Series:
Warrior Security (Book 4)
Travis Hale has four computer monitors, a caffeine
addiction, and zero interest in human interaction.
He hasn't left his compound in two years. Whatever the
CIA did to him—or made him do—sent him underground, literally, into a Montana
bunker disguised as a ranch house where the surveillance system is
military-grade and the man who once ran field ops now doesn't leave his own
driveway.
Or so everybody thinks.
He's vital to Warrior Security operations from within his
fortified walls. He'd die for them and knows the feeling is mutual. But even
his brothers-in-arms don't know the truth...
When predators slip into the shadows, Travis follows.
He fights the battles that never make it to daylight. The
system has rules. He doesn't. And no one ever traces anything back to him.
It costs him more than anyone knows. So be it.
But when a ghost from his past shows up on his
doorstep—soft where he's sharp, open where he's guarded—Travis will learn that
even men who choose the dark can still step into the light.
Fantastic book. Travis fascinated me from his first
appearance in the books, and I looked forward to learning more about him. His
backstory is heartbreaking. Formerly a CIA agent, he had a romantic
relationship with his partner, Naomi. When she died during an operation, he
left the agency. The grief and guilt develop into agoraphobia and cause him to
lock himself away in his specially built home. He works with Warrior Security
when they need his specialized help. Even then, he keeps a certain distance
from them. None of them know about Travis's lone missions to protect innocents.
Sera is a contract analyst for the FBI, a job she took
after her sister's death to find a way to take down those responsible for her
death. She is a mathematical genius who can spot patterns that no one else
notices. When she assembles information on the child traffickers, her boss at
the FBI blows her off and tells her to stick to her assignments. Frustrated,
Sera decides to take her data to the one person who might be able to help - her
sister's former boyfriend, Travis.
I loved how Sera breached Travis's security. His reaction
to finding her in his pool was terrific and quite a wake-up call. I liked how
he listened to her story, but was frustrated at his initial reaction. Fortunately,
his conscience got the better of him, and he was able to redeem himself spectacularly.
It also made Sera a guest in his home and a partner in their joint mission to
stop the trafficker. I loved their teamwork. Travis said it best: "Sera's
mind didn't just fill gaps in my analysis. It worked the way mine did, from a
different angle. The two perspectives together produced something neither of us
could build alone." I also enjoyed watching Sera become a part of his
life, though he fought it all the way. There were deeply emotional exchanges as
each opened up about their pasts and the effects on who they are now. There
were also some lighthearted moments (frequently involving kittens). The
question becomes whether they can let go of their fears enough to build a life
together. I loved the ending - it was so perfectly Travis.
The suspense of the story kept me hooked from start to
finish. Travis's lone excursions, carried out despite the physical effects on
him, showed the depths of his commitment to his mission. Sera's determination
to do her part to bring down the person responsible for her sister's death led her
to take risks that could turn deadly. When they teamed up, the intensity increased,
as the bad guys' frustration with the interference reached explosive levels. I
cheered when Travis finally confessed to his Warrior Security brothers and
asked for their help. The final confrontation was a nail-biter that could have
gone wrong in so many ways, and nearly did. I loved the part of the epilogue
that got Travis out of hot water - you have to love small towns and how they
look out for their own.
I loved the involvement of the rest of the men of Warrior
Security. It's always great to catch up with the characters from previous
books. I love how they are included as logical, vital parts of the plot, not
just thrown in willy-nilly. I laughed out loud when Lark showed up with the
three kittens, and Travis tried to get out of taking them. But my favorite
secondary "character" was Maude, the AI companion that runs Travis's
house and his life. I loved her snark, her habit of understatement, and how she
looks after Travis. His threats to donate her to various kitchen appliances
were hilarious.
