Dom
Hell Squad #18
Anna Hackett
Dom
Published by Anna Hackett
Copyright 2019 by Anna Hackett
Cover by Melody Simmons of BookCoversCre8tive
Edits by Tanya Saari
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-925539-74-5
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-925539-75-2
This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, events or places is coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form.
Contents
What readers are saying about Anna’s romances
Anna Hackett Box Set
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
Preview - Hell Squad: Survivors
Preview: Among Galactic Ruins
Also by Anna Hackett
About the Author
What readers are saying about Anna’s romances
Cyborg - PRISM Award Winner 2019
Edge of Eon and Mission: Her Protection - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) finalists 2019
Unfathomed and Unmapped - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) finalists 2018
Unexplored – Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) Novella Winner 2017
Return to Dark Earth – One of Library Journal's Best E-Original Books for 2015 and two-time SFR Galaxy Awards winner
At Star’s End – One of Library Journal's Best E-Original Romances for 2014
The Phoenix Adventures – SFR Galaxy Award Winner for Most Fun New Series and “Why Isn’t This a Movie?” Series
Beneath a Trojan Moon – SFR Galaxy Award Winner and RWAus Ella Award Winner
Hell Squad – SFR Galaxy Award for best Post-Apocalypse for Readers who don’t like Post-Apocalypse
"Like Indiana Jones meets Star Wars. A treasure hunt with a steamy romance." – SFF Dragon, review of Among Galactic Ruins
"Strap in, enjoy the heat of romance and the daring of this group of space travellers!" – Di, Top 500 Amazon Reviewer, review of At Star’s End
“Action, danger, aliens, romance – yup, it’s another great book from Anna Hackett!” – Book Gannet Reviews, review of Hell Squad: Marcus
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Chapter One
She shouldn’t be out here.
Arden had snuck out of the Enclave again. While she was beyond grateful for the safety of the secret underground base she called home, sometimes she needed to breathe. Sometimes, she needed a break from the walls around her.
She lifted her face to the sky and took a deep breath. The Enclave provided safety and security, and protected the human survivors from the alien invaders. The reptilian Gizzida had come two years ago, and ripped the world apart.
Torn families apart.
Arden’s belly clenched. The aliens had killed friends, lovers, parents, husbands, and children. She had quickly learned that grief had very sharp claws.
In the early days, after she’d lost her husband and kids, she’d been shredded inside, but now, she didn’t bleed quite as much.
She stared at the sunset. The sun was sinking down beyond the western horizon, turning the sky shades of gold streaked with pink. She sighed at the beauty. She could see the beauty now. For so long, the world around her had been nothing but dreary shades of gray.
But now she could smile at the sunset, and remember the family she’d lost without ending up curling into a ball and weeping.
I miss you, guys.
Jason, her husband, had been a high school principal. A lanky, easygoing man with a mop of sandy-colored hair, he’d been dedicated to his job. He’d loved his school, loved his wife, and adored his family.
Her kids. Arden bit down on her bottom lip. Elisabeth—call me Beth—had been eleven going on twenty. Emmett had been her sweet, kind seven-year-old boy who’d loved soccer and drawing.
Letting the emotions flow inside her, Arden pulled out her sketchbook. She lifted her charcoal and quickly started sketching the sunset. Behind her, the eastern horizon grew darker, and night started to sweep across the sky.
The Enclave was near Wollongong, just south of Sydney, Australia. The area consisted of rolling, green fields, and small towns that had at one time thrived from the constant buzz of nearby Sydney—once the capital of the United Coalition of Countries. Now, this place was home to the survivors, and the squads fighting back for humanity’s survival. And most of the time, everyone stayed safe and secure, deep within the Enclave.
With the exception of a couple of the survivors, like Arden, who had tricks up their sleeves for sneaking out.
The reason she could sneak out so easily was that she was a comms officer for Squad Nine. She smiled to herself. She’d never imagined she’d put her office-manager skills to use providing comms and intel to a tough squad of soldiers fighting against aliens, but here she was.
She was good at her job. Not only that, being a comms officer had helped her through her grief, kept her sane. And because of it, she knew all the camera locations around the base, and the patrol schedules. It made it easy for her to slip in and out when she needed some air.
She dragged in another deep breath and tipped her face up to watch the stars appearing in the sky. Just a few more minutes and she’d go back inside.
“I warned you about coming out here.”
The deep voice made her freeze. It held a touch of a sexy Italian accent.
She turned slowly, her belly quivering and her skin prickling.
Dominic Santora was the definition of dark, lean, and lethal. He had thick, black hair with a hint of curl, dark eyes, sharp cheekbones, and skin a glorious shade of bronze. He radiated a dangerous intensity that often made people take a step back when they encountered him.
He was scowling at her.
“It’s dangerous for you to be outside the base,” he said.
Arden straightened. “I know.”
He was wearing his black, carbon-fiber armor, his carbine slung over his shoulder. He stepped closer and she smelled him. She was pretty sure he wore some sort of cologne. Her gaze slipped down his lean, muscled body. She’d never
