Cynthia Eden - Suspicions

“There’s only…you.”

All of the moisture seemed to dry up in her mouth. Her gaze slowly slid over him. The last time she’d seen him had been months ago. She’d wanted to talk with him then, but her brothers had been determined to keep her away from him.

Her brothers were keeping secrets from her.

Only fair, really, because she’d been keeping plenty of secrets from them, too.

Mark was a handsome man. Powerful and commanding. He had high, slanting cheeks, a long, hard blade of a nose and lips that were…sexy. Sensual. She’d spent far too much time thinking about Mark’s lips over the years.

“What the hell are you doing here, Ava? I thought you were staying away.”

Not from him, but from Austin. From the McGuire ranch, because that place held too many painful memories for her.

But when no place seemed safe, where were you supposed to go?

Suspicions

Cynthia Eden

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CYNTHIA EDEN, a New York Times bestselling author, writes tales of romantic suspense and paranormal romance. Her books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, and she has received a RITA ®Award nomination for best romantic suspense novel. Cynthia lives in the Deep South, loves horror movies and has an addiction to chocolate. More information about Cynthia may be found at cynthiaeden.com, or you can follow her on Twitter, @cynthiaeden.

This book is for all of the wonderful Harlequin Intrigue fans out there—thank you so much for your support!

Contents

Cover

Introduction “There’s only…you.” All of the moisture seemed to dry up in her mouth. Her gaze slowly slid over him. The last time she’d seen him had been months ago. She’d wanted to talk with him then, but her brothers had been determined to keep her away from him. Her brothers were keeping secrets from her. Only fair, really, because she’d been keeping plenty of secrets from them, too. Mark was a handsome man. Powerful and commanding. He had high, slanting cheeks, a long, hard blade of a nose and lips that were…sexy. Sensual. She’d spent far too much time thinking about Mark’s lips over the years. “What the hell are you doing here, Ava? I thought you were staying away.” Not from him, but from Austin. From the McGuire ranch, because that place held too many painful memories for her. But when no place seemed safe, where were you supposed to go?

Title Page Suspicions Cynthia Eden www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author CYNTHIA EDEN , a New York Times bestselling author, writes tales of romantic suspense and paranormal romance. Her books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, and she has received a RITA ® Award nomination for best romantic suspense novel. Cynthia lives in the Deep South, loves horror movies and has an addiction to chocolate. More information about Cynthia may be found at cynthiaeden.com, or you can follow her on Twitter, @cynthiaeden .

Dedication This book is for all of the wonderful Harlequin Intrigue fans out there—thank you so much for your support!

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

“Help me!”

Her cry broke through the night, a long, loud, desperate scream.

Mark Montgomery had been standing on his front porch, staring up at the starry sky, but at that terrified call, he whirled around. At first he didn’t see her. The darkness was too thick.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

He heard the unmistakable sound of a horse’s hooves pounding across the ground. Someone was riding fast and hard, coming straight toward him.

He leapt off the porch.

“Help me!”

Her cry was even louder this time—and it was definitely a woman’s voice. But there weren’t any women at his ranch tonight. His mother had passed years ago, and there weren’t any female ranch hands scheduled for a shift.

Then he saw the horse. It burst into the clearing near his house. The horse was a beautiful big black mare that he recognized—that was Lady. And Lady...Lady belonged to the McGuires, his neighbors who lived about ten miles away.

What the—?

A small figure was curled low on Lady’s back, hugging the horse tightly. The horse’s sides were shaking, its body wet with sweat after what must have been a brutal ride.

A ride in the middle of the night?

“M-Mark?”

And he knew that voice. Not screaming now, but soft, almost broken. He wanted to run toward that horse and rider, but he was afraid of spooking Lady, so he approached slowly, carefully. When the horse neighed, he reached out and softly touched Lady’s mane. “It’s okay.” Then he reached up for the rider—Ava.

He could see her now. There was no mistaking Ava McGuire, not with that long, wild tumble of her hair. The moonlight and starlight spilled down onto her face, and the fear there made him lose his breath.

Some of his ranch hands had come into the yard, but they stayed a few feet back. “Get the horse!” Mark ordered as he pulled Ava off Lady.

She was like ice in his hands, and hard, heavy trembles kept raking her delicate frame. Ava had five brothers, all big, hulking military types, and Ava—the baby of the family—she was different. Delicate... Fragile... She was—

Crying. Because he’d just touched her cheeks and he could feel the wetness there. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “What is it? What’s happened?”

“Sh-shot...”

He could barely make out what she was saying.

“They...they were waiting...in the h-house...”

He caught her arms and eased back so that his gaze could sweep over her. “Ava, did someone hurt you?” Rage pumped through him. Ava was only sixteen. If some jerks had hurt her, he would make them pay.

Her teeth were chattering. “Dead.” She seemed to push out the word. “I’m scared. They’re—dead.”

Mark’s whole body stiffened. “Who, Ava? Who are you talking about?”

She threw her body against his and started sobbing. “M-my parents! I saw them...the men...had guns! I heard the gunshots. I ran. ” Her sobs grew even harder. “I left them there...”

He held her as tightly as he could. There had to be a mistake. Her parents—they were fine, weren’t they?

“Please,” Ava begged him. “Help my parents. Help them! ”

* * *

BUT THERE WAS nothing he could do. When Mark and his men went to the McGuire ranch, they didn’t see the attackers. They just saw the blood.

Mark and his men made it to the ranch before the cops did. He was the first one in that place—and he would never forget the terrible sight that greeted him.

“Who would do something like this?” Ty Watts, Mark’s ranch foreman, demanded as he stared at the brutal scene. “And why ?”

There was no sign of the attackers. They were long gone. Mark stood there, the scent of blood heavy in the air around him, and he knew that he would be the one telling Ava that her parents hadn’t survived.

He would be the one to give her the devastating news.

Mark bent down next to Ava’s father. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

* * *

AVA STAYED AT his ranch for two days. During that time, she barely spoke. Her skin was too pale, her eyes far too wounded. She jumped at the slightest sound and during the night, she woke screaming. Again and again.

Mark didn’t think he’d ever forget the sound of Ava’s screams. He hated her pain and her grief, and he wished that he could do something to comfort her.