His to Defend, page 1
“I might be way off with this next question, but I have to ask. Do you have anything of Jeremy’s?”
She frowned. “Not that I can think of. Why?”
“I don’t know. I wonder if any of this has to do with his murder.” Maxwell wiped his hands and grabbed his cell phone off the counter. About half an hour ago, Danny had texted him a still shot of the suspect.
Maxwell held up his phone to her. “Do you recognize this guy?”
Amina stared at the photo for a few minutes. The quality wasn’t great, and much of the man’s face was hard to make out, but she might know him.
She eventually shook her head. “He doesn’t look familiar. Should I know him? Who is he?”
“The suspected killer.”
* * *
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Dear Reader,
I’m excited to bring you Maxwell Layton and Amina Kelly’s story. After Max appeared in Sin City Temptation, I received tons of emails asking if he would get a story. At the time, I wasn’t sure, but I’m happy to say his story is here!
In His to Defend, Maxwell is reunited with Amina, a woman he has loved from afar, but a woman who chose another man over him. Yeah, that kind of stinks, but when unforeseen circumstances bring them face-to-face, they have a chance to repair past mistakes. But along with their reunion comes danger. An unknown enemy has set his sights on Amina, and the dangerous situation appears to be tied to her ex-husband, a man who was once Max’s best friend.
I’m sure with just that little bit of information, you already know sparks will be flying. Nevertheless, Max and Amina get their happily-ever-after, but not without a few bumps in the road and some tension-filled moments. This second-chance romance is loaded with surprises that will keep you turning the pages while hanging on to the edge of your seat.
Enjoy!
Sharon C. Cooper
HIS TO DEFEND
Sharon C. Cooper
Award-winning and USA TODAY bestselling author Sharon C. Cooper writes contemporary romance as well as romantic suspense. She’s been nominated for numerous awards and is the recipient of Romance Slam Jam Emma Awards for Author of the Year 2019, Favorite Hero 2019 (Indebted) and Romantic Suspense of the Year 2015 (Truth or Consequences), to name a few. When Sharon isn’t writing, she’s hanging out with her amazing husband, doing volunteer work or reading a good book (a romance, of course). To read more about Sharon and her novels, visit www.sharoncooper.net.
Books by Sharon C. Cooper
Harlequin Romantic Suspense
His to Protect
His to Defend
Harlequin Kimani Romance
Legal Seduction
Sin City Temptation
A Dose of Passion
Model Attraction
Visit the Author Profile page at
Harlequin.com for more titles.
Dedication
To my amazing husband, Al, thank you for your unwavering support and unconditional love. I love you more than words can ever express.
Acknowledgments
Huge shout-out to Brenda, Carolyn, Yolanda, Claire and my Authors Who Brunch crew. I can’t imagine this writing journey without you ladies! (HUGS)
To my amazing readers: thanks so much for your continued support of my work! Your sweet (and oftentimes funny) emails and DMs keep me going. You make me want to keep writing! Love you all!
Contents
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
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Excerpt from Colton 911: Under Suspicion by Bonnie Vanak
Chapter 1
Police Sergeant Maxwell Layton stared out the passenger-side window as the Las Vegas scenery went by in a blur. Riding shotgun with one of his officers was not what he’d had planned for the day. A mound of paperwork on his desk was begging for attention. Yet here he was babysitting a man he used to call friend. Now a man he could barely stand to share the same space with.
“Does the chief want me gone?” Jeremy Kelly asked from the driver’s seat of the squad car. “Are you the only thing standing between me and the unemployment line?”
“No. If it was left up to me, your ass would’ve been off the police force a long time ago.”
A wicked sneer spread across Jeremy’s mouth. It brought attention to a small scar marring his reddish-brown skin. “Oh, so it’s like that?”
“Yeah, it is.”
Maxwell huffed out a breath. With the back of his hand, he blotted at the tiny beads of sweat popping out on his forehead. They had the air conditioner blasting on high, but it was no match for the hundred-and-ten-degree temperature outside.
“Jay, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I suggest you straighten up or look for another job. You got off lucky with only the three days suspension for fighting.”
The captain had ordered the suspension. Had it been up to Maxwell, he would’ve terminated both officers involved. Granted, that would’ve been harsh considering the indiscretion. But he had no tolerance for grown men, especially police officers, fighting each other while on duty.
“A.J. started it,” Jeremy said of the other officer, Aaron McCallum. “His redbone ass shouldn’t have come at me like that.”
Maxwell jerked his head to look at him. “Are you serious right now? You sound like a damn five-year-old. We committed to serving and protecting this city, but instead, you idiots were trading blows as if you were in a boxing ring. During a briefing no less. The sad part is, it was probably over some stupid mess.”
“It wasn’t stupid,” Jeremy snarled, and gripped the steering wheel tighter. “It was personal.”
Maxwell didn’t bother asking what the fight was about. Hell, he didn’t care. All he cared about was the safety of his officers, and how that fight could’ve gotten way out of hand. As it was, it made his department look bad.
Both men were being tight-lipped regarding the reason behind the dispute, which was no surprise. Cops stuck together, even if they didn’t agree with each other. However, Maxwell had no intention of letting either of them make a mockery out of his department, and if it happened again, they would definitely be terminated.
“Aaron might’ve thrown the first punch, but I didn’t miss the way you were glaring at him from the moment you stepped into the room. And then to start taunting him...in front of everyone...” Maxwell shook his head. “It was stupid and childish.”
His irritation with Jeremy went way beyond the senseless fight the other day. No, it had everything to do with the guy’s apathetic attitude toward the job lately and his disrespect for authority.
The two of them had gone through the police academy together almost fifteen years ago. From there, they’d been tighter than blood brothers and had planned to move up the ranks side by side. Maxwell stuck with that plan and was currently in line to be promoted to lieutenant.
But Jeremy? At first, he’d walked the straight and narrow, worked hard and was conscientious about the job. Yet, the last year or so, he had changed. Not just at work, but personally too. Gone was the easygoing, funny and all-around nice guy. In his place was a competitive, trouble-making, mean-spirited man with a short temper. He had turned into someone Maxwell didn’t recognize.
“Do the crappy assignments you’ve been giving me have anything to do with Mina?”
Maxwell glared at him as anger simmered just below the surface. “Leave her out of this!” he said of Jeremy’s ex-wife and one of the sweetest women Maxwell had ever met. “This situation isn’t personal.”
The words felt like sandpaper on his tongue, but Maxwell wanted to believe that they were true. He tried to be professional and never let personal issues get in the way of decisions made with any of his officers. Yet, if he was honest with himself, it was possible that his and Jeremy’s past troubles might be fueling some of the disgust he had toward the guy.
Maxwell shook his head, refusing to believe that. He was professional if nothing else. “Me riding with you is about your jacked-up attitude and poor performance out here on the streets,” he said with conviction.
“Max, don’t even try and front. You’ve had it in for me ever since you made sergeant, and even more after I married Mina. I can’t help it if I’m a better man than you are, or that she chose me over you. So, if you think I’m going to apologize for getting the jump on you, then you—”
“Dispatch, unit 14,” a female voice called over their radio. “What’s your 20, over?”
Maxwell responded to the call, agreeing to check out a disturbance at an apartment complex that was seven minutes from their location.
When he was done, he turned his attention back to Jeremy. “The a ssignments you receive from me are always about police business. I have never and will never make it personal. Again, as for me riding with you this week, that has everything to do with you being a screwup. I don’t know what’s going on with you, but this is your last chance to get yourself together.”
Jeremy tsked. He made a sharp U-turn, ignoring the way the tires screeched or the fact that he cut in front of another vehicle. Irritation gnawed on Maxwell’s nerves as Jay drove faster than necessary, flying down the street toward the apartment complex.
Maxwell gritted his teeth to keep from saying anything, silently fuming as he held on to the door handle. And did the jerk have to bring up Amina? A woman who was never far from Maxwell’s thoughts.
He and Jeremy had met her at the same time, on the same night, at a party that a mutual friend had thrown. Maxwell would never forget the moment he spotted her. He didn’t believe in love at first sight, but that night he had reconsidered his stance on the subject. Amina was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.
Smooth bronze skin with dark eyes that slanted when she smiled came to the forefront of Maxwell’s mind. And, God, what a smile. Amina had been like a bright star lighting up the gloomiest sky. He still remembered what she’d worn that night—a strapless light blue dress that hugged her generous curves and stopped just above her knees. Legs that seemed to go on forever had been accentuated by high-heel shoes.
Maxwell also recalled her first words to him in that melodious tone that was like a caress over his skin. Can I buy you a drink? she’d asked, shocking the hell out of him. No woman had ever offered to buy him a drink. He and Amina had talked and laughed for much of the evening, giving him an opportunity to see that her personality was just as beautiful as she was.
But little had he known that Jeremy had been eyeing her too.
“I have a lot going on right now,” Jeremy grumbled next to him, cutting into Maxwell’s thoughts.
“Then take time off. Man, you’ve got too many years in to screw it up by being stupid.”
Maxwell might not like the guy, but he’d hate to see anyone put in as many years as Jeremy had on a job, then lose everything because of doing something outrageous, like fighting a coworker.
Jeremy didn’t respond. He made a right turn and crept down the tree-lined street that had an apartment building on one side and townhomes on the other. As they drove, Maxwell assessed the urban neighborhood that was just outside downtown and was currently undergoing gentrification. Late afternoon in the middle of a weekday, there weren’t many people milling about. Probably because it was hot as hell. With this heat, no one in their right mind would be hanging outdoors if they had a choice.
They stopped on the side of the six-story beige-and-tan stucco building and parked. Before exiting the car, they both glanced around the exterior. The 911 caller complained of loud rock music that had been playing for the last hour. Maxwell was surprised that there hadn’t been more than one call since he could hear it even with the car windows rolled up.
“Dang. If you’re going to blast music, at least pick something that people know the lyrics to,” Jeremy grumbled as they climbed out of the vehicle. “I don’t know what’s up with this place. The last few months I’ve gotten dispatched here at least once every couple of weeks. If it’s not a break-in, it’s some drunk camped out in the hallway harassing tenants. It always seems to be something.”
“Maybe it’s under new management and they’re letting just anyone lease from them,” Maxwell said.
He loved almost any type of music, but he never could get with hard rock. Other than the tunes blaring, the block was fairly quiet with barely any traffic on the street.
He continued to take in their surroundings as they moved down the sidewalk and around to the front of the building. Well-maintained shrubbery and flower beds made up the landscape as they strolled up the double-wide walkway. The music grew louder. Maxwell couldn’t tell which apartment the ruckus was coming from.
“Just so you know, it was never my intention to hurt Amina,” Jeremy said. “I just didn’t wa—”
“Save it. What took place in your marriage is your business. Not mine.”
Jeremy released a humorless laugh. “Yeah, but you wanted it to be your business. I knew how you felt about Mina before I stepped to her, but I needed to show you that you’re not all that. She chose me, and you’re still pissed.”
“And then she saw you for the lowlife that you really are and divorced your ass,” Maxwell said with a calmness that didn’t match the annoyance swirling inside him.
He started to say more, but slowed as an ominous sensation settled around him. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the direction the conversation was going or if there was really something wrong. Either way, he never ignored his gut and right now something felt off.
“Hold up,” he said, stretching his arm out to stop Jeremy from moving forward. His other hand was on the handle of his holstered gun.
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure, but...”
Maxwell startled when breaking glass splintered the air and jagged shards rained down on them. He whipped out his gun and took a few side steps to his left as he aimed up at the broken window. He couldn’t see whoever was in the unit. Besides that, the blaring of the music was more than irritating. It was also a distraction.
“You got anything?” Jeremy asked as they moved in unison.
Before Maxwell could respond, a shot rang out.
He flinched.
Jeremy gasped.
Maxwell jerked his head toward his friend, who dropped to his knees.
“D-damn,” Jeremy murmured, and fell onto his side.
They were both wearing bulletproof vests, but even then, getting hit could knock the air out of you. But...
Blood.
Maxwell’s heart slammed against his chest, and he moved as if on autopilot. With his gun in one hand, he frantically waved it back and forth as he grabbed the back of Jeremy’s vest. He dragged him down the sidewalk and headed back the way they came. Instead of going to the car, he cut around the corner of the building. That would give them more coverage. The grass, flower bed and tall hedges would also help, but not much.
Maxwell knelt next to Jeremy who was squirming, his rapid, shallow breathing causing his chest to rise and fall as he struggled for air.
Aw, hell.
The bullet had missed the vest. Caught him in the side of the neck. Blood spilled from the wound and his mouth.
“Hang on, man,” Maxwell said, his pulse racing in sync with the shrieking of the rock music still booming from the building.
His throat tightened and nausea swirled inside him as he set his gun on the ground close enough to easily grab if needed. He placed his hand on Jeremy’s neck, applying pressure on the wound, hoping to slow the bleeding.
So much blood.
His hand, coated with the warm, sticky, scarlet substance pouring from the hole in Jeremy’s neck, wasn’t helping in stopping the bleeding. No amount of training could’ve prepared Maxwell for this...for seeing a friend shot and fighting for his life.
“Just hang on,” he mumbled, his body trembling as he used his free hand to press the button on the walkie-talkie that was hooked on his shoulder. “Shots fired! Officer down! Need backup,” he muttered into his radio mic. He gave his location and information about where the shots came from, and prayed backup and an ambulance could get there quick. He didn’t know if whoever shot at them would try again.
Maxwell picked up his weapon and anxiously surveyed the area. Still, no one was in sight, but in between sounds of an electric guitar and drums, someone was yelling. Sirens could barely be heard in the distance.
“Sor-ry about Mi-Mina.” Jeremy panted and coughed, blood sputtering from his mouth. “I—I was wro-wrong.”
“Be quiet,” Maxwell said between clenched teeth. His heartbeat was racing faster than a locomotive flying down the tracks. “Tell me later about how much of an asshole you are, but right now I need you to hang on. Your ass better not die on me.”
Jeremy tried to laugh, but coughed up more blood. “I’m sor-sorry,” he stammered, and his eyes drifted closed while he continued struggling to breathe.
