[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Far away from all the action she so craves, Claudia is more determined than ever to prove herself in her first major investigation at whatever cost — and those costs are proving to be dangerously high.Their battle of wills turns quickly into a powerful need for one other, that makes them both rethink everything they ever wanted.Will Trey be able to keep her alive long enough to give them an opportunity at something real together — a future that can survive the danger in their present, as well as the darkness of his past?And don't miss out on the Bonus Companion Novella toA Steel Town —SHANGHAI WIND(Anticipated Release: February 2015)Now, an Excerpt from A Steel Town:Claudia's boots crunched over a smattering of dried leaves and gravel.The sound was almost thunderous against the silent backdrop of the abandoned steel mill site to which her very first tip had led her, forcing her to pause briefly, as the echoing noise dissipated.The delay was also helpful in allowing her racing heart to slow, if only a small amount.Shadows overtook the many nooks and crevices of this metallic wasteland, as the ribbons of violet and dusky orange, which had been streaking above the length of the Ohio River, were rapidly surrendering to the much more inky and dark shades of twilight.With a shaky breath, she took out her phone to look at the satellite map images she'd collected before leaving her apartment.Claudia relied on the glow from her phone and made a quick left turn between two small buildings.They appeared to have once been designated for storage, but after years of neglect, the decrepit metal structures had become merely broken-down artifacts of a way of life long since departed from her new home of Pittsburgh.It had been decades since generations of workers reported there every day to craft the metal that formed the backbone of this city's development.Now its only visitors appeared to be graffiti artists, and perhaps the occasional drunk hoping to find a peaceful spot for his escape.The entire scene was lonesome and anachronistic in a way that made her even more uncomfortable with the task she'd put upon herself.It also seemed like a damn fine place to get tetanus, so Claudia was treading carefully.She put her phone away and zipped up her light leather jacket with slightly quivering fingers.The nighttime autumn air was crisp, seeping through her thin top, chilling her blood.It seemed to be so much colder down there by the river, the rusted out hulls of dozens of aluminum buildings creating a whistling wind tunnel that buffeted her small body with merciless cutting gusts.This collapsing metal ghost town seemed a world away from the sparkling high rises of downtown Pittsburgh, and the tree lined brick streets of its historic neighborhoods.The beauty and quaintness of it all didn't make her frustration at her life being derailed by her brother any less suffocating.Yet, this evening jaunt was certainly making her appreciate the city's prettier face.Calm down, she chastised herself.I'm the one that wanted to be tough and act like a real agent.That means I need to suck it up, find the box the tipster told me about, and then I'm out of here.Her private pep talk seemed to work, steeling her nerves to keep walking with more confidence.With another sure-footed step, she turned sharply to maneuver between two more buildings.Her feet, and her pulse, stopped short when a shadow flashed across the corner of her vision.At first, she could almost convince herself it was just her imagination, but she whipped her head around and saw a form ducking behind a corner.She caught enough of the view to see it was a man, tall and broad-shouldered beneath his hooded sweatshirt.Claudia made sure her Glock was quickly accessible but she wanted to do all she could to avoid using it.This unwelcome visitor could be a danger, or the person behind her tip, or both.Seeing as she wasn't even supposed to be there, discharging her FBI-issued weapon was not a good idea.She took advantage of her petite frame and maneuvered forward delicately, venturing toward a more open area of the mill.When the light was bright enough, she caught his shadow move more closely behind her.Perfect.With one quick motion, Claudia spun around with a roundhouse kick to his stomach [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]