Page 1 of Wild Hearts

Chapter 1

Training Exercise

Mick

Ishut my eyes, feeling the bird take off. There’s nothing like the rush you get right before you free fall from thirteen thousand feet. I feel Striker shift next to me and know, even with my eyes closed, that my best friend is sitting forward with his elbows on his knees while pulling on his lip. I open one eye and sure enough, he’s doing what I thought.

“You’re usually not this restless when we’re about to jump,” I muse.

He sighs, rubbing his face. “It’s Shane.”

I sit up, giving him my full attention. “What’s wrong with your sister?”

“If you ask her, nothing,” he growls. “But according to Jake, she couldn’t find decent help for this summer to save her life at the shop, so repairs on the property keep getting pushed back.”

“What does she do again?” I frown, trying to think about what little I know about Shane.

“She runs an adventure business and takes care of the family ranch.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I have use or lose days, so I put in for a month’s worth of leave.” He shrugs. “That should be plenty of time to get shit done.”

I lean back in my seat, adjusting my gear before closing my eyes. “You want some help?”

“Would I? Yes. Would I rather go through fifty more firefights than get between Momma McKenzie and you? Yes. Your mother is terrifying.” He shudders, making me laugh.

“If I tell her you need help, you know she wouldn’t mind.” I smile. “Besides, if I tell her it’s for your sister, you know she would demand I go home with you. She loves Shane like she’s one of her own.”

“How did she get Shane’s number again?” He chuckles.

“Probably when she was ‘cleaning’ during one of her visits.”

“I would make a comment about how weird it is when she comes to town and cleans my bedroom, but she stocks the freezer with the good shit.”

My mother’s a caregiver through and through. She doesn’t care who you are, she will mother you to death. Which is why every time she comes to visit, she cleans the entire apartment, including Striker’s room. At first, he complained that he couldn’t find anything, but eventually he got used to it.

“Lucked out in the roommate department, huh?” I tease, making us both laugh.

“I don’t know what I’m more torn up about, you getting out and moving home or the fact that I won’t have any of your momma’s cooking unless I come visit.”

I bump his shoulder. “You’re an idiot. You know she will still be making trips out to see her other son.” I give him a pointed look.

“Good point. Then I get all that cooking to myself. Hurry up and retire already.” He mimics my shoulder bump.

“Yeah, Yeah.”

* * *

One week later

Rifle, Colorado

Mick

The wheels hittingthe runway jolt me awake, reaching for a weapon.

“Easy, killer, we tried to warn you, but you were out,” Striker says over his shoulder.

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