In Rides Trouble: Black Knights Inc.

"Deft characterization, skillful pacing, touches of humor, and red-hot love scenes rev up this highly recommended roller-coaster." —Publishers Weekly Starred ReviewRebel with a CauseBecky "Rebel" Reichert never actually goes looking for trouble. It just has a tendency to find her. Like the day Frank Knight showed up at her door, wanting to use her motorcycle shop as a cover for his elite special ops team. But Becky prides herself on being able to hang with the big boys-she can weld, drive, and shoot just as well as any of them.Man with a MissionMunitions, missiles, and mayhem are Frank's way of life. The last thing the ex-SEAL wants is for one brash blonde to come within fifty feet of anything that goes boom. Yet it's just his rotten luck when she ends up in a hostage situation at sea. Come hell or high water, he will get her back-whether she says she needs him or not.Praise for Hell on Wheels:"Edgy, alpha, and downright HOT, the Black Knights Inc. will steal your breath ... and your heart!" —CATHERINE MANN USA Today bestselling authorReview"A sexy, entertaining read." - Abbey Ann's Bookland"Julie Ann Walker has the hottest romance series out there... be prepared to for her to ROCK YOUR WORLD!" - The Book Whisperer"Julie Ann Walker has knocked it out of the park once again... Filled to the brim with sexual tension. 4 Stars" - RT Book Reviews"There is plenty of action in this story to keep the reader engaged and guessing what is going to happen next." - The Romance Studio"A nonstop action filled thrill ride. The author has such a wicked sense of humor and an amazing talent for phrasing. " - Night Owl Reviews"Passion, danger, excitement... Edgy, super hot and sexy... Will leave you breathless..." - Bitten by Love Reviews"The pace of the story felt like a motorcycle ride that kept getting faster. I didn't want it to stop." - Scooper Speaks"Walker continues to entertain me with stories filled with such rough and lovable characters. They pull me into the story from the beginning and hold on long after the end." - Belle's Book Bag"Plenty of action, romance, laughs, and pop culture references and quick and witty dialogue... the writing style reminds me of Joss Whedon's. " - Spunky Bean"a very enticing read that will satisfy anyone who is looking for a Thriller, Romance and, even better, both. " - Beyond Dreaming"This series is easily becoming a favorite and I can't wait to read more. Definite read! " - World of Books"Walker never lets the reader's attention stray. She keeps the adrenaline pumping and even adds love scenes that set the heart pounding." - Long and Short Reviews"This series has lots of action, humor and some nice sexual tension." - USA Today Happy Ever After"A very enticing read that will satisfy anyone who is looking for a Thriller, Romance and, even better, both. " - Beyond Dreaming"Julie Ann Walker never lets the reader's attention stray. She keeps the adrenaline pumping and even adds love scenes that set the heart pounding." - Long and Short Reviews"Julie Ann Walker had me crying, laughing and on the edge of my seat nervous. I am so excited for the next book in this series Rev' It Up. " - Books-n-KissesExcerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.Prologue"We're definitely changing the name." Frank "Boss" Knight pulled the Hummer up in front of the sad little pre-fab building and glanced at the hand-painted wooden sign screwed over the front door: Becky's Badass Bike Builds."Too much alliteration for you?" Bill Reichert snickered from the passenger seat while unbuckling his seat belt and throwing open the door. The frigid winter wind whipped into the interior of the vehicle, prompting Frank to grab his black stocking cap from the dashboard and tug it over his head and ears before zipping his parka up to his chin.If this thing actually worked out, Chicago winters were definitely going to take some getting used to. Of course, freezing temps were a small price to pay for a good, solid cover for his new defense firm. And joining Bill's kid sister in her custom Harley chopper business, posing as mechanics and motorcycle buffs, promised to be a freakin' phenomenal cover for all the guys he'd recruited away from the various branches of the armed services. Especially considering most of them were bulky, tattooed, and-without regulation military haircuts-just scruffy enough to pass for their own chapter of Hell's Angels.He pushed out of the Hummer and had to lower his chin against the gust of wind that punched him in the face like an icy fist. Shoving his hands deep in his coat pockets, he trudged up to the front door through the path someone had shoveled in the thick blanket of snow.Bill applied a gloved thumb to the buzzer, and five seconds later, a familiar noise sounded from the behind the metal door, making the hair on the back of Frank's neck stand up.How do you know you've been in the business too long? When you recognize the sound of a .45 caliber being chambered from three feet away, that's how."Who is it?" a deep, wary voice inquired from within."I thought you said she knew we were coming," Frank hissed over Bill's shoulder."She does." Bill grinned. "But she also knows she can never be too careful in this neighborhood."And that was no lie. The graffiti tagging every vertical surface for six blocks in each direction announced that they were smack dab in the middle of some very serious gang territory. The Vice Lords ruled the roost, and they wanted to make damned sure everyone knew it.Raising his voice above the shrieking wind, Bill yelled, "Open the damned door, you big ape! We're freezing our dicks off out here!"And that was no lie either. Frank couldn't even begin to explain to his family jewels why he hadn't jumped into a pair of thermal underwear this morning and instead opted to go commando.Big mistake. Huge.One he sure as hell wouldn't be making again.The front door swung open with a resounding clang, and they were met by a giant, red-headed man who looked like he should be wearing a face mask and leotard while smashing a folding chair over some guy's back.Frank could almost hear Michael Buffer shouting, Arrrrre you ready to ruuumbllle?"Manus," Bill said, stepping over the threshold and motioning Frank through, "this is Boss. Boss, meet Manus. He and his brothers work security for my sister."Frank waited until Manus tucked the .45 into the waistband of his jeans before cautiously stepping into the small, tiled vestibule. The walls were covered in rusted motorcycle license plates, and as soon as the door closed behind him, the aroma of motor oil and burning metal assaulted his nostrils."You the guy who wants to partner with Becky? Invest some money and learn to build bikes?" Manus asked while pumping the hand he offered, a smile splitting the big man's ruddy face and making all his freckles meld together.Yeah, that was the story they were tossing around until he could get a look at the set-up..."I haven't decided yet," he answered noncommittally, and Manus's smile only widened."That's only because you haven't seen Becky's bikes," he boasted. "Once you do, you're gonna want to give her all your savings and have her teach you everything she knows."Frank lifted a shoulder as if to say we'll see and watched as Bill opened the second set of glass doors.His ears were instantly assailed by a wall of sound.The pounding beats of hard-driving rock music competed with the hellacious screech and whine of grinding metal. He resisted the urge to reach up and plug his ears as he followed Bill into the custom motorcycle shop, skirting a few pieces of high-tech machinery.And then he wasn't thinking about his bleeding eardrums at all.Because his eyes zeroed in on the most beautiful, outlandish motorcycle he'd ever seen.It was secured on a bike lift. The paint on the gas tank and fenders was bright, neon blue that sparkled iridescently in the harsh overhead lights. It sported a complex-looking dual exhaust, an outrageous stretch, and intricate, nearly whimsical front forks. It also had so much chrome it almost hurt to look at it.In a word: art.It made the work he'd done restoring his vintage 1952 Harley-Davidson FL look like amateur hour.And just when he thought he couldn't be any more blown away, the sound of grinding metal slowly died down and a young woman emerged from behind the bike with a grinder in one hand and a metal clamp in the other.He nearly swallowed his own tongue.This couldn't be...But obviously it was. Because the instant the woman caught sight of them she squealed, clicked off the music pouring out of the speakers of an old-fashioned boom box, and dropped both tools on the bike lift before jumping into Bill's arms, hugging him tight and kissing his cheek with a resounding smack that sounded particularly loud in the sudden silence of the shop.This was Rebecca "Rebel" Reichert, Wild Bill's little sister.Little being the operative word. If she stood two inches over five feet Frank would eat his biker boots for dinner.He didn't quite know what he'd expected of a woman who ran her own custom chopper shop, but it wasn't long, blond hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, intense brown eyes surrounded by lush, dark lashes, and a pretty, girl-next-door face that just happened to be his own personal weakness when it came to women.Something about that wholesome, all-American thing always managed to bring him to his knees.Well, hell.Bill finally lowered her to the ground, and she came to stand in front of Frank, small, grease-covered hands on slim, jean-clad hips. For some inexplicable reason, he felt the need to stand up straighter.It was probably because she had the same unyielding look in her eye that his hard-ass drill sergeant always had back when he'd been in Basic."So." She tilted her head until her ponytail hung down over her shoulder in a smooth, golden rope. "You must be the indomitable Frank Knight. Billy has told me so very little about you."And that voice...It was soft and husky. The type that belonged solely in the bedroom."Everyone calls me Boss," he managed to grumble."I think I'll stick to Frank," she said with a wink. And for some reason, his eyelid twitched. "After all, there can be only one boss around here, and I'm it. Now, I hear you want to get into the business of building bikes?""I'm considering it." He couldn't help but notice the way her nose tilted up at the end or the way her small breasts pressed against the soft fabric of the paint-stained, long-sleeved T-shirt she wore.Kee-rist, man, get a grip."Well, then." She nodded, pushing past him as she made her way toward the front door, "let's go take a look at that bike you brought with you and see if you have any talent at all."For a split second, he let his eyes travel down to the gentle sway of her hips before forcing himself to focus on a point over her head as he followed her back through the various machinery. Bill was right behind him, which helped to keep his eyes away from the prize...so to speak. Because the last thing he wanted was to get caught ogling the guy's kid sister.Talk about a no-no of epic proportions. Especially if he didn't fancy the idea of finding one of Bill's size-eleven biker boots shoved up his ass.Once they reached the first set of glass doors, she pulled a thick pair of pink coveralls off a hook on the wall. Balancing first on one foot then the other, she stepped into the coveralls and zipped them up before snagging a bright purple stocking cap from a second hook and pulling it over her head.She looked ridiculous. And feminine. And so damned cute.He gritted his teeth and reminded himself of three things. One, she was way too young for him. Two, if things worked out, then despite what she thought now, he was going to be her boss. And three, he'd made a promise not to-"How much money are you thinking of investing?" she interrupted his thoughts as she pushed through the double doors and into the vestibule.As much as it takes..."We'll talk more about that later." He held his breath, waiting to see how she'd respond to both his authoritative tone and his answer. It was a test of sorts, to determine if they had any hope of working together.She regarded him for a long second, her brown eyes seeming to peer into his head. Then she shrugged, "Suit yourself."When she opened the outer door, he once again had to dip his chin against the icy wind. The three of them slogged through the snow to the small, enclosed cargo trailer hitched to the back of his Hummer, and he fished in his pocket for the keys with fingers already numb from the cold. Once he opened the trailer's back door, she didn't wait for an invitation to jump inside.He and Bill were left to follow her up and watch as she walked around his restored bike before squatting near the exhaust."You do all the work yourself?" she asked.The bike he'd been so proud of thirty minutes before seemed shoddy and unimaginative by comparison."Yes," he admitted, am...