Team Falco Book 5
Brotherhood Protectors World

By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Kris Norris

Where there’s smoke…

Trent Falco has dedicated his life to fighting fires. First, with the Air Force. Now, as part of Team Falco. Alongside his brothers, he’s splitting his time between the Fool’s Gold fire department and Hank Patterson’s Colorado division of the Brotherhood Protectors. At least, that’s the plan. Not having anyone in need of his unique skillset is just a temporary setback. Until he inadvertently crashes a sting operation, leaving ATF Special Agent Fiona Kingsley’s cover hanging in the balance.

Despite the intense unspoken connection simmering between them, Fiona doesn’t want his help. In a last-ditch effort to try to salvage her investigation, he blindly jumps in, posing as her partner. Thoroughly unimpressed, she threatens to shoot him. But Trent’s not about to back down when it’s clear that far more than a simple arrest is at stake. And when the entire op goes sideways, he’s determined to be her first and last line of defense.

Whether it’s raging fires or a barrage of bullets, he’s got her six. He only hopes they both live long enough to finally act on the scorching heat smoldering between them. Because the future’s worth fighting for… And he’s hell-bent on fighting for Fiona.

Troy’s been stonewalling Trent about the fire inspection of the ghost town, insisting he investigate some dumpster fires instead. Heath joins Trent and then they come across what looks like the start of a wildfire. They call it in and proceed to douse it. Looking around while waiting for the rest of the crew to show, Heath notices SUV behind the old saloon in the ghost town. They decide to investigate and either get help for homeless staying there or send kids home.

What they don’t know is that they are interrupting something they shouldn’t and put a lot of things at risk, including their lives. Trent is told to stay home, but he doesn’t listen, no one bothered to tell him why and he was going stir-crazy. He’s more than a little surprised to see the woman who was with the arms dealers.

This is a favorite scene.

Instead, he leaned in a bit closer, his lips just shy of touching hers. “Is that going to be a problem for you? Me being alive?”

If his presence unnerved her, she didn’t show it. Didn’t try to twist away or knee him in the groin. In fact, she held her ground as if being trapped against him was just another Friday night for her.

She let her head fall back until it was pressed against the wall, those gorgeous eyes still pinned on him. “I guess that depends on whether you can get the hell out of here before those associates arrive and realize I went back on my deal. Because if they recognize you, we’ll both be screwed. And not in…”

He frowned when she didn’t continue, staring toward the door before inhaling, her eyes rounding as some of the color drained from her face. “Hey..”

“Shit.”

That was all the warning he got before she speared her fingers through his hair and claimed his mouth with hers. No easy buildup. No teasing, just her lips crushing over his, her body pressed against him.

She kept the pressure up, one leg lifting to wrap around his before easing back. Giving him a shake of her head. “If we’re going to sell this, and get everyone to walk past without looking twice, you’re going to have to do better than that. Or is that the best you’ve got?”

He struck. Not soft and gentle, like she might have envisioned. This was a full-frontal assault. A war in which her complete surrender was the only way he’d truly win. Which meant lifting his hands off the wall, planting one on the curve of her ass as the other tangled in the mass of hair trailing down her back. Using it to tilt her head — deepen the kiss. But that was just the start.

Once he had her positioned just right, he twisted their mouths, effectively opening hers. She inhaled, as if she hadn’t expected him to rise to the challenge, before sighing as he dipped his tongue inside. Fully tasting every inch before slowly releasing her. Using the brief pause to run his lips along her neck — bite the sensual curve near her shoulder.

Her breath hitched, then she was grinding her pelvis against his, dragging him down for another kiss once he’d licked his way back up and was level with her mouth, again. They battled for control before she eventually relented — allowed him to lead.

Footsteps tapping the floor behind him finally pulled him out of his daze, giving him enough time to grab more than a gulp of air. But just when he was about to glance over his shoulder — see who’d stopped several feet past them — she palmed his face. Kept his focus glued to hers. She didn’t speak, simply shook her head, keeping him close as her gaze darted off to his right.

Some guy huffed, a loud thud suggesting he’d kicked at the floor. “Where the hell is she? We watched her come in, and the waitress said she’s been sitting at that table for twenty minutes.”

Damn. Trent recognized the voice. Was pretty sure he’d heard it yelling through the old cellar door before the stairs had given way.

There was a pause, then another man snorting. “She’s probably in the john. Women are weird that way. Going in there just to hang out. Who cares? Let’s just go back and join Levy at the table.”

“I care, because if she’s setting us up…” The man cursed this time. “Are you sure this Raven bitch is legit?”

“That’s what Enrique said, and the guy’s the best hacker I know. And she did help us out of that situation the other night.”

“Did she? Because there weren’t any bodies or crime scene tape there, the next morning.”

Shit, they’d gone back to check for the bodies?

“You might want to keep your voice down when you’re talking about bodies, Benning. And only an idiot would have left any behind for the cops to find.”

“Please, I bet half the people in this bar have warrants out on them. And I realize it would have been stupid, but how the hell did she move them without any help? Especially with those stairs all busted and the fire department on their way. She ain’t that strong. And who meets guys like us without backup?”

“Who cares how she moved them as long as they’re gone. And that fire engine probably went up to where that weird truck was parked on the plateau, not to the town. She could have hidden them and gone back later. Besides, she knocked you on your ass without breaking a sweat.”

The guy — Benning — grunted, and it sounded as if he’d smacked his buddy. “She bested you and Levy, too, so don’t get all smug. Still, something feels off.”

“You think she’s a cop?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time they’d tried to weasel their way in. Martin’s been real antsy since that last fucker nearly got him.”

Had she tensed just now? Was she breathing harder? Faster? Because it felt like it. Her chest heaving against his, not that Trent had a chance to ask when she leaned in and kissed him, again. Anchored her fingers in his hair.

He answered her challenge, still half-focused on the men when they turned then headed back to their table, muttering how they’d give her ten more minutes before they took matters into their own hands. Essentially hunted her down.

Trent stared at her once she’d released him, her hands falling to his chest, her gaze drifting to where the men had disappeared. She let her head rest against the wall, again, some of that cockiness fading before she met his gaze. Seeing more white around her eyes than before she’d kissed him had him tensing. Rethinking his next few steps because, tough act aside, the lady was scared. The way her pulse tapped triple time beneath her skin, to how she pursed her mouth, looking as if she was trying not to scream. It all betrayed the forced calm she tried to maintain.

Trent stepped back, strangely missing the feel of her body pressed against his. “Sounds like you’re in trouble, sweetheart.”

A hint of a smile as she gazed into the heart of the bar for a moment. “Understatement of the year, but… It comes with the job.”

“And what job’s that?”

She cocked her head to the side, obviously deciding on how to reply, when she blew out a rough breath. “You need to leave. Now. Preferably through a back door or bathroom window.”

He grabbed her wrist, much like he’d done in the cellar, stopping her from pushing past him. “What makes you think I’m gonna play along instead of turning you over to the cops?”

That luscious mouth of hers quirked, a brilliant smile curving her lips, this time. “You mean besides that kiss?” She sighed when he simply stared at her, his grip firm but not crushing. “You look like the kind of guy who’s a good judge of character. I need you to trust in that, and get your ass out of here. I—”

“Damn it, Fiona, are you okay? Because those guys look like they’re getting antsy, and you didn’t answer my…” Captain Sparrow Oakley stumbled to a halt as she stopped in front of the other woman, looking more than a bit confused until her gaze finally landed on him. Her eyes widened as some of the color blanched from her face.

Sparrow cursed, turning to face him. “What the hell are you doing here? You were told to stay home.”

Trent looked over to Raven — or was it Fiona — then back to Sparrow. “Do you two know each other?”

Sparrow’s skin turned an even paler shade of white as she blew out a rough breath. She glanced at his mystery woman, then snorted, kicking at the floor. “You Falcos are such a pain in the ass.”

“Wait.” Fiona, because Trent was pretty damn sure her real name wasn’t Raven. “You’re a Falco?”

Trent stepped forward. “The name’s Trent, sweetheart. And you’re… Raven? Or is it Fiona?”

Her eyes narrowed at the mere mention of his name. As if she already knew everything about him and hadn’t liked what she’d learned.

She stared at Sparrow. “I thought that was Troy’s twin’s name?”

Sparrow didn’t even smile. “It is. They’re fraternal, not identical.”

“Well, crap.” Fiona shook her head, sizing him up once she’d stopped huffing. “Though, that explains why you look more like a mercenary than a fireman, and why I thought you seemed a bit familiar but couldn’t immediately place you, still… If I’d known it was one of you boys the other night, I definitely would have left before you regained consciousness.”

“Back up a moment. You know my brother?”

“Can you please stop talking for one minute and let me think.”

Sparrow inched closer, looking as if she was trying to block anyone in the bar from seeing them. “I knew that meeting went worse than you let on. Did they see Trent just now? Are you burned?”
Norris, Kris; Protectors World, Brotherhood. Fighting for Fiona: Brotherhood Protectors World (Team Falco Book 5). Kindle Locations (502-563). Twisted Page Press, LLC. Kindle Edition.

Things get a lot more complicated for Fiona from this point. She now has a partner she didn’t want and can’t get rid of or blow her cover.

There is plenty of action as a meeting totally goes FUBAR and Fiona and Trent make a very interesting escape.

Between the snark, the attraction, the danger and yes the sizzle, I couldn’t put this book down.

5 Contented Purrs for Kris!

Kris Norris

Kris sees herself as somewhat obsessive and feels she tends to push the boundaries of common sense sometimes. Her friends graciously see her as passionate and adventurous. After all, speed limits are only a guideline and shouting is just her way of rising above the chaos. Kris loves the outdoors. If she’s not on her computer— or chasing after her three kids— she’s out on a trail somewhere, either running with her dog or riding her mountain bike. Kris took up adventure racing a few years ago, and tries to enter one or two races every year. Kris started writing some years back, and it took her a while to realize she wasn’t destined for the padded room, and the voices chattering away in her head were really other characters trying to take shape. (And since they weren’t telling her to conquer the human race, she went with it.) Kris loves writing erotic novels. She loves heroines who kick butt, heroes who are larger than life, and sizzling sex scenes that make you squirm in your seat, and leave you feeling just a bit breathless.