by Jo Davis
PRAISE FOR THE SUGARLAND BLUE NOVELS
Hot Pursuit
“With her descriptive storytelling and sharp banter, Davis’s way with words will keep the reader hooked. The passion between Taylor and Cara is hot, and their romance is sweet and sexy. Once again, Davis hits it out of the park.”
—Romantic Times
“Scorching hot.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Romance suspense at its best . . . a wonderful series that has it all: exciting stories, superhot couple, romance, danger, suspense, friendship from a great group of secondary characters, and hot hot hot sex.”
—The Reading Cafe
“This exciting contemporary romantic suspense story continues the saga of the delicious detectives in the Sugarland Police Department. . . . This book can stand alone and provides a thrilling story with poignant interludes and will undoubtedly garner new fans to the series.”
—The Reading Addict
“An adult romance tale which piles on the tension from the start and doesn’t let up.”
—Fresh Fiction
“A roller coaster of emotion and action that will keep you gripped until the last page . . . with just the right combination of both romance and suspense.”
—Cocktails and Books
Sworn to Protect
“[A] strong series launch . . . a satisfying, fast-paced read.”
—Publishers Weekly
“What’s not to love about sexy men in blue with fast hands, true hearts, and the courage of their convictions? Davis certainly knows how to draw the perfect balance of vulnerability and strength. . . . She wraps it all up in an action novel that falls just shy of a police procedural, but with plenty of pure steamy romance and family drama. A great start to the Sugarland Blue series!”
—RT Book Reviews
“Ms. Davis did a fabulous job. . . . Sworn to Protect is a wonderful start to the Sugarland Blue series.”
—Under the Covers
“If you like romance, action, and mysteries, then you will love this book.”
—Once Upon a Twilight
“Jo writes stories that keep you hooked until the very last page and clamoring for the next book to release.”
—Book Monster Reviews
“A smart, sexy, and fast-paced read.”
—Fresh Fiction
PRAISE FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS OF STATION FIVE NOVELS
Ride the Fire
“The perfect blend of romance and suspense. Neither element overshadows the other. Jo Davis creates a great combination of romance, steamy love scenes with mystery and suspense mixed in. I was pulled right into the book, and before I knew it, the last page was turned. I wasn’t ready to let go.”
—Fiction Vixen
“Once again, Jo Davis has rocked it in this series!”
—Night Owl Reviews
“Jo Davis continues her steamy, heat-packed romantic suspense stories with Ride the Fire. This book is a great blend of hot romance with suspenseful, well-plotted action.”
—Fresh Fiction
Line of Fire
“Grab a fan and settle in for one heck of a smoking-hot read. . . . Fiery-hot love scenes and a look inside the twisted mind of a killer make Line of Fire stand out. Add in the behind-the-scenes look at the other characters and I could read this book over and over!”
—Joyfully Reviewed
“Full of romance and steamy love scenes with a splash of mystery and suspense. This combination had me eager to turn the page and left me wanting more. The love scenes were scorching hot!”
—Fiction Vixen
Hidden Fire
“Surprisingly sweet and superhot. . . . One of the best heroes I’ve read in a long time. If you want a hot firefighter in your room for the night, grab a copy and tuck right in with no regrets. Four hearts.”
—The Romance Reader
“A fast-paced romantic suspense thriller.”
—The Best Reviews
Under Fire
“Four stars! A totally entertaining experience.”
—Romantic Times
“Scorching-hot kisses, smoldering sex, and explosive passion make Under Fire a must read! Experience the flames of Under Fire!”
—Joyfully Reviewed
“Exhilarating [with] a two-hundred-proof heat duet . . . a strong entry [and] a terrific, action-packed thriller.”
—Midwest Book Review
Trial by Fire
“A five-alarm read . . . riveting, sensual.”
—Beyond Her Book
“Jo Davis turns up the heat full-blast. Romantic suspense that has it all: a sizzling firefighter hero, a heroine you’ll love, and a story that crackles and pops with sensuality and action. Keep the fire extinguisher handy or risk spontaneous combustion!”
—Linda Castillo, national bestselling author of Gone Missing
“Jo Davis . . . completely reeled me in. . . . Heady sexual tension, heartwarming romance, and combustible love scenes.”
—Joyfully Reviewed
“One of the most exciting ‘band of brothers’ series since J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood. It’s sweet and sexy, tense and suspenseful.”
—myLifetime.com
“For a poignant and steamy romance with a great dose of suspense, be sure to pick up a copy of Trial by Fire as soon as it hits the bookstores! Five bookmarks!”
—Wild on Books
“Hot, sizzling sex and edge-of-your-seat terror will have you glued to this fantastic romantic suspense story from the first page to the final word. Do not miss the heart-stopping, breath-stealing, incredibly well-written Trial by Fire.”
—Romance Novel TV
ALSO BY JO DAVIS
Sugarland Blue Novels
Hot Pursuit
Sworn to Protect
Armed and Dangerous (novella)
Firefighters of Station Five Novels
Ride the Fire
Line of Fire
Hidden Fire
Under Fire
Trial by Fire
SIGNET ECLIPSE
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) LLC, 375 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014
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penguin.com
A Penguin Random House Company
First published by Signet Eclipse, an imprint of New American Library,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) LLC
Copyright © Jo Davis, 2014
Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.
SIGNET ECLIPSE and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.
ISBN 978-0-698-14379-1
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Version_1
Contents
Praise
Also by JO DAVIS
Title page
Copyright page
Dedicati
on
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Excerpt form On the Run
About the Author
To my beautiful daughter, Kayla. You’re everything a mother could wish for in a daughter, and so much more. You’re a strong, smart, loving, and kind young woman. Completely individual. Trust in yourself and your gifts, and those strengths will carry you wherever you need to go for the rest of your life. You are my light and my joy.
Chris’s story is for you. I love you so very much.
Love, Mom
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to:
My wonderful daughter and son for being my strength and my purpose. For always supporting and encouraging me every step of the way in whatever I do. I love you both.
My dear friend Melody Walker for coming back into my life and bringing me such happiness just when I needed it most. Because of you, I’m finding my smile again.
My agent, Roberta Brown, for always being my cheerleader and my guide.
My editor, Tracy Bernstein, for endless support, patience, and words of wisdom.
All of the crew at NAL, including the art department, marketing team, and publicists. You guys are awesome!
And the readers. Your support for our boys in blue means the world to me. You rock!
1
“Doctor Lassiter!”
The urgent yell from the front of the emergency room near the foyer jerked Robyn Lassiter from her exhausted stupor and got her moving.
Jogging toward the front, she met the three nurses who’d rushed through the double doors pushing a gurney. The patient was an older woman, perhaps in her seventies; her eyes were closed, her pallor gray, her lined face covered with a sheen of sweat.
“Take her to ER Two,” the doctor said briskly. As they hurried down the hall, she asked, “Where are the paramedics?”
“Husband brought her in.” Shea Skyler, one of the nurses, gestured behind Robyn.
Whirling, Robyn found herself with an armful of distraught husband. Catching him by the shoulders, she looked into his panicked face. “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to remain outside.”
“But my wife! Please, Peggy needs me!”
Robyn kept her tone firm but kind. “What Peggy needs is for me to be in there helping her. I can’t do that until you let me. Please, go to the waiting area and I’ll get you as soon as possible.”
Another nurse appeared, gently taking his arm. “She’s in good hands. Come with me, Mr. Fields.”
After a moment’s hesitation, the man swallowed hard and said reluctantly, “All right. Take care of Peggy.” His eyes were watery, face etched with the miserable helplessness he surely felt.
“I’ll do my best, Mr. Fields.” She never made promises. That was one of the first unwritten rules she’d learned as a doctor.
As soon as he turned to leave with the nurse, Robyn joined her team, taking in the unconscious woman on the table. Peggy Fields.
“Do we have her age? Medical history?” she asked, grabbing the ophthalmoscope and shining a beam of light into each of the woman’s eyes. Shit. “Nonreactive.”
Shea spoke up as she attached the monitors. “Seventy-one. Diabetes controlled by diet. No heart problems, no other significant health issues, according to her husband. Though he did say she’d been feeling poorly the last few weeks.”
Robyn frowned, then set about taking her pulse even as she noted her blood pressure. “Vitals are unstable. Pulse is thready, BP falling rapidly. Ready the crash cart.”
The woman was about to train wreck; they’d all seen the signs before. So it was no surprise when, despite their attempts to prevent disaster, the heart monitor flatlined. With fast, efficient movements, her team prepped the patient, injected the necessary meds into her IV. Robyn attached the pads on the woman’s chest and waited for the all clear.
The first jolt did nothing to restart Peggy’s heart. Nor did the second, or the third. Numerous tries and almost half an hour later, Shea met her eyes and shook her head, expression sad.
“Call it?”
She had no choice. Without a heartbeat, even life support wasn’t a viable option. Robyn blew out a breath and stepped back, dejectedly checking the clock on the wall. “Time of death, seven twenty-three p.m. Shea, would you take her husband to the private family room to wait for me?”
“You bet,” the other woman said quietly.
A nurse named Barb spoke up, glancing at the woman’s body. “Must be something in the water. That’s the fourth one in the last couple of months, at least that I know of.”
Robyn gave the nurse her full attention. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve seen two other cases come in like this over the past few weeks,” Barb said. “Gray pallor, sweats, nausea. Both of those died, as well as two others I heard about from some other nurses.”
“Most likely heart attacks.” She paused, frowning. “Though so many that close together is pretty unusual.”
“The thing is, a couple of those were young. One of my patients was a man who was only twenty-two.”
Staring at Peggy Fields, Robyn felt something unpleasant coil in her stomach. “That is unusual. I may take a look into our records of those patients and then give the medical examiner a call, see what she has to say.”
“Wouldn’t be a bad idea. I’ve just got this feeling . . .” Barb shrugged. “But it’s probably nothing.”
“Yeah. Probably.”
But even so, it wouldn’t hurt to poke around a bit.
Heart heavy, Robyn walked from the room. Detouring, she took a moment in the restroom to wash her hands and to pull herself together in order to face the worst part of her job. Then she made her way to the private family room and, taking a deep breath, pushed inside.
The elderly man’s expression as he stood, so hopeful and yet afraid, tore at her soul.
“Mr. Fields, I’m so sorry,” she said gently. “We did everything we could, but your wife has died.”
That night, after she’d let the sitter go and tucked Maddy into bed, the memory of the man’s sobs invaded her dreams, refusing to allow her to rest. Why? Why did bad things happen to good people?
Uneasy, she replayed the conversation with Barb in her head. Must be something in the water. That’s the fourth one in the last couple of months . . .
It was likely just a terrible coincidence, but now that the question had been raised, she couldn’t let the matter go without an answer. It wouldn’t help the dead, but if there was something else going on, maybe more grief could be spared.
Maybe.
Try as she might, she couldn’t always save them. Not even the ones she loved most.
Rolling over, she hugged Greg’s pillow and pretended she could still catch the beloved scent that was no longer there.
* * *
Christian Ford burrowed into the covers, savoring the warmth. He wasn’t wild about leaving his comfortable nest at oh-dark-thirty to head to the gym and then on to the station.
But that was only because of the pert, naked bottom his groin was currently nestled against. There was nothing in the world like a woman’s smooth body spooned with his, and his cock took a decided interest in gearing up for round three. Or was it four?
Cracking one eye open, he raised his head and peered over the sleeping blonde at the digital clock on the nightstand. “Ugh.”
Just enough time, if he hurried. With regret, he slid from the bed and padded quietly to the bath
room. He took a quick shower to wash off the pungent aroma of their sex-a-thon, even though he’d have to take another after his workout. He didn’t need more ribbing from his cousin Shane, or any of the other cops, about his carousing.
Yeah, like the shower would stop them when they already knew he’d taken this one home last night. But at least he wouldn’t stink.
After drying off, he dressed in warm-up pants, a T-shirt, and tennis shoes, and gathered a nice pair of dark pants, shoes, and a button-up shirt to wear to work. He folded the pants and shirt carefully, then placed them in his gym bag along with his shoes. Then he threw in his wallet and the badge he always clipped onto his belt, and headed for the safe in his closet.
Another peek showed that his one-night stand was still passed out. Satisfied, he spun the combination and opened the heavy door, removing his holster and pistol. Normally, he’d just toss the holster and ammo onto his dresser and keep the gun close to his reach—but never with a stranger in the house. He’d stashed them as soon as he’d brought her home.
Shutting the safe, he walked to the bed. Reached down and touched the woman’s arm. “Hey, time to get up.” She stretched, then stilled again. What was her name? Damned if he could remember. “Wake up, gorgeous.”
Better to stick with something general, anyway.
This time, her eyes opened and she blinked. Looked around, and then scowled at him as she sat up. “What the hell? The sun’s not even up!”
“Yeah, sorry about that. I did tell you I had to leave early.” She was clearly unhappy, a frown marring the expression on her narrow face. He realized that she wasn’t nearly as attractive as she’d been last night after a few rounds of Cuervo. Now that common sense had returned, he wasn’t that sorry about the hour or shoving her out the door. He guessed it showed.
With a huff, she rose and began to gather her clothes. She took her sweet time pulling on her panties and donning her bra, a smirk forming on her lips as she did.
“You sure you want me dressed?” Her attitude had gone from sulky to playful, as she obviously decided to try to persuade him to be late.