He'll put his own life on any line
If it means keeping her away from the danger stalking him
Fleeing from a CIA kill squad, former operative Dean
Delgado is hiding out back in Wyoming, where the terrain -- and the people --
are all too familiar. He befriends veterinarian Kate Sawyer while working
undercover -- the woman he was once forced to leave behind. But when an
emergency call brings Kate under fire, Dean must blow his cover to save her.
Now, despite the risks to his own life, protecting Kate is the only mission
that matters.
Wow-what a rollercoaster of a ride this book was. The
action began almost immediately and didn't let up even at the end. The story
opens as Kate, a veterinarian with a mobile clinic takes a late-night call. But
instead of a client with a sick animal, her caller is a desperate young woman
in labor and standing outside Kate's apartment. When the terrified mother-to-be
refuses to allow an ambulance to be called, Kate realizes she'll have to
deliver the baby herself. With the help of the elderly bartender, DJ, from the
bar under her apartment, Kate gets Cheryl into her mobile clinic with minutes
to spare. But as Kate is in mid-delivery, two gun-wielding men burst in,
threatening their lives, and demanding to take Cheryl and the baby. In the first of many surprises that night,
the elderly DJ takes out one gunman and chases down the other.
Unknown to Kate, DJ is not precisely what he seems. Dean
Delgado, a native of Laramie and her high school boyfriend, walked away when
they were seventeen without a word to anyone. Since then, he lived on the
streets, spent time as a Marine, then joined the CIA, where he was a member of
Topaz Unit, an assassination squad. When his team's last mission went horribly
wrong, they found themselves the targets of a CIA kill squad. A master of
disguises, Dean returned to Laramie, where he's lived undercover for seven
months, always looking over his shoulder. When he breaks cover to help Kate, he
knows he'll have to leave again, but how can he go when she's in danger?
I loved the reunion between Dean and Kate. While grateful
for his help, the last thing she wants is to have Dean stirring up old
feelings. I loved how she ripped into him for the way he left, his selfishness
in not getting in touch, and his current plan to disappear again. His
explanation doesn't wholly convince her of the danger he's in, and she wants
him to stay and help her figure out what was going on with Cheryl. Dean attempts
to persuade her to leave it alone, as he suspects something terrible is going
on, and he wants her to be safe. Of course, she refuses to back down, and
though Dean leaves, his guilty conscience sends him right back - just in time
to rescue Kate again.
I could not put the book down as Dean and Kate investigated
what Cheryl was involved in. Strange numbers found on a thumb drive led them to
a dark underbelly in their small town and put both in further danger. I loved Dean's
actions, proving he knew the right thing to do, but it also left Kate
vulnerable. An unforeseen twist put her at the mercy of a dangerous man,
leaving Dean to figure out how to save her. Help came from an unexpected source,
and though Dean is wary, he can't turn it down. The rescue scene was a
nail-biter, but their troubles aren't over yet.
At the same time, all of this is going on, the kill squad
finally got the break they needed to locate Dean. A disturbing scene at CIA
headquarters shows a ruthlessness on the part of several people to eliminate Dean
and the rest of his team. They deploy a "secret weapon" to get their
information while reiterating their expectations. I was especially intrigued by
the news about Topaz Unit's former boss and can't wait to see what comes of that.
I was on the edge of my seat as the killers came closer to Dean and Kate. The
final confrontation was heartbreaking, but I hold out hope that some good may
come of it.
I loved seeing the rekindling of the relationship between
Dean and Kate. Neither had forgotten each other in the fifteen years they'd
been apart, and it didn't take long for their feelings to resurface. I liked
watching them talk about what happened back then, the repercussions for
everyone involved, and the effects that still linger in their lives. Kate's
trust issues have impacted attempted relationships in ways she only just begins
to understand. Dean has trouble believing he deserves anything good in his
life. As they work their way toward safety and sanctuary, they have some time
to get to know each other again.
The epilogue was excellent, and I loved catching up with
the people from the first two books. But an unpleasant surprise arrives along
with Dean and Kate and serves as a lead-in for the next book. I can't wait to
finally find out the truth of what happened with that failed operation and the who/what/why behind the attacks.
If it means keeping her away from the danger stalking him
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