When her secretly filmed tryst shows up on the internet, Michelle Alger goes on the run. She has no choice. Not only was her one-night stand the son of a US senator, but he’s been murdered—and she’s the number one suspect. With both the senator and an avenging drug lord on her trail, her life is in danger. There’s only man she can trust. He saved her once, but will he still be her hero six years later?
Captain Jeremy Malone and the rest of Delta Squad have the senator’s order: find the mystery woman who killed my son. But to Jeremy, she’s no mystery. Six years ago his team of Green Berets rescued her from the torturous clutches of a Colombian cartel, and he’s never forgotten her. His personal and covert mission: find Michelle before anyone else. When he and Michelle do meet again, the sparks are explosive and consuming. They’re also dangerous as hell.
Because with each new bit of evidence, Jeremy suspects that Michelle’s innocence may be a ruse—a beautiful trap set by a woman who has even more secrets yet to bare.
Michelle paced the length of the room for the thousandth
time. There were exactly eighteen steps from the bathroom door to the sad
excuse of a table. Not the biggest rooms here at the OTE.
A long moan drifted through the left wall followed by a
slam, then rhythmic banging.
“Oh, God. Yes,” a
woman cried. “Give it to me, daddy.”
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp. The
cheap picture over the bed rattled with “daddy’s” frantic pace.
Michelle rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Really?” she asked
the stained tiles. As if her situation wasn’t bad enough, she now had to listen
to a bad porno.
She glanced at the clock. 5:22 p.m.
Her fingertips felt cold. She went to rub her hands together
only to find her palms had a thin layer of sweat. How messed up was that? Darn
nerves.
For years she had fantasized about this moment. So many versions
ranging from innocent to completely far-fetched had captivated her dreams. Only
Fate would deliver the version where she was holed up in a seedy motel with Big
Daddy providing the sleazy soundtrack.
“Yes! Right there! Harder!”
She tuned out the “Oh-Gods,” and the “That’s-the-spots” and
replayed her favorite fantasy. The one where Captain Jeremy Malone sought her
out only to find out she had been given a new identity and placed in Witness
Protection. Devastated by the government’s unwillingness to tell him where she
had been relocated, he made it his personal mission to find her. Though it took
years, he finally discovered she became a park ranger in Indianapolis. He
immediately requested leave from the military and showed up at her apartment
door.
She laughed at her foolish daydreams. Even if the man had
hunted her down, then what? Her track record since Colombia had been Michelle,
zero; Disaster, every time.
The looks of disgust on her partners’ faces when they saw
her body usually killed whatever passion she had been able to muster through
the fear and memories. Only one man had seen beyond carnage and made her feel
as if it would be okay.
A hoarse shout bled through the thin wall followed by a lot
of groaning. Hopefully that signaled the end of “daddy’s” session.
Had she done the right thing calling Cappy? How long had he
been in Indianapolis? God, had she been this close to him all this time? What
if he’s seen the news? Would he call the police, FBI, Army to tip them off? She
started to panic. Oh no. What had she done?
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Michelle jumped at the sound on her door. The blood drained
from her face and her heart pounded against her ribcage. No way in this short
span of time could it be another drunk with the wrong room. Which
meant . . . He’s here.
All her insecurities rushed through her brain as she stared at the door.
Everything from her thunder-thighs to her lack of makeup and hungover status
swamped her.
“Michelle?” a muffled, deep male voice called on the other
side. She’d know that intonation anywhere. It slid over her, tightening the
knot in her stomach. She rubbed the dancing area and snagged on a button.
Jerking her head down, she started cussing. She still had on the ugliest
uniform ever. Not one ounce of sexiness could be wrung from the drab olive and
gray clothing.
Sweat pooled under her arms, not helping her confidence and—
Wait, what was that? She squinted and dabbed a spot on her
shirt. Great. She had on the most god-awful stained
uniform ever.
This was so far from her fantasy she could only hang her
head. About par for the last twenty-four hours.
Knock. Knock.
“Michelle,” Captain Jeremy Malone said again. “It’s safe to
open the door.”
No one shouted “POLICE” or “FBI.” That was a good sign,
wasn’t it? Didn’t they have to identify themselves first before entering? That
meant he was alone, right?
She threw her shoulders back and strode across the room.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and opened the thin wood.
Holy Cheesus on wheat toast.
How could she not recall how HUGE he was? And that was
saying something, since she was considered tall. But he had to be at least a
half a foot over her head. Not only tall, but ripped with
muscles . . . Like no-way-could-this-exist-in-real-life muscles
sprouted beneath a tight T-shirt. Since he had worn a helmet the last time they
met, she had never gotten to see he had dark brown hair, buzzed in a military
crew-cut. His stance was all business; exuding strength and power and
don’t-mess-with-me-cause-I-know-eighty-ways-to-kill-you. But one feature
commanded her attention—the same one haunting her for years. His eyes. Those
wonderfully expressive deep coffee-colored eyes.
“Cappy.” She shuddered. After so many years of longing, she
was finally staring into their depths . . . and he was staring
right back.
Great romantic suspense with lots of action as well as sexual tension. Even though as readers we learn early on the bad guys are, the story is written is such a way that you are still drawn into their journey to uncover the truth and prove Michelle's innocence. Michelle is such as strong character, even if she has trouble believing it herself. Cappy is the perfect hero, both protective and tender with Michelle. The relationship between the members of Delta Squad is impressive in both professional and personal levels. I really looking forward to Romeo and Magician's story as well as Talon's - I can't wait to see his walls come down.
ARC via NetGalley
** BOOKS FROM THE SBG NOVEL SERIES **
P.A. DePaul is a multi-genre romance author including paranormal fantasy and romantic suspense. She originally hails from Carroll County and Baltimore County, Maryland, but also lived in Macon and Warner Robins, Georgia. She currently resides in a beautiful community just outside Philadelphia.
Thank you so much for this fabulous review!!! So glad you loved it!!! :)
ReplyDelete