Adjusting to the Situation [Granite County 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Read online

  Granite Country 3

  Adjusting to the Situation

  One big Native American and one smaller blond cop meet on the dance floor, have a rendezvous in a storage closet, and the next day discover they will be working together. What’s one of the first things Synn Romeo and Craig Collins do? Find another closet.

  What’s the second thing they do? Try to figure out who is mutilating and killing blonds. Help the County Sheriffs take down the man who has taken over the underbelly of illegal drugs and guns. And fall in love.

  What’s the third thing they do? For Synn, it’s finding Craig when he’s kidnapped. For Craig, it’s surviving the kidnapping in one piece. Then the two discover the joys of life, like caring for Craig’s pets, Pete and Lola, and honoring Synn’s heritage in a special ceremony. Granite County has never harbored such evil before. It’s a good thing love always wins when men find themselves adjusting to the situation.

  Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Contemporary, Romantic Suspense

  Length: 29,401 words

  ADJUSTING TO THE SITUATION

  Granite County 3

  Bellann Summer

  EVERLASTING CLASSIC

  MANLOVE

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic ManLove

  ADJUSTING TO THE SITUATION

  Copyright © 2015 by Bellann Summer

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-63259-037-4

  First E-book Publication: March 2015

  Cover design by Les Byerley

  All art and logo copyright © 2015 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of Adjusting to the Situation by Bellann Summer from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

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  This is Bellann Summer’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Bellann Summer’s right to earn a living from her work.

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  DEDICATION

  This is for all my loyal readers. Thank you for keeping up with my characters jumping between series.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  ADJUSTING TO THE SITUATION

  Granite County 3

  BELLANN SUMMER

  Copyright © 2015

  Chapter One

  Craig Collins desperately tried to control his breathing. He was never going to be able to hear the sheriff’s orders over the roaring in his ears with the way his heart was pounding so hard.

  Craig’s boss, Sheriff Steve Titan’s deep voice called out, “Fan out men. Rescue for Hire is approaching the target site. We need to be ready to secure the premises as soon as they enter.”

  Carefully Craig made his way through the thick brush of the woods surrounding the old abandoned barn. Chief Deputy Creed Darnley and Criminal Investigator Dean Titan were being held captive by escaped convict and former Pine County Sheriff, Sullivan Bechard. From the faint screams of agony Craig heard from his position on the small wooded hill above the barn, Bechard must be torturing the men horribly.

  Sweat covered his brow and slowly trickled down the side of his face. Craig tightened his grip on the gun in his hand, his damp palm making everything slippery. For the last two months since becoming a deputy for Granite County, Craig responded to accidents, gave out tickets, and generally policed the back roads. This was his first hostage situation, and the adrenaline coursing through his system had his body on red alert.

  All around him, his fellow deputies spread out through the woods and prepared to make their way down to the barn. It had rained earlier, forcing Craig to instinctively avoid muddy, low spots in the earth and step over wet, slippery-downed logs. Pushing through a particularly thick scrub of brush, Craig broke into a small section of the woods that contained only huge pine trees. Their acidic needles kept the ground clear of vegetation, making it easier to walk.

  Craig looked back toward the large figure of his boss, who was still partially concealed in the thick tangle of willows. Anticipation rose as he waited for the hand signal to advance on the barn. A gunshot rang out and something exploded against his chest, sending Craig to the ground flat on his back.

  He couldn’t breathe. Panicking, Craig tried to get to his feet. No matter how hard he struggled, his body wouldn’t respond. Trapped on his back, Craig saw only bright blue sky above him as a deep burning pain spread out from the center of his chest. Using every single bit of will power he had, Craig managed to get his lungs to take in a tiny breath of air.

  “Shit! Man down, man down. Sheriff, Craig is down,” someone yelled.

  The Sheriff’s face appeared above Craig. “Are you with me, Deputy Collins?” he asked.

  Craig could only nod. A swarm of angry wasps were currently attacking his insides with their sharp stingers. Frantically he brought in another small breath.

  The sheriff’s face disappeared. Hands slid under his shoulders and gripped his armpits. The wor
ld started moving as his body was roughly dragged backward. Things didn’t stop shifting until a thick tangle of brush blocked Craig from the barn. Cold invaded Crag’s body. Something huge and heavy pressed on his chest, crushing it and preventing him from breathing.

  Troy Lambert came into his limited view. “It’s going to be okay, Craig. An ambulance is on the way. You need to keep your eyes open and looking at me, buddy.”

  Troy used to be a paramedic before he joined the Sheriff’s Department. Craig couldn’t see what he was doing, but his limbs went rigid when screaming pain punched deeply into his chest. Urgently, Craig needed to take another breath. Frowning, he felt tiny ripples slide through his legs and arms. Before he could figure out what was happening, the world started rocking.

  “Shit, he’s seizing!” was the last thing Craig heard before everything went black.

  * * * *

  “So, you’re firing me.” Craig searched his boss’s handsome face. He knew that Sheriff Titan was taken, but he wasn’t blind. As far as Craig was concerned, as long as one didn’t touch, there was nothing wrong with looking. Except, now wasn’t the time for those thoughts, even if part of his brain admired the sheriff anyway.

  “No, I’m not firing you,” Steve said, leaning forward to emphasize his point. “What I said was that you’re off the patrol schedule. I’ve decided since you’ve been cleared to work again, that I need your skills elsewhere.”

  “The doctor said I could go back out in the field,” Craig pointed out. He had spent the last five months healing after being shot during a mission. He lost a month of his life enduring multiple surgeries and being kept in the intensive care unit of the hospital in a drug-induced coma. When he awoke, Craig spent the next few foggy weeks under the effects of intense painkillers and antibiotics. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that Craig was lucky to be alive. But now he was ready to go on with his life.

  “Deputy Collins, I understand you’re impatient to resume your duties as a patrolman, but it’s not happening,” Steve replied.

  The look on the sheriff’s face told Craig he wasn’t going to change his mind. But that didn’t mean Craig couldn’t change tactics and give it one more try.

  “Sheriff, so much has happened over the last six months. It shocked the community when we discovered that Pine County Sheriff Bechard was a dirty cop and running a drug ring. Your brother Dean’s kidnapping, along with Chief Deputy Darnley rocked law enforcement entities state wide. Not to mention me being shot while attempting to rescue them.” Craig made sure his face was solemn and grave at this point. Yes, he had been in an acting group in college. “Now Dean is the Sheriff of Pine County and Deputy Darnley has left Granite County to be Dean’s Chief Deputy.”

  “What’s your point, Deputy Collins?” Steve asked, sitting back in his chair and pressing his fingertips together.

  “You must be under a lot of stress, Sheriff, being so shorthanded. You have to find a new Chief Deputy and replace the deputies who were involved in Bechard’s illegal dealings.” Craig changed his expression to one he hoped looked innocent and helpful “I would hate to add to your concerns by not helping my remaining co-workers keep Granite County a safe place for our wonderful residents to live in.”

  Steve ran his hand over his mouth and cleared his throat. Craig could see the Sheriff wasn’t buying his load of bologna. Damn, he loved patrolling the county roads, and responding to emergency calls.

  Reaching into the top drawer in his desk, the sheriff pulled out a manila folder and slid it across the desk toward Craig.

  “Use the desk next to the Chief Deputy’s office. Take that with you and read it.”

  Curious, Craig picked up the folder. It was labeled “CONFIDENTIAL.” Standing, he went to leave.

  “Deputy Collins,” the sheriff said.

  Craig stopped and turned around. “Sheriff?”

  “Your job right now is to memorize everything in that file,” the sheriff informed him. “It’s for your eyes only, and make sure you return it to me when you’re done.”

  Craig’s heart leaped in his chest. His instincts were humming. Something big was happening and he had just been included in it. Nodding, he headed out of the room to find a desk.

  At the door the sheriff stopped him again. “And one more thing. When I finally find a new Chief Deputy, you will be assisting him.”

  Mind racing, Craig left the room.

  * * * *

  Leonel Heartland stood in the grimy bathroom of the low-rent apartment, and looked in the mirror above the rust-coated, once white sink. His latest stint in prison put some muscle on his frame and had given him a few new tattoos. They were a clear message to those who knew what they meant. If he needed anything, a call to a few certain powerful inmates would have them sending assistance his way.

  Turning his bald head to the side, he observed the crescent-shaped, red puckered scar he had earned while completing his initiation into the largest and most vicious prison group. He preferred to call it a group. “Gang” was such a crass word.

  He still smiled when he remembered the sound of the man’s muffled screams when he used the edge of the broken-off pen to gouge his pretty, dark-brown eyes out. The victim’s useless struggles excited Leonel and the guy managed to catch Leonel across the face with a hard, clear piece of plastic. Leonel had been impressed the man had gotten a hold of something like that without the authorities finding it.

  Leonel had paid a hefty price to one of the lifers for that broken pen, although, before he was released, Leonel had made the man his bitch for a few sweet hours. At least they were sweet for Leonel.

  Now Leonel had some plans to make. Ray Paulson losing the sheriff’s election had complicated things. Dean Titan was a force to be reckoned with, and as the new sheriff of Pine County, he needed to be watched. His brother, Steve, ran Granite County with an iron hand, and defeating him would take every one of his skills. The Titan brothers were talented adversaries and Lionel looked forward to going up against them and bringing them down.

  Unfortunately, the little warning he had set up at the café hadn’t stopped either of them from sticking their noses into his business. As far as he was concerned, in the end, that would only make his victory sweeter.

  Glancing through the bathroom door to the newspaper lying on the cheap coffee table, Leonel thought about the picture on the front page.

  The delectable Craig Collins had managed to survive being shot by Bechard. Now that the Granite County Deputy caught his eye, Leonel had plans for the two of them together. All the different ways he was going to take the deputy’s body and make it his, had Leonel’s dick filling.

  Looking over at the switchblade and straight razor sitting on the back of the toilet had him thinking it was time to go out and find someone to blow off a little steam with.

  * * * *

  Synn Romeo sat back, the chair squeaking under his considerable weight, and looked across the desk at Cade Miller. He had come all the way from Alaska to interview for the Rescue for Hire’s owner on the recommendation of his best friend Rock Morrison. Rescue for Hire was a company that went out and rescued people in desperate need, from natural disasters to missing persons. Rock had accepted a position as the lead tracker for the company months ago.

  After Synn had managed to scratch his way out of and heal from that hell hole he had been in over in the Middle East, Rock suggested a change in occupations. Synn had to agree it was time.

  To be honest Synn was a little surprised Cade had wanted to talk to him in the first place. He had a lot of skills, but he didn’t have a specific specialty. From what he observed, this company was made up of a team of specialists. He wasn’t certain if he would fit in.

  “Are you sure you’re ready to give up being a spook, Commander Romeo?” Shane Miller asked.

  Synn looked over at Cade’s brother Shane. The two men sitting next to each other were similar in height, massive muscles, and stature. Where they differed was in the aura surrounding them. Synn co
uld see Cade was a very wise man who observed and ruled with total authority. Synn knew from experience that Shane had a hard edge to him and his instincts were spot on.

  “It’s time, Commander Miller,” Synn answered.

  Shane and Synn both were commanding officers of special secret teams for the CIA. If they did their job correctly, the public never heard about it. If something went wrong, the public still might not hear about it. But it meant he or some of his men didn’t come back to their families.

  The last mission had almost taken Synn humanity. A person could only watch other people act without logic or morality for so long before they broke. During a particularly nasty battle, Synn had sacrificed himself so his men could escape alive.

  For six long torture-filled days, Synn had endured hell on earth. On the seventh day his men, amid much firepower and bloodshed, had broken him out of there. As they carried him out of the house located in the center of a small village, his main tormentor attacked them.

  With the last of his strength, Synn had taken the gun from one of the men holding him up and shot the bastard in the face, killing him instantly. That kill had felt far too good.

  Immediately on arriving home he had started the paperwork to retire. By the end of two months Synn was somewhat healed from his injuries and his retirement papers had come through. Most of all, he was ready to start a new path in life.

  Cade’s all-seeing blue eyes searched Synn’s face. “You have the qualifications and the skills to work for Rescue for Hire,” Cade said. “But I didn’t call you here to hire you.”