By
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author
Cat Johnson

He let the love of his life walk away two years ago.
But when her life is threatened he’ll move heaven and hell to save what’s his.

The only easy day was yesterday and no one knows that better than Lieutenant Commander Silas Branson. He may have taken several kicks to the gut but once a Seal always a Seal. He’s never backed down from a hard fight and he doesn’t intend to start now.

Silas lost the love of his life years ago when the death of their son left him and his marriage broken, but now he’s back to fight for what’s his. Maggie was his woman. As far as he is concerned, she still is. When her life is threatened he moves heaven and hell to protect her and their future together.

From the moment this series was announced at the end of Sleeper SEALs I have been waiting impatiently for it to begin. It’s finally here and the wait was worth it!

Lieutenant Commander Silas ‘Si’ Branson has gone through one of lifes worst tragedies. The death of his young son Jonas while he was deployed also ended his marriage. His wife Maggie blamed him for not being there when the original plan had been for him to be home.

He returned to his team once the divorce was final, looking to bury the pain of both losses in work. Unfortunately in the effort of freeing a child trapped under a truck he blows out his back. Medially discharged he is at loose ends, trying to figure out what he’s going to do with his life. A chance meeting with Maggie at a pizza place he ends up having dinner at his old home with her.

He’s not sure what he’s thinking when she suggests getting him an interview with the Department of Homeland Security where she works.

This is a favorite scene.

“So, what now?” Maggie asked.

Silas let out a short laugh. “Now, I finish this six-pack and then call an Uber.”

She rolled her eyes indulgently. “I meant for work.”

Things had been easier when they were joking. This topic was too serious, but he knew he couldn’t get away with not answering so he lifted a shoulder and opted for the truth. “I honestly don’t know.”

He could probably survive on his retirement pay.

It wouldn’t be a great life, he wouldn’t be living extravagantly, but he could cover the necessities, like rent and food.

What more did he really need? He’d never needed much in the way of material things. His truck was his biggest and pretty much his only indulgence for himself.

The one thing he really wanted most didn’t cost a cent.

Peace. In his mind. In his soul.

That was also the one thing he couldn’t get no matter how hard he tried, or how much he had.

Money aside, he needed to get a job if only to occupy his mind. All this thinking was going to kill him for sure.

“What if I got you an interview?” Maggie said.

His brows shot high. “An interview where? To do what?”

“Where do you think? DHS, of course. Remember, where I work?” She smirked.
Maybe he was running a little slow from the beer but there were too many reasons why what she said made no sense.

First and foremost, he wasn’t a politician, or a man who was used to riding a desk pushing papers for a living, and that was who mainly filled the ranks of the Department of Homeland Security.

Second, why would the woman who had gone to such great lengths to end their marriage, and get him out of her life, try to get him a job working where she worked?

“That’s crazy.” If his frown didn’t tell her what he thought of her idea, his words hopefully would.

“No, it’s not. Why would you say that?”

“You work as a liaison for the Office of Public Affairs,” he pointed out, not seeing the connection or the point of this whole discussion.

What the hell could he do for them? He could lead a team of warriors. He could follow orders from his superiors, but he wasn’t exactly a people person.

Especially not at the moment while he wallowed in this retirement-induced depression.

“I work as a liaison to the Navy Special Warfare Command for the OPA so don’t act like there is no connection between what you used to do and what I still do. But what I was thinking—if you’d open your mind for a second and consider it—is that my boss has connections with all the agency heads. You could easily be a valuable addition in any number of them. You have experience in a lot of the areas DHS works within.”

“Oh, really? And what areas are those?” he asked.

Close quarters battle? Sharpshooting? Basic underwater demolition? Those were his areas of expertise and they’d have zero value to DHS.
She folded her arms, challenging him. “Do you even know all the different agencies DHS oversees?”

“Yes.”

She cocked a brow high, obviously not believing him.

“I have a basic idea,” he added.

Okay, maybe he didn’t know quite as much about the DHS as he let on, but he wasn’t going to admit that to her. He could Google it later and find out.

Mostly he figured DHS fit in somewhere along with the other government departments. No matter what their official purpose, the end result was usually to make his job in the teams harder.

“You know, you used to come home and complain about how this or that person or this agency or division or whatever didn’t get it. How they couldn’t get it because they’ve never been there where you’ve been or seen the things you saw.” Maggie pinned him with a stare.

He couldn’t deny the truth of her words. “And?”

“Don’t you want an opportunity to change things?”

The dare was clear in her question. She was baiting him. Knowing he usually couldn’t resist a challenge.

He let out a snort. “Is this some kind of ‘the best way to make change is from within’ speech?”

She smiled. “Yes. Is it working?”

His lips twitched. “Maybe.” Silas shook his head. “But is doesn’t matter anyway because there is no way in hell they’d hire me.”

Maggie cocked a brow high. “We’ll see.”

Her confidence stirred something inside him. Something he wished would stay sleeping. A warmth in his cold hard heart. A glow of an ember that with a little encouragement would easily flame up into a full blown inferno.

Fuck.

The dead last thing he needed right now was to feel the warm and fuzzies toward his ex-wife.

Time to go.
Johnson, Cat. SEAL Strong (Silver SEALs Book 0.5) (pp. 54-57). Cat Johnson. Kindle Edition.

Surprised that he gets an interview he and stunned when he gets the job, he accepts it without knowing exactly what it would entail other than moving to DC.

A rapid promotion, a Summit in Chad, Africa that leads to some interesting developments for Si, both personal and professional. A glimpse of Jon and Zane from GAPS and a peek at the first mission of the newly formed Bone Frog Command division of Homeland Security.

Fast paced, emotional, and suspenseful with heartfelt sizzle, this book is a page turning must read!

5 Contented Purrs for Cat!

Cat Johnson

Cat Johnson is a top 10 New York Times bestseller and the author of the USA Today bestselling Hot SEALs series. She writes contemporary romance that usually features hot alpha heroes (who often wear combat or cowboy boots) and the sassy heroines brave enough to love them. Known for her unique marketing she has sponsored pro bull riders, owns a collection of camouflage and western wear for book signings, and has used bologna to promote romance novels.