Marie Ferrarella: Colton Undercover

A federal agent falls for his target in the newest Coltons of Shadow Creek romance!

On the hunt for escaped criminal mastermind Livia Colton, FBI agent Josh Howard knows just where to start: the fugitive’s family. Namely, Livia’s eldest daughter, Leonor Colton, who was very close to her criminal mother. Could the alluring museum curator be hiding the Colton matriarch? Maybe.

Undercover as a billionaire art collector, Josh is invited into Leonor’s life. He’s surprised to find that the heiress, betrayed by an ex and at odds with her siblings, needs a strong shoulder, and there Josh is all ears. But when an attempt is made on Leonor’s life, Josh finds his cover is about to be blown—along with his unexpected true feelings for his Colton connection.

“And just what is it that you really want to do—but don’t?” Leonor asked him in a voice that had mysteriously gone down to just above a whisper.

As it was, her voice sounded very close to husky—and he found it hopelessly seductive.

Standing just inside her suite, Leonor waited for him to answer while her heart continued to imitate the rhythm of a drum roll that only grew louder by the moment.

Josh weighed his options for a moment. Damned if he did and damned if he didn’t, he couldn’t help thinking. And then he answered her.

“Kiss you,” he told Leonor, saying the words softly, his breath caressing the skin on her face.

She felt her stomach muscles quickening.

“Maybe you should go ahead and do that,” she told him. “I promise I won’t stop you.”

* * *

The Coltons of Shadow Creek:

Only family can keep you safe...

Colton Undercover

Marie Ferrarella

www.millsandboon.co.uk

USA TODAY bestselling and RITA® Award–winning author MARIE FERRARELLA has written more than two-hundred and fifty books for Mills & Boon, some under the name Marie Nicole. Her romances are beloved by fans worldwide. Visit her website, www.marieferrarella.com.

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To

Patience Bloom

Who Seems To Have

Enough Faith In Me

To Believe I Can

Pull Off Yet Another

Continuity.

Thank You!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A federal agent falls for his target in the newest Coltons of Shadow Creek romance! On the hunt for escaped criminal mastermind Livia Colton, FBI agent Josh Howard knows just where to start: the fugitive’s family. Namely, Livia’s eldest daughter, Leonor Colton, who was very close to her criminal mother. Could the alluring museum curator be hiding the Colton matriarch? Maybe. Undercover as a billionaire art collector, Josh is invited into Leonor’s life. He’s surprised to find that the heiress, betrayed by an ex and at odds with her siblings, needs a strong shoulder, and there Josh is all ears. But when an attempt is made on Leonor’s life, Josh finds his cover is about to be blown—along with his unexpected true feelings for his Colton connection.

Introduction “And just what is it that you really want to do—but don’t?” Leonor asked him in a voice that had mysteriously gone down to just above a whisper. As it was, her voice sounded very close to husky—and he found it hopelessly seductive. Standing just inside her suite, Leonor waited for him to answer while her heart continued to imitate the rhythm of a drum roll that only grew louder by the moment. Josh weighed his options for a moment. Damned if he did and damned if he didn’t, he couldn’t help thinking. And then he answered her. “Kiss you,” he told Leonor, saying the words softly, his breath caressing the skin on her face. She felt her stomach muscles quickening. “Maybe you should go ahead and do that,” she told him. “I promise I won’t stop you.” * * * The Coltons of Shadow Creek: Only family can keep you safe...

Title Page Colton Undercover Marie Ferrarella www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author USA TODAY bestselling and RITA® Award–winning author MARIE FERRARELLA has written more than two-hundred and fifty books for Mills & Boon, some under the name Marie Nicole. Her romances are beloved by fans worldwide. Visit her website, www.marieferrarella.com .

Dedication To Patience Bloom Who Seems To Have Enough Faith In Me To Believe I Can Pull Off Yet Another Continuity. Thank You!

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

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

“You, lady, are a real piece of work.”

At the moment, there was no one else in the FBI field office in San Antonio, Texas with Special Agent Joshua Howard. His words were addressed to the photograph of Livia Colton he had pulled from the file on his desk. A file he had gone over and reviewed countless times in the last few days.

Livia, or rather, her untimely escape from prison, was the reason he was about to temporarily relocate to Shadow Creek, a place unofficially known as “the town that Livia built,” and with good reason.

Josh shook his head as by now all too familiar details danced before his brown eyes. The life of the attractive, blond-haired, fifty-two-year-old illegitimate product of a one-night stand between one of the wealthier Coltons and a drug-addicted prostitute read like something out of a Hollywood movie, right down to the part where, by all indications, Livia’s once-unchecked sociopathic behavior rivaled that of a classic “bad seed.”

While behaving lovingly toward her easily manipulated father, Livia was ruthless toward her half siblings. Rumor had it that, by his own admission, Livia was the only person whom Matthew Colton, her convicted serial killer half brother, truly feared. In Josh’s book, that was saying a great deal.

Marrying and discarding husbands as if they were used tissues, Livia amassed a considerable fortune and six children along the way, all presumably with different fathers. Resorting to her natural cunning, she managed to quadruple her fortune through organized crime. She’d trafficked in drugs, women and whatever else might have been profitable at the moment.

Her children, she barely tolerated unless there was a photographer within the vicinity to immortalize her with them. She had been a great one for photo ops. There had been one offspring, her oldest daughter, Leonor, whom people said she disliked less than the rest.

Not exactly a glowing testimony, Josh thought.

The living definition of a wild child Livia Colton had finally given, before her downfall, at least outwardly, all the signs of wanting to settle down. She’d gotten married again, this time to an Argentine horse breeder who it was said treated her children far better than she did. She had had her last child, Jade, with him.