Redeem My Heart Read Free

deeply, the low hum of adrenaline slowly heating up his blood as it circulated throughout his body. He’d perfected keeping his heart rate steady while his thoughts weaved together the barely detectable inaccuracies of his sanctuary. This is what he missed—the excitement where he became a predator—the hunt.
    “You’re very brave, Ms. Canna,” Ryland murmured, opening his eyes and zeroing in on the slip of a shadow near the front door. She had an appreciation for Chanel that didn’t go amiss. She was currently cloaked in the darkness, but he had no doubt that she was there. The beautiful blonde profiler who had been on his mind for a very long time had somehow managed to slip in his front entryway, regardless that the security system he’d put into place was the best money could buy. There must be a manufacturer’s code to bypass the system. A back door, as they say. It was something he needed to attend to later. He’d even added on a few touches himself, but she’d managed her way around those as well. He shouldn’t be surprised given that she was with the FBI, though not quite a field agent. She must have picked up a few tricks of the trade in passing. “You illegally entered into the home of a world-renowned assassin. What makes you think I wouldn’t eliminate a threat? Why would I spare you now that I have you at my mercy?”
    “You don’t terminate assets.” Fallon Canna took a confident step forward, activating the lights so they gradually came to life. He leaned to the left against the wall, crossing his arms as he settled in to enjoy the view. She was a stunningly beautiful woman—tall, elegant, and graceful. She carried herself with confidence that could sometimes come off as arrogance. They had that bit in common. It was one of the reasons he found her so attractive. “You use them to your advantage.”
    “And just how is it you somehow think I need help or that you can possibly assist me, Ms. Canna?”
    Fallon’s blue eyes dropped below his chest, and while there appeared the slightest flush on her cheeks, she recovered quickly from her discovery that he was completely nude. She met his gaze and tilted her chin with determination. Ryland smiled for the first time in weeks, enjoying this encounter very much. He purposefully pushed off the wall with his foot and strolled through the living room around the tall island that functioned as a divider. He purposefully set his .45 on the counter to show that he didn’t consider her a threat, even as she voiced her confidence.
    “Coffee?” Ryland pressed a button on the coffeemaker, overriding the scheduled time he had initially programmed it for and opened the cabinet to bring down another mug. He placed it next to his, not bothering to retrieve cream or sugar. “You take it black, as I recall.”
    “I think your life is in danger,” Fallon said softly, the sound of her voice signifying that she was closer than she was before. Ryland didn’t need to turn around to confirm that, but instead used the tinted glass of the microwave to locate her reflection. Her eyes certainly weren’t above his waist. His smile broadened. This was the exact type of distraction he needed. “You need to leave the country.”
    “Do you really think that I’ve not been in someone’s crosshairs every hour of every day since my retirement?” Ryland turned and motioned for Fallon to take a seat on one of the high stools in front of the island. He ignored the cold of the grey quartz countertop as he leaned his backside against it, the woman in front of him holding his attention like no other. “The CIA, FSB, DGSI, MI6, MSS, BND, Mossad and various other agencies—even the damn Girl Scouts—are all alerted the moment I’m within a thousand yards of that building across the park. And let’s not forget our old friends at CSA. Now they know you’re here as well.”
    “I’m well aware of who’s keeping tabs on you,” Fallon replied wryly, not taking the offered