Tough Justice Box Set Page 10
Her mother had been a strong but loving woman. The only memory Lara had of love and gentleness from anyone had come from her mother in the first ten years of Lara’s life.
After her murder, life had become a barren desert when it came to trusting or loving anyone. Her father hadn’t been a warm and loving kind of man. All the softness in Lara’s life had been buried with her mother.
Her father had died and had been buried while she’d been in the safe house, and Lara hadn’t been back to her childhood home since then.
She knew it was time. She needed to deal with it. She had to go through the house and either pack up things she wanted to keep or throw out everything. The house was paid for, and she needed to get it ready to go on the market and be rid of it and those memories forever.
She drove slowly, dreading what she needed to do. She’d thought she was ready to go inside the house and start a list of things that needed to be done, but she wasn’t sure she was really mentally prepared for the task.
What she needed to do was find an answer that made sense as to the three murders that had taken place. But that wasn’t happening tonight.
As she drove she realized she was rubbing her arm again, as if attempting to rub away the MM tattoo that had already been removed.
She frowned and placed her hand back on the steering wheel. Moretti had marked her once with the tattoo. What she needed to find out more than anything was if somehow, someway he had marked her again, this time as a traitor who deserved every bad thing his evil mind could come up with.
She was halfway to the house when her cell phone rang. She punched the button on her steering wheel to answer the call. “Special Agent Lara Grant,” she said.
“Ms. Grant, it’s Jerry, the doorman.”
Lara’s nerves instantly screamed in dreadful anticipation. Something had happened; otherwise he wouldn’t have called her. “Yes, Jerry,” she said.
“I just wanted to let you know that a package was delivered here for you a little while ago.”
“A package?” Her heartbeat accelerated to a frantic pace. “What kind of a package?”
“It looks like a present. Is it your birthday?”
“Jerry, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She murmured a goodbye and ended the call.
As she turned her car around to head back to her apartment building, she heard the resounding noise of the other shoe clattering to the floor, and she knew with a horrifying clarity that she’d been right...it wasn’t over yet.
CHAPTER TEN
It was just after nine when she parked her car in the lot and hurried toward her apartment building. The ride back here had seemed endless, and panic clawed up the back of her throat even as she told herself over and over again to keep calm.
She wasn’t expecting a package, and there was certainly nobody in her life to buy her a gift. The dark foreboding was back as she anticipated something bad about to rock her world yet again.
“Good evening, Ms. Grant,” Jerry said as he opened the door for her. “Since I knew you weren’t at home when the package arrived, I put it on a shelf in the storeroom. Would you like me to go get it for you?”
“Thanks, Jerry, but I’ll just grab it as I go up.” She was grateful that her voice didn’t betray any of the fear and anxiety that bubbled inside her.
“You can’t miss it. It’s wrapped in bright pink paper and has a big silver bow.”
“How did it arrive?” she asked.
“It was a young man on a bicycle,” Jerry replied. He frowned. “Unfortunately, I’m not sure what company he was from.”
“It’s fine, Jerry. Thanks.”
Lara headed for the storeroom, and her mind raced. A bright pink package with a big silver bow. Maybe Nick had sent her a present. Although it would be highly inappropriate, maybe it was some sort of apology gift for not telling her about the spelling of Lara’s name. But they’d already moved way past that.
The storeroom was located in the small lobby area. It was basically a shelved closet holding new lightbulbs and cleaning supplies and a variety of maintenance items.
She immediately spied the package. It was impossible to miss it. It was about the size of a shirt box, and the only thing on it was the huge silver bow and her name and address neatly printed on an address form in black ink. After putting on gloves, she tentatively picked it up. It wasn’t heavy, although something shifted around inside of the box.
She got into the elevator, and as she rode up to her apartment floor, her mind whirled. Maybe it wasn’t anything bad. Maybe she had a secret admirer? Maybe one of the other men on the team?
She immediately dismissed this idea. She’d noticed Xander eyeing Cass with obvious interest, and she was certain she wasn’t Ty’s type. He was too nice of a guy to be drawn to a woman like her.
She reached her apartment, unlocked the door and placed the package on her coffee table. She shrugged off her coat and hung it, then removed her gun, her holster and ID, all the while staring at the package.
She went to the minibar and poured herself a drink and then walked around the coffee table, eyeing the package with trepidation.
The wrapping paper didn’t appear unusual. It was neatly fastened with regular clear tape. She downed her drink, sat down on the sofa and pulled off the bow and set it aside.
She didn’t like surprises. She didn’t like secret birthday parties or unexpected gifts, and she definitely didn’t like mystery packages.
Her heartbeat quickened once again. She pulled the tape from one end and then ripped away the wrapping paper to reveal a plain white box.
She hesitated a moment and then lifted the lid and peered inside. She frowned and pulled out a handful of photographs. Oh God...oh no. A familiar yellow house. David Minnow, his wife and little Emily sitting on the porch swing. Faye and Emily in the center of a blanket in the yard.
There were more, and each one was a heart-stopping punch to Lara’s gut. “No,” she whispered. “No. No,” she repeated as a frantic alarm rang in her heart and electrified every nerve in her body.
She shoved the box to the floor and dropped the photos in a jumble on top of the coffee table. She fumbled for her cell phone, her chest so tight she thought she might be on the verge of a heart attack.
Her first call was to Victoria. When she’d finished telling her boss what she had received, Victoria had only three words in response. “Call the contact,” she said.
Lara hung up, her fingers trembling with terror as she punched in the number for U.S. Marshal Peter Linden. Had she done this? Had her secret visits not been as secret as she had believed? Had she been followed? Oh God, no.
Guilt battled with fear, and by the time Linden answered his phone, she was nearly hysterical. “This is Special Agent Lara Grant. Code Red. I repeat, Code Red. He knows.”
* * * * *
Justice is worth every sacrifice.
A brand-new 8-part reading experience starting January 12, 2016!
FBI agent Lara Grant has finally put her life as an undercover operative behind her and started a new assignment in New York City. But her past and present collide and become ever more twisted as a spate of murders sends a message that is cruelly, chillingly personal...
Tough Justice: Exposed (Part 1 of 8) by New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy
Tough Justice: Watched (Part 2 of 8) by Tyler Anne Snell
Tough Justice: Burned (Part 3 of 8) by Carol Ericson
Tough Justice: Trapped (Part 4 of 8) by Gail Barrett
Tough Justice: Twisted (Part 5 of 8) by Gail Barrett
Tough Justice: Ambushed (Part 6 of 8) by Carol Ericson
Tough Justice: Betrayed (Part 7 of 8) by Tyler Anne Snell
Tough Justice: Hunted (Part 8 of 8) by New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy
Available January 12, 2016
www.ToughJusticeSeries.com
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Collect all 8!
Tough Justice: Exposed (Part 1 of 8) by New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy
Tough Justice: Watched (Part 2 of 8) by Tyler Anne Snell
Tough Justice: Burned (Part 3 of 8) by Carol Ericson
Tough Justice: Trapped (Part 4 of 8) by Gail Barrett
Tough Justice: Twisted (Part 5 of 8) by Gail Barrett
Tough Justice: Ambushed (Part 6 of 8) by Carol Ericson
Tough Justice: Betrayed (Part 7 of 8) by Tyler Anne Snell
Tough Justice: Hunted (Part 8 of 8) by New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy
ISBN-13: 9781460393628
Tough Justice: Exposed (Part 1 of 8)
Copyright © 2016 by Harlequin Books S.A.
Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Carla Cassidy for her contribution to the Tough Justice series.
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com
He’s got his eye on her...and won’t quit until she’s dead!
Special Agent Lara Grant is back in her enemy’s sights, but this time she’s not alone. She has a brand-new team and Lara knows she’ll need to trust them with her life. Starting now.
When a lead becomes a victim, Lara and her team are thrown. Lara put Moretti away for life—so how can a guy who is still in prison be pulling strings? There’s only one way to find out.
But when Lara comes face-to-face with the monster from her past, will she get answers? Or unleash hell?
Part 2 of 8 in the chilling, high-octane FBI thriller TOUGH JUSTICE from New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy and authors Tyler Anne Snell, Carol Ericson and Gail Barrett.
On Tyler Anne Snell:
“[A] well-plotted page-turner with great lead characters.”
—RT Book Reviews on Manhunt
WATCHED
Tyler Anne Snell
Tyler Anne Snell writes and reads a little bit of everything but has a soft spot for thrillers, mysteries and sexual tension. When she isn’t writing or reading, she’s rewatching her favorite TV series or playing video games. The first book she finished in one sitting was a Harlequin Intrigue. It taught her to appreciate the power of a good book.
Tyler lives in Florida with her same-named husband and their mini lions.
Visit her: www.tylerannesnell.com.
Books by Tyler Anne Snell
Harlequin Intrigue
Manhunt
Private Bodyguard
Full Force Fatherhood
The Scientist’s Bodyguard
For my husband, Tyler. You may have the same name as me, but your patience, love and enthusiasm far outshines mine. Your nonstop encouragement means the world to me. Just like you!
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
EPISODE TWO
Watched
Special Agent Lara Grant wanted a new start on a special task force dealing with untouchable cases. But their first case? Involves her. She’s now front and center confronting the sins of her past—and all roads point to Moretti. Her partner, Nick, wants to help, but each move they make, the killer is three steps ahead. What does it take to stop a monster? Lara is about to find out...
CHAPTER ONE
Lara’s back slammed against the wall.
Instead of tasting pain or fear, all she could taste was pleasure.
She moved against the man with a vigor she reserved for no one else. He was made up of flames and water. Pouring over every inch of her skin yet leaving nothing but heat in his wake.
His kiss was passion.
His touch was sensational.
He was all-consuming.
Lara crashed her mouth into his, begging for more as he spread her legs wide. She moaned against his lips, hungry for what would happen next.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, voice filled with grit. She was about to say the same of him when he thrust deep inside of her. All words left her mind.
All Lara Grant felt was absolute pleasure.
She matched his rhythm in the dark room with ease. Two dance partners familiar with all of the steps. They moved in tandem, never breaking from each other’s lips, while bringing both closer to climax. Hands in her hair, nails on his back, bare chests against each other, his hard length sliding in and out of her pleasure.
Andrew!
Lara’s eyes flew open, and she all but jumped out of her bed.
She was no longer in that room.
She was no longer with that man.
“No,” she yelled into her empty bedroom. Her chest heaved up and down. Sweat adhered her tank top to her skin. Ripples of pleasure still pulsed between her legs. “Oh God.”
Pure revulsion coursed through her, slowly replacing any gratification that the dream had made her feel. She closed her eyes tight, willing her body to focus on anything else.
But there he was, naked and waiting.
“No,” she repeated into the quiet. Her fists balled in the sheets, and she closed her eyes tight. She was at the brink of tears, while a storm of emotions raged within her racing heart.
But Lara Grant didn’t cry.
Not easily, at least.
“Pull it together.”
She took a deep breath, and the man behind her eyelids was replaced by the image of a box with pink wrapping paper and a silver bow. Its contents made her body move before she realized what she was doing. She opened her eyes and blinked several times, looking for her phone. Dialing an alarmingly familiar number, she ran her hand through her hair.
“It’s Grant,” she greeted when the man answered, not wasting any time. “They’re safe?”
The U.S. Marshal didn’t sigh in frustration or get angry at her insistence—he wasn’t that kind of man—but she did catch the weight of exhaustion that dragged down his response. It reminded her that she hadn’t been the only one who’d had a long night.
“Like I told you the last two times, yes, they’ve been moved,” Peter Linden answered. “And, no, once again, they weren’t followed.”
Lara exhaled, shaking slightly with relief.
“Are you sure you don’t want to know the location of the safe house? I gave you the phone number. I can give you the location, too.”
A stab of anguish broke through Lara’s temporary relief. She knew the answer she needed to give, but it was as far away as what she wanted to say as something could be.
The couple of times she’d visited the little yellow house, she’d used every safety precaution she’d been taught thr
oughout her career or even picked up undercover. Rented cars, aliases, always checking her rearview for anything out of the ordinary. Not once did she suspect that someone had been watching her and the family.
Not even for a moment.
Lara’s fists balled again. She should have known better. People like Moretti had ways of finding out what they wanted to know, with or without bars in front of them. For the family’s safety, she shouldn’t know where they lived. She shouldn’t be able to find them.
“I’m sure.”
For now, anyway.
Lara didn’t try for small talk, and Peter didn’t expect her to either. They ended the call, and once again Lara was alone. The alarm on her phone was due to go off within the hour, but she knew she wouldn’t be getting any more sleep. She wouldn’t chance another encounter with the man she couldn’t forget.
Lara tried to push the entire thing out of her mind by taking a long shower and starting the day. The water—unlike the man—was cold. It shocked her system into a state of focus and determination. She had a job to do. She couldn’t afford any distractions.
Not when she was dealing with Moretti.
She dressed in a white blouse that tucked into a pair of tight, dark jeans and put on her holster beneath a jacket. Her ID wallet went into an inside jacket pocket, and her badge clipped to her belt, out of view—like her gun—unless she wanted it seen. Her thoughts slid to her partner as she looked herself over in the mirror. She didn’t need his approval of how she looked—she didn’t need anyone’s—but she found a small part of her would have liked the acknowledgement. It was an unnerving thought she didn’t look deeper into as she put on a pair of black ankle boots. They gave her an inch of height without sacrificing the comfort she’d need for tracking down leads all day.
Today was going to be the day they found a lead worth following. They had to put an end to this case and fast. The little yellow house stuck in her mind’s eye as she locked up her apartment and made her way downstairs.