Lindsay McKenna - Firstborn

Jason’s words were thrown like a gauntlet.

“Yes, it is,” Annie replied, her voice cool and emotionless.

His stomach clenched. She was testing him like he was a damn rookie! What happened to the woman he’d met in the hangar? The woman he had found himself drawn to—rightly or wrongly.

“You’re out to flunk me, aren’t you?” he demanded now. “Orders from above?”

“Mr. Trayhern, you are paranoid. No one has it in for you here, except maybe yourself. Your past doesn’t count with me. Do you understand that?”

Jason closed his eyes. Her husky words flowed over him like a calming blanket. “Yeah, I hear you,” he replied. But could he trust her?

More importantly, could he trust himself with a woman he was so powerfully attracted to?

“Edge-of-the-seat romantic suspense…. Readers will be enthralled from the first page to the last.”

—on Valkyrie

“A truly remarkable love story of two courageous people.”

—on Morgan’s Marriage

“When it comes to action and romance, nobody does it better than McKenna.”

—on Destiny’s Woman

“McKenna weaves together enticing players, heart-stopping action and sparks aplenty to create a savory romantic concoction.”

—on Man with a Mission

“Full-bodied characters that shine amid a powerful backdrop of emotional change, desire and love.”

—on A Man Alone

“Talented Lindsay McKenna delivers excitement and romance in equal measure.”

—on Protecting His Own

“Another Lindsay McKenna romantic treasure.”

—on A Woman of Innocence

“Balanced characters, electrifying attraction, a smattering of military jargon and bracing danger. Readers can count this one a winner.”

—on Her Healing Touch

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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

Trouble hunted him. And Chief Warrant Officer Jason Trayhern knew it had found him today. As he climbed the concrete steps of the Ops building at Fort Collins, Colorado, he began to sweat beneath his flight suit. Taking off his cap, he entered the swinging doors. As he did, he could hear the whapping sound of the Longknife Squadron Apache combat helicopters taking off and landing on the other side of the massive operations facility. How he wished he were up in the air now!

Mouth tightening, he nodded perfunctorily to the meteorology and air-control-desk personnel who stood on the other side of the tiled lobby. He knew both of them well. One didn’t fly without getting a meteorology report from the weather desk, or a flight plan from the air desk.

Locating Major Butler’s office, Jason girded himself internally for his meeting with his commanding officer. The passageway was clear of personnel for a moment, so he took a quick swipe at the perspiration on his brow before he entered the office. He didn’t want Major Butler to see him sweat. He wouldn’t give the bastard the satisfaction.

Jason knew the routine. This was the second time he’d been called in by his C.O. for the same damn reason. Mentally trying to barricade himself from his writhing feelings of fear, rage and frustration, Jason took a deep breath. Then he squared his shoulders, put his chin up and moved through the open door, displaying the cocky attitude he was known for.

Butler’s secretary, Mona Evans, a civilian in her fifties, looked up from her desk, her small, gold wire glasses halfway down her prominent Roman nose. “Ah, Chief Trayhern. Thank you for coming.”

Jason stood at attention in front of her desk. “Yes, ma’am. I’m here to see Major Butler, as ordered.” Of course this was an order. One didn’t just waltz into the C.O.’s office without a prior appointment.

“Right,” she murmured, putting her appointment book on the desk. “One moment…”

As he watched her get up, walk to Butler’s door, open it and disappear inside, his gut tightened. He’d rather be facing El Quaida, with a Stinger missile aimed at his Apache helicopter, than be here right now. What would his father think? Morgan Trayhern, USMC, was a living legend in the military. Everyone, no matter what their service affiliation, admired and respected him. Jason fought a surge of anger. He didn’t give a damn what his father thought. All his famous father cared about was his reputation—not his firstborn son. But his mother, Laura? Groaning inwardly, Jason momentarily closed his eyes and fought a wave of sadness at the thought of the disappointment she might feel to learn her oldest son had screwed up—again.

Jason loved his mother with his life. It hurt him every time he knew he’d disappointed her. What would she think now?

The door to Butler’s inner office opened.

Mona smiled gently and pushed her glasses back up her nose. “Major Butler will see you now, Chief Trayhern.” She stepped aside. “Go right in. He’s expecting you.”

I’ll bet he is…. “Yes, ma’am.” He kept his voice deep and unruffled, though he was anything but. He felt as if he had a hundred angry rattlesnakes writhing inside his gut.

Major Yancey Butler raised his head and pinned his narrowed gaze on Jason as he entered and snapped to attention.

“Shut the door,” Butler ordered, brusqueness in his tone.

“Yes, sir!” Jason turned and shut it, did an about-face and then snapped back to attention. Butler was lean as a hungry wolf, with short black hair and gray sideburns. His green eyes glittered, sending a frisson of terror through Jason. Butler wasn’t taking any prisoners today, judging from the thundercloud look on his face.

Sitting back in his burgundy leather chair, the man said, “At ease, Chief Trayhern.”

Jason swallowed, spreading his feet apart and placing his hands behind his back. His commanding officer’s pale face was speckled with copper freckles reminding Jason of a spotted Appaloosa horse. The thought made him want to laugh, though now was not the moment for humor. Today was not the day to flaunt cocky grins or shoot off smart remarks.

“Son, you’re like a cat,” Butler began silkily as he opened Jason’s service record in front of him.

“Sir?” Jason’s brow furrowed with confusion. Where was Butler going with this? Heart pounding in his chest, Jason felt his adrenaline surge as a bad feeling pervaded his system. He wanted out of here. Out of Butler’s office and out of the Longknife Apache squadron he’d been assigned to. It had been hell on him ever since he’d arrived at this base.

“You know a cat has nine lives, right?” Butler said finally.

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, Chief Trayhern, you’ve used up, by my count, eight of your nine lives thus far.” Grimly, the major folded his hands on the desk. “You got tossed out of the Naval Academy in your third year after a drug scandal. Though the charges didn’t stick, your reputation was tainted. Then you came begging the Army aviation people to give you one more chance. We decided, since your record was clear, to take that chance on you.”

Jason stood very still. He’d heard this litany before.