Killer Season

Blackmail meets desire in this tale of secrets and revenge out West!

When Fiona Sanders is held at gunpoint at her convenience store job, Houston officer Nate Gallagher doesn’t hesitate to act the hero. But within days she’s targeted again and Nate knows the crimes aren’t random. His only option: keep the vulnerable beauty safe while they search for the culprits.

Having lost her own father in the line of duty, Fiona refuses to fall for a cop—no matter how much the drop-dead gorgeous, self-appointed bodyguard tugs at her heartstrings. But as the enemy closes in and the truth about the attacks is revealed, Fiona must learn to trust Nate…or face history repeating itself.

Fiona looked up at Nate, her eyes suspiciously bright.

“I will never forget you, or what you did for me tonight. But I suspect it’s just the latest in a long line of amazing things you’ve done. Not many people would have stepped forward like that, but you did. You’re a hero.”

Nate felt his face heat and knew he must be as red as the sirens flashing on the ambulance pulling into the parking lot. “I’m not a hero.”

The corner of Fiona’s mouth quirked up while she studied him. “The fact that you’re denying it just makes you even more heroic.”

Now it was Nate’s turn to look away. He didn’t know how to explain to her that he’d simply reacted—she was in danger, and he’d stepped forward, wanting only to protect her. That wasn’t heroic; it was instinctive, pure and simple. Heroes recognized danger and stepped forward in spite of it.

He hadn’t stopped to consider the danger, but had rushed right in, his only thought to keep Fiona safe.

Dear Reader,

Most people think of the holidays as a time to spend with friends and family, celebrating traditions and making happy memories. It can be a very joyous time, something to look forward to all year long. But for those people who don’t have families or friends, the holidays can be very isolating and lonely, something to dread rather than anticipate.

That’s the case for Nate and Fiona. They’re both lonely—Fiona by circumstance, and Nate by choice. Neither one of them sees the holidays as something to get excited about, especially when Fiona’s life is threatened. But as they deal with the mysterious dangers surrounding Fiona, they both come to realize that there’s more to life than work, and sometimes, you really can have it all—a family (complete with a pampered cat), friends and a fulfilling job. And don’t forget the Christmas tree!

I hope you enjoy Nate and Fiona’s story. As always, thanks for reading!

Lara

Killer

Season

Lara Lacombe

www.millsandboon.co.uk

LARA LACOMBE earned a PhD in microbiology and immunology and worked in several labs across the country before moving into the classroom. Her day job as a college science professor gives her time to pursue her other love—writing fast-paced romantic suspense with smart, nerdy heroines and dangerously attractive heroes. She loves to hear from readers! Find her on the web or contact her at laralacombewriter@gmail.com.

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This one is for Meredith.

Welcome to the family!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter 1

Nate Gallagher leaned forward with a sigh, squinting to peer through the foggy glass of the refrigerated case in search of caffeine. It was late, and he still had a few hours to go before he could sleep.

He opened the door, reached in and pulled out a bottle, reading the label with some suspicion. All day energy! it proclaimed, the neon-green letters garishly bright against the black background. Might as well try it, he decided, tucking the bottle under his arm. He didn’t think he could gag down any more coffee—he’d drunk so much of the stuff over the past week, he was in real danger of turning into a coffee bean.

He glanced at the register as he made his way over to the hot-food station. Fiona, the night-shift clerk, had given him the usual smile and wave when he’d walked in, but now she had her nose stuck in a textbook. Every time he came in here, it seemed she was always studying.

“Sociology,” she’d replied with a smile, after he had asked her about it one night. “I’m in the master’s degree program at the University of Houston. I want to go into education after I graduate.”

Nate didn’t know much about sociology, but she looked like his fantasy version of a professor, with her sleek auburn hair, wide brown eyes and generous mouth. He could picture her in a tight-fitting business suit that hugged her curves, standing in front of a classroom wearing sky-high heels. Even her usual uniform of jeans and a T-shirt made him take notice, and there had been many times he’d wanted to pull her against him, press those amazing curves against his chest and bury his nose in her hair. He wasn’t sure what she smelled like—he’d never gotten that close—but he’d passed many pleasant moments daydreaming about it. Warm vanilla. Roses. Clean citrus. He didn’t really have a preference, but he hoped to find out, one way or another.

Not for the first time, he wondered about her story. She had to be smart to be in graduate school. But why was she working here? It wasn’t the most intellectually demanding job, and it couldn’t pay very well. There had to be some other reason why she’d taken the job.

He hoped she was due to graduate soon—the graveyard shift at a convenience store was no place for a woman like her. Although he tried to come by a few times a week, he’d be relieved when she completed her degree and would have to quit. Part of him would miss seeing her, but it would be one less worry on his mind.

He stopped at the display of hot foods, surveying his choices with a growing sense of resignation. Nachos or a hot dog? Neither option was particularly appealing, but he had to eat something. Breakfast had been a long time ago, and his stomach was threatening to quit if he didn’t eat soon.

Nate fumbled with the tongs as he attempted to fish a hot dog out of the warmer, trying to pick one that didn’t look quite so desiccated. He’d suffer through this junk tonight, but tomorrow he was going to try to start eating better. He experienced a momentary pang of longing for his mother’s home cooking, but she was so angry with him for missing Thanksgiving that she was more likely to smack him with a pan than fix him something to eat.

It wasn’t that he wanted to be away from his family, but being a detective meant he had to make certain sacrifices, choices that weren’t always popular. His dad seemed to understand that, but his mother? She took it as a personal affront every time he missed a family gathering. Because a big city like Houston had its fair share of crime, he wound up missing more family events than he attended.

“Again?” she’d said, when he’d called last week to tell her he couldn’t make it for Thanksgiving. “What have we done, that you would choose your work over your family? That’s not how I raised you. Never mind. Stay there and work. That’s fine.”

Nate wasn’t stupid. He knew that when she said “fine” in a tone of voice that made it sound like she was talking around a mouthful of soap, things were anything but.

Still, he never argued with her. It wouldn’t do any good. She would never understand his job, and, truth be told, he didn’t want her to. Bad enough he had to live with the images of the dead, the murder victims who haunted his dreams and drove him to keep working, keep searching, trying to find their killers and bring them to justice. Humans were capable of so many atrocities, and he hoped his family never had to see that ugly side of life.

He squirted ketchup onto the stale, dry bun with a mental sigh, deliberately pushing thoughts of his mother and his job out of his mind. He was already exhausted, and thinking about her lectures did nothing for his mood. Hopefully, she would wait to scold him in private at Christmas, so his sister, Molly, wouldn’t have to hear it. She didn’t like it when they argued—she had Down syndrome and was very sensitive about picking up emotions.

The thought of Molly made him smile. Twenty-one yellow roses would arrive at the house tomorrow, part of his birthday gift to her. They were her favorite flower, and he was unabashedly proud of himself for having thought to send them. Normally, he made a quick phone call between bouts of paperwork, but her twenty-first birthday was a milestone, something to celebrate. The special gesture had cost him a pretty penny, but she was worth it. And hopefully the flowers would help ease the sting of his absence at the Thanksgiving table. He knew she missed him and didn’t always understand why he couldn’t be there. But, unlike their mother, at least she didn’t punish him for it.

Wiping stray ketchup from his fingers, Nate picked up his dinner and drink, then turned to head over to the register. As he rounded the corner, he clipped the edge of the counter, and the bottle, slick with condensation, slid from his fingers. It hit the tile with a dull thud and skittered across the floor, coming to rest under a display of potato chips.

“Damn,” he muttered. He debated leaving the bottle where it was and grabbing another, but a quick glance at the front counter changed his mind. If he left it, Fiona would have to pick it up before going home, and he didn’t want her to have to crawl around on the dirty floor to fish it out from under the metal rack. He carefully set the hot dog on the food counter, crossing his fingers that it wouldn’t tip over off the wrapper. He’d seen some pretty nasty things in his line of work, but he refused to eat food that had come into contact with the convenience store counter.

Resigned to his fate, he dropped to his knees and bent over, peering under the display in search of the wayward bottle.

* * *

Fiona heard the telltale thud of a plastic bottle hitting the floor and looked up with a wince. From the sound of things, Hot Guy was going to need a new drink, if he didn’t want to wind up wearing his soda. Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad, though, she thought. I could help him clean up. She indulged in a brief fantasy of wiping the sticky liquid off his stubbled cheeks, those impossibly broad shoulders and his flat stomach. Touching the customers wasn’t exactly in her job description but, for him, she’d make an exception.

He’d been coming in a few times a week for the past several months. Never at the same time of night, but regularly enough that she’d begun to expect him and even look forward to his visits. She had no idea what he did for a living, but he always looked tired, as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. But despite the dark circles under his eyes and what seemed to be a permanent five-o’clock shadow, he was a handsome man. His deep green eyes seemed to take in everything at once, and even though he rarely met her gaze directly, she had the feeling he always knew where she was and what she was doing.

Being around him made her nervous. Not in a weird or uncomfortable way—it’s just that he was almost too handsome to be real. She couldn’t help staring when he was in the store, watching the way he moved with a subconscious grace up and down the aisles. She’d perfected the art of spying on him while appearing to study her textbook. He’d asked her about it once, the deep rumble of his voice vibrating through her and making her toes curl. She’d stammered out a reply. He’d given her a smile and a nod, and he hadn’t spoken to her since.

Maybe I can get him to talk again tonight. She stuck a stray bit of paper in the book to hold her place, then hopped off the stool. As the only employee on duty, she should offer to help him retrieve his bottle. Although she mopped the floor every night, it was still wrong to make a customer crawl around on it.

She rounded the corner and froze, sucking in a breath at the sight that greeted her. Hot Guy was on all fours, his perfect butt in the air while he dug underneath the chip display. She felt her cheeks heat and knew she should look away, but she couldn’t stop staring. Are those custom-made jeans? They had to be, the way they molded to him and fit like a second skin. His shirt rode up on his back, revealing a thin stripe of golden skin and a hint of fabric. Boxers or briefs? she mused.

She cocked her head to the side, enjoying the view with a silent sigh of appreciation. She really should help him, but seeing as he was already on the ground, there was no sense in both of them getting dirty. Better for her to stand here and...supervise. Yeah, that’s what she was doing. She wasn’t gawking like a sex-starved woman. She was supervising.

The door chimed, announcing the arrival of another customer, and she reluctantly turned away to head back to the register. At least she’d have the memory of this moment to keep her warm at night.

She rounded the corner, stopping short as a young man came barreling down the center aisle. He was tall and lean, his hands stuck deep into the front pockets of the jacket he wore with the hood pulled up. She frowned slightly, the hair on the back of her neck prickling. It was chilly in Houston, but this man looked wrong somehow, as if he wore the jacket to conceal himself rather than to stay warm.

Before she could make sense of his odd dress, he caught sight of her standing there. In one fluid motion, he drew his hand from his pocket, pulling out a gun and pointing it at her chest. “Money. Now.”

Fiona stared at the gun, unable to take her eyes from the black, snub-nosed piece. It’s so small, she thought stupidly. How can something so small be so dangerous?

“You deaf?” he asked, grabbing her arm and jerking her forward. “I said I want money.” He shoved her toward the register, and she hit the counter hard enough to make her wince, the pain from the blow piercing through the fog of shock. “Give it to me.”

Back when she had started this job, Ben, the owner, had given her some training on what to do if the store was ever held up. She was supposed to cooperate, offer no resistance, and do everything she could to get the robber out of the store without hurting anyone. If possible, she was to hit the silent-alarm button, which would alert the police that a robbery was in progress. Fiona had listened dutifully, filled with naive confidence that such a thing would never happen to her. But now that she was faced with the reality, her hands shook so badly she could barely open the register, much less find and press the alarm button.

“Faster,” he said, leaning over the counter to monitor her progress as she emptied out the register with numb fingers. He swayed back and forth on his feet, his bloodshot eyes frequently cutting over to the door. Fiona didn’t know whether to hope for an interruption, or pray no one else came in and spooked him enough to shoot her.

His breath wafted over her, the stench of stale beer so strong she almost gagged. She stuffed the rest of the bills into a plastic bag and thrust it across the counter, trying hard not to look at his face. If he thought she couldn’t identify him, maybe he wouldn’t hurt her...

When he didn’t take the bag right away, she glanced up to find him looking at the door again. Was there someone outside? She couldn’t see the sidewalk from this angle, but he was staring so fixedly that something must have caught his attention.

She kept her eyes on him, trying to control her breathing as she fumbled with one hand under the counter. Where was that damn button? Her fingers skimmed across the flat surface, searching vainly for the alarm. When she finally found it, she bit her lip to keep from crying out in relief. She pressed it with a quick stab of her finger, then brought her hand back up so he wouldn’t see what she’d done.

The man swiveled his head back around and eyed the bag greedily. His fingertips brushed across her skin as he grabbed it, making her shudder. She wiped her hand on her shirt to erase his touch as he placed the bag on the counter and opened it, keeping the gun trained on her while he checked the contents. After a few seconds, he raised angry eyes to her face, thrusting the gun forward with a jerk of his arm. “Where’s the rest?”

She shook her head. “There is no more,” she stammered, taking a step back when he leaned over the counter, peering into the empty register. A movement behind him caught her eye, and when she looked up her heart skipped a beat.

Hot Guy was slowly creeping toward the counter, a gun in his hand and his finger on his lips.

Chapter 2

She was calm, he’d give her that. Most people didn’t respond well to a gun shoved in their face, but Fiona was handling things like a pro.

He moved quietly across the floor, stepping lightly to keep the heels of his boots from clacking on the tile. The last thing he needed was to alert the perp to his presence.

The man was growing increasingly agitated, yelling and waving the gun in Fiona’s face. Probably high, if his twitchy, jerky movements were any indication. There was no telling how much money had been in the register, but if he thought Fiona was holding out on him, he was likely to get violent.

As if on cue, the man reached across the counter and grabbed Fiona’s arm, jerking her off her feet with a rough tug. He pressed the gun against her temple as he dragged her across the counter. She kicked wildly, sending the lottery ticket display crashing to the floor.

“Where’s the rest?” the man screamed, yanking her upright before slamming her back against the counter.

She whimpered, the sound soft and helpless. Nate felt his finger tighten on the trigger, but he couldn’t risk shooting the guy when he was on top of Fiona—the bullet might pass through him and hit her.

“Please,” she begged, trying in vain to twist away. “There’s no more. I swear.”

“You’re lying!” He slammed her against the counter while he screamed in her face. “Where’s the rest of the money?”

This guy was hanging on by a very thin thread, and if Nate didn’t act soon, the punk was going to kill Fiona. The thought made his gut tighten as he moved closer, searching for an opening. No way was he going to let her die in this crappy little store. He stepped to the side, trying to find a better angle for his shot.

Fiona caught the movement, and her eyes widened as he approached. “No,” she said, keeping her gaze locked with his while she spoke. “Please don’t.”

Warmth spread through his chest at her brave attempt to protect him. Despite being in very real danger, she didn’t want him to get involved, clearly thinking he would only get himself hurt. His estimation of her climbed even higher, and he nodded, trying to silently reassure her while he crept closer.

The perp stepped back, pulling Fiona as he moved. He came dangerously close to bumping into Nate, but he shifted just in time. He turned and pushed Fiona forward, but before she took a step, he saw Nate. With a cry of alarm, he yanked Fiona back against his chest, bringing the gun up to press against her head.

“Drop it,” the robber demanded, his voice high and strained. “Drop it or I’ll shoot her.”

Nate kept his gun up, knowing that if he lowered it, Fiona was as good as dead.

“I’m a police officer,” Nate said, striving to keep his voice calm. The last thing he wanted was to antagonize the guy further. “Put down your weapon and let the woman go.”

The man’s wide eyes scanned the empty convenience store as he took a step back, careful to keep Fiona in front of him while he moved. “You drop your gun first,” he hedged.

Nate shook his head. “You know I can’t do that,” he said. “No one has to get hurt here. Just put down your gun and we can talk.”

“I’ll shoot her,” the man warned, his finger sliding dangerously close to the trigger. “Don’t make me do this.”

Nate saw the desperation in the other man’s eyes, recognized that he was close to the breaking point. Even though all his training screamed against lowering his gun, he couldn’t count on the perp to remain in control. Better to break a few rules than to risk watching Fiona die in front of him...

“Okay, okay,” he soothed, slowly lowering his hand until the gun pointed at the floor. The man’s eyes followed the movement, his body relaxing some as the worst of the danger passed. “Let’s just talk,” Nate offered, hoping to distract the man enough that he would lower his own weapon.

“I don’t want to talk,” said the man, vigorously shaking his head like a dog sloughing off water.

“That’s okay,” Nate replied, careful to keep his voice friendly. “I’ll talk, and you just listen. Sound good?”

After a slight hesitation, the man nodded uneasily. It was a start.

“I’m Nate. What’s your name?”

The man narrowed his eyes, as if trying to decide whether he should part with this information. “Joey,” he finally muttered.

“Joey,” Nate repeated, nodding his head. “That’s a good name. A good name for a good guy, I’m sure.”

Joey huffed out a laugh. “You think I’m dumb? I’m not a good guy, man. Don’t you see what I’m doing here?”

Nate tilted his head, pretending to consider the other man’s words. “The thing is, Joey, I don’t think you really want to be doing this. I think you got yourself in some kind of trouble, and you need the money to buy your way out. I know you don’t want to hurt this lady here.” He cut his gaze to Fiona, who was staring back at him with wide eyes. She was holding herself so still she could be mistaken for a statue, and her impossibly pale face only heightened the resemblance. He wanted to give her a wink of reassurance, but to do so would only inflame Joey, a risk that wasn’t worth taking.

“If she gets hurt, it’s on you. It’s ’cuz you made me do it.” A note of desperation rang in Joey’s voice. He was clearly in over his head. He began to inch back toward the entrance, obviously wanting to leave.

A movement in the parking lot caught Nate’s eye, and he looked beyond Joey and Fiona to see a squad car braking just outside the store. Thank God, they hadn’t come in with sirens blazing...

“Okay,” Nate said, taking a half step forward. He held up his free hand, trying to appear nonthreatening. “Let’s not talk about people getting hurt. As far as I’m concerned, no one has to get hurt tonight,” he continued, deliberately trying to draw Joey’s attention so the other man wouldn’t realize that backup had arrived. Keep him distracted, keep him facing forward.

“You need to put your gun down,” Joey insisted, his eyes glued to the weapon at Nate’s side. He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his skinny neck.

Nate nodded. “Okay. I can do that. But you have to promise not to hurt this nice lady here.” When Joey didn’t respond, Nate offered a weak smile that the other man didn’t return. “You know I’m a cop. I can’t part with my gun unless I know you’re no longer a threat.”

The two officers who had crept into the store paused at this statement, glanced at each other, then nodded. He was out of the line of fire, at least for the moment.

“Put it down,” Joey ordered. He tightened his grip on Fiona, causing her to let out a distressed squeak.

Nate nodded again, remembering from his days in the academy that positive feedback was important in a hostage situation. Keep the hostage taker balanced, always say yes, don’t talk about death. The main idea was to avoid antagonizing the hostage taker, in the hope that lives would be saved.

“Okay. I’m going to set it down on the counter. How does that sound?” Nate slowly moved forward while he spoke, causing Joey to move incrementally backward. With every step, Nate was herding them right into the arms of the waiting officers, and the poor guy didn’t even know it.

Fortunately, the cops seemed to have caught on. They maintained their position, weapons pointed at Joey, while they silently waited. He prayed they had turned off their radios before entering the store—the last thing he needed was for a call to come through and alert Joey to the fact that they were no longer alone.

Nate placed the gun on the counter and reached out to Fiona. “Okay, Joey. I put down my gun like you asked. Now you give me the girl.”

The other man hesitated, so Nate applied a little more pressure. “It’s only fair,” he said, maintaining his forward motion. “I gave up my weapon. You have the money. Let her go and you can leave.”

His fingertips grazed Fiona’s arm. It was nothing more than a brush of skin against skin, but he wanted to roar with satisfaction. Close, so close.

Joey loosened his grip on Fiona. Hardly daring to breathe, Nate eased his hand around her arm and gently tugged.

“Just let her go,” he whispered. “You don’t want to take her with you.”

Joey gave a jerky nod, then released Fiona with a little shove. In one swift motion, Nate pulled her against him and pivoted to the side, throwing them to the floor between the shelves of the main aisle. He covered her with his body, his whole focus on protecting her while all hell broke loose above them.

* * *

She couldn’t breathe.

Hot Guy was a solid weight on top of her, pinning her to the floor and blocking her view. Not that she wanted to see, anyway. What she could hear was bad enough.

Male voices shouting, the “pop” of what could only be a gunshot, then a high, pain-filled scream that made the fillings in her teeth ache. Squeezing her eyes shut, Fiona pressed her head against Hot Guy’s shoulder, trying in vain to block out the horrible wails now coming from somewhere nearby.

It was all too much to process, especially when she had no idea what was going on. She was still adjusting to the fact that she no longer had a gun pressed to her temple. She wanted to reach up to touch the still-tingling spot, to rub away the chill of the metal that lingered on her skin, but her hands were trapped against her stomach.

“Are you all right?”

His voice was deep and soft, for her ears only. It rumbled from his chest and into hers, a strangely intimate sensation that only added to her discomfiture.

She nodded automatically, not trusting her voice, not knowing what to say. She’d just had a gun held to her head—she couldn’t think right now, much less determine if she was fine.

He pulled back to study her face, his green eyes taking in every detail. She fought the urge to squirm, unused to such scrutiny, especially at such close range.

“Are you sure you’re not hurt?” He reached up to trace a finger over her temple, right where the gun had pressed into her skin. Fiona caught her breath at the gentle stroke, goose bumps popping out along her arms in the wake of his contact.

“I’m fine,” she said, her voice breaking at the end. She winced and cleared her throat, not wanting to sound too emotional. She wasn’t going to fall apart just because some thug had held her hostage for a few minutes. She didn’t have time—she had to proctor final exams for her adviser’s classes soon, and a nervous breakdown was not in her schedule.

But, oh, it felt so good to be pressed up against her rescuer. Hot Guy was everything she’d thought he would be and more—a potent combination of muscle and bone, wrapped up in a very nice package. And his smell—God, his smell! Warm skin, some kind of woodsy smell from his soap and a faint note of musk all mingled to create a heady combination, making her want to press her nose to his neck and inhale deeply.

But that would be too creepy.

He carefully extracted himself and pushed to his feet, then reached down to offer his hand. She took it and had a sudden thrill as he quickly pulled her up. She swayed a bit on her feet, and he placed his hand on her shoulder to steady her. Fiona closed her eyes, enjoying his warm touch.

“I know you.”

Fiona opened her eyes at the intrusion to see a uniformed police officer staring at Hot Guy, his eyes narrowed in thought.

Hot Guy stared back, his brows drawn together while he considered the other man. “Steve, right?” he said slowly.

The officer nodded. “And you’re—?” He let the question trail off, inviting Hot Guy to supply his name.

“Nate Gallagher. Homicide.”

The officer nodded, recognition dawning. “Gallagher. You were the MVP of the last police-fire softball game. I knew I’d seen you somewhere before!”

Nate smiled faintly. “I’m glad you recognized me. I knew I was taking a chance having my gun pointed in your direction.”

Steve shook his head. “I’m not gonna lie—I didn’t appreciate that. You’re lucky we saw what was happening when we pulled in.”

Nate shrugged, then pulled Fiona closer to his side. “I couldn’t let him hurt her,” he said simply.