Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (interesting books to read for teens TXT) 📕

voice. It was in the same area they had departed earlier—where her family lived. “I’m calling Troy. Or should I call Melissa?”

“Try Troy first. Melissa’s going to be swamped if this is a legit report.” His attention was on the monitors, too. As much as she loathed a threat to her family, she experienced some relief to have Stanton’s focus elsewhere. Because whenever he looked at her for more than a blink, she internally combusted amid all the conflicting emotions she had for him. For them. For a future with him.

Troy answered on the first try, and she wasted no time getting to the point.

“Is my family safe, Troy?”

“No one’s safe if this guy’s around. His pattern is to hit next month, though, so there’s that. But he’s shown a definite preference to kill fifty-something men. Does that match anyone close to you? Your dad?”

“Yes. My father just turned fifty-nine tonight, as a matter of fact. He walks his two boxer dogs in Grave Gulch Park regularly, morning and evening, unless there’s horrible weather.” Rigo, Rosa and Rita were practically fixtures there, so consistent was her dad.

“I’d suggest you tell him to knock off the walks, especially to Grave Gulch Park, for a bit. If we’re lucky we’ll apprehend Davison before he strikes again, but it’s not worth the risk.” Troy was convincing.

“Will do. Thank you, Troy. Also, Troy? Stanton’s going to be calling you soon. We’re going to need some backup from the local police up north for a witness I need to interview. Can you handle the liaison?” Troy’s audible groan sounded over the speaker.

“I’ll give you a call sometime tonight,” Stanton interjected, looking at Dominique with chagrin. “I’m not in favor of it, cuz, trust me. But I’m not going to stop this intrepid journalist from doing her job.”

“Copy that. Both of you stay safe. Good luck talking to your father, Dominique.”

“Thanks.”

They disconnected and she began to gather her things.

“Are you through here?” Stanton’s disbelief reflected in the pitch of his voice.

“Not in the least, but if we’re going to stop at my father’s, and make it up to your family cabin before we both collapse from exhaustion, we need to get a move on it, don’t we?” She couldn’t look at him, or he’d read what she had to hide from him. Her absolute need for him, and the fact that she’d never gotten over him. It was more than the hot sex, the stolen kisses over the past several days.

What she had with Stanton was meant to last a lifetime. Before she could analyze it, she had to make sure they survived the next forty-eight hours.

* * *

“I know you’re not keen on me doing the interview, but I find it hard to believe that Johnny’s setting me up at this point. We haven’t been targeted since the shooting outside of GGPD. I think the increased presence of the officers on the streets and around Grave Gulch has made a difference, don’t you?”

Stanton’s teeth ground together and he fought to keep from shouting that he wasn’t willing to risk losing her, no matter what. If he wasn’t driving them to the cabin, and they didn’t have a solid three more hours ahead of them on the dark, slick roads, he’d pull over and do whatever it took to convince her to change her mind.

“It’s foolish to assume you’re not being set up. And let me be clear—Johnny isn’t the one doing the planning, the scheming. It’s Jimenez. He was able to scare Johnny off your original interview, remember?”

“Your sarcasm isn’t going to help us.” She turned from him and he peripherally saw the glow of her phone screen as she checked for messages. “My father’s agreed to lay low until Davison is caught. Thank you for stopping by there again. It’s added a lot of time to your driving. Any chance you’d let me spell you?”

“Nope.” Her safety was his main, his only, mission. It had been since the day they’d met. Since he’d fallen for her. And now, fallen again.

You never fell out of love with her.

No, he hadn’t.

“What’s so serious that you’re sighing and moping over there?”

“What’s not serious, Dominique? You’re the target of a major kingpin who kills as easily as he sips his morning coffee. Your family’s from Colombia. Didn’t your father ever talk about why he left in the first place?”

“When did he tell you?”

“We’ve had our conversations over the past couple of years.” Rigo had confessed to getting out of his native country to seek a more stable, safer life in the US. When Rigo and his family left Colombia, it had been torn apart by vying cartels. As he’d described it to Stanton, it had been a literal war zone.

“I’m glad he trusts you, he should. He’s always tried to protect Soledad and me from the harsh truth of his childhood. I suppose it’s like a family who has a war veteran. We didn’t talk about it unless Dad brought it up. Did he tell you that’s how he lost his father and brother? Only he, my three uncles and his mother made it out.”

“Your father’s a man of integrity and he’ll do anything for his family. Proof is how much he’s paying me.”

“That’s not even funny.”

“Humor’s not intended. I’m serious. He promised to pay me double the usual amount.” A hefty sum, as Colton Protection’s reputation and stalwart record allowed for the high price tags. Stanton received the most of any of the agents not because it was his business but because he had the most experience.

“Dad’s always respected you.”

“And I him.” This was getting uncomfortably close to an intimate conversation. They were going to have a hard enough time keeping themselves detached from each other while in the small but modern cabin for the next two nights.

“I honestly thought he wasn’t going to agree to stop walking the dogs in the park. If you hadn’t backed me up, I think he’d be there now.”

“Rigo’s proud, and