Deadly Obsession
Page 31
Grace bit the inside of her cheek.
She knew whom she’d worked with, and how everything played out six months ago. She’d had a first-row seat to the Cupid Killer horror show. The image of medics straddling her best friend’s near lifeless body in an attempt to restart her heart would forever haunt her nightmares.
“Sir…” Grace treaded carefully, holding back the snark her aunt said would get her into trouble one day. “I’m not one for playing games. You obviously know that Steele Ops is run by my cousins, so if we could get to the reason why we’re here, that would be great.”
“I like your brash, unapologetic tenacity, Special Agent Steele.” Pierce Brandt’s gaze slid over her left shoulder. “You weren’t lying, Mr. Wright. She’s perfect for this assignment. I don’t think I could’ve chosen better myself.”
Grace froze.
Wright.
A common name. Thousands of people had it in New York alone, but only one possessed the power to raise her body temperature a good few hundred degrees. Right now, she was dangerously close to finding out how hot a human had to be before bursting into flames.
This didn’t make sense. This was New York, not DC, where her cousins had been deep in the throes of wooing him into the family business.
Steeling her spine, Grace turned, and came face-to-face with the last man on which she ever wanted to lay eyes—or anything except a strong right hook.
Cade Wright leaned against the far wall, looking better than he had any right to in worn blue jeans and a long-sleeved dark Henley that molded to his broad shoulders. Dirty-blond hair brushed against his collar, and a few days’ worth of stubble covered the old scar on his chin, but it was there.
She’d been the one to give it to him what felt like a million years ago.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Grace forced her gaze off his body and up to his eyes.
Those cobalt-blue eyes had helped him get away with murder more times than she could count, and had been a key factor not only in gifting him her virginity, but played a role in her lapse of judgment—and shedding of clothes—six months ago.
Grace fisted her hands at her side, barely resisting the urge to throw the nearest object at his overinflated head. Probably a good thing, since that thing happened to be Vice President Brandt.
“Grace. It’s good to see you too.” Cade’s mouth twitched as he pushed off the wall and slowly approached.
Not a day went by that she didn’t wonder how her sweet best friend shared an entire genepool with the cocky ass.
Grace ripped her gaze—and her ire—away from her best friend’s brother and turned to Brandt. “I’m sorry, sir, but no. I can’t help you.”
Brandt’s eyebrows rose into his hairline. “You can’t help me? I haven’t even told you what the job entails.”
“I know, but it’s not possible. If it’s a criminal profiler you need, I can give you the names of a few colleagues who I’m sure will do a fantastic job.”
“I’m afraid you don’t understand, Special Agent Steele. Your name is the one that’s been recommended—not only by the director herself, but by the security firm that I’ve hired to handle this personal matter.” The vice president’s tone didn’t leave room for debate. “This involves my family…my only child…which means I need the best. And you, along with Mr. Wright and Steele Ops, are the best in your fields. I’m not taking any chances with the life of my daughter, Agent Steele.”
Grace sputtered, unable to think of an argument. “Isn’t your daughter studying art abroad?”
“That was the public excuse we gave for her absence. I’m afraid my daughter’s been conned into leaving everything and everyone she loves.”
“Conned by who?”
“A group I believe that you’re familiar with. The Order of the New Dawn.”
Grace’s blood froze in her veins.
Not much shocked her. Diving into the disturbed minds of criminals was how she made her living. But that name. That group.
Pierce Brandt’s description of the OND made them sound like a binge-drinking fraternity rather than the mind-wiping cult she knew them to be…
And she knew because from the age of five to thirteen, Grace Steele had been considered a Child of the New Dawn.
She’d spent most of her childhood in a cult.
And as far as she knew, she was the only one who’d ever gotten out.
Intervening now, regardless of how much Cade wanted to, risked not only getting on the vice president’s bad side, but jeopardized his jaw’s mobility when Grace threw a punch…which she would the second he opened his mouth.
It’s why he’d volunteered to represent Steele Ops at this meeting. She already hated him, and it kept her cousins, the Steele behind Steele Ops, in her somewhat amiable good graces. They’d talk sense into her—if he could get her back to DC.
Grace straightened her spine and turned her golden brown gaze back to Brandt. “Mr. Vice President…sir. I’m sorry about your daughter. New Dawn sinks their claws in deep, and from what I’ve heard about them since, that hold has gotten progressively tighter.”
“Which is why I need you. Steele Ops has been working tirelessly to get into Teague Rossbach’s inner circle, but it’s proven more difficult than expected. I believe you are the missing link, Special Agent Steele. Both your training and your history with the group could be the key factor in bringing my daughter home.”
Jake Carelli stepped up to Brandt, clearing his throat. “Sir, we need to be moving along.”
The vice president locked Grace in his sights and gestured to a manila envelope on the table. “That’s everything we have on Sarah’s new boyfriend, including a timeline of their relationship and their days leading up to her disappearance. Mr. Wright and his colleagues already have the updated information on the OND. Thank you, Special Agent Steele. This means a great deal to me and to my family.”
Grace remained statue-still, moving only to take her firearm from Carelli, and watched Brandt’s team leave the warehouse.
Cade braced for impact. “Grace—”
“Don’t.” One word, weighted with a steep warning.
She grabbed the manila folder and stalked angrily toward the exit. Sighing, he followed.
Quiet-Grace was more dangerous than her fly-off-the-handle counterpart. Quiet-Grace meant more time to dwell and stew. Quiet-Grace plotted retributions that made grown men cry and call out for their mamas.
“I should’ve let Liam come out here instead,” Cade muttered to himself.
They’d barely cleared the front door when Grace whirled around. His hand automatically shot out to steady her as she teetered on her feet.
“Touch me only if you want to lose that hand.” Grace skewered him with her golden-eyed glare.
“Gracie.”
“It’s Grace,” she corrected through gritted teeth. “Don’t you dare try that wounded look on me, Cade Wright. Seriously? An ambush?”
“Ambush is going a little too far, don’t you think?”
“No, I don’t. DC is the capital of the free world. They don’t have working telephones? Or hell, email? You let me walk into this freakin’ blind!”
Cade’s hackles rose. He crossed his arms across his chest, going on the defensive. “It’s not like we didn’t try to get hold of you. Knox, Roman, and Ryder. Liam was five seconds away from attempting carrier pigeon. We even roped Zoey into the coordinated effort, but surprise, surprise, all voicemails, texts, and emails went unreturned.”
“If I didn’t get back to you, then there was a good reason. Oh, say, my job!”
“For what it’s worth, I was against it.”
Grace released an unladylike snort. “It’s worth nothing.”
With a low growl, she stalked away, even the clack of her heels telling him to fuck himself.
Cade couldn’t help but watch. Tall and curvy, she filled out her suit in a way that was meant to be business-smart, but instead, fueled every naughty librarian fantasy he’d had
as a horny teenager.
Headlights flashed in the distance. Cade’s attention ripped away from Grace’s ass and on to the approaching sedan. “Where are you going?”
“Home. Which is where you should go.”
Cade spotted the Lyft sticker on the car window, and the scowling man sitting behind the steering wheel. “There’s no reason for you to pay for a ride. I’m parked around the corner.”
Grace stopped cold, aiming her glare his way. “Why would you think that I’d get in a car with you?”
“Because unless your views on commercial flying have changed, I’m your ticket to the Steele Ops jet. Or we can drive down to DC. Eight hours. You and me. Side by side. We’d have a hell of a lot time to catch up.”
He smirked.
She hated flying coach, and booking a flight this out of the blue guaranteed her a seat within toilet-sniffing distance. Close quarters on the jet, or closer quarters in his rental car. Either option was a win for him, although the masochist in him hoped she picked the car ride. Eight hours of jibes and strewn insults sounded like fun.
She smiled sweetly, and the sight of it dissolved his own. “I’ll see you in DC.”
Without another glance, she slipped into the back seat of the waiting car, leaving him to stare after her like some kind of abandoned lover…which coincidentally, was close to what he’d done to her thirteen years earlier.
About the Author
April blames her incurable chocolate addiction on growing up in rural Pennsylvania, way too close to America’s chocolate capital, Hershey. She now lives in Virginia with her college sweetheart husband, two young children, and a cat who thinks she’s a human-dog hybrid. On those rare occasions she’s not donning the cape of her children’s personal chauffer, April’s either planning, plotting, or writing about her next alpha hero and the woman he never knew he needed, but now can’t live without.
To learn more, visit:
AprilHuntBooks.com
Twitter @AprilHuntBooks
Facebook.com/AprilHuntBooks
Also by April Hunt
Heated Pursuit
Holding Fire
Hard Justice
Hot Target (novella)
Acknowledgments
It’s always a little nerve-wracking diving into a new world. New characters. New personalities. New struggles and motivations. But there’s always a lot of excitement…and a lot of people who put their all into each word.
To my family, who have quickly learned that “Deadline Time” means a lot of take-out chicken wings and pizza—and don’t complain.
My super-agent. Sarah E. Younger…as always, you don’t simply look out for my career, but my sanity. My true champion! My editor, Madeleine Colavita—I love that you love my characters as much as I do! (You can name my sexy heroes ANY day of the week;-)) Everyone at Forever, I’m so glad to have you all on this crazy ride. Even with all the work that goes into bringing each book to life, you make it seem so effortless.
My #GirlsWriteNite crew: Tif Marcelo, Annie Rains, Rachel Lacey, and Sidney Halston. You help me keep the words flowing, sometimes by pulling me out of a plot hole that I’d accidentally stumbled into. To all my Agency Sisters, YOU ROCK! #TeamSarah all the way!
To all the readers, THANK YOU! You’re one of the reasons I do what I do. Keep reading! Keep reviewing! And keep love alive!
And to all the heroes out there, whether you wear a military insignia, teach a class of seven-year-olds, or work long, twelve-hour shifts taking care of families while being apart from your own…YOU. ARE. APPRECIATED.
Acclaim for April Hunt’s Novels
“Expect masterful storytelling interwoven with sizzling tension and high-stakes suspense.”
―Cristin Harber, New York Times bestselling author, on Deadly Obsession
Hard Justice
“4 stars! Entertaining and satisfying.”
―RT Book Reviews
“All kinds of romantic suspense goodness with a side of sexy alpha male.”
—HerdingCats-BurningSoup.com
“Intriguing, passionate, sexy, suspenseful, and at times angst-ridden and funny, Hard Justice is April Hunt at her best. A wonderful, well-written, and addictive romantic suspense read that pulls you in and doesn’t let you go. Excellent characters, entertaining plot, stellar romance.”
—OkieDreams.com
Holding Fire
“Passionate chemistry and nonstop drama drive Hunt’s second book in the adrenaline-charged Alpha Security series.”
―Publishers Weekly
“4 stars! The suspense is ever-present . . . and the heat between the hero and heroine is intense.”
―RT Book Reviews
“April Hunt has me hooked!”
—HerdingCats-BurningSoup.com
“April Hunt has quickly become one of my one-click authors. Her daring heroes are so damn charming. And with sassy, take-charge women by their sides, it makes for one hell of a ride.”
—NallaReads.com
Heated Pursuit
“Smartly balances slow-burning passion and explosive high-stakes danger. This book kicks off an adventure-packed romance series, and readers will eagerly anticipate the next installment.”
―Publishers Weekly
“4 stars! Fast paced and intriguing.”
―RT Book Reviews
“Fun and sexy.”
—SmexyBooks.com
“April Hunt creates a sexy, thrilling, action-packed story with Heated Pursuit. I could not put this book down.”
—JoJoTheBookaholic.blogspot.com
“A fantastic, fast paced, and well developed debut! A hot alpha saving a feisty woman...what’s not to love?”
―Sidney Halston, USA Today bestselling author
Thank you for buying this ebook, published by Hachette Digital.
To receive special offers, bonus content, and news about our latest ebooks and apps, sign up for our newsletters.
Sign Up
Or visit us at hachettebookgroup.com/newsletters
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
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
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Epilogue
A Preview of Lethal Redemption
About the Author
Also by April Hunt
Acknowledgments
Acclaim for April Hunt’s Novels
Newsletters