Page 1 of Hunted Hearts
Chapter One
Theo Malone gripped the railing of his brother’s deck, his mind as restless as the wind sweeping across Lake Tahoe.
The crisp mountain air bit at his skin, but the mug of black coffee in his hands anchored him, as did the pine trees that stood like tall and silent guards around the lake, reflected in the shimmering mirror of the water.
Here, amidst the chaos of this big family vacation he never wanted to be dragged on, he’d found a spot of peace.
The one thing he wasn’t about to admit to his family was that Theo didn’t knowwhathe wanted out of life.
Not anymore.
The years he devoted to the military and his SEAL team had come to an end—a bittersweet one, if he was honest with himself.
He missed the hell out of his brothers-in-arms. But in the heat of battle, he missed his five brothers and kid sister back in Wyoming.
He brought the coffee to his lips and drew a sip of the dark brew into his mouth. One definite perk of civilian life—the coffee was miles better than anything he’d ever had on base.
From inside the house came a few thumping sounds. Behind Theo, the glass door slid open, letting out bursts of laughter and the soft thud of socked feet on hardwood.
The house was alive with Malone chaos—his brother Denver’s significant other Rhae was busy wrangling their infant daughter into a high chair and somebody else argued about pancake toppings in the kitchen. It was loud, warm, human.
And Theo felt like a fucking ghost in the middle of it.
Later, he planned to go down to the lake for a bit of fishing. But he knew damn well that tossing a line wouldn’t blunt the edge inside him. The need to scan the rooftops and search for exit strategies was part of his DNA now.
A person joined him on the deck, and he turned his head to see Denver closing the door behind him, cutting off the sounds of the house.
“Crazy in there.” Denver sidled up to the railing and planted his hands on it, leaning forward to gaze at the hillside leading down to the water.
Theo didn’t get a chance to respond to his brother because his phone started buzzing. He set the coffee on the wide arm of the deck chair and dug into his back pocket for the device.
An unfamiliar number flashed across the screen. Some people would ignore any caller they didn’t recognize, but in Theo’s world, he didn’t recognizeanyof the numbers.
A twitch in his gut told him this wasn’t the kind of call he sent to voicemail.
He brought the phone to his ear.
A clipped voice filtered through the speaker. No greetings, no hesitation. “Theo Malone?”
“Speaking.”
“This is Ash.”
Angelo Ash. Naval Special Warfare Command. The officer who recruited him to join ghost ops—SEAL Team Blackout.
A twist in Theo’s chest had him forcing air out of his lungs. Unable to stay still for this call, he crossed the deck in quick strides, aware of his brother watching him.
If the officer asked him to join Blackout a second time, Theo might just say yes—if only to feel something close to normal again. Because for him, normal wasn’t peace or quiet. It was being part of a team.
He cut his fingers through his hair. “What can I do for you, Ash?”
“How quiet is it on your end?” Ash’s deep tone pricked at his senses.
He twisted to glance at Denver halfway across the desk. His brother had swung to face him, his jaw hitched upward at a sharp angle. Their gazes locked.
“Quiet,” Theo responded.
“I’m calling about a matter.”
