by Delores Fossen, Rachel Lee, Carol Ericson, Tyler Anne Snell, Rita Herron
She lowered the gun, but just as she did, Robert lunged toward her.
“Very touching, you tramp,” he snarled.
Griff gripped Ginny’s arm to pull her out of the way, then a gunshot sounded.
Jacob. Robert went down with a loud shout of pain, hugging his leg. Griff eased the gun from Ginny and covered Jacob while Jacob handcuffed Bouldercrest. Then he pulled Ginny into his arms.
When the bastard was secure, Jacob hurried to the cot where Mitzi lay, tied and gagged, her eyes wide in shock. He quickly untied her, then phoned for an ambulance.
Ginny pulled away from Griff, ran over to Mitzi and sank onto the bed beside her. “I’m so sorry, Mitzi. So sorry,” Ginny whispered.
Mitzi was trembling, her cheeks red with tears, eyes swollen, her face pale. “He...was crazy.”
“I know.” She hugged Mitzi and held her, comforting her while they waited for the ambulance.
* * *
TWO HOURS LATER, after Mitzi was transported to the hospital, examined, and doctors reported that she was fine physically, she was released and sent home.
Bouldercrest underwent surgery to have the bullet removed from his leg and was moved to a prison facility with medical care to await his trial.
Jacob went home to his pregnant wife and stepdaughter, and Griff drove Ginny back to the inn. She’d been quiet and withdrawn ever since they left the hospital.
Griff walked her to her room and escorted her inside. “It’s over now, Ginny,” he murmured.
“I know. It’s hard to believe. Thinking about what he did and wanting to catch him has consumed me for three years.”
He feathered a strand of hair from her cheek. “Maybe you can start to heal now.”
She looked up into his eyes, but instead of peace, turmoil still streaked her face.
“I meant what I said back there,” Griff said. “You’re not alone. I’m here for you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I...appreciate you saying that, Griff. But you don’t have to protect me anymore.”
His pulse jumped. “What if I want to be part of your life?”
A wave of sadness tinged her eyes. “I need time.”
Emotions roughened his voice. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. That’s what I need to figure out.”
He offered her a tender smile. “I could help you do that.”
She shook her head. “Thank you for everything you’ve done, Griff. But I need to be alone for a while.” She rose on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, then walked him to the door.
Griff left, his heart heavy. Why did he sense that Ginny had just said goodbye to him?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Two weeks later
Ginny laid a bundle of sunflowers on top of her sister’s grave and sank down beside it.
“It’s really over, Tess,” she whispered. “Robert Bouldercrest is in prison and according to the police, he’ll never be free again. They’ve charged him with four counts of murder, kidnapping, stalking and assault.” The gas can and the lighter Griff had found had Robert’s prints all over them. So did Ginny’s room at the inn. Robert confessed to setting the wildfires as a diversion.
Jade had called to report that the man who’d attacked her in the alley was a drifter who’d been passing through. They’d caught him assaulting another woman and trying to steal her purse outside a hotel on the edge of town and he was in jail.
As the news sank in, Ginny—Reese—had finally begun to relax again and had taken back her real identity. Although she’d probably always look over her shoulder and she fully intended to keep up her self-defense training, she’d started sleeping better and the nightmares were fewer and further between.
She’d stowed her gun in a safe and hoped she never felt the need to pull it out again.
“I’m so sorry I let you down.” Tears fell freely from her face, but she didn’t bother to wipe them away. She pressed her hand over her mother’s grave. “I’m sorry I didn’t take care of her, Mother. I...wish I could turn back time. Be smarter.”
Forgive herself. She was still struggling with that.
Suddenly sunshine burst through the dark storm clouds, and a rainbow streaked the sky, the colors dancing across her sister’s grave.
Reese’s breath stuttered. Then she looked down at the ground and saw flower buds beginning to push through the ground.
Flower buds in all different colors.
Emotions overcame her, and she pressed a kiss to her fingers then to Tess’s tombstone.
Beloved Sister, Best Friend and Wonderful Artist.
Tess had brought so much life into the world, had loved and lived in the moment, had painted landscapes full of joy and beauty.
The rainbow, the flowers...was her sister trying to send her a message?
Looking up at the rainbow again, she felt a burst of hope for the future. She whispered that she’d be back, then hurried toward her car.
An hour later, she studied the mountains in the distance as she drove toward Whistler. She’d dreamed of Griff every night and wanted to talk to him again.
To see if a future for them might be possible.
The temperature warmed with each passing hour, and she noticed tiny flower buds on the trees dotting the mountainside.
Griff’s words about honoring her sister by living her life were going to be her new mantra. Now that she’d decided what that path would be, she wanted to tell Griff about it.
Her car chugged around the winding mountain road, and she slowed as she approached Griff’s cabin. It looked even more picturesque now with the wildflowers blooming on the mountain and the sun slanting off the dark green foliage.
Nerves gathered in her belly as she parked, climbed out and walked up to the front door. What if Griff didn’t feel the same way about her? What if he didn’t love her?
She almost turned around but stopped herself. She’d overcome her worst fears by facing down the man who’d terrorized her. That had taken courage.
She had to summon her courage now. Still, her heart was on the line.
But instead of running away, she wanted to run toward her future. She only hoped Griff would be in it.
She’d started by changing her hair back to its natural color. No more colored contacts either. No more Ginny Bagwell.
Feeling more like herself, she rang the doorbell and twisted her hands together as she waited. A minute later, the door opened, and Griff stood on the other side, looking so sexy and handsome that her stomach fluttered. Surprise flickered in his eyes, then a smile, bolstering her courage.
“I missed you,” she said, then mentally kicked herself. That wasn’t how she’d planned to start the conversation.
His smile widened. “I missed you, too.”
Relief whooshed through her, and she offered him her hand. “I have things to tell you, but first I want to introduce myself. My name is Reese Taggart.”
His gaze met hers, and he nodded. “Hello, Reese.” Then he cocked his head to the side. “You remind me of someone.”
“I do?”
He nodded. “Yes, someone I fell in love with.”
“That girl, the one who wanted revenge and lied to you...she’s gone.”
“I hope she’s found peace,” he murmured.
“She has. I mean I have.”
A smile glittered in his dark eyes.
“As a matter of fact, I’ve decided to use my story to help others. I’ve been working on a series of articles about domestic violence.” She licked her suddenly dry lips. “I’m also studying counseling so I can become a victim’s advocate for domestic violence victims.”
“Really?”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I talked to your sister-in-law Jade about it when she called to update me on Robert’s case.”
“I
think that’s a great idea, Ginny—I mean, Reese.”
“I just wanted to tell you.” She hesitated a minute. Her courage faltered, and she started to leave.
“Wait,” he said. “Don’t go.”
She looked into his eyes and felt a connection that rocked her back on her heels.
“I fell in love with Ginny,” he said, “and that girl was part of you. I think I’m going to love Reese even more.”
Then he pulled her into his arms, closed his mouth over hers and kissed her.
Six weeks later, she said I Do to the man she loved in the gazebo Griff built for their wedding behind the home they would share together.
As she kissed her husband, she heard her sister’s angelic voice singing to her from the heavens.
* * * * *
CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
Nichole Severn
www.millsandboon.com.au
Her husband doesn’t remember her.
When Kate Monroe’s deceased husband suddenly appears, the profiler can’t believe her eyes. Declan Monroe has lost all of his memories, and Kate is struggling to figure out how to respond after finally overcoming her grief and moving forward. But with a killer targeting Kate, the pair will have to work together to outwit The Hunter in his murderous game...and find their way back to each other.
Praise for Nichole Severn
“First-class romantic suspense! Rules in Blackmail will keep you reading late into the night!”
—New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden
“Action-packed from the first chapter to the last! Smart heroine. Sexy hero. Rules in Rescue has it all.”
—USA TODAY bestselling author Janie Crouch
“With action from page one, Rules in Deceit is a breathtaking, non-stop ride full of romance and suspense!”
—USA TODAY bestselling author Rachel Grant
“Fast-paced, explosive action makes Nichole Severn’s Rules in Defiance an exciting, romantic read!”
—New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson
NICHOLE SEVERN writes explosive romantic suspense with strong heroines, heroes who dare challenge them and a hell of a lot of guns. She resides with her very supportive and patient husband, as well as her demon spawn, in Utah. When she’s not writing, she’s constantly injuring herself running, rock climbing, practicing yoga and snowboarding. She loves hearing from readers through her website, www.nicholesevern.com, and on Twitter, @nicholesevern.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Kate Monroe—As Blackhawk Security’s resident profiler, she’s more than prepared to hunt the monsters hiding in the darkest shadows, but her first assignment since returning from leave quickly becomes more than she can handle when her past catches up to her.
Declan Monroe—The former special agent can’t remember anything before waking up in the hospital with four bullets in his chest. Not even the wife he left behind. But now that a serial killer has put Kate in his sights, Declan’s more determined than ever to recover his memories—and his marriage.
Ryan Dominguez—A rising star in the FBI’s Behavior Analysis Unit, Special Agent Ryan Dominguez has been a close personal friend of Kate’s since her husband—his former partner—was murdered. And he’ll do anything to keep her safe. Even if it means saving her from herself.
The Hunter—Serial killer who stalks, seduces and kills his victims by setting them free in the wilderness before hunting them down and shooting an arrow through their hearts.
Blackhawk Security—Comprised of an elite team of specialists with diverse backgrounds ranging from former Special Forces to psychology, Blackhawk Security offers personal protective services for people whose lives are endangered.
This is for you! This series wouldn’t keep going without you.
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 One
Your husband is alive, Kate.
Blackhawk Security profiler Kate Monroe stared at her reflection in the broken picture frame on the floor. Had it really been an entire year? She hadn’t set foot in this house since the ambush, too traumatized to pull the bullets out of the walls, too sentimental to put it on the market. Everything had changed that night.
Tightening her grip on the manila folder in her hand, she couldn’t ignore the truth. Declan hadn’t died as she’d been told while recovering in the hospital from her own injuries. He’d survived. He’d disappeared. And he’d left her behind.
Glass crunched under her shoes, bringing her back into the moment, and the photo came into focus. Her and Declan dancing at their wedding, surrounded by smiling guests.
Burying the burn behind her sternum deeper, she stepped over the frame. Blackhawk’s private investigator had found proof—a timestamped photo—of Declan taken a month ago in downtown Anchorage. She’d stared at it for hours, picked it apart pixel by pixel to fight the anger and resentment bubbling up her throat. In vain. The photo was real. Declan was alive, and she deserved to know why he hadn’t come home.
There had to be something here that would lead her to his location. Setting the folder on what was left of the kitchen table, she fought back the memories of hundreds of dinners as she dragged her fingers over the bullet-riddled surface. She pulled out drawers in the kitchen, emptied the bookshelf beside the desk Declan had built for her, scattered old patient files across the carpet.
Bending to pick them up, Kate froze as the dark stains at her feet came into focus. Blood. Ice worked through her veins. She couldn’t think—couldn’t breathe. She closed her eyes against the memories fighting to rush forward and forced herself to take a deep breath. She’d been a psychologist. She’d helped others through their trauma—their pain—why couldn’t she get past her own?
She traced over one mound of scar tissue below her collarbone, leaving the files where they fell. Swallowing against the tightness in her throat, she straightened. Gunshot wounds never healed. Not really. Six months since the last surgery, and the physical pain from three shots to the chest still lingered. Then again, she’d been lucky to survive at all. The gunman who’d opened fire on her and Declan hadn’t meant to leave anyone alive.
Movement registered off to her right and she automatically reached for the Glock in her shoulder holster. Depressing the safety tab, she took aim, heart in her throat. Blackhawk Security’s founder and CEO insisted his agents trained in wilderness survival, weapons, hostage negotiation, recovery and rescue and more, but she was a profiler. Not former military like Anthony. Not a former NSA consultant like Elizabeth. She’d never had use for a gun.
Her hands shook slightly as the weight of heavy steel threatened to pull her arms down. She’d never aimed her gun at another human being. “You’re trespassing on private property,” she said. “Come out with your hands where I can see them, and I promise not to shoot you.”
The house had been abandoned for a year. Wasn’t hard to imagine the homeless taking advantage of a roof over their heads, and she wasn’t interested in forcing them to leave if that was the case. The house wasn’t going anywhere. It took everything she had to stay here this long.
Shadows shifted across the intruder’s features, and her breath caught in her throat. Hints of moonlight highlighted the familiar shape of his stubbled jaw, his broad chest, muscled arms and short blond hair. Her heart beat hard as she stood there, unsure if he was real or a figment of her imagination.
He closed the distance between them slowly,
cautiously, as though he believed she might actually shoot him. She couldn’t make out the color of his eyes in the darkness but pictured the ice-blue depths clearly from memory as he stared back at her.
“It’s you.” She suppressed the sob clawing up her throat but couldn’t fight the burn against her lower lash line. Rushing forward, Kate wrapped her arms around his broad chest, his clean, masculine scent working deep into her lungs. A year. A year he’d put her through hell. The grief, the anger. Why hadn’t he reached out to her? Who had she buried all those months ago? Why wasn’t he hugging her back?
Clenching her teeth to keep the scream at bay, Kate backed off but didn’t holster the weapon. Why was he just standing there? “Say something.”
“You’re even more beautiful than I remembered.” That voice. His voice.
An electric sizzle caught her nerve endings on fire and exploded throughout her entire system. She never thought she’d hear that voice again.
Declan Monroe shifted closer, the weight of his gaze pressurizing the air in her lungs. “You don’t need the gun. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“That’s all you’re going to say to me?” It felt as if someone had driven a fist into her stomach. “You’ve been alive this whole time, and that’s all you’re going to say? They told me you died in that hospital. I—” The pain of that day, of losing her best friend, of losing the man she’d intended to spend the rest of her life with, the man she’d planned on starting a family with, surged to the surface. “I buried you.”
“I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.” He reached out, smoothed his fingertips down her jawline. Even with the ice of shock coursing through her, warmth penetrated deep into her bones, but his expression kept her from reveling in his missed touch.
Declan lowered his hand as he studied the aftermath in the living room. The bullet holes in the walls, the broken picture frames, the destroyed sectional and cushions. She didn’t have the guts to see what’d become of the rest of the house, a home that was once their safe haven from their dark careers. “Is this where it happened?”
