Breaking Ties: A SEAL Team Heartbreakers Novella

By Teresa J. Reasor

Navy SEAL Oliver ‘Greenback’ Shaker is used to making sacrifices in service to his country. Yet he’s blindsided when he returns from a training rotation and learns his wife, Selena has struggled with a terrible secret in his absence—a secret which might require a sacrifice he’s not prepared to make.

Faced with a life threatening illness, Selena wants to follow the same code of strength and perseverance her husband does as a SEAL, but she can’t go it alone. She needs a team, led by her husband, to see it through. But in Oliver’s line of work, his military duty must come first.

Still reeling after her first diagnosis they then learn Selena is also pregnant. Now with two lives hanging in the balance, the emotional and physical toll stretches the ties that bind their marriage to the breaking point. But true to the SEAL code, Oliver never gives up. And Selena proves valor doesn’t just live on the battlefield, but in every person’s heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Teresa J. Reasor
• Release date: Nov 18, 2014
• ISBN: 9780988662773

Teresa J. Reasor

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Teresa Reasor was born in Southeastern Kentucky, but grew up a Marine Corps brat. The love of reading instilled in her in Kindergarten at Parris Island, South Carolina made books her friends during the many transfers her father's military career entailed. The transition from reading to writing came easily to her and she penned her first book in second grade. But it wasn’t until 2007 that her first published work was released.After twenty-one years as an Art Teacher and ten years as a part time College Instructor, she’s now retired and living her dream as a full time Writer.Her body of work includes both full-length novels and shorter pieces in many different genres, Military Romantic Suspense, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy Romance, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, and Children’s Books.

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Breaking Ties

A SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers Novella

Teresa J. Reasor

Copyright © 2014 Teresa J. Reasor

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Breaking Ties

COPYRIGHT © 2014 by Teresa J. Reasor

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Tracy Stewart

Edited by Faith Freewoman

Teresa J. Reasor

PO Box 124

Corbin, KY 40702

ISBN 10: 0-9886627-7-9

ISBN 13: 978-0-9886627-7-3

Smashwords Edition

Navy SEAL Oliver ‘Greenback’ Shaker is used to making sacrifices in service his country. Yet he’s blindsided when he returns from a training rotation and learns his wife, Selena, has kept a terrible secret for weeks, as she waited for him to come home—a secret that may require a sacrifice he’s not prepared to make.

Faced with a life threatening illness, Selena wants to follow the same code of strength and perseverance her husband does as a SEAL, but she can’t go it alone. She needs a team, headed by her husband, to see it through. But in Oliver’s line of work, duty comes first.

Still reeling from her first diagnosis, they learn Selena is pregnant. Now with two lives hanging in the balance, the emotional and physical toll stretches the ties that bind their marriage to the breaking point. But as a SEAL, Oliver never gives up. And Selena proves valor and courage don’t just live on the battlefield, but in every person’s heart.

Dedication

To Joyce Brown, breast cancer survivor and Certified Breast Patient Navigator for the Baptist Healthcare Oncology Services of Corbin, Kentucky, for your help in clarifying the medical procedures needed by my character.

Any mistakes I’ve made are totally my own.

God bless all those brave women and men who face the battle with cancer every day with courage and humor.

And to all you ladies out there: Please do monthly exams, yearly clinical exams, and mammograms when your doctors recommend them!!

God bless our military men and women. Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

About Breaking Ties

Dedication

Bio

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Epilogue

Books by Teresa Reasor

Connect with the Author

Bio

Teresa Reasor was born in Southeastern Kentucky, but grew up a Marine Corps brat. The love of reading instilled in her in Kindergarten at Parris Island, South Carolina made books her friends during the many transfers her father’s military career entailed.

Though an art teacher and an artist for over twenty years, writing has always been her first love and passion. She is a multi-genre published author, writing Military, Contemporary, Paranormal, and Historical Romantic Suspense.

Chapter One

Ensign Oliver ‘Greenback’ Shaker used the dense shadows to hide his position, easing into the narrow, masonry-clogged alley between two battle-scarred buildings. His body armor trapped the heat and reflected it back against his skin, and sweat poured down his back and sides like he was being sautéed inside his BDUs. He’d experienced heat before, but Iraq was surely like being trapped in the third circle of hell.

The distant sound of a baby crying came from one of the dark buildings. Through his night vision goggles he detected the dim glow of a light barely visible across the street. Some of the structures still housed families just struggling to survive while terrorist and military forces battled around them for control of the area. They had nowhere else to go, so they hunkered down and hoped the violence would pass.

What would he do if he were faced with such a terrible dilemma?

For a brief moment he allowed his thoughts to stray to Selena, waiting for him at home in San Diego. She had just sent him a short video of the doctor’s most recent scan of their baby, showing how much it had grown. He’d never seen anything as beautiful as his wife’s belly swollen with their child. He wanted to reach through the computer screen, to run his hands over it and feel the baby move.

He was here doing his job so no one would have to face such choices on American soil. But, God, how he missed her!

The civilian presence in the area was one of the reasons his team was here, risking their lives, doing this mission old-school instead of raining down ordnance.

He gripped his SCAR rifle and scanned the street for movement. It was his job to guard the team’s back door, their route of escape. As soon as they finished wiring the building to blow, they’d fall back and double-time it out to wait for the structure to blow.

The first click came over his com system, signaling Hawk, his commanding officer and leader of the mission, had gained entry to the building. Next came Bowie’s signal, then Doc’s. Cutter’s and Strong Man’s clicks soon followed.

Greenback glanced at his watch and mentally marked the time. They had seven minutes to get in, set the timer and get out. Derrick Armstrong aka Strong Man would be the last man out and would set the last timer.

Greenback didn’t know which was worse, being two blocks away, alone, and surrounded by insurgents. Or being inside a structure filled with explosives and occupied by terrorists. Pick a fucking card. Both sucked. But at least things had remained quiet at his…

The sound of approaching footsteps froze his thoughts and movements. He shifted, finding cover behind a jagged clump of masonry which partially blocked the alley. He waited to identify whether the person was armed or not. If he carried no weapon, Greenback would hold his position and allow the man to pass.

The baby’s cry from above and across the street drew the guy’s attention. He paused, the barrel of the AK-47 slung over his shoulder, pointing heavenward.

The tango was armed and on foot patrol. Possibly one of the terrorists.

The man pivoted. The glow of his flashlight swung toward the alley, reflecting off the wall opposite Greenback. Still wearing his NVGs, the light blinded him, leaving dots seared on his retinas. Shit!

The tango shuffled into the alley. Greenback froze as the man eased past him, so close he smelled his sweat and the faint hint of garlic.

The tango halted, looking up as though he heard or sensed something. Who is there? he demanded in Arabic.

With the aftereffects of the flashlight still obscuring his vision, Greenback could only guess the man’s location. Should the tango shout a warning to the rest of the patrol, there would be no escape for him or the team. With all his strength, Greenback swung his heavy rifle stock and connected with something solid. A hollow thump like a melon cracking open echoed through the alley. He sensed more than saw the tango’s head whip back and a dull thud followed as he dropped to the ground. Greenback followed the sound, lending his weight to pinning the sentry and keeping him quiet. He gripped the man’s head, the spongy feeling of crushed bones making him gag. The tango’s choking struggle to breathe lasted an agonizing thirty seconds, and then his efforts ceased.

Fear and relief tangled in Greenback’s gut, triggering a wave of nausea. His heart pumped hard from the surge of adrenaline, his vision slowly cleared, and he felt for a pulse. There was none. He scrambled to his feet and rolled the man against the wall.

He turned to study the street again. Had anyone heard the brief struggle? Nothing moved. How long before the next tango on patrol wandered by? There had to be more than one. What were the chances the next guy would use the alley as a shortcut? Greenback steeled himself to do whatever came next.

The baby across the street started crying again, louder and louder. Why didn’t someone pick it up?

Oliver? Oliver? Selena bounced Lucia on her hip in an attempt to soothe her. The toddler’s cheeks were flushed with fever and her tiny body radiated heat.