Unexpected Father

Unexpected Father
Delores Fossen

Tough-as-nails cop Jason Lawrence hadn't planned on parenthood.But after his brother's death, he'd raised his baby niece, Megan, becoming her father in every way that mattered. And there was no way that he was giving her up - even to the biological mother Megan had never known. Jason knew he should be trying to keep Lilly Nelson at arm's length.After all, she had the power to break up his happy home. But someone wanted Lilly dead, and everything about her - her strong spirit and fragile beauty - aroused Jason's most protective instincts. But what was he willing to risk to keep Lilly safe?

Clutching her daughter’s picture, Lilly drifted off to sleep.

She dreamed of walking, her hand gently holding her daughter’s. Of hope. Of a future Lilly hadn’t even known that she wanted until she’d seen the photo of Megan. Her baby’s smile. Her eyes.

Then the dream changed.

It became dark, and Lilly felt pressure on her face and chest. Painful, punishing compression that made her feel as if her ribs were ready to implode.

She fought the dream, shoved at the pressure with her hands and forced herself to wake up.

Her eyes flew open.

The darkness stayed. So did the suffocating sensation.

It was unbearable. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move.

It took a moment to understand why. The darkness and the pressure weren’t remnants of the dream. They were real. Because someone was shoving a pillow against her face. Suffocating her.

Someone wanted her dead.

Unexpected Father

Delores Fossen

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Imagine a family tree that includes Texas cowboys, Choctaw and Cherokee Indians, a Louisiana pirate and a Scottish rebel who battled side by side with William Wallace. With ancestors like that, it’s easy to understand why Texas author and former air force captain Delores Fossen feels as if she was genetically predisposed to writing romances. Along the way to fulfilling her DNA destiny, Delores married a U.S. Air Force Top Gun who just happens to be of Viking descent. With all those romantic bases covered, she doesn’t have to look too far for inspiration.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Lilly Nelson—She wakes up from a coma to learn she’s given birth to a daughter, Megan, and that the unidentified person who tried to kill her still wants her dead. In order to protect her child, Lilly will have to depend on Megan’s guardian…the very man she can’t have, despite what her heart is telling her.

Detective Jason Lawrence—This tough-as-nails cop finds himself the unexpected father of his late brother’s baby, Megan. Now, protecting Megan and Lilly from an unknown assailant could cost him everything, including his heart and his life.

Megan Nelson—She’s still two weeks away from her first birthday and has no idea of the danger she’s in. Megan only knows that she loves Jason and he’s the only daddy she’s ever known.

Wayne Sandling—A prominent, ruthless attorney who detests Lilly because of evidence she turned over to the police that got him disbarred.

Raymond Klein—Wayne Sandling’s business associate whose career was also ruined with the evidence Lilly provided to the police. Is he willing to murder Lilly out of revenge?

Corinne Davies—Lilly’s former secretary. On the surface Corinne seems helpful and supportive, but could she be covering her tracks to keep old secrets buried?

Erica Fontaine—She’s been Megan’s nanny since the day the child was born, and isn’t happy to hand Megan over to Lilly.

Contents

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 One

St. Joseph’s Convalescent Hospital

San Antonio, Texas

“Lilly came out of the coma.” Dr. Staten’s voice was clinical. Void of emotion or any speculation as to the impact of the bombshell that he’d just delivered.

Detective Jason Lawrence’s reaction, however, wasn’t quite so serene or detached.

There was emotion. Plenty of it. And speculation? That, too. A really bad kind of speculation that knotted his stomach and tightened every muscle in his body.

Oh, man.