Excalibur

EXCALIBUR SENTINEL SECURITY #5 ANNA HACKETT Excalibur Published by Anna Hackett Copyright 2023 by Anna Hackett Cover by Mayhem Cover Creations Cover image by FuriousFotog/Golden Czermak Edits by Tanya Saari ISBN (ebook): 978-1-922414-80-9 ISBN (paperback): 978-1-922414-81-6 This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, events or places is coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form. CONTENTS What readers are saying about Anna’s romances Anna Hackett Box Set 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 Epilogue Preview: Stealing from Mr. Rich Preview: Norcross Security Also by Anna Hackett About the Author WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ANNA’S ROMANCES The Powerbroker - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) winner 2022 Heart of Eon - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) winner 2020 Cyborg - PRISM Award Winner 2019 Edge of Eon and Mission: Her Protection - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) finalists 2019 Unfathomed and Unmapped - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) finalists 2018 Unexplored – Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) Novella Winner 2017 Return to Dark Earth – One of Library Journal's Best E-Original Books for 2015 and two-time SFR Galaxy Awards winner At Star’s End – One of Library Journal's Best E-Original Romances for 2014 The Phoenix Adventures – SFR Galaxy Award Winner for Most Fun New Series and “Why Isn’t This a Movie?” Series Hell Squad – SFR Galaxy Award for best Post-Apocalypse for Readers who don’t like Post-Apocalypse "Like Indiana Jones meets Star Wars. A treasure hunt with a steamy romance." – SFF Dragon, review of Among Galactic Ruins “Action, danger, aliens, romance – yup, it’s another great book from Anna Hackett!” – Book Gannet Reviews, review of Hell Squad: Marcus Sign up for my VIP mailing list and get your free box set containing three action-packed romances. Click here to get started: www.annahackett.com CHAPTER ONE Addie. It was his Addie. Bram O’Donovan stared across the busy Irish bar, his gaze on the woman who’d haunted his dreams for months. She is not yours, you eejit. No. Not his. But…they’d spent ten days together. For ten days, he’d gorged himself on her. He’d thought… Well, it didn’t matter what he’d thought. Adaline Harris was young, blonde, beautiful, an amazing dancer, and sweet. She was too good for him. He was an older, battered, ex-military man who would never be good enough for her. While he’d been away with work, she’d wised up. He barely registered the sounds of the people in the bar. Addie looked up and met his gaze, and all the color drained out of her face, leaving her whiter than the sheets his ma used to have flapping outside on the line when he was a boy. That’s when his brain registered that Addie wore the uniform of the staff at the bar—black shirt and pants, and a dark-green apron. And that apron sat snug over a small mound of a belly that she hadn’t possessed the last time he’d seen her. Shock rocketed through him. Addie was pregnant. She whirled and ran behind the bar, disappearing through a doorway. Pregnant. It’d been several months since she’d disappeared from his life. He’d returned home to find she’d left her dance show and her apartment, and her phone had been disconnected. That baby in her belly was his. His friends at the table where he sat had fallen silent. Without a word, he rose and strode after Addie. He shouldered past several bargoers. “Hey.” One man spun around, took in Bram’s size, and snapped his mouth closed. Bram charged around the bar and through the door, ignoring a shout behind him. Where was she? There were several rooms off a long hallway. He heard the noise of the kitchen nearby. Then he detected the faint scent of spring flowers. It made him think of a sunny meadow. Her scent was embedded in his senses. He’d know it anywhere. He’d damn well dreamed about it over the last few months. Addie. He stalked to a door at the end of the hall and nudged it open. It was filled with stacked tables, St. Patrick’s Day decorations, and racks of unused glasses. Addie stood in the center of the space, and spun to face him. “Addie,” he murmured. She swallowed. “Bram, I…” “You disappeared,” he said. Her head jerked. Her blonde hair was up in a jumbled bun on top of her head. It always made him think of strands of golden sunshine. She lifted her chin. “You wanted nothing to do with us.” She placed a protective hand over her belly. His mind boiled. Nothing to do with her? Feck. There was a baby in there. His baby. Confusion made him cock his head. “You disappeared, Addie. I thought it was a pretty clear way of telling me you didn’t want me. A baby…” He scraped a hand through his short hair. “I had a right to know about that.” Splotches of color appeared on her cheeks. “I called. I tried to get in touch. I left you messages.” His brows drew together. “I didn’t get any messages.” “I called Sentinel Security. And I went there. Twice.” The color left her cheeks again, the look in her eyes stark. “I was told to stop bothering you. I got the message, Bram.” Her voice hitched. His gut knotted. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Just leave me alone.” She grabbed the edge of the table. Her knuckles were white. “I’ve been doing just fine on my own.” The pain and hurt in her voice cut him. His throat was as dry as dust. He couldn’t handle the idea of her