Her Chosen Protector
Night Storm, Book Three
Caitlyn O’Leary
Contents
Synopsis
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
About the Author
Also by Caitlyn O’Leary
© Copyright 2020 Caitlyn O’Leary
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By Passionately Kind Publishing Inc.
Cover by Lori Jackson Design
Edited by Rebecca Hodgkins
Content Edited by Trenda Lundin
Cover Photo by Wander Aguiar Photography
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To everyone out there struggling to be calm and kind in turbulent times, your acceptance and bravery shines through. You are not alone.
Synopsis
Can he overcome his pain and heartbreak in time to save the woman he loves?
Life had always come easy to Navy SEAL Asher Thorne, until an overwhelming loss made him doubt his ability to protect the ones he loved. Devastated, he has no choice but to push on and do his duty.
Eden York’s job as a translator took a dangerous turn when she was asked to work on a highly confidential project in Venezuela. She thought she knew the risks, but with the fate of a nation at stake, they didn’t matter—she had to help.
Eden’s international team of experts is targeted by terrorists, trapping her in an unimaginable situation. When Asher’s team is sent in to rescue them, he wants to believe that this time will be different, this time he can protect someone worth saving, even if he has to sacrifice his own life to do it.
Prologue
Asher Thorne didn’t flinch at the distinctive sound of a grease gun being fired. The shots came at an even cadence as he tramped up the soggy, muddy logging trail toward his older brother’s cabin. As he got closer the shots began to fire more rapidly until they were soon just one ceaseless, incessant noise.
“You’re going to start a fire,” he shouted as he looked over the chaos in the clearing in front of the cabin.
“It’s raining.” Law’s voice was low, but Asher heard him even over the rain and gunfire. His baby brother had massacred eight spruce trees by Asher’s count—the branches, boughs, and needles were strewn everywhere. Lawson continued to shoot at one tall tree as he leaned his hip against the porch rail of the cabin. His strength made it easy for him to spray the gun forward and back, finally felling another tree.
“Is this making you feel any better?” Ash asked.
“Maybe. I haven’t decided.” His words were coated with bitterness.
Asher swung his duffel off his shoulder and walked past his brother up the stairs into Xavier’s cabin. It had been their brother’s sanctuary. The furnishings were sparse, but when Xavier needed a chance to unwind after a mission, this is where he always ended up. Ash had never understood the appeal of the ass-end of Manitoba, Canada. It wasn’t surprising that after his death he and Law had ended up here, trying to figure out what had been going on in Xave’s head.
The shooting finally stopped, and the stomp of Law’s boots sounded on the stairs right before the door slammed open.
“What the fuck was he thinking?” Law yelled into the small space.
Asher didn’t answer. Law must have been here a while, since there was already a fire going in the woodstove. Ash checked the contents in the pan on top of the stove.
“Don’t ignore me.”
“You’re tough to ignore,” Asher said mildly as he stirred the pea soup. Law hated the stuff, but it had been Xavier’s favorite. Asher really wasn’t surprised that his little brother was eating the stuff. It was basic instinct to do anything to feel closer to a deceased loved one, no matter how mad you were at them. Asher found a chipped bowl and a tin mug and ladled some of the soup. He placed it on the solid pine table that Xavier had built.
“Sit down,” he commanded his brother as he pushed out a chair for him with his foot. Law fished out two spoons from a drawer and handed one to Asher then sat. They ate in silence. When his brother picked up his bowl and sucked down the last of its contents with a loud slurp, Asher felt something shift inside his chest. For just a moment, his pain lifted.
Law set down his bowl and looked up, showing a sign of life. “It used to annoy the shit out of Maman when Xavier would do that.”
“Yeah, it cracked me up that even when he was well over six feet tall, she’d still whap him on the shoulder with her wooden spoon.”
“It was the only thing he ever did wrong in her eyes,” Law said. “He was such a suck-up.”
They both smiled. It felt good. For one blessed moment, it felt good. Then Law took a deep breath and blew it out slowly through his nose.
“How could he let her down
