Addison Fox - Cold Case Colton

The most shocking Colton family secret yet is revealed!

Claudia Colton has always felt different from her siblings. But the fashion designer doesn’t expect a PI with knowledge of her family to show up in her tiny Texas hometown. The tall, blond stranger on her doorstep announces Claudia might not be the daughter of criminal mastermind Livia Colton...but then who is she?

Widower Hawk Huntley, hot on the trail of a cold kidnapping case, is stopped dead in his tracks by Claudia. He vows to protect her in any way possible—heart, body, and soul—as they track down the truth of her identity. But will Claudia’s hidden past—and a gun-wielding stalker—change everything for Colton?

“I’ve only been here a few days, but it’s been long enough to know that anything Colton-related is hot gossip around town.”

Claudia sighed. “Sad truth. But still true all the same.”

“Hey.” He brushed several strands of hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”

“It’s not insensitive when it’s the truth.”

“I’ll take that under advisement.” Hawk traced the shell of her ear before trailing a path down the column of her throat. “But right now I’d really like to kiss you.”

“I’d really like that, too.”

The last vestiges of fear that lingered at the afternoon’s events faded as Hawk lowered his lips to hers. With his body pressed to hers and the door at her back she should have felt claustrophobic.

Trapped.

She felt anything but as she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung.

Simply clung as the touch of his hands, the warmth of his body and the sheer power of his kiss carried her away from all the pain, trouble and confusion that was life in Shadow Creek.

* * *

The Coltons of Shadow Creek:

Only family can keep you safe...

Cold Case Colton

Addison Fox

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ADDISON FOX is a lifelong romance reader, addicted to happy-ever-afters. After discovering she found as much joy writing about romance as she did reading it, she’s never looked back. Addison lives in New York with an apartment full of books, a laptop that’s rarely out of sight and a wily beagle who keeps her running. You can find her at her home on the web at www.addisonfox.comor on Facebook ( Facebook.com/addisonfoxauthor) and Twitter ( @addisonfox).

For Maddie and Vivian

Two of the most wonderful young women I know.

You both own Texas-sized pieces of my heart.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text The most shocking Colton family secret yet is revealed! Claudia Colton has always felt different from her siblings. But the fashion designer doesn’t expect a PI with knowledge of her family to show up in her tiny Texas hometown. The tall, blond stranger on her doorstep announces Claudia might not be the daughter of criminal mastermind Livia Colton...but then who is she? Widower Hawk Huntley, hot on the trail of a cold kidnapping case, is stopped dead in his tracks by Claudia. He vows to protect her in any way possible—heart, body, and soul—as they track down the truth of her identity. But will Claudia’s hidden past—and a gun-wielding stalker—change everything for Colton?

Introduction “I’ve only been here a few days, but it’s been long enough to know that anything Colton-related is hot gossip around town.” Claudia sighed. “Sad truth. But still true all the same.” “Hey.” He brushed several strands of hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be insensitive.” “It’s not insensitive when it’s the truth.” “I’ll take that under advisement.” Hawk traced the shell of her ear before trailing a path down the column of her throat. “But right now I’d really like to kiss you.” “I’d really like that, too.” The last vestiges of fear that lingered at the afternoon’s events faded as Hawk lowered his lips to hers. With his body pressed to hers and the door at her back she should have felt claustrophobic. Trapped. She felt anything but as she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung. Simply clung as the touch of his hands, the warmth of his body and the sheer power of his kiss carried her away from all the pain, trouble and confusion that was life in Shadow Creek. * * * The Coltons of Shadow Creek: Only family can keep you safe...

Title Page Cold Case Colton Addison Fox www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author ADDISON FOX is a lifelong romance reader, addicted to happy-ever-afters. After discovering she found as much joy writing about romance as she did reading it, she’s never looked back. Addison lives in New York with an apartment full of books, a laptop that’s rarely out of sight and a wily beagle who keeps her running. You can find her at her home on the web at www.addisonfox.com or on Facebook ( Facebook.com/addisonfoxauthor ) and Twitter ( @addisonfox ).

Dedication For Maddie and Vivian Two of the most wonderful young women I know. You both own Texas-sized pieces of my heart.

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

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter 1

The random bark of a dog and a puttering truck with a rusted out muffler battled each other for prominence in the early morning air. Claudia Colton juggled a to-go cup of coffee in one hand and her keys in the other as she fumbled with the door of her boutique, Honeysuckle Road. Dog and truck faded away as she closed the door, satisfied to simply stop and stare for a moment.

On a soft sigh, she smiled at the racks that spread out before her in welcoming arcs. Bright, vivid silks and bold prints swirled among the racks, offsetting more timeless pieces in soft pastels and classic solids. Her racks spanned all sizes, hidden among them a match for every woman in Shadow Creek, from the petite to the curvaceous and every iteration in between.

“It may be a long way from Fifth Avenue, but it’s mine.”

Shadow Creek, Texas, was a far cry from New York City, but she was determined to make it feel like home.

Bound and determined.

All the work that had gone into renovating the store and the grand opening preparations had diverted her mind for the past few months, and there was something deeply gratifying to see the fruits of her hard work.

Fruits that bore sashes, sequins and the occasional well-placed bow.

And if the life she’d attempted to divert herself from was still a raging mess, well, at least she had a few pretty things to look at while she dealt with it all.

She flipped the lock behind her back and headed for her workroom. Many of the designs at Honeysuckle Road were her own and she’d taken great joy in bringing her visions to life, but no vision quite compared with the wedding dress that had come to life on her dressmakers’ form over the past few weeks.

Claudia had been equally touched and excited when her brother Thorne’s fiancée, Maggie, asked her to make her wedding dress. And she was fast becoming a nervous wreck that the small details she’d envisioned for the dress wouldn’t be completed in time for the wedding.

Wasn’t that a twist?

Maggie was an easygoing bride with an exacting, seamstress-zilla.

Which meant Claudia’s days were filled with quite a few early hours as she worked to finish up the dress.

That also gave her a chance to collect her thoughts. While getting Honeysuckle Road up and running had been a pleasant diversion, it couldn’t change the realities of what she’d run from in New York, or her current situation here in Shadow Creek.