TANYA_Trouble With a Capital T

by Taylor Lee

  It took six of her officers charging across the room with guns drawn to contain the four outraged men screaming at them. When the noise began to settle, Tanya directed her attention to Manny Davis, who was staring at her, his glassy eyes and flushed face confirming that if anyone had partaken of the booze, crank, and crystal scattered on the counters, it was Manny. Before he could respond, she inched up to him and, without taking her eyes off him, said to her officers, “We can make our search more efficient, fellows, if we begin in Manny’s room.”

  As he rushed toward her with an outraged shriek, Sheriff Trouble stepped forward and said in a voice that would have stopped an African bush elephant in its tracks, “Don’t take another step, Davis, or I’ll have our men cuff you to a chair after they gag you.”

  At the sheriff’s harsh threat, Manny stepped back, but it was Ryker’s admonition that he obeyed. “Settle down, man. There’s not a fucking thing we can do but let them carry out their raid. Don’t make it any worse than it is.”

  Tanya tossed her head and shot Manny a dismissive smile. Motioning to Gunnar and three of her other officers, she said coolly, “Manny’s room is the third door on the right. I scoped it out last night. Follow me.”

  At Manny’s infuriated shout, Titus closed in on him, a solid block of contained anger. “Whatever Deputy Trouble does or does not find in your room, Davis, know that you will be bunking in our quarters tonight, if not for a hell of a lot longer. While I’m a relatively unexcitable man, do know that any man who puts a bruise on my daughter’s face and arm has me to reckon with.”

  With Cheryl’s directions ringing in her ears, Tanya began to search Manny’s four-drawer dresser. When Gunnar and the others yanked the mattress off the bed and tossed it to the floor, Tanya followed suit. Dragging out the top dresser drawer, she upended it, tossing the contents to the floor. Not seeing what she was looking for, she made quick work of the other three drawers. Shoving at the panic rising in her chest, she forced herself to take several deep breaths. Cheryl had been clear. She knew she was looking for a small box. As if her angels were guiding her footsteps, she walked over to the desk. Reaching under the single drawer, her fingers touched a metal surface. Not bothering to breathe, she carefully removed the small metal box taped there. Sucking in the most welcome breath of air she could remember taking, she turned to Gunnar and said softly, “I found it.”

  Striding back into the great room, Tanya met Ryker’s questioning gaze. Swallowing hard, she gave him an imperceptible nod. Seeing him sidle carefully closer to Manny, she blew out an audible breath. Surprised when Manny stepped back, she moved toward him. She needed to confront him directly. It was important that he knew how she was taking him down.

  Keeping the metal box concealed, she spoke quietly. “You gave yourself away, Manny. Like the legions of serial killers before you, you followed a discernable pattern, a pattern that brought you down. And like Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and Jeffrey Dahmer, you kept trophies. Thanks to the smartest agent I know, today he helped me remember something that has been bugging me since I saw Violeta’s body. Even though you’d strangled her and her neck was covered with bruises, there was the shape of a heart on her neck. When I spoke to Violeta’s mother today, she confirmed that her beautiful daughter never took off the silver heart necklace they gave her at her confirmation. Today, Cheryl Remington confirmed that, unlike what she said two years ago, you did rape her and she came very close to being strangled. She also indicated that after you attacked her, she couldn’t find the gold cross that she always wore around her neck.”

  Tanya stepped toward the frothing man and glared at him. Raising the small metal box she’d tucked against her side, she held it up in front of him. Taking off the lid, she emptied the contents onto the table. A collective gasp echoed through the room when no fewer than seven pieces of jewelry fell on the table with a clatter.

  With a ferocious roar, his fists raised, Manny charged toward her. Expecting the blow that was sure to come, Tanya ducked, then realized that the ferocious blur she saw was Ryker leaping through the air. Hovering in her father’s arms, she watched in amazement as Ryker cleared the table and in milliseconds landed a stunning roundhouse kick to the side of Manny’s head. A shower of spraying blood followed the cracking sound of breaking bones as he followed the kick with a fierce one-two punch to Manny’s face. In seconds, the screaming man was writhing on the floor, blood flowing from a dozen places as Ryker mercilessly pummeled him with his hands and feet.

  Tanya knew that Ryker might have beaten him to death if it hadn’t been for Titus’s firm counsel. “That’s enough, Ryker. Killing him is too easy, man. We want him to die in the chair. After being raped and assaulted on a daily basis by animals as evil as he is.”

  Making a herculean effort to contain his rage, Ryker nodded to the sheriff and stepped back. His hands clenched in hard fists, his body quaking with suppressed fury, he turned to Tanya. “Are you okay, sweetheart?” Stunned at the palpable rage contorting his fierce expression, she whispered, “Yes. Are . . . are . . . you?” He blew out a huge breath and reached for her. Glancing at the bloody man wailing on the floor, he hugged her tight up against him. Emitting a hard groan, he murmured, “Yeah, baby, now I am.”

  Epilogue

  Tanya wasn’t sure which of the crew had suggested it or why they agreed, but after Ryker drove her back to her house so Tanya could change, they headed for the Bitter n’ Twisted. Everything at the bunkhouse had been a blur of activity. Hauling the badly injured murderer into the ambulance and gathering up the evidence had been the easy part. As was doing their best to provide succinct answers to the myriad questions from the stunned gang, not to mention the CCSO team, who learned Ryker’s identity at the same time that Pete, Mac, and Greg did. More challenging by far was containing the ricocheting adrenaline coursing over them both.

  The crammed parking lot surrounding the Bitter n’ Twisted dotted with news vans and helicopters flying overhead should have prepared them. The only way that Tanya could explain her surprise at the scene they walked into was that she was coming down from the most earth-shattering twenty-four hours of her life.

  Grateful for Ryker’s protective arm wrapped tightly around her, she was shocked when they entered the saloon and a chorus of eager shouts and deafening applause greeted them. Seeing her grinning father off to the side and her outrageous sister standing in the center of the room with a microphone in her hand, she was stunned when Tara shouted, “Let’s hear it for our heroes, Sierra Vista! Deputy Sheriff Tanya Trouble, my baby sister, and our newest hero, just revealed, FBI Agent Ryker Thompson.”

  The crowd of reporters and media people, astonished at the victories the two had achieved, shouted question after question at each of them. Tanya and Ryker did their best to answer the media fuselage, repeatedly thanking the teams of people who’d played a role. But it was clear that their place on center stage was just beginning. After the media scampered off to post their stories, Dante fought through the well-wishers surrounding them. Grateful tears streaming down his cheeks, to the delight of the crowd, he said to Ryker, “I always knew you were an imposter. I just didn’t know how much of one. All I can say, man, knowing that you captured the woman of my dreams means that I can die happy.”

  When the applause settled somewhat, Tara took over the room. “Just know that you both owe me the scoops of a lifetime and I will definitely be calling in my chips.” Smiling at them, she added, “Damn, I might even pull off a Pulitzer with this story.” Speaking through the agreeing hoots and hollers, her grin took on a salacious cast. “But I have a question for my little sis. This isn’t exactly a law and order question. In fact, it’s damn personal, but it needs to be asked. In a nutshell, baby sis, what happened to the pledge we sisters made when characters of the male persuasion started beating down our doors? As you recall, Tatiana, you and I pledged that—to put it nicely—we would never do the horizontal tango without giving our sisters a blow-by-blow description of the down and dirty.
” Shooting Ryker an appraising once-over, she turned back to Tanya with an accusing smile. “Are you telling me that you and Captain America have been knocking boots for some time and you never bothered to mention it to Tatiana or me? Damn, Tanya, out with it. You hooked up with the stud of all times and we didn’t so much as get an X-rated synopsis?”

  Blushing at the chorus of raucous laughter that greeted Tara’s outrageous question, Tanya smiled up at Ryker. He grinned down at her, holding her next to him where she’d been since they entered the saloon. Snuggling in closer to Ryker, she tossed her sister a saucy grin. “I was just protecting you, sis. I didn’t know how your tender ears could handle it. Oh and by the way, ‘knocking boots’ doesn’t begin to describe what this guy did to me—one of the infamous Trouble sisters, no less.”

  Ryker broke through the appreciative laughter and said with a sly grin. “And for all of you ‘gentlemen’ who’ve lusted after this extraordinary woman, know that in your wildest dreams you couldn’t come close to the reality of this little minx.” Ryker leaned down and swiped at the tear on Tanya’s cheek, then kissed her on the lips. To the roar of the appreciative crowd, he added with a sexy wink, “Oh and, men, you never will!”

  Think Tanya is a piece of work?

  Want more of the Trouble Sisters?

  Grab TARA: Book 2

  In the riveting

  TROUBLE SISTERS SAGA

  Prepare to be wowed!

  AFTERWORD

  Thank you for reading TANYA. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much I enjoyed writing it. I always get excited when I start a new series. I can hardly wait to meet all the characters. Tanya proved to be the brat of all brats. Without question she’s Trouble with a capital T. Fortunately, Ryker was more than her match. Be sure to watch for the rest of the sisters (Tara and Tatiana) and their terrific sheriff father, Titus.

  If you enjoyed TANYA, do a huge favor for me. Click on this link and write an honest review of the book. Authors live and die by their reviews. The few extra seconds it takes really helps us authors out. Many, many thanks! AND please go to my website www.taylorleebooks.com for my publishing schedule and lots of FREE stuff! Sign up for my newsletter. It is the way I stay connected to my glorious readers.

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  About the Author

  USA Today best-selling author Taylor Lee writes Suspenseful Mystery Thrillers—with a heavy dose of Sexy to Sizzling HOT Romance.

  In the five years she has been writing, Taylor has written more than forty books. Her eight, soon to be nine, series track her Special Operatives, Covert Agents, Cops, Firefighters, and other iconic heroes and heroines through the harrowing situations that make up their lives. From human trafficking rings to corrupt politicians, Taylor investigates the underbelly of society and the criminals who flourish there.

  Taylor says, “From the residue in my personal blender of mixed races, cultures, and world views, my characters emerge. It comforts me to know that while evil slinks in the shadows, the ‘good guys and gals’ of the world sniff it out—and snuff it out.

  My characters are arrogant alpha males and the feisty women who bring them to their knees—and vice versa . . . They fight hard, love hard and don’t mince words. They are dangerous men and women in dangerous times. Love, passion, and ridding the world of evil? What’s not to like?”

  Here is a sampling of Taylor’s reviews, which number in the multiple hundreds and are incredibly positive:

  "Taylor Lee never disappoints! These books are sizzling hot and keep you guessing at every turn. For discriminating readers who insist on great characters and a spellbinding story that also includes HOT romance!" Sarah Reviews

  “The sexiest, most outrageous hero I’ve read in a long time. Snappy, laugh out loud dialogue, and a Sizzling HOT romance makes these wildly exciting murder mysteries true page-
turners.” J. John

  "These are the best books I've read recently. Taylor Lee's stories are so full of action, sex and exquisite love that I hate when they end. I want them to just go on and on. I can't wait for the next installment." Deidre Abbot

  “Spellbinding police mystery thrillers that will have you on the edge of your seat. Pulse pounding action and steamy romance. A cast of unforgettable characters that will capture your heart.” Action Junkie

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  Copyright Information

  TANYA: Book One; The Trouble Sisters Saga