Renegade

Renegade by Mel Odom

Odom follows Deployed with Renegade. We pick up a few months later and follow Private Pike. He's in Witness Protection trying to bring justice for the death of his only friend. He's a tough case though. He's a Marine Reservist and isn't easy to get along with. The marshals have frustrated him with their procrastination on bringing Petey's death to a close. He holds himself aloof from everyone because history proves they won't care for him in the long run.

Until a young boy named Hector begins to weave his way in through the few cracks that Pike has. Pike begins a tough battle within himself as he slowly begins to care for Hector, a few fellow Marines, and the occasional person who appears in his life.  It's easier to shut  his emotions down, but shutting down his emotions creates a monster.

Orders to Afghanistan separate him from Hector only to bring him in direct contact with Bekah Shaw. When Pike finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, he determines to shut himself down for good. The problem is that Bekah won't let him close that door.

I really enjoyed the story, but I liked the analogy that Odom drew even more. Without losing his story or getting preachy, Odom points out bluntly that you can't have it both ways. You have to choose to care or choose to not care. You can't live forever in a state of flux. Caring leaves you susceptible but it also renders great rewards.

As with Deployed, there are still loose ends in Renegade. I'm  hoping we return to Bekah, Pike, and Shaw down the road.