A Sense of Security: A Christian Romance (BlackThorpe Security Book 6) Read online

  A Sense of Security

  By

  Kimberly Rae Jordan

  Copyright ©2016

  Kimberly Rae Jordan

  ISBN-13: 978-1-988409-07-8

  A man, a woman & their God.

  Three Strand Press publishes Christian Romance stories

  that intertwine love, faith and family.

  Always clean. Always heartwarming. Always uplifting.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations being used in reviews or articles about the book.

  This is a work of fiction. The situations, characters, names and places are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to locales, events, actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment and may not be re-sold or transferred via any method to any other individual. If you are reading this eBook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please respect the hard work of the author who has spent many hours creating this story for your enjoyment and purchase your own copy of this eBook. Please do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials by illegally downloading or sharing this eBook. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

  Other Christian Romances Novels

  by

  Kimberly Rae Jordan

  BlackThorpe Security

  Guarding Her Heart

  Signs of Love

  A Matter of Trust

  Proof of Life

  Beauty from Ashes

  A Sense of Security

  Fostered by Love

  The Wonder of His Love

  The Sweetness of Her Love

  The Callaghans & McFaddens

  A Handful of Flowers

  A Change of Heart

  The McKinleys

  This Time with Love

  Forever My Love

  When There is Love

  Home to Collingsworth

  Home Is Where the Heart Is

  Home Away from Home

  Love Makes a House a Home

  The Long Road Home

  Her Heart, His Home

  Coming Home

  Home for Christmas

  Those Karlsson Boys

  Waiting for Rachel

  Worth the Wait

  The Waiting Heart

  Single Titles

  Faith, Hope & Love

  Marrying Kate

  Click here to view purchasing options for these titles.

  For the latest news on releases and sales for Kimberly Rae Jordan’s books,

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  http://eepurl.com/WFhYr

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader ~ Thank you so much for buying A SENSE OF SECURITY! This is book 6 of the BlackThorpe Security series. If you haven’t read book 1 (GUARDING HER HEART) yet, click here to get it for just $.99. While A SENSE OF SECURITY is a standalone book in terms of Marcus and Alicia’s story, some storylines have carried over from book to book and your reading experience may be enhanced by reading the first four books in the series.

  Thank you once again for your continued support of my books and happy reading!

  –Kimberly Rae

  1

  Alicia Leighton watched as the sky opened up and drenched the world outside her car. The wipers could barely keep up with the downpour, and the drops hitting the roof of her car sounded almost strong enough to break through the metal. There was no way she could make it to the door of her apartment without getting absolutely soaked, which would ruin her suit just when she needed it most.

  Perfect. Just perfect. Alicia drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. In how many more ways can this day go wrong?

  With no choice but to stay in her car until the deluge had passed, Alicia turned off the engine. No sense in wasting gas, especially now when her income had once again dropped to zero. She wasn’t just disappointed about the money. She’d actually really liked the job. Too bad she hadn’t been aware of the precarious financial position of the company. Instead of being a long-term position, it had lasted just nine short months. Which was about three months longer than the job before it where she’d only been covering for someone on maternity leave.

  At least this company had given her a letter of reference and a check for what they’d owed her. But while she appreciated that, what she really needed now was a job with some stability. One that might offer her a chance at long-term employment.

  A muffled ring grabbed her attention, and Alicia reached for her bag on the passenger seat. She quickly dug through her purse to find her cell phone then looked at the name on the display.

  Victoria McKinley.

  Alicia tapped the screen to take the call then put it on speaker, resolving that as soon as the call was over she was finally going to change her half-sister’s last name to her married one. She always made a mental note to do it when Victoria called, but by the end of the conversation, she’d completely forgotten.

  “You managing to stay dry?” Victoria Hause asked after Alicia greeted her.

  “Well, so far.” Alicia leaned back in her seat and tried to relax. “I’m sitting in my car waiting for the rain to let up before I head inside. This is insane. I suppose I could make a dash for it, because, like my mother always told me, I’m not made of sugar, so a little rain wouldn’t hurt me.”

  “Oh, come on,” Tori said. “You’re sweet enough you might just be made of sugar.”

  Alicia laughed in surprise. “I’m pretty sure I don’t have to worry about that happening, but thanks for the compliment.”

  “Thankfully, I made it inside before the worst started, so I didn’t melt either.” Tori giggled then paused. “Are you planning to come to Mom and Dad’s tonight?”

  “I was considering it, but honestly, if I can get inside, I’m not going to want to go back out in this. Especially if it hasn’t let up.”

  “You know we’d love to see you, but I understand.”

  It had taken awhile, but Alicia was finally getting to the point where she actually believed Tori when she said stuff like that. Of course, if the McKinley family really knew everything about her, it was entirely possible they would be a little less welcoming.

  “I’ll try to make it, but I’ve kind of had a not-so-great day, so I’m thinking I might just hunker down with some comfort food and a movie.” Of course, her comfort food would be a box of mac and cheese, and the movie would be one of the many Hallmark movie DVDs she owned.

  “Are you alright?” Tori asked, concern evident in her voice.

  “Oh, I’m fine. It’s nothing I haven’t been through before.”

  “What happened?”

>   “I got laid off again. The company shut down.”

  “Oh, no. I’m so sorry to hear that. Are you going to be okay?”

  “I’ve landed on my feet when this has happened before, so I think I’ll be fine.” Alicia sighed and leaned her head against the cool glass of the driver side window, watching as the rain ran in rivulets down to the edge of the door. “I’ll just have to start off the new week looking for work.”

  “Well, if I hear of anything, I’ll let you know. And don’t worry about coming tonight. I know sometimes it’s just easier to not have to deal with people when you’re feeling down.”

  “Thanks, Tori.” Alicia watched as headlights swept the parking lot, blurred by the rain. “How are you doing?”

  “I’m doing good. I had a doctor’s appointment today, and I think I’m going to go ahead and get the surgery on my hips.”

  “Really? I know that’s a big decision for you. Does it feel good to have made the decision?”

  “Yes, it does, but I’m still a bit nervous. I know it will be worth it in the long run, especially if I want children, but short term it’s going to be a difficult road.”

  “Well, if I can do anything to help, let me know.”

  “I will. I’d better scoot here. So, should I just tell Mom you’re passing on tonight?”

  “Yeah, I think so. Thanks.” After the call ended, Alicia returned the phone to her purse.

  It still amazed Alicia how most members of the McKinley family had welcomed her despite the circumstances that had brought her into their lives. Not many women would have willingly accepted their husband’s child with another woman into her life the way Caroline McKinley had with Alicia. She had never once made Alicia feel bad about the circumstances of her birth.

  Brooke, their eldest daughter, hadn’t been quite as accepting at the start, though she had mellowed somewhat over the past year. They still weren’t best buddies or anything like that, but the distance between them had closed a bit. She and Tori, however, had managed to forge a friendship the likes of which Alicia had never experienced before. She was truly grateful for that. Maybe it was that they were the same age or the fact that they were both affected by events that they didn’t remember like Eric and Brooke did, but Alicia definitely felt closer to Tori than the other two.

  As she stared out the window, Alicia realized the rain was letting up. She pulled her keys from the ignition and grabbed her purse. There was no way to avoid getting wet, but at least if it let up a bit, she might not end up soaked straight through. She shrugged out of her suit jacket and wrapped it around her purse. As soon as the rain hitting the windshield was more of a sprinkle than a storm, she pushed open the door and got out. She quickly slammed the car door then, bending over her jacket and purse, she darted across the glistening black asphalt toward the covered walkway in front of her small one room apartment, trying her best to avoid the puddles.

  With her keys ready, Alicia was able to quickly open the door and let herself into the space she called home. She flicked on the light then did the locks on the door. Turning around, she leaned back against the door and let out a long breath.

  It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t even all that nice, but that single room apartment was home, and she was glad to be there. The beige walls had seen better days. There was a crack that ran from the corner of the window to the floor behind her dresser, and the window itself had proven to be less than effective at keeping out the cold through the winter. She’d bought heavy navy curtains for both windows in the room. They helped to keep the cold out, and they also blocked the sunlight on days she wanted to sleep in. Nothing fancy, but they served their purpose for the time being.

  The room also came with a small fridge, a microwave, a toaster and a single burner stove. Her simple lifestyle was just another secret she kept from the McKinleys. If they knew how she lived, more questions were sure to follow, and she didn’t want to have to answer them.

  She’d made certain decisions before she realized how much these people would come to mean to her. Now it was too late to come clean without having to reveal how much of her life she’d kept hidden from them. And then their warm welcome would likely turn cold.

  The thought made her feel a little sick as she stepped out of her shoes and hung up her jacket. How was she to have known when she’d come to Minneapolis to meet them that she would find the family she’d always wanted? That they wouldn’t just welcome her into their lives, but that they would introduce her to a faith that she’d never experienced before?

  If there had been one thing her mother despised more than men, it was Christianity. She’d felt that both had betrayed her, and her mother had made sure that Alicia had known, which had meant she’d endured years of negativity toward both relationships and God. It had been refreshing to step into the lives of the McKinleys and see relationships flourishing and a strong faith. She really didn’t want to ever lose her relationship with the McKinley family.

  Dragging her thoughts back from that direction, Alicia went to the chest of drawers underneath the window and pulled out a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt. The rain had turned a cool spring day cold, and the management had already turned off the heat in the apartments. She quickly changed then pulled on a pair of thick socks before hanging the rest of her damp clothes on hangers in the bathroom.

  A look in the fridge revealed that it would be impossible to make the mac and cheese since she belatedly recalled having used the last of the milk with her cereal that morning. In the end, she settled for a can of baked beans and toast.

  She had just finished her dinner—such as it was—and was midway through one of her favorite Hallmark movies when her phone rang again. Sliding off the bed, she used the remote to pause the DVD then set her bowl on the nightstand and retrieved her purse from the table underneath the window.

  Eric McKinley

  Alicia hesitated a moment, then tapped the screen to answer. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Alicia. How’s it going?” he asked.

  “I’m dry and warm, so it’s going better than it was.”

  “Yeah, that was quite the storm. Glad you survived it,” Eric said then paused. “Well, I’m actually calling because Victoria mentioned that you’d lost your job.”

  “Yeah, the company went belly-up.” Alicia pushed aside the heavy curtains covering the window, not too surprised to see it was still raining. “They didn’t really need anyone to do their office work after that.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, but I have a suggestion. If you’re interested.”

  Alicia returned to her bed and sank down on the edge of it. “What’s that?”

  “As it turns out, Marcus Black at BlackThorpe has had yet another assistant quit on him this week. Would you be interested in interviewing for the position? I can’t promise you’ll get it or that it will be an easy job. Marcus seems to go through assistants like water, but you might be able to handle it.”

  Alicia thought back to the man she’d met at Eric and Staci’s wedding over a year ago. He had seemed so serious and intense and yet so intriguing to her. The thought of possibly working for him filled her with both excitement and fear. The bottom line, however, was that she needed a job, and a position at BlackThorpe would be secure as long as she could handle it and Marcus wanted to keep her.

  It was probably the best opportunity she’d ever has, and one she couldn’t pass up. She had to at least try. “Yes, I’d like to interview for the position.”

  “Good. I’ll speak with Marcus and line something up.”

  “Thank you, Eric. This takes some pressure off me.”

  “Are you okay for money?” he asked. “Do you need anything?”

  Alicia felt warmth spread through her at the concern in his voice. It had been well over a year since she’d made contact with the McKinley family and yet their care and concern always caught her off-guard. “I think I’ll be okay. The company did pay me for the work I’d done already.”

  “That’s good, but if you n
eed something, let me know, okay?”

  “Okay. Thank you.”

  After the call had ended, Alicia curled up against her pillows and stared at her laptop screen where a scene from one of her favorite Hallmark movies was frozen on the screen. Was God coming through so quickly already for her? She hadn’t even had a chance to really pray about it. Of course, she didn’t have the job yet.

  Pushing up from the pillows, she pulled her laptop toward her and clicked out of her the program she’d been using to watch her movie. If she was going to interview for a job at BlackThorpe, she’d best find out all she could about the company and the man she might be working for.

  ~*~

  Marcus Black stared at the man seated in the chair on the other side of his desk, not sure he’d heard him correctly. “You want me to interview your sister?”

  “Well, technically, Alicia’s my half-sister.” Eric gave him a quick smile. “You’ve actually met her. She was at your place for my and Staci’s wedding.”

  Oh, he knew who Alicia was. If Eric had made this suggestion about Brooke, Marcus’s immediate answer would have been no. There was no way he could work with someone quite so opinionated as Eric’s sister tended to be. But Alicia…he might give that one some consideration.

  During the little time they’d spent together, she’d given him a mixed impression. At first, he’d thought she was shy and a bit skittish, but soon Marcus had realized she was just reserved and had a tendency to keep to herself. He’d been impressed by her organization of the tasks that were her responsibility at the wedding. She had been to- the-point in her conversations with him since the wedding had been at his home and had responded well to any suggestions he had. Those qualities were definitely an asset when it came to whoever worked side by side with him.

  “Given my history with assistants, why would you want to subject your sister to that?” Marcus asked.

  “The timing for one thing.” Eric leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. “The company she worked for went under and gave her the ax on Friday. The very same day your latest assistant quit. She needs a job. You need an assistant. At least give her a shot.”