Kimberly Van Meter - The Sniper

A passionate reunion romance is under fire in this tale of treachery by Kimberly Van Meter

When Nathan Isaacs walks suddenly back into Jaci Williams’s life, she wonders if she ever knew her ex at all. Because it turns out he was a government-trained killer…and the only thing standing between her and death.

Nathan gave everything to his country—his life, his family, even the one chance he had for happiness with the woman he loved. Then the agency he worked for betrays him, and they’re targeting Jaci, too. Now their only chance of survival lies in finding out why someone wants them dead.

“I love you, Nathan. I don’t want to lose you.”

His expression softened, and he caressed her cheek. “I’ll do my best to come back to you. But if I don’t, don’t wait. Take your passport and go live your life the way that you were meant to. Protecting you has been my primary mission, and if I fail at that, I might as well take a bullet to the head, because life wouldn’t be worth living.”

“Don’t you say your goodbyes. Not yet.” Jaci wiped her eyes, her gaze narrowing as she pulled herself together. “I’m going to chase the bad guys with you. I’d rather die with you than live a lifetime alone without you.”

“Jaci, you don’t know what you’re saying.…”

“Like hell I don’t. I know what I want, and if you’re telling me this is what you need to do in order to start a new life with me, then let’s get it over with. Hopefully, when it’s all over, we both end up on the other side—alive.”

Dear Reader,

I love alpha heroes—there, I said it! Why? That’s easy. I love the way they scream for redemption all the while pushing away every single person who could possibly redeem them. My toes curl as they turn all that pain and raw emotion inward so that no one can possibly see how much they truly hurt inside. And I sigh with delight when that one special woman manages to transform her alpha guy into someone she could actually bring home to family.

Nathan Isaacs is my favorite kind of alpha—emotionally broken, fiercely protective and desperately trying not to love the heroine. To me, that’s just plain delicious!

I hope you enjoy my hard-hearted alpha hero and his perfect woman as they fight the enemy from all sides, as well as fight off their attraction to one another.

Hearing from readers is a special joy. Please feel free to drop me a line via email through my website at www.kimberlyvanmeter.comor through snail mail at Kimberly Van Meter, P.O. Box 2210, Oakdale, CA 95361.

Happy reading!

Kimberly

The Sniper

Kimberly Van Meter

www.millsandboon.co.uk

KIMBERLY VAN METER

wrote her first book at sixteen and finally achieved publication in December 2006. She writes for the Harlequin Superromance and Harlequin Romantic Suspense lines. She and her husband of seventeen years have three children, three cats and always a houseful of friends, family and fun.

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Contents

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

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Epilogue

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Jaci Williams hadn’t always been a party girl, but after a night of body shots and now puking her guts out in the alley behind Ricochet, who would believe her?

The truth was, sometimes a girl would do anything to blot out a memory—including killing multiple brain cells with tequila and lime.

“Hold on, there, chica,” her best friend and partner in crime slurred as she tried to keep Jaci from falling into the muddy muck that reeked of bad decisions and too many free drinks from guys hoping to get lucky. “If you go face-first in that garbage, you’re on your own,” Sonia warned, trying to keep Jaci steady. “You done? Or do you need to go another round?”

Jaci wiped her mouth and offered a sloppy grin. “I’m good. Where’s the cab? I’m ready to go to bed.”

“Not down this creepy alley, that’s for sure,” Sonia managed to quip as they helped each other down the uneven pavement, stumbling a few times. “We should’ve left through the front door. They have cabs lined up, ready to go. But no, you wanted to go out the back door so no one saw you throw up. Jaci, I swear to God, if I get jumped or raped, I’m going to kick your ass.”

Jaci smiled, feeling somewhat better, if not totally steady on her feet after unloading an excess of liquor onto the dirty ground. Ricochet was their favorite club and Fridays it was always hopping. Both Jaci and Sonia loved to dance and drink, two activities that Ricochet honored with plenty of loud music and even more alcohol.

“Did you see that guy totally checking you out?” Sonia said as they walked arm in arm down the dark path. The lights from the street glittered in the pale moonlight as the nightlife dwindled to nothing in the early-morning hours. The Los Angeles heat was still oppressive, causing Jaci’s skin to prickle with sweat. She pushed her hair from her eyes and tried to remember who Sonia was talking about. She simply shrugged when she couldn’t recall.

Sonia nudged her in the arm. “Come on, you can’t tell me you didn’t notice him. Tall, dark and a little dangerous-looking, actually,” Sonia said with a happy shiver. “The kind who’ll at least buy you dinner before having his way with you.”

Jaci kept her thoughts to herself on that score. She’d known a man like that and while the sex had been incredible, he’d snapped her heart in two and left it a bloody mess without once looking back. Sonia exhaled, adding, “Well, I thought for sure he was going to buy you a drink but he left about an hour ago. Sorry, kid. He might’ve been The One.”

Doubtful, Jaci thought, but smiled anyway. “Stop trying to find my Mr. Right,” she murmured on a hiccup. “There are no Mr. Rights, only Mr. Right Nows and Mr. You’ll Do For the Nights. Remember?”

“Right,” Sonia said with mock seriousness. “Whatever you say.”

They giggled, their laughter echoing in the still, closed-in heat, with Jaci’s thoughts happily soaked in tequila, drowning anything that resembled regret or sadness. This was the way to get over a broken heart, she thought giddily. Who needed therapy when you had good friends and even better liquor?

They were nearly to the curb when a form stepped out from the shadow. Jaci and Sonia startled at the hulking man’s sudden appearance. The alcohol in Jaci’s stomach curdled with apprehension, something setting off her internal sensors to be wary. Sonia, however, suffered from no similar sense of caution and before Jaci could shoot her a warning look, Sonia reacted with irritation.

“Hey, you’re blocking the way,” Sonia said, motioning for him to let them pass. When he didn’t budge, she yelled, “Hey, stupido, get out of the way. Are you deaf or something?”