenzie’s, and the feeling w
as mutual. Taylor was a good person with a big heart that she tended to share with the wrong men. Drew was just another in the long line of losers Taylor had fallen for. They all had the same ammo. They were hot, bad boys with a penchant for risk-taking, usually dragging her best friend down with them.

  She adjusted her bag and ambled up the four steps to the landing of the main lobby. The building was old. Built in the sixties, with the original linoleum, and an elevator that rarely worked. It was made up of one bedroom apartments. The tenants included two types. Twenty-something singles just starting out, and old-timers over the age of seventy, waiting to meet their maker. Occasionally, an outcast was thrown into the mix. Vinny. That prick.

  Her heels clicked on the floor as she started up the first flight. She thought she was lucky to get an apartment on one of the upper floors. Little did she know about the elevator issues. She dredged up the staircase, slowing down as she approached the third-floor landing.

  “Well, now, I don’t know. She looks familiar, but you know these young girls today. They all kinda look alike.”

  Mrs. Bower’s voice made her giggle. She lived directly below Kenzie. Sweet old woman who was half deaf. Kenzie usually opted to watch the same shows as the older woman since the sound blasted through the floor. She adjusted her bag and was looking down when she heard her name called out.

  Her gaze slowly rose from the floor, landing on three sets of dark boots standing in front of Mrs. Bower’s door. Her gaze trailed up the legs of the three men, dressed in jeans. One had large tears at the knee. It seemed to take forever to get to their shirts, then finally their faces. They towered over the old woman but were keeping a respectful distance. They were massive and seemed out of place in the cramped hall. Passing them would mean they’d need to move. At the moment, they stood still, staring at her.

  They were relatively the same height. The man with the green eyes had a harsh scar from the corner of his eye making him appear frightful. However, the man directly behind him had her swallow the lump in her throat. His eyebrows descended into a harsh scowl. To say they were intimidating would be an understatement. She eyed them suspiciously and bit her lip.