The Darkest Cargo — Amanda Bridgeman

Spud Compton is an ex-soldier running cargo across space, while also running from his past – most notably his well-known Senator father and his war-hero older brother. When Spud's ex-girlfriend suddenly turns up in his life with an urgent job, he knows he should walk away. Money is tight, though, and he can't afford to turn it down. Spud takes on the cargo run, but soon finds himself with both the mob and navy on his tail, all the while the biggest threat to his life sits inside the cargo hold of his ship, just waiting to be released. What starts as a simple job, turns into a fight for his life and that of his crew, as a black-ops bio-engineered creature is released – and it won't stop until it has eliminated all threats.Book 1 in the Spud Compton novella trilogy.