The Book of Luke, page 1
The Book of Luke
Earthquake
Iris Bolling
Contents
The Gems & Gents Series
Introduction
Part I
Prologue
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
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Part II
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Epilogue
Review
About the Author
Also by Iris Bolling
The Book of Luke: Earthquake © 2022
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-7344753-6-4
LCCN: 2022902623
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, locales is entirely coincidental.
Published by:
Siri Austin Entertainment LLC
Richmond, Virginia 23222
Website: www.siriaustin.com
The Gems & Gents Series
Book 1: Teach Me
Book 2: The Book of Joshua I: Trust
Book 3: The Book of Joshua II: Believe
Book 4: A Lassiter’s Christmas
Book 5: Ruby…Red Slippers & All
Book 6: The Book of Adam: Hypnotic
Book 7: The Book of Timothy: Symmetry
Book 8: Phire: I’m Just Saying
Book 9: The Book of Matthew: Adonis
Book 10: Jade
Book 11: The Book of Luke: Earthquake
* * *
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Introduction
Dear Readers,
A few years ago you were introduced to the Lassiter family in Look Into My Heart, the third book in The Heart Series. Samuel and Joshua caused such a stir with the readers demanding to know more about them. Since that time you have experienced, Diamond, Joshua, Pearl, Adam, Ruby, Timothy, Opal, Phire, Matt, and Jade find their love of a lifetime. Now, it is time for the last Lassiter in the Gems & Gents series to have his chance at happy ever after.
Luke has been the mystery of the family. We know he played in the NFL, however, there was always something else happening with him. Well, now you will uncover what he has been up to in all of his siblings’ basements. To guide you through the journey it is important to know Luke’s story begins in The Book of Matthew: Adonis. It travels through A Piece of Her Heart, the 8th book in The Heart Series, then continues in Jade’s book.
Sasha was introduced to you in A Piece of Her Heart. You experience the moment she meets her sister Monique. The two became close in a short period of time, but that did not diminish the protective bond between the sisters. It is Monique who brought Luke and Sasha together in a year-long mission to protect the Lassiters.
I hope you have enjoyed the offspring of Joe and Sally. They were remarkable parents gifting us with an abundance of love, laughter, a few fights, and most of all…family. While the Gems and Gents are coming to an end, it is by no means the last you will see of Joe, Sally, Samuel, Joshua, Ruby, Pearl, Diamond, Matthew, Luke, Opal, Timothy, Jade, Adam, or Phire. They will continue to protect our country and deliver loads of laughter and excitement for years to come.
Until the next time,
Iris
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Part I
The Past
Prologue
“Force field three at the upper level has been breached.”
“Dispatch the main security team. I’ll meet them there.”
The man was dressed in black slacks, turtleneck sweater, and specialty boots that were made just for him. Checking his weapons that he kept on a belt around his waist, he raced up the flight of stairs leading to the service level of the facility that was in the final stages of completion. There was no way he would allow intruders to infiltrate them now.
“They are armed,” Leo, his commanding officer said as he opened a black box.
“How many?” he asked as he retrieved a black mask from the case Leo held open. He then covered his face to hide his identity.
“At least twenty.”
He nodded. “Alert Slay and Tank of the interruption. Advise them I will be delayed.”
“Do you want them to join us?”
He paused for a moment then nodded. “It may be good practice for them.”
Leo activated his earbud. “Action on upper level.”
When they reached the silo, Slay and Tank were waiting for them.
“How many?” Slay asked.
“Twenty,” Leo replied.
Tank laughed as they stepped into the silo. “Twenty? The Boss can handle them.”
“True, but I thought it would be fun on our last night here.” He replied.
The silo moved upwards towards the service level, as the occupants checked their weapons. The ceiling opened, as they reached the surface.
The trespassers’ backs were to them. They had moved beyond where the team appeared from out of nowhere.
“Let’s roll.”
He pulled the nunchaku from his waist, swung it out, knocking out the legs of one of the trespassers who had guns. The man dressed in army fatigues, grunted then fell to the ground knocking the man next to him down. He ran to the two men as his team covered him. He picked up the weapon and swung, knocking the teeth out of one man’s mouth, then he wrapped the chain portion of his weapon around the other man’s neck and yanked once, breaking it. Scanning the area, he saw Leo had taken out two men with his blowgun, Slay had sliced three down with her Ninjato sword, and Tank had taken out three with one bow. In the distance he heard the firing pin of a gun. Distance and time, distance and time flowed through his mind. At the precise right moment, he leaned back on his haunches and felt the wind from the bullet as it traveled past his head. Pulling out a star from his waist, he flung it in one smooth motion, hitting the target center mass. He took off running towards the target before the man’s body hit the ground. He hit the ground and rolled to the left flinging his nunchaku at the three men raising their weapons at his team. The nunchaku hit one man’s ankle, then wrapped around another. Once they were on the ground, he ran over, and threw an elbow across the throat of one, while kicking the face of another. The knife from the hidden compartment in the tip of his boot landed in the man’s forehead. He picked up the gun the man dropped, used the butt, swung it and took out two more men.
When he looked up, the trespassers were either dead or close to that inevitability. “Everybody good?” He looked at each of them as he pulled his weapons from the men he’d taken down. Never leave any forensic evidence behind, especially when you are in another country. Since the intruders were walking in the wrong direction, it was clear they did not know the entrance point of the underground facility. This was going to be an entrance and exit point for covert agents of the United States to move around undetected. There could be no question on if the location had been compromised. He made a note to move the entrance location.
“Hell no. I broke a nail,” Tank hissed.
Leo glared at her.
“What? It took me over a month to grow these.”
“Just think, she didn’t know what a manicure was a month ago,” Slay chuckled as they started walking back to the silo.
“Send a cleanup team to the location,” he ordered. “Put an extra layer of security on the perimeter until the project is finished.” They stepped on the top of the silo. He pushed a button on his belt activating the silo to begin its descent. Once the top reached surface level, it slid closed then continued its descent.
Once it reached the underground facility, the doors swung open, Luke Lassiter removed the black mask. He handed all of his weapons to Slay. “Sterilize the weapons. I’m going to grab a shower. I’ll meet you guys at the control center in 30 minutes.”
The team went down one corridor while Luke went down another. Entering the living quarters of the facility, Luke stripped out of the clothes he was wearing then placed them in the incinerator. Whenever he had contact with an adversary, he destroyed everything. Forensics was precise
After completing his shower, Luke met his team in the control center. Leo, Slay and Tank were his team leaders. Whenever he was away from the job, which was every August through January, they ensured the task continued on schedule. He would not trade any of them. They were trained to his specifications and loyal to a fault.
“At the end of the week I will be leaving for the States,” he began talking as soon as he walked into the room. “The final run through will commence at midnight. Slay, every entrance and exit point needs to be checked for access and security. Leo, the final report on the air filtration system, lighting and temperature checks should be sent within the next 48 hours. Tank, personnel close out is on you. All crew members need to be prepped and ready to depart for the next destination in the next 72 hours. As they complete their final assignments, start processing bonus distribution.”
“You are doubling their salaries for the job?” Tank asked.
Luke nodded. “They finished a month ahead of time. Their pay is doubled. They have three months before they have to report back for the next assignment.”
“You still need me for London?” Slay asked.
“For a week, then it’s back to the States,” Luke replied. “I’m looking forward to spending some time with the family.”
“Family?” Tank gasped. “You’re married?”
“No, I’m not married,” Luke laughed. “I haven’t spent real time with my parents or siblings in a while.”
“Oh.”
Luke glanced at Leo, then at Slay. He walked over to Tank then kissed her cheek. “You know we can’t happen, right?”
“Don’t flatter yourself Lassiter. I mean you got the meat and all, but you are not the only man on the planet.”
“Damn, I thought I was.” Luke laughed.
“Well, you’re not,” she smirked then walked out of the room leaving Luke staring at her back.
“I think the lady doth protest a little too much,” Leo smirked.
Slay walked over to him. “You have to stop being so deadly. That shit turns her on.”
“I’m not going to send my people out to do something I wouldn’t do myself.” Luke exhaled. “What should I do? She is too good to lose.”
“Tank isn’t going anywhere. She is a professional. Her crush on you is not going to interfere with her work.”
“Take her to the States with you,” Leo suggested.
Luke and Slay turned to frown at him.
“Don’t you think that would be counterproductive?”
“Luke, she has only seen this part of your life. She thinks you are a mysteriously deadly man. You need to let her see the other side of you.” Leo shrugged. “She’ll see you are just a regular, average Joe.”
“I’m not.”
“Yeah, you really are,” Slay nodded.
Luke glared at her. “My father is an average Joe and I believe him to be close to god-like. I’m wired a little differently.”
“At heart, you are just like your father. If you take her to the States with you, she will see that. The last thing Tank wants in her life is a godly man.” Slay laughed and walked out of the room.
Luke looked at Leo and shook his head. “Those are two of the fiercest women I know. Hell, either one of them can take down ten men. I would think they can handle affairs of the heart better than this.”
Leo laughed. “Man, you have a lot to learn about women.”
Chapter 1
There was never a shortage of women when Luke Lassiter was around. Which continent in the world did not matter. If Luke was in the room, women were sure to follow.
“You are a woman magnet.”
NFL wide receiver, Luke Lassiter, standing a good 6’4”, weighing 215 pounds, not an ounce of which was fat, who was known in the sports world as Earthquake, glanced around at the multitude of women surrounding them. He turned to his quarterback Kevon Edwards and smiled. “What can I say? There are so many women and only one of me. I am willing to sacrifice my body for all mankind.”
The three teammates, Luke, Kevon, and running back Randall Sanders were sitting at a club in their hotel lobby in London. They smiled as a woman dressed seductively approached them. She stopped in front of Luke bent over and whispered something in his ear.
Luke smiled, put his drink on the table then stood. He looked at his teammates and winked as the woman took his hand then began seductively pulling him away. “I’m going to take this dance.”
“Luke Lassiter, the Earthquake, knocking them down on the football field and the dance floor,” Kevon laughed.
A different woman walked seductively towards them. She held her hand out to Kevon and smiled.
Randall looked to Kevon, shrugged his shoulders and smirked. “We can’t let Luke have all the fun.”
Kevon smiled. “You are right.” He followed the woman onto the dance floor.
A man walked up behind Randall then leaned over the back of the seat where he was sitting and commented. “Some men have all the luck.”
Randall looked over his shoulder. “Seems that way.”
“Who are you guys anyway?” The man asked. “The women are all over you.”
Randall leaned back looking at the man. “You a football guy?”
“Not really,” the man replied.
Randall nodded in understanding. “Well,” he pointed, “That is Kevon Edwards, the quarterback for Washington.” He pointed again. “The one dancing with the three women is Luke Lassiter, wide receiver for our team.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s the one they call Earthquake, right?” the man stood. “Why do they call him that?”
Randall laughed. “Some say every time his foot hits the ground when he’s running it creates a crater that the defense falls into chasing after him.”
When there was no reply, Randall looked behind him and the man was gone.
An hour later, Luke walked into his hotel room alone. It had been that way since his brother Joshua found the love of his life. Out of all his brothers and sisters, he never thought that Joshua would find love before him, but he did and Luke could not be happier for him. However, it did make him question where his life was headed.
Most people would find that question coming from him hilarious. The great Luke Lassiter wondering about life with all he had going for him. Most people, including some members of his family, did not know the truth about him. The President of the United States, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of Clandestine Services knew the whole truth. The majority of the world only thought of him as the football player they watched every Sunday from the months of September through December or February if the team was successful in a post season bid. The majority of Luke’s time was spent working for the government in a capacity the average person would never consider.
During college Luke’s graduate thesis was on the durability of Underground Transportation Systems. Members of the university were so impressed with the intricacy of his thesis that they shared it with government officials. The government paid him a heap of money for the idea, in addition to having him head up the development of the system in the USA. After several successful projects stateside, Clandestine Services acquired him to develop systems in other countries to assist their operatives. The Covert Underground Transportation System, known as CUTS, was used as entrance and escape routes for operatives who had assignments in other countries. His job was to secure personnel in each country to assist with the construction and maintenance of each location. He and his team of Black Operatives were paid handsomely for their loyalty to the government. Over the last eight years he had established a team of over 300 operatives around the world, who, to his surprise, were more loyal to him, than any government.
