Seconds to Sunrise
Seconds to Sunrise
By Nico Rosso
She thought she’d lost everything...
April Banks thought her website crashing was just a glitch. Starting the online forum for war widows has been the only thing keeping her together since her husband died, and she won’t let anything interfere with her work. But this is no technical malfunction—cyberterrorists have targeted the information locked in April’s website and they’ll do anything to get it. Even if that means removing April. Permanently.
He’ll make them pay...
Automatik gave former SAS agent James Sant a way to protect the innocent again. He thinks life in the shadows is all he deserves...until he meets his newest assignment. April is everything James has never let himself want and he knows she’s already had too much heartbreak in her life to risk feeling for him. But keeping things professional while hunting the hackers with the gorgeous widow is going to be the hardest job he’s ever taken on.
This book is approximately 75,000 words
Carina Press acknowledges the editorial services of Rhonda Edits, LLC
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise! Find out more at CarinaPress.com/RomancePromise
Dear Readers,
Happy New Year! I looked back at some of my Dear Reader letters from past Januarys going back six years, and it looks like in many years I’ve reiterated our commitment to bringing you great books, memorable stories and excellent authors. It’s always tempting to try and one-up the year before, with things like “buy our books and...watch us swallow fire!” and “...we’ll bungee jump off the tallest building in the world!” But the truth is, since I’m a reader at heart, I know the only promise I want from a publisher is to not try and trick me with misleading genre labeling and to keep giving me the stories I want to read. So that’s what the Carina Press team will continue to work to do for you, our readers, in 2017. Sorry, we’ll have to save the fire swallowing for another year (and the bungee jumping for never).
We start 2017 off in the best way possible, with USA TODAY bestselling author Alexa Riley’s first full-length novel, Everything for Her. This contemporary romance, available in print, audio and digital, shows just what happens when a strong, possessive hero finds the woman of his dreams. Get ready to read this with an ice bath (or a snowbank) nearby!
Appropriate for the new year, we have four other new series starting this January. First this month, from the author of the quirky urban fantasy series Monster Haven is a new spin-off series, Djinn Haven. When a reaper goes missing, djinn and expert soul chaser Kam must recover the reaper’s ring before the souls inside it are trapped forever—but the past she ran from a hundred years ago is about to catch her and change everything in To Catch a Stolen Soul by R.L. Naquin.
Popular LGBTQ author Sean Michael joins Carina Press and launches the Dragon Soul series, five sizzling hot paranormal male/male erotic romances. There are dragons. And did I mention dragons? Meet the Beteferoce brothers. Five dragon shifters, each with a strong elemental power. And each with a fierce desire to find his soul mate. In book one, Branded by Flames, dragon-shifter-slash-firefighter Jake is beginning to tire of his search for a soul mate. Until he meets Shae, a former navy welder who’s into power play and rough sex...
Welcome to Luminous: where your pleasure is our purpose. With her new erotic romance trilogy, Stacey Lynn tantalizes readers, bringing us into the world of deep desire, naughty play and all-consuming love. Don’t miss Dominate Me, book one in the Luminous trilogy.
In Off Base, navy SEAL Zack Nelson wants peace, not a roommate, after trading the barracks for a fixer-upper rental. Especially not Pike, who sees the things about Zack he most wants to hide. A virgin hero and his flirty new love interest make this Out of Uniform spin-off series from #gaymers author Annabeth Albert a must-read.
We say a fond farewell to the Black Ops: Automatik series by Nico Rosso with the final book in this romantic suspense trilogy that’s been called “an action movie in book form” and “romantic suspense at its finest!” In Seconds to Sunrise, former SAS operator James Sant gets a second chance to help people with Automatik, but when a protection assignment brings him close to war widow April Banks, he finds himself hoping for more of a connection than ever—and she’ll have to discover if she’s ready to start living again. You can also buy the first two books in the trilogy, Countdown to Zero Hour and One Minute to Midnight.
Julie Moffett returns with No Living Soul, another Lexi Carmichael Mystery! An ancient secret is no match for amateur sleuth and professional trouble magnet Lexi Carmichael. Lexi and friends need to find and safeguard an ancient artifact before it falls into the wrong hands. You can start here or go back to Lexi’s beginning and read No One Lives Twice.
Emery Harper follows up Person of Interest, her first Celeste Eagan mystery, with In the Bag. Celeste Eagan thinks she’s gotten her life back on track...until her BFF drags her into the middle of yet another murder investigation, one that has killers, the police and even a suspicious new friend all chasing after her.
Last but certainly not least, ever-popular New York Times bestselling author Lauren Dane welcomes you back to the paranormal world of Diablo Lake, Tennessee: a town founded by witches, governed by werewolves and full of secrets. In Diablo Lake: Protected, tensions are building as the two main rival Packs vie for control, and the town is divided along lines of Pack loyalty. Aimee Benton and Mac Pembry are on opposite sides and he seems to find excuses to spar with her daily. He’s infuriating—not to mention charming, gorgeous and oh-so-lickable. Start with this book or pick up book one, Diablo Lake: Moonstruck.
Also from Lauren we have the next book in the Cascadia Wolves series. In Wolves’ Triad, Tracy Warden’s search for her mate leads her to not one, but two sexy alphas. But not everybody is as thrilled about that as Tracy, and when outside forces threaten their bond, the triad will have to fight for their newfound happiness.
As you can see, we’re starting 2017 off right with a great mix of romance, mystery and urban fantasy. And still not bungee jumping off tall buildings. We look forward to delivering to you plenty of excitement without the need for drastic measures, and we hope you’ll let us know some of your favorite books throughout the year.
As always, until next time, my fellow book lovers, here’s wishing you a wonderful month of books you love, remember and recommend.
Happy reading!
Angela James
Executive Editor, Carina Press
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Epilogue
Author’s Note
Also by Nico Rosso
About the Author
Chapter One
April Banks was being attacked. The world around her seemed ordinary. Fully stocked shelves in the El Paso, Texas, supermarket. No holes in the high ceiling from artillery fire. The woman behind the register wasn’t taking cover from flying bullets. But in the murky distance, featureless men worked to steal from April and the people who had trusted her.
Still, she had to eat and shop for food and do all the normal things people did. The brightly colored packages promised countless flavors and nutrition benefits, but she couldn’t find any hunger. She was empty. Nothing seemed like it would ever solve that. Dammit. She’d hoped she’d never know that hollowness again. Four years ago it had felt like it could’ve killed her. After months of searching she’d found a way to crawl out. But she was right back down again.
“The pantry must’ve been bare if you’re buying cans of sardines.” The woman behind the register, Theresa, waggled the tin in the air after scanning it, then sent it down the conveyor to the teenaged bagger.
April didn’t remember putting them in her shopping cart. “I can make a quick pasta sauce with them.”
Theresa wrinkled her nose. “Too briny for me. And I couldn’t get them past the kids.” Her pace at the scanner slowed. “Edgar would’ve loved it, though.” The words trailed off with an echo deep in her chest.
April understood. The loss never went away. “Make it for your kids sometime. Tell them about him. Even if they hate the food, they’ll know more about their dad.”
Theresa brightened. “Good idea. I’ll do that.” She rang up more of April’s food. “See, that’s what I miss with your site being down. We’re not talking and sharing ideas. I miss that.”
April had created foundafter.com as a project to pull herself out of the cold darkness and had wound up helping a lot of other women. They’d all been married to military men. They were all widows. April’s site gave them a forum to talk and rant and cry and laugh. Anonymously or with their own names, the women joined from all over the U.S. and even other countries. As the community had grown, April had built in funding capabilities, so the women could support each other when the needs arose. The credit card and financial information of thousands of women was too much of a temptation for the hacker to pass up.
“I miss it, too.” Part of her was lost without the voices of that community. “The cyber attack really did a number on the site. I’m doing what I can.”
“I’m sure you are.” Theresa reached across the register and gave April a light touch on the forearm. “I wish I could help. We all do.”
The contact only highlighted how far away the normal world had become. “Hopefully it won’t be too long.” But April had no idea when the site would be safe. If ever. The security had been compromised and data stolen. Her encryption made that data useless, for now. It was just a matter of time until the hacker broke through her security. The sensitive details of the women she’d tried to help with the site would be exposed and sold to dangerous strangers.
She went through the motions of paying. The transactions were so common, but so precarious. Her credit card information was being sent out into the world for criminals with enough knowledge and bad intent to find. The rest of her identity was in her purse. Her license plate outside told more about her. No piece of information was personal anymore. Nothing was safe and secure. She thanked the bagger and said goodbye to Theresa.
The checker shook her head with a warm smile. “I still can’t believe I was the one trying to tell you about your website.”
The woman brought it up nearly every time they met. April had just been reemerging into society and had been able to admit she was a widow without breaking down. She and Theresa had bonded over their common loss, in this same spot, with a bag of salad between them. Then Theresa’s face had lit up when she’d described April’s own site back to her, and the incredible community of women who supported each other through the toughest of times. When April had told her she was the one who’d created and ran foundafter.com, Theresa brightened even further, then teared up with gratitude.
The same sheen of emotion showed in Theresa’s eyes now. “You’ll get it sorted out. If anyone can, it’s you.”
But it seemed impossible. The expectation that she should be able to solve this only dragged her deeper into the hollow pit in the center of her chest. “Thanks, Theresa.”
April pushed her cart into the cold West Texas morning. Bursts of white clouds punched through a shocking blue sky. Thunderstorms muscled together on the eastern horizon. Winter wind pushed dry leaves across the parking lot. They collected and shivered against curbs and the wheels of her car.
She was pulling her keys from her purse when a man’s voice called out to her with a country twang. “Excuse me, ma’am.” A white man in his twenties with short blond hair strode toward her, the tall cuffs on his jeans nearly black with dirt. Despite the cold, he only wore a hoodie.
She straightened her posture and squared her shoulders. All business. No bullshit. But he kept coming toward her.
“Ma’am.” Was he really this polite, or was he just faking it? “You dropped something. Out of your purse. Is that your wallet?” He pointed to the ground behind her.
She was compelled to look, but instinct made her swing her shopping cart between her and the man before glancing back. There was nothing on the ground. His footsteps rushed faster toward her. She looked up to see him slam his hands on the front of her cart. It crashed into her hips and pushed her against her car. Pain flashed from the impact, but was overcome by the fear and anger that made her legs burn to run and her heart pound.
The man was close enough for her to see the red rimming his eyes and the ragged stubble around his grim frown. He tried to yank the cart away, but she gripped the side to maintain the smallest cushion of safety. The man growled and swiped a hand at her. It grazed across the top of her chest. Her muscles clenched tight to her, trying to never be touched by him again.
“Dougie!” the man yelled with breath that stank of cigarettes.
More footsteps approached. Her pulse thundered and fear stole her breath. She had to run before she found out what the hell these men wanted with her. Shoving as hard as she could, April jammed the cart into the man’s legs.
He winced in pain. “Fuck!”
She kept pushing until he backed up one step. She took the opening and sprinted.
Right toward the next rushing man. Dougie wore a heavier coat and a thick beard. He balled a fist and swung it toward her as he ran. She clenched her jaw and threw her hands up to guard her face.
The blow never came. Another man, dressed all in black, lunged out from between two parked cars and tackled the bearded attacker to the ground. Whoever this new guy was, he was well accustomed to fighting. While he rolled on the ground, he used his long limbs to gain leverage and rain down vicious elbows on the bearded man’s face.
Another man, this one with red hair, sped past her in the direction of the first guy who attacked her. She wasn’t interested in staying to see the outcome. They were all violent, and the best place to be was as far away as possible.
She ran, wondering if she’d gotten in the middle of a gang war or drug deal gone bad. If the man in black had been a cop, he’d have identified himself. But he’d been silent with brutal intensity. Dark eyes and a scowling mouth.
The fight had blocked her route back to the store, forcing her to speed along the sparsely populated parking lot toward a stand of storefronts that had been empty for months. Ragged shrubs kept her from a city street and the safety of other people. An alley between two buildings offered her only escape. She ducked into it, wishing her legs could move faster.
“You don’t need to run.” A man’s voice pursued her. He was amazingly calm
. Maybe it was the British accent that made him seem matter-of-fact. But he didn’t have the polish of the upper crust. A rough edge sharpened his words. Accent or not, she had no plan to comply.
The alley narrowed with debris. She slipped in a greasy puddle and scraped her shoulder against the cinderblock wall. Her jacket took the brunt of the blow, but the impact buzzed through her and forced her to take a quick gasp to steady herself. Every second she lost, the man came closer.
Adrenaline burned through her veins. She built her momentum up again to race down the alley, then skidded to a dead stop. The man wasn’t behind her anymore. He was in front of her, blocking the exit. His hands were raised, palms out. His chest moved from the breath of his run. It looked like he could go another dozen miles.
“I’m here to help you.” Serious dark eyes. A tight beard framed his dusky face. His hair was cropped short. The man appeared to be of East Indian descent. Military?
She still had her keys in her hand and shifted her grip so they stuck out from between her fingers when she made a fist. He smiled. Not as a threat, but with a glimmer of respect in his eye.
“You’re a right fighter.” He lowered his hands but didn’t step closer.
“You don’t want to find out.” She expected one of the other men to come up behind her any second.
“I don’t.” He nodded. “If I had my way, there’d be no fighting and you wouldn’t even know I was here.”
Her first response choked in her throat. Since the hack, nothing had felt safe. Was it because he’d been lurking nearby? He was taller than her. And faster and stronger. Her phone was too deep in her purse to call for help. “Just let me go.”
“I’m not stopping you.” He took a step forward.
She retreated a step and glanced at her exit. It was clear for now.
“But,” he continued, “it’s safer with me.” Black jeans, black T-shirt, black leather jacket. He didn’t look safe.
“I’m leaving now.” She continued to back away.