He’s ruthless. She’s off-limits. But he’s just met his one weakness… Now nothing will stop him from making her his.

Pierce “One-Mile” Walker has always kept his heart under wraps and his head behind his sniper’s scope. Nothing about buttoned-up Brea Bell should appeal to him. But after a single glance at the pretty preacher’s daughter, he doesn’t care that his past is less than shiny, that he gets paid to end lives…or that she’s his teammate’s woman. He’ll do whatever it takes to steal her heart.

Brea has always been a dutiful daughter and a good girl…until she meets the dangerous warrior. He’s everything she shouldn’t want, especially after her best friend introduces her to his fellow operative as his girlfriend—to protect her from Pierce. But he’s a forbidden temptation she’s finding impossible to resist.

Then fate strikes, forcing Brea to beg Pierce to help solve a crisis. But his skills come at a price. When her innocent flirtations run headlong into his obsession, they cross the line into a passion so fiery she can’t say no. Soon, his past rears its head and a vendetta calls his name in a mission gone horribly wrong. Will he survive to fight his way back to the woman who claimed his soul?

Series:

Wicked & Devoted

Book 1

Book Type:

Contemporary Romance

Exclusive Excerpt: Wicked As Sin

When she pulled the front door open, Brea found a mountain of a man standing on the other side. He towered over her, his shoulders taking up most of the portal. Beefy, inked arms crossed over a midnight-blue shirt, stretched tightly across his imposing chest. He had shorn dark hair, an even closer cropped beard, black eyes that saw inside her soul in an instant, and a scowl that told her she’d better not mess with him. He looked like the devil. He smelled like sex and sin.

Her heart lurched, and she utterly lost her ability to think. “Hi.”

“Hey.”

His eyes didn’t leave her face, but she had the distinct impression he’d already taken in every inch of her from head to toe. Brea couldn’t repress her shudder.

He glanced beyond her shoulder, out the big window in the family room, which overlooked the backyard. “I’m here for the EM party. This Hunter Edgington’s place?”

“Yes.” She stepped back to let him in since she couldn’t seem to find more words.

He shut the door behind him and stared down at her. “You got a name?”

She inched back…though some forbidden urge prompted her to scoot closer. “B-Brea.”

“Yeah?” He stepped into her personal space, following her until she backed into a wall and blinked up at him. “That’s a pretty name.”

“Thank you,” she said automatically. “I like your…” Everything. Each part of him was put together so perfectly, he made her heart beat like a mad, fluttery thing and her stomach tighten.

“My what?” A corner of his lips lifted into something she could almost call a grin.

“Shirt,” she improvised.

Oh, could she sound any more ridiculous?

“Yeah?” Amusement laced his voice.

“It’s, um…a nice shade of blue.”

He smiled, blindsiding her with the transformation of his face from desolate to dazzling.

“Good to know. I like your…” He scanned her up and down, his fathomless eyes traversing her slowly. “Dress. The lace is pretty, like you. Except…”

When he reached for her, one finger of his massive hand outstretched, her thoughts raced wildly. Would he touch her? Kiss her? Undress her? The way his eyes darkened told her all that—and more—had already crossed his mind.

Her heart thudded madly. “Except?”

He didn’t answer with words, simply settled his fingers on her collarbone. The instant he touched her, their connection reverberated through her entire body, shuddering clear down to her toes. He glided one rough finger tip across her skin. Tingles and goosebumps erupted. She reeled as he slid his digit under the thin strip of white lace draped over her shoulder and gave it a gentle tug.

Brea’s eyes slid shut. She didn’t know what he was doing to her or why, but if he wanted anything from her—anything at all—her answer was yes.

Then suddenly, his touch was gone. “Your strap was twisted.”

He wasn’t making a pass? No. But some forbidden part of her desperately wanted him to.

Embarrassed as all get-out, she sent him what she hoped was a blankly polite smile. “Thank you.”

She expected him to release her then. Instead, he curled his fingers behind her shoulder and cupped it, drawing her closer. She could happily lose herself in his eyes. She ached to. Everything about him made her aware that he was a man…and that she’d never known the touch of one.

“You’re a little thing.”

“You’re huge,” she blurted, then blushed.

“You think?” He sent her a smug grin. “Or have you looked?”

Another rush of heat climbed to her cheeks. Did he mean what she thought? “Um, dinner just started, if you’re hungry…”

“I am. But food can wait.” His big, rough knuckles skimmed her cheek before he tucked a stray curl behind her ear, making her tremble. She barely managed to resist closing her eyes in pleasure. “Are you a friend of Kata’s or Tara’s?”

“Neither.”

He paused. “Are you dating one of the other guys?”

“I…” She wasn’t sure how to explain her relationship with Cutter.

“Brea!” She turned to find her best friend at the back door, his snarl warning the other man away. “Come here. Now, honey.”

She jumped at the demand in his voice. He would never be so insistent…unless something was wrong. “O-okay.” She faced the big, dark stranger again. “Excuse me.”

For a second, he looked as if he might object. Something in her wanted him to, but he merely stepped back, his jaw set in a hard line.

Brea edged away. As soon as she reached Cutter’s side, her breathing eased. Her nerves bled away. And when he curled a protective arm around her, she felt safe and sheltered. But he didn’t make her feel alive—not like the other man.

“Are you all right?”

Why was Cutter acting as if the newcomer might unleash terrible savagery on her in the foyer? “Of course.”

He acknowledged her with an impatient nod. “Time to eat. Why don’t you head on outside? I’ll meet you at the buffet table.”

And leave so he could berate the man for doing nothing but staring a little more than was truly polite and straightening her strap?

She shook her head. “I’d rather not go alone.”

While Cutter weighed her words, Brea felt the stranger’s stare all over her. She risked a glance his way. Sure enough, he hadn’t peeled his eyes off her. He seemed especially fixated on Cutter’s arm around her middle.

“Please. I’m famished.” She added a pleading note Cutter had never been able to resist.

“In a minute. Before I go, I’m going to say something you won’t like, Bre-bee. If you’d rather not hear, don’t listen or leave.”

She thought of chastising him, but she knew Cutter too well. He intended to have words with this stranger. He wouldn’t budge an inch until he did.

She let loose an impatient sigh. “Go on.”

He turned to the other man with a killing glare. “Keep the fuck away from her, Walker.”

Pierce Walker, the teammate Cutter had claimed was no good?

“Why?” the stranger challenged.

“She’s mine.”

Brea’s eyes widened. Cutter had not just made her sound like his girlfriend.

Oh, but he had…

Pierce’s eyes narrowed but he said nothing.

“Are we clear?” Cutter demanded.

The other man just rolled his dark eyes in contempt. “You want me to fuck the fuck off. Whatever…”

Before Brea could object that their language was horrible and that she didn’t belong to anyone, Cutter swept her out the back door, to the waiting feast. She glanced back. The dark stranger was still staring, black eyes hot. Instantly, she knew he’d felt the spine-tingling awareness between them, too.

She didn’t know Pierce Walker at all, but one thing she felt sure of? He intended to come after her.