Page 1 of Wrecked

Part One – How It All Began

Part Onetells the story of how Sam and Cooper met, how they fell for each other, and the sometimes painful story of how their relationship developed.

While this book can be read standalone, it will be enjoyed so much more if you have readFearless,Shattered, andRuined(books 2, 4, and 6) in my McIntyre Security Bodyguard Series.

If you’ve readRuined, then you know what happens to Cooper, Sam, and Jake when they visit Sweetwater, Cooper’s childhood hometown. You also know the dramatic events that happen after they return home. If you haven’t already readRuined, I urge you to do so before reading any further. Your reading experience will be so much sweeter if you do.(Two gay guys and a hitman walk into a redneck bar… what could possibly go wrong? And then there’s the river scene. IYKYK.)

Buckle up, buttercups. It’s going to be a rocky ride. And be sure to stick around for their happy-ever-after ending, complete with icing and sprinkles.

Chapter 1 – Sam

Four Years Earlier

I drove up here to Chicago yesterday from home—Dayton, Ohio. I’ve been back home, living with my mom and sister for the past year, ever since the accident.

That’s what I call it—the accident.

To be more precise, I jumped out of an airplane during an Army Ranger training mission, and both my primary and secondary parachutes malfunctioned. It’s rare, but it can and does happen. Thanks to encountering a few trees on the way down, breaking my fall, I survived, but I still hit the ground hard enough to fracture both of my legs.

I guess it could have been worse. I could have died. Instead, I’ve spent the last year in a grueling rehab program rebuilding my strength and getting fit again.

Naturally, my military career ended the day of the accident. Six years as an Army Ranger down the toilet. I’m starting over, looking for work as a civilian. A friend of mine, Miles Bennett, a former Army Ranger buddy, suggested I look into the company he now works for—McIntyre Security in Chicago—to see if they have any openings. He says they’re always looking for folks with my kind of skills. It turns out they have an opening for a personal protection operative. In other words, a bodyguard.

My skillset meets all the requirements for the job, so I applied. And to my shock, I got a call back and an interview scheduled for two days later.

And that’s why I’m here in the Windy City—for my interview.

Hell, yes, I’m nervous.

I’ve never actually interviewed for a job before, unless you count speaking to an Army recruiter. I went into the Army right out of high school because I was inspired by the adventures of my mom’s younger brother, Uncle Matt, an Army Ranger. I was enthralled after hearing his stories of trudging through deserts, mountains, and rainforests and jumping out of airplanes.

Rangers lead the way!

I got in, and I loved it. I loved the challenge, the physical demands, as well as the mental demands. The day I was accepted into the Ranger program, I was on cloud nine. I served for six years… until my chutes malfunctioned, ending my military career.

And now, here I am, a civilian, on my way to my first civilian job interview.Hooah!

It’s a nice day outside in mid-June, so I decide to walk to my interview. My hotel is only a mile from the office building, and the exercise will do me good. It’ll help me process some of this anxiety I’m feeling. This is the first job I’ve applied for since the accident a year ago, and I’ve been able to walk without support, and mostly without pain, for three months. My doctor thinks it might be premature for me to return to work so soon—especially such a physical job—but I need a job, not just to support myself but for my sanity as well.

I leave the hotel with plenty of time so I can walk at a comfortable speed to the building and not break a sweat. As instructed, I’m dressed casually for the interview—a pair of khaki cargo pants, a white Henley T-shirt, and black sneakers—because after my initial talk with the company CEO, a man by the name of Shane McIntyre, I’ll be undergoing both a weapons and physical fitness assessment. I’m bringing a change of workout clothes in the Army duffle bag slung over my shoulder.

I’m not the least bit concerned about the weapons assessment. I can shoot a flea clean off a dog at fifty yards. It’s the physical fitness assessment I’m worried about. My legs aren’t wholly back to one hundred percent capability yet.

The first thing I did after leaving the Army was grow out my hair again. I always wore it long when I was in school. That was the only thing I didn’t like about my military service—they made me keep my hair at regulation length. Now it’s long again, and I’ve got it up in a bun to keep it out of the way so I can at least try to look professional. My myriad tattoos are hidden underneath my shirt, as are my nipple piercings. On the outside, I look professional; on the inside, I’m a party.

Rachel pleaded with me to cut my hair for this interview, but I refused. If these people don’t want the real me, including my manbun, then they don’t really want me.

I turn left onto N. Michigan Avenue and head west another half mile. When I come to my destination, I gaze up at a modern glass and steel structure.

Impressive.

There’s an engraved stone above the main doors that says MCINTYRE SECURITY, INC.

Am I nervous? Hell, yes.

My watch says I have five minutes until my appointed time. I step through the front doors into the air-conditioned lobby. It looks very professional, with its polished marble floors, potted trees, and comfortable modern seating. Very chic.

I stop at the front desk to check in. “Sam Harrison,” I say to the young brunette seated at the desk. “I have an eight o’clock appointment with Shane McIntyre.”