Heedless: The Hellbound Brotherhood Book Four Read online

  Whatever it takes to protect her…

  Security expert Nate Murphy came to Shaw’s Crossing to kick ass and help the Trask brothers fight off their enemies. He didn’t expect to get knocked off his feet by the elusive, gorgeous Elisa, the mysterious woman who works in Demi’s restaurant. Elisa’s holding something back…something big. Nate’s an ex-soldier and ex-bouncer whose specialty is breaking heads…but the fear in Elisa’s eyes makes him want to crush whoever put it there. If only she would tell him the truth…

  Secrets and lies…

  Elisa Rinaldi is hiding from a killer. The small mountain town of Shaw’s Crossing had seemed like a good idea at the time, but getting attached to the people there was not, particularly the hard-eyed, hard-bodied Nate Murphy. When dangerous trouble engulfs her new friends, suddenly the press is everywhere. If she shows up on TV or online, she’s dead.

  She has to leave Shaw’s Crossing—after a parting gift to herself. One unforgettable night with Nate, and she’ll do the right thing…even if it breaks her. The passion between them leaves Nate gasping for breath. Then Elisa vanishes. Nate can’t rest until he finds her. He means to solve her problem once and for all…by any means necessary.

  Elisa will risk everything to get her life back and be with the man she loves. But now her mortal enemy is playing a game of cat and mouse…

  And the stakes are both their lives…

  Visit me at my website, http://shannonmckenna.com for news and updates, but the best way to stay in touch is to subscribe to my newsletter! Here’s the link, http://shannonmckenna.com/connect.php, so you’ll never miss a new book or a great promo! Plus, look out for a special gift from me to subscribers…a free Obsidian Files novel!

  Heedless

  The Hellbound Brotherhood Book Four

  Shannon McKenna

  Contents

  Praise for Shannon McKenna

  Also by Shannon McKenna

  Author Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Havoc

  Havoc - Chapter 1

  Hellion

  Headlong

  Hellbent

  Right Through Me

  Right Through Me - Chapter 1

  About the Author

  Praise for Shannon McKenna

  “Blends an intensely terrifying psychic thriller with a mind-blowing erotic romance.”

  —Library Journal, on Fade To Midnight

  * * *

  “Blasts readers with a highly charged, action-adventure romance . . . extra steamy.”

  —Booklist

  * * *

  “Pulse-pounding . . . with searing sex and raw emotions.”

  —Romantic Times, 4 ½ stars

  * * *

  “Shannon McKenna makes the pulse pound.”

  —Bookpage

  * * *

  “Shannon McKenna introduces us to fleshed-out characters in a tailspin plot that culminates in an explosive ending.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  * * *

  "An erotic romance in a suspense vehicle on overdrive. . . sizzles!"

  —RT Book Reviews

  * * *

  "McKenna expertly stokes the fires of romantic tension."

  —Publishers Weekly

  * * *

  "McKenna strikes gold again."

  —Publishers Weekly

  * * *

  "Her books will take readers on a nonstop thrill ride and leave them begging for more when the last pages are devoured."

  —Maya Banks, New York Times bestselling author

  * * *

  "Full of turbocharged sex scenes, this action-packed novel is sure to be a crowd pleaser."

  —Publishers Weekly on Edge Of Midnight

  * * *

  "Highly creative. . . erotic sex and constant danger."

  —Romantic Times on Hot Night (4 ½-star review and a Top Pick)

  * * *

  "Aims for the heart with scorching precision."

  —Publishers Weekly on Ultimate Weapon

  Also by Shannon McKenna

  The Hellbound Brotherhood

  Hellion

  Headlong

  Hellbent

  Heedless

  Havoc (Coming Summer 2021)

  * * *

  The Obsidian Files Series

  Right Through Me

  My Next Breath

  In My Skin

  Light Me Up

  * * *

  The McClouds & Friends Series

  Behind Closed Doors

  Standing In The Shadows

  Out Of Control

  Edge Of Midnight

  Extreme Danger

  Ultimate Weapon

  Fade To Midnight

  Blood And Fire

  One Wrong Move

  Fatal Strike

  In For The Kill

  * * *

  Stand-alone Titles

  Return To Me

  Hot Night

  Tasting Fear

  * * *

  Anthologies

  All Through The Night

  (with Suzanne Forster, Thea Devine and Lori Foster)

  I Brake For Bad Boys

  (with Lori Foster and Janelle Denison)

  Bad Boys Next Exit

  (with Donna Kauffman and E.C. Sheedy)

  Baddest Bad Boys

  (with E.C. Sheedy and Cate Noble)

  All About Men

  (a single author anthology)

  Copyright © December 2020 Shannon McKenna

  http://shannonmckenna.com

  * * *

  Print ISBN: 978-1-7344317-5-9

  Digital ISBN: 978-1-7344317-4-2

  * * *

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the publisher except for use of brief quotations in a book review.

  * * *

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishment, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Author Note

  Dear Readers,

  Thank you for holding my book in your hands! Here’s a little cheat sheet to orient yourself in the world of the Hellbound Brotherhood…

  The first two books of the series, Hellion, Book One, and Headlong, Book Two, have the same hero and heroine, and Headlong picks up Eric and Demi’s interrupted love story seven years later. Hellbent, Heedless and Havoc all have their own HEA, so they can be read as standalones.

  The Hellbound Brotherhood:

  Eric, Anton and Mace Trask, and their friend Nate…bound together by the violence in their past. The Trask brothers were raised at GodsAcre, a doomsday cult deep in the mountains, and they are the only survivors of the deadly fire that consumed the place long ago…or so they thought.

  But evil lingers in Shaw’s Crossing. Unexplained deaths. On the surface, they look like natur
al causes, but there are just too many of them. People call this phenomenon ‘the Prophet’s curse,’ named after ‘the Prophet,’ Jeremiah Paley, the charismatic leader of GodsAcre before he was killed in the fire. Death casts a longer, more frequent shadow in this town than it should. The townspeople figure it must be the fault of those Trask boys, since who else was there to blame?

  In Hellion, Book One, set seven years earlier, Eric Trask comes back from his stint in the Marines, intent on overcoming the problems of his past and getting his life on track. He meets the gorgeous Demi Vaughan, the town princess, and falls hard, but the Prophet’s curse hits harder. Because Demi’s dad will stop at nothing to separate Eric from his daughter, and he sets in motion a chain of events that leaves Eric and Demi with shattered hearts—and Eric on the run for his life…

  In Headlong, Book Two, set in the present, the Trask brothers return to Shaw’s Crossing for a funeral. Eric is now a tech billionaire, but this place makes him feel as tense and hunted as it ever did. Otis, their beloved foster father, has died under mysterious circumstances, and his death points to a deeper mystery which leads Eric all the way back up to the eerie, desolate ruins of GodsAcre. Demi and Eric finally get a second chance at love, and passion soon rages between them, but the Prophet’s curse isn’t done with them yet. Because now more people are dying—and all hell is about to break loose…

  In Hellbent, Book Three, famous DJ Anton Trask gets a visit from the stunning Fiona Garrett, another GodsAcre escapee. Anton had helped her flee GodsAcre before the deadly fire. Fiona makes a shocking claim—that Redd Kimball, their tormenter and nemesis back in the GodsAcre days, is still alive, and is trying to kill her. Anton can’t believe that. Kimball’s charred body was identified years ago, after the fire. Then violence engulfs them, and they join forces with Eric and Demi back in Shaw’s Crossing, where they must face the incredible truth: Kimball is alive, and he is after them both. Years ago, he developed a deadly virus at the GodsAcre lab—and he will stop at nothing to get it back…

  In Heedless, Book Four, Nate Murphy is head of security for Anton Trask’s chain of Hellbound nightclubs. He’d come to Shaw’s Crossing to help keep his friends safe, and then he meets the elusive, beautiful Elisa Rinaldi, who works at Demi’s restaurant. Elisa tries to keep him at arm’s length, as she has dangerous problems of her own, completely separate from the nightmare that the Trasks face. But Nate won’t be kept away from her, and he never backs down—and now he and Elisa are facing deadly violence from all sides…

  In Havoc, Book Five, it’s Mace Trask’s turn to tangle with the Prophet’s curse, with the help of the brave and brilliant virologist Cait LaMott. They must stop Kimball’s evil plan once and for all—but the stakes are higher than they can possibly imagine. Coming July 2021!

  1

  The bell over the door to Demi’s Corner Café tinkled. Elisa turned away from the chalkboard menu she was drawing to announce that the café was closed for wedding prep, and for two weeks afterward, for Demi and Eric’s honeymoon.

  The words stuck in her mouth as Nate Murphy walked in, following Fi Garrett. He was acting as Fi’s bodyguard today. She coughed to get her voice working. “Hey.”

  Best she could manage. Nate Murphy fried her brain, even when he was just quietly standing there doing nothing in particular.

  In her own defense, he was larger than life. Six foot two, at least. Big and lean, taut and built. Broad shoulders, narrow hips, black wind-blown hair grown out long from some long-forgotten haircut. Dark, intense eyes that tracked everything and tucked away all the unconscious info she let drop. He missed nothing.

  He had sexy beard stubble on his strong jaw. A hooked nose with a bump on it. He didn’t smile often, but when he did, his sensual mouth stretched into a blinding grin, and sexy lines carved deep into his cheeks. And that deep voice, oh God. Listening to him was like being petted by luscious, silken fur. She wished he’d say something. Except that she’d stammer if she tried to answer. Or, God forbid, giggle.

  “Hey, Elisa!” Fi said with a smile as she came over to admire her chalkboard handiwork. “Wow. Is that the menu for the wedding feast?”

  “Sure is,” Elisa said. “We decided to live dangerously.”

  Fi made an appreciative sound as she studied the chalkboards. She was bright-eyed and rosy and looked surprisingly relaxed, considering everything she’d just gone through. Her color was high from the cold, her long red hair whipped and tangled from the winter wind. “Looks delicious,” she commented. “Sage and sausage tartlets…squash ravioli…stuffed mushrooms…my mouth is watering already.”

  “We hope it’ll be good.” Elisa forced herself to look away from Nate. “This is the first time we’ve done something like this without Demi to run it, but she’s trained us well. So knock on wood.”

  “I’m sure you’ll all be great,” Fiona said.

  Fi Garrett was Anton Trask’s fiancée, soon to be Eric and Demi’s sister-in-law. A couple weeks ago, she and Anton had barely survived a violent run-in with Redd Kimball, the Trask brothers’ vicious long-time enemy, presumed dead for thirteen years. Kimball had survived the encounter and was still at large with bad intentions.

  But the Trasks weren’t going to let him get ahead of them another time.

  Anton had only recently gotten out of the hospital, and he was going to his brother Eric’s wedding, despite his vociferous disapproval of its timing. With Otis gone, the three brothers had only each other as family, and Nate Murphy, of course. Nate was an honorary brother at this point.

  So the party was on for tomorrow, with a vengeance. In spite of the danger. But the Trasks had put all of their considerable resources into securing the event.

  Nate had been here for their wild adventures almost from the start. He headed up security for Anton Trask’s chain of infamous Hellbound nightclubs, in addition to being Anton’s close friend. He and Mace Trask had met back in their time in the Marines.

  She herself had been hyper-aware of him from the first second she saw him.

  He was behind her now, blocking the light from the window and making her self-conscious. She glanced back and saw him looking at the chalkboard she was working on, trying not to smile. She knew what he would say before he opened his mouth.

  “Looks great,” he murmured. “Except that the mushrooms are a little, ah…”

  “Phallic,” she supplied, grabbing the vinegar and water soaked cloth and wiping her first attempt away. “Yeah. I noticed that. I’ll fix it.”

  “Don’t erase them on my account,” he protested. “They’re awesome. And they’d be sure to get a laugh.”

  “Not the vibe I’m going for.” Her face was hot. Phallic mushroom art might be good for a raucous bachelorette party, but tomorrow’s wedding was an elegant affair, held up at Bluff House, a beautiful historic mansion on the Heights. She wanted the menus to evoke classy-but-rustic, cheerful country charm. So no mushroom dicks.

  But it was hard to concentrate this morning, even with the café closed for business. Elisa and the other five members of Demi’s restaurant staff had taken on the task of cooking and catering tomorrow’s banquet, and there was still tons to do. Elisa couldn’t abandon the restaurant to run upstairs and design those menu chalkboards in peace. She had to stay on hand down here to solve problems, put out fires and generally multitask. Not something she’d excelled at in her former life. Juggling a million details was a skill she’d learned right here, at Demi’s restaurant.

  She’d put all of that training to the test this weekend. Demi deserved a delicious, perfectly catered feast after all the hell she’d been through. Besides, this was the last thing Elisa would be able to do for her friend, so it had to shine.

  That was a sad and unproductive thought, so Elisa squashed it, focusing on sketching out the new, less-X-rated mushroom composition. Demi would be okay now that she had her adoring Eric to defend her from danger. Anton Trask, Eric’s equally tough brother, would do no less for Fi, as soon as he recuperated. F
i and Demi would protect their men just as fiercely. It was a beautiful thing to see. All that passion and heroism and trust and love on display. Wow.

  She wasn’t exactly jealous. More like wistful. A little cynical, maybe, but she truly did hope it would turn out to be real and lasting for Demi and Fi. She had her fingers crossed for them. For her own part, she could never risk it again. Love, marriage, none of it. No way.

  After all, Gil had seemed to adore her, too. Like crazy. At first.

  “…to put in the freezer at the house, so it won’t go to waste while the place is closed. She told you about that, right? Um…hello? Elisa? Earth to Elisa?”

  Elisa dragged her attention to Fiona. “Huh? Sorry.”