Nick Blacksheep was a vibrant combination of strength, courage and single-minded determination.
He was also far more complex than sheâd realized.
âThank you,â she said, then impulsively threw her arms around Nick and hugged him.
Sheâd meant it only as an expression of gratitude, but the second his arms wrapped around her, she entered a new worldâone of fire and longings too strong to resist. As she melted against him, he groaned, and the sound vibrated against her, awakening the woman within.
Nick cupped her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. His kiss was gentle but insistent, coaxing and demanding at the same time. The strength of his arms and the hardness of his body filled her with a sweet, melting heat. The world ceased to exist. There was nothing but him.
At long last he eased his hold. âIâll protect you from others, but whoâll protect you from me?â
To Peg. See? You donât have to share!
Aimée Thurlo is a nationally known bestselling author. Sheâs the winner of a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews, a New Mexico Book Award in contemporary fiction and a Willa Cather Award in the same category. Sheâs published in twenty countries worldwide.
She also cowrites the bestselling Ella Clah mainstream mystery series praised in the New York Times Book Review.
Aimée was born in Havana, Cuba, and lives with her husband of thirty-nine years in Corrales, New Mexico. Her husband, David, was raised on the Navajo Indian Reservation.
Detective Nick BlacksheepâHeâs an ex-marine with a deadly past and many personal demons. Ordered to drop an important case to protect the niece of the former police chief, he finds his life suddenly turned upside down by feelings that have no place in a warriorâs world.
Drew SimmonsâShe was training for a temporary job in the police records department, but unless she learns to trust her bodyguard, despite all the reasons against it, Drew might become just another crime statistic.
Chief FranklinâHe was walking a fine line, trying to protect a friend, but his questionable leadership has already cost him the respect of his department.
Ray OwensâEveryone knows he is the lowest form of human beingâa wife beater. But Ray holds a lot of power in the community, and his wrath is now directed at the officer who arrested himâNick Blacksheep.
Beth MichaelsâOnce Drew takes over her position at the department, sheâll be free to nurse her dying husbandâif her money holds out.
Harry KovalâHeâs responsible for tracking down Drewâs assailants, but is making very little progress despite his reputation as a top-notch detective.
Captain WrightâNickâs boss insists on knowing exactly where he and Drew are hiding. Unfortunately, whoeverâs after Drew is also receiving this information, and that makes Captain Wright a suspect.
Travis BlacksheepâNick is his older brother, and theyâve always had each otherâs back. But someone is now trying to use that against them.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Epilogue
Wherever Nick Blacksheep went, trouble usually followed. Thatâs the way it had been since heâd taken his first breath back on the Navajo rez thirty-three years ago.
Travis, Nickâs younger brother, held the punching bag steady as Nick continued to channel his anger into the inert mass. âWork out on this, then weâll go a few rounds,â Travis said.
âWear me down first? Wonât work. Right now you couldnât handle me, little brother,â Nick growled, and continued to pound the heavy bag.
âAnger destroys focus. I can take you.â
âIn your dreams,â Nick retorted, sinking his taped fists into the thick leather with a lightning-fast combination.
âHave an Enemy Way Sing done. Release the past and the memories of war you still carry inside you and youâll be able to sleep again at night.â
âThe old ways have no part in my life,â Nick said, pounding the body bag with an intense flurry of jabs.
âYou need to restore the balance. The path of harmony that allows a man to walk in beauty, the hózho, will elude you until you put your ghosts to rest.â
âItâs the present thatâs the problem. Thereâs no reason for me to have been put on disciplinary suspension. Weâve had eight domestic disturbance calls this month alone from that address. The lowlife there canât keep his fists off his wife. I responded to the last call, and when he tried to slip by me to go whack his wife, I threw him across the hood of his sports car.â
âI agree that you did the right thing. But nothing will change until the guyâs wife leaves him for good.â
Nick slammed his fist into the bag one last time, then stepped back. âI better hit the shower. Iâve got a meeting with the chief and the review board tonight.â