Chapter One
If Harland was anything like the last half dozen places Bennett Vaughn had passed through, it wouldn’t take long for him to realize he didn’t belong here either.
That was fine by him.
The closest thing he’d ever had to roots was back in Wyoming, where his family name had once meant something, before his father had gone to prison and died there, paying the price for a crime he hadn’t committed.
That was the kind of thing a man didn’t just move on from.
So, no, Harland wasn’t about to work some small-town magic on him. He was here for one reason—Mac had offered him a job. It was a good gig, a place where he could do what he was trained for and not think too hard about the past and the fact that the only family he had left went AWOL.
Levi “Mac” McCall was a leader Bennett respected. One who didn’t need to bark orders to convince others to follow him. He carried authority the way some men carried weapons—naturally, with complete control, like it was an extension of who he was.
Dark hair, sharp brown eyes that didn’t miss a damn thing, and a presence that filled a room without trying, Mac wasn’t the loudest, the flashiest, or the most intimidating guy in the building, but he didn’t have to be. He led by example, was calm under pressure, decisive, the type of man who’d never ask you to do something he wouldn’t do himself.
Bennett had served under him before, when Mac had been his Delta C.O., running ops that most people would never hear about. And if there was one thing Bennett knew for certain, itwas that Mac didn’t just tell you he had your back. The guy proved it. In the field, in life, in whatever hellhole in which you found yourself.
That’s why ESI worked. It wasn’t just a job for Mac. He built this place the way he’d built his teams, handpicking the right men, knowing exactly how to balance personalities, strengths, and weaknesses.
He was the kind of leader that didn’t just command respect—he earned it. And once he had it, you’d follow him anywhere.
It was the very reason Bennett had accepted the job. Mac was one of the few people he trusted.
And so far, Harland was exactly what he’d expected…tight-knit, slower-paced, and people actually smiled at strangers instead of ignoring them.
Bennett didn’t trust it.
But he trusted Mac. The guy ran ESI like a well-oiled machine, employing mostly former Delta Force and SEALs. It felt familiar. Loyalty mattered.
And, damn, he needed that in his life.
Pushing thoughts of his past aside, Bennett leaned against the wall in the ESI boardroom, arms crossed as he listened to the usual morning chatter. It was a small crew today, only four left due to the dozen employees already out on jobs.
Two other guys stood, coffee in hand, waiting for Mac to start the briefing.
The room itself was bare-bones and practical. A long table, a whiteboard covered in security assignments, and brick walls that had probably seen their fair share of history over the years.
Mac flipped through a file at the head of the table. “All right, let’s make this quick so we can eat.”
“Damn right,” Cooper muttered. “I’m about two minutes from withering away.”
Matthew smirked. “Tragic.”
Matthew Walker was a former SEAL, which meant he’d been trained to handle just about any situation, but what stood out more was the way he carried himself. Although relaxed, he was always aware. A man who could joke around one second and flip a serious switch the next.
Physically, the guy had a classicsquidbuild—broad shoulders, strong frame, with an athleticism that came from years of relentless training. His brown hair was a little long but perfect for someone who didn’t give a damn, and his green eyes missed nothing. Bennett had seen enough operators to know that Matthew was the type who played things close to the vest—watching, assessing, never tipping his hand too early.
If Bennett had to sum him up? Steady. Reliable. The kind of guy you wanted at your back in a fight. And even if he came across as easygoing, it was just a SEAL’s way of keeping people off guard.
He flicked his gaze to the other former SEAL in the room. Bennett didn’t need long to size up Cooper Thompson. He’d worked a few ops with the guy. Coop was a walking contradiction—laid-back as hell, but sharp when it counted. If there was a line between taking things seriously and not giving a damn, Cooper walked it like it was a balance beam, never missing a step.
With light brown hair that always looked a little wind-ruffled and sharp blue eyes, he had that effortless charm squids were known for. It made people underestimate him if they weren’t paying attention. That was their mistake. Beneath the humor and smart-ass remarks, Bennett recognized a guy who’d seen real shit and learned how to carry it without letting it weigh him down.
If Matthew was the steady, calculating type, Cooper was the guy who’d laugh in the face of danger, then take it apart before it even saw him coming. He had a way of diffusing tension with a joke, and reading a room before anyone else even realized therewas something to read. It made him easy to like. It also made him unpredictable. And Bennett had learned the hard way that unpredictable could either save your ass or get you killed.
So, yeah, Cooper might play the fool, but Bennett had a feeling he was one of the smartest guys at ESI.
“Vaughn, you’re shadowing Matthew this week,” Mac said, gaining everyone’s attention. “He’s already got a handle on our operation.”
