A Marshal's Embrace Read online

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  PRAISE FOR DORA’S BOOKS

  COPYRIGHT

  DEDICATION

  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

  BONUS PREVIEW OF A MARSHAL’S SECRET

  BONUS PREVIEW OF FULLY INVOLVED

  ABOUT DORA HIERS

  OTHER BOOKS BY DORA HIERS

  Praise for Dora Hiers

  “This story is a great way to get in the Christmas mood - or just to give yourself a shot of heartwarming, sweet romance, in case it's not Christmas time when you read it :-)” ~ An Avid Reader on Christmas on Mistletoe Mountain

  “Every now and then I will read a book that has me clocking extra miles on my treadmill and elliptical, A Marshal’s Secret was one of those books. From the start, I was sucked into this page-turning, suspense filled book. The chemistry between Avery Derose and Marshal Trent Burdine was off the charts!” ~ Jill Weatherholt, author of Second Chance Romance and A Father for Bella

  “I enjoyed this story quite a bit! I am married to a Fire Captain, so much of the story rang true! The stress and the heartbreak on the job, the need to have someone to come home to. The camaraderie between the crew was special as well. I also understood Cammie’s worries and concerns- about her job, about him, and about the importance of helping others become stronger, better people.” ~ Patricia on Fully Involved

  A MARSHAL’S EMBRACE

  Copyright © 2019 by Dora Hiers

  Published by Grace Legacy Publishing

  Cover Art by German Creative

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either imaginary or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, events or locales is coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be copied, scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means without written permission from Dora Hiers or Grace Legacy Publishing, except for including brief quotations in reviews along with proper acknowledgement. Unauthorized duplication and/or distribution is illegal. eBook editions may not be copied, resold or given away. Please purchase only authorized editions and do not participate in the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Contact information: [email protected]

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  Published by Grace Legacy Publishing

  First Edition, 2019

  Published in the United States of America

  Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

  Dedication

  To Jon, Stephen, and Robin

  You’re the best!

  Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

  About A Marshal’s Embrace

  After an injury forces Deputy U.S. Marshal Ryker McLane off duty, he retreats to his hometown to recover and reevaluate his career. But that down time quickly disintegrates after someone threatens his childhood friend “Dane.” But Danae isn’t his best friend’s little sister anymore and protecting—and resisting—the beautiful and generous woman takes more energy than hunting down her attacker.

  Flight Medic Danae Huntley has loved Ryker since the day he joined their motley family at Quiver Full Orphanage. But the marshal only looks at her as a sister, a pesky, troublesome younger sibling. Besides, her outlook on life—embracing it to the fullest, risks and all—drives the man crazy! But when the threats escalate and the wounded marshal refuses to leave her side, dreams of a real family sink roots deep in her heart.

  Will Ryker recognize Danae for the strong independent woman she is? Can he learn to live by grace and accept that God shapes their path? Can they overcome their fears to embrace a forever love?

  “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,

  but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

  2 Tim 1:7

  1

  He was late.

  Yeah, well, Stephen would just have to forgive him for missing the ceremony. He was here, wasn’t he?

  Ryker McLane stepped into the lobby of the posh hotel, laughter from a few hundred guests spilling from the ballroom doors. He gritted his teeth, not sure whether to massage the throb gaining momentum in his head or apply pressure to the general vicinity of where his spleen used to be.

  He pulled out his phone and scrolled through the text messages to find the one Stephen sent yesterday. While Ryker’s hospital bed and painkillers held him incarcerated.

  Danae in trouble. Can you keep an eye on her while I’m on my honeymoon?

  Yeah. He could do it. What was the alternative? Lounging around on a hospital bed contemplating his career options. Or lack of them.

  What kind of trouble was Stephen’s sister in this time? The Great Dane. That’s what they used to call her. Growing up, she’d had long muscular legs. Cute, but in an ugly duckling sort of way. And always in trouble or causing trouble. Maybe things were different now that she was older.

  Ryker shook his head. Nah. The Dane probably hadn’t changed a bit. His gut tightened, from more than the emergency spleen surgery.

  He loosened his tie and stepped into the crowded room, the scent of freshly brewed coffee calling him. His gaze roamed over the visitors, looking for anyone out of place, someone who didn’t belong on the guest list.

  Just what he needed. All of Charlotte was here for Stephen’s wedding. He scraped his fingers against the stubble on his chin, jaw clenching and shoulders tightening. Ryker would need to call in a few more deputy marshals if Stephen expected him to protect Danae in this crowd.

  Tilting the lever on the coffee urn, he allowed himself a brief sigh as the pungent liquid flowed into the cup. He turned around and scanned the crowd, practically inhaling the caffeine, willing the strength to course back into his body as easily as the liquid slid down his throat.

  A familiar hand landed on his back. He glanced sideways at Stephen, his best friend of almost two decades.

  “Glad you could finally make it.” A smile glowed from Stephen’s face.

  Why did his friend’s joy rankle? Just because his wedding never happened didn’t mean he should wish the same for his friend. Stephen deserved a chance at a real family.

  Ryker grunted. “Yeah. You don’t want to know what I had to go through to get here.” No way would he admit that he skipped out of the hospital against the doctor’s orders. “Where’s the Great Dane?”

  Stephen grinned. “It’s been a couple years since you’ve seen her. She probably won’t like you calling her by that name now.”

  “Once a Dane—”

  “Danae is over there.” Stephen pointed toward the exit. “Likely sneaking upstairs to our suite to change out of that dress. You know how she hates formal events.”

  “Yeah. About as much as I do.” With a groan, Ryker yanked on his tie again and followed Stephen’s finger to see a woman edging toward the double doors in a clingy turquoise gown. The kind of gown that made a man’s fingers itch to glide ov
er the silky material.

  The kind of woman who practically forced a man to take a second look.

  The Great Dane?

  He swallowed, almost choked on the coffee clogging his throat worse than a giant hunk of cotton.

  Stephen clapped him on the back. “Close your mouth, buddy. She’s still the same girl, just wearing different duds tonight than what you’re used to seeing her in.”

  Ryker clamped his jaw tight, fighting the urge to deck his best friend for laughing at him. Was this one of his jokes? That lady couldn’t possibly be “The Dane.” Where was the flight med jumpsuit? The basketball shorts? The ponytail? Definitely missing. Granted he hadn’t seen Danae in a couple of years, but Stephen should have prepared him for this, um, transformation.

  “I don’t have time to fill you in on everything. I just can’t stand the thought that someone broke into her house while she was gone. With her coming and going at all hours, it scares the living daylights out of me.” A frown marred Stephen’s almost-marital glow.

  Ryker stared at this unknown version of Danae, only half hearing her brother’s words. Not a muscle worked, unless he counted the ticking in his jaw or the stutter of his heart.

  “She has her car here. You probably should go after her just in case she plans on ditching the party, don’t you think?”

  No.

  Yes.

  “Ryker?”

  He jerked at the amusement in Stephen’s voice and gave himself a stern talking to. Dane was his best friend’s sister. Practically his sister. He’d known her forever, right? He shook his head to clear the cobwebs that had taken up residence in his brain during his short stay in the hospital.

  “I’m on it. Listen, man, I’ll let her fill me in on everything. Don’t worry about her while you’re gone. I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.” How much trouble could a one hundred and thirty-five-pound female get into?

  Stephen squeezed his shoulder. “Thanks, buddy. I know you will. Just one thing, though?”

  “Don’t tell her that you asked me to look out for her?”

  Stephen rolled his eyes. “You got it.”

  “She still get mad at you for being over-protective?”

  “Yeah. But that’s what big brothers are for, right?”

  Stephen’s words slashed Ryker’s heart deeper than the doctor’s scalpel to his side. He didn’t know about the big brother stuff, but he’d been a little brother once. A lifetime ago.

  Ryker gulped, nodded, then followed Dane’s path through the double doors, tossing the empty cup in the trash bin on the way out.

  Dane stepped into a glass elevator. A suit followed her in and mashed the button repeatedly. As if that would make the thing close faster. Still a good distance away, Ryker lengthened his stride.

  He scowled. Was this a guest from the wedding? Someone Dane knew?

  With her back to the open doors, Dane faced the glimmering lights from the tallest buildings in downtown Charlotte. The crazy woman probably got her thrills taking the elevator up to the top floor just to take in the views of the skyline after dark.

  The man said something to Dane. A polite smile curved her lips before she turned back to stare into the darkness.

  Dane. What are you doing? If you don’t know the guy, get off the elevator!

  Something flashed in the man’s hand. A glint of steel?

  Ryker’s pulse kicked into overdrive. He sprinted the remaining distance to the elevator, adrenaline shooting through his body, pain tearing at his side. “Dane, wait!”

  Her head whipped around. Surprise registered on her face in the arched eyebrows and the widened eyes, but her body didn’t follow. Not until the man’s arm reached up and encircled her neck. He jerked her in front to shield him, jutting the knife against her creamy throat as the elevator doors slid closed.

  God, help her!

  Ryker blinked. His prayers hadn’t brought his family back. What made him think they would work for Dane?

  A groan escaped his throat. Regret and some other emotion—fear?—knocked him off balance. Why hadn’t he discharged himself from the hospital sooner? He could have talked to Dane. Formed a plan. Known what he was up against. Sweat beaded along his neck and hairline.

  He spun around. Where were the stairs? He should be able to give the creep a run for his money. Even without his spleen.

  Ryker lunged for the stairwell. Pushed his body up the steps as hard as he dared, not bothering to stop at the second floor. He yanked open the door to the third floor and glanced out at the elevator light. Still going.

  He did the same for the fourth floor. Fifth. Sixth. Seventh. Eighth. Ninth. By the tenth floor, his insides burned, his lungs heaving, straining for air.

  The elevator light flashed to eleven.

  “Wait until I get my hands on you, mister!” Ryker sucked in a huge breath and ducked into the stairwell again.

  Ryker checked the elevator again on the twelfth floor. Did it stop moving? He hesitated, not daring to breathe, waiting for the light to blink its location. Was that it?

  “What? Not going to the top, jerk?” His steps slow and methodical, he approached the elevator, hair dripping with sweat. He reached inside his suit jacket, gripped the cold metal of his gun, and slid it out of the holster.

  He waited.

  Five seconds.

  Nothing happened.

  Ten.

  Fifteen. What was going on?

  Ryker stepped closer to the elevator but stopped when the room started to spin. He stood still and closed his eyes, riding out the excruciating pain that gripped his side. Maybe leaving the hospital before the doctor released him hadn’t been such a great idea.

  He opened his eyes and blew out a long breath, hoping that would slow his breathing and stop the ringing in his ears. Come on, man! Dane needs you.

  He rapped knuckles on the elevator door. “Dane. Can you hear me?”

  “Ryker? Is that you?” Her voice sounded far away, muffled. Gagged?

  “Yeah, sweetheart. Are you okay?”

  “Kind of.”

  “Kind of?”

  “I’m stuck.” He heard a thump, then another. What was she doing?

  “Are you by yourself?”

  “Yes. That creep tied me up. I can’t get the knot loose.”

  That “creep” had better be long gone. “Hang on, honey. I’ll get you out in a minute.”

  Ryker mashed a finger against the elevator button, but the doors didn’t swing open. Pressed again. Hmmm. Jammed?

  He tapped the key holder next to the elevator shaft with the gun a couple times until it shattered. He tugged the key out and twisted it. Taking a deep breath, he straddled his legs and pushed. Blood saturated through his bandage and soaked his shirt, the repulsive scent forcing him to cover his nose with his sleeve.

  The doors opened. Dane huddled against the glass wall closest to the outside, her hands trussed to the handrail with the jerk’s tie. Even so, she flashed him a wide grin, her dimples showing. “What took you so long?”

  Keeping this wildcat safe all week might take more energy than he had.

  Now he just had to extricate her from this stinking elevator. His gaze slid past Dane to the city lights of Charlotte sparkling outside, lighting up the inside of the elevator. With clammy palms, his blood pressure rocketed to the stars. His lungs refused to release any air. Even so, he shuffled toward her, putting one foot in front of the other.

  Her smile faded as her eyes widened with panic. “Ryker, you can do this. Look at me. I need you to untie me and then we can get out of here. Don’t look outside. Just look at me.”

  His breath came in short gasps. He dug deep, focused on Dane’s warm-as-coffee eyes.

  “Ryker, let’s go. What if that creep decides to come back? You can do this.”

  He blinked. He could do this. He had to do this. How else would Dane get out? Besides, he would need a ride back to the hospital.

  He eased forward a few more inches. Closer to Dane. Just a fe
w more feet.

  “Get me outta here and I’ll take you to get your favorite ice cream. Espresso chip. My treat. Better put a little more step into it though, McLane.” She lifted her chin in a dare. Probably what made her such a great Flight Medic.

  “Wait a minute. That’s not my favorite. That’s yours.”

  “Yeah? Well, do you think Butter Pecan would motivate you to get over here? Not hardly.” She scoffed, a smile teasing the corners of her lips. How could she be smiling after what she’d been through?

  He snorted. Because she was a risk-taking tomboy who couldn’t last one evening without digging a deeper hole of trouble. How did Stephen keep up with her? Ryker eased closer, taking baby steps. “I have a bone to pick with you.”

  “Now? Can’t we chew on bones after we get out of here? Maybe you’d rather go out for some ribs?”

  He reached Dane’s side, gritting his teeth against the relentless pain, and tugged the knots loose.

  Dane reached up with both arms, and he pulled her into a hug.

  Pain clawed at his side. He winced. Gasped. Turned his head. The lights outside so bright. The distance from the ground. Blinding lights. Pain.

  He loosened his grip on Dane and succumbed to the darkness and oblivion, some place that didn’t hurt as much, and felt his body fall.

  The last thing he saw was his blood staining Dane’s turquoise dress.

  2

  “Don’t be such a baby, Ryker!” Danae scolded. Her hands gripped the stretcher rail so tightly they hurt. She couldn’t let go, because if she did—

  “Let’s not get started calling names.”

  “Speaking of which, don’t you think it’s time you called me by my real name?”

  “Why change now? You’re almost thirty years old.”

  She glared at him. “Because my name is Danae.” Although she didn’t really mind Dane. Not when Ryker said it. She was just mad at herself. She should have gotten off the elevator when that guy stepped in. Something hadn’t felt right. She hadn’t been able to pinpoint exactly what, though.