“Don’t do it again,” I commanded, uncaring I sounded like an asshole. It wasn’t safe.
“What? He’s a good teacher.”
“Did he let you drive?”
“Yes.”
“Then he’s a suck-ass teacher.”
“He spent an hour going over safety drills and another hour on technique before he let me drive. And he made me stay under one-hundred-and fifty,” she taunted me.
“Goddamnit, I’m serious.”
“I know you are. But a bit of advice. Next time don’t threaten a spanking by way of punishment. It only makes me want to do it more.”
“You’ll be the death of me.”
“But you love me.”
“Damn right, I do.”
I lowered my lips to hers and opened immediately. Gone was the unsure woman I had met; my Ivy was confident in all things. Sure and strong.
“Knock, knock,” Jasmin both called out and banged on the office door.
“What?” I barked, breaking the kiss.
“Am I interrupting?”
“Yes. But it’s never stopped you before.”
Ivy’s little hand slapped my chest and I rolled my eyes. “I mean, what can I do for you?” Sarcasm laced my words.
“Just thought I’d tell you the President is here to see you.” Jasmin laughed.
I turned my chair to face the doorway and found Tom Anderson standing next to Jasmin, a broad smile on his face.
“Oh, shit,” Ivy whispered and tried to jump from my lap. She’d already met him briefly at the hospital the night Linc and Jasmin had the boys, but obviously she was still freaked out.
“Please don’t move on my account. I’m going to visit with my niece and the twins. I’ll give you a moment to wrap up.” Tom winked and left my office.
“Did that just happen?”
“It did.”
“Kill me now. Do you think he knows we were making out?”
“Absolutely. Why do you think he left?”
“He’s the President.”
“He’s also a man. He knows there is no way if I have my woman on my lap I’m not gonna kiss the hell out of her.”
“I have to go.”
“Go where?” I chuckled. Her face was getting redder by the second.
“Gah. The nearest closet so I can die alone in peace.” I busted out laughing. “Zane, it’s not funny.”
“Baby, it totally is.”
“Whatever,” she huffed, triggering another bout of laughter.
“Love you, Zane.”
“Love you, Ivy.”
“Listen, I hate to do this now but Sarah’s body was recovered today.”
I watched for any signs of distress and was happy when I didn’t see any.
“How? Where?”
“In a hotel room. Overdose.”
Her brows pulled together and she looked lost in thought.
“You okay?”
Ivy
Was I okay? I sat back in Zane’s arms and took stock in my life. I was happier than I’d ever been surrounded by good people. Yes, I was doing more than okay.
“Maybe I should feel bad or something. But honestly, I feel…nothing.”
“You should feel anyway you want,” he reassured me.
“Thank you.”
“For.”
“Everything. You. Us. Fixing me.”
“Baby, you’re doing all the hard work. I just get the pleasure of watching you shine.”
Colin
Zane paced his office while President Anderson sifted through the SITREPS I had prepared. Zane already knew what they said and we were both ready for the President to go ballistic at any moment.
“What the fuck?” the President cursed. “Did you know about this?”
“Yes,” Zane answered. “It was my call not to bring you in until we had all the facts.”
The First Daughter, Erin Anderson, had picked herself up a stalker.
“He was in the residence?” he asked for clarification.
“Yes,” I answered, wondering if my employment contract offered dental coverage. Over the last few months it was a miracle I hadn’t given myself lockjaw. Every time I thought about Erin, I ground my teeth together in an effort not to tell her she was driving me crazy.
“I take it I wasn’t told immediately because you wanted to rule out Gerard?”
He was referencing his personal security detail.
“That’s correct, sir.”
“And?”
“Squeaky clean.”
“I’ve heard some things—rumors,” Tom sighed and sat on the sofa, his forearms resting on his thighs as he hung his head. “I don’t know where I went wrong. I’ve loved that little girl with everything I have since the day she was born.”
Erin wasn’t so little, but I suppose like any father, the President couldn’t or didn’t want to see his daughter as a grown woman. A sexy, beautiful, drive-a-man-crazy woman.
“This isn’t your fault. May I be frank?” I asked.
“Please.”
I glanced at Zane, a single look telling me to tread lightly. But that was the problem. Everyone pussy-footed around her.
“Erin is the most frustrating female I’ve ever met. Over the last seven years you’ve been President she’s gotten used to everyone kissing her ass. She wants what she wants, and she’ll throw a hissy fit of epic proportions if you tell her no. And most of the time she doesn’t know what she wants; she just doesn’t want to hear no.”
“With all due respect, sir, yes.”
The President’s head went back, and he roared with laughter. “You’ve got to have brass balls telling the President his daughter is spoiled. But I have to say, it’s refreshing, and I appreciate your honesty. So what does she want now that’s got her in such a tizzy?”
“Me.”
“You?”
Zane’s face had turned to granite. I don’t know what he was expecting me to do, but coming straight out and telling the POTUS his daughter had unleashed a full-court-press to get in my pants probably wasn’t it. Not that I’d tell either man the lengths Erin had gone to.
“I’m prepared to step aside and get another member of the team up to speed.”
“Absolutely not. If you’re willing, I want you to stay on as her detail. Until we know who’s been in her apartment, I want you by her side at all times.”
I hadn’t expected Tom to want me to continue to be Erin’s security detail. I had banked on the fact that the mere mention of Erin’s attraction to me would have the President pulling the plug on my involvement.
“I bought a house in Texas from a friend; I close on it at the end of the week. I think it’ll be the perfect place for us to lie low for a while. We can set her up out there and have a guard sit on her while I run my investigation from here.”
“You bought Fletch’s house? Zane asked.
“Sure did. One hell of a piece of land. After the rebuild he set the security back up; Erin will be safe there. He makes you look like a baby prepper; Fletch is a little over the top to say the least. Besides, with his team in the area, if a situation were to arise, we’d have back up.”
“You sure you wanna buy that house? I have it on good authority an exorcism needs to be sanctioned before any new owner takes possession.”
“Whatever, the realtor started some rumor because she didn’t want the house to sell for the asking price. She was trying to get her buyer a better price. I swear, one little explosion and people wanna talk about hauntings.”
“It wasn’t little, brother. It took a direct hit from an RPG.” Zane laughed. “Not only was Fletch and his team inside the house, the niece of those bad-ass PIs out of Dallas, who shall remain nameless, was in the house, too. I heard shit hit the fan.”
“Holy shit, you can’t even say their names.” I chuckled.
“They’re like voodoo. I swear you utter the name and one of them shows up on yo
ur door. Everyone in the business knows you don’t fuck with them.”
“I want you to stay on Erin,” the President cut in.
“Copy that.”
Well, fuck, it looked like me and Erin were taking a trip to Texas. As much as I’d love nothing more than to christen every room in my new house and get lost in her sweet body, she was off limits. My problem was the longer I was around her, the more the lines blurred and the harder it was to remember I needed to keep my hands off the spitfire. The more I got to know her, the more I understood why she behaved the way she did. The truth was it wasn’t as easy as her being spoiled. She was lost in a world of users, people who wanted to be close to her because of who her father is. The Erin I knew, the one that sat on the couch with her hair piled on top of her head, in comfy clothes watching TV, was a far cry from the stone-faced-spoiled-bitch she showed the world. The real Erin was far more dangerous than the woman she was at high-class state dinners.
Erin Anderson wanted people to like her for her, not as the President’s daughter. I understood that all too well.
“Looks like you’re headed to Texas.”
“Seems so. I’ll call Fletch and let him know we’ll be in town.”
About the Author
Riley Edwards is a bestselling multi-genre author, wife, and military mom. Riley was born and raised in Los Angeles but now resides on the east coast with her fantastic husband and children.
Riley writes heart-stopping romance with sexy alpha heroes and even stronger heroines. Riley's favorite genres to write are romantic suspense and military romance.
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Other Books by Riley Edwards
Available on Amazon
The Red Team
Nightstalker
Protecting Olivia
Redeeming Violet
Recovering Ivy (TBA)
The 707 Freedom Series
Free
Freeing Jasper
Finally Free
Freedom
The Next Generation
All the Pretty Girls
The Gift
The Masters Collection
The Awakening
The Collective
Unbroken 1 & 2 – Season One
Trust – Season Two (Fall of 2018)
More Books in the Special Forces: Operation Alpha World!
See all the books at www.AcesPress.com
Denise Agnew: Dangerous to Hold
Shauna Allen: Awakening Aubrey
Shauna Allen: Defending Danielle
Shauna Allen: Rescuing Rebekah
Shauna Allen: Saving Scarlett
Shauna Allen: Saving Grace
Brynne Asher: Blackburn
Jennifer Becker: Hiding Catherine
Julia Bright: Saving Lorelei
Victoria Bright: Surviving Savage
Victoria Bright: Going Ghost
Victoria Bright: Jostling Joker
Kendra Mei Chailyn: Beast
Kendra Mei Chailyn: Barbie
Kendra Mei Chailyn : Pitbull
Melissa Kay Clarke: Rescuing Annabeth
Melissa Kay Clarke: Safeguarding Miley
Samantha A. Cole: Handling Haven
Samantha A. Cole: Cheating the Devil
Sue Coletta: Hacked
KaLyn Cooper: Rescuing Melina
Liz Crowe: Marking Mariah
Jordan Dane: Redemption for Avery
Jordan Dane: Fiona’s Salvation
Riley Edwards: Protecting Olivia
Riley Edwards: Redeeming Violet
Nicole Flockton: Protecting Maria
Nicole Flockton: Guarding Erin
Nicole Flockton: Guarding Suzie
Nicole Flockton: Guarding Brielle
Casey Hagen: Shielding Nebraska
Casey Hagen: Shielding Harlow
Casey Hagen: Shielding Josie
Desiree Holt: Protecting Maddie
Kathy Ivan: Saving Sarah
Kathy Ivan: Saving Savannah
Kathy Ivan: Saving Stephanie
Jesse Jacobson: Protecting Honor
Jesse Jacobson: Fighting for Honor
Jesse Jacobson: Defending Honor
Jesse Jacobson: Summer Breeze
Silver James: Rescue Moon
Silver James: SEAL Moon
Silver James: Assassin’s Moon
Becca Jameson: Saving Sofia
Kate Kinsley: Protecting Ava
Heather Long: Securing Arizona
Heather Long: Guarding Gertrude
Heather Long: Protecting Pilar
Heather Long: Covering Coco
Gennita Low: No Protection
Kirsten Lynn: Joining Forces for Jesse
Margaret Madigan: Bang for the Buck
Margaret Madigan: Buck the System
Margaret Madigan: Jungle Buck
Margaret Madigan: December Chill
Rachel McNeely: The SEAL’s Surprise Baby
Rachel McNeely: The SEAL’s Surprise Bride
KD Michaels: Saving Laura
KD Michaels: Protecting Shane
Wren Michaels: The Fox & The Hound
Wren Michaels: The Fox & The Hound 2
Wren Michaels: Shadow of Doubt
Wren Michaels: Shift of Fate
Wren Michaels: Steeling His Heart
Kat Mizera: Protecting Bobbi
Mary B Moore: Force Protection
LeTeisha Newton: Protecting Butterfly
LeTeisha Newton: Protecting Goddess
LeTeisha Newton: Protecting Vixen
LeTeisha Newton: Protecting Heartbeat
MJ Nightingale: Protecting Beauty
MJ Nightingale: Betting on Benny
MJ Nightingale: Protecting Secrets
Sarah O’Rourke: Saving Liberty
Debra Parmley: Protecting Pippa
Lainey Reese: Protecting New York
Jenika Snow: Protecting Lily
Jen Talty: Burning Desire
Jen Talty: Burning Kiss
Jen Talty: Burning Skies
Jen Talty: Burning Lies
Megan Vernon: Protecting Us
Megan Vernon: Protecting Earth
As you know, this book included at least one character from Susan Stoker’s books. To check out more, see below.
Delta Force Heroes Series
Rescuing Rayne (FREE!)
Rescuing Aimee (novella)
Rescuing Emily
Rescuing Harley
Marrying Emily
Rescuing Kassie
Rescuing Bryn
Rescuing Casey
Rescuing Sadie
Rescuing Wendy
Rescuing Mary (Oct 2018)
Rescuing Macie (April 2019)
Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Series
Justice for Mackenzie (FREE!)
Justice for Mickie
Justice for Corrie
Justice for Laine (novella)
Shelter for Elizabeth
Justice for Boone
Shelter for Adeline
Shelter for Sophie
Justice for Erin
Justice for Milena
Shelter for Blythe
Justice for Hope (Sept 2018)
Shelter for Quinn (Feb 2019)
Shelter for Koren (June 2019)
Shelter for Penelope (Oct 2019)
SEAL of Protection Series
Protecting Caroline (FREE!)
Protecting Alabama
Protecting Fiona
Marrying Caroline (novella)
Protecting Summer
Protecting Cheyenne
Protecting Jessyka
Protecting Julie (novella)
Protecting Melody
Protecting the Future
Protecting Kiera (novella)
Protecting Dakota
SEAL of Protection: Legacy Series
Securing Caite (Jan 2019)
Securing Sidney (May 2019)
Securing Piper (Sept 2019)
Securing Zoey (TBA)
Securing Avery (TBA)
Securing Kalee (TBA)
New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling 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.
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.
www.stokeraces.com
www.AcesPress.com
susan@stokeraces.com