Deadly Illusions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 3)

by Hart, Lily Harper

  “He knew what he was doing,” Finn growled. “He might’ve been crazy, but he still knew what he was doing.”

  “He was a victim,” Emma said. “What happened to him wasn’t his fault.”

  “It wasn’t your fault either,” Sophie said, patting her on the arm. “Even if you’d known, there was no way you could have stopped it.”

  Emma sighed. “I suppose you’ll be doing a story on this. I saw you taking notes and talking to the police officers outside.”

  Sophie bit her lower lip. “I will be doing a story,” she said. “We won’t be releasing your name, though.”

  Emma looked up, hope flitting across her face. “Your editor agreed to that?”

  “Let’s just say I’ve built up some good will,” Sophie said. “We’ll be reporting on a man who attacked an unnamed woman and then started himself on fire. Nothing more.”

  Finn sent Sophie a gracious smile. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For protecting Emma,” Finn replied. “That’s going above and beyond.”

  “That’s nothing,” Sophie said. “Emma didn’t do anything wrong. If she doesn’t want to be in the newspaper, she doesn’t have to be. I’ll make sure no one gets her name. The police have already agreed not to release it.”

  “I don’t think that’s how it normally works,” Finn said.

  “It’s how I work,” Sophie said simply, causing Grady to lean over and give her a long, hard kiss.

  Mandy divvied up the eggs and potatoes onto plates, delivering them to everyone at the table.

  “There was no bread,” she said apologetically. “I couldn’t make toast.”

  Finn glanced up at Emma and smiled. “Emma fed it to the geese.”

  Mandy scowled. “Those things are a menace.”

  “She likes them.”

  “Yeah, well, when you’ve stepped in their big turds thirty times in the same summer, they’re not going to seem so cute. Trust me.”

  Since there weren’t enough seats, Mandy settled on James’ lap. The only noise for the next few minutes was the sound of cutlery on plates and intermittent swallows.

  “I forgot you could cook,” Finn said. “You and James order out so much, I just thought you couldn’t cook for some reason.”

  “I’ve cooked for you before,” Mandy said.

  “She can cook breakfast,” James said. “I’ve yet to see her cook anything else that doesn’t come in a can.”

  “Oh, from the chicken-and-stars chef, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  James patted her rear. “I’m not complaining. I’d rather you focus your considerable energy on me instead of cooking. We can pay people to cook for us – and they deliver it right to our door.”

  “You’re such a man,” Sophie said, giggling.

  “Hey,” Grady said. “I cook.”

  “You do,” Sophie agreed. “That’s why we don’t starve.”

  “When we started dating, she only had frozen dinners in her freezer,” Grady said. “Now I’m the one who cooks.”

  “I got him a little chef’s hat,” Sophie said, grinning. “He wears it when he plays chef.”

  “Sometimes that’s all I wear,” Grady added.

  Sophie reached over and poked him in the ribs. “That’s an over share.”

  “I’m going to over share with you tonight,” Grady promised.

  Emma started to relax, the easy banter around her lulling her into a place of serenity. When everyone finished, Mandy collected the dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher.

  “I think we’re going to be going,” she said. “I think you guys could use some time alone.”

  Finn nodded, silently mouthing “thank you” to her as she moved around the table.

  “If you guys need takeout, there’s a whole drawer of menus next to the sink,” Mandy said, pausing next to Emma and bending over. “You know, when you get back on your feet, I think we should have another spa day. You really seemed to like the last one.”

  Emma’s smile was weak. “That sounds good.”

  “James is even going to pay for it again,” Mandy announced, straightening up and fixing him with a mischievous smile.

  “I am?”

  “You said that you owed me for figuring out the Andrew Wayne stuff,” Mandy reminded him.

  “No, I said I would buy you an expensive dinner for that,” James replied.

  “Well, I want a spa day.”

  James smirked. “Fine. You can have your spa day.”

  “Really?”

  “Absolutely,” he said. “As soon as we finish playing fireman-saves-the-damsel-in-distress.”

  “You’re on.”

  ONCE everyone was gone, Finn settled Emma on the couch. It was still early, but he knew neither one of them was leaving the apartment this evening – and probably the next day either.

  “What do you want?” Finn asked, picking up the remote control. “More Grey’s Anatomy.”

  “Whatever you want is fine.” Her voice was stronger now, and she’d ceased shaking.

  “Grey’s Anatomy it is.”

  “I’m starting to think you’re the one who really likes the show,” Emma said, laughing despite herself.

  “I might like it,” Finn agreed, pulling her down so she could rest her head on his chest. He pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and settled it over them. He needed to keep her warm.

  “Finn?”

  He paused, looking down. “Yeah?”

  “I didn’t thank you for saving me again.”

  “You don’t have to thank me.”

  “I do. I could have died out there,” she said. “Andrew wanted to kill me. He would have killed me if it weren’t for you.”

  “You still don’t have to thank me,” Finn said.

  “Why?”

  “Because, losing you isn’t something I can deal with,” he replied. “Losing you would be like losing a piece of my own heart. I’m fond of my whole heart. So, no, you don’t have to thank me.”

  “I’m going to ask you something, and I’m only going to ask it one more time,” Emma said. “Well, I hope I only ask it one more time.”

  Finn waited.

  “If you want to go, if you think you want to go, I want you to go now,” she said. “It will just be harder later.”

  “I don’t want to go,” Finn said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I want you to be sure.”

  “I am sure.”

  “Okay.”

  Finn turned back to the television. “I really like the Asian doctor. She’s sassy. She reminds me of Mandy.”

  Emma tightened her fingers on Finn’s shirt. “She’s my favorite, too.”

  “I like that Alex guy, too,” Finn continued, going for normalcy. “He’s got a great attitude.”

  “He does. He kind of looks like you.”

  “He’s a handsome guy,” Finn said, rubbing his hand over Emma’s back. “You know who I don’t like?”

  “Who?”

  “Meredith,” Finn said. “Her voice bugs me, and she’s a horrible crier.”

  “I get that.”

  Finn kissed Emma’s forehead. “You know what else?”

  “What?” She loved hearing him talk.

  “I’m going to keep telling you that I’m staying as long as you need to hear it,” he said. “Someday, someday soon, I hope you believe it.”

  “I want to believe it.”

  “Then someday you’ll believe it.”

  They were silent for a few minutes, Emma rubbing circles on Finn’s chest while he mimicked the motion on her back.

  “Finn?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I kind of like Meredith,” she admitted.

  “Yeah, we’ll talk more about that later,” Finn said. “If you like Meredith, there are few actresses in Mandy’s shark movies you’re going to love.”

  Emma sighed as she tightened her arm around Finn’s waist. The day had been horrible. She was sure
nightmares would follow. The light that would wash away the dreams was next to her, though, and for that she was thankful.

  They had miles to go before they slept – but she wouldn’t be traversing those miles alone now. She was sure of that.

  For now, that was enough.

  Up Next

  Life should be good for James Hardy.

  His business is thriving, his brothers are settled, and he’s desperately in love with his girlfriend, Mandy.

  Unfortunately, growing pains are straining his relationship, and when a misunderstanding overlaps with a catastrophic explosion at a charity event, Mandy’s life is left hanging in the balance.

  The doctor says she’ll recover, and James is ready to do what is necessary to make sure their lives stay intertwined. Her recovery is difficult, and long, and it’s only compounded by a mixture of medication and misunderstandings, both of which spin things dangerously out of control.

  James is determined to get their relationship back on track, but the mystery of who targeted her for elimination – and the dreams that subsequently plague him – have the eldest Hardy brother in a tailspin.

  James promises to keep Mandy safe, but the enemy targeting them is obsessed – and relentless. Between his sister’s meddling, Mandy’s doubts, and James’ overwhelming worries, things are coming to a head.

  James is ready to offer a happily ever after, but he needs to solve a mystery and keep his beloved safe if he’s going to get that chance.

  Will this couple get a chance to realize their dreams, or will an unseen force stop them before they get a chance to embrace their future?

  Deadly Proposal hits shelves on January 6, 2015. Pre-order it here now, so you don’t miss out on the next Hardy Brothers Security installment.

  Coming Soon

  The Hardy brothers and their love stories aren’t over. Track their progress through upcoming books – and maybe find out a little more about the Hardy family, too.

  Deadly Proposal: James and Mandy have settled into a routine, but it’s not necessarily a happy one. Mandy is still looking for a house, but James seems reticent to help her with the endeavor. There’s something on his mind – but he’s keeping his cards close to his vest. When a new threat stirs up old memories, though, James goes into protection mode – which pushes Mandy over the edge. Can he keep her safe long enough to make all of their dreams come true?

  Deadly Prospects: Ally Hardy has watched all three of her brothers find happiness, and now she wants some of her own. When Hardy Brothers Security employs Jake Harrison to help with their expanding business, none of the of Hardy boys think he’s good enough for their baby sister. Ally has other ideas, though, whether Jake is agreeable to them or not. When Ally finds herself in boatload of trouble, it’s not her brothers she turns to. Jake can’t fight Ally’s pull, and, at a certain point, he’s not sure he even wants to try. Will this duo survive to find out if they can overcome the disappointment of three brothers and forge their own path?

  Deadly Ever After: Someone is getting married – although I’m not telling whom. The road to happily ever after is going to be littered with hurdles – and maybe a few bodies. Will a beloved couple get to say “I do”? Or will the enemy finally be too much for the Hardy family to overcome?

  Deadly Honeymoon: After more drama – and a romantic wedding – one of your favorite couples is going on a honeymoon. After frolicking in the sun – and getting frisky in the water – they discover a dead body. The mystery surrounding that death follows them home – and haunts the entire family in the days following.

  Deadly Questions: Grady has never been fond of Sophie’s foster father, Peter Marconi, the mob associations always giving him pause. When Peter approaches Hardy Brothers Security with a problem – Grady is hard pressed to deny him. Someone is trafficking young women across the Michigan border to Canada, and Peter needs help figure out whom. Grady agrees to help, but only if Peter is honest. Can Grady and Sophie find common ground when his family starts fighting with hers?

  Author’s Note

  I’m a romantic at heart. A true romantic. I love the idea of a happy ending, so much so I have trouble writing a sad one. The world is sad enough. I like escaping in fiction. That’s just me. I like sarcasm and snark – but I’m not sure a sad ending is in me. If you’re looking for an edge like that, you’re probably looking in the wrong place. Just FYI.

  When approaching the Hardy Brothers Security series, I decided to do it differently than a normal series romantic suspense series. I started out with James and Mandy – and I’ll continue on to the other Hardy family members – but I plan on continuing everyone’s stories in each progressive book.

  What does that mean? It means you’ll see progression with James and Mandy in Grady’s story. You’ll find progression with James, Mandy, Grady and Sophie in Finn’s story – and so on. Everyone is going to get a shot at love – and story fulfillment.

  I love these characters and I want them to live on. Each book will not be strictly about one couple’s story. I want everyone to grow together.

  If you’re interested in upcoming releases, follow me on Facebook and Twitter. I do not spam. I don’t believe it and, as a reader, I find it annoying. Only new release information and special sales promotions will be posted.

  This book is available for lending. Please do so. I want people to fall in love with the Hardys – and all their friends.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  Books by Lily Harper Hart

  Hardy Brothers Security

  Deadly Intentions

  Deadly Intuition

  Deadly Illusions

  Deadly Proposal

  Deadly Prospects (Coming February 2015)

  Deadly Ever After (Coming March 2015)

  Deadly Honeymoon (Coming April 2015)