Page 1 of Donovan's Men

Prologue

Donovan

One of the most important moments of my life was when I got shot. Just a couple of days later, my life changed again in just as profound a way.

I hadn’t seen these moments coming, and yet I couldn’t regret them either.

Saturday night’s hangover of sorts had worn off by the time I showed up on the set of our television show Monday morning. Cole Hamilton, the vigilante inVigilante Justice, was nicely healed from his IT band injury and ready to get back to work as the lead actor. His co-star, Julie Reyes—better known as Justice’s nemesis Lyric—also appeared ready to get to get down to business.

“Hey, you two.” I approached the pair with a clear bottle containing my green-colored smoothie in my hand.

“Is that toxic sludge?” Cole looked dubious.

I gave them my patented mock glare, mildly offended he would say that while drinking bitter, black coffee. “How you two stay healthy drinking that shit is beyond me. This is a spinach protein shake with probiotics and—”

“I’ll have you know this isn’t shit.” Cole held up what I knew to be his standard coffee. Then he pointed to what I safely assumed was Julie’s typical sugar caffeine bomb. “That’s shit.”

She nudged him.

I snickered. I loved the banter between these two. Their ease with each other meant that when I worked them hard, they could take it and dish it back. As stunt coordinator for the show, I worked intimately with them, honing their fighting skills and teaching them how to give the best shot while performing some pretty neat maneuvers. We used professional stunt doubles forthe toughest stuff, but Julie and Cole insisted on doing as much as they could themselves.

Cole and I had come up through theater school together, but while I’d pivoted to stunts, he’d taken the acting track. As a tall, gorgeous man with midnight-black hair that brushed his shoulders and dark-blue eyes that smoldered, he had women—and men—fawning all over him.

Julie, while a foot shorter, held her own. Her long white-blonde hair was her signature trait while her jade-green eyes spoke of mystery and intrigue. The former gymnast cut quite a wallop in a tiny package.

After taking a sip, Cole turned to me. “Hey, and what was with kissing Michael?” Cole tried to replicate my mock glare but failed miserably. He was clearly more curious than annoyed about why I’d kissed his amour at the gala on Saturday night.

“Just a peck.” I ribbed him. “Don’t worry, I’m not poaching.” Cole’d been busy with his girlfriend, Caressa. Their attendance at the gala had tongues wagging in Vancouver—and around the world—if the entertainment shows were any indication. Cole was one of the sexiest actors on the planet, and his being taken caused ripples.

I’d happily brought along the third member of their triad. Michael was pretty new to the wholebisexualthing, as well as theménagething, but Cole had wanted him there to see things were on the up and up. And not to let the man feel left out. Michael and I had gone…well, not on a date. More as friends and supporters of Cole as well as Julie and actor Elouise Hynes.

Julie watched Cole intently. “Are you planning to come out as a threesome? You know how insane that thought is, right?”

I eagerly awaited his answer as, in my peripheral vision, I caught sight of our caterer and first aid attendant, Meggibeth, approaching us. Cole held up his cup in salute—obviously to thank her for the great coffee.

In that instant, I realized she’d pulled a gun from her pocket.

Several things happened simultaneously.

Cole dropped his coffee. The cup hit the ground, and the brown liquid spilled onto the roadway where we stood.

I dropped my spinach shake, and the bottle bounced but didn’t break.

Meggibeth pulled the trigger.

Cole managed to spin Julie away, and he landed protectively over her.

I rushed Meggibeth.

She got off another shot. And then another.

Searing pain shot through my arm, but I didn’t give a shit. I tackled her to the ground. The impact jarred her as her head hit the asphalt.

The gun skittered away harmlessly.

Larry, our big, burly security guard, was upon us in an instant.

“Hold her down.” Panic seized me.Don’t lose your cool.