Judgment Day (Available in paperback & eBook-SAMPLE)

Excerpt of Chapter 1

The title of the chapter says it all. This is an excerpt of chapter 1. I hope you all enjoy it. I will upload the entire chapter soon. Thank you all for your unending support. It means a lot to me. :)

(Michael)

I rang the doorbell and turned to face the yard. Always having my back to something solid was a habit of mine. When you have a lot of enemies you watch your back. My eyes scanned the dark yard, looking for any signs of danger. I didn't see any.

Just then, the door opened. An older gentleman stood there, wearing a butlers uniform.

"May I help you?" he asked, politely.

"My name is Riker," I said. "Mr. Bennett is expecting me."

"Come with me."

I followed him across a large entrance hall, up the stairs, and down a long hallway. At the end of the hall, he knocked on the door and then opened it.

"Mr. Riker is here, sir," he announced.

"Let him in, Andrew."

"You may go in," Andrew told me.

I thanked him and entered the room.

"Thank you for coming, Mr. Riker," Bennett said, rising from his chair. He moved around the desk and offered me his hand. "I'm sorry for asking you to meet me so late."

"I'm a night person, Mr. Bennett," I said, shaking his hand firmly. "It's still early for me."

He released my hand and gestured for me to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Would you like something to drink? I have scotch, bourbon-"

"Thank you, but I don't drink." I unbuttoned my suit coat and sat down, making sure my back wasn't to the door. "I imagine you're busy so let's get to it. What can I do for you, Mr. Bennett?"

He sank down in his chair. "Have you ever protected someone?"

"No, I can't say I have." I raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know?"

Bennett cleared his throat. "I want to hire you to protect my sister Julia from our monster of a father."

"Mr. Bennett, I don't think you're aware of what it is that I do. I don't keep people safe. I get rid of them."

"I'm well aware of what you do, Mr. Riker." He looked into my eyes. "I understand you have a certain set of skills. I would feel better knowing you were watching over Julia. Should the men that are after her find her you could use those set of skills and take care of them."

"Instead of protecting your sister, I could just take care of the men that are after her," I suggested.

He grimaced. "I don't have a clue who these men are. They're being careful. I would expect nothing less, considering my father hired them."

I leaned forward slightly. "So your father wants your sister dead?"

"Yes," he uttered coldly. "He's never loved Julia. He always saw her as a burden-always treated her so cruelly."

"Why does he want her dead?" I inquired.

"A colleague of his, we'll call him Mr. Farmer for the sake of the conversation, wants to marry Julia," Bennett explained. "Mr. Farmer made a deal with my father. If Julia will marry him, he will merge his company with Father's. Father would make millions from their union."

"And your sister is refusing to marry Farmer."

"Exactly. Her refusing was the last straw for Father." He sighed. "I heard him talking on the phone a few weeks ago. He was hiring men to kill her. There's been two attempts so far. Thankfully, she escaped them unharmed." He paused. "I need you to keep her safe long enough for me to find a way to bring my father and his men down."

I stared at the carpet, giving our conversation some thought. There was no doubt in my mind. I could keep her safe. But did I want to take on the responsibility?

"Mr. Riker, I don't want to rush you, but time is of the essence."

"I want to meet and talk to her," I said. "After we talk then I will make my decision."

"She's just down the hallway," he said, getting to his feet. "I've been keeping her here with me because it's safer than her being alone. I'll go and get her."

"No." I stood and buttoned my suit coat. "I will come with you."

"Very well."

Bennett led the way out of the office and up the hallway. Coming to a stop at the third door on the right, he knocked lightly. A few seconds later, the door opened.

"I want you to meet someone, sis," Bennett said. "Would you step out into the hallway?"

"Of course," a soft voice said.

He moved aside and I came face to face with Julia Bennett. My eyes raked over her. Slender and average in height, she had hazel eyes and black hair that fell just past her shoulders. She was wearing a white v-neck sweater, jeans, and bunny slippers. I snickered.

"You find my slippers amusing, do you?" she asked.

"I do," I said, grinning.

"My feet get cold easily," she muttered.

"Julia, I want you to meet Michael Riker," Bennett said. "Mr. Riker, this is my sister Julia Bennett."

"Mr. Riker," she said, inclining her head.

"You may call me Michael, Ms. Bennett," I told her.

"Then please call me Julia."

"Julia." Bennett laid his hand on her arm. "There's a reason why I wanted you to meet him. I want to-well, I want to-"

"Spit it out, Blake," she ordered him. "I feel myself getting older standing here."

I smirked. The lady was feisty. I liked that.

Bennett sighed. "I want to hire him to protect you."

She turned her head and studied me intently. "Forgive me, Michael, but you look more like a hitman than you do a bodyguard."

If she only knew how right she was.

END OF EXCERPT. . . . Move onto the next chapter to read the 1st chapter in its entirety.