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Oliver Martinez feels like he’s back in school. Evelyn “Eve” Reynolds has a challenge ahead
of her. This story has it all – cute
dogs, sexual tension, and really hot military guys. Now if that doesn’t catch your attention
maybe the idea of an auction will.
This author has come up with a very unique auction that’s done for
a very good cause – if I’d known about it, I would have shown up to bid. This shows how good the author is at her job. She gets her readers involved in her story. It’s a great way to have you wanting to see
what else is going to happen in this new series.
Our story has you wondering about children of those in the
military. Are all fathers as protective
as Eve’s is? Do they ever let their
daughters grow up to make their own decisions?
Is it an easy decision, knowing the type of life a soldier lives, to try
and build a life knowing that your life will be one of uncertainty? What are each of you willing to give up in
order to be with the other? Then the
author gives the readers a teaser of the next book, One Lucky Hero, coming out next April. I think you will find that this is a good
start to this author’s latest series.
Oliver Martinez sat stiffly in the wobbly
office chair, the room stifling despite the hum of the air conditioner above
his head. He wasn’t usually the nervous type, being that military police didn’t
allow time for panic, but facing off against General Reynolds, the man who pretty
much held his career in the palm of his hand . . .
Well, he figured he
had a right to sweat with the way the older man was staring him down.
“What do you have to
say for yourself, Sergeant?” General Reynolds asked.
A thousand excuses ran
through his mind, but none of them would appease the general, Oliver knew that.
He hadn’t become an MP to be liked; even his family knew he wasn’t a people
person. He was hardworking, sharp as a tack, and a mean son of a bitch when you
got on his bad side—qualities that made him an excellent MP. And military
police was exactly where Oliver belonged. He got to bust heads and keep order;
it was structured, and there were rules. He was the good guy.
But this time, he had
stepped in a big old pile of shit trying to play the hero.
“I did what I thought
was right, sir,” Oliver said.
“You instigated a
confrontation with a civilian that turned into an all-out bar brawl,” General
Reynolds said. Although his tone and outward expression seemed calm, Oliver
hadn’t missed the eye twitch on the left side of the general’s face. The man
was beyond furious, and nothing Oliver did or said was going to make things
better for him.
Why had he decided to
go out with the guys on Friday? His buddies from group therapy, Dean Sparks and
Tyler Best, had convinced him that he needed to get out and blow off some
steam. He hadn’t expected to take down some rowdy kid or have the cops called
on them. The civilian police had been cool, though, once he explained the
situation, and as they hauled the kid off for drunk and disorderly, he’d
thought that was the end of it.
Until he’d shown up
for work this morning only to have Tate tell him he wasn’t on rotation and that
the general wanted to see him. Oliver hadn’t had any idea what the meeting was
about, but he’d never expected to get his ass chewed over something that wasn’t
even his fault.
“It wasn’t a brawl,
sir. I contained and subdued him too fast for that.”
Oliver regretted his
words the moment they left his mouth. They sounded arrogant, and that wasn’t
going to score him any points.
Especially since the
civilian in question was the general’s son.
Despite knowing this,
Oliver tried again to explain his side. “I just mean, and with all due respect,
sir, that the civilian was drunk and harassing several women, and when I
politely asked him to leave them alone, he threw the first punch.”
General Reynolds’s
salt and pepper mustache twitched, and Oliver wondered for half a second if the
general was messing with him and if he was secretly amused that his son had been
taught a lesson in respect.
“I don’t care if he
threw a hundred punches. You should not have engaged. You did not have to break
his nose or sprain his wrist while you were restraining him.”
Okay, so he wasn’t
amused. But no matter how angry the general might be, Oliver wasn’t going to
apologize for roughing up the little punk. The kid had thrown a sucker punch
that had lit fire to Oliver’s jaw, and it was still sore. And if the kid hadn’t
fought him so damn hard, he wouldn’t have gotten hurt in the first place.
Would he have handled
things differently if he’d known who the kid’s dad was? Maybe. But there was
nothing Oliver could do about it now except take whatever punishment was meted
out to him.
“It seems to me you
could use a little time out of the field to learn how to channel your
aggression . . . in other ways,” General Reynolds said.
Now the general was
smiling, and unease swept over Oliver.
“Have you heard of the
Alpha Dog Training Program?” General Reynolds asked.
“Yeah, I know a few of
the guys running things,” Oliver said.
And neither Best nor
Sparks had been happy about it at first. The Alpha Dog Training Program was the
brainchild of some PR expert hoping to create a good public image for the
military by training shelter dogs for specialty jobs like military, fire,
police, search and rescue, and therapy. And if the
animals-getting-a-second-chance angle didn’t just make you weepy, the dogs were
being trained by troubled kids under the supervision of MPs.
It was meant as an
alternative punishment for nonviolent juvenile offenders. Instead of being
locked up in a detention center with months of community service tacked on top,
they were sent to Alpha Dog. They shoveled shit, fed and cared for the dogs,
and learned how to teach them basic obedience. The place was set up with
barracks for up to twenty-five kids at a time. The goal was to give them a
skill and refocus their energies. The program even helped them with job
placement at several Sacramento veterinary hospitals and rescue organizations.
It was a better deal than most kids in the system got.
“Well, I’m glad you’re
familiar with it, because you’re going to help organize and promote their
upcoming charity event,” General Reynolds said.
Oliver choked in
surprise. “I don’t know anything about fundraising!”
The general’s eyes
narrowed and glittered. “Well, this will give you a chance to develop a new
skill.”
Oliver just sat there,
weighing his options. If he pitched a fit and accused the general of abusing
his power because Oliver had hurt his son’s delicate feelings, he’d be
committing career suicide.
“How long will I be
out of the field, sir?” he asked.
“Until I think you’re
ready,” General Reynolds said.
Oliver nodded grimly.
The only option open to him was to bite the bullet and do the job.
“You’ll report to the
Alpha Dog Training Program today. The event coordinator will be there at eleven
to give you instructions on what you’ll be doing. I do hope you take this time
to learn some discipline, Sergeant Martinez.”
Fuck you.
Taking a deep breath,
Oliver stood up and saluted the general. As soon as he barked, “Dismissed,”
Oliver was out the door, wishing he was headed home to beat the hell out of his
punching bag. This whole morning had sucked donkey nuts, and the last thing
Oliver wanted to do was be around a bunch of teenagers or his friends.
Not that Best and
Sparks weren’t good people, but he knew that the minute they found out about
his little time-out, they were going to laugh it up.
Especially Best.
One Lucky Hero By Codi Gary
