Black Canyon Conspiracy

Black Canyon Conspiracy
Cindi Myers

He'd rescued a beautiful hostage, now he needed to keep her aliveFormer Special Forces soldier Marco Cruz has no time for messy emotions. But the beautiful TV reporter he saved from a hostage ordeal now faces graver danger. Someone wants Lauren Starling dead–and the sinfully handsome Ranger wants to be the one to protect her.Teaming up to find a killer and bring Lauren's kidnapper to justice, Marco and Lauren go on the run–outside the law–in a harrowing race for their lives. Before long, Marco begins to have unfamiliar feelings for Lauren–admiration, sympathy…and a powerful lust. He knows what's going on between them is unprofessional. But also undeniable.

“Get some rest. You want to be alert when we make a break for it tonight.”

“Will you rest, too?” she asked.

“I’ll keep watch,” he said. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

He buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply of her floral-and-spice scent. She made him feel more vulnerable than he ever had, yet at the same time stronger. A man who had spent his life avoiding complications, he welcomed the challenges she brought. She made him think what the future might look like with her in it.

She stirred, and he pushed away his musings. She opened her eyes, then smiled. “Does this mean the wonderful dream I was having is real?” she asked.

“What was the dream?”

Her smile widened. “It involved a big feather bed and you and me—naked.”

He indulged himself with a kiss, fighting the urge to take her there on the hard ground. “We’ll have to see about making that dream come true later.”

Black Canyon Conspiracy

Cindi Myers

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

CINDI MYERS is an author of more than fifty novels. When she’s not crafting new romance plots, she enjoys skiing, gardening, cooking, crafting and daydreaming. A lover of small-town life, she lives with her husband and two spoiled dogs in the Colorado mountains.

For the Western Slope Writers of RMFW

Contents

Cover (#ud48594ed-0022-542d-8894-c269227d54b2)

Introduction (#u4e241786-cb51-593f-8afb-91b920ef6260)

Title Page (#u4291eb0f-5fe9-5a7d-8844-01c2b8dc8fce)

About the Author (#uf4e0afa4-6027-56a4-b1d4-991951648f49)

Dedication (#ua921d486-c9d7-5799-b112-7b1daea06065)

Chapter One (#u453e408c-6e5f-5270-8e7e-513b59bf129f)

Chapter Two (#u4fa8286f-5d3f-5ba0-b0bd-8d39caa65c11)

Chapter Three (#uaee5c01e-e756-5835-8078-80df44f4ed63)

Chapter Four (#uf809b221-9cf8-5df1-98ee-5bcdabc9d57c)

Chapter Five (#u1dfdbde0-9d9b-57db-a6ee-4c0eb3a72a87)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One (#ulink_87060bc2-3d5c-5545-9074-2d2d40725e96)

The sound of the explosion reverberated through the underground tunnels. Lauren tried to run, terrified the rocks would collapse around her, but her legs felt as if they were mired in sand. She fought to see in the murky darkness, choking on rising dust, her ears ringing from the aftershock. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound emerged.

A strong hand grabbed hers, pulling her toward the light. Gunshots sounded behind them, even as rock chips flew from the wall beside her head, the fragments stinging her skin. The man with her pulled her in front of him, shielding her with his body. “Go!” he commanded, and shoved her harder. “Run!”

She ran, dodging piles of rubble and fresh cascades of rock. The dim light ahead began to grow brighter. Footsteps pounded behind her and she started to scream again, but it was only the man, his embrace warm and reassuring. “It’s going to be all right,” he said. “You’re strong. You can make it.”

He sounded so certain that, despite all the evidence to the contrary, she believed him.

Another tremor shook the cavern, and larger boulders crashed around them. One struck her shoulder, knocking her to her knees. The man pulled her up, into his arms, and kept running, dodging the falling rock, taking the blows and moving on, always forward, toward freedom.

The cool night air washing over her brought tears to her eyes. She stared at the blurred stars overhead and choked back a sob. The first stars she’d seen in weeks. A taste of freedom she’d feared she might never know again.

“Can you walk?” the man asked, setting her on her feet, but keeping his arm firmly around her, supporting her.

She nodded. “I can.”