The Marshal (Black Hawke Security #6)

CHAPTER ONE

JAKE

Trina and Marshal’s wedding

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“I’ll say this only once. Stay away from my sister.” Cole grinds out the words as I stare between him and him and Caylee.

My ex.

The beautiful woman I regret letting go.

“I can’t promise that.” I shake my head.

Cole already has a problem with me, but finding out that I am the guy who was dating his sister is going to add another level of complexity. Meaning the chances of him punching me have gone up by about another thirty percent.

Great.

Cole, a former Army Ranger, is one of my new colleagues at Black Hawke Security. He was thrilled to learn we would be working together after I stepped in as a Deputy US Marshal a few weeks ago to clean up a dangerous situation with a North Korean spy.

An operation he was leading.

Until I arrived.

His partner, Scarlett, had been taken by the criminals and gone into labor. When I arrived, he was like a wild boar, ready to kill anyone who got near her.

Which was bad enough.

But I wasn’t letting anyone in or out until we had secured the foreign threat, which posed an existential threat to national security.

Fast forward a few hours, and their daughter was born.

Fast forward a few weeks, and I’m still the enemy. Worse, I’m now the guy who dated his sister, and it didn’t end well.

It doesn’t help that I can’t take my eyes off Caylee, who looks absolutely stunning in her figure-hugging dress. No, edible...and trust me, I know exactly how she tastes.

Like ambrosia.

And have her breasts got bigger?

Goddamn.

“You look...incredible.” I say, and her cheeks heat.

Cole’s huge body moves, and I recognize the threat. My eyes drift to his slowly to let him know I’m not someone who is going to run away.

I’m a little bigger than him in every way; height, weight and width.

Scarlett, whom I recognize, places a hand on his arm, stilling him.

Good dog.

I’m smart enough not to say that out loud.

The truth is, I respect all these guys. I was happy in my role as a Deputy US Marshal, but Josh Hawke and Aidan Black, the co-owners of BHS, coerced me into working for them.

“I heard you worked with NCMEC for a time?” Josh asked when he invited me out for a beer one night.

He was right.

The United States Marshals was one of the agencies who took part in the ten-week national operation to find endangered missing children. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, or NCMEC, had fulfilled me in a way that my normal day job didn’t.

The operation was conducted across sixteen states, including Los Angeles. We found critically missing children and were able to raise awareness of the epidemic of missing children in America.

“I did.” I spun my beer on the countertop. “My cousin went missing when I was a kid. It’s why I joined the Marshal Service.”

“I know.”

Fucker. Of course, he did.

I should’ve known he would look into my past. Much of it is locked down because of my job, but a man like Josh Black—nothing much would stop him, I suspect.

I had a taste of how they worked as an organization when we joined forces, unofficially, to track down the North Korean, Chen, who ended up on the run.

Josh, a Navy SEAL, had already dropped a hint that he wanted me on his team, saying I could get more done in the private space.

I knew he was right.

The difference I could make with BHS resources would be significantly greater. Except, I’m a bit of a rule follower, so doing things outside the law doesn’t come naturally to me, nor is it comfortable.

I’m not going in blindly, I know paramilitary and private security organizations aren’t bound by the same limits as three-lettered agencies.

Technically.

They’re still bound by US laws, but anyone with any level of security knows the real shit gets done in the shadows. Even I know that.

To get the real bad guys, sometimes you have to level the playing field. Our enemies play by a different set of rules, ones that give them more freedom and power. And so must we if we are to protect our people and nation.

Still, I believe the American taxpayers want men like me in the trenches to make sure we do things the right way and fairly. There is a place for all of us, but I’m that good guy.

Most of the time.

“I need more men. Different expertise for new assignments we’re being sent, and you fit the bill.

” Josh shared that night. “You saw how we get things done. We have top-class people from across the military, and some of the best tech people in the business. We work much like when I was in the Teams but faster. Much fucking faster.”

It was highly appealing; I’m not going to lie.

But before I agreed, I needed him to know who I was. The tactics BHS had used while assisting me and the other Marshals stop Chen from escaping US soil couldn’t be documented. But without them, I’m almost certain he would have escaped.

“Can’t say I was thrilled at having to fudge some of the paperwork,” I sipped my beer.

“You’d have been less happy if Chen had boarded a plane and disappeared outside of your jurisdiction.”

He wasn’t wrong.

If that happened, it could’ve caused a global catastrophe and cost millions of lives. Here and abroad. Hence fudging the paperwork while zipping my lips.

“Yeah.” My laugh was dry. I then studied him for a moment, wondering about the man under the nondescript black polo and Ray-Ban sunglasses on top of his head.

I knew he was wealthy and married to the famous rocker, Blaze Cartright’s daughter.

I knew he was a decorated SEAL and respected among his men.

“I guess if we’d been unsuccessful, your old team would’ve stepped in to sort things out if he had. ”

I was referring to SEAL Team Six...or three or four or whichever team he was in.

“Or me,” Josh shrugged.

I raised a brow, surprised. “You do black ops? Privately? For the gov?”

“No,” he smirked.

So that was a yes.

Fast forward a few days, and I’d signed on the dotted line and handed in my resignation.

I was expecting the transition to have some bumps, especially after ruffling Cole’s feathers that day—too bad, I was the one with the badge.

On a positive note, I’d already built relationships with the rest of the team, including Liam and Ryder, while searching for Chen.

Heck, Marshal and Trina had even invited me to their wedding, which is how I’ve come face to face with Caylee once more.

She hasn’t responded to my comment about how incredible she looks, but Cole is glaring at me.

He’ll get over it.

Alpha guys let things go and carry on. If I don’t touch his sister, things should be fine. We have to work together after all.

But...as I study the familiar curve of her hips, the way her tongue sweeps over her lips and how reluctantly the spark of desire glistens in her eyes, I know I won’t be promising shit.

I still want her.

Badly.

Caylee Zimbardo. I should have connected the dots when I met him. The surname isn’t that common, and I can see a strong family resemblance.

I wonder what she’s shared with him and how close they are.

Caylee and I didn’t date for long. I recall her mentioning that her brother was an Army Ranger, but to be honest, we didn’t do a lot of talking.

We weren’t serious—I’m not serious with anyone.

For reasons.

That doesn’t mean I didn’t like her a lot. Boy, I did. But she kicked me out, told me it was over, and I knew there’d be no getting back in her bed.

Not without explanation.

One I can’t give her.

I’ve never stopped thinking about this beautiful woman over the past three or four months since I last saw her. Now that she's standing in front of me, I can’t let this opportunity go.

I wait for her response, but it doesn’t come. Instead, Caylee shoots her brother with an annoyed look, glares at me, then walks away.

Cole groans, and my feet start walking of their own accord as I follow her to the bar.

Was that her plan, or am I just arrogant?

I step right up behind her, feeling the heat of her body and itching to touch her.

Caylee turns, wrapping her arms around her middle defensively. I know I have about thirty seconds before this chance is gone.

“Will you let me explain?”

I can’t, but it’s the words she wants to hear.

Her answer is clear; no.

Well, that’s too bad. I didn’t become a US Marshal by taking no for an answer.