Hunter (HC Heroes Series Book 8) Read online

  Hunter

  HC Heroes Series/ Book 8

  A Harland County Spinoff Series

  by Donna Michaels

  NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author

  HUNTER

  HC Heroes Series/Book 8

  Copyright © 2021 Donna Michaels

  Cover Art by Donna Michaels © 2021

  Excerpt from Her Uniform Cowboy Copyright © 2014 Donna Michaels

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without written permission from the author—except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the web. For information, please contact the author via email at [email protected]

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  ISBN:

  About this Book

  Leaving the military had always been in Hunter Donovan future—either by casket or choice--turns out, it was choice. Early on, he made a promise to himself that if he ever got to the point where he grew too cold, too hardened and the missions didn’t matter, then he’d get out. Working for his Delta brother’s security and investigation company seemed a logical choice.

  His attraction to the sexy tattoo artist next door…not so much.

  She brings more than his tattoo to life, she brings his body to life, as well. Too bad Christa is a single mother because he is far from father material to Dillan. But when her life is threatened and someone tries to abduct her little boy, the hunter and protector inside of Hunter resurfaces and heaven help the person who dared to take Christa and Dillan from his life.

  Thanks for reading,

  ~Donna

  www.donnamichaelsauthor.com

  Author’s Note

  Visit www.donnamichaelsauthor.com for more titles and release dates.

  Join Donna Michaels’ Newsletter HERE for a FREE Book and to enjoy exclusive reads, enter subscriber only contests, and be the first to know about upcoming books!

  Dedication

  To all the Harland County and HC Heroes Series fans, thank you so much for embracing this series!

  As always, to my editing team for putting up with my extra crazy schedule!

  To my husband and family for your unending support!

  ♥

  Table of Contents

  About this Book

  Author’s Note

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter One- HER UNIFORM COWBOY

  Also by Donna Michaels

  Connect with Donna Online

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  If the idiot beneath Hunter Donovan’s knee didn’t stop squirming, the guy’s spine was going to snap in two, which wasn’t what Hunter intended.

  Not this time.

  Not since working at ESI—Eagle Security & Investigations—a company owned and operated by one of his Delta brothers, Mac McCall. A job originally offered to him over two years ago, but instead of heading to Texas like Carter and Dex, Hunter had followed Sinjin, one of their other D-Force buddies, into a shadow ops organization run by a former commander.

  Those missions had required takedowns of a more lethal and permanent nature. Ones mostly made to look like an accident or natural causes. The targets had been heads of cartels, human trafficking, arms dealers, terrorists…basically, the scum of the earth.

  “Great job, Hunter,” Mac said, kicking away the perp’s sniper rifle before bending down to zip tie the restrained man’s wrists. “How the hell did you know he’d try to strike from the southwest corner?”

  The parking garage in Houston had several choice locations for targeting a mark exiting the elevator but only one was prime. A trifecta. Perfect cover, clear line of sight, and a quick exit in the form of a stairwell that led to the street.

  Hunter hauled the guy to his feet and met Mac’s gaze. “Because it’s where I would have.”

  His boss grinned. “Roger that.” Then narrowed his eyes. “Any more to worry about?”

  “No.” This had all the earmarks of a solo mission. Although, whoever ordered the hit on the German dignitary the Feds had hired ESI to help protect had screwed up.

  They should’ve sent backup.

  That was the general consensus and main focus of the conversation hours later when they returned to ESI headquarters in Harland County, happy to leave the job behind and the suspect with the Feds.

  “Well, the dignitary should be halfway to Germany by now,” Dex said, joining the rest of them in the ammo room, where they were stowing their company-issued weapons.

  They also carried personal pieces, but those weren’t going in the vault here at ESI.

  “Yeah. Thanks to us.” Carter nodded. “We save his life, and the FBI gets the credit.”

  Cooper shrugged. “Typical.”

  The large, amicable guy was one of three former SEALs who worked at ESI.

  “Nothing new.”

  “Part of life.”

  RJ and Dean were the other two, and the three were part of a SEAL team that used to run joint ops with Delta. Even though they were squids, they weren’t too bad.

  “It’s a good thing the Feds stuck us with garage duty,” Mac said, sending him a sideways glance as they stowed their weapons at the same time. “And that we had you with us today.”

  He stepped back and out of the way without commenting.

  “Roger that.” Dex slapped Hunter’s shoulder. “Glad you’re on our side, man.”

  Carter turned to face him. “Yeah. Damn, you shook him out and down fast. I didn’t even have to play the decoy dummy.”

  Cooper grinned. “You’re still a dummy.”

  Mac snickered, as did the others. Hunter felt his lips twitch, something they didn’t often do. Even though he’d only been in shadow ops for two years, he’d buried his feelings so deep he was having trouble locating them. But every once in a while, something broke the surface. Like now. Amusement flickered through him.

  “Ya know, Coop, since you’re my niece’s father, I’ll let that slide,” Carter said before returning his attention to storing his weapon.

  Hunter was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact the squid had married Carter’s stunning younger sister, Abby—the sweet girl they’d all watched grow up. Cooper had definitely married above his station.

  Having watched the couple since he’d arrived three months ago, Hunter concluded they adored one another. In fact, it appeared that all his buddies had found amazing women and were in solid relationships.

  To say it boggled Hunter’s mind was an understatement. But the most mind blowing was Chief Petty Officer Gabe Bryson. The former SEAL was now the local sheriff. Okay, that wasn’t a stretch. The guy possessed the biggest moral compass and sense of duty Hunter had ever encountered. He was sure Gabe made a hell of a sheriff. But the fact the stubborn ass had actually found a woman strong enough to deal with his bullheadedness was a miracle.

  It proved there was a match out there for everyone
. Probably even him…if he were looking. Which he wasn’t.

  An image of a tattooed beauty with dark hair, warm brown eyes, and a smile that lit up a room flittered through his mind. He grunted and shook his head to dispel the sexy vision. He wasn’t interested in a relationship and definitely not one with a woman who had a child, no matter how beautiful she was.

  “All I’m saying is that having Hunter’s intuition on jobs like today’s sure makes ours easier.” Carter slapped his back as they all exited the room and walked down the hall toward the garage.

  Since the guy wasn’t wrong, Hunter remained quiet and followed his buddies to the section of the garage where they chilled after a mission. Everyone stayed except for Dex, who headed home to his girlfriend, Rylee. Like Abby, Hunter had watched her grow up too. Not only was the beautiful, capable woman an agent at ESI, specializing in investigations, she was also Gabe’s kid sister.

  Hunter almost wished he’d been around to watch that relationship unfold under the sheriff’s nose.

  Yeah, apparently, it’d been an interesting one.

  “Another mission, another success,” Carter said, dropping down onto one of two couches anchored by several chairs situated around a coffee table, where someone had set a six pack of beer.

  Once upon a time, Hunter would’ve enjoyed one without hesitation. Not now. Not after shadow training had drilled in him the importance of only eating and drinking what he had prepared himself. So, no beers with buddies. No fast food. No vendors. No restaurants. Trust no one. Rely only on himself.

  Over the last twenty-seven months, that training had kept him alive. It had also negated all his earlier Delta training. Working as a team. Watching your brother’s six and him watching yours. Hunter had gotten used to working solo, so he was now trying to retrain his brain. Some days were successful.

  Mac offered him a beer as he sat next to him. Hunter shook his head.

  Some days, not so much.

  He withdrew a flask from a pocket in his cargos and drank the water he’d stored inside.

  Cooper dropped down on Carter’s couch across from the one Hunter occupied with Mac. “That’s because Hunter has done similar jobs.”

  Again, not wrong.

  “There’s one difference between the perp and Hunter, though,” Dean said, still standing.

  RJ nodded next to Dean. “Yeah. A big one.”

  Cooper lifted a brow. “What’s that?”

  “That’s simple.” Mac leaned back and chuckled. “Hunter never would’ve been caught.”

  He wasn’t wrong.

  Dean nodded. “Exactly.”

  “Damn straight.” Carter elbowed Cooper, who grinned.

  Unsure whether he managed a smile or not, Hunter lifted his flask and nodded.

  “Well, sorry to drink and run but we’ve got to go,” Dean said a few minutes later, setting his empty bottle back in the cardboard carrier.

  “Yeah.” RJ returned his bottle too and straightened, a smile spreading across his face. “Lori and Loni have been baking new recipes all day and need us to taste test.”

  The former SEALs were involved with a set of gorgeous identical twins who owned a popular local bakery in the strip mall next door. Their bear claws were the best Hunter had ever tasted. And he had tasted them.

  Determined to break his restrictive eating habits, he’d bought one while there with the guys one day. Although, truthfully, the only reason he’d eaten it was because he’d actually observed the woman make it from his unrestricted view in the seating area and knew it had been untainted.

  “Do they need any extra feedback?” Cooper asked.

  “Yeah.” Carter raised his hand. “I’m happy to volunteer.”

  Dean grinned. “Nope. We got it covered. See ya in the morning.”

  “Lucky shits,” Coop muttered into his beer then drew the bottle back and smirked. “I’m a lucky shit, too. What am I doing here when I could be at home with my girls?” He set his half empty bottle on the table then walked to his truck and hit the button to open the garage bay door. “See you tomorrow.”

  Silence descended for a few minutes, and while Mac and Carter were finishing their beers, Hunter put away his flask and was counting down the minutes until it would be acceptable for him to leave. Like his eating habits, he was still working on his socializing skills.

  Considering two months ago he would’ve left right after stowing his gun and gear, he had to admit he’d come quite a long way.

  “So, how do you like Harland County?” Mac asked out of nowhere.

  He lifted a shoulder. “Seems like a normal town.”

  Carter snickered. “It’s a little bit above that, considering some of the places we’ve been to.”

  He nodded.

  During their Delta years, they’d been sent into many hell holes to pull people out, and during his shadow years, Hunter had descended even further. So, yeah, Carter was right. Harland was practically paradise.

  Hunter had even seen an angel here.

  Granted, it was in the form of an incredible tattoo on an equally incredible woman…with dark hair and warm brown eyes, and a smile that lit up the room…

  “There are a lot of amazing women here, too,” Mac said, his gaze unwavering.

  Hunter’s didn’t waver either. The guy was wasting his time. He wasn’t biting.

  Just because Mac had also found the perfect match in a woman who was as beautiful and headstrong as she was sassy, didn’t mean Hunter wanted one.

  Or deserved one.

  Besides, one needed a heart to have a relationship and his was way too cynical and impenetrable, thanks to his mother. A woman who fell into bed with a man two months after his father had died when Hunter had been seven. And her door had swung ever since, right up until she’d died in a car accident with her then current lover, six years later.

  No, Hunter wasn’t meant to know love.

  The closest thing had been from his grandfather, who’d gotten custody of him after his mother’s death.

  Gordon Donovan had been his father’s father and the man who’d taught Hunter to track and hunt and fish and fend for himself. The meaning of hard work and the satisfaction of putting in a good day’s work had been early lessons. His grandfather had believed in defending those who couldn’t defend themselves, the reason Hunter had joined the military. Gordon was also the reason he’d left it.

  Hunter had made a pact with himself. If he’d ever gotten to the point where he was too unfeeling, he’d leave because his grandfather wouldn’t have approved and would want him to make a change.

  Staying would have made him too hardened, and it’d be way too easy to cross those blurred lines and become the very thing he hunted.

  A monster.

  “I’m kind of partial to a beautiful woman with tattoos,” Carter said, snapping Hunter from his headspace. “She’s damn sexy, too.”

  He felt his spine stiffen. Why the hell was the guy talking about Christa like that?

  “Wow, did you see that, Mac? I think I actually got a reaction from him.” Carter chuckled. “Calm down, Hunter. I’m talking about Mel. My wife. You know…Christa’s boss? Not that Christa isn’t pretty.”

  Pretty?

  The woman was stunning. Beautiful. An angel.

  Which explained the miracle she performed on him the instant he’d laid eyes on her. She’d walked into this very room with Carter’s wife the day after he’d arrived. It’d been the damndest thing. His heart had made a slow roll in his chest. That was the first time in years he’d had movement in there. It may be battered, but apparently there was still some life left in it.

  The woman had resuscitated an organ he’d thought long dead.

  Which meant there was hope for him to regain some of his old self.

  But after four weeks of being around his buddies, seeing them happy but not feeling it, Hunter had known he had to try something drastic.

  “You’re seeing her tomorrow, aren’t you?” Carter asked, a damn grin on his
face.

  Mac lifted a brow but remained quiet, just watching him closely.

  Nothing to watch.

  “Yes,” he replied. “Second session on the tattoo.”

  He’d calculated that several controlled encounters with the angel should be enough to shake some of his old Delta-self loose, and since she was a tattoo artist, he’d commissioned her to ink a large piece that would take a few sessions. Sessions he made sure to space out, because during his first one last month, he’d discovered the woman was a hell of a lot more intoxicating up close.

  Hunter wanted to reconnect with himself, not connect with a woman.

  “And you’re only seeing her because of the tattoo,” Carter said, his tone riddled with disbelief.

  “Yes.” He lifted a brow. “Is that a problem?”

  Carter nodded. “Frankly, yeah. It can be, if you’re not honest with yourself.”

  Honest? Hunter frowned. “I’m always honest.”

  Mac shook his head. “Carter and I both know the disaster it can cause if you’re not honest with yourself when a special woman comes along.”

  Special woman?

  Hunter stiffened, needing to stop them right there. “Look, thanks for your concern, but it’s not necessary,” he said, noting worry clouding their gazes. “I agree that Christa is special, but it isn’t like that between us. I hired her to ink my tattoo, not to get into her pants.”

  Hearing the words spoken out loud sent a rush of heat up his spine and a strange itching spread across his shoulders. Hunter recognized the feeling as anger.

  Damn.

  He hadn’t felt that emotion in years. Even though anger wasn’t on his list of favorite emotions, he saw it as a small victory.

  “Of course not.” Now, Carter was frowning.

  “That’s not what we were suggesting.” Mac sat back, shaking his head again. “We just hope you know what you’re doing.”