Witness Security Breach - Juno Rushdan (HI #1957 - Oct 2020)

Series: Hard Core Justice Thriller (Book 2)

Their only hope is each other.

There's not a target out there that US Marshals Aiden Yazzie and Charlotte “Charlie” Killinger can't bring down. Until a high-profile witness goes missing and a fellow marshal is murdered. On a killer's hit list, they go on the run. Their will to stay alive is challenged only by their long-denied physical attraction. Can they steer clear of temptation to find their witness and dodge their pursuers before it's too late?

Fantastic book that kept me glued to the pages from the first page to the last. Aiden and Charlie are members of the US Marshals' Special Operations Group and have the reputation of always getting their man. When a fellow marshal's betrayal puts all of the people in Witness Protection at risk (see Hostile Pursuit), Aiden and Charlie must act fast to move a high-profile witness. Unfortunately, they are ambushed, a fellow marshal killed, and their witness kidnapped. Aiden and Charlie are accused of the murder and kidnapping and go on the run to recover their witness and clear their names.

Complicating matters is the attraction that has simmered between Aiden and Charlie from the moment they met. Both have tried to bury the attraction to protect their work relationship. But with their careers and lives at stake, those feelings intensify. Aiden has loved Charlie for years, waiting patiently for her to be ready to accept his love and all it means. Charlie has her reasons for resisting her feelings, convinced that she couldn't be what Aiden needs. I ached for them when he finally said something, and the resulting confrontation crushed them both. Nearly losing each other motivated them to work through the obstacles keeping them apart. I loved the epilogue and seeing the changes in Charlie.

The suspense of the story was terrific. From the moment the extraction went bad to the final confrontation, the action never let up. I loved Aiden and Charlie's partnership and how their strengths complemented each other. I had to laugh at Aiden's reactions to some of Charlie's "skills." The descriptions of their actions each step of the way made me feel like I was in the middle of the action. The final confrontation was intense and kept me on the edge of my seat until it was all over. The epilogue provided a hint as to what is coming in the next book.