Page 1 of Ferocious Protector

1

Blake

The Gulfstream touches down at the private airfield right outside of Deadwood, South Dakota on a beautiful sunny day. Nice perks of having a very wealthy crime family protecting this land and the investments they’ve made in the casino, restaurants and other shops in town.

If anyone had told me six months ago I’d be working for a crime family, protecting their family interests instead of staying in the military, I’d have said bullshit. But life changes on a dime and family priorities and making the kind of bank this gig pays comes first now.

Damian and Dereck walk next to me and toss their go bags and gun cases into the trunk of the black SUV. “You guys always get the private plane and nice car waiting for you kinda treatment?” I ask, placing my duffle next to theirs before closing the back.

Damian slides into the driver seat and Dereck takes shotgun as I get into the back. He turns in his seat. “The Larussios, Prestians, and Carringtons have a lot of enemies and want to keep their families safe. You take good care of them, and they take good care of you.”

I lean back in the leather seat and snap the buckle into place. “That I will do. I’m happy there was a position open and that Beckett put in a good word for me.”

Dereck motions to Damian to take a right as we hit the main highway. “You’ve more than proven you have the skills. Let’s hope we don’t have to put some of that training to use on this trip. I’m sure Beckett’s given you the scoop, but we’ve had a hell of a time keeping the Chicago boys out of this territory. They want this land, the casinos, bars and restaurants in the worst of ways. We keep stomping their ass, but they keep coming back for more.”

“When are Matt, Sheldon, and Jay heading our way?”

They exchange a look. “You never know with those guys. They keep a pretty busy schedule, but they said they were going to try to make it. We’ll see if that materializes though. They’ve had trouble locally lately.”

My phone buzzes and I read the message. “Beckett said he and the others will meet us at Wild Deuces.” Damian gives me a grin in the rearview. “Sounds good. We’re officially off the clock until the wedding, unless all hell breaks loose. I’d say it’s about time for a cold beer and the Wild Deuces has the coldest beer in town. Besides, Kenny the owner is a great friend of Coles. He has a few rooms reserved for us on the hotel side.”

I nod, texting Beckett back. “Sounds good. We could use a break. You two have been working me to the bone. The military drill sergeant I had wasn’t as bad as you.”

Damian laughs. “You’ll thank us later if you get in a jam, but in all honesty, we didn’t teach you anything skill wise you didn’t already know, just what you have to watch out for in our line of work. It can come at you differently than the military.”

Traffic picks up as we get closer to town and pass small shops lining the road up and down. Damian pulls into a side street that takes him around the back of the shops and pulls into a parking lot. He gestures to the entire area. “Kenny’s been adding on little by little. Last year he expanded this whole backside. It used to be more parking lot than he needed, and now he’s got another bar area and big dance floor, and just the right amount of parking outside.”

“Same place he took a bullet a few years back?” I ask, hefting my gear out of the back as they do the same.

“One and the same. He doesn’t let that stop him one bit, but Cole and the other guys keep a pretty close eye on the situation. You never know when the Chicago assholes will show up and start a fight.”

We walk through the back door and a slightly rotund woman with kind eyes and graying hair swishes toward us in a long apron that says Kenny’s Wild Deuces.

“Kenny told me you guys were coming into town for the wedding.” She gives Damian and then Dereck a big hug before eyeing me up. “And just who is this strong strapping stranger?” she asks with a twinkle in her eye.

I extend a hand. “I’m Blake. Beckett and I go back a long way.”

She pushes my hand aside and walks into my arms while the guys try not to laugh at my surprise. I give her a hug as she squeezes my waist. “Dear lord, that’s a lot of solid muscle there.”

I grin. “Alright, the guys said we could get a cold beer, coldest in town they said.” She smiles widely. “You’ll get more than that. You guys take this table right here, and I’ll get some burgers, fries, and some cold beers.”

The guys slide into seats at the round table with laminated menus. “When Lettie says sit and stay a while, we sit and stay a while,” Damian says.

I slide in beside them and get a look of approval from Lettie. “I’ll be back soon.”

Damian taps her arm before she leaves. “Sounds like Cole and the guys are going to meet us here shortly.”

She beams. “The gang’s all back together again. Alright, then I’ll add some more burgers and beers. I know how much you guys need to eat.”

A group of men and women walk through the door looking around. The minute I spot Beckett with them I stand and walk toward the group, with Dereck and Damian on my heels. Beckett gives me clap on the back type of hug. “Man, it’s been a minute. I’m real glad this job is working out for you and that you could come out with the guys for the wedding.”

Damian laughs. “Well it’s not like we could leave our new wet-behind-the-ears recruit hanging out by himself.”

Beckett laughs. “Meet Blake everyone. That wet-behind-the-ears recruit can hit a mark with one shot from eight hundred meters any day of the week. He’s never missed a target yet.”

Damian claps Cole on the back. “Just giving him a little shit, buddy. Good to see you guys, and ladies,” he says.

Cole holds hands with a very pretty dark-haired woman. “This is my wife, Krissy.” He gestures to the couple next to him. “This is Garrett and Lacy. You may recall Beckett telling you about the trouble we had at their wedding.”