Ford, page 1
Ford
SHADOW OPS TEAM
Makenna Jameison
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2023 by Makenna Jameison
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
Table of Contents
About this Book
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
Epilogue
Books by Makenna Jameison
About the Author
About this Book
HE CAN’T HAVE HER, but he’d die to protect her...
Former Special Forces soldier Ford Anderson knows the sweet, single mom working at Shadow Security wouldn’t look twice at a man like him. She’s all that’s good in the world, a sharp contrast to his lethal career and hardened ways. Her soft laugh and shy eyes draw his attention, but he watches her only from afar.
Clara Robinson suspects something is amiss at Shadow Security. The late nights and secret meetings indicate the men she works for are more than meets the eye. When she has car trouble one night, she doesn’t expect the gruff and reserved Ford to come to her aid. She’s far too aware of his broad shoulders and muscular frame, but she knows he’d never be interested in her.
Her car problems on the secluded road are only the start of her troubles. Enemies of Shadow Security have the petite brunette as their next target, and Ford vows to end any man who harms her. Can he convince Clara to give him a chance along the way?
Ford, a standalone novel, is book two in the Shadow Ops Team series.
Prologue
FORD ANDERSON NODDED to the bartender and then tipped back his malt scotch, letting the amber liquid burn down his throat. A rock song thumped over the speakers, and his gaze swept the crowded bar as he forced himself to remain seated. His teammates were working the room together, tracking their target. He was simply keeping watch. Quiet. Unobtrusive. For a large man, he managed to blend in when he wanted. He’d been sitting so still, the people around him finally quit attempting to engage him in conversation, which was damn fine by him. He didn’t do small talk, and besides, he was here for a job.
Ford lifted his hand to his earpiece. “Did they find her?” Shadow Ops Team leader Jett Hutchinson asked, his deep voice calm despite the urgency of the matter.
Ford shifted his arm, speaking into his mic. “Roger. We’re ready to exit in five.”
Another voice came over his earpiece. “I’m outside with the engine running,” Nick Dowd said coolly. “Black SUV by the entrance to the alley. The convertible you came in is parked down the street. We’ll retrieve it later.”
“Roger that,” Ford said. “Sam just signaled me. They’re ready to roll.” Ford watched his teammates move toward the woman. Although they were both wearing mics, neither wanted to tip off their target. Not that she seemed to notice much aside from their muscles, he thought with a smirk.
“Update me when it’s done,” Jett said. “Over.”
A new song came over the speakers, and Ford felt his pulse pound. His teammate Luke Willard grinned at the brunette they’d marked, his blue eyes sparking with interest. Ford had to admit she was beautiful, although a tad too assertive for his tastes. She was practically pawing at Luke’s chest, her breasts almost spilling out of the low-cut top she wore. The mini skirt she had on left little to the imagination, and plenty of heads had swiveled her way earlier as she’d sashayed through the crowd.
Sam Jackson moved in behind her, and as she accidentally bumped into him as she stepped back, her flirtatious laughter filled the air.
Sam smiled, his arm snaking around her waist. Anastasia didn’t seem to mind the attention of both men, leaning back into Sam’s embrace. She’d be in for the shock of her life when they escorted her outside the Boston bar and into the waiting SUV. Then she’d be whisked out of the country on a small plane, interrogated by Federal agents once she was offshore. Anastasia Petrov, a damn Russian spy, was plotting an attack on Boston and hadn’t seemed to realize she’d been watched for weeks. Under constant surveillance. The Feds didn’t think she’d cooperate if picked up by them, so they planned to scare her a little and question her off U.S. soil.
This op was quite different than their Army days. Shadow Security worked off the books much of the time, taking jobs the government couldn’t. Although they did provide security detail to government officials upon occasion, the Shadow Ops Team ran black ops around the globe. They consisted of the best—former Special Forces soldiers who knew how to get things done.
Ford peeled a fifty out of his wallet, leaving it on the bar. Fucking shame he couldn’t order another round. That was some damn good whiskey. He smirked as he rose, wondering if Jett would go over the receipts for the night. Ford was happy to play the part.
His gaze flicked toward the back door, watching as both Sam and Luke escorted Anastasia out, her body sandwiched between them. Pity such a beautiful woman had so much evil lurking within.
He moved toward the back, following his teammates.
It was go time.
Chapter 1
FORD CLOSED THE DOOR to his large, black truck and crossed the parking lot Monday morning, the winter sun strong on his face. The warmth felt good. He’d never been one for cold weather, preferring sunny skies and sandy beaches. Not that he had either of those in Upstate New York. He’d gone wherever the Army sent him over the years, finally ending up here when he’d left the service, part of the covert Shadow Ops Team. The pay was fantastic, he worked with his former teammates, and he went on missions without the bureaucracy that life in the military had demanded.
Life was fucking good.
Ford rolled his shoulders, moving across the asphalt. No doubt Jett would brief them on Anastasia and what had gone down once the government had taken her into custody. The last he’d seen, she’d been trying to talk Luke and Sam into a threesome before they’d helped her into the waiting SUV. She was already inside the vehicle before she’d shouted and tried to punch Sam in the nuts, realizing what was happening. They wouldn’t hurt her, but damn. She wouldn’t be happy when they handed her straight to the Feds in handcuffs.
Ford shook his head. Another job done.
A petite woman caught his eye as he got closer to the large, headquarters building of Shadow Security, and he swallowed, slowing his step. He needed to steer clear of the pretty receptionist.
If he was honest with himself, he didn’t mind watching her from afar. Clara was gorgeous, with long, dark hair and fair skin. She also had the brightest blue eyes he’d ever seen. Ford had noticed her the moment she’d been brought onboard months ago. Jett had ordered his men to stay away from her, not that Ford had planned on asking her out. He wasn’t about to have a one-night-stand either. His wilder days were behind him, and being alone suited Ford just fine.
Clara was too good for a man like him anyway. Sweet. Innocent. She was also a single mom, and he wouldn’t know what to do with a kid if he had one. Ford had been raised in foster care, without anyone in his corner. He’d managed to get out without too many bumps and bruises because of his size. When he’d aged out of the system, the Army had been the best damn thing that had ever happened to him.
He took another step, watching Clara’s hips sway in her skirt. Whereas Anastasia had been trying too hard the other night, showing off her sexy body to every man in the bar, there was something to be said about leaving certain things to the imagination. Clara’s clothing might be more conservative, but it perfectly hugged her curves. He didn’t want to ogle her, but hell. She was pretty as hell.
She hadn’t heard him walking behind her, which made him frown. They were in a secure area, but still. She was a beautiful woman walking by herself. She was also wearing a wool coat that looked too thin for the elements. Ford had on an insulated, waterproof jacket. A wool hat. Plus, he was big. She was so small it looked like a strong wind might knock her over.
Clara shifted her bags just then, shuddering in the cold. He saw her wince as the box of donuts she’d been carrying fell to the ground. It popped open but landed upright, with none falling out onto the sidewalk.
Ford hustled over, calling out, “I got it!” His deep voice made her jump in surprise, and he slowed his pace as he approached. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
She flushed as she looked up at him, the pink in her cheeks intriguing as hell. It could’ve been from the cold, but he got the sense it was because of him. He was a gruff, no-nonsense type of man, but something about her sweetness appealed to him. She’d always seemed to shy away when he was near. He’d never said much, just hello as he came through the front doors every morning.
Usually, her smile was the brightest part of his day.
A long-forgotten part of him wanted to wrap Clara up in his arms and protect her. Shield her from the world. His baser instincts made him want to take her to bed and see if that pretty flush spread everywhere as he ran his hands over that soft skin, exploring her gorgeous body. Not that anything would hap
“It’s fine. I should’ve been paying more attention. I just dropped my daughter off at daycare and have a million things on my mind.”
He agreed she should be more aware of her surroundings but didn’t comment, instead reaching down to grab the box. “No harm done,” he quipped. “Why don’t I carry them inside,” he suggested, noticing she still was juggling her tote bag, purse, and keys. Her hands were slightly red from the cold, and he had the inexplicable urge to take them in his own to warm them up.
Ford stilled, making sure not to touch her.
“Thank you,” she said, not seeming to notice the stiffness of his posture. She looked rather flustered, almost dropping her keys as she got out her ID badge. “I thought I’d surprise everyone since Anna is officially starting today. Jett told me she had a sweet tooth.”
He resisted the urge to laugh. Anna was a firecracker. Everyone had been shocked as shit when their boss brought a woman home for the weekend a month ago—and she never left. Now Jett and Anna were engaged, and she was the newest employee of Shadow Security. He’d never thought Jett would be the type of man to settle down, but he’d been proven wrong. When he met her, it had been game over.
Wonders never ceased.
“No one around here will complain about donuts. That was nice of you to bring them in.”
Ford held up his badge to the sensor and opened the door, nodding for Clara to go ahead. She moved past him, barely coming up to his shoulder, and he got a whiff of warm caramel as she walked by. It was sweet. Enticing. Had she always smelled like a damn confection? It wasn’t the donuts. He’d shut the box and got a hint of her perfume or lotion as she inadvertently brushed past him. Vanilla, he realized. But nothing too cloying. It was just damn...appealing.
He gripped the box of donuts more tightly than he needed to and followed Clara into the reception area, his eyes on her hips again. Shit. He didn’t need to stare at the woman any more than he already had.
The door snicked shut behind him, and he relaxed a fraction. Although no one could enter Shadow Security property without accessing the front gate, he always took note of his surroundings. Life in the Special Forces had made him constantly alert. Aware.
Right now, all of his senses focused again on the woman in front of him. She set her bags down and took off her coat. The soft sweater she had on hugged her full breasts, and he looked away. Hell would freeze over before he made her uncomfortable by staring. Maybe part of her intrigue was that he knew he could never have her. That didn’t stop the way his blood heated when she was near.
“Just put those anywhere,” she said.
He set the box down on the front desk and shook his head. “Damn. I can’t believe the boss is bringing his woman onboard.”
Clara smiled shyly at him. “Me either, to be honest. I finally met her last week. She’s...something else.”
He chuckled. Ford had spent time with Anna in Seattle. She’d tagged along on a trip with Jett and ended up in the middle of a botched op. She was blonde, beautiful, and feisty as hell. A woman like her would drive him crazy, but Jett didn’t seem to mind the way she kept him on his toes. Anna was a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to say it. Whereas Clara had been kept in the dark as far as the black ops they conducted at Shadow Security, Anna would be brought into the fold. A niggle of worry crossed his mind, but he shoved it aside. There was no need to read Clara in to the dangerous work they conducted.
“Anna will bring a new energy to the place,” he said tactfully.
The laughter that filled the room made him smile. Hell. Clara’s entire face lit up when she laughed like that. Whereas she’d looked stressed moments ago, her countenance was relaxed now, her blue eyes shining. While he had no business standing here continuing to talk to her, he couldn’t make himself leave just yet. Not when the happiness she exuded warmed his entire chest.
“Well, that’s one way to put it. I’m supposed to train her this morning,” Clara admitted. “Jett’s assistant is going to answer the phones while I show Anna the ropes. I’m sure she’ll have a million questions.”
“A million and one knowing her,” he quipped. “She drives me crazy and doesn’t listen to a word I say but is good for Jett. That’s all that matters.”
“How long have you known him?” she asked.
“Jett? Years. All of us go way back from our time together in the service.” He cleared his throat, knowing he shouldn’t reveal too much. Ford pulled off his wool hat, absentmindedly running his hand over his short-cropped hair. He didn’t hate the way Clara’s eyes were on him.
Ford cleared his throat. “Need help with anything before I head in?” he asked, nodding toward the secure doors behind the receptionist’s desk.
“No, just tell the others I brought donuts if they’re in the back already.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he quipped.
“Don’t call me ma’am,” she protested. “That makes me think of my mother.” Her face was flushed again, and he had to force himself to remain where he was, not move any closer to her, because damn. She was cute as hell.
“Noted,” he said, his lips quirking. “Can I snag one of those before I go?”
“Oh, of course,” she said, looking flustered again as she slid the box of donuts toward him. “I should’ve offered you one right away.”
“It’s fine,” he said with a low chuckle. Damn. Ford wasn’t a man that laughed easily, but it felt natural with her. Something about the lightness that emanated from Clara made him feel more settled. Alive. He’d been with Anna in Seattle, protecting her, but their conversations were nothing like this. It didn’t have anything to do with the fact that Anna was Jett’s either. He was drawn to Clara in a way that surprised him.
She was a busy, single mom though and wouldn’t want a hardened man like him. Her gentleness was in sharp contrast to his life. They were the good guys, but that didn’t mean she’d understand his world.
Ford snagged a donut, nodding his thanks. “Don’t forget to save one for yourself,” he advised.
“Good call. They’ll be gone in no time, I’m sure.”
The front door opened as more people began to arrive, and he moved toward the doors heading to the secure area. They had to brief with Jett this morning about the Russian spy, Anna’s start date be damned. He swiped his badge again, heading into the secure area. Duty called, even though they weren’t enlisted men anymore.
Chapter 2
CLARA LOOKED UP FROM her computer, watching Anna laugh with Jett’s assistant for a moment. Lena was putting her phone into her designer purse, getting ready to leave. She was always coming and going, doing various tasks. Jett was a busy man. Clara couldn’t even imagine what it would be like having someone available to run errands for her day in and day out. She was barely holding it together as a single mom, and he had an entire business to run.
Her gaze landed on the framed photo of Eloise that sat on her desk.
It had been worth it to move here six months ago, if only for her daughter. The pay was good. The benefits were great. Everyone seemed nice enough but rather busy. Her mind wandered for a moment as the other women continued talking. The fences surrounding the property of Shadow Security and areas of the building that required badges to access seemed...excessive. Did people needing bodyguards really require that much secrecy? The buff, former military men that worked here certainly were suited for protecting people, but she sensed an undercurrent of danger around them. Although she had access to some areas, she tended to stay out front. Whatever meetings were being held behind closed doors didn’t pertain to her, and she got the sense that she wasn’t supposed to know everything that was going on anyway.
“Oh stop, Lena!” Anna said with a laugh, brushing her blonde hair back. Bracelets jangled on her arm, and the layered necklaces she wore glinted in the sunlight. “You know you’re irreplaceable. Jett probably wouldn’t trust me with half of the things you do.”
