Brotherhood Protectors: Hidden Danger (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read online

  “But, what about you?”

  “You don’t worry about me. I’ve dealt with worse people than this.”

  The sound of an approaching vehicle grew louder. He hoped to hell Hank was not far behind with reinforcements. Grabbing his shotgun from the wall, he loaded it and held it loosely in his arms, the handgun stuck in the waistband of his jeans. “We only have to hold them off for a few,” he told Alix. “Now, get up to the loft. Go on.”

  He watched her scramble up and hitch herself backwards until she was all the way against the wall. He had just turned back when he heard a shot outside and a bullet chinked against the outside wall. Then another one followed it.”

  “Send that bitch on out, whoever you are,” one of the men called. “She’s not worth losing your life over.”

  Charlie ignored them, just waited until whoever it was who did the shooting tried it again. The logs of this cabin were pretty indestructible. He just had to keep them away from the windows.

  Two more shots chinked against the outer walls. Charlie opened the door just enough to stick the barrel of the shotgun out and fired it twice. Then he slammed the door shut, but he knew he’d hit someone because one of the men screamed. He hoped the other one hit their vehicle.

  Come on, Hank.

  “There’s more of us than you,” someone else yelled. “We can wait you out. We do this for a living.”

  So did I, Charlie thought to himself. So did I.

  He was reloading the shotgun when he heard the sound of another motor vehicle lumbering up his road. He recognized the sound of the engine.

  Thank god. And thank you, Hank.

  As soon as he heard the next shots, he opened the door barely an inch, the barrel of the shotgun wedged in the opening. But Hank and the others had the situation under control. There was no one who could take on Brotherhood Protectors and win.

  Five minutes later, there were two dead bodies on the ground and the others were hogtied. The big pickup the gunmen had arrived in had two big bullet holes in the engine, but the Hummer Hank had driven was fine. Parked blocking the truck. And here came two SUVs, carrying the federal agents. Charlie walked out to where everyone was, nodded his thanks at Hank and the others, and shook hands with the feds.

  Alix must have been watching, and when she saw him go outside, she’d come downstairs and followed him out. Now she stood beside him, her hand placed securely in his, watching as the federal agents did the cleanup. The one who seemed in charge had introduced himself as Dan McClellan.

  “We’ll be rounding everyone up tonight,” he told them. “I think we give credit for all this to the snitches.”

  Charlie frowned. “What do you mean? I don’t get it. Hank told me you guys had someone feeding you information, but did you have a loose cannon on your end?”

  McClellan nodded. “We discovered who it was a couple of weeks ago, so we were able to feed her information that we wanted her to pass along, information that was wrong and kept them off guard. We’re one day early with our raid, so we caught them in three places with different shipments. Listen, thanks for the help, guys. Pleasure working with you.”

  They shook hands all around then pushed the pickup to the side and McClellan promised to send someone later in the day to fetch it. They loaded the killers into the SUVs and, seconds later, took off toward the highway.

  Hank slapped Charlie on the shoulder. “Don’t come to work today. Or tomorrow. Alix, we’ll let you know when you can go back to the house to get your things.”

  She shuddered. “I’m not sure I even want them. I’d as soon start again from scratch with belongings that don’t have a history.”

  “Whatever works for you. Just let us know.”

  As soon as they were inside the house, Charlie pulled her into his arms.

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this,” he told her, “But this is your last chance to run. If you want to leave, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

  “Where would I go?” Her lips curved in that little smile he’d grown to love in such a short time. “I think my heart is here.”

  “That fast? Are you sure?”

  “I once read in a book that time telescopes in danger, so maybe we’ve actually been together a month.” She stood on tiptoe and brushed a kiss over his lips. “We have a lot to tell each other, Charlie. I look forward to it.”

  “By the way. Since you were never married to Bonner, what’s your last name?”

  She laughed. “Payne. Alix Payne.”

  “Well, Alix Payne, maybe we could start in the shower. I could explore every inch of your body in case I missed any spots last night.”

  She shivered and pressed herself against him.

  “I can’t wait to get started.”

  USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and contemporary on a variety of heat levels up to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author. She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

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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.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Published by Desiree Holt

  Edited by Wizards in Publishing LLC

  Cover by Croco Designs

  Copyright © 2018 Desiree Holt

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author

  From Desiree

  People ask me all the time if I always wanted to be a writer. I don’t know if “always” is the word but certainly for all the years I can remember. I was a voracious reader, as were my mother and sister, and books held a royal place in our home. The funny thing is I always thought I would write mysteries because that’s what we all read. I didn’t read my first romance until 2004, when I was sitting with the same three chapters of a mystery on my computer that had been there for three months. But then my eyes were opened and they never closed.

  Submitting that first book was scary, but after a lot of rejections you stop being scared and become determined I’m glad I never gave up, because I am having the most fun in my life I have ever had. (Well, maybe not ever! LOL!) So here I am, with all these titles under my belt.

  Writing a book is a solitary experience but it never comes to t
he bookshelves, virtual or other, alone. For me it starts with my treasured friend and beta reader extraordinaire, Margie Hager, who has the best eagle eye in the world. Thank you, Margie my love, for all the hours you put in to help me bring my stories to life. And for your friendship, which is a highlight of my life. And to Janet Rodman who always looks out for me.

  Then there is my family. Do they read my books? Absolutely not! But they are the best public relations team in the world. From my daughter Amy who tells all her clients about me to my son Steve who makes sure he tells everyone he knows when I have a book released to my younger daughter Suzanne who is my good right hand and my granddaughter Kayla who is my wonderful left hand. Guys, I could not do it without you. If you see me at a convention, Suzanne will not be far from my side.

  My cats, of course, keep me company while I write. And you all have seen pictures of Bast at the keyboard with me. She thinks she should get co-author credit!

  Thanks to all the people who let me pester them for information, on all the different topics I tackle, from SEALs to Force Recon Marines to Delta Force soldiers to the local sheriff to the people at Beretta and the folks at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. I’m sure I’ve forgotten someone and, if I have, I am so sorry because the time you continue to give me is very special.

  Last but very far from least are all of you, my wonderful readers, who send me such great emails and posts and are so faithful. A special shoutout to Phuong Phen, Fedora Chen, Shirley Long and Patricia Sager who have been with me since my journey started and in frustrating times give me the inspiration to push ahead.

  I love you so much. You are my extended family and I send you all many hugs.

  There are a lot more stories to come. Please stay tuned.

  Desiree