The Marine's Last Defence. Angi Morgan

       “Strip.”

      “I beg your pardon?” Her shock erupted as a nervous laugh.

      The same cute sound, from early that morning, that had been so damn attractive. Stow it, Marine. One more time, he debated sharing why it was important to wait on the supplies he needed. He’d be prepared this time.

      “I’ll wash your clothes while you shower. How did you think we were going to clean up?”

      “I … That can’t possibly be a good idea—what if they come here and I’m—”

      “Soapy?” He laughed, unable to stop himself. The look on her face was priceless. “We weren’t followed. Promise. If you’re worried about getting on the road, you should probably get moving.”

      She stood and Dallas jumped off the couch to follow. Bree picked her up and Jake held out his hands to take her.

      “The paramedics warned me about an infection.” He pointed to his bullet graze. “Do it for me. After all, I did save your life.”

      The Marine’s

      Last Defence

      Angi Morgan

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      ANGI MORGAN writes Mills & Boon^® Intrigue novels “where honor and danger collide with love.” She combines actual Texas settings with characters who are in realistic and dangerous situations. Angi has been a finalist for the Bookseller’s Best Award, RT Book Reviews Best First Series, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and the Daphne du Maurier Award.

      Angi and her husband live in North Texas, with only the four-legged “kids” left in the house to interrupt her writing. They recently began volunteering for a local Labrador foster program. Visit her website, www.angimorgan.com, or hang out with her on Facebook.

      Dallas and Valentine—two sweet puppies who gave love every minute they were here. THANKS, Steve,

      for your quick responses to my many questions and your many years of service as a police officer. AND THANKS, Jen—we both know this book wouldn’t have happened without you.

      Contents

       Prologue

       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

       Chapter Twenty-Four

       Chapter Twenty-Five

       Excerpt

      Prologue

      Six Months Ago

      “Keep the girl alive. I’m telling you it would be less complicated,” Griffin Tyler said. “More money for us, too.”

      “You don’t tell us nothin’, Tyler.”

      Sabrina Watkins flattened herself to the hall paneling. They wanted to kill her? She’d been three years behind Griffin in high school, been in youth group with this man who had become her business partner. And recently she’d thought of him as a very close friend. Their mothers even still went to the same church every Sunday morning.

      “She has too many friends,” the unknown voice continued. “Too many that will believe her when she claims she’s innocent. If we leave her alive to chat ’em up, everybody gets sympathetic. It’s better to kill her. Make it look like a suicide and then evidence comes out proving how guilty she is. We lose a little money framing her, but overall the operation survives. You set up shop somewhere else. Insurance, no one’s the wiser.”

      She didn’t know the second voice. Average tone, not deep or high. She didn’t think he’d ever boarded a pet with her. She’d only seen the back of the man’s head as she’d rounded the corner from the offices into the clinic. She had no description for the police and didn’t even know his hair color since he was wearing a ball cap.

      “Whatever,” Griffin said, not trying hard to sway his partner. “Suicide works. She’s surrounded herself with the business for the past two years. Everything she has is tied up in it. When it goes up in flames, our hometown will think she was too depressed to start over.” He put his hands on his hips, a gesture she’d seen a thousand times when he was ready to move on from a subject. “When will you do it?”

      Oh, my Lord, they really are going to kill me, she thought, panicking. Why? What did I do?

      “Listen, Tyler, you’re the one who screwed up. Too many fingers in the pie. You should never have involved the local cop who’s getting greedy. The higher-ups want them both gone, along with all traces of the connection to us. You’re damn lucky they don’t want you gone.”

      Who have you gotten involved with, Griffin?

      Sabrina’s heart pounded faster than Tweetiepie, the miniature Chihuahua she’d groomed at the truck stop that afternoon. Her hands shook even while she was plastered against