Locked and Loaded
Nothing was as it seemed… Not even the protection Maddie Timmons was promised when she'd entered the Witness Security Program. One of her handlers was missing, the other had burned her, and now Maddie was at risk.All that stood between her and certain death was one sexy stranger.Deep undercover, Recovery Project agent Adam Wright vowed to keep Maddie safe from the leak at WitSec. But Adam wasn't prepared for the confident woman he'd rescued, the sensuous lover who got under his skin. He could do nothing about her past being taken away, but he'd do anything to secure her future…even if it meant forsaking his own….
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âI donât like this plan.â
âYouâve made that clear,â Maddie said as she rubbed her hand over his chest. He doubted she realized she was touching him as they hid there, waiting. But he knew. When this was overâ¦
He couldnât think of that now. Now he had to keep her safe. The thought of her hurtâor worseâknocked the breath out of him.
He admired her spunk and determination. He couldnât imagine living half a life under the constant threat of death and the watchful eye of the government. Knowing that a criminal sat in a cell somewhere plotting against her made Adam want to issue a threat of his own.
His gaze went to her mouth, slipping down her long neck then back to those lips. He was going to kiss her. In the middle of a sting, with his men a short distance away. It had been building for days. Weeks. Heâd dreamed about the smoothness of her skin and how it would feel to wrap her legs around his waist. Now he would live it.
He lowered his head and as he did, he heard the dreadful words in his earpiece. âHeâs coming.â
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-winning author HelenKay Dimon spent twelve years in the most unromantic career everâdivorce lawyer. After dedicating all that effort to helping people terminate relationships, she is thrilled to deal in happy endings and write romance novels for a living. Now her days are filled with gardening, writing, reading and spending time with her family in and around San Diego. HelenKay loves hearing from readers, so stop by her website at www.helenkaydimon.com and say hello.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Adam Wright âThis Recovery Project agent is stuck miles from home, babysitting a woman who is desperate to ignore him. He spends his days hovering over a computer and watching Maddie from afarâ¦and his nights figuring out how to get a lot closer.
Maddie Timmons âShe is a tough woman in an impossible spot. She paid for a bad relationship in the past with a broken back, a criminal investigation and a new identity thanks to the Witness Security Program. Now she needs help and that handsome computer hottie next door might be the answer.
Trevor Walters âA guarded, powerful and respected businessman. Heâs made an informal agreement with the Recovery Project that might protect him, but he has other secretsâ¦ones that could get them all killed.
Rod Lehman âThe man who assembled the Recovery Project team. His off-the-books investigation into missing women in the Witness Security Program puts all the Recovery agents in danger.
John Tate âAs the government administrator who decides who gets into witness protection he wields a tremendous amount of power. What he uses it for is the question.
Vince Ritter âHe stays on the fringes of the Recovery Project, providing information and offering help. The problem is telling which side heâs actually on.
Luke Hathaway âThe interim head of the Recovery Project. He has the unenviable job of making everything work. When he adds âkeeping Maddie aliveâ to his list of tasks, he fears heâs made Adam and the entire team targets.
Contents
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 One
Maddie Timmons turned over in bed for what felt like the fiftieth time. It had to be past two by now, but she refused to look at the clock and check. Not again.
The room had plunged into darkness hours ago when the sun ducked behind the mountains outlining the side of her cabin. The cool late-spring air couldnât penetrate the thick windows near her head. She knew because sheâd installed the laminated safety glass herself and then made sure the potential entrances stayed locked at all times. A security alarm took care of the rest.
She kicked off the covers and stared at the ceiling. Despite all the precautions, something made her restless. She couldnât pinpoint a reason. She just knew her insides kept jumping around, pressing down on her chest and forcing her eyes open every time they tried to drift shut.
The unease had crept up on her that afternoon while sheâd worked the lunch rush at the diner, doing the baking and serving the meals. Though in Sweet Home, West Virginia, the weekday ârushâ usually meant about thirty people over the span of three hours.
She sat up and felt the mattress dip beneath her. Just as her feet hit the hardwood floor, the banging started on her front door. She heard the thud and the faint sound of a male voice calling her name.
The late hour. The frantic attempt to wake her. It all struck her as wrong.
Every nerve ending in her body screamed for her to run. Her cottage was blocked from the neighborâs by towering trees, and the dark night would give her attackers the advantage. And she could not risk getting caught. Ever.
She slid her feet into the white sneakers that always sat by her bed. The knife she kept under her pillow slipped neatly into the waistband of her pajama shorts. She had to grab her bag and take off.
