One Poor Choice (The Citadel Series Book 2) Read online

  One Poor Choice

  The Citadel Series, Book 2

  by

  Deanndra Hall

  One Poor Choice

  The Citadel Series, Book 2

  Celtic Muse Publishing, LLC

  P.O. Box 3722

  Paducah, KY 42002-3722

  Copyright © 2015 Deanndra Hall

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

  This book is a work of fiction.

  Names of characters, places, and events are the construction of the author, except those locations that are well-known and of general knowledge, and all are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental, and great care was taken to design places, locations, or businesses that fit into the regional landscape without actual identification; as such, resemblance to actual places, locations, or businesses is coincidental. Any mention of a branded item, artistic work, or well-known business establishment, is used for authenticity in the work of fiction and was chosen by the author because of personal preference, its high quality, or the authenticity it lends to the work of fiction; the author has received no remuneration, either monetary or in-kind, for use of said product names, artistic work, or business establishments, and mention is not intended as advertising, nor does it constitute an endorsement. The author is solely responsible for content.

  Cover design by M.D. Halliman 2015

  Formatting by BB eBooks

  Disclaimer:

  Material in this work of fiction is of a graphic sexual nature and is not intended for audiences under 18 years of age.

  More titles from this author:

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  Tearing Down Walls (Book 2)

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  Renovating a Heart (Book 3)

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  Planning an Addition (Book 4)

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  One Poor Choice (Book2)

  Jared Calhoun has been waiting for a promotion within the ranks of Citadel Security. When he finally gets what he’s wanted, he finds out there’s a bonus waiting for him: It seems Bernadette “Bernie” Guillory has eyes for him. She’s single, French, a beautiful model, and she’s come to live with Kyle and Lisette while she looks for a job in the United States. Being with a woman that beautiful and sexy is a foreign concept to Jared, but just as it appears everything will work out between them, her choice of job puts her in a position to experience more horror than any of them could ever have imagined, a horror she may not survive.

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  A word from the author . . .

  I hope you have tissues and a strong stomach. You’ll need both for this book.

  If you’ve read my books, you’ll know that I feel compelled to touch on current events, things that really happen, in most of my books, even if the books are fiction. This book is no exception.

  The difference is that this book and the one that will follow it, One Wrong Glance, will do two things: 1) They’ll touch on things that most authors don’t want to even approach; and 2) they’ll take you into someone else’s shoes and force you to face what happens to others when we refuse to acknowledge that horrible things happen in this world. It doesn’t matter that they’re not happening to us – if we ignore them, we’re part of the problem.

  And so I give you Jared’s book. I think this may possibly be the hardest thing I’ve ever written because more than once I wanted to abandon it and write something fluffier, or cuter, or sweeter, or funnier. That just didn’t happen. The next book in this series will be even more difficult for me because it will hit far closer to home. But then, I’ve never been one to shy away from the hard things. I’ve got a fool’s dreams and a warrior’s heart. I hope you can find a way to love me for it, or maybe in spite of it.

  Love and happy reading,

  Deanndra

  Visit me at www.deanndrahall.com, where I blog also

  Contact me at [email protected]

  Join me on Facebook at facebook.com/deanndra.hall

  Catch me on Twitter at twitter.com/DeanndraHall

  Check out my Substance B page

  Write to me at P.O. Box 3722, Paducah, KY 42002-3722

  Support your Indie authors!

  Independent (Indie) authors are not a new phenomenon, but they are a hard-working one. As Indie authors, we write our books, have trouble finding anyone to beta read them for us, seldom have money to hire an editor, struggle with our cover art, find it nearly impossible to get a reviewer to even glance at our books, and do all of our own publicity, promotion, and marketing. This is not something we do until we find someone to offer us a contract – this is a conscious decision we’ve made to do for ourselves that which we’d have to do regardless (especially promotion, which publishers rarely do anyway). We do it so big publishing doesn’t take our money and give us nothing in return. We do it because we do not want to give up rights to something on which we’ve worked so hard. And we do it because we want to offer you a convenient, quality product for an excellent price.

  Indie authors try to bring their readers something fresh, fun, and different. Please help your Indie authors:

  - Buy our books! That makes it possible for us to continue to produce them;

  - If you like them, please go back to the retailer from which you bought them and review them for us. That helps us more than you could know;

  - If you like them, please tell your friends, relatives, nail tech, lawn care guy, anyone you can find, about our books. Recommend them;

  - If you’re in a book circle, always contact an Indie author to see if you can get free or discounted books to use in your circle. Many would love to help you out. If they help you out, please have circle members review the book(s) to help the authors out;

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  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Disclaimer

  More Titles from this Author

  A Word from the Author

  Support Your Indie Authors

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  About the author

  Sneak Peek from One Wrong Glance

  Connect with Deanndra on Substance B

  Chapter One

  “Calhoun!”

  “Yeah, boss?”

  “Have you seen that contract for the Emerson job?” Steve rooted around on his desk, obviously not finding what he was looking for.

  “You put it in a folder and into the filing cabinet. I saw you do it.”

  Steve strode across to the bank of filing cabinets. He opened one but, without even having to look, Jared said, “Two to the left and one down.” Steve opened the drawer Jared indicated and found the folder easily.

  “Damn. This being up all night every night is making me crazy. I need some sleep.”

  “I’m guessing Kelly feels the same way, huh?”

  Steve shook his head. “She can nap in the daytime when the baby does, but I can’t. I’ve got to work. Shit. This thing expired yesterday and it wasn’t signed and notarized. Wonder if I can get Angela to lie for me?” He signed the document and handed it to Jared. “Ask her to notarize it with yesterday’s date, please.”

  Jared shook his head and grinned. “I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time, Steve. How’s Clara doing?”

  Steve shot Jared a dreamy smile. “She’s so beautiful. I al
ways thought babies were wrinkly and ugly, but she’s just gorgeous. She looks so much like Kelly. I was so damn afraid she’d look like me, poor kid.”

  Jared chuckled. “Thank god that didn’t happen.”

  “Hey! I can say those things but you can’t. Understand?” Steve pretended to be mad and shuffled some more things around on his desk. “Damn. I can’t even think straight.”

  “Why don’t you go over there and lie down on the sofa for a bit? I’ll kinda keep an eye out and deflect so you can nap for a few.” Jared waited. “Go on. I’ve got your back.”

  Steve looked up at him with bleary eyes. “Really?”

  “Really. Go ahead. It’ll be fine. How ’bout I wake you up in an hour and a half?”

  Steve was already settling down on the sofa. “Sounds good. Tell Angela to leave me alone, okay?”

  “I will. Get some rest. I’ll be out in the main office running interference for you.” Jared stopped and turned with his hand on the doorknob. “An hour and . . .” He took one look and couldn’t help but grin; Steve was already asleep.

  As he rummaged around in his own desk, Jared wondered if Steve would ever promote him. He’d lost Peyton Flores-Stokes, his right-hand man, and then Doug Benton, who’d moved up into that space. José Flores-Stokes had moved along too when Peyton left; he worked as-needed at the bar, and occasionally for the security firm, but he’d made it clear he wasn’t interested in a full-time position, much less management. Now the spot was open, but Steve hadn’t mentioned a word about moving Jared up and into the position. And he thought he knew why.