Knocking Up His Bride Page 6

  I pull her to a narrow pine and press her back to it so she’s facing the lodge. “Don’t move.”

  “Wha—”

  I’m darting toward the wall before I hear the rest of her question. If I can make it in time—and I do. . . I press my back against the wall a few feet away from where the grappling hook jiggles overhead. Diego has no shot. The lower roof of the lounge is blocking his view. The intruder seems to know that. He’s studied the layout.

  Slowly, I pull my knife from my belt. I don’t look at Clover. I can’t.

  A black boot appears at the top of the wall, and then in a feline move, the assassin throws himself over. He lands on his feet, his body crouching and absorbing the impact like I’ve done a million times over. He may even be Brotherhood.

  But that doesn’t matter. All he’s about to be is dead. I step toward him.

  He whirls, his eyes blacked and beneath a ski mask. With a hard lunge, he swings his own knife at me, barely missing as I stumble back.

  I should've been able to slit his throat without a sound. Maybe I’m getting rusty in retirement.

  “Give me the girl, and you can live.” He circles me.

  I circle him right back. “That’s a fine offer.” I turn my wrist, making sure I’m loose enough for a knife fight. “But I have a better one. You die right here, right now, and I feed your corpse to the wolves.”

  “Wrong choice.” He darts toward me, his knife flashing as he reaches with his other hand.

  I spin away from his attack, then spin right back to knock the pistol from his hand. It disappears in a tuft of snow as he slices my arm with a deep cut.

  Pushing back, I almost go sprawling from the ice beneath the snow, but I keep my feet. Barely. He takes advantage, throwing his weight against me and swinging in a perfect arc for my throat.

  “Charles!” Clover screams.

  He looks up, the distraction perfectly time. With the little balance I have left, I thrust my knife forward and twist it hard. The warmth spilling onto my hand tells me I’ve struck true.

  The assassin staggers back, his gaze going to his midsection. He presses a hand to the wound, but it’s fatal. When he looks at me again, he knows it’s over.

  Two shots sound, and he flies back and lands in the snow, bullet holes through his forehead and his heart.

  “That’s my kill.” I turn and point at Diego as I wipe my bloodied hand on my pants. “And you know it.”

  He shrugs from his perch on the roof just above me. “His heart was beating until I put a hole through it. So my kill.”

  I glance up and see Aurora staring out the window, her hands to her face. She should look terrified. Instead, she beams at Diego like he’s a god.

  “Charles!” Clover runs from behind the tree and flings herself into my arms. I catch her. I always will.

  “You saved me.” I kiss her cold nose and warm lips, then pull back to look into her eyes. “I know you saw.”

  She swallows hard and nods.

  “This is who I am, pretty eyes. Who I’ve always been and on some level, who I’ll always be.” I hold my breath, waiting for her to reject me, to call me a monster, a killer.

  “You saved me. First on the road. Then with your love. And now with your knife.” She kisses me hard, a burst of passion in the middle of the bloodied snow. “I want you always, just the way you are.”

  I’m not a sentimental man. Never have been. But when she says those words to me, my eyes start to tingle, and I kiss her again before she notices what she’s done to me. Even so, she knows. I can tell from the way she clings to me, embraces me, and loves me. Forever. Just the way I am.

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  Also by MINK

  Under His Spell

  I live in a haunted house. Well, at least that’s what the bloggers and ghost hunters think. The legends about the house on Raven Ridge aren’t true. But when I find Sienna in a chat room and read her words of interest in my house, I take an interest. And once I learn more about her, I know I need to get her here by any means necessary. So, sure, I play into the “haunted” rumors.

  Once Sienna arrives, she’s even better than my imaginings. Smart, sweet, and utterly adorable—she’s tracking a ghost and won’t be denied. Good thing I can do my part in making the house seem haunted.

  Until strange things start happening. . . Sounds, feelings, and creepiness that grows by the day. I always thought the stories about the ghost of Raven Ridge were made up nonsense, but this October, I’m learning the past is alive, and I’m in a race against the clock to keep Sienna alive, too.

  Beauty Tempts the Beast

  Revenge is my life’s work. I’m an artist in the subject. And there’s one masterpiece I’ve had my eye on for quite some time. Helen. She seems innocent and sweet, but she comes from a family that left me scarred and broken. Taking her will be the pinnacle of my vengeance. So I do. But once I have her … I can’t seem to continue with my plan.

  This has never happened. I’ve killed without remorse, taken revenge again and again on any who wronged me. But when it comes to Helen, I can’t bear to see her so much as break a nail, which happens with frightening frequency given her adorable clumsiness. So I keep her. And I protect her. And before I know it … I love her.

  But her family isn’t the sort to let anything or anyone go. I’ll have to fight to keep her, but will my beauty decide to stay with her beast, or leave and break my heart?

  Loan Shark’s Obsession

  I know a priceless object when I see it. Always have. It’s a gift, or perhaps a curse. The moment I get a glimpse of Laura, I get the same feeling as when I see a stolen work of art from a master. It’s real. Authentic. And it makes everything inside me hunger to possess her. But Laura can’t be bought, and she’s turned me down every time I’ve approached her for nothing more than a date.

  Giving up isn’t an option, not when I’ve found a woman so rare, so I call in all of her brother’s loans. She’ll offer herself to save him, and I’m just the sort of man to take advantage. And I do. I take it all. But I also want to give her something I’ve never offered to anyone else. When she finds out who I really am, will she accept my heart or leave me empty handed?

  His Stolen Bride

  Santino

  I meet my new bride while her husband’s blood is still cooling on my hands. Bella, the Carrera daughter with the sharp tongue and the bright eyes. She thinks she’s nothing compared to her younger sister, but she’s wrong. Bella is everything, and I’m going to prove to her that I’m worthy to be her husband. Once I’ve exacted my vengeance on all who seek to take what I’ve fought and killed for, I’ll have my beauty on her back, panting my name, and thanking the Virgin I claimed her as mine.

  Bella

  My first husband found me plain and unappealing. But now he’s dead, and I have to look out for my sister as well as my own neck. But Santino isn’t the mafia king I expect. He’s ruthless, hard, and violent, but not to me. To me, he shows kindness, consideration, and above all, an attraction that I can’t explain. I want him, but my duty to my sister is always at the forefront of my mind. Falling for Santino wasn’t part of my plan, but his irresistible assault may be the only thing that can change me from a Carrera to a Baldoni, but at what cost?

  His Stolen Princess

  Apollonia

  I never wanted to come back here, never wanted to see any of these faces. Old friends and enemies—sometimes one-in-the-same. But I had to come. One last time. It’s hard enough as it is, but then I see him. The reason I’m here, the man who took my brother away from me. He may be the most powerful man in Italy, but right now, I don’t care. Right now, I want him to hurt the way I do.

  Cato

  She comes to a funeral with pain and beauty. Lashing out, she aims for me. I take her fury, her sorrow, and finally, her.
I can’t let her walk out of my life, not when I’ve found her again. The last time I saw her, she was a child and I wasn’t much more than one. This time, though, this time, I won’t let our bond break. I’ll do everything I can to convince her that her life is here with me, not on the run from a past she can’t escape. But I soon discover I’m not the only one with my sights on her, and old enemies never truly die.

  Stalking Her Sweetly

  Silas

  Am I stalking my neighbor Jamie? Yes. Is that necessarily a bad thing? Surely not. Look, I realize it sounds bad, okay? But I take care of Jamie's problems whenever they arise. Just look at her ex-boyfriend, for example. He was trouble. Now he's not around anymore. See? I solve problems. Whenever Jamie needs help, I'll be there for her. It's just who I am. Besides, if you aren't obsessed with the one you love, are you even in love?

  Jamie

  Someone is stalking me. I can't figure out who it is, but I know they're out there. And the worst part is, now they're after my sweet neighbor Silas. I've accidentally dragged him into my dark web of true crime and sleuthing, and now he's in danger. It's a good thing I can keep him close. And not because of his gorgeous eyes and hard body. No, it's because I want to keep him alive. After all, I have a stalker, and I can't let Silas be their next victim.

  Hitman’s Heart

  I’m good at my job. Taking people out doesn’t give me any heartburn, especially when it means my bank account grows fatter after each assignment. So what if I drink away the days between missions, and maybe I try to forget all the things I’ve done—I’m not soft. Not for anyone. . . Except her. Margaret. My little ray of sunshine, the only bright spot in this world of darkness. She’s the only thing I have to look forward to, and when she’s threatened, I can’t sit idly by. Not even when I’m ordered to take her life or lose my own. I’ll keep her hidden and safe, but how will I protect her from myself?

  His Secret Treasure

  Gaines Braeburn stole my box. He’s a no-good treasure hunter, and I will reclaim what’s mine. First, I have to attend a gala to get his attention. Then, when I do, it’ll be simple enough to seduce him… Nevermind that I’ve never done it before. I’m sure I can wing it. Then, once I have him in a heated stupor, I will retrieve my destiny and disappear. He’ll never know what hit him. Everything is going according to plan until I fall. Until he catches me. Until he starts to charm me. Maybe I’m not the one doing the seducing after all, because the closer I get to Gaines, the more I forget about why I’m here in the first place. But my claim won’t be denied, and if it’s a choice between my destiny and the man I’m falling for—what do I do?

  My Hero’s Secret Baby

  Lane

  It’s not in my nature to save people, especially when there’s no advantage in it for me. But that changes the moment I see her, my sweetness, being attacked. For once in my life, I step in. Saving her was the best decision I’ve ever made, and I soon realize fate drew me to the right place and the right time to meet Pepper. She’s too innocent for a man like me, but I can’t let her go. And I don’t. I dote on her and love her. Until she’s taken from me. Her life snuffed out by my enemies. Now, I live to make them pay, and I won’t stop until everyone who had a hand in Pepper’s death is bleeding at my feet.

  Pepper

  Lane saved me. This man with the intense eyes and powerful way about him. He’s my hero, and I can’t believe I’m falling in love. Everything’s perfect until I stray too far one night and find out exactly what sort of man won my heart. Cruelty and violence—he’s capable of both, though I know in my heart he’d never harm me. Even so, when I see the chance to escape, I take it. But I’m not alone when I leave him, and my heart is forever drawn back to him, to the man who loves me fully and without reservation. Though he may be a nightmare for those who cross him, he’ll always be my hero.

  His Tiger Queen

  I’m a princess in a tower. Well, sort of. I live on an estate with high walls and plentiful guards. My father is an important man, though I’ve never learned why. But I have learned to obey him or suffer the consequences. Even so, I have a life I understand and can bear as long as my tiger is here with me. She’s my best friend, my only friend. At least, she was until I met the strange man through the garden wall. Ronan. He isn’t afraid of my father. Isn’t afraid of my tiger. And the more we talk, the less afraid I am of him. I begin to hope he’s the prince who can save me from this tower … Until I learn I’m betrothed to another. But if there’s anything at all I’ve learned about Ronan, it’s that he doesn’t give up easily. But will I be able to escape my father’s plans or end up married to another man after all?

  His Virgin Heiress

  Sometimes I have sticky fingers. Funny how pricey things tend to get glued to them. An item here, a handful of diamonds there. I take them, and then I keep them. Like a dragon with her hoard that no man can touch. Except … that isn’t completely true. One man can. My captor, my jailor, the one person who I can’t stop fantasizing about even though he keeps me locked away. He took everything from me. So, I’m taking it back from him piece by piece. But when he reveals the twisted path to my freedom, will I walk down it alone or accept that my obsession isn’t wealth at all, it’s him?

  Cuffed Love

  Sheriff Chrissy Darling

  There’s a new sheriff in town. Okay, yeah. It’s me. I never intended to become the chief law enforcement officer for the small town of Newberry, but here I am with a badge and a job. I also have a few deputies and some small-town troubles, but nothing I can’t handle. At least that was the case until a tall, handsome, be-suited man shows up and things begin to fall apart. Stolen chickens, broken glass, and retired mercenaries are just a few of the problems Declan Smith’s brought with him. But the biggest problem of all? My attraction to him, the man who’s the number one suspect in all the strange goings on in my town.

  Declan Smith

  I’ve come to Newberry to do my job, and I’m damn good at it. Disrupting governments and multi-billion dollar corporations has long been my specialty, but I decided to take a job in a tiny town for a little slice of the quiet life. I assumed the local sheriff wouldn’t care for me, but when I get a look at Chrissy Darling, I realize that taking this small job will have huge consequences. Not only is she on my case, she’s on my mind. Constantly. But when she realizes I’m the root of all her town’s troubles, will she send me packing or cuff me to her for life?

  Stuffed

  Kent

  She set me up. This cute little woman with the big eyes and the sweet words framed me. Now I’m serving a jail sentence thanks to her tricks. But I’m no fool. Layla is clearly a highly trained operator who decided to take me out of the equation. My contract to eliminate Graham Tucker—owner of the Fill-A-Friend stuffed animal chain—hangs by a thread, and I have to get this kill before Layla steals it out from under me. The day I’m released is the day I’ll take my vengeance on that cunning assassin with the innocent eyes. And then I’ll take out Graham Tucker and close my contract with the Brotherhood.

  Layla

  Pandacorns are my bestsellers. Seriously. I can make a pandacorn, post it on Etsy, and it’s gone within an hour. Working at Fill-A-Friend pays the bills so I can work on my real passion—one-of-a-kind stuffies that have my own personal flair. But Fill-A-Friend can be demanding and sometimes intense, especially since I’m accident prone (one time I left the cotton stuffing machine on. Whoops.) Or like that time when I got rid of a bunch of ugly stuffed dogs and some random guy stole them and went to jail over it. Yikes. Anyway, things are going okay until Kent shows up in my life. And then they get so much better. He’s kind, caring, and supportive of my stuffie-making. The only issue is that he says weird stuff about “our line of work” when we don’t even do the same thing, but he’s handsome and amazing, so I don’t mind. In fact, I think I’m falling for him.

  My stuffie business and my personal life are headed in the right direction . . . Until Mr. Tucker comes to inspect the store an
d things go terribly, horribly wrong.

  His Sweetest Sin

  God has led me to a life of service. I never thought being a priest would be a career path for me, but here I am giving Mass and leading a flock toward salvation. My way is clear until a red-headed distraction begins to visit my services. Eyes wide and giving off innocence like a burst of effervescence, Lily is a temptation that I must overcome. But the more trust she gives me, the more confessions she reveals, I soon realize that the Lord brought her to me. I’m the only one who can ease the deep ache inside her and lead her into the light.

  When I see Father Niall standing on the steps of his church, his open smile and welcoming arms are just what I need. Even though I’m not a Catholic, I attend his services and soak in the sound of his voice, the warmth in his eyes. I don’t think he notices me. Until one day, he does. And then I confess to him about the ache I feel every time I see him. Father Niall is merciful and helps me in every way I ask. But when he learns who I really am, his own dangerous past comes to light. Father Niall isn’t what he seems … but then again, neither am I.

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  Locking Her Down