Surrendering to the Sheriff
“Drop the gun, Sheriff.”Discovering Kendall O’Neal being held at gunpoint at his ranch isn’t the homecoming sheriff Aiden Braddock expects. And now Kendall’s captors are demanding he destroy evidence in an upcoming trial in exchange for the Texas attorney’s life…And the life of their unborn baby.Three months ago, Aiden and Kendall gave in to their long-simmering attraction. Now, with a child on the way, the stakes have shot sky-high. But even after he pulls off a daring rescue, Kendall isn’t safe. Before long, they find temporary haven in each other’s arms—which could be even more dangerous than facing down a killer.
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âYou could have been killed.â
Her voice was strained, barely a whisper, but he heard the emotions loud and clear.
That wasnât ordinary concern for a fellow human being. That was concern for her babyâs daddy. Maybe even for him.
It only added another layer of complications to their already complicated situation.
Kendall was pregnant with his baby. They were a Texas version of Romeo and Juliet. Star-crossed lovers. And since that story hadnât had a happy ending, this extra layer only made him worry more.
Heâd clearly developed a fondness for complicated layers. Apparently, a fondness for having Kendall in his arms, too.
âIâm sorry,â he whispered.
âFor what?â
âEverything.â
Kendall stared at him, those eyes so green that they looked like spring itself. Spring with heat, of course. Even now the heat was there.
DELORES FOSSEN, a USA TODAY bestselling author, has sold over fifty novels with millions of copies of her books in print worldwide. Sheâs received the Booksellersâ Best Award and the RT Reviewersâ Choice Award, and was a finalist for a prestigious RITA>® Award. You can contact the author through her webpage at www.dfossen.net.
Table of Contents
Sheriff Aiden Braddock shut the door behind him, tossed his truck keys on the kitchen counter.
And stopped cold.
He didnât hear anything unusual. The whir of the A/C and fridge. The April breeze rattling the oaks outside the window over the sink. All the sounds he should be hearing, but he still got the gut feeling that something wasnât right.
Since that gut feeling had saved his butt a time or two during his time as county sheriff, Aiden listened to it.
He drew his Glock from his holster.
Aiden didnât move yet. He just stood there a few more moments. Listening. And then he heard the thing that didnât belong. A whisper, maybe. Or somebody breathing. Because he lived alone, there darn sure shouldnât be anyone else whispering or breathing in his house.
âMom?â Aiden called out just to make sure. Though itâd been longer than a blue moon since she came out to his place. Too far in the sticks, she had always complained.
âLaine? Shelby?â Aiden added in case it was one of his sisters. Again, a serious long shot, since they rarely visited, either.
No answer. But he hadnât expected one.
Whatever was going on, this likely wasnât a social visit and could even involve some attempted bodily harm. After all, he was the county sheriff and had riled more than a person or two over the past decade. One of those riled people had perhaps come to settle an old score.
Aiden huffed. He was so not in the mood to bash some heads, but he might have to do just that.
âLetâs make this easy for you,â Aiden called out. âIâm a damn good shot. Plus, Iâm hungry, tired and not feeling up to any idiot whoâs stupid enough to break into a lawmanâs house.â
âAiden,â someone said in a hoarse whisper.
Even though the person hardly made any sound when she spoke, Aiden thought he recognized the voice.
Kendall.
But that didnât make any sense. This was the last place on earth sheâd come.
Especially after...well, just after.
Aiden didnât lower his gun, but he inched his way toward the sound of her whisperâin his living room. It was just a few yards away past a half wall, but he kept watch all around him. Kept listening, too. Until he could move into the arched opening that divided the rooms, and he snapped his gun in the direction where heâd pinpointed Kendallâs voice.
His heart slammed against his chest.
Because it was Kendall OâNeal all right, but this definitely wasnât a social visit. She was on her knees in the center of the floor, and there was a hulking man on each side of her. The men were wearing black ski masks, and both had automatics pointed right at her head.
âDrop the gun, Sheriff Braddock,â the bigger one on the right growled.
Aiden held on to his Glock, trying to figure out what the devil was going on here. He didnât get many clues from Kendall. She only shook her head. Like an apology or something.
But that was pure fear in her wide eyes.
He didnât see any signs of injury, but then most of her body that he could see was covered with a pale blue shirt, skirt and business jacketâher lawyering clothes. However, her hair was a mess, her blond locks tangled on her shoulders.
So maybe sheâd been in a scuffle with these guys after all.
Kendall wasnât the messy-hair type. Nope. All priss and polish for her and never a hair out of place. People didnât call her the ice princess for nothing.
However, that wasnât an ice-princess look she was giving him now.
