Juror No. 7

by Mallory Kane

• ISBN13: 9780373887668
• ISBN10: 0373887663
• Edition: Large
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-05-08
• Publisher: Harlequin

Summary

Brand Gallagher was on an undercover mission to bring down the Castellano crime syndicate and avenge his brother's death. Yet when he was ordered to kill Lily Raines—unlucky juror no. 7—the tough lawman knew he couldn't break his oath to serve a

Excerpts

Something was wrong.Lily Raines knew it as soon as the door closed behind her. It was too dark, the only light coming from the streetlamp outside her living room window. Hadn't she left the light on over her sink? She set down her purse and keys and listened. Nothing. The light must have burned out. She puffed her cheeks in a weary sigh and shrugged out of her jacket, the rustle of silk echoing in the silence. Her scalp tingled with that creepy spider-onyour-skin feeling--as if someone were watching her. She'd had it ever since the trial started. Stress.That's all it was. Goodness knew she had enough reason. She reached for the living room light switch. "I wouldn't do that." Lily shrieked. A dark figure rose up in front of her. She tried to scream but her throat seized; tried to turn and run but her legs wouldn't carry her. Hard hands grabbed her shoulders, twisted her violently and shoved her onto the couch. Gasping for air, Lily bounced back up and swung her fist at the dark shape. She connected with flesh. "Ouch!Maudit!" The owner of the voice grabbed her and shoved her again, hard. She fell across the arm of the couch and onto the floor, bumping her hip and elbow painfully. "Hey--" Different voice.There were two of them. Panic clawed at her throat and she scrambled to regain her footing. She screamed for help and tried to get up but her head hit the end table and she saw stars. She tried to crawl away but there was nowhere to go. They were between her and the door. "Get her!" A different pair of hands closed around her upper arms from behind and lifted her with no effort. "Let go of me!" she cried, kicking backward. The hands turned into steely arms that wrapped around her, immobilizing her. This one was big, tall, solid. His breath sawed in her ear. She stomped but missed his instep. His hold tightened. She clawed at his forearms, but he squeezed her so fiercely she could barely breathe. She gasped for air. The first man stepped in front of her and into the faint light from the window. She squinted. He was skinny. Her height, maybe. Shorter than the one who held her. She'd need that information later to tell the police--if they let her live. Desperately she kicked, using the second man's hold for leverage. He squeezed her until her ribs ached and whispered something close to her ear. She didn't understand what he said, but the feel of his hot breath on her skin sent terror streaking through her. The skinny guy laughed as he dodged her kicks. Then his laughter stopped and he grabbed her chin. He stuck his face in front of hers. His breath reeked of garlic. "Calm yo-self,Lily." He knew her name?She froze, horrified. These men weren't burglars. This was personal. "Who are y--" The fingers moved from her chin to her throat. "Good girl. Now you gon' be quiet for me?" His fingers pushed painfully into her neck as she tried to nod. Tried to stop her brain from imagining what they planned to do to her. Frantically, she searched her memory. She didn't recognize the voice or the accent. Cajun,"What do you want?" she gasped. The Cajun bared his teeth and his fingers tightened. Her larynx closed up. He was crushing it. He was going to kill her. "Di'n I tell you be quiet?" She struggled for air. She didn't want to die. She made a strangled sound and clawed at the arms holding her. Her vision went black. "Careful," the man who held her rasped. "She can't breathe." The punishing pressure on her chest relaxed slightly. "You shut your face!" the skinny guy hissed, but he loosened his hold. She sucked air through her aching throat. From behind her the rock-hard arms loosened a bit more. Her eyes were beginning to adapt to the darkness, but she still couldn't distinguish features or clothing. The