Page 1 of Playboy

Prologue

Gabby sighed as she circled the block for the third time, looking for a parking spot near her teammates’ house.

She was told that it would be a small, casual get-together to celebrate her friend and teammate Leo’s promotion to Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. But judging from the multitude of cars lining the entire street and driveway, the gathering was anything but small.

“Fuck it!” She muttered as she spotted an empty patch of grass in the side yard on the right side of the house. She drove her Ford Bronco over the curb and parked.

Between her job with the Coast Guard and finishing up her online classes to earn the last of her three Intelligence and Security Certifications, she rarely had an evening to relax.

She would much rather be spending the evening with Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia from theGolden Girls, watching re-runs in her pajamas and eating chocolate.

But being the supportive teammate and friend that she was, she was where she belonged.

She and her teammates shared a unique bond. Aiden, James, Leo, Tristan, Blake, Oliver, and Rowan weren’t just her friends and teammates. They were an extension of her family. At times, she felt like she had seven brothers in addition to her biological brother, Will.

They were a very tight-knit unit. Considering how much time they spent together, they had to be. In other words, she pretty much did everything with them. Well, except date them. They all drew the line at teammates and friends.

Her phone pinged with an incoming text, and she reached for the device lying on the passenger seat. She hoped it was one of the guys and not their Officer in Charge telling her she was needed at the base. After all, being a member of the Maritime Security Response Team, also known as the MSRT, meant she was on call twenty-four-seven.

Growing up, Gabby had all intentions of following in her father’s footsteps and commanding her own Coast Guard ship. However, at the age of eleven, that dream was squashed when the Coast Guard announced the roll out of the MSRT.

The MSRT was an elite counter-terrorism assault team serving as the first responder in maritime terrorism situations. The Unit could deploy worldwide depending on the incident. They would train with, and in certain situations, they would work side-by-side with other federal agencies and specialized units such as Navy SEAL teams, Force Recon, the Border Patrol Tactical Unit, and other Special Mission Units and alphabet agencies.

Instead of accepting her nomination to the Coast Guard Academy, Gabby enlisted, completed basic training, and then attended “A” school for Maritime Enforcement Specialists. The selection process for MSRT was rigorous and highly competitive. Not to mention, there weren’t many female candidates. She knew going into it that not everyone who applied for MSRT would be selected because it takes an individual who possesses the necessary skills, physical fitness, and mindset to perform the demanding duties required by its members. There were also a ton of interviews, assessments, and specialized training needed to succeed.

Once she became a Maritime Enforcement Specialist, she kept pounding away, excelled while maintaining high physical fitness standards, and demonstrated excellent leadership qualities. She set goals, worked hard, and sought opportunitiesfor advancement and specialized training. Most importantly, she stayed committed, and five years later, she received the call she had been waiting for and has been continuing to build on her career since then.

She looked at the phone and smirked as she read the message from James.

James:Where are you?

Gabby:Just pulled up.

With a quick glance in the rearview mirror, she made sure her hair wasn’t out of place from having the window down. Once she was set, she grabbed Leo’s gift from the passenger seat, which was a custom-engraved wooden box with an engraved glass whiskey decanter filled with his favorite whiskey.

As she climbed out of the car, James’ familiar face greeted her from the front porch. Of course, he had a beer in his hand.

“Finally!” James shouted, a smile playing on his lips.

“Am I late?” she joked as she climbed the steps to the front porch.

“Late? Nah, you’re just in time!” James said and hugged her. “Though, honestly, I did think you might have bailed since I know this is the only free night that you’ve had in a while.”

Gabby felt slightly embarrassed, knowing that was exactly what she was thinking of doing.

She smiled as she bumped her shoulder with his arm. “I’d never bail on my teammates.” That was a true statement. Had this party been for anyone else, she would have been in bed stuffing her face with chocolate ice cream with extra chocolate sauce. Yes, she had a slight addiction to chocolate.

“Of course you wouldn’t,” he replied, ushering her inside the two-story home that James, Leo, and Tristan shared.

Her eyes widened in shock as she stepped inside. The entire first floor, which was an open floor plan with high ceilings, was wall-to-wall people who were laughing and dancing to thepulsating music. She stood frozen in place for a moment, taking in the scene. If James weren’t standing beside her, she would’ve thought she had just walked into a frat party.

“I thought this was supposed to be a small get-together,” Gabby said, raising an eyebrow as she glanced around. It was definitely not the low-key gathering she’d expected.

James chuckled. “Yeah, small... in Leo’s world.”

Her nose twitched from the smell of beer, perfume, and sweat. Gabby had to remind herself that she was here to support her friend. She scanned the room, trying to locate Leo in the sea of people.

“There he is,” James pointed out.

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