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Run the Risk
Lori Foster
Nothing can shake a cop from pursuing justice—except a beautiful witness marked for death—in New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster’s sexy new series….When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend’s unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her….Pepper has spent the last five years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new “construction worker” who’s moved in next door.The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer's crosshairs? “Steamy, edgy and taut.”
Nothing can shake a cop from pursuing justice—except a beautiful witness marked for death, in New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster’s sexy new series…
When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend’s unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her….
Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new “construction worker” who’s moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer’s crosshairs?
Praise for New York Times bestselling author
Lori Foster
“Bestseller Foster…has an amazing ability to capture a man’s emotions and lust with sizzling sex scenes and meld it with a strong woman’s point of view.”
—Publishers Weekly on A Perfect Storm
“Foster rounds out her searing trilogy with a story that tilts toward the sizzling and sexy side of the genre.”
—RT Book Reviews on Savor the Danger
“The fast-paced thriller keeps these well-developed characters moving.… Foster’s series will continue to garner fans with this exciting installment.”
—Publishers Weekly on Trace of Fever
“Steamy, edgy and taut.”
—Library Journal on When You Dare
“Foster writes smart, sexy, engaging characters.”
—New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan
“Intense, edgy and hot. Lori Foster delivers everything you’re looking for in a romance.”
—New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz on Hard to Handle
“Lori Foster delivers the goods.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Tension, temptation, hot action and hotter romance—Lori Foster has it all! Hard to Handle is a knockout!”
—New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell
Dear Reader,
As I draw to a close on each series, wonderful readers always ask me for more. You can’t know how much that means to me! I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor books, and it’s very rewarding to know you’d be happy for more stories with those characters. But I always go where my muse takes me, and now, with my new Love Undercover series, it’s taken me to some wonderfully complicated relationships where, out of necessity, the hero or heroine—or both!—are hiding their true identities...and falling in love anyway! How fun is that?
Well, I think it’s fun! I grin a lot while writing, so I hope you grin while reading.
And I especially hope that by the time this series draws to a close (several books from now!) you’ll write to me...and ask for more.
That’s the best compliment an author can get!
Here’s to happy reading!
Run the Risk
Lori Foster
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
To Jenna Scott and Gary Tabke, I have immense respect for all law enforcement officers, but I know little about the inner workings.
Thank you both for all the insight, the research help, and for answering my numerous questions.
Any errors or exaggerations are my own (because really, sometimes we writers need to make things work!) but hopefully, thanks to you both, the story is believable.
Here’s to the writing community—authors and readers alike.
Contents
Chapter One (#uc73121a2-2add-5723-932b-6c32b49bceba)
Chapter Two (#ufb86b2dd-3b96-573c-a56d-fe38e73f6c21)
Chapter Three (#uadea94c3-93f1-5a87-8f6d-514c26f4687a)
Chapter Four (#u73c86a57-601d-566f-8e04-6d4a55fc3fc8)
Chapter Five (#u74f13b65-cbaf-5d67-a0f6-a1476af76212)
Chapter Six (#u3e38813a-476e-5cc4-9f64-b5dea898519b)
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)
Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Three (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Excerpt (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE
PEPPER YATES FELT the intense scrutiny stroking over her as she made her way to her apartment building. She’d been feeling it for over two weeks now, ever since her new neighbor had moved in, but she’d never get used to it.
Dangerous anticipation crawled up her spine.
She didn’t acknowledge the man leaning over his balcony, muscular arms folded along the railing, shirtless, smiling—tracking her every move.
She didn’t, in any way, encourage him. He was out of her league in a big way. His attention made her tense, more so with every incident.
Uncertainty gave her a faltering step, causing her cheap canvas slip-on sneakers to make an obnoxious shuffling sound. Her long skirt kicked around her shins. Her chest constricted.
Keeping her head down, her paper bags of groceries held securely in her arms, she pretended not to notice him.
She should win an Oscar for her performance, because seriously, who wouldn’t notice him? If she had to guess, she’d say women came to him easily. He had that type of raw, cocky presence.
The kind of presence that left her on edge.
It probably ate him up that she ignored him. That was the only explanation for his continued attention. But what else could she do?
The hot August sun beat down on her head. She would dearly love a cool swim right about now. But not with him around.
Actually…not ever.
It seemed her carefree days of swimming were well behind her. It made her sad to think of all that had been lost, all that she’d had to forfeit, in the name of survival.
But thanks to her brother, she had survived, she reminded herself. And that’s what mattered most.
It was also the number one reason she couldn’t be drawn in by the new neighbor’s lure.
He should have a big D for danger on his oft-naked chest.
As she hastened her steps in, Pepper dropped her head so far that her chin nearly touched her chest.
Of course he called out to her. He always called out to her. It made no sense, but her rebuffs hadn’t dissuaded him at all.
The man had a rock-solid ego.
“Evening, Ms. Meeks.”
When she’d taken the alias, it hadn’t been a big deal, because she wasn’t a big deal. Few ever spoke to her. None ever called out to her.
But he did.
She drew a fortifying breath, peeked up at him and gave a subdued nod. “Evening.”
He disappeared off the balcony and she just knew he was coming inside to corral her in the narrow hallway.
Why wouldn’t he leave her alone?
The apartment building was…unpleasant. Peeling paint from the walls, mold in the corners, carpet with stains she didn’t want to investigate too closely…
She knew why she was there.
Why was he?
Dreading every foot that brought her closer to him, she went up the squeaking steps to her second-floor apartment, and…there he was.
Knowing he waited for her, she stalled.
He lounged back against his door, which was right next to hers, arms crossed over his bare chest, his brown hair disheveled, five o’clock shadow on his jaw. He wore only wrinkled khaki shorts that hung low on his lean hips—and he took her breath away.
Seeing him again had the same impact it’d had the first time she’d laid eyes on him. He was so sinfully appealing that it staggered her senses.
What did he want?
Not the usual, not with how he looked, and how…she looked. So then, why did he so relentlessly pursue her?
The long walk to the grocery and back again—something she usually enjoyed—left her hot, damp with perspiration and in no mood for playing games.
At least, not these games.
She had to avoid his gaze or—humiliating thought—he just might see everything she felt, everything she thought.
About him. About the incredible body that he insisted on displaying.
