Lucas (Must Love Danger Book 5) Read online

  LUCAS

  Must Love Danger: Book 5

  By

  Emily Jane Trent

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  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

  Title Page

  Chapter 1

  Copyright

  Chapter 1

  In January, the temperatures in Philly dropped below freezing. While Lucas Parker sat and stared out the airport window, snow piled up outside. If the storm continued, his flight might not take off. He settled in to wait and see.

  A gorgeous woman with dark eyes and long, shiny black hair strode by. Things were definitely looking up. Maybe she was on his flight, which would be even better. She wore a slinky fur coat that hung to her hips, and leather high-heeled boots. Lucas ogled her long legs, approving of her choice to wear black tights.

  She passed his waiting area, giving Lucas a whiff of her perfume on the way by. He craned his neck to see where she went. Rolling her suitcase behind her, the woman went to the next waiting area and gazed at the arrivals and departures display.

  When the woman took a seat and shed her coat, Lucas paid attention. She wore a fitted sweater that showed off her curves. To get a better view, he switched seats. Facing her way, Lucas watched her scroll on her phone. The way she carried herself intrigued him.

  After the woman slipped her phone in a bag, she looked up. Lucas couldn’t resist staring. She was gorgeous. He guessed that she was about his age, although she seemed mature. Maybe it was the clothes or the way she held her chin high. There was something in her demeanor that gave her a star quality.

  The woman gazed at the other waiting passengers, then noticed Lucas. When their eyes met, she didn’t look away. For a second, she stared back then smiled. That was all the encouragement Lucas needed. He went over to introduce himself.

  There was a chance that he would never see her again, but talking with her would certainly make the wait more tolerable. Standing in front of her, Lucas said, “You look as bored as I am.”

  “It’s that obvious?”

  The lilt of her voice set his heart on fire. With that one sentence, Lucas was charmed by her deep, sexy tone. “I’m Lucas Parker. I’m waiting for a flight to San Diego.”

  “I’m Haylee Nichols,” she said. “On my way to Los Angeles.”

  Lucas sat beside her. “Why is a woman from Philly going to California?”

  “I’m a singer,” Haylee said. “I’m going to L.A. to become famous.”

  Lucas laughed with her. He liked a woman who didn’t take herself too seriously.

  “And why is a guy from Philly going to San Diego?”

  “I’m in the Navy,” Lucas said. “I finished recruit training in Illinois. I’ve been home for a couple of weeks, and now I’m heading to SEAL training. I have at least a year and a half before I join a team, then another year of training before deployment.”

  “It sounds hard.”

  “I passed the screening,” Lucas said, “so I think I’m up for it.”

  “Why do you want to be a SEAL?”

  Lucas shrugged. “I’ve always been headstrong. I thought it would be smart to funnel that in the right direction. And I want to see if I have what it takes. The training is intense, but if I make the cut, there are some good opportunities.”

  Haylee studied him. “You’re an interesting person. All the guys I know just want to go to college and get drunk and party.”

  An announcement caught Haylee’s attention, and she turned to see that her flight had been delayed. “It figures. I wonder how long I’ll be stuck here.”

  Lucas wouldn’t mind being stuck for a while if he could talk to Haylee longer. And he got his wish. Right after Haylee crossed her legs, prepared to wait, there was an announcement in the adjacent waiting area.

  “Looks like I’m not going anywhere either,” Lucas said. “This waiting area is not exactly comfortable. Can I buy you coffee, lunch…anything at all?”

  Haylee grinned, showing perfect white teeth. “Sure, why not.”

  Over sandwiches, Lucas got to know Haylee better. She was a year younger than he was and had just graduated high school. She had lived in Philly all her life, making him wonder why he hadn’t seen her before. He certainly would have noticed if their paths had crossed.

  “So, big star, what do you sing?” Lucas said.

  Haylee smiled, brightening the café. “Pop music, mostly. I write my own stuff.”

  “Have I heard any of it?”

  “I doubt it,” Haylee said. “I’ve only performed at small venues. But I’m going to change that. Beyoncé is my idol. I don’t know if I could ever be that good, but I intend to try.”

  Lucas could envision that happening. Haylee had the dark hair, wide eyes, and figure to pull that off. The more they talked, the more he liked her. She was unpretentious and easy to be around. Her gorgeous looks hadn’t gone to her head. Although that might happen when she made it to the top.

  And that was where Haylee was headed. Her attitude convinced Lucas that success was within reach. He figured the next time he heard her voice it would be in a music video. And the next time he saw her would be on a stage in front of thousands of adoring fans.

  Lucas got her phone number, but the odds of calling were low. He would be in training for the next couple of years, and then shipped overseas. Haylee would be in some metropolis surrounded by crowds. If Lucas saw her at all, it would be from a distance. And she would probably fall for some rock star, not a guy from Philly.

  The flights were delayed but not canceled. Lucas was disappointed about that. He had hoped to spend the evening with Haylee. Instead, he was lucky to share a meal with her. But he wouldn’t forget her. Haylee was special. He hadn’t met a woman like her before—and doubted that he would again.

  *****

  Fifteen years later…

  Lucas was home, and this time for good. He had been back to Philly over the years to visit family and spend time with his girlfriend, Anna. He had flown out of the airport in all seasons, but he was glad his final return was in the spring.

  He had returned, unsure what he was coming back to. All he’d wanted was to stay with his SEAL team. He hadn’t thought beyond that until the injury. Even then, he’d assumed that it was temporary. A meniscus tear in his right knee had required surgery.

  Removing the torn cartilage had left the knee area tighter and more prone to injury. After being out of action for eight weeks, Lucas had returned to duty. A second knee injury had put him out of action for good. He had knee pain when squatting or twisting, but he was functional.

  The surgeon had told him that the pain would improve within a year, but the knee wouldn’t be as strong as pre-injury. That was good enough for civilian work but not good enough to stay with his SEAL team. Only the strongest and toughest could stand up to the demands.

  Lucas had been up to the challenges for years, but no longer. That news had been devastating to his morale. His life had centered around duty, protecting the innocent, and using his bullheadedness for a good purpose. That was gone, and civilian life was unfamiliar.

  Years ago, Anna had broken up with him. Lucas had dated her off and on in high school. Then the relationship had become more serious after his military training. Whenever he’d had a chance to come home, he spent time with her.

  But it was difficult to maintain a long-
distance relationship. Lucas did his best, but it was hard to find the time to write, and he didn’t get home that often. It wasn’t like she had made a commitment to him. Lucas had thought about proposing, but it hadn’t seemed like the right time.

  Some of the guys had wives and families and made it work. Lucas hadn’t been sure that his relationship with Anna would hold up to the strain of being separated. It was hard for Anna to keep waiting, and he could hardly expect her to put her life on hold.

  After a few years, Anna broke it off. She’d found someone else, a man who could give her more of what she needed. Lucas had been on deployment and was crushed by the news. He agonized over how he’d screwed things up. But there was nothing to be done. It was over, and he was a long way away. Anna had already moved on, and it wasn’t long before Lucas heard that she was engaged.

  The truth was that Lucas didn’t know if he was a relationship type of guy anyway. He had been driven by duty and still was. His career had come first, and protection was what he was meant to do. Marrying and having a family seemed like what other guys did. Lucas had trouble envisioning settling down. He liked the excitement too much and craved the adrenaline pump that came with danger.

  As Lucas rolled his luggage down the concourse, an image caught his eye. He stopped to look at the TV in the airport restaurant. Haylee captivated the screen. She was famous now, a beloved pop star. And Lucas wasn’t surprised; he had heard her music.

  Not only had he heard it, but he made a point to listen to it whenever he got the chance. Haylee was good. In the past few years, she had been a staple in the charts. Because she sang pop music, the power and range of her voice sometimes got overlooked.

  Haylee was talented, and she wrote her own songs—which was even more impressive. On stage, she was in her element. Her long, dark hair was in a high ponytail, with purple streaks in the front. That matched her glittery outfit and purple boots.

  Lucas remembered the boots she’d worn when he first saw her. She looked sexy in boots, sexy without boots. Haylee was just plain sexy, and a damn good singer. And he wasn’t alone in admiring her. Fans flooded to concerts to see her, and she had a massive social media following.

  Over the years, Lucas had watched as Haylee’s career exploded. He had wondered what might have happened if the airport had gotten snowed in on the day he met her. But he was dreaming; Haylee Nichols was out of his league.

  That didn’t stop Lucas from admiring her from afar, like half the male population—and female too, for that matter. He’d read that she was married. That had been a while ago, and he’d lost track since then. He wasn’t one to read entertainment gossip. He just liked watching Haylee and listening to her sing.

  Lucas wasn’t coming home to much, but he wasn’t about to complain. He was fortunate to have the opportunity to use his skills in the civilian sector. A teammate had secured employment with a protection service, and the company was hiring.

  Caleb Rowe had been a topnotch SEAL, and Lucas had crossed paths with him on many occasions. When he heard about Lucas retiring from the service, Caleb told him about the opening for a protection agent. Lucas connected with the owner, Hawke Turner, and was offered the job.

  Hawke employed ex-military, mostly former Navy, at Black Swan. His company protected executives, celebrities, and other VIPs. The agents covered events and travel, providing close protection as needed. Lucas fit the criteria, as the company’s motto was that the agent must love danger.

  The situations that clients hired Black Swan to handle were high-risk. The executive protection company dealt with unexpected danger, which was the daily operation for a SEAL team. The agents were trained to deal with unpredictable or unforeseen events, typically ones with extreme consequences.

  The team was dedicated to saving lives in the civilian world, using skills that had been honed to perfection under battle conditions. Lucas had found a team; he could devote his energy to protecting the innocent. It was what he knew best, what he’d been trained for.

  Caleb pulled along the curb outside the terminal and hopped out. Lucas hefted his stuff into the trunk then slapped his buddy on the back. It was the start of a new chapter in his life, and Lucas intended to make the most of it.

  *****

  Haylee lifted Evan onto her lap. Five years old was an adorable age, and it wouldn’t be long before her son started school. She felt a twinge of guilt over missing so much of his childhood, when she wanted to cherish every moment of it.

  The demands of her music career had taken her away far too often. That had to change. Haylee had provided for her son in many ways. They lived in a lovely home in Gladwyne, and Evan had his needs cared for—including treatment with the best doctors.

  Evan played with his toy trucks on the tile floor, while Haylee stretched on a yoga mat. Touring was demanding work, and she had to stay in shape. Cartoons played in the background, the childish sounds a familiar background for her workouts.

  It had been a peaceful morning, and Haylee wished that it wouldn’t end. Then Evan wheezed, and she slid off the mat to check on him. “Are you okay, baby?”

  Evan coughed and wheezed again, nodding his head. He was so brave. Since infancy he’d had asthma, and despite the treatment plan, the condition didn’t seem to improve.

  “Okay…Mommy,” Evan said between coughs.

  Haylee grabbed the inhaler and encouraged Evan to breathe with it. That seemed to help, yet seeing her son struggle broke her heart. Constantly, she was on guard for signs of an attack, like Evan having trouble speaking or using his abdominal muscles to breathe.

  It could be something as simple as wide nostrils when breathing in that could be a sign the asthma was acting up. Haylee took steps to avoid triggers. Such things as cold air, pollen, or dust mites could start an asthma attack.

  Evan’s breathing smoothed out, and he handed the inhaler back to her. “All done,” he said, quickly refocused on his toys. He had dark, wavy hair and big brown eyes. His looks were more like Haylee’s than his father’s. He was a loving boy and didn’t deserve having to deal with a physical ailment at such a young age.

  Evan scooted across the floor, making crashing sounds when he rammed one of his plastic trucks into another. He wasn’t different from other boys his age, except for the illness. Haylee could keep his environment controlled while he was at home, but worried about what would happen when he went to school.

  Haylee sat cross-legged on the floor, watching her son play. His father was missing from his life, because he hadn’t been interested in spending time with his son. Evan hardly knew Ryan Lamont, since he hadn’t visited in years.

  It was one more way that Haylee had failed her son. If only her marriage had lasted, but it had been over before she had given birth. It was sad, but she had to live with that. There was no way that she and Ryan could live together—yet it was Evan who suffered.

  Haylee turned to see her assistant standing in the doorway. “I heard coughing. Is he okay?” She walked over and stooped next to Evan.

  Amy Moore had been Haylee’s personal assistant since before Evan had been born. She was petite, with short blond hair and light green eyes. But her fragile feminine looks were deceptive. She was a titan when it came to managing and dealing with people.

  Haylee was fortunate to have Amy handle tasks related to her personal and business life. Her assistant was devoid of ego and worked tirelessly to help Haylee. She would run errands, make travel arrangements, shop, schedule, and handle whatever else came up.

  Her duties included screening calls from business managers, publicists, and media. She was an effective gatekeeper and saved Haylee from untold drama and pressures. It was difficult to find a good personal assistant, and Haylee valued her.

  Amy tickled Evan then pulled him onto her lap for a hug. “I spoke to your tour manager. The summer tour is lined up. I’ve booked the rooms and made the other arrangements.”

  Haylee’s mood shifted. The tour would take her away from Evan. It had to be done
, since there was a lot depending on it. But this was going to be the last time. She had already told her managers—who had relayed the news to her sponsors—that these last performances would be her last.

  It was enough to face going away. Haylee wouldn’t think about what she would do afterwards. She would be able to support her son and stay with him. That was all she needed. She wished to lead a more private life, one that fame couldn’t give her—and she wanted to be a good mother.

  Chapter 2

  The chauffeur drove Haylee and Evan to her brother’s home. Tyler Nichols lived nearby with his wife Meri, and he was protective of his famous sister. He was also her business manager and played an essential role in her career.

  He was an accountant, so dealt with Haylee’s various sources of revenue, tax issues, and investments—all tasks that Haylee was glad to have taken care of. Her brother handled her personal and professional budget, including unanticipated expenses.

  But most important, Tyler was her older brother, and he looked out for Haylee. She appreciated that, but at times he was overbearing. Since Haylee was strong-willed and independent, the two clashed when Tyler was too domineering.

  Yet Haylee was close to her brother and Meri. When Evan had been an infant, he had traveled with Haylee on tour. She had hired a nanny, so she wouldn’t have to be away from her son. But that solution was no longer practical, so Meri cared for Evan instead.

  Evan was an energetic young boy and needed space to play. Plus, as he got older, his asthma attacks had become more frequent. It was healthier for him to stay in a home environment. And there were other risks to touring, so it wasn’t safe for a child.

  Safety was an issue for Haylee too. Touring required increased security to control the fans and guard against other dangers. It was one part of fame that Haylee had trouble dealing with. She preferred to interact with her fans and walk around freely.

  But that wasn’t possible. The better known she became, the more her life was public. And the visibility made her a target, not always by those who adored her.