Free Deadly Promises by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love, Laura Griffin, Cindy Gerard

shivering on the couch. Wearing a red silk kimono might not be the warmest clothing, but she was shaking from terror of having a weapon shoved against her head.
    If this was a mission for BAD, Jeremy would take the clear shot he had. There were plenty of reasons not to, but the only one that mattered was the danger of the weapon at CeCe’s head discharging.
    Jeremy pulled a penny from his pants pocket and tossed it down the hallway where the coin bounced against a baseboard.
    “What was that?” the intruder said, eyes turning toward the sound.
    “I don’t know,” CeCe whispered. “I live alone.”
    Indecision played through the perp’s hardened face until he backed a step away from CeCe, pulling his weapon off her head.
    Just what Jeremy had hoped for. He let the guy take a second step toward the hallway that brought him closer to Jeremy, who rushed him.
    The perp’s eyes flashed surprise. He hesitated in raising his gun hand just a second, long enough for Jeremy to reach him in time to knock the weapon away.
    But that left Jeremy open for the left hook that felt like a sledgehammer when it clipped his jaw. He took the hit then came back with a right cross of his own, using his gun to slam the guy in his temple.
    The intruder fell back against her front door and dropped down between the door and the end of her couch.
    “Jeremy.” CeCe had barely said his name as if she couldn’t breathe for hyperventilating.
    “Are you okay?” He gave her a quick glance while he bent to pick up the intruder’s Glock and shoved it inside the waistband of his jeans. She wasn’t screaming and her eyes hadn’t glazed over with shock yet in spite of being terrified.
    CeCe nodded from where she sat frozen. Her eyes zeroed in on the weapon in Jeremy’s hand and widened. If her face lost any more color he worried she might pass out.
    Taking a look to ensure the guy was still out cold, Jeremy stepped over to where CeCe sat frozen in place on her sofa, hands gripping the cushion on each side of her legs.
    He leaned down and put his palm against her face. “Are you okay?”
    She nodded, fighting to hold back tears.
    He kissed her, just enough to give her some comfort. When Jeremy lifted his head he was heartened to see her shock fading. Giving her a task would take her mind off the fear she’d just endured. “Have you got duct tape?”
    She blinked, clearing her gaze. “Yes.”
    “Walk around the far end of the coffee table and go get it.”
    The minute she exited the room Jeremy went back to the guy, whose fingers were moving. He’d come to in a minute. The intruder packed an easy two hundred and twenty-five pounds of corded muscle into black pants and a tight-fitting T-shirt. Thick ruddy brown–colored hair an inch long covered his blockhead and deep lines carved into his ugly mug. A scar made up of X ’s ran from elbow to wrist on his left arm. Prison cuts?
    The guy shook his head and opened eyes that narrowed with hate.
    In that instant, Jeremy saw something familiar in his face, but he couldn’t place him. “Who are you?”
    “Someone you shouldn’t be pissing off,” the thug answered.
    “Hard not to do when that’s my specialty.”
    The guy’s arrogant gaze flattened. “You’re fucking with the wrong person.”
    “I could say the same thing.” Jeremy listened for CeCe who was digging through drawers in the kitchen, followed by slamming a drawer and cursing. His gaze stayed on this guy, who was too calm for being caught breaking and entering. “How do you know CeCe?”
    Dull gray eyes stared then he shrugged. “Picture was in the paper.”
    “What do you want with her?”
    “What do you think?” The perp grinned.
    Jeremy drew on all his discipline not to shove that smile down to the guy’s boots.
    “Wait a minute,” the intruder whispered. His eyebrows lowered over soulless eyes that pondered on something. “I know you.”
    Shit. He hated to be right some days. “No you don’t.”
    When CeCe slammed a