Guarding Jane Doe. Harper Allen

      “From now on, I don’t let you out of my sight, lady.”

      Quinn stared at her. “And if I think you’ve finally told me the truth I’ll go to the wall for you.”

      There was no mistaking the unwavering conviction in Quinn McGuire’s words.

      “Why?” Jane whispered. “Why would you do that for me?”

      “Because that’s what having a bodyguard means, up to and including dying for you, if that’s what it takes. But you have to be straight with me. What is it you’re hiding?”

      Jane gazed at the impassively silent man in front of her.

      He’d just said he’d die for her. Even though she couldn’t remember her past life, she knew no one had ever made such a vow to her before. And all he asked in return was her trust. She shook her head, her expression tortured. Would Quinn still go to the wall for her, when he learned her most closely guarded secret?

      Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

      Welcome again to another action-packed month of exceptional romantic suspense. We are especially pleased to bring you the first of a trilogy of new books from Rebecca York’s 43 LIGHT STREET series. You’ve loved this author and her stories for years…and—you ain’t seen nothin’ yet! The MINE TO KEEP stories kick off this month with The Man from Texas. Danger lurks around every corner for these heroes and heroines, but there’s no threat too great when you have the one you love by your side.

      The EDEN’S CHILDREN miniseries by Amanda Stevens continues with The Tempted. A frantic mother will fight the devil himself to find her little girl, but she’ll have to face a more formidable foe first—the child’s secret father.

      Adrianne Lee contributes a terrific twin tale to the DOUBLE EXPOSURE promotion. Look for His Only Desire and see what happens when a stalker sees double!

      Finally, Harper Allen takes you on a journey of the heart in her powerful two-book miniseries, THE AVENGERS. Guarding Jane Doe is a profound story about a soldier for hire and a woman in desperate need of his services. What they find together is everlasting love the likes of which is rarely—if ever—seen.

      So join us once again for a fantastic reading experience.

      Enjoy!

      Sincerely,

      Denise O’Sullivan

      Associate Senior Editor

      Harlequin Intrigue

      Guarding Jane Doe

      Harper Allen

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Harper Allen lives in the country in the middle of a hundred acres of maple trees with her husband, Wayne, six cats, four dogs—and a very nervous cockatiel at the bottom of the food chain. For excitement she and Wayne drive to the nearest village and buy jumbo bags of pet food. She believes in love at first sight because it happened to her.

      Books by Harper Allen

      HARLEQUIN INTRIGUE

      468—THE MAN THAT GOT AWAY

      547—TWICE TEMPTED

      599—WOMAN MOST WANTED

      628—GUARDING JANE DOE

      CAST OF CHARACTERS

      Jane Smith—Even if a bodyguard can protect her from a murderer, she fears that no one can save her from her shadowy past.

      Quinn McGuire—Soldier for hire and sometime bodyguard, he’s haunted by the ghosts of his past.

      Carla Kozlikov and Gary Crowe—Jane’s neighbors—has their friendship with her put them in danger?

      Terry Sullivan—He knows Quinn better than anyone—and he’s powerless to help him.

      Donny Fitzgerald—The police detective was once Quinn’s friend, but he can’t allow that to interfere with his investigation.

      Jennifer Tarranova—Fitzgerald’s partner, she’s almost sure she’s met Jane before…under very different circumstances.

      Sister Bertille—The nun saved Quinn’s life once—and it’s time she called in his debt to her.

      To Brian Henry.

      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

       Epilogue

      Prologue

      If he hadn’t received the letter from the dead woman that day, Quinn McGuire would never have heard of Jane Smith. He’d been about to leave his apartment to make a secure phone call from the pizza joint down the street, and if the man he’d been planning to call had mentioned the right figure, Quinn would have been catching a night flight out of Boston and the country within hours. But just as he’d shrugged into his ancient leather jacket a hesitant knock sounded at his door and a quavery old voice called out his name.

      “Mr. McGuire? It’s Agnes Lavery from downstairs. I’ve got some mail for you.”

      Quinn knew he hadn’t left anything incriminating lying about—he never did. But even as he unlocked the apartment door and slid back the heavy-duty dead bolts he’d installed himself when he’d moved in here several years ago, he scanned the room behind him with the caution that was second nature to him.

      There were a few reasons why he’d stayed alive for thirty-one years, he thought wryly as he noted the innocuous china mug on the kitchen counter and the half-folded morning paper littering the surface of the table against the wall. They were simple reasons, and easy to remember.

      Don’t