Protected by Elisabeth Naughton

2018

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Author:	Elisabeth Naughton
Genre:	Contemporary Romance
File Name:	protected-by-elisabeth-naughton.epub
Original Title:	Protected (Deadly Secrets Book 3)
Creator:	Elisabeth Naughton
Language:	en
Identifier:	ISBN:9781503900783
Publisher:	Montlake Romance
Date:	1521475200
File Size:	554690.56

A passion to live for—and to die for—in the RITA-winning series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Elisabeth Naughton.

Up-and-coming designer Kelsey McClane is on the cusp of success. Recently divorced, she should be enjoying her newfound freedom and glamorous future. Instead, she’s living in fear of the past. When she returns home to Portland on a press tour, danger creeps closer than ever. As threatening messages from her bitter ex-husband leave her vulnerable, a new man in her life makes her feel protected.

Former Army Ranger turned security professional Hunter O’Donnell is hired to guard Kelsey. When a shattering explosion rocks her world, Kelsey’s ex is the prime suspect, but Hunter speculates there’s more to the situation than Kelsey’s letting on. Intent on keeping her safe, he delves into Kelsey’s past. As the two work together to unmask her stalker’s identity, a fire ignites between them that they both struggle to contain.

While the investigation proceeds, it draws them closer not only to each other but also to a lethal plot that’s been in the works behind their backs. And with each new secret unveiled, it’s not just temptation putting them at risk—it’s a madman who will not stop until Kelsey is dead.

Table of Content

1. Unnamed
2. OTHER TITLES BY ELISABETH NAUGHTON Deadly Secrets Repressed Gone
3. Unnamed
4. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Text copyright © 2018 by Elisabeth Naughton All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Montlake Romance, Seattle www.apub.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Montlake Romance are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781503900783 ISBN-10: 1503900789 Cover design by Michael Rehder
5. For Rachel, Who’s always there to rescue me when I’m lost in every book. Never leave me, girlfriend, because I don’t know how I’d do any of this without you.
6. 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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
7. CHAPTER ONE Congratulations. The papers were signed by the judge last night. You’re a free woman. Kelsey McClane breathed a sigh of relief as she read the text from her attorney. Eight months of hell dealing with her ex were finally over. She felt as if a giant weight had been lifted from her shoulders. The only thing that could make this day any sweeter was if she’d never married the jerk to begin with. Rolling her eyes because her track record in her personal life was shit and she knew it, she set her cell phone on the counter as she checked her reflection one last time. The lights on both sides of the mirror highlighted her blonde hair and showed every imperfection in her features. She knew the cameras would pick up each annoying freckle across the bridge of her nose, but it was too late to do anything about that now. In a matter of minutes she was scheduled to be on air with Portland’s hottest morning show, and not even the good news from her attorney could settle her frazzled nerv
8. CHAPTER TWO The second he felt the shock wave jerk the building, Hunt lurched forward with only one thought in mind. “Kelsey!” “It’s an earthquake!” someone shouted. “Take cover under a desk!” another voice hollered. “Get to a doorway!” The shrieks and screams filling the soundstage were drowned out by debris crashing down in the darkness. People streaked past Hunt, trying to get to the exits before the walls collapsed. Something hard hit him on the back of his head, on his shoulder, and across his left arm, but he ground his teeth against the pain and pushed on. “Kelsey!” he yelled again, hoping she could hear him, fighting back the panic that wanted to grab hold because he couldn’t see her. “Get to the back of the couch. Lie on your side on the ground next to it! Cover your head!” More screams reached his ears in the darkness, followed by one faint shriek he recognized. One off to his right, telling him . . . she was there. That she’d moved toward the couch in the middle of the set.
9. CHAPTER THREE “Hunt?” Unease wedged its way between Kelsey’s ribs as she waited in the silence for him to say something. Anything. Possibilities whipped through her mind. What if he’d passed out? What if the rubble pinning his legs had shifted and crushed him? She didn’t think that could have happened—she hadn’t heard any debris moving—but what if he’d been cut when the ceiling had come down and hadn’t realized it? What if he’d blacked out from blood loss? Worst-case scenarios filled her mind as she scooted closer to the cold cement separating them and fought against the panic threatening to drag her under. “Hunter?” “Yeah. Sorry. I, uh, lost my train of thought. I must have hit my head harder than I realized. What were you asking?” Relief filled her chest like a balloon inflating. Closing her eyes, she laid her cheek against the cement beneath her and tried to slow her pulse. He was okay. A hysterical laugh filled her chest when she realized where her mind had gone, and she only just
10. CHAPTER FOUR Hunt coughed against the dust filling his lungs as the roar faded. The debris around him had shifted. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but his little air pocket was now smaller than before. Cement and rock pushed against him from every side, but at least it hadn’t completely collapsed on top of him. “Kels”—he coughed again—“Kelsey, answer me.” Silence met his ears, sending his pulse right back into overdrive. He blinked and tried to rub the grime from his eyes. There was so much dirt and debris he was sure he’d never be clean again. “Kelsey? Talk to me. Tell me you’re okay.” Every second that passed with no sound from her caused his chest to cinch tighter until it felt three sizes too small for his lungs. “Kelsey, dammit. Answer me.” Still no response. He pressed his palm against the cement near his head that separated his space from hers and used every ounce of strength he had to try to shove it aside, but it wouldn’t budge. Muscles burning, he finally dropped his arm an
11. CHAPTER FIVE Hunt had a sinking feeling he’d seriously fucked up. But for the moment, there wasn’t a thing he could do to fix it. The doctor tied off the last of the stitches in his thigh in the emergency bay at the ER where Hunt had been taken even though he’d argued he didn’t need a hospital. A little of the tension in Hunt’s chest eased, knowing this part of his day was almost done. He was itching to get out of here. Itching to get back to Kelsey. And his eagerness had absolutely nothing to do with that never-should-have-happened kiss, and everything to do with the fact he didn’t have a clue where Benedict was at the moment. Damn. What the hell had he been thinking, kissing Kelsey like that? She was his best friend’s sister. There was a bro-code there he knew better than to cross. He needed to get out of this hospital and find Kelsey, not just because she was technically his client at the moment, but because he needed to talk to her about that kiss. Apologize. Explain . . . Explain
12. CHAPTER SIX Kelsey eyed Hunt warily in the entryway of the rundown brick building he’d brought her to in the Goose Hollow neighborhood. He’d been acting strange since his meeting with those federal agents. Not worried, exactly, but standoffish, quiet, almost a little cold. She wasn’t sure what to make of that. She waited while Hunt slid a key into the panel outside the elevator and pushed a button. Had his meeting with the Feds not gone well? Had her brother said something on the phone that had upset him? Or did his demeanor have something to do with the fact she’d kissed him outside the ER? The elevator doors whooshed open, and Hunt held out a hand for her to enter the small car first. Stepping in, she turned to watch him, hoping for any sign he was stressed over something other than that kiss. The elevator jolted as if it were a hundred years old, then hummed as it began to move. She didn’t want to think he could be upset over that; after all, he was the one who’d kissed her earlier
13. CHAPTER SEVEN Kelsey couldn’t sleep. She’d been tossing and turning for the last two hours, but every time she closed her eyes, she was right back in that pitch-black darkness, surrounded by all that debris, unable to get out. Throwing back the covers, she breathed deep and stared up at the ceiling in Hunt’s guest room as she fought the panic trying to squeeze the air out of her lungs. She’d left the bathroom light on and the door separating the two rooms open to remind herself she wasn’t in that nightmare any longer, but even that wasn’t helping. It was too quiet in this building. The walls were obviously some high-tech variety that blocked out city noise. If she could just hear something other than her rapid pulse and erratic breaths, maybe she could get some damn sleep. Maybe she wouldn’t feel like she was about to hyperventilate. Unable to stand the silence a moment longer, she pushed out of bed and crossed the floor. The living room was dark and quiet, but there was enough city li
14. CHAPTER EIGHT A knot wedged its way into the center of Kelsey’s chest the second the elevator doors closed. She wasn’t sure what was going on; she only knew Hunt wasn’t being truthful. The person downstairs wasn’t a stranger. She’d used his first name. Unease swirled inside Kelsey as she moved across the living room and stopped at the security panel he’d turned dark before leaving. She didn’t know a thing about his fancy system, but she was pretty sure he hadn’t killed the entire mechanism. Running her fingers along the side of the console, she found a button and pushed it. An image lit up the screen, and she blinked against the bright light until she finally focused on a woman with long dark hair and a clearly perturbed expression, who stood with her arms crossed, facing the closed elevator doors. Seconds that felt like an eternity ticked by as she watched, wondering who the woman was. Then the elevator doors opened, Hunt stepped out of the car still as shirtless and sexy as he’d been
15. CHAPTER NINE Kelsey stumbled to her feet, bruised and sore but wide-eyed and unable to look away from what was happening in front of her. Blood spurted from Julian’s mouth, and his head jerked from one side to the other as Hunt slammed his fist into Julian’s bruised and swollen face again and again. Her heart shot into her throat. Yes, she hated Julian for what he’d just done to her. Yes, she wanted him to suffer. But not like this. And not at the hands of someone who was supposed to be one of the good guys but who at the moment looked to be more of a threat than her ex-husband. Hunt drew his fist back once more, and Kelsey stumbled forward, wrapping her hand around his wrist and yanking hard so he couldn’t land another blow. “Hunter, stop!” The sound of her voice gave him pause. Or maybe it was her fierce hold on his arm. Whatever the cause, he swiveled toward her, and for a split second there was no recognition in his familiar brown irises. A new sort of panic ripped through her ches
16. CHAPTER TEN This was the dumbest thing she’d ever agreed to. Kelsey glanced toward the bedside clock in the guest room of Hunt’s beach house, then looked back up at the dark ceiling and sighed. Two forty-three a.m. She’d yet to do more than doze since she’d said good night and closed herself in this room at not even nine thirty, and the way her brain wouldn’t stop spinning, she had a pretty strong hunch she wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight no matter what time the clock read. “Dumb, dumb, really dumb idea,” she muttered, rubbing a hand across her forehead. She hadn’t seen Hunt since he’d given her a tour of the house, shown her the safe room and how to work the security system, then led her to this room. She should have taken him up on his offer to have another security firm protect her. Especially after the fiasco at his place and what he’d seen Julian do to her at the warehouse. Her cheeks burned with mortification at the way she’d thrown herself at him at his apartment. But it d
17. CHAPTER ELEVEN Hunt’s plan was already backfiring. Ten minutes in the air, and Hunt knew agreeing to let Kelsey accompany him on this quick trip to California had “bad news” written all over it. She hadn’t done anything wrong, she hadn’t said anything wrong. He just didn’t like how close she was in the cramped cabin of the small plane. And he definitely didn’t like that citrusy scent he kept picking up every time she moved. The one that left him light-headed and completely distracted him from the reason he was on this damn plane in the first place. Since the flight had been last-minute, they’d been stuck with whatever seats they could get—two in the back of coach. He’d spent most of the two-hour flight reading e-mails and writing replies on his phone, doing anything he could to keep his hands and mind occupied so it wouldn’t wander to the woman flipping through a magazine at his side. But he knew he’d failed miserably when he had to retype an e-mail to Alec for the fifth time, explaini
18. CHAPTER TWELVE Kelsey paced in the drive of the rundown house, the fingers of one hand pressed against her lips, the other hand wrapped around her waist as the sun sank low on the horizon and she fought to keep from freaking out. Hunt had already called the police by the time she’d gone inside looking for him, and a sea of county and FBI vehicles now lined the driveway and narrow road beyond. She hadn’t stayed inside long before exiting to get fresh air, but what she’d seen in that small time frame had been enough. There was no question those texts were meant for her. Her stomach rolled all over again, and she breathed deep, fighting back the nausea. She just didn’t understand why. Or who, really. She didn’t know anyone here. She didn’t know anyone named Foster. Gravel crunched somewhere close, and she breathed even deeper, fighting not to lose her lunch in front of some poor, unsuspecting police officer. “Hey,” Hunt said softly at her back. “You okay?” The sound of his voice calmed he
19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN Kelsey was silent on the walk back to the hotel. Hunt knew she was dealing with a lot, so he didn’t push her to talk. But he wanted her to. He’d liked the way she’d turned to him outside Foster’s house and held on to him. He’d liked the way she’d opened up to him at dinner, even if it had caused her to shut down now. He wanted her to trust him again, to let him be what she needed, he just wasn’t sure how to make that happen. As they entered the suite, he closed the door at his back, tossed the keycard on the entry table, and watched her drop her purse on the couch. She moved to the fridge to grab a water bottle. Since they’d left the balcony door cracked, jazz music from the outdoor bar’s band filtered into the room along with a cool breeze that rustled the gauzy curtains. She tipped the water bottle back and took a long sip, the sexy line of her throat and the hourglass shape of her silhouette accentuated by the lights shining in through the windows. And not for the f
20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN The man definitely had some wicked talents. A smile tugged at Kelsey’s lips as she rolled toward the closed bathroom door and listened to the water running on the other side. She liked that Hunt was in there, using her shower. Liked that he’d stayed in her room all night. Liked even more what he’d done to her in this bed. Her cheeks heated as she remembered how assertive she’d been last night. She’d never been like that with a man before, but then she’d never been with a man like Hunt either. It was easy to drop her guard and just be herself with him, especially when she’d seen how turned on he’d become when she’d taken charge and shown him what she liked. The shower flipped off. Nerves rattled around in her belly as she tugged the sheet up to her breasts and shook back her hair, hoping it looked sexy and alluring on the pillow instead of the major bedhead it probably was. Since Hunt had slipped out of bed before she was awake, she didn’t know what he was thinking now
21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN Kelsey stared at a gigantic framed painting of a Tuscan vineyard that engulfed one entire wall in Catarina Brunelli’s living room as she and Hunt waited for the actress to join them. Kelsey wasn’t entirely sure how she’d ended up in the palatial Beverly Hills mansion, but she was eager for Hunt to ask whatever questions he wanted answered so they could get the heck out of here. A low whistle echoed from the other side of the room, where Hunt stood with his hands in his pockets, examining yet another elaborate painting that had to cost a fortune. “Looks like she’s quite a collector.” The maid had let them in, then left them alone in this room with its white furniture with gold accents. They’d been waiting for at least fifteen minutes, and Kelsey’s patience was starting to dwindle. Sighing, she turned his way, feeling more uncomfortable by the minute. He glanced her way, concern darkening his eyes, then moved across the room toward her. “Hey. You okay?” “Not really. Why a
22. CHAPTER SIXTEEN Kelsey was glad to be home. As she followed Hunt out of the airport in Portland and crossed the sky bridge to the parking structure where he’d left his car several days ago, she drew in a breath of damp Pacific Northwest air, anxious to see her parents. Hunt shifted the bag over his shoulder and glanced down at the phone in his free hand with a frown. “Your brother’s texted me about ten times, wondering when we’re coming down.” Holding his other hand as they moved into the parking structure, she said, “Which one?” “Alec.” She grinned and stepped out of the way for a woman pushing a stroller. “Figures. He’s impatient.” Hunt huffed. “Tell me something I don’t already know.” Pulling her to a stop several feet from his SUV, he dropped his bag on the ground at her feet and said, “Wait here while I check to make sure the car’s clear.” Kelsey rolled her eyes but did as he said, knowing he was just being cautious. He’d already warned her not to get too far away from him when th
23. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Hunt did not look good when he finally came upstairs almost thirty minutes later. From Kelsey’s spot on the rug in front of the fireplace where she was sitting with Emma, she glanced toward the stairs. Her brothers each emerged with a frown. Her father had an unreadable expression on his face. And Hunt, climbing the steps at the back of the group, looked pale and completely uncomfortable. Emma made crashing noises as she rammed her Tonka truck over the top of Ken, but Kelsey barely noticed. Hunt’s lip was no longer bleeding, and there were no other visible marks on him from whatever had happened after she’d left, but his uneasy expression told her loud and clear that whatever he’d said had not gone over well. She took little joy in the fact he’d been grilled to within an inch of his life. She looked back at Emma on the floor in front of her. If he hadn’t been so bullheaded and sent her upstairs, she could have helped him with that. “Oh good.” Kelsey’s mother glanced u
24. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Kelsey couldn’t get close enough to Hunt. Couldn’t touch him fast enough. Couldn’t show him quickly enough just what his words meant to her. Gripping him tighter at the shoulders, she spread her legs to make room for him where he knelt between her thighs. Her breasts pressed against his hard chest as he tugged her closer. Aching to feel him—all of him—she rocked her pelvis against his hips, torturing them both. He groaned. Nipped at her bottom lip, then sucked the spot until she moaned. “I need you, Kelsey. I need to be inside you.” “Yes.” Oh fuck, yes. Fingers trembling, she grappled with the buttons on his shirt and slipped the first one free. “I need you too.” Desperate, she kissed him hard and whispered, “Now. Right now.” His answer was a low growl as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her from the bench. She held on to his shoulder, kissing him again and again as he carried her to the bed and laid her out on the mattress. She dragged him down on top o
25. CHAPTER NINETEEN Kelsey flipped the controls on another camera, this one outside the kitchen door overlooking the porch, as she sat in front of the bank of screens in the safe room. The porch was dark and empty. Since Hunt had just been there, and she’d looked away when he moved, she had no idea if he’d gone into the house or was at another location somewhere outside. Sighing, she flipped to the kitchen camera, only it was dark too. Impatience warred inside her. This was taking entirely too long. She’d tracked him through the house as best she could with the cameras, but he moved too quickly for her to completely follow him, and she didn’t know the system well enough to know which camera to access next. He hadn’t found anything out of the ordinary, though, which was a good sign. Hopefully, he’d be back in a matter of minutes and they could climb back in that big bed of his and forget that text had ever happened. She moved to the living room camera and spotted him. “There you are.” He w
26. CHAPTER TWENTY Kelsey woke to a bright light and the sound of voices. Rolling to her back, she blinked several times and squinted to see who was mumbling. Her mother’s familiar face registered, followed by her brother Rusty just past her. “Mom?” “Oh, my baby.” Hannah pushed to her feet and moved to Kelsey’s side. She slid one hand over Kelsey’s on the bed, and the other along her hair as she’d done when Kelsey was a kid. “You’re awake. How do you feel?” Kelsey blinked again as Rusty moved to the foot of her bed, confused as to why they were asking. “Fine, I guess. What’s going on?” “You’ve been out of it for two days.” Rusty shoved his hands into the pockets of his worn jeans. “Mom’s been freaking out even though she told all of us there was no reason to be worried.” “I was not freaking out.” Hannah sat on the edge of Kelsey’s bed and glared at her son, then looked back at Kelsey with a playful frown. “He exaggerates. I knew you’d be fine. Your body just needed time to get rid of all t
27. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Photo © Curtis Almquist at Almquist Studios Before topping multiple bestseller lists—including those of the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal—Elisabeth Naughton taught middle school science. A voracious reader, she soon discovered she had a knack for creating stories with a chemistry of their own. The spark turned into a flame, and Naughton now writes full-time. Her books have been nominated for some of the industry’s most prestigious awards, such as the RITA and Golden Heart Awards from Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Readers Award, and the Golden Leaf Award. When not dreaming up new stories, Naughton can be found spending time with her husband and three children in their western Oregon home. Protected is the third book in her Deadly Secrets series, following Gone and Repressed, which was a 2017 RITA winner in romantic suspense. Learn more about Elisabeth at www.ElisabethNaughton.com.