Sharpshooter

  Heart-pounding action meets smoldering desire in USA TODAY bestselling author Cynthia Eden’s Shadow Agents miniseries!

  Two years ago Gunner Ortez saved Sydney Sloan’s life on a mission gone wrong. And ever since then, he’s been watching her back. Now a hostage-rescue mission is about to blow the Elite Ops agents’ lives apart once again.

  Working side by side back in the jungles of Peru, the heat between Sydney and Gunner is hotter than ever—and so are the threats to their lives. With the danger escalating, Sydney knows Gunner is her only hope at successfully completing their assignment. But the ex-SEAL who arouses passion she’d only dreamed about also poses the greatest risk to the secret she carries in her heart…and in her belly.

  “When I close my eyes, I see your face.”

  His words, so gravel-rough, had her heart racing.

  “You’re driving me crazy. Taking over every moment of my life.”

  She couldn’t breathe. Because what he was saying—that was the way she felt. As if he’d taken over her life.

  “I tried to walk away. I tried to be strong.” He lowered his head.

  “Gunner…”

  “There are some lines that if you cross them, you can’t ever go back.”

  “I don’t want to go back.” There was nothing in her past to go back to.

  “I won’t be able to let you go.”

  She wouldn’t let him go. Before Gunner could say anything else, Sydney wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled his head down toward her.

  Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

  For nearly thirty years fearless romance has fueled every Harlequin Intrigue book. Now we want everyone to know about the great crime stories our fantastic authors write and the variety of compelling miniseries we offer. We think our new cover look complements and enhances our promise to deliver edge-of-your-seat reads in all six of our titles—and brand-new titles every month!

  This month’s lineup is packed with nonstop mystery in Smoky Ridge Curse, the third in Paula Graves’s Bitterwood P.D. trilogy, exciting action in Sharpshooter, the next installment in Cynthia Eden’s Shadow Agents miniseries, and of course fearless romance—whether from newcomers Jana DeLeon and HelenKay Dimon or veteran author Aimée Thurlo, we’ve got every angle covered.

  Next month buckle up as Debra Webb returns with a new Colby Agency series featuring The Specialists. And in November USA TODAY bestselling author B.J. Daniels takes us back to “The Canyon” for her special Christmas at Cardwell Ranch celebration.

  Lots going on and lots more to come. Be sure to check out www.Harlequin.com for what’s coming next.

  Enjoy,

  Denise Zaza

  Senior Editor

  Harlequin Intrigue

  Sharpshooter

  USA TODAY Bestselling Author

  Cynthia Eden

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  USA TODAY bestselling author Cynthia Eden writes tales of romantic suspense and paranormal romance. Her books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, and she has received a RITA® Award nomination for best romantic suspense novel. Cynthia lives in the deep South, loves horror movies and has an addiction to chocolate. More information about Cynthia may be found on her website, www.cynthiaeden.com, or you can follow her on Twitter (www.twitter.com/cynthiaeden).

  Books by Cynthia Eden

  HARLEQUIN INTRIGUE

  1398—ALPHA ONE*

  1404—GUARDIAN RANGER*

  1437—SHARPSHOOTER*

  *Shadow Agents

  All backlist available in ebook. Don’t miss any of our special offers. Write to us at the following address for information on our newest releases.

  Harlequin Reader Service

  U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

  Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  Gunner Ortez—Gunner has never been able to control his feelings for Sydney Sloan, the woman who was once engaged to his brother. But now that he has a chance to finally make Syndey his, Gunner isn’t going to let anyone or anything stand in his way.

  Sydney Sloan—Sydney can tell when she is in the sights of a killer. But she isn’t sure who she should trust. Putting her faith in the wrong man may just lead to her death.

  Slade Ortez—He should have been a dead man, but when Slade is discovered—very much alive—in Peru, his appearance rips right through the new life that Gunner and Sydney are building. Slade’s appearance also sets off an explosive chain of events that will rock right through the Elite Operations Division.

  Cale Lane—The former army ranger is determined to protect his teammates, but sometimes even a trained hunter can’t see the danger coming until it is far too late.

  Logan Quinn—The team leader of the EOD, Logan is intimately acquainted with the risks associated with his job. But when it looks as if a member of his team is actually turning on the EOD, Logan knows that he could be in for the most dangerous battle of his life.

  I wanted to offer a huge thank-you to all the wonderful folks at Harlequin Intrigue. It is always a pleasure! And for my friend Joan, a woman who loves her strong heroes, I hope you enjoy this story.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Epilogue

  Excerpt

  Prologue

  The thunder of gunfire erupted around her as Sydney Sloan ran through the remains of the enemy’s camp. Voices were calling out, screaming, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t.

  Her focus was on the man before her. The man lying so still in the middle of that nightmare scene.

  “Slade!” Her own scream joined the others as she fell to her knees beside him. She grabbed for his shoulder and rolled him toward her.

  His chest was a bloody mess. His eyes—those dark eyes that she’d stared into so many times—were closed. “Slade?” she whispered hoarsely. No, this couldn’t happen. They were supposed to get out of there together. They were going to start their life together back in the States. They were going to get married.

  “I’ll get you out of here.” He would be fine. She’d get him to the helicopter. Fly him out of there. He’d get patched up, and everything would be just as they’d planned.

  More gunfire erupted. Her breath choked out when a bullet drove into her shoulder. The pain burned her, terrified her. If she was hurt too badly, how would she get Slade to safety?

  She grabbed his arms. Started to drag him.

  More gunfire. This time, the bullet hit her in the side. She stumbled but refused to fall. Slade needed her. She wasn’t going to let him down.

  “Sydney!” The roar of her name had her jerking up her head. She saw Gunner Ortez then, running toward her and his brother.

  Gunner and Slade. They were so different. Slade was always laughing, so easygoing. Gunner was intense, almost...frightening to her.

  But she knew Gunner would do anything for his brother. “Help him!” Sydney called as her knees buckled. She hit the ground, still holding tight to Slade.

  Why weren’t her knees working? Why did she feel so cold? It was so hot in the jungle.

  Then Gunner was there. He was curling his body around hers, shielding her from the hail of gunfire that just wouldn’t stop.

  A trap. They’d walked right into this hell because they’d been going after Slade. A rescue mission. They’d had to take the risk of infiltrating the area, against orders.

  Gunner’s fingers—long, tan, strong—went
to Slade’s throat. She felt the thick tension in the big body behind hers as Gunner checked for his brother’s pulse. Then Gunner swore.

  No. No.

  His hand pulled back. She grabbed his fingers. Held tight. “You have to help me,” she whispered. “Gunner, please, we have to get him out of here!”

  More gunfire. Gunner curled his body even tighter to hers. She heard the thud of the impact and knew he’d just taken a bullet.

  For her.

  “He’s not here anymore,” Gunner rasped. His eyes—as dark as Slade’s but lined with gold flecks, stared into her own. “He’s not here.”

  She shook her head.

  The rat-a-tat of gunfire came again. Gunner yanked out a handgun with his left hand. He began to fire back, even as the fingers of his right hand twisted and locked with hers. “We have to get out of here! We’re damn sitting ducks!”

  “Not without...Slade...” Her side hurt. A deep, agonizing burn, and she wondered just how bad the hit was. But she’d make it, she’d hold on, until they got Slade out of there. They’d come to rescue him, and they’d never failed on a mission before. “Help me.”

  The gold in his eyes seemed to blaze. “How many times have you been hit?”

  Two? Three? What did it matter? “Slade...”

  Then she heard the roar of engines. Coming toward them. The enemy closing in. There wasn’t any more time. “Just...take him.” Because she wasn’t sure that she’d be able to get out on her own steam. She couldn’t make her legs work, and as she pulled her fingers from Gunner’s, she realized that she was shaking. She’d run out of ammo, and the blood was pumping down her side. “Take him...please.” Her voice broke and her body began to sway. She was already on her knees, but Sydney was pretty sure she’d soon slump forward and crash face-first into the dirt.

  Hold it together. Stay strong, just until Slade is safe.

  But Gunner’s hands didn’t wrap around Slade’s body. His hands reached for her.

  She screamed then, and lunged toward Slade.

  But Gunner pulled her back. The bullets were hitting the ground around her, sending chunks of dirt flying into the air. They had no cover, no backup and it sounded as though more enemy reinforcements were coming in.

  Shouldn’t have been here. Shouldn’t have happened. How had everything gotten so messed up? Their cover had been blown pretty much from the get-go.

  “Gunner, no.” She tried to pull away from him. “Can’t...leave...”

  Another bullet hit her. Driving through her upper shoulder and sinking into Gunner.

  She choked, barely managing to breathe as the pain swamped her.

  “He’s dead,” Gunner gritted out. She was in his arms then. He was holding her tight, bruising her. “You...won’t be.”

  Sydney fought him, using all the strength that she had, but she didn’t have enough. Gunner was wounded, too, but nothing stopped him. Not ever.

  So he ran right through the gunfire, holding her in arms like steel. He ran and ran, and then they were in the heavier, denser part of the jungle, evading the men who chased them. No jeeps could follow them here.

  Gunner wouldn’t let her go, no matter how much she begged him.

  He didn’t speak to her again. Didn’t say a word.

  And behind them, in that nightmare, Slade remained in the dirt.

  Dead.

  His eyes had never opened. From the time she’d fallen by his side, he hadn’t moved. Hadn’t spoken. Hadn’t even been able to open his eyes.

  They never would open again.

  * * *

  GUNNER GOT HER out of that jungle. Patched her up. Stopped the blood flow. She wasn’t helping him. Sydney was barely moving at all.

  “Shock,” Gunner told her, voice terse.

  Yeah, that was it. She had to be in shock. Because she’d just seen her fiancé die in that trap. She and Slade had fought before, and for him to die with that anger between them...I’m so sorry.

  “You lost too much blood.” Gunner’s fingers curled around her chin. She didn’t know where they were now. Some kind of hut? A run-down shack? Just some shelter he’d found them. Gunner was good at finding shelters. “You won’t die.”

  Hadn’t he said that before? It was hard to remember. Her tongue seemed so thick in her mouth, but after three tries she managed to say, “Slade...”

  Gunner’s fingers tightened on her. “He’s gone.”

  A tear leaked down her cheek.

  Gunner’s jaw clenched. That hard jaw. That dangerous face. “I’ve got you, Syd. I’ll take care of you.”

  She was breaking apart on the inside. The mission was over. They’d failed.

  He pulled her into his arms. Held her against his chest. Gentleness? He’d never seemed the kind for that. “I’ve got you,” he said again, voice deepening.

  And it was there, in his arms, that she finally let herself go.

  She cried until there were no tears left to shed.

  Chapter One

  Two years later...

  The kidnapper had a gun pressed to Sydney’s head.

  Gunner Ortez stopped breathing when he saw Sydney’s beautiful face fill his scope. So perfect. Delicate, high cheekbones. The soft curve of her nose. The full, red lips...

  And the green eyes that stared straight back at him. Seeming to know where he was. Her green gaze that showed no fear even as that soon-to-be-dead man jammed the gun harder into her temple.

  “Do you have the shot?” a low voice asked in his ear. The earpiece wouldn’t even be noticed by most people. Uncle Sam was great at inventing gear that his soldiers could use anytime, anyplace.

  With a minimum of fuss and a maximum of damage.

  Gunner’s finger was curled over the trigger, but he wasn’t taking the shot. “Negative, Alpha One,” he told his team leader. “Sydney isn’t clear.”

  And he was sweating, feeling a tendril of fear—when he never felt fear. There was no room for emotion on any of their missions.

  He worked with a group far off the grid. The Elite Ops Division wasn’t on any books anywhere in the U.S. government. They took the jobs that the rest of the world wasn’t meant to know about. In particular, his EOD team—code-named the Shadow Agents—had a reputation for deadly accuracy when it came to taking out their targets.

  And this guy...that jerk with the trembling finger, he was going down. The man had kidnapped an ambassador’s daughter. Held her for ransom, and when the ransom had been paid, he’d still killed her.

  He’d thought he could hide from justice.

  He’d thought wrong.

  Sydney’s intel had led them to Jonathan Hall. Led them to his hideout just over the border in Mexico.

  Sydney had volunteered to go in, to make sure that Hall was holding no civilians.

  Now she was the one being held.

  “He can’t leave the scene,” Logan Quinn said, the faint drawl of the South sliding beneath the team leader’s words as they carried easily over the transmitter. “You know our orders.”

  Containment or death. Yeah, Gunner knew the drill, because the ambassador’s daughter hadn’t been the first victim. Hall liked to kill.

  Gunner stared down at the man, at Sydney. You won’t kill her.

  Sydney’s face was emotionless. Like a pale canvas, waiting for life. That wasn’t her. She was always brimming with emotion, letting it spill over onto everything and everyone.

  It was only on the missions that she changed.

  How many more missions would she take? She seemed to be putting herself at risk more these days. He hated that.

  He shifted his position, testing the wind. Hall wouldn’t see him. He was too far away. Gunner’s specialty was attacking from a distance.

  There was no target that he couldn’t reach.

  He could take out that man right now. A perfect shot...if he hadn’t been worried that Hall’s finger would jerk on that trigger at impact.

  “I want the gun away from her head,” Gunner snapped into his mout
hpiece.

  But even as he said the words, he saw Sydney’s lips moving.

  Take. The. Shot.

  Hall was outside the small house, his gaze frantically searching the area even as he kept Sydney killing-close. The man wasn’t stupid. He’d eluded capture for over a year because he understood how the game was played.

  Hall knew Sydney hadn’t come in alone. The guy just didn’t see her backup. When he hunted like this, Gunner’s prey never saw him, not unless he wanted to be seen.

  This time, he wanted to be seen because that gun was coming away from Sydney’s head.

  Take. The. Shot. Her lips moved again.

  He shook his head, even though he realized she’d never see the movement. Then he took two steps to the right. He knew that, in this particular position, the sunlight would glint off his weapon. When he saw that flash of light, Hall would fire—

  And he did. The man yanked the gun away from Sydney’s head and shot at Gunner.

  Too late.

  Gunner had already taken his own shot.

  The second the gun moved away from her temple, Sydney shoved back against Hall with her elbow, and then she’d jerked away from her captor and threw herself down.

  Before she even hit the ground, Gunner’s bullet slammed into Hall. The man stumbled back and fell.

  “Converge,” Logan’s hard order came in Gunner’s ear.

  The other EOD team members rushed from the shadows. Not that they needed to rush. Hall wasn’t going to be a threat to anyone, not anymore.

  Gunner’s breath eased out. He watched as Sydney pushed to her knees, then rose to her feet.

  Cale Lane, the newest team member, crouched over Hall as Sydney looked toward Gunner’s position.

  He’d put the weapon down, so he couldn’t see her face clearly, not with the distance that separated them. But he was aware that his heart beat too fast. His hands had been sweating.

  A sharpshooter wasn’t supposed to get nervous, wasn’t supposed to feel on the mission.

  But whenever he was close to Sydney, all he could do was feel.