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Kill Without
Mercy
ARES Security #1
ARES Security #1
By: Alexandra Ivy
Released December
29, 2015
Zebra
Zebra
From the hellhole of a Taliban
prison to sweet freedom, five brave military heroes have made it home—and
they’re ready to take on the civilian missions no one else can. Individually
they’re intimidating. Together they’re invincible. They’re the men of ARES
Security.
Rafe Vargas is only in Newton, Iowa,
to clear out his late grandfather’s small house. As the covert ops specialist
for ARES Security, he's eager to get back to his new life in Texas. But when he
crosses paths with Annie White, a haunted beauty with skeletons in her closet,
he can't just walk away—not when she’s clearly in danger…
There’s a mysterious serial killer
on the loose with a link to Annie’s dark past. And the closer he gets, the
deeper Rafe’s instinct to protect kicks in. But even with his considerable
skill, Annie’s courage, and his ARES buddies behind him, the slaying won’t
stop. Now it’s only a matter of time before Annie’s next—unless they can
unravel a history of deadly lies that won’t be buried.
“A
fantastic blend of romance and suspense…thrilling to the end.” --Mary Burton,
USA Today bestselling author
Her thought was interrupted as
she kicked a small object that had been left in the middle of the floor.
Automatically glancing down she
came to a sharp halt, her breath locked in her chest as she leaned over to pick
up the small doll with the mass of tangled blond hair.
Britney Spears.
It
was covered in dust, and the clothes were rumpled, but Annie had a vivid memory
of dancing through the house with the doll clutched in her hand.
The
sun had been shining and her father was laughing as he watched her silly
antics.
“Annie?”
The
sound of Rafe’s deep voice broke her out of the past, although the precious feelings
of childish joy refused to be completely dismissed.
“This
house should be a place of horror, but I had such good memories,” she muttered,
her attention locked on the doll that looked as lost and broken as she felt
since returning to Newton.
He
moved to stand next to her, his hands clenching as if he was battling the urge
to reach out and touch her. “You loved your father?”
“Very
much,” she admitted without hesitation, lifting her head to meet his searching
gaze. “I know you must think it’s twisted, but he was always kind and patient
and funny when we were together.”
“I
don’t think it’s twisted at all,” he protested. “Tell me about him.” He held up
a hand when she frowned. “I mean, tell me about him as your father.”
Expecting
the usual condemnation, Annie was caught off guard by his gentle question.
No
one had ever asked her about Don White as something other than the psycho
serial killer.
Tentatively
she allowed herself to return to the past, the doll unconsciously pressed to
her chest. “He always had two Oreo cookies and a glass of milk waiting for me
on that table when I came home from school.” She nodded toward the shrouded
piece of furniture situated near the door. She hadn’t eaten an Oreo cookie
since she’d left Newton. “And he went with me to the movies on Saturday
afternoon just because I said I wanted to be an actress when I grew up. And
every Sunday morning he took me to the restaurant for pancakes.” Bittersweet
pain sliced through her heart. “I don’t understand how the same man could be so
evil.”
“He
was sick, Annie, not evil,” Rafe murmured.
She
hunched a shoulder. “Is there a difference?”
“Yes.
I’ve seen men in battle,” he said, a hard edge in his voice hinting at memories
that were as dark and painful as her own. “Some are just naturally cruel. They
enjoy causing pain because it’s a basic part of their nature.” His jaw
clenched. “And there are others who’ve been ruined. By life. By war. By . . .
fate. They do what they do because they can’t help themselves.”
Annie
studied the lean, fiercely handsome face. How did he do it? How did he always
know exactly what to say?
It
was freaky.
“Thank
you,” she breathed.
He
cocked a brow. “For what?”
“Most
people don’t want to think the Newton Slayer could have any redeeming
qualities,” she said, having learned from the second she’d been rescued that
her father was public enemy number one. “I usually feel guilty for not hating
him.
He
destroyed so many lives.”
He
brushed a hand over her tangled curls, careful to keep
his
touch light. “He was your father.”
“Yes.”
He’d been more than that. He’d been her entire family. She gave another shiver.
“We should go.” He dropped his hand and nodded, keeping a small distance
between them as she headed out the door and across the
rickety porch.
“My
truck is at the end of the drive,” he murmured as they reached the overgrown
yard. “I’ll tell Teagan to join us at the motel.”
She
had a vague impression of a large man who appeared from the shadows to speak
with Rafe before he was jogging toward her Jeep, but her concentration centered
on keeping her feet moving forward.
Christ,
she was tired.
Rafe
was back at her side by the time she reached the edge of the road, opening the
door to his truck and helping her to climb into the seat before he was rounding
the hood and taking his place behind the steering wheel.
In
silence he started the engine, flipping the heater on high before performing a
U-turn. There was a brief stop as he waited for his friend to approach the
truck holding her purse that he’d obviously retrieved from her Jeep. Then,
placing the bag in her lap, he shoved the truck in gear and headed back to town
at a pace far slower than the one she’d used to get to the house.
Annie
clutched her purse, only vaguely aware of her surroundings. She had the
impression of genuine leather and a dashboard that had all the bells and
whistles. The sort of truck that would be functional for work around a ranch
but no doubt cost more than she made in a year. But her gaze remained glued to
the dark, chiseled profile of her companion.
Safely
tucked in his car with the warm air beginning to ease her shivers, there was
nothing to distract her from Rafe’s sheer male beauty.
It
was . . . nice.
Almost
as if she was a normal girl being driven home by a man who she found intensely
attractive.
A
damned shame her brief daydream didn’t last for long.
All
too soon they were back in town and he was turning into the drive of the motel.
Rafe pulled to a halt in the center of the parking lot and glanced in her
direction.
“Do
you remember where you lived before coming to Newton?”
She
froze at the abrupt question, too startled to tell him it was none of his
damned business.
“Most
of my memories from my early childhood are fuzzy. I think my dad said that we
lived overseas, but it’s really just a blur,” she admitted.
It
was weird. She had such a clear recollection of her time in Newton. Time with
her father. Her friends at the school she’d attended. Climbing on top of the
house so she could see her father in the distant fields.
But
she never could capture any memories of her days before coming to Newton or the
days after she’d been found tied and blindfolded in the bomb shelter.
“Why
do you ask?”
“I
thought you might have some family who could come to give you support,” he smoothly
explained.
Her
gaze narrowed. She sensed there was more to his question than he was admitting,
but she was too tired to try and search for any hidden meanings.
“There
are just my foster parents, and I don’t want to worry them,” she said.
He
reached into his rear pocket, pulling out his wallet.
“Then
I want your promise you’ll call me if you need anything,” he commanded, handing
her a small business card.
She
took the card with a frown, asking the question that had been bothering her
from the moment their paths had crossed.
“Why?”
“Why
what?”
“Why
are you so determined to help me?” she demanded. “I’m a stranger.”
He
held her wary gaze. “It’s what I do.”
“A
hero?”
“Something
like that.” He pointed toward the business card. “My private cell number is
printed on the back. Call me . . . any time, for any reason.”
Tucking the card in her purse, she crawled out of the
truck and hurried to her motel room.
Rafe and Annie both have traumatic events in their pasts that have shaped who they are. Neither were looking for love when they arrived in Newton, but with women disappearing, Rafe's protective instincts kick in with Annie. Her father was blamed for the serial killing 15 years ago, but now there seems to be a copycat following the same pattern. As Rafe and his friends start investigating, they discover secrets that bring new light to both past and recent events. I loved the camaraderie between the guys and the connection between Annie and Rafe. I wish there would have been more details about what happened to the guys in Afghanistan, but hopefully we will get them in future books.
Overall a good mystery romance with some twists. The men of ARES will definitely provide more good stories in the future.
I received an ARC via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own.
ALEXANDRA IVY graduated from Truman University with a degree in theatre before deciding she preferred to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage. She currently lives in Missouri with her extraordinarily patient husband and teenage sons. To stay updated on Alexandra’s Guardian series or to chat with other readers, please visit her website at www.alexandraivy.com.
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