Rescuing Darcie: Delta Force Guardians

By Jennifer Becker

Darcie Burrows always hoped that the man she lost years ago and assumed dead would come back somehow. She felt it deep in her bones that he was still out there somewhere trying to come home to her instead of dead as the military pronounced.

 

That hope began to fade when she loses their house and is forced to move. Thanks to a friend’s offer she can have a fresh start in a new state. At a welcoming barbeque she meets Daniel who is unlike any man she had ever met and awakens feelings in her she long thought dead. Is she even ready to date and start over? She had been waiting so long for Drew to come home she felt she missed her opportunity to have a family.

 

Daniel “Bear” Kingsley is a beast of a man who took one look at Darcie and every part of his body screamed mine. Darcie didn’t want to let go of the ghost of her first love but with gentle encouragement he shows her all she has been missing waiting for a man who would never come home to her.

 

Just as Darcie and Daniel start building a relationship they are dealt a devastating blow that could tear them apart. Darcie is shell shocked to discover the man she loved and lost years ago and assumed dead is in fact very much alive. Things are far from perfect from their first reunion. The man she knew is long gone. Will she stay and fight for her first love or let him go to be with Daniel who could be her true love?

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Publishdrive
• Release date: Sep 17, 2019

Book preview

Becker

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Epilogue

Chapter 1

Darcie Burrows closed her eyes and held her breath counting to ten before exhaling. She opened her eyes, but the eviction notice still sat in her hand, staring her in the face with big, bold red letters. Shit. What was she going to do? She and her ex-fiancé Drew had bought this house together when they planned to marry. She should have sold it when he went missing on a mission six years ago, but she couldn’t bear to part with it. It was one of the last things they had done together before he left, was purchase and decorate it. Now it looked like she wouldn’t have a choice.

Darcie wanted to sit and wallow in her grief but knew it wouldn’t change anything. She had been lucky to afford the house as long as she had. With only her modest income as a sales associate in North Carolina, she couldn’t keep up on the payments. It was only with the help of her mom and stepdad that she’d kept up on it all these years. They were getting older now and were thinking about moving to Florida to retire and couldn’t afford to pay her mortgage any longer.

They had stopped helping her a few months ago to save up for themselves. Darcie couldn’t argue with that. They shouldn’t have been paying for her house. They had begged her to sell it multiple times, but she couldn’t. It was her last connection to Drew. Everything looked the same as it had when he left. His clothes still hung in the closest. His boots by his side of the bed. She kept hoping against hope he would come home, and she wanted things to be like they were when he left. As the years rolled by, she lost that hope, but she couldn’t bear to get rid of his things.

She wouldn’t have a choice now except to get rid of his things. With her low pay and her boss unwilling to give her more hours, she fell further and further behind on her payments. The eviction notice said they were giving her 30 days. She didn’t even know where she’d go. She couldn’t live with her mother. Most apartments were too expensive to afford. Her options were limited.

She briefly thought about calling Tony, Drew’s ex-teammate who visited her a few weeks ago, but quickly dismissed the thought. She wasn’t his problem. It was nice that he’d visited her, but he didn’t need to be burdened with her problems. She’d call Beth, a fellow widower, if Darcie could even call herself a widow. She’d know what to do.

In the beginning, after the mission that killed all but one team member, most of the spouses kept in touch. After a few years, a few stopped returning phone calls, but Beth had been there for her. Always. She would tell her what to do. When Beth had lost Don, she poured all her energy into their farm and turned it into a thriving business. Darcie wished she had that kind of talent, but she didn’t. Her job wasn’t the greatest in the world, nor what she had planned for herself when she was younger, but it had been all she could get at the time when she moved here with Drew and hadn’t wanted to put herself out there and try something else. She was in her early thirties and didn’t want to have to start a new job.

Darcie set down the notice and called Beth, hoping she would have some insightful suggestion that she hadn’t thought of, short of selling the house. Darcie didn’t see any other way around it, however.

Hello, Darcie, Beth answered warmly.

Hi, Beth. I hope I’m not interrupting anything. Beth was a busy woman running the farm. She could call back later.

Not at all. I always have time to talk, Beth assured her. What’s wrong?

How do you know somethings wrong? Darcie asked. Beth had crazy intuition that she always knew if something was wrong with someone. She knew what you were going to say before you did. It was uncanny.

It doesn’t matter how I know, just that I do. So tell me. She was so authoritative like Don had been. She could see why they had gotten along so well.

I received an eviction notice. I have to be out in less than 30 days.

Oh, Darcie that’s terrible, Beth said stricken.

Darcie felt tears choke her, but she held them back. I don’t know where to go. I’ve lived here for just over six years. Everything I have is here.

What do you need from me? Beth asked without hesitation. Money? A place to stay?

I couldn’t ask you to do that, Beth. I just needed to talk to someone. I don’t have anyone here. I’m trying to think of a way out of this without losing my house. Beth was a blessing in her life. She always knew what to say and gave the best advice.

Have you called Tony?

I thought about it but say what? I’m losing my house will you take me in. I don’t want to be a charity case.

No one would ever think that of you.

I would.

Just call him. I know you are hesitant to leave, but maybe this is a blessing in disguise. A fresh start would do you some good.

I don’t know. Darcie worried her bottom lip. She didn’t like change or unknowns. What choice did she have? She would be out of a house in a few weeks. Her job paid little, and she was miserable here. Maybe Beth had the right of it. I’ll call him.

Good. Tony is a sweet boy, and he went through a tough time losing the team. I think helping you will appease some of his guilt.

I never blamed him. Beth had been shocked when Tony showed up on her doorstep a few weeks ago. She hadn’t seen him since before the mission. He hadn’t even been there for the funerals. She had thought it was due to injuries but recently found out it was over the guilt that he survived when the others hadn’t.

She had spent years trying to get over the loss of Drew. She wished she knew what had ever happened to him. The unknown was worse than knowing if he had died overseas. So many what-ifs instead of knowing. Many of the spouses got closure where she was plagued with wondering.

Tony had told her to call him if she ever needed anything. She never thought she’d have cause, until now. She still didn’t feel she needed to burden him with her problems. Call it pride if you will, but she was out of options.

None of the wives did, but it doesn’t change how he felt. Just give him a call. Think of it as a vacation.

With a rental truck? Darcie joked.

Beth laughed with her. A fresh start would do you some good. Texas isn’t all that bad.

Oh no. Snakes and heat. Not bad at all, Darcie said dryly.

Beautiful forest, mild winter and close to friends, which is something you need, Beth added without skipping a beat.

That does sound nice. Especially the friend’s part. She missed being part of a group. After she lost Drew, she’d closed herself off from people. They eventually stopped coming to check on her and inviting her to get out of the house. She had done it to herself, but it didn’t change the fact it still hurt.

She had met Tony’s fiancé, Alexia. She liked her. Maybe moving wasn’t as bad as she thought it was. She couldn’t take all of Drew’s things with her but maybe some of them. She looked down at the engagement ring she’d never taken off the solitaire diamond gleaming under the dining room light.

She remembered the day he proposed to her. He was so nervous his hands shook as he placed the ring on her finger.

Darcie? Beth asked, concerned when she had been quiet for too long.

Sorry, I’m here.

Lost in thought? Beth guessed.

Yeah,

A good memory?

One of my favorites. Drew proposing. Darcie chuckled.

Ah, Beth said knowingly. A woman never forgets when her man proposes. I still remember when Don did almost twenty years ago.

How did he? Darcie had never heard how Beth had met Don. She had never asked over the years they had met over barbeques. After Don died, it had seemed insensitive to ask. Now she was curious.

Another time. Beth’s voice warbled. Talking about Don did that to her. She loved him so much. Still did. Darcie felt guilty for bringing it up. She should have known better.

I’m sorry, Beth.

Don’t be. I have to go. Someone’s at the door. Let me know how your talk with Tony goes. If Texas doesn’t work out, you always have a place here, Beth said before hanging up.

Darcie sat in indecision for several minutes. To call Tony or not? What was the worst thing he’d say? No, and she would have to find somewhere else to go. Shaking off the nerves, Darcie called the number Tony had left on a piece of paper.

Darcie, he answered surprised. Are you okay? What’s wrong? His surprise morphed into concern.

I’m alright. She tried to sound upbeat but knew it sounded strained. No, that’s not true. I need your help.

Chapter 2

Darcie smiled politely gripping her sweet tea with a death grip as Alexia introduced her to Tony’s new teammates. She pasted on a smile, feeling overwhelmed with all the new faces and names she feared she would never remember. It had taken her almost a year to remember Drew’s teammates real names and call signs.

This isn’t permanent. She reminded herself. It wasn’t like she was a military spouse or a close friend. She wasn’t required to know all their names. But since she was here and Tony and Alexia had nicely taken her in, she thought she’d put in the effort to be friendly.

She had been living in Texas now for the past two weeks. It had taken her a few days to rent a U-Haul and pack up what she could and sell the rest. When she had explained to Tony her situation, he told her to come out without hesitation. While Darcie had been trying to pack up her life, Alexia had been busy calling around to find her a job.

By the time she arrived in San Antonio, she had several job interviews lined up. She chose a job at a childcare facility. The hours were reasonable, and the pay was better than her sales job. Tony had opened his house to her and was letting her stay rent-free. He even rented out a storage unit to keep her things since the other room was being set up for a nursery. Alexia was already a few months along but hardly showed, anyone could see she was already a proud parent, always rubbing her belly. Darcie didn’t know what she’d do without him. She planned to pay him back someday for his generosity; first, by being at this barbeque.

Tony had arranged a barbeque at his new house, that he and Alexia had moved into a month ago, as a housewarming and to introduce her to the team and make her feel more at home. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she didn’t like being in large crowds, especially with people she didn’t know. For Tony though, she was willing to put herself through it. She owed him so much.

This is Vincent, Alexia introduced her.

Darcie shook his hand and said her customary hello. They chatted a few minutes, and she was wondering how she was going to excuse herself for a moment of privacy when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She turned to look for the source and saw a man walking in through the side yard. The first thing she noticed was how tall he was, she could see his head over all the others in the yard, and his body was wide. He looked like a linebacker. His eyes scanned through the crowd taking everyone in before they locked on her, stealing her breath. His eyes looked grey from the distance. His hair was jet black, almost blue with the sun shining on it. His face was accented with sharp cheekbones and plump looking lips that made her think naughty things. Things she had no right thinking about a stranger. Feelings she had long suppressed since she was in her early twenties. The crowd parted, and she could see him in a leather jacket and a blue shirt that hugged his body to perfection. Black jeans fit snuggly, showcasing his muscular thighs.

Darcie shook herself and looked away. What was wrong with her? She was eyeing a stranger like a hussy. That wasn’t like her. Her mother would be appalled at her behavior. Never had she responded to a man like that before. Not even Drew. It had taken several set downs before she even agreed to go on a date with Drew. There had been no instant attraction. That had taken several dates. After one glance at this stranger, she was imaging him kissing her and nibbling on that plump bottom lip of his. Or wrapping her legs around his trim waist and riding him until she came. Darcie felt her cheeks warm at all the thoughts of this poor stranger. She needed a moment to compose herself and ger her hormones under control. She had been without a man for six years. That’s what she was blaming it on.

She was about to make her excuses when she heard a deep voice behind her that froze her in her place.

Hey, Lexi. Sorry I’m late. I got stuck in traffic.

That’s okay, Daniel. I’m just glad you made it. She had no doubt this was the man she was ogling a moment ago. Daniel. She tested his name in her head. Daniel, I’d like you to meet Darcie. She’s staying with us for a while. Darcie, you might also hear Daniel be referred to as Bear.

Bear. She could see why he earned that nickname. He was big and broad like a bear.

With no other choice except embarrassing herself and her new friends by fleeing, Darcie turned and faced Daniel. He was more beautiful up close. His eyes were like polished gunmetal. She could stare into their depths for hours. More grey than blue. She found herself comparing them to Drew’s blue eyes. They were a bright baby blue. Much softer than Daniel’s.

Realizing she was caught staring at him awkwardly Darcie cleared her throat and held out her hand. Nice to meet you.

He took it with a hint of a smile. A pleasure. His voice was deep and smoky like whiskey.

His hand was warm and wrapped around hers easily. Her head sent off warning bells of danger. He was dangerous. He was a polar opposite of Drew, but that didn’t deter her treacherous body which was even more dangerous. Suddenly it was hard to