Jostling Joker (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (A SEALed Brotherhood Novella Book 3) Read online

  Jostling Joker

  Victoria Bright

  Contents

  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

  Note from the Author

  About the Author

  Books by Susan Stoker

  More Special Forces: Operation Alpha World Books

  Blurb

  The joker isn’t feeling like himself.

  After the sudden death of his mother, Ethan “Joker” Carlton needed to get away. Renting a lakeside cabin at Big Bear Lake should’ve been the perfect getaway—until the cabin owner’s gorgeous, estranged daughter breaks in. Joker wanted to grieve his mother in peace, not play bodyguard.

  She couldn’t run forever.

  Parker Lovick needed refuge from a violent ex-boyfriend out to get her. Her family’s summer cabin was the perfect place to regroup and figure out a plan, except she instead came face to face with a handsome, half-dressed man with a gun trained on her when she arrives.

  What should’ve been a quick trip to the grocery store left Parker to fight for her life. With the help of Mozart and Summer, Joker must act fast to protect the woman that attached herself to his heart.

  He’d already lost the most important woman in his life; he refused to lose the other.

  Keywords: military romance, military romance suspense, military romance BWWM, interracial romance, military romance seal, accidental hero, BWWM military romance, military rescue romance

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  © 2018 ACES PRESS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this work may be used, stored, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher except for brief quotations for review purposes as permitted by law.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy.

  To Jennifer Tovar,

  Thank you for saving my hide with your military knowledge and lingo and also beta reading for me. And thanks for cracking the whip for me to get this (and everything else) done on time. This is why you’re my favorite literary wife. Thanks for everything!

  XOXO,

  Chapter 1

  Joker

  We regret to inform you that your mother has passed away...

  The words replayed in Ethan "Joker" Carlton's head on the entire 14-hour flight from Syria back to the States, during the intimate funeral for his mother, and even now as he watched her casket being lowered into the ground. Her funeral had only contained a few family members and close friends that knew and loved her. Many mixed emotions ran through Joker, ranging from devastation to overwhelming guilt for not being there when she needed him most.

  “I’m sorry, Mom,” he murmured, throwing the lilac in his hand on top of her casket. He was too numb to cry, his mind refusing to accept that one of his best friends was gone forever.

  His ringing cellphone brought him out of his musings, a slight frown settling on his lips when he saw a number he recognized as his father's on the screen.

  "Carlton," Joker answered tightly.

  "Ethan, hi," Kenneth replied. "I um, I just wanted to call you to see how you were holding up and everything."

  Joker fought the urge to roll his eyes. He didn’t have the best relationship with his father ever since his parents divorced when he was sixteen. The last time he’d heard from him was almost four years when Kenneth invited him to his third wedding to yet another mistress of his. “I’m fine," Joker replied. There was a brief moment of silence before Kenneth finally cleared his throat.

  “So I, uh…I’m sorry I couldn't make it to the funeral. Some things came up at the last minute,” Kenneth said. Joker scoffed. He wasn't surprised that his dad didn't show up. That was his excuse for almost everything while Joker was growing up. Things always came up anytime it meant Kenneth had to spend time with his family. After disappointing both him and his mother time and time again, Joker didn't expect him to be much different after she'd died.

  "Yeah, I'm sure," Joker stated with a hint of sarcasm in his tone, causing Kenneth to sigh.

  "I really did want to be there. Whether you believe it or not, I still really care about your mother—"

  "Is that why you cheated on her and abandoned us to start a new life with your first mistress?” Joker interrupted, his sadness dissolving into anger.

  "That was a complicated situation, Ethan. You were too young to understand what was happening—"

  Joker pinched the bridge of his nose to gain his composure, blowing out a calming breath. “Look, it doesn't even matter anymore. I'm fine if that's why you're calling. I have to go now. I have things I need to do," he finally said.

  "Ethan, I know you have some things you're still upset about. If you ever want to meet up and talk, I'm more than willing to do that. We're all we have now," Kenneth said.

  Joker tightened his jaw and suppressed a sigh. Even though his dad was right, Joker was at a point in his life where he was no longer interested in patching up the broken relationship with his father. He'd watched his father break his mother's heart by telling her that he was in love with another woman and had been having an affair for almost two years. He'd packed a bag and he never came back, not even to visit him at least. With his dad gone, he was forced to grow up quicker than he should’ve had to, having to become the man of the house and bearing the burden of his helping his mother. A part of him wanted to continue resenting his father for that, but he wouldn’t be the man he was now if none of that would’ve happened. It was part of the reason why he and Ghost bonded so well. They’d both had parental issues, neither of them aware of the severity of the other’s issues until recently.

  "Yeah, I'll think about it," Joker said and hung up the phone before Kenneth could utter another word.

  His mother's sister, Ariel, came up next to him and looked down at the casket. "Those are such lovely flowers," she murmured, examining the flower arrangement resting on top of the casket.

  "They were her favorites," Joker whispered, tears burning his eyes as realization finally set in. His mother was gone. She'd seemed perfectly fine when he'd gone to visit her before he was shipped out to Syria. She did her usual routine of kissing him on the cheek and praying with him for a safe return, a tight hug, and asking what he'd want her to make for his coming home dinner just like she did with every deployment. He didn't know that was the last time they’d spend together. She'd died a couple of weeks later from a sudden heart attack.

  Ariel rubbed his arm gently. "I'm so sorry, Ethan. I know how much your mom meant to you."

  "I feel like I should've been here for her. She died alone," Joker stated, a single tear slipping down his cheek.

  "You can't blame yourself, sweetie. You were doing your job. I know Delilah w
as so proud of you for what you're doing for your country."

  Joker nodded and gazed back at the casket. I can only hope you're proud.

  Aunt Ariel hooked her arm through his and looked up at the sky. “Come along now. It’s starting to rain and you don’t want to mess up your nice dress uniform,” she said with a small smile, pulling him away from the grave. He suddenly noticed the fat raindrops starting to fall, one falling onto his eyelash. Although his mind didn’t want to leave his mother, he allowed his aunt to guide him away from the grave and toward the limo.

  Joker's hand tightened on the steering wheel of his Jeep as he took the winding roads up the San Bernardino Mountains two evenings later. Tall, thick trees lined both sides of the road, birds flying overhead as the sun fought to push through the branches. The fresh smell of the mountains comforted him as he drove. He needed to escape. He’d spent the last two days going through his mother’s things, and needed a break from it all. Being at her house brought back too many painful memories and was a constant reminder that she wasn’t here anymore. After finally breaking down, Aunt Ariel encouraged him to take a few days away to get himself together. He definitely didn’t object to the idea. Being without his friends during a time like this wasn't the best for his mental health. With his SEAL team still on their mission in Syria, he was completely alone in his thoughts. This getaway was probably a good thing. The joker wasn't feeling like his usual joking self.

  The cabin he'd rented for a few days finally came into view. Joker turned down the gravel driveway, marveling at the log cabin before him, the design a mixture of rustic and modern. A large lake sparkled behind the cabin, the sun’s rays glittering in the lazy movement of the water. Joker hopped out of the Jeep and took a deep breath.

  Serenity.

  A small smile touched his lips for the first time this week. Maybe he needed this more than he realized.

  He grabbed his duffle bag, suitcase, and a couple of bags of groceries from the back of the Jeep and walked up the stairs of the cabin. Juggling his bags and the groceries, he retrieved the key from under welcome mat, along with the “Welcome to Big Bear Lake” brochure. Unlocking the door, he entered the cabin and took in his surroundings. Large floor to ceiling windows covered the back wall of the cabin, giving a beautiful view of the lake from the front door.

  “Wow,” he murmured out loud, slowly walking throughout the space. He took in the modern décor, white couches and love seat, a wood-burning fireplace sitting beneath a flat screen television mounted to the wall. Joker tossed his bag down beside the couch and headed into the kitchen. Another smile pulled at his lips when he’d opened the stainless steel refrigerator and saw a six-pack of his favorite beer that he’d requested upon booking the cabin. He put away the eggs, sliced turkey, bacon, cheese, and milk into the fridge and placing a loaf of bread on the counter. Turning his attention back to the beer, he plucked off a sticky note reading, “Complimentary for Ethan Carlton,” and balled it up in his fist before grabbing a beer and taking it onto the patio out back.

  The sun dipped lower over the horizon, a mixture of oranges and pinks rippling over the water. He watched the lazy waves washing up on shore from where he sat, his mind drifting to thoughts of his mother.

  “I hope you’re happier wherever you are, Mom,” he murmured, raising his beer bottle to the sky before taking a few swallows. While it was peaceful here, it was entirely too quiet. Coming out here should’ve been relaxing, but it just gave him more opportunity to think about things he didn't want to think about right now. His grip tightened on the beer bottle as he thought back to his brief conversation with his father. The gall of that man. If he’d really wanted to show genuine support, he would’ve been there, Joker mused to himself, taking another swallow from his beer.

  His phone rang in his pocket, the tone of a FaceTime call breaking through the silence. He answered the call, seeing Natalie’s name on the screen.

  “What’s up?” he said upon answering.

  Savage’s son, Carter, looked into the camera and grinned, showing off all the little teeth he had. “Hi!” he exclaimed, the camera’s focus moving all over the place as Carter jumped around. Joker chuckled.

  “Hey there, little man,” he said.

  “Hi!” Carter said again.

  “Carter, who are you talking to?” Natalie, Savage’s wife, said in the background before she finally appeared behind her son. “You can’t call people, baby.” She took the phone from him, pausing when she noticed whom her son had called.

  “Ethan? Are you okay? I thought you were in Syria with the guys,” she said, her brow creased with concern.

  “My mom passed away, so I was sent back home for a couple of weeks to deal with everything.”

  “Oh goodness, I’m so sorry,” she said, sympathy lacing her voice.

  “Mommy, gimme! Gimme!” Carter whined in the background.

  “It’s all good. It’s a part of life, I guess,” he said with a heavy sigh.

  “If you need anything, you know Carter and I are here for you. Are you in town?”

  “No, I’m at Big Bear Lake right now. Needed some time to myself to get my mind back in the zone.”

  She nodded. “That’s a good idea. Well, I’m sorry we disturbed you! Carter was supposed to be watching cartoons on my phone, and the next thing I know, he’s telling someone hi.”

  Joker smiled and shook his head. “It’s okay. He can call me anytime. I’ll let you guys go though. I need to get settled in anyway.”

  “Okay then. We’re here if you need us,” she said with a soft smile, putting Carter on her lap. “Carter, tell Joker bye bye.”

  Carter waved as he attempted to slide off Natalie’s lap, whining when she wouldn’t let him go.

  Joker smiled. “Later, guys,” he said and ended the call, the smile never leaving his face. He finished the rest of his beer and went back inside, throwing together a quick sandwich and lounging on the couch. The silence was almost driving him mad. It wasn’t as if he wasn’t used to it. He usually had his friends to distract him from the things in his mind, but even if they were here, things wouldn’t be as they normally were. Savage was married with a family and even Ghost was dating. Joker wasn’t as close with Diablo and Bullseye as he was to Savage and Ghost, but seeing everyone moving on and now losing his mother made him realize how lonely he really was.

  He took a shower and retrieved his bags from the living room to get ready for bed. He dropped the bag on the bed and flopped down next to it with a deep sigh. No sooner than he got comfortable, a shadow slinked past the bedroom window. He shot up straight in bed and listened. The wooden boards on the porch creaked as the intruder walked over them. Joker tip toed to his duffle bag and opened it. He’d brought an assortment of guns, mostly to do some target shooting in the woods. He hadn’t expected to have to scare off people or use it if need be. He grabbed his Beretta from the bag, pushed a full clip into it, and cocked a bullet into the chamber. He crept out of the room and down the hall, stopping as soon as he entered the living room. A shadow stood in front of the frosted glass of the front door, a faint scratching sound coming from the doorknob as the intruder picked the lock.

  Joker aimed his weapon at the door, ready for whoever dared to interrupt his vacation.

  Chapter 2

  Parker

  Parker Lovick’s heart pounded in her chest as she ran down the long gravel driveway toward her parents’ cabin, her duffle bag knocking against her legs. It was nearly pitch black, the tall trees blocking most of the moonlight, but she ran straight ahead, following the familiar path she’d been down many times during her childhood. Relief flooded her when the cabin came into view. Her breathing was ragged as she cautiously walked around the cabin, not seeing any lights on or anyone moving inside. Her parents were out of the town and the last thing she wanted to do was bother them with her problems. What would she say to them anyway? “Hey, Mom and Dad. I know you haven’t heard from me in a while, but I need to stay at the cabin for
a bit because my ex boyfriend is trying to kill me?”

  She walked to the back of the cabin, walking past the bedroom windows and stopped in front of the glass sliding door, flipping on the flashlight on her phone and peering in. Everything looked as it did the last time she was here two years ago. She walked back around to the front door and lifted the welcome mat, only to see that the key was no longer here.

  “Shit,” she muttered to herself, running her hand through her hair. She looked out into the darkness. She had two options. She could either break in the cabin or she could keep running. The second option wasn’t much of an option considering she’d ran out of money, which was why she was here in the first place. The worst that could happen was the park ranger catching her and having her arrested. Either way, she was fucked.

  It’s not like I have much to lose, she mused, taking a small pocketknife from her pocket. She slipped the blade between the doorframe and the door and tried to get the latch bolt and deadbolt to go down, her hands shaking with nerves. A small breath of relief escaped her when she finally heard the lock click and the door opened with ease. She entered the quiet cabin and quickly locked the door, her heart practically thumping in her chest. Sliding down to the floor, she released a sob as she allowed the panic to finally wash over her. She’d made to the cabin; what now? She knew she couldn't stay here, but she didn’t have many other places to go that Jarrod wouldn’t be able to find her. At least she’d have time to think of a plan while she was here.