Deep in the treacherous ice-cold mountains, Erin Daniels is running from a monster when she stumbles upon Jake Swift and his highly-trained ex-military security team. Will Jake, the handsome, rugged ex-special forces and owner of Swift security, be the one to save her from her nightmare.
Saving Erin
Book one of the swift security series
Chapter one
Jake's point of view
My name is Jake Swift. I go by the nickname of Swifty for obvious reasons and also as I like to get the job done ASAP. After leaving the army two years ago, I set up swift security; most of my employees are ex-army. They are not just my colleges and friends. They are my family.
So here I am at the age of twenty-eight, running my own security firm that hires ex-military men and women. It's hard when you first leave the army to settle into civilian life. When I first left, I was so lost away from the military lifestyle. So that why I started my own security company. We supply security and trained bodyguards to anyone that needs it, and thankfully my gamble paid off. Swift security is really starting to make a name for itself now, and I have supplied bodyguards to politicians and pop stars all over the world.
Yeah, I'm doing okay....actually, I'm doing pretty damned good for myself.
I've organised a weekend training trip with part of my team up in the mountains where I've rented an old log cabin. It's winter, bitter cold, and the weather can get rough up there, but the area is empty, and no tourists are crazy enough to rent the cabins this time of year, and the team need to get some severe weather training in.
You never know what situation might arise, so we have to be prepared for anything, and that includes this training, yes. It's hard and takes a toll on your body, but I know my team. They thrive on this shit.
"All loaded, boss. Do you want to go through the checklist?"
Tank shouts to me.
So let me introduce you to the first member of my team.
Tank, aka Zane Micheals, age thirty-two ex-army special forces his nickname is Tank, why? Because he's built like one, the guy is enormous. He's the muscle of the group and now works for swift security.
I double-checked and rechecked the list with Tank as every bit of equipment we have is vital for this type of training, especially when you're fighting the elements up in the mountains.
I laugh as Maddog yells "
Yeah, let's do this."
Maddox Lennox, age twenty-nine, nickname Madog, for apparent reasons hes ex-army special forces and hes also my IT expert he now works for swift security. You guessed it. He's the crazy one of the group, Madog he likes a challenge and the crazier, the better.
Anyway, that's my two guys in the team.
That just leaves me with Laila, the baby of the group at twenty-five and also the only female on the team; she's an ex-army medic and a crazy ass chick just like her brother Madog. Have I said she could kick any man's ass? The only thing that bothers Laila is the cold
"Fuck, it's cold."
I hear her grumble. I laugh. Yeah, that's why I've picked Laila for this exercise; she needs to get through this.
She pulls her hood up over her head as she comes out of the bunker. I know she hates the cold, but cold weather training is survival training, and it's something every member of the team has to do.
"Want me to keep you, warm baby?"
Tank says as he laughs at Laila
"Fuck off, big guy, that's my baby, sis."
Madog makes me laugh as he defends Laila. It's all just banter; this is how my team roll.
"Don't need no mother fucking man to keep me warm."
Laila grumbles as she pulls her coat tighter around her.
We all pile into the two jeeps, both equipped to cope with the rocky and icy terrain of the mountain.
We make our way up into the mountains with our equipment; the ride is easier than I thought it would be. The weather is not too bad at the minute, although a storm is reported to be rolling in, and things can change pretty quickly up here.
We arrive at the cabin and get all the equipment unloaded. Madog sets a security radar around the place, I have no idea why, as I'm sure no one would be crazy enough to come up here at this time of the year, but Madog insists as he has some new high tech equipment he wants to try out. Tank gets a roaring fire going, heating up the small wooden cabin.
We settle down for the night with a few beers, A game of cards and a hot meal. There's no signal on our phones, but we have radio contact to our base if we need it.
I smile as I listen to the banter, Tank he may be the muscle, but he's also a teddy bear. He's the kindest, most laid back guy I've ever met. I chuckle as he openly flirts with Laila only because he knows it drives Madog crazy. Laila bats her eyelashes back because, brother or not, no one tells Laila what to do.
I love these guys, but more than that, I trust them with my life. We are a team; I have their back, and they have mine.
We only have a couple of beers each, as we have an early start in the morning, once the table is cleared and Laila cleans up on the card table. Madog turns to me as he says.
"I'm going to see if all the equipment is working right."
I nod my head as I reply.
"I'll come with you."
We both put on our cold weather survival suits before making our way outside.
Fuck..... it's so cold out here. I look around the bleak mountainside as the icy winds rip up around us as we make our way over to Madog's equipment.
I turn to look at Madog, his coat is not fully zipped up, and he has ice forming on his beard. I chuckle hes a crazy fucker; he stands up, seemingly happy with his equipment before we make our way back inside.
Once inside, Tank offers to warm Laila's bed; Laila accepts with a wink and Madog, jumps on Tanks back before they both wrestle to the ground. Laila shakes her head before she heads off alone into her room as she shouts.
"Good night, boys."
"Good night Laila," I reply before turning to the two crazy guys still wrestling on the floor.
"Try to keep the cabin in one piece."
I say before heading off into my own room and settling down for the night. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day, especially if the storm does hit...
____ Authors note _____
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I would love to know your thoughts.
Love always
Ellen Day
I
When she walked into my office, she took my breath away; she was the definition of beauty. Flowing red hair and eyes the colour of emeralds. I had to make her mine. The talented designer was hiding something though I could see the fear in her eyes. When her past catches up with her, and I almost lose her, it breaks me. No one will take my butterfly. I am a powerful man, and I make a vow to do anything within my power to keep her safe. I will be the one to set my butterfly free as she learns to fly once more, free from the chains that once held her down. Ellie may think she's broken, but Zac sees the beautiful, brave woman she is as she fights to bring justice into this cruel world.
It took only a second for a person's world to come crashing down. This was what happened in Hannah's case. For four years, she gave her husband her all, but one day, he said emotionlessly, "Let's get divorced." Hannah's heart broke into a million pieces as she signed the divorce papers, marking the end of her role as a devoted wife. Within Hannah, a strong woman awakened, vowing never to be beholden to any man again. Embracing her new life, she embarked on a journey to find herself and command her own destiny. By the time she returned, she had experienced so much growth and was now completely different from the docile wife everyone once knew. "Is this your latest trick to get my attention?" Hannah's ever-so-arrogant husband asked. Before she could retort, a handsome and domineering CEO pulled her into his embrace. He smiled down at her and said boldly to her ex, "Just a little heads-up, mister. This is my beloved wife. Keep off!"
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.