Mallory Kane - His Runaway Juror

“Promise me you’re one of the good guys,” Lily said softly.

Brand went totally still. Lily waited, not breathing. A tremor of apprehension slid through her. Finally, to her relief, he spoke, but his words were not comforting.

“I can’t promise you that. I don’t feel like a good guy right now. I feel like a heel, allowing you to get so deeply involved. I should have been able to do something to help you.”

“You saved my life.” Tentatively, she put a hand on his flat abdomen and felt the muscles quiver at her touch, felt him sigh in frustration.

“For now. There’s going to be more danger and there’s nothing I can do to avoid it. If I trust the wrong person, you could be facing a gun. But I can promise you that I will protect you with my life.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mallory Kane has always loved reading and writing stories. She credits her love of books to her mother, a librarian, who taught her that books are a precious resource and should be treated with loving respect. Her father and grandfather were steeped in the Southern tradition of oral history, and could hold an audience spellbound for hours with their storytelling skills. She aspires to be as good a storyteller as her father. When she’s not writing, Mallory creates and designs greeting cards. She lives in Mississippi with her husband, Michael, and their two cats.

For more information about Mallory and all her book projects, visit her website at www. mallorykane.com. Mallory loves to hear from readers. Write to her at mallory@mallorykane. com

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Lily Raines– Targeted by the mob to deadlock a jury and let a murderer go free, Lily finds herself on the run with the ruggedly handsome enforcer who threatened her.

Brand Gallagher– The brave undercover cop is forced to terrorise lovely juror Lily Raines. When she’s targeted for death, he knows one of his fellow officers has betrayed him. Can he stay alive long enough to get Lily to safety and expose the traitor?

Giovanni Castellano– When the crime boss’s number-one hitman is indicted for murder, he swears revenge. He will free his soldier, and woe to any innocents who get in his way.

Armand Foshee– The sadistic Cajun would have killed Lily if Brand hadn’t stopped him.

Thomas Pruitt– Brand’s new boss is tough and ambitious. But he’s lied to Brand at every turn. How far will Pruitt go to further his own career?

Gary Morrison– His former lieutenant has always been the one man Brand could trust. Suddenly the things he tells Brand don’t add up.

Al Springer– Brand’s fellow undercover officer has a spotless record. But has he finally crossed the line?

Leroy Carson– The third undercover cop infiltrating Castellano’s operation, Carson has always been a good cop, but is it just an act?

MALLORY KANE

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my friends in Magnolia State Romance

Writers. Thanks for your support.

Chapter One

Something was wrong . Lily Raines knew it as soon as the door closed behind her. It was too dark, the only light coming from the streetlamp outside her living room window. Hadn’t she left the light on over her sink? She set down her purse and keys and listened.

Nothing.

The light must have burned out. She puffed her cheeks in a weary sigh and shrugged out of her jacket, the rustle of silk echoing in the silence.

Her scalp tingled with that creepy spider-on-your-skin feeling—as if someone were watching her. She’d had it ever since the trial started.

Stress . That’s all it was. Goodness knew she had enough reason.

She reached for the living room light switch.

“I wouldn’t do that.”

Lily shrieked.

A dark figure rose up in front of her.

She tried to scream but her throat seized; tried to turn and run but her legs wouldn’t carry her.

Hard hands grabbed her shoulders, twisted her violently and shoved her onto the couch.

Gasping for air, Lily bounced back up and swung her fist at the dark shape. She connected with flesh.

“Ouch! Maudit! ” The owner of the voice grabbed her and shoved her again, hard. She fell across the arm of the couch and onto the floor, bumping her hip and elbow painfully.

“Hey—”

Different voice . There were two of them. Panic clawed at her throat and she scrambled to regain her footing. She screamed for help and tried to get up but her head hit the end table and she saw stars. She tried to crawl away but there was nowhere to go. They were between her and the door.

“Get her!”

A different pair of hands closed around her upper arms from behind and lifted her with no effort.

“Let go of me!” she cried, kicking backward. The hands turned into steely arms that wrapped around her, immobilizing her. This one was big, tall, solid. His breath sawed in her ear.

She stomped but missed his instep. His hold tightened. She clawed at his forearms, but he squeezed her so fiercely she could barely breathe. She gasped for air.

The first man stepped in front of her and into the faint light from the window. She squinted. He was skinny. Her height, maybe. Shorter than the one who held her. She’d need that information later to tell the police—if they let her live.

Desperately she kicked, using the second man’s hold for leverage. He squeezed her until her ribs ached and whispered something close to her ear. She didn’t understand what he said, but the feel of his hot breath on her skin sent terror streaking through her.

The skinny guy laughed as he dodged her kicks. Then his laughter stopped and he grabbed her chin. He stuck his face in front of hers. His breath reeked of garlic. “Calm yo-self, Lily .”

He knew her name? She froze, horrified. These men weren’t burglars. This was personal.

“Who are y—”

The fingers moved from her chin to her throat. “Good girl. Now you gon’ be quiet for me?”

His fingers pushed painfully into her neck as she tried to nod. Tried to stop her brain from imagining what they planned to do to her.

Frantically, she searched her memory. She didn’t recognize the voice or the accent. Cajun, maybe. She’d never done anything to anybody.

“What do you want?” she gasped.

The Cajun bared his teeth and his fingers tightened. Her larynx closed up. He was crushing it. He was going to kill her.

“Di’n I tell you be quiet?”

She struggled for air. She didn’t want to die. She made a strangled sound and clawed at the arms holding her. Her vision went black.

“Careful,” the man who held her rasped. “She can’t breathe.” The punishing pressure on her chest relaxed slightly.

“You shut your face!” the skinny guy hissed, but he loosened his hold.

She sucked air through her aching throat. From behind her the rock-hard arms loosened a bit more.

Her eyes were beginning to adapt to the darkness, but she still couldn’t distinguish features or clothing. There was too little light and she was too afraid. She swallowed, her throat moving against the Cajun’s hand.

“Just tell me what you want. I don’t have much money—”

He released her throat and snagged a handful of her hair, twisting roughly.

Tears of pain sprang to her eyes.

From somewhere he pulled out a long, thin-bladed knife. He held it up before her eyes, then touched its point just beneath her chin. She automatically lifted her head, cringing away from the deadly blade.