Shadow of Doubt From the series: SBG #2 by P.A. DePaul
(Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads)Publication Date: April 21st 2015
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The new SBG novel from the author of Exchange of Fire.
When her secretly filmed tryst shows up on the internet, Michelle Alger goes on the run. She has no choice. Not only was her one-night stand the son of a US senator, but he’s been murdered—and she’s the number one suspect. With both the senator and an avenging drug lord on her trail, her life is in danger. There’s only man she can trust. He saved her once, but will he still be her hero six years later?
Captain Jeremy Malone and the rest of Delta Squad have the senator’s order: find the mystery woman who killed my son. But to Jeremy, she’s no mystery. Six years ago his team of Green Berets rescued her from the torturous clutches of a Colombian cartel, and he’s never forgotten her. His personal and covert mission: find Michelle before anyone else. When he and Michelle do meet again, the sparks are explosive and consuming. They’re also dangerous as hell.
Because with each new bit of evidence, Jeremy suspects that Michelle’s innocence may be a ruse—a beautiful trap set by a woman who has even more secrets yet to bare.
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Cappy could only murmur, “It’s okay,” over and over into the crown of her head. He shifted to relieve his crushed balls and sent up a small prayer for guidance.
He hated feeling so helpless.
He had seen good men, good soldiers, struggle with the horrors they faced in war. Whether the violence was by their own hands or what they watched their buddy go through didn’t seem to matter. They were crippled just the same. To witness this exquisite creature’s terror as she fought to stay out of Raul’s phantom hands left him feeling inadequate and guilty. He should have known about her capture sooner. Should have been able to save her from that hell.
Images of her tortured body rose in his mind. Christ, what those men had done to her. Rage curled in his gut as he gently stroked her arm. He wished he could kill them all over again and not just for what they subjected her to, but for the men he had lost that day. Friends who didn’t deserve to have their lives cut short because he had lost focus and allowed his emotions to lead.
Fewer tears soaked into his shirt and a soft snore filled his ears. He gently transferred her to the couch, replacing his arm with an ugly beige pillow.
After crossing the room, he motioned for Talon to lift the paper towels. His teammate tipped his head back and removed the wad. Bruising across the bridge of his nose had already started blossoming spectacularly. “You’re going to have a hell of a shiner just in time to replace the one that just healed.” Cappy peered closer. “You need to get that looked at.”
“I’ve had a broken nose before.” Talon pivoted and entered the kitchen. “This doesn’t feel like that. Any ice ready in the freezer?”
Cappy opened the appliance’s door but it was empty. A stack of plastic trays sat neatly on top of the refrigerator, waiting to be filled. “Nope. Go see a doctor anyway just to be safe. Call me when you’re released. I’ll give you the list of supplies we need from the store.” Cappy stepped out of the kitchen and glanced toward the couch. Michelle still slept in the same position he’d placed her in. Good. He motioned for Talon to follow him through the dining room and out the sliding glass door.
Once Talon crossed over the threshold, Cappy closed the door and angled his body so he could watch over Michelle.
Talon flicked a glance down Cappy’s sight line and snorted, then winced at the action. “You better get your head out of your dick and wake up.”
Cappy jerked at the attack and straightened to his full height. “Excuse me?”
“That girl murdered Colin Harris and you’re in there stroking her like a damn puppy.”
“We don’t know that for sure.” Even to his ears he sounded defensive. Shit.
“Spoken like a guy wanting to get laid.”
“Hey,” Cappy snapped. “I’m still your CO”
“Then act like a commanding officer,” Talon retorted, not getting the message to back down. “Find out what happened.”
Cappy gripped his hips to keep from encircling Talon’s throat. “What do you think I’m doing?”
Talon tried to snort again. “I don’t know, clearing the house so you can screw her.”
“Get real,” Cappy retorted. “She doesn’t really want me, just what I represent.”
“She’s suffering from hero worship and you have a rescue complex when it comes to her. You’re both screwed up but that still doesn’t mean you can’t fuck her.”
Cappy moved into Talon’s space and forced his clenched fists to stay at his sides. “Get out of my face and to the hospital before I break something for real. Capisce? Call me when you’re done. I’ll have a list for you by then.”
“Check, sir.”
Talon strode around Cappy, grazing his shoulder as he passed. It wasn’t a full-out challenge but a message. Cappy watched him disappear around the corner. If that man didn’t straighten up soon, he might just have to send a message of his own—one with no hint of subtlety.
He gazed up at the blazing pink and orange clouds as the sun disappeared from the sky. The taste of what her therapy sessions must have been like as she battled the PTSD soured in his mouth. Shit.
How could he have been so callous all these years and not even tried to find her, to check up on her even if it was from a distance? You know why, his mind answered, zeroing in on the instant connection he had felt the second he broke into that room. He wouldn’t’ve been able to keep himself on the perimeter. The temptation to touch her, talk to her, be with her would’ve been too much.
SBG operatives were not allowed to have personal lives.
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