HelenKay Dimon - Guns and the Girl Next Door

Being this close to her, he noticed the cuts on her face and smudge of mud on her cheek. Under all that dirt lurked a stunning woman. Big eyes and a sassy mouth. It was a killer combination that kicked his lust into high gear.

“I’m sorry about that.” She had the decency to wince.

“You’re sorry?”

“I can barely stand, my skull feels like it’s about to break open and I’m pretty sure I have someone else’s blood in my hair.”

“And?”

“Then there’s the part where someone is trying to kill me and I have no idea why. So I’m sorry if you find me unpleasant or ungrateful, but I just don’t have it in me at the moment to care.”

Spunk. He didn’t want to, but he liked it. “Fair enough.”

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Award-winning author HelenKay Dimon spent twelve years in the most unromantic career ever—divorce lawyer. After dedicating all that effort to helping people terminate relationships, she is thrilled to deal in happy endings and write romance novels for a living. Now her days are filled with gardening, writing, reading and spending time with her family in and around San Diego. HelenKay loves hearing from readers, so stop by her website at www.helenkaydimon.com and say hello.

Holden Price —Undercover Recovery Project agent Holden doesn’t know what to think when a mystery woman drives her car right through his front door. But when gunmen come hunting, Holden sure knows what to do—protect her.

Mia Landers —She changed her job and her life and now someone wants Mia dead. Running for her life, she crashes into Holden. He’s solid and strong and could be the very reason everyone suddenly wants her dead.

Bram Walters —A wealthy and powerful congressman. He’s Mia’s boss…is he also behind a web of corruption that’s left several women dead?

Trevor Walters —Bram’s brother and a highly regarded businessman. On the surface he’s legitimate, but things aren’t always what they seem.

Rod Lehman —Holden’s missing boss. Rod took an off-the-books job looking into irregularities in the Witness Security Program and now he’s gone. Holden wants to believe Rod’s alive, but the evidence is pointing in another direction.

Ned Zimmer —Mia’s ex keeps showing up exactly where he shouldn’t be. Mia changed her life to get away from Ned, but he’s found her again and isn’t leaving.

Luke Hathaway —The interim head of the Recovery Project and Holden’s friend, Luke has vowed to keep his agents safe, even if that means protecting Luke from Mia.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Ignoring the burning in her thighs and tears stinging her eyes, Mia Landers ran. Her arms pumped up and down, propelling her through the thick woods. She had to reach her car before he caught her.

Dead leaves crunched under her feet, drowning out the pounding heartbeat in her ears. When stray branches scratched against her face, she pushed them out of the way and concentrated on staying steady on the patches of dirt beneath her.

The path had been lost to time and the night was pure black, but she refused to give up. Not when she could hear him screaming her name in a crazed frenzy behind her.

She blocked that out. Slam the door, shove the key in and drive away as fast as possible. That was the plan. She just had to make it to the car alive first.

“Mia!”

His angry voice boomed around her, bouncing through the trees in this open area of Virginia…. Were they even in Virginia anymore? She had no idea.

The past hour played in her mind like a movie gone wrong. Her boss had said to drive and she did. Lost in spitting anger, he had rapid-fired commands at her and she followed them. They left the safety of her car, got out and walked.

Then he lost his mind.

Everything that came after moved in a blur. He had lunged, his face twisted and red with fury. She kicked and punched. The second he fell to his knees she took off. Problem was hitting him in the side of the head with her purse had only slowed him down.

Even now thudding steps rang out behind her, gaining and threatening, as his heavy breathing drew closer. She tried to pick up speed but the heels of her sensible pumps slid, throwing her off balance every time her foot struck the muddy ground. The only good news was that she wore a pantsuit that day. If she had picked out her usual pencil skirt that morning, she’d be dead.

The cold air burned as she forced it down her rough throat. Not that she could feel the chill on her skin. It didn’t matter that she’d taken off her blazer. Her body had gone numb. But she could see the car. It sat about a hundred feet away.

The death grip on her keys pressed indentations into her palms, but she refused to let go. She’d already lost her cell phone when she dropped her purse. Scrambling around in the dark for the keys was not an option.

Just when she thought she’d never be free of the claustrophobic woods, she broke into the clearing and sprinted across the grass to the parked car. Unable to stop her momentum, her midsection slammed into the side of the sedan with a loud thump. The air rushed out of her lungs on impact. She doubled over, gasping as she struggled for breath.

Then she saw him standing there. Staring. Blood clumped on the side of his head and eyes wild with rage. The rip in the shoulder of his black suit jacket and scratches on his cheek gave testimony to the battle she’d fought before struggling out of his grasp.

Her key chain jangled in her hand, breaking through her stupor. She fumbled as her heart galloped, glancing away from him only long enough to hit the button for the automatic locks to throw the door open.

Her whole body trembled as she fell into the seat and locked her body in. Blood raced through her veins as the sound of her heavy breathing filled the car.

Like a vicious demon, dark and evil, he descended on her, roaring as he came. The heels of his hands slammed against her window. “Get out!”

She flinched at the mix of pounding and yelling, fearing every minute that he would break through the glass and grab her.

“Mia!”

She didn’t wait. The key turned just as he struck his fists against the hood of the car. Banging crashed in around her. Ducking, she waited for the metal to cave in. When it held, she swallowed back the panic building in her throat.

Fingers wrapped around the steering wheel, back hunched over, she hit the gas. The engine revved and tires spun.