Midnight Renegade by Anya Summers
Prologue
Christmas Day
The gloom hung heavy, with somber gunmetal skies. Turbulent, icy winds swooped down from the front range across the plains. They stirred the recent snowfall into plumes and waves of billowing white flakes cascading through the air. Frozen flakes dusted Brody’s golden hair and his sturdy shoulders, the white a stark contrast against the umber leather of his coat.
With his hands shoved in his jeans pockets for warmth, Brody stared down at the naked plot of brown dirt dusted with snow. On top was a Christmas lily wreath he had lovingly laid on ground that still wasn’t settled enough for a headstone.
It didn’t feel real that she was gone. She had fought the disease eating away at her insides with such dignity and poise, there had been a part of him that had believed she would beat it. That they would head into an appointment with the doctor and be told she was cancer free.
But she hadn’t beaten it.
His mom had held steady right up until the end. And that end had come so swiftly and suddenly, he hadn’t found his bearings. Ten days before Christmas, his mom’s favorite time of year, she had succumbed: laid down her arms, and gracefully surrendered to the long sleep.
Brody wasn’t particularly religious or superstitious by nature. He never really knew his dad or remembered him. He’d died in a car accident when Brody was two and Brody had never felt his presence. But he could still feel his mom, like she was waiting to move on to whatever awaited on the other side of the veil to make sure he was happy and settled, that he followed through on the promise he had made as he’d held her hand and she’d slipped away.
“Merry Christmas, Mom. I will do as you asked of me. I miss you, and hope, wherever you are now, that it’s a good place.”
The stiff wind rippled his hair. He took that as a sign she had heard him. She had always liked to ruffle his hair, even when he was an adult with a good foot on her.
She wanted Brody to find a partner, to commit to a relationship. He knew it was because she had worried that she was leaving him alone in the world. But the thing was, since he had made that promise, there was only one woman who came to mind. One woman he had craved for years.
That woman hated him. Could barely stand to be in the same room with him. But that would change too. By the time he was done, she would belong to him. He just had to look for his opening.
Brody was a patient man. He would bide his time until an opportunity presented itself, and then… it would be game on.
