SEAL in a Storm: Silver SEALs Series Book 5, Connected to Guardian Elite Series Read online

  SEAL in a Storm

  Silver SEALs Series Book 5, Connected to Guardian Elite Series

  KaLyn Cooper

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  About this Book

  Letter to Readers

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Also by KaLyn Cooper

  About the Author

  SEAL in a Storm

  E-Book Published by KaLyn Cooper, Black Swan Publishing 2019

  Copyright © 2019, KaLyn Cooper

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  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

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  This book is a work of fiction.

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  Names of characters, places, and events are the construction of the author, except those locations that are well-known and of general knowledge, and all are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental, and great care was taken to design places, locations, or businesses that fit into the regional landscape without actual identification; as such, resemblance to actual places, locations, or businesses is coincidental. Any mention of a branded item, artistic work, or well-known business establishment, is used for authenticity in the work of fiction and was chosen by the author because of personal preference, its high quality, or the authenticity it lends to the work of fiction; the author has received no remuneration, either monetary or in-kind, for use of said product names,

  artistic work, or business establishments, and mention is not intended as advertising, nor does it constitute an endorsement. The author is solely responsible for content.

  * * *

  Cover Artist: Becky McGraw

  Editors: Trenda London and Rebecca Hodgkins

  Formatting by: Drue Hoffman, Buoni Amici Press.

  I dedicate this book to my father who passed away while I was writing it. As children, we were enthralled by his stories that interwove a limited amount of tangible truth with outlandish lies. Thank you, Daddy, for giving me this late-in-life career. You will be missed!

  Acknowledgments

  I would like to thank my Suspense Sisters for including me in this new wave of Silver SEALs. SEAL in a Storm was fun to write with its mature characters and their seasoned romance.

  A big thank you goes to the Ladies of Black Swan Book Club. This Facebook group helps me in so many ways with every book.

  My unending thanks goes to my editors who worked long hours, practically editing as I wrote, to meet my deadlines after my father passed away. Trenda London, my content editor, helped me think through many scenes, getting the correct point of view. May God bless the heart of my copy editor, Rebecca Hodgkins, who corrected Dragon-isms and my lack of commas.

  Once again, a special thanks goes to my wonderful friend and military romantic suspense author, Caitlin O’Leary. Her twisted plotting made this book more interesting.

  As always, I thank Drue Hoffman, the best publicist I could have, because she puts up with me.

  I can’t thank my husband enough for being there for me, whether he’s holding me at my father’s funeral, or cooking supper because I’m on deadline.

  I couldn’t do this without my tribe. I truly appreciate each and every one of you. Hey

  About this Book

  There is a storm brewing…in his heart…Her name is Rayne.

  As a former SEAL commander, Dex Carson had participated in more than his share of rescues. When called upon to lead a multi-agency team into the Virgin Islands National Park jungle to rescue high value targets, he knew he was headed for trouble. Ten teenage girls—whose parents were members of Congress—and their chaperones, needed saving from kidnappers. He cringed. The thought of entitled children and diva mothers made him clench his teeth. When he saw she was on his team, he was ready to quit. His heart couldn’t take it. But a SEAL never quits.

  At forty-two, Rayne Yoshida felt too old to go tromping through the jungle after the Speaker of the House’s new wife and daughter. The recalcitrant prima donna had had rejected the advice of her husband’s Secret Service protection and followed her sweet-as-sugar stepdaughter to the Caribbean on a student work/adventure trip. But as Agent in Charge of the Speaker’s detail, Rayne had to go. Her mood darkened when she saw their team leader, the bull-headed, bossy, but oh so sexy, Dex Carson. They had history…that had almost gotten her fired.

  With a hurricane bearing down on the tiny island, they only have days to find and rescue the girls and their chaperones…and keep their hands off each other.

  This sizzling military romance features a seasoned hero and heroine, second chances, and edge of your seat suspense. SEAL in a Storm is part of the Suspense Sisters new wave of connected books, Silver SEALs.

  Letter to Readers

  Thank you so much for purchasing SEAL in a Storm!

  I was so excited to be asked to join the Suspense Sisters in their second wave, Silver SEALs. Please be sure to read all twelve full-length novels after reading the Prequel. These stories are all military romantic suspense with seasoned (mature) characters. A complete list is available at the end of this book as well as a sneak peek at Kris Michaels’ SEAL Forever.

  SEAL in a Storm features Dex Carson, first introduced in Securing Willow. Although not numbered or identified as such, SEAL in a Storm is to be considered book number six in the Guardian Elite series which is a spinoff from the Black Swan series.

  Every book I write is a standalone, but for deeper understanding of the characters you might consider reading the following:

  Chapter One

  Dex Carson eased the throttle forward, taking his pride and joy slowly away from the dock. He glanced back at his pickup and boat trailer sitting in the parking lot with a dozen others.

  It will be fine. Deep down he knew it was secure, but after twenty-two years active duty, most of them as a Navy SEAL, he had very little trust and confidence in his fellow man. Or woman, for that matter.

  As soon as he cleared the marina, he shoved the stick forward, giving Reel Peace, his nearly new bass boat, lots of gas. The bow came up on plane and Dex adjusted the trim, so it rode smoothly over Smith Mountain Lake. The wind in his face was clean and crisp, so different from the naval ships he had been on so many times throughout his career. No matter where you went on an aircraft carrier, it smelled like hot asphalt or burning tires. On the destroyers and cruisers, he couldn’t take a deep breath without inhaling diesel fumes. Unless the submarine had recently surfaced, the recycled air smelled of cooking food, sweaty men, and stinky socks.

  Personally, Dex had always preferred riding in the Zodiacs. He might be old-school, but those little boats could flat out run, and had saved his life more than once.

  Nudging the stick forward another inch, he grinned as the powerful outboard motor growled, pushing his nineteen-foot bass boat faster through the sparkling fresh water.

/>   As he zipped down the lake, he watched the muddy purple sky turn lilac before strands of pink pushed away the darkness to allow the golden rays of the sun to announce the day.

  Shifting the map to orient himself, Dex hoped the extended conversation he had with the salty old Navy chief at the bait store would prove promising. Catching a couple three- or four-pound largemouth bass to freeze and take home with him would be wonderful, but fighting a forty-inch striped bass would definitely make on his day. Hell, maybe his month. Who was he kidding? It could be a lifetime event.

  He glanced down at the map before turning into a cove and pulled up on the throttle, idling the boat. He was sure this was the place the retired Senior Chief Petty Officer had indicated.

  Dex flipped on his electronic fishfinder. Holy fuck, there were a lot of fish down there. His anticipation grew. After covering the cove in a grid pattern, he picked a spot and turned off the engine. Dropping the trolling motor over the gunwale, he tamped down his excitement. Everything felt right. The chill of the October morning, the quiet cove on the peaceful lake, the curve of the sun peeking above the mountains to the east, nothing but him and the fish in the water below his beautiful boat. This was how Dex had always envisioned his retirement.

  Within minutes he was casting.

  He sat down in the raised seat in the bow and let out a deep breath.

  This was his little slice of heaven. His reward for serving his country. He could now do exactly what he wanted, when he wanted. There was no one who outranked him, ordering him on one more mission. Or worse, forcing him to order good young men to put their lives at risk. And damn it, they were all good, and too fucking young.

  That was the great thing about working for Guardian Security. He got to pick and choose his assignments. The decision was his, and his alone. The Guardian Elite men who went on those missions were all volunteers and well-seasoned operators. They too had the choice of go or no go.

  Dex had loved coordinating the support for the mission in Venezuela last month. Alex Wolf, the owner of the company, had allowed him flexible hours out of the Miami Center rather than his usual office in DC. Every night, Dex would talk to Remi Steel as they figured out what was needed and by noon the next day, Dex would have it on its way to Caracas.

  Then, he would take the afternoon off and spend a couple hours enjoying the company perks, such as their own personal indoor shooting range, a world-class gym, sparring arena, or chilling in the apartment assigned to him. Sometimes he’d just go to the beach and swim for hours in the warm Gulf Stream.

  Several of the younger men, all former special operators, invited him to join them at the nightclubs. Loud pounding music, scantily clad girls young enough to be his daughters, and watered-down drinks, wasn’t Dex’s idea of a good time. Twenty years ago, he would’ve been right there with them, but at forty-four years old, he wasn’t looking for a quick fuck with some little girl with a daddy complex.

  He wasn’t looking for a woman in any way, shape, or form. He’d been married, twice, and was not about to test the theory that third time was a charm.

  Dex peered at the fishfinder, then cast toward the large fish meandering close to the shore.

  He stared at the water and started to calculate the ages of Jan’s kids. They had to be ten and twelve years old. No. They were older than that.

  He married her right out of college and dragged her to Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. She was not happy to get packed up twelve weeks later and moved to San Diego for SEAL training where he was seldom home. Even though she had a bachelor’s degree in economics, it was impossible to find a job using her education. To make matters worse, there were very few officers in BUD/S and only a couple were married. She was alone much of the time and unhappy all the time. Dex didn’t need that kind of stress at home. He had plenty in SEAL training. They were divorced before he ever pinned on his Trident.

  She moved back home to the small town in Indiana where her parents, brothers and sister, a dozen aunts and uncles, and three sets of grandparents still lived. Before he’d left on his first overseas deployment, she was already married to an accountant and pregnant.

  Some women just aren’t cut out to be military wives.

  He felt a little tug on the line. “Come on, baby. You want that little bug. I know you do.” He purposely kept his voice low.

  The next tug was a little harder.

  He yanked the pole upright to set the hook and started reeling in. The fish tried to swim away but he was no match for Dex. As he pulled it up beside the boat, he grabbed the net and scooped the largemouth bass out of the water. He reached into the side pocket of his cargo shorts for his multi tool and extracted the hook from the fish’s mouth.

  Damn. Nice size. Its fillets would make a great supper. He slid the fish into the live tank. A few more like that and he’d be set for weeks.

  Dex immediately baited his hook again and checked the fishfinder. He cast almost to the same spot then sat back down in the chair.

  His mind wandered to his second wife, a gorgeous brunette he’d met at one of the many team parties on Virginia Beach. A fellow Lieutenant JG’s wife had introduced him to her college roommate, Genevieve. They’d sat on beach chairs and dug their toes into the soft sand, talking for hours about everything from baseball to international politics while drinking beer and cooling-off with dips in the ocean.

  She was an electrical engineer for the local government contractor. She was perfect. Intelligent, self-sufficient, excellent social skills, and she didn’t get upset if he was called away suddenly and out of contact for weeks. After about six months of what Dex considered normal dating, he asked her to move into his apartment. Hell, he was only there half the time anyway. They were married before they’d known each other a full year.

  The tip of his pole moved an eighth of an inch. He slowly pulled back on it a little to tease the fish, enticing it to take a big bite. He felt the moment the fish latched on and he yanked hard to set the hook.

  Damn. He was going to have to be sure to thank the old sailor. The man certainly knew the lake. The fish had his pole bowed over but was still about twenty feet away, when Dex’s phone rang.

  Fuck. He certainly wasn’t going to let this fish go just to answer a telemarketer’s call. As he pulled and cranked the reel, the phone quit ringing.

  Dex had his prey next to the boat when the ringing started again.

  Persistent fuckers. Ignoring his phone, he concentrated on pulling the fish into the boat.

  Hot damn. Another largemouth. This one was even bigger than the last. After removing the hook, he tossed the fish into the live well.

  It was going to be a good day.

  Then his phone rang again.

  Dex reached into the brown paper bag for another bug.

  Maybe the call was from Alex, checking to see that everything was okay at his fiancée’s family’s house. Or maybe he was calling to let Dex know that he might be getting company. The beautiful home could sleep more than a dozen. He’d been told it was often rented out for family reunions and corporate retreats. With over a hundred feet of waterfront, a large boathouse and dock, not to mention the deck that was twice the size of his apartment, Dex had rambled the huge empty house last night before settling down.

  The phone rang incessantly.

  He flicked the bug into the water, watched it struggle for a second before the biggest bass Dex had ever seen rose from the water, mouth open. It grabbed the flailing insect before diving back in. Dex grinned at the sight. That sight was better than a pod of whales breaching.

  With a sigh, he extracted his phone from a side cargo pocket. Squinting at the caller ID, Dex wondered what he wanted.

  “Please tell me you called for a fucking good reason because, honest to God, the big one just got away.”

  “No time for small talk, old friend.” Former Lieutenant Commander Silas Branson sounded serious. “Yours isn’t a secure line so I can’t talk—”

  Why the
hell would Si need a secure line? Dex figured he’d find out in just a moment. “Give me thirty seconds and it can be.” Another advantage of working for Guardian Security. Alex wanted to be able to get in touch with his men on a secure line anytime, anywhere. After pressing a sequence of numbers, a green light came on the screen. “Okay, Crash, we’re now completely secure. What’s up?”

  “You probably know that I now work for the Department of Homeland Security.”

  “I heard something about that,” Dex confirmed. “I also heard you worked your way pretty far up that ladder.”

  “High enough that they’ve allowed me to create a special division, emphasis on the word special.” Crash was obviously fishing for recruits. Maybe he was building something like the CIA’s Special Operations Group. Those were one hundred of the deadliest men in the world.

  No. Dex was too old for that shit. SOG was boots on the ground. At this point in his life, he thoroughly enjoyed sleeping in a soft bed every night, eating delicious hot food prepared by somebody else, while coordinating a mission thousands of miles away. Those are jobs for younger men.

  He was already part of an awesome team of special operators. He had a really good thing going with Alex. He wasn’t interested in joining anything controlled by the government, least of all for Homeland Security. If those guys got their claws into him, they’d have him by the balls, and he’d be right back taking orders, or giving them.