Chapter One
If the twilight zone existed, then Holden Jones just stumbled upon itslat and long—latitude and longitude—in the backyard of the Harland County sheriff.
A Labor Day barbeque was in full swing, with all five of his former D-Force brothers in attendance as well as four of their former SEAL buddies, the sheriff being one of them.
During a swift glance around the yard, he noted nearly a dozen women, two of whom were pregnant, several children, an older man, a three-legged cat, a pit bull, a mastiff, and a small terrier mix with one eye.
Shock ricocheted through Holden with enough force to make him blink. Holy shit.
His buddies were compromised.
A plate with a piece of cake was shoved into his hands, and he absently echoed congratulations to whoever it was who’d just received a nursing license.
Uncaring that he was eating dessert before a meal, his focus remained on the vast changes in his buddies. It was only natural for some of them to soften after leaving a regimented lifestyle behind. He understood that. He got it. Several years of exposure to civilian life no doubt sanded away a few hardened edges. It made sense.
But his buddies weren’t just compromised, they were fully integrated.
Domesticated.
Holden swallowed a snicker with the last of his cake.
A bunch of tamed operators was not at all what he’d expected to find when he followed Mac, his former D-Force leader and new boss, through the gate.
With the celebration finished, the attention turned to his arrival. Shock continued to ripple through Holden as he received a shoulder-knocking handshake from each of his buddies before they introduced their women and families.
It was a little surreal but overall, he decided the domestication of his friends was a good thing. A great thing, given the grins, laughter, and relaxed postures of all the guys who’d once accompanied him through hell and back. These men deserved every bit of the happiness they oozed.
Holden attributed his initial shock to the unexpectedness of it all, and none was more unexpected than the transformation in Sinjin. Of all his buddies, Sinjin was the last person he’d expected to fall victim to the bite of the love bug obviously running rampant through Harland County.
The stoic, lethal assassin he’d contacted to help his sister when she’d attracted the attention of a terrorist in Mexico two months ago was not the same man currently under Holden’s scrutiny.
Adoration softened the former D-Force/dark ops soldier’s features while he gazed at the pretty brunette in his arms, the recipient of the celebration cake. This change was huge, but even though the fact Sinjin had a girlfriend was a bit mind-boggling, it wasn’t the most shocking event of the day. No, that would be when the guy had introduced the older man at the party as his father.
Truthfully, Holden hadn’t needed the introduction. The resemblance was uncanny, but nevertheless, it remained shocking. The last Holden knew, his buddy hadn’t talked to his father since leaving for the military more than a decade ago. And he certainly hadn’t been in contact with his dad or Islawhen Holden had video chatted with him in Mexico. No, the transformation in Sinjin had taken place since Mexico, during the past sixty days.
Damn.
That love bug had one hell of a potent bite.
“Thanks again for…Mexico,” he said, keeping it vague in case Isla wasn’t aware of his friend’s occupation.
Sinjin shook his head. “Not necessary. I was happy to help. I know you were spitting nails at not being able to take care of it yourself.”
He huffed out a breath. “Understatement of the year. It’s why I’m here now, working for Mac. No way will I ever be forced to sit on the sidelines if my family or friends are ever in danger again.”
“Roger that.” His buddy nodded.
“You can always rely on my son,” Mr. Acothley said, patting Sinjin’s back before he walked away.
A smile tugged at his friend’s lips and his chest puffed out.
His own chest warmed a bit. “It’s great to see you two are mending fences.”
Sinjin nodded again.
“That’s not the only change.” Isla smiled, sliding her arm around his friend’s waist before setting her head on his shoulder. “Sinjin is going to work full-time for Mac now too.”
Holden’s dissipating shock resurfaced to lift his brows. “You are?”
