Page 1 of Embracing Hope

Prologue

Isaac Marcum woke with a start, covered in sweat.

He’d been sound asleep, but something had disturbed him. Perhaps it was another nightmare that jolted him awake. He lifted his head from where it had been awkwardly resting against the headrest and stretched his knotted neck muscles. He massaged the sore spots using his fingers, scraping his nails over the deep scar on his shoulder. Although the wound had long-since healed, the memories of that fateful day remained raw.

Time couldn’t heal the memories.

His last special ops mission hung over him like a malady—some kind of incurable disease that didn’t take his life. Although, at times, he wished he was six feet under. Wished he could trade his life for those that weren’t so lucky that day.

Even now, the image of the flames and the acrid smell of the burning village filled his nostrils. Distant cries of women and children echoed in every brain cell.

Not everyone escaped, although he’d frantically tried to save them.

One shot would have prevented the loss of innocent lives. Justoneshot.

But he’d failed. Miserably.

He sat straighter in his seat and adjusted his Stetson, scanning the parking lot of Mav’s Bar in Sagebrush Pine. He’d arrived in the small town two hours earlier and was waiting for the place to open. He needed a bite before checking into his hotel across the street.

His cell phone buzzed from the console, and he checked the screen, refusing to answer his brother’s call. CJ probably wanted to know if Isaac had made it to Sagebrush Pine or if he’d backed out at the last minute and instead taken off for a mountain escape.

The conversation they had last night still thrummed through his brain, about as distasteful as his nightmares.

“It’s time you took a leadership role here at Marcum Livestock,” CJ had told Isaac. “Do your part as a member of this family.”

“I do. I work the land,” he said stoically.Although he and his brother were close, they often clashed after CJ took on the CEO role of the family-owned business two years ago. Isaac never cared much for the decision-making aspect of things. He got more satisfaction working alongside the hands from sunup to sundown.

CJ chuckled and then sarcastically added, “A bigger role.”

That was how Isaac landed in Sagebrush Pine.

CJ wanted Isaac to manage the details of the merger with Sagebrush Rose Ranch, even though he opposed merging Marcum Livestock with the ranch. Why couldn’t his brother recognize that life was so much better when lived simply? Money didn’t make the world turn in Isaac’s opinion.

The Rose family had been in the spotlight a lot lately. They were under scrutiny after a ranch hand was shot dead on the property. Additionally, rumors were swirling that Sam Rose was financially unstable and losing control of his business portfolio. Marcum Livestock didn’t have the resources that Sagebrush Rose Ranch had, but they couldn’t afford to partner with a sinking ship. CJ had his mind made up that this would be the merging of two great companies, and they would be unstoppable titans in the cattle industry.

The last place Isaac wanted to be was Sagebrush Pine. He had made it clear to CJ that Marcum Livestock didn’t need to merge with anyone, not even with the powerful and influential Sam Rose. Yet, when had Isaac’s brother ever listened to him? A few years older, CJ always believed he knew best, which was partly why Isaac preferred working with his hands on the ranch and not pushing a pen. These days, CJ rarely ventured out of his cushy office and saw the nuts and bolts of the land.

Now, here Isaac was, micromanaging the merger of the year and reporting back to CJ like a first-year intern.

Isaac ran his palms down his stubbled face and yawned. A good night’s sleep had become more of a phenomenon than a luxury since he’d given up his rifle and uniform and returned to civilian life.

He attempted to shrug off the nightmare that had haunted his nap, but the memory had become shrapnel embedded into his every muscle, lingering like a black cloud waiting for him to close his eyes to unleash the storm.

Although his nightmares never included the blast on that day, in his waking hours that was all he seemed to think about. The loud explosion was followed by plumes of thick smoke and the scorching scent of the embers of the village where they’d tracked down international terrorist Haz Cortez. He’d left a trail of destruction that needed to end.

The desert sun had felt like a furnace beating down on Isaac in the abandoned building outside Kirkuk. Sweat had drenched his tactical uniform within minutes, and his legs were burning from their crouched position on the crumbled cement. His mouth had been dry, but he didn’t dare reach for his canteen. Any wrong move could alert Cortez that he was being watched by the special ops team tasked with tracking and debriefing terrorists.

Cortez had finally come out of his hole, a shack in the village where he’d been mingling with villagers for six months, and Isaac set the crosshairs of his rifle on the fugitive. The orders were clear that Isaac would take the terrorist dead or alive. A debriefing wouldn’t be wasted on the bastard.

There was no doubt in Isaac’s mind that there would be no taking Cortez alive. He had been behind three of the worst terrorist attacks on American soil, killing hundreds and wounding even more.

Isaac had steadied his finger on the trigger as sweat dripped into his eyes.

He focused his sights on the tall, gangly man in aperahan turban. Although he blended in with the rest of the locals, the snake tattoo wrapped around his neck and curled onto his cheek set him apart.

Years of experience in special ops had taught Isaac the importance of control and patience. Despite being in position for hours, no muscle in his body shook. He remained as calm as the serene waters that cut a path through Marcum farmland, which were so tranquil that the townsfolk believed the water had healing properties.

Isaac had the shot. He hovered his trigger finger at the ready…

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