Or if he’ll be my one who gets away.I’m an Italian-Texan woman in a family full of cops. I’m passionate and shoot before I think. You only f*ck with me if you’re stupid.

“We’re both fools, Noelle.”

I take a deep breath and look down at my hands clasped around the mug. “I’m sorry,” I say softly. “I just…”

“You’re not used to anyone other than your brothers stepping up and protecting you.”

I hate it when he’s right. Really, really hate it.

He closes the slight distance between us and gently takes my hands from the mug. “Hey.” He touches his fingers to my chin and lifts it, making me look at him. “I get it. I already told you I don’t want someone who needs saving. But saving and protecting are two vastly different things, cupcake. I don’t care if you need protecting from a killer or some sleazeball hitting on you because he’s loaded and wears fancy suits. I’m gonna protect you, whether you like it or not. I’m not afraid to stake my claim where dicks like him are concerned. One-up me on solving murders every day of the week, but don’t be mad at me for doing what feels right. Nothing matters more to me than protecting you, bella.”

Of all the things he calls me, I’ll never let him know how much bella affects me. Because just about every time he says it, I stop breathing. It’s always at that moment when my heart is already pounding.

“I know.” I raise an eyebrow. “I’m not apologizing again though.”

“I’m surprised you said sorry once.”

I purse my lips at his wide grin. “It won’t happen again.”

“I didn’t think it would.” His eyes spark in amusement. “I’m sorry too, but I can’t help it if your badass gene pisses off my alpha complex.”

“My badass gene is laughing at you.”

“My alpha complex wants to smack your ass.”

I grab my purse, put it over my butt, and walk backward. “Nope. That’s not how we’re starting today.”

“You’re right.” He stalks toward me with a lusty glint in his eye. “We’re gonna start it like this instead.”

He slams me back against my front door and I drop my purse. He dives his hands into my hair and seals his lips over mine. Fireworks erupt across my skin as I curl my fingers around his neck.

He devours me, plain and simple.

“Now,” he breathes, smiling. “Now, we’re gonna go and get some work done.”

I flick my thumb across his bottom lip, wiping away the smudge of my lipstick. “Now, we are.”

Photograph cheating spouses. Hand over the evidence. Cash my check.

That was my plan when I returned home to Holly Woods, Texas, and became a private investigator.

Finding the dead body in my dumpster? Yeah… Given the choice, I think I would have opted out of that little discovery, especially since all three of my brothers are cops. And my Italian grandmother is sure the reason I’m single is because of my job.

Of course, my connection to the victim is entirely coincidental. Until I’m hired by her husband to investigate her murder and shoved bang-smack into the path of Detective Drake Nash.

My nemesis, a persistent pain in my ass, and one hell of a sexy son of a bitch.

Shame he still holds a grudge from that time I shot him in the foot twelve years ago, or we could have something. In another life.

So now all I have to do is avoid my nonna’s blind dates, try not to blackmail my brothers into giving me confidential police files, and absolutely do not point my gun at Drake Nash. Or kiss him. Or jump his bones.

All while I hunt down the killer.

Sounds totally simple—until a second body proves that sometimes things that start as coincidences don’t always end up that way…

(Twisted Bond is book one of the Holly Woods Files series and while it does not end in a cliffhanger, it is not a standalone.)

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