No one said coming home would be easy. But for Dante Renaldi, its murder.
Before the Special Forces hero has even unpacked his bags from twelve years of active duty, hes embroiled in murdercorpses bearing the brutal trademark hes seen only once beforeon the worst night of his life.
The last time Detective Anna Pallino saw Dante Renaldi, they were in love. Now, hes part of the connection to a string of fresh homicides and a horrible assault that Anna only survived thanks to him.
More than anything, Anna wants to trust Dante. But as the bodies and the coincidences stack up, Anna will have to decide, and fast: Is the man she owes her life to the very same one who wants her dead?
Praise for the novels of Jaci Burton
Sexy, smart, edge-of-the-seat romance Jaci Burton always delivers a great read.
New York Times bestselling author Lara Adrian
In the hands of the talented Burton, the characters leap off the page and the romance sparkles as the sex sizzles.
RT Book Reviews on The Perfect Play, Top pick!
Hot, sexy, romantic suspense at its best!
New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh on Riding on Instinct
Burton continues to display a deft hand as she combines emotional drama with plenty of sizzling sex and dangerous action.
RT Book Reviews on Taken by Sin
Burton brings the heat, jazzing her otherworldly suspense plot with numerous passionate interludes, without letting the explosive good vs. evil saga flag. Hot sex, fierce battles and an impending sequel make this title worth hunting down.
Publishers Weekly on Hunting the Demon
The Heart of a Killer
Jaci Burton
www.mirabooks.co.uk
For Charlie, a man whose support is limitless, whose patience is endless and whose love keeps me going every day.
Thank you for helping me live this dream.
Contents
Prologue
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
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Acknowledgments
Prologue
St. Louis, Missouri
Twelve Years Ago
Five minutes till closing time. Anna Pallino scrubbed down the counters at the ice-cream shop while keeping her eye on the clock. Theyd be walking in any minute, hoping for free ice cream while she closed up. They always showed. They were predictable. She loved that about them. Her guys. The brothers, though not by blood.
She bent down to put away the cones, when she heard the bell tinkle above the door. She smiled as she stood.
Yup. Always predictable. There they wereDante, Gabe,