Liam’s Lily Read online

  Liam’s Lily

  Heroes for Hire, Book 14

  Dale Mayer

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  About This Book

  Complimentary Download

  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

  Epilogue

  About North’s Nikki

  Author’s Note

  Complimentary Download

  About the Author

  Copyright Page

  About This Book

  When former Navy SEAL Liam O’Brian joins Legendary Securities, he looks forward to being shipped somewhere exciting for his first mission with Levi and his crew. Instead, he learns exotic and enormous aren’t exactly synonymous when he stumbles upon the oversized pachyderms inhabiting his new backyard. Still, conflicts are universal and Liam’s troubles are only just beginning once he finds himself falling for a woman deeply rooted in her family’s livelihood and problems.

  Go-getter Lilianna Howell is a biologist who believes all problems can be reduced to minor ones if only they’re nipped in the bud early enough. When her dad can no longer deal with the loss of his son and his detachment threatens the elephant reserve, Lilianna steps into a much larger role, handling the marketing and fundraising. Being close to her sister and her husband—once Lilianna’s fiancé—forces her to struggle with distrust from that past experience and a growing attachment to a man who appears in her life like a dream come true.

  Mammoth issues escalate as Liam and Lilianna team up to save the gentle giants, their newfound love… and their own lives.

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  KILL OR BE KILLED

  Part of an elite SEAL team, Mason takes on the dangerous jobs no one else wants to do – or can do. When he’s on a mission, he’s focused and dedicated. When he’s not, he plays as hard as he fights.

  Until he meets a woman he can’t have but can’t forget. Software developer, Tesla lost her brother in combat and has no intention of getting close to someone else in the military. Determined to save other US soldiers from a similar fate, she’s created a program that could save lives. But other countries know about the program, and they won’t stop until they get it – and get her.

  Time is running out … For her … For him … For them …

  DOWNLOAD a complimentary copy of MASON? Just tell me where to send it!

  Prologue

  Liam O’Brien peered out the garage window, watching as Brandon parked nearby. Rory and Michael stood at Liam’s side as they watched their friend Brandon arrive with Kasha. They’d heard from Ice how crazy things got while saving Bullard and how it had ended up with another of their own finding a partner.

  “Told you, Liam. Our unit is all here,” Michael said quietly.

  “And, except for you, Liam—and North—we’re all taken,” Rory added to Michael’s comment.

  “And it’s a good thing too,” Michael said. “We were all lost long enough. I never thought to find anyone who’d accept me or put up with me. But it’s all good.” He slapped Liam on the shoulder.

  “I’m not sure I’m ready for this,” Liam admitted. “It’s one thing to be a part of this family connection you guys have going on, but it’s a completely different issue to be standing on the outside and looking in. I’m not sure there’s a place for me here. And, even if there is, I have no idea how to fit in.”

  “That’s the thing. None of us did before we arrived. You have to trust you’ll find your way.”

  Just then Brandon got out of the truck and stretched.

  Damn, he looked good. Liam had been close to him—Rory and Michael too—but there’d always been an extra connection between Liam and Brandon. And to see his buddy looking so happy, … so fit—both emotionally and physically—well, it was a joy.

  Liam would love and accept Kasha for that alone. They’d all had a hell of a last year with Levi and Ice establishing their new business—each member hiring on and finding their own perfect partner. Or almost everyone. Liam and North were both unattached. Then they were brand new to the team.

  Brandon and Kasha, the happy couple, laughed and talked as they moved toward the kitchen door. Liam could hear their conversation.

  “It’s a good thing we took a week off before coming here.” Kasha beamed at Brandon.

  He chuckled. “In truth that week was like a mini-honeymoon.”

  Liam grinned at the flags of color blooming on Kasha’s cheeks, but she didn’t hide them. Instead she nodded. “It was indeed. It was also nice to see my family.”

  The huge double garage doors opened then. Liam glanced at Levi, who was manning the controls. Levi waited for the doors to lift fully, then stepped out.

  “So much for being here when I arrived.” Liam grinned at the blank look on Brandon’s face before it lit up in joy.

  The two men hugged each other.

  Brandon stepped back to study Liam’s face. “When the hell did you get here? You said you were considering it, not that you’d made up your mind.” He slugged Liam on his shoulder. “Damn, it’s good to see you.”

  “You haven’t missed me at all,” Liam scoffed, nodding to the stunning woman at Brandon’s side.

  “This is Kasha.” Brandon held out his arm for her. She stepped close enough that his arm slid around her shoulder. “Kasha, this is my good friend Liam. He and I were in the same unit in the navy.”

  The smile Kasha flashed his way was both delightful and compassionate. Enough for Liam to know Brandon obviously cared a lot about this woman, especially if he’d shared some of these last few years’ events.

  Liam shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.” He’d heard plenty about Kasha and Bullard and the nightmare Levi’s team had gone through as they’d flown over to help out in Africa. “Too bad I didn’t meet you first,” he said in a teasing tone.

  “There’s a reason I overwhelmed her with my charms so fast.” Brandon laughed. “You have a reputation with women …”

  Kasha laughed. Liam gave her a lopsided grin, and her eyes widened. “Wow, that’s a lethal smile.”

  Brandon tugged her close. “See?” he complained. “Women drop at his feet.”

  She sent Brandon a sideways glance. “I’m still standing.”

  He leaned over and kissed her. Then they both broke out laughing.

  Just then Levi and Ice walked over. Ice smiled and said, “About time you two got here. We’ve got a crapload of work to do.”

  More of the clan arrived to greet the newcomers. Liam still struggled to remember everyone’s name, and he’d been here a week already.

  But Kasha walked in confidently, shaking hands with those she didn’t know yet as she introduced herself.

  “A lot of new faces around here,” Levi said to Liam.

  “It’ll take me time to learn everybody’s name,” Liam replied.

  Levi finished the introductions. He turned to both Brandon and Rory and asked, “You guys up for work? We weren’t kidding about the jobs. We’ve caught several hot ones this morning alone.”

  Both men nodded, their faces brightening with interest. “We are so ready.”

  Levi turned to Kasha. “Are you on field duty or office work?”

  She snorted. “Am I dead yet?”

  Ice laughed. “That’s my girl.”

  Levi gave her a wide smile and said, “Welcome. And goodbye
. All three of you are leaving in the morning.”

  Liam looked from one to the other with a big smile. “What about me? Do you have something for me?” He’d done one short security job for Levi since he’d arrived, but, other than that, Liam had been setting up the new security-alarm-system side of the business. That had been fun, as he’d gotten to know several of the locals and had enjoyed being around the animals at Anna and Flynn’s place. The puppies at the compound were adorable too. He was afraid to care and get his heart broken when they were adopted out—if they were adopted out. Something he knew Alfred and Bailey were fighting pretty hard against.

  Levi chuckled. “If you want to go out on this one, you’ve got it.”

  Liam nodded. “I’m in.”

  “Be ready to leave by six a.m.”

  A collective groan ensued but not from Liam. He was energized. “That’s awesome. Where are we going? Somewhere exotic, like Thailand? Maybe a sandy paradise, like the Sahara? How about foggy Scotland?”

  Ice, standing in the doorway, called out, “How about a big-animal reserve in Texas?”

  He turned to her. “But we’re in Texas now. There’s nothing exotic about that.”

  She grinned. “Just you wait. Something very exotic is ahead for you.”

  On that cryptic note, she walked back inside, leaving Liam staring at her. He wasn’t sure what she meant by that.

  Levi smacked him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Ice is good at this sort of stuff.”

  Liam looked at him suspiciously. “What sort of stuff?”

  Levi had already stepped inside the house. He tossed back, “You’ll find out soon enough. Just keep an open mind—and heart—and you’ll be good.”

  At the open-heart comment, the others grinned, then laughed.

  Liam stared at them. “What the hell did he mean by that?”

  Everyone walked away, some laughing, others whistling.

  Liam glared at Brandon, waiting for clarification.

  Brandon shrugged. “Trust me. Like Levi said, you’ll find out soon enough.” Then Brandon walked inside with Kasha, leaving Liam alone to contemplate what everyone else already knew and what he had yet to find out.

  Chapter 1

  “Our first job together, working with Levi, that is. Interesting how that worked out.” Liam turned to look at North sitting beside him, as Liam drove the double-cab pickup to their assignment. “Brandon, Rory, Kasha and I were supposed to be on this one, then another job came in, and they were reassigned.”

  “It happens.” North chuckled. “Luckily, even with our delayed start, we’ll still make it to meet the client on time. I highly suspect this job is a test,” he said. “They figure, if we can handle this, we can handle anything.”

  “But really? An elephant sanctuary?” Liam asked. “I know I said I wanted to go to exotic places, but I wasn’t thinking exotic animals in common places.”

  North laughed. “Honestly I’m delighted about spending some time in Texas. But this whole elephant thing? Well, that’s a different story, although it is kind of exciting.”

  “Right? I wonder what kind of trouble they’re having.”

  “You can bet, if it’s a sanctuary, chances are it’s probably a charity job. Levi and Ice are known for doing pro bono work.”

  “So they send the two new guys.”

  “Exactly. Still, the details are a little sketchy.” North added, “I know we’re supposed to see a Lilianna Howell.”

  Liam filed the name away in the back of his mind. “And what has she got to do with this?”

  “She’s a biologist on staff at the sanctuary started by her father.”

  “Why elephants?”

  “I guess they have the land for them. And that’s a major part of what’s required for elephants. Lots of space.”

  “I can see that,” Liam said. “When you think about it, if a dog needs a certain amount, then a horse needs a proportionally larger amount, and an elephant? Wow, they’ve got to need hundreds of acres.”

  “I believe they have several square miles.”

  Liam took his glance off the road in front of him and shot North a look. “Seriously?”

  North nodded and tapped the page in front of him. “Apparently.”

  “Well, that explains why we’re in the middle of nowhere,” Liam said. “And will be spending the next few days deeper in nowhere.”

  “Levi didn’t say much about what the problem is,” North said, flipping through the file.

  “What he said just before he left was they suspect sabotage,” Liam explained.

  “Sabotage? I thought he said something about donations dwindling.”

  “Somebody was blackening their name to stop them from receiving charity donations, right?” Liam guessed.

  “Ultimately Lilianna’s afraid somebody’s trying to shut them down,” North said.

  “Why would somebody care if she has a half-dozen elephants?”

  “You and I both know it’s never that simple.”

  “And since when are we investigating issues like that?” Liam asked. “You know how many interesting cases have crossed Levi’s desk?”

  “I do.” North laughed. “I’ve been hearing about them for a while.”

  Liam groaned. “Of course you have. I was thinking, you know, how we could go to Africa, maybe England, do something fun.”

  “I’m kind of thrilled about the elephants,” North said.

  Liam thought about that for a long moment. “I don’t think I’ve ever been close to one.”

  “Neither have I. That’s why I’m thrilled.” North pointed at the sign up ahead. “End of Days Rest Home.” He laughed. “That’s got to be a joke.”

  “I doubt it. When you think an elephant can live longer than humans, that’s a hell of a name. How far did the sign say the ranch is?”

  “Seven miles.”

  Liam settled in for another few minutes’ drive. The traffic was almost nonexistent. “Any coffee left?”

  North nodded. “Alfred set us up with enough coffee for the two-hour drive. He wanted to send us off with a basket full of all kinds of goodies.” North laughed. “I talked him out of that. But he was worried about us eating, since no Alfred exists where we were going and how pizza probably isn’t delivered out here.” North lifted the cloth insulated bag from the back seat to his lap, unzipped it, pulled out one of the two thermoses and refilled Liam’s travel mug.

  Liam murmured, “Thanks,” and sipped his coffee with a pleased nod as he drove the truck just over the speed limit. When he saw the second sign up ahead, he slowed. “Looks like we’re almost there.”

  Sure enough, another couple miles down the road he saw the turnoff. He slowed even more, put on a signal, took the corner and headed toward what looked to be an official tourist building with a massive barn to one side and a huge residence on the other side. He pulled up out front of the business and sat inside the truck, staring at the size of the barn. “Will you look at that?”

  “Like I said, proportionately, elephants will need a lot more space.”

  They hopped out and shut the truck doors. The barn rose high and wide. The fences were massive. Not just simple timber but appeared to be four-by-fours clamped together. Even at that, Liam imagined steel girders were inside for strength and the wood was more for a visual effect.

  “What does it take to stop an elephant from going where the elephant wants to go?” Liam wondered aloud.

  “There’s not really anything man can do to stop an elephant who wants to go in a certain direction,” a woman behind him said in a light and melodious voice.

  He turned to see a woman with jet-black hair in a long braid down her back—tall, slim, dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and cowboy boots. He smiled, reached out a hand and said, “Liam O’Brien at your service.”

  She nodded to Liam and then turned, her eyebrows rising slightly at Liam’s companion.

  North stepped up and introduced himself.

  She looked at th
em both and said, “Levi sent you?”

  Just enough anxiousness was in her voice for them to immediately nod yes.

  Relief washed over her face. “Well, thank heavens for that. He said he’d send someone, but …” She shrugged.

  “If Levi says he will, then he will,” Liam said quietly. “I hear you’ve got yourself a spot of trouble.”

  “I just don’t know how big a spot of trouble,” she said with a nod. “It could be nothing. Maybe it’s my imagination.” She stared off in the direction where the highway went past her place. “It’s just so hard to understand.”

  “If you’ll fill us in, we’ll do what we can to help you get to the bottom of it,” Liam said with a smile.

  North motioned toward the office and said, “Shall we go in?”

  Her face cleared. “Oh, my goodness, yes. Of course. I’m so sorry for making you stand out here.”

  Liam shrugged. “It can be here or there. It doesn’t matter. But the sooner we understand what’s happening, the sooner we can help you.”

  She nodded and ushered them toward the door.

  Liam didn’t know if it was the way she always moved, but her long legs ate up the distance quickly. Inside she didn’t slow down. She kept on toward the back of the building. He vaguely saw a reception area and what looked like a tourist section with information on elephants in the bookcases against the wall. “Do you do public tours here?”

  She nodded. “We do some. Mostly schools and educational trips. We’ve got a lot of seniors who come out once a week.”

  That surprised him. This place was a long way from anywhere. But, of course, it was only an hour from the closest city. Or rather the outskirts of Houston. Levi’s compound was on the other side of Houston, about an hour away. So that made their one-way trip at least two hours long.

  Inside a small room, she motioned at two chairs, then walked around behind the desk. “Please have a seat.” She reached behind her and pulled out a large file. She flipped it over on the desk so they could reach it. “This is what I have. I’ve sent most of it to Levi.”