Page 4 of Iron Willed Warrior

It was so different from the way I’d grown up. Night and day.

When Charlotte and I had met, we’d both been extremely single. Then River had appeared. Her childhood friend and her ex’s older brother. After a whirlwind of running for their lives and falling in love, they’d eloped. I was so happy for my friend. Truly.

I just wished her happiness didn’t remind me of everything I’d lost. Or never really had to begin with.

“Youareokay, right?” she asked. “You’re up for this? You can change your mind if you have any concerns.”

Wonderful. First Stanford had expressed doubts, and now Charlotte was fretting. It was like theyexpectedsomething bad to happen.

“Don’t jinx me when I’ve barely gotten started.” I needed this undercover assignment. Not just to destroy Stillwater from the inside out, but to make me forget, even for a while, everything else that my life was lacking. “I know what I’m doing. I’m?—”

I came around a curve, and suddenly the car in front of me slammed on its brakes.Shit. I was quick to respond, pressing hard on my own brake pedal.

I narrowly avoided the bumper ahead of me, stopping a few inches away.

Phew. Way too close.

“You still there, Brynn? Hello?”

“I’m here. There’s some kind of slow down. Whole road seems to be stopped.” I craned my neck, trying to see what was ahead. “I see emergency lights. Maybe an accident. I gotta go, Charlotte. I was probably going to lose cell reception soon anyway.”

“Good luck, okay? Keep me posted if you can. I’ll be rooting for you. Love you, B.”

“Love you too.”

I spent the next twenty minutes in stop-and-go traffic. As far as I could tell, there had been an accident involving a semi up ahead. And of course, this highway wove through mountains, and there was no easy route around. We had to follow a detour onto a smaller, two-lane highway.

I groaned, thinking of how long it was going to take me to get to Silver Ridge. But hey, I’d learned a long time ago not to let any obstacles stop me. So I turned up my playlist and sang along.

Eventually the traffic eased, and I was flying again, getting closer and closer to my destination.

Until there was a loud pop. My car veered hard to the left. Toward oncoming traffic. Gripping my steering wheel, I corrected, as honking horns assailed my ears. I made it to the right shoulder, up against a metal railing. Beyond it, a slope fell away into a rushing creek below.

I pushed open my door and jumped out. Frigid air rushed at me. It was twenty degrees colder, at least, than it had been in Denver. Inching along to stay away from the cars whizzing by on the road, I made it to the front bumper.

My front left tire had blown. The thing was shredded. I wasn’t going anywhere on that, not unless I wanted to destroy the rim. And—yep. I’d lost cell reception. Justgreat.

My mind immediately flew to dark possibilities, but this wasn’t evidence of a nefarious plot. It was just my old car and the bald tires I should’ve dealt with before leaving town.

You’re the most together person I know, my best friend had said. When it came to my career, that was usually true. But the real Brynn Somerton was so much messier. Just getting by, day by day.

CHAPTER TWO

Cole

Ihatedgoing undercover.Yet I was on my way to Hart County, Colorado, right now for one of those spy routines. All because my friends had begged me to drop everything and step in.

It had been a long day already. Two excruciating flights and a hell of a headache getting through the rental car line. I wanted a damn cigarette, but I only allowed myself one a day, and I was determined to delay that gratification as long as possible.

And would you look at that? Flashing lights and a big orange barrier blocking the road. Of course.

With no other choice, I joined the line of cars branching off onto the alternate route. About fifteen miles later, I spotted a couple of vehicles pulled off onto the shoulder up ahead. I slowed, taking in the situation and assessing if they needed help.

A woman stood beside the first vehicle. She had a flat tire.Veryflat. Sitting on the rim. A guy had parked his Land Cruiser behind her, and he stood with his hands on his hips. She was in a defensive posture. I didn’t like what I read in their body language.

Something was up here.

It wasn’t my business. It really wasn’t. Didn’t I have enough on my plate? But I was already pulling off to the shoulder.

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