Direct Action

Ryan Strong is a former Navy SEAL, bar owner, and the last man Chloe Baughman should want.

He’s her boss. She’s his employee. And he’s been very, very careful to keep it that way.

But when Chloe takes a second job at the Vault—a high-end club Ryan’s quietly investigating—his protective instincts go into overdrive. Because the Vault isn’t just a club. It’s a front. And Chloe is in deeper than she knows.

Chloe isn’t reckless. She’s desperate. Her father’s Alzheimer’s care doesn’t come cheap, and the tips at the Vault are too good to pass up. She never expected to stumble into a human trafficking ring—or to need rescuing by the brooding alpha who signs her paychecks.

Ryan calls in his ex-SEAL crew. The mission is clear. But so is something else: He’s not just fighting to save her life. He’s fighting for a chance at something more.

© 2026 by Riley Edwards. ℗ 2026 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.