Against The Clock - Samantha Baca

She was my best friend's sister. I was supposed to protect her, not fall for her.

I wasn't Prince Charming, but I wasn't a bad guy, either.

I've killed people. I've sat there patiently, knowing I would be responsible as they took their last breath. I've seen the horror of this world by watching the monsters that lurk in the shadows. It was my job to eliminate them, but those days are now behind me.

After completing my last tour in the Marines, my life settled down. There was no more chaos, no more violence. Instead, it's been spent quietly, enjoying the predictability of each day. Everything had been going according to plan until a beautiful woman showed up on my doorstep asking for help.

But Quinn wasn't just any woman. She was my best friend's sister. The girl who went from messy pigtails that I used to tug on when we were kids to the gorgeous single mom who suddenly needed my help. She's always been off limits, but now she was in my space. Constantly being around Quinn started to blur the line I had deliberately maintained all these years.

I knew that Quinn had training from the FBI, but that didn't compare to my skills as a sniper. Once she told me that her daughter was being targeted in a child trafficking ring, there was no other option than to step in and help.

Except, things weren't as simple as just keeping them safe. Whoever was after her daughter was leaving chilling messages along the way. Soon, we realized this went much deeper than just some random kidnapping attempt. This was someone who was after revenge and would stop at nothing until they got it.

With two lives at stake, would I be enough to save them both?