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Dead No More
L. R. Nicolello
The next person you trust…may be the last…Lily Andrews was once the most sought-after undercover operative at Unit 67, a Black Ops agency buried deep within the U.S. Intelligence Community. But then her partner–and fiancé–turned rogue, leaving her for dead after a mission gone horribly wrong. Disgusted with 67's attempt to cover up Jackson's traitorous actions, Lily walked away from everything she knew and loved…and swore she'd hunt her ex down on her own and bring him to justice.When the handsome, undeniably alpha Derek Moretti needs her help to pursue a ruthless sociopath who is putting advanced weaponry into the hands of terrorists, Lily sees her chance to return to 67 with her pride intact. She didn't realize how much she'd missed the adrenaline rush of being undercover–or maybe that's the heat that races through her whenever Derek is near. But soon Lily will have to choose between the vengeance she craves and the country she's sworn to protect. And with the clock ticking down on a nuclear catastrophe, she knows that this time, if she's trusted the wrong man, she won't live to regret it…
The next person you trust may be the last…
Lily Andrews was once the most sought-after undercover operative at Unit 67, a black ops agency buried deep within the US Intelligence community. But then her partner—and fiancé—turned rogue, leaving her for dead after a mission gone horribly wrong. Disgusted with 67’s attempt to cover up Jackson’s traitorous actions, Lily walked away from everything she knew and loved…and swore she’d hunt her ex down on her own and bring him to justice.
When the handsome, undeniably alpha Derek Moretti needs her help to pursue a ruthless sociopath who is putting advanced weaponry into the hands of terrorists, Lily sees her chance to return to 67 with her pride intact. She didn’t realize how much she’d missed the adrenaline rush of being undercover—or maybe that’s the heat that races through her whenever Derek is near. But soon Lily will have to choose between the vengeance she craves and the country she’s sworn to protect. And with the clock ticking down on a nuclear catastrophe, she knows that this time, if she’s trusted the wrong man, she won’t live to regret it…
Praise for Dead Don’t Lie (#ulink_d0ebb86d-79ae-5682-b757-777320faae31)
“Lean, evocative prose, tight plotting, a great love story and truly scary moments make Dead Don’t Lie a sure winner. I guarantee you’ll be up past your bedtime, sweating bullets. L. R. Nicolello is a wonderful new voice to watch. I can’t wait for more.”
—New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison
Praise for Dead No More
“Don’t miss this exciting mix of hot romance and black ops.”
—New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter
“Incredibly intense, beautifully written and drop-dead sexy, L. R. Nicolello’s Dead No More is a top-notch romantic thriller. It grabs you by the throat on the first page and doesn’t let go until the very last line. Nicolello’s storytelling gets better and better. You won’t want to miss this one.”
—New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison
Dead No More
L. R. Nicolello
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
To my best friend, partner in crime,
and absolute love of my life, Drew.
Loving you is so easy.
Contents
Cover (#uf86074ce-1b08-5de2-a238-fde688ea14b9)
Back Cover Text (#u4a8ee1dc-6b06-5070-87aa-db85201e2fc5)
Praise (#u74e6931d-ddb1-5b5a-a070-88bfafe68d3d)
Title Page (#u679f08c8-8f89-5641-bfdf-1a46e425e00d)
Dedication (#u5b4a341a-d7d5-51bb-a3d8-979c1fb4aaa5)
CHAPTER ONE (#uc0154b92-b90d-5ee8-89ab-529875266807)
CHAPTER TWO (#u56c3bbc0-9748-537f-af4b-009759e46f6e)
CHAPTER THREE (#uaad34af9-4ae4-5235-9d6a-13c6afd33d58)
CHAPTER FOUR (#u2a9cc527-7ea9-5459-b81f-a3fa0009baea)
CHAPTER FIVE (#u68bb7449-54ac-5448-a81a-f0c4d4603c5e)
CHAPTER SIX (#uc4e08632-3f4d-56b4-a3b3-d2c1db9009f1)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#u3bb736fb-c09e-5a39-8e22-764c51a9d386)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#ucf20fd76-10b2-5b68-ae8a-8091d7d403f5)
CHAPTER NINE (#ucd0ca8cb-0b7c-5681-85ff-fe6d61f33bc0)
CHAPTER TEN (#ua92b0bd0-1bca-53a1-93b0-53e7b2532243)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#u4d79765f-a09e-502c-ac4e-9db06f78aa73)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#u1e306f6d-e279-56eb-9a9a-8008b9a9fc79)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#u845342db-50a6-51eb-9214-ad6c1e7daf3e)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#u5f474daa-f7e3-5157-8141-e4a434e63fab)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN (#u2923027b-0a1b-59e7-bf8a-bad18990f16a)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN (#u5e98d1e1-e379-5269-bcfb-501248278ebf)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN (#u70af29d3-700d-5667-af9b-bac24168f961)
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN (#u45c20c97-0cab-5e80-a7c0-3bab77d12c54)
CHAPTER NINETEEN (#ub811b9ef-dced-53ab-8465-a5914df0997c)
CHAPTER TWENTY (#u7f79114f-5579-581b-99f5-b430561408bf)
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE (#u4df3308f-1bd3-5dc9-a375-048a6496289a)
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO (#u631f7c46-6c03-5aeb-896d-db07b4b7bba5)
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE (#ubdd1dc04-7b75-5df4-b327-6551528fd33d)
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR (#ufd6212be-0fca-5162-b5ac-ac2fe30c7cc6)
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE (#uf00f4542-89fa-56de-946e-ea153d86083e)
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX (#u0d701ab2-857f-5fe0-9bff-2e6297256615)
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN (#u256a3d3b-6891-5537-9056-95d291159ae5)
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT (#u14965207-51c3-5116-921b-d5206b76e973)
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE (#ua5fbc6ec-c2c4-5f72-a6c4-9bf0afb150ea)
CHAPTER THIRTY (#u3cf6b9b0-94f7-526a-a565-4f426a1b8eb2)
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (#u4d50f1ac-5168-59ea-92a3-9a98ba58f71c)
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO (#u726d4d5d-f62f-5e87-a373-bab1bf0e7d48)
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE (#u1ded3773-7d95-515d-bec8-e1658e51aed2)
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR (#u7c0cf381-0b98-5675-afa7-7564b7dda5ea)
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE (#ubc778076-26bb-511f-b8b4-3233382e5d3a)
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX (#u3b2818ae-9812-5775-a9c1-703a395201f0)
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN (#uf329e060-f485-5a58-835f-2c35c5a02338)
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT (#ufc794524-4d55-5ee3-a307-7c922bdf000a)
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE (#ubd20bb4f-f841-50c1-92f5-c118c50f900c)
CHAPTER FORTY (#u378ed1f5-495e-52ae-8ac3-b8b33a4612f9)
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE (#ucc27c491-0519-5be1-a6c0-72563dae527f)
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO (#uaef57312-94ba-5738-bc0f-44fd8d8e2436)
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE (#ue9090de9-6fc8-574c-8fc8-d0de20ff96b9)
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR (#u139c1dc4-582a-57c5-a586-d812dc0ee1b8)
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE (#ua4c7f738-dc64-547a-b8ba-6467065e8db0)
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX (#u13a58c45-4df6-550d-86ac-383b74070cb0)
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN (#ubb845ab2-9514-5dd2-9472-4a865d2f891d)
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT (#ueb41d8aa-0ba4-5fe0-98ed-d66ac391da68)
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE (#u8259a04d-d6b4-5716-97a8-0583a9f3bbaf)
CHAPTER FIFTY (#u14ad4181-a14d-51c2-a5e4-8dc5af59f53e)
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE (#u2722ed1f-9ca8-5d7a-8e00-f3b960386f94)
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO (#u64f3ba27-6a8a-546b-913b-c5d40be6147c)
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE (#u674d8e2e-2d4c-5b7b-8bfc-ba9005bb96e3)
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR (#ue703697e-d127-5f82-a78f-d10e5ae02c37)
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE (#u481bded1-fff2-5919-b94e-fd8c0c491dbd)
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX (#u94c4688c-fe2b-5a24-9d61-fd75661af73d)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (#ud7fc65e9-441e-58cd-a26f-a0fe6155acc9)
Extract (#u1d4de7dc-d795-53ee-ab1d-c2c37fb6dcae)
Copyright (#udabfebb4-6984-54ae-a380-a568408072ea)
CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_a4300078-64ea-5fd0-9b96-9cf4885b268b)
One Year Ago Wednesday, August 15, 10:00 p.m.
POUNDING FOOTSTEPS ECHOED off the walls in the empty back alley. The sleeper cell’s leader turned, saw her closing in and blindly fired. Lily Andrews dodged to her left, sidestepping the bullet as it whizzed by her. Amateur. She took a deep breath, pushed herself harder and closed the distance between her and Amed.
“Stay on him, Andrews. We can’t lose that briefcase.” Jackson’s smooth voice crackled in her earpiece.
“I got it. Driving him toward you now.”
Amed rounded the corner and raced across the busy New York City street. Lily shadowed his movement, car horns screaming at her as vehicles skidded to a halt. She jumped and slid over the hood of a Honda, her feet hitting the ground lightly before she fell back into stride. Amed tore down the alley hugging the Grand Hotel. There was no way out.
We’ve got you, asshole.
“He’s in the alley adjacent to the hotel,” she relayed to her partner. “Tell me that door is unlocked.”
“Affirmative. Coming into the front lobby now.”
Amed froze, cast a spooked glance over his shoulder and fired. The panicked shot went wide, hitting the brick wall to her left. He lunged for the hotel’s emergency exit and vanished. Lily followed, racing up the stairs. She peered around the landing wall. Amed thrust his open palm into the door on the next floor. The door didn’t budge. He cursed, turned and raced up the next flight of stairs, taking the steps two at a time.
She sprinted after him, closing the gap.
“There’s nowhere for you to go, Amed,” she yelled up the stairs. Her heart raced, pumping in time with each footstep. Adrenaline and excitement coursed through her veins. “Let me help you.”
Another bullet flew past her. This one closer. Shit.
“I take it that’s a no.”
At the next landing, he slammed into the exit door. It flew open—as Lily had known it would.
She stopped at the exit, hugged the wall and slowly pushed the door open. If her intel was correct, this guy was a rabbit, not a shark, so he’d rush to find a place to hide, not wait to blow her head off. Let’s hope they’re right. With a deep breath, she threw herself through the door, rolled and ended in a crouch, gun raised. Head intact, she smiled. Thank you, Intel.
