Kylie Brant: Born In Secret

PROFILE

www.millsandboon.co.uk

For all our extra kids—who fill our house, empty our cupboards and warm our hearts

Bound by the legacy of their fathers, six firstborn sons are about to discover the stuff true heroes—and true love—are made of….

Walker James: This darkly handsome spy learned the hard way that beautiful women are lethal if not kept at a distance. Now, working side by side with his stunning former flame to locate a deadly virus—and keeping a tight rein on his traitorous desires—could prove to be his ultimate undoing!

Jasmine LeBarr: As she aligns herself with the only man who can make her tremble with his merest touch, Jasmine is caught off guard by the emotional storm raging inside her. Now it’s anyone’s guess who will emerge victorious in this turbulent battle of wills….

Captain Richard Sutter: This seasoned mercenary is working behind the scenes to pave his firstborn son’s future. But at what cost?

The Brothers of Darkness: The sinister terrorist organization has been using the bad blood between the powerful Kamal and Sebastiani clans to their own advantage….

Sheik Rashid Kamal: Will this missing royal heir make it back alive to claim his rightful legacy—and his child?

A note from talented writer Kylie Brant, author of over ten novels for Silhouette Books:

Dear Reader,

Being asked to be part of a continuity is always a special thrill. And the concept behind the Intimate Moments FIRSTBORN SONS series intrigued me from the first. Who could resist heroes who put honor above all else and the very special heroines who teach them the power of true love?

In Born in Secret, Walker James and Jasmine LeBarr are paired to track down the deadly anthrax virus before it can be used to destroy an entire country. Their dangerous mission is complicated by their memory of the night they spent together three years ago. This time, though, they’re both convinced they can walk away from each other unscathed. What they learn, however, is that the peril of their assignment is matched only by the danger to their hearts!

My writing shares time with my full-time teaching job, husband and five children. Now that two of my kids are grown (well, sort of!), we juggle only three athletic calendars each season. These days, the most time my husband and I spend together is sitting on a bleacher at a game of some kind! We’re also veterans of emergency-room visits, usually the result of the aforementioned sports. But when the games are over I can close the office door, turn on the computer and dream away. And in between the frequent interruptions of phone and family, Walker and Jasmine’s story unfolded.

I hope you enjoy their story!

Sincerely,

Readers may contact me by snail mail at P.O. Box 231, Charles City, IA 50616, or by e-mail at kyliebrant@hotmail.com.

Prologue

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

“No one can know that I’m involved. Not even your agents.”

Richard Sutter picked up a crystal decanter of aged Scotch and splashed two generous fingers into each of a pair of cut glass tumblers. He handed a glass to his friend, and then sank down into one of the matching rich leather armchairs. At the first taste of the smooth liquor, he gave a small sigh of appreciation. It was a moment before he noticed that his guest had failed to follow suit.

“What’s the matter? Those terms not to your liking? I’m paying you a king’s ransom, you old reprobate. I’m entitled to a few conditions.”

The remark had Dirk Longfield’s mouth curving, but his gaze remained speculative. “No problem. Just wondering what’s behind your need for anonymity.” At the silence that followed his words, his brows skimmed upward and he tipped his glass to his lips. “And I’m quite aware that you’re not going to enlighten me.”

Raising his glass in a mock salute, Richard drank. “An astute observation.” His friend knew better than to waste time asking questions that wouldn’t be answered. They were both comfortable in the shadowy world of secrecy.

“Do you think you’ll have trouble getting Walker James to take this assignment?” His casual tone belied the purposefulness of the question.

Dirk hooked an ankle over his knee. “Trouble? No. Walker will do it for me.”

The certainty in his remark brought Richard a sense of relief that was only mildly tinged with jealousy. He focused on the first emotion and tried to ignore the second. The assignment would proceed as he’d planned. That was all that mattered. He thought it, and tried to believe it. “Good. From what I’ve observed, James is becoming one of the best in the business.” He waited with interest for his friend’s reaction.

Dirk tensed, straightened a bit in his chair. “Becoming? Walker is the best. The boy’s instincts are uncanny, and he’s a bloody genius when it comes to circumventing security. There’s no one in the field better suited for the task you outlined.”

For all the pride in his tone, Dirk sounded like Walker’s proud father, something both he and Richard knew he was not. “I assume you have someone in mind to partner with James.”

Nodding, Dirk raised his glass and sipped. “Another agent I highly recommend. Not as experienced as Walker, but very resourceful, and rapidly earning a reputation. I have no doubt they’ll execute the mission perfectly.”

“I hope so. Because we both know the ramifications if they fail.” The two men shared a silent look of understanding, then raised their glasses. To the mission. To success.

Long after Dirk had left, Richard remained in his study, contemplating the faded network of scars on the back of his hands. His gaze was turned inward, on a bittersweet journey of memories that he rarely indulged in. The hard living he’d experienced in his sixty-two years hadn’t come without regrets. Decisions made decades ago, even viewed from the distance of time, could still haunt.

With effort he climbed out of memory’s abyss and into the present. He trusted Dirk to do as he’d promised, and had no doubt that very soon Walker James would be flying to the Middle East to begin the assignment. Richard thought it was a mission that Walker would relish and excel at. And since Richard’s involvement would be kept secret, there was no reason to believe he wouldn’t accept the job.