Finding His Mark

By Piper J. Drake

Security chief Michael Hunt brings in wet work specialist Sushar "Su" Sakda to pose as his woman, find his mark, and eliminate the threat--an assassin hunting in his organization. They make a potent pair for this job, and if they survive, their sizzling pretense could become the real thing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Piper J. Drake
• Release date: Nov 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9781951821012

Piper J. Drake

Piper J. Drake is a bestselling author of romantic suspense, paranormal romance, science fiction, and fantasy. Foodie. Wanderer. Usually not lost. She lives in Seattle with her husband and beloved corgi.

Book preview

1

Sushar Sakda rarely ventured into the tourist-heavy areas around Phuket, but the quiet life of the tucked-away house she’d made her home over the last year left her too much inside her own head. Thailand was a land of beauty and bright smiles, amazing street food, and too many childhood memories. It was a wonderful place to visit but she’d never wanted to live here.

Yet here she was, to hide from the world. Sort of. Walking out among a scattering of vacationers was a kind of compromise, hiding in plain sight.

At least this beach on the edge of a luxury resort gave her a taste of international fun. The resort was rather exclusive, catering to the very wealthy from around the world. Plenty of vacationers from Europe, the U.S., Japan, Korea, China, and many more countries were enjoying the sun, sand, and water today.

Phuket might be called a tourist trap by some—and it could be a different kind of trap for her—but it was an indulgent way to lose yourself. The resort kept the beach sand immaculately clear of debris or detritus. Umbrellas and beach chairs were available for rent. Local vendors carried baskets on either end of carefully bent poles balanced on one shoulder as they walked along, offering fruits and grilled savory meats.

Above the high-tide line, a carefully maintained oasis of tropical vegetation sheltered a relaxed bar area. Her contact would be waiting for her there.

She figured there were very few people who could’ve known how to find her. The ad left online, tagged with metadata used only by people in her very particular line of business, had also been enough to push her curiosity into overdrive.

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LOOKING FOR: Thai Ridgeback (f) available in Phuket, Thailand.

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The dog keeping pace at her left side wasn’t female. He was a Thai Ridgeback, though, with a copper-red coat and the characteristic line of fur growing in the opposing direction from his shoulders down to the base of his tail. She’d acquired him as a puppy almost immediately after settling in Thailand to wait out the ill will of powerful people related to her last contract. Two, maybe three people knew she’d always wanted a Thai Ridgeback for a companion. Combine the mention with her location, and the metadata tag private contractors used in the business, and either an old friend or someone dangerous was in town looking for her.

Probably both.

She was tired of existing in a suspended version of life anyway.

Trick was, she had very good survival skills. Even as she walked casually toward the bar, she scanned the area around her. She scrutinized every face near and far, looked into every shaded spot and up into every balcony of the nearby buildings. No one could be one hundred percent aware all the time, but hers was the hyper vigilance of someone who’d survived a whole lot of people trying to end her.

She spotted the man she was here to meet with plenty of time to react if he decided to open fire on her in broad daylight. Of the people present, he was the only person to meet her gaze directly. He lifted his chin in acknowledgement and waited for her to come to him. He’d always been a straightforward sort of operative, and he was more than ballsy enough to do something like eliminating a target out in the open. But he didn’t make any sudden moves and both his hands were out where she could see them.

Michael Hunter was a master of just about any kind of firearm obtainable either legally or otherwise. He was also an amazing example of male physique, lounging as he was in the shady corner of the bar area with a view of all potential approaches on his position.

Broad shoulders, massive chest, defined torso—all bared and oiled. He’d either been here enough days already to develop a deep golden tan, or he’d had time to maintain one wherever he’d been prior to visiting. His American-style swim trunks were new, though she’d seen him wear the European-style swim briefs in the past. A lot of higher-rated hotels in Thailand required the swim briefs to use the pools on property, as opposed to the looser and supposedly less hygienic swim trunks. Apparently, Michael wasn’t going to be hotel hopping in the near future. Or perhaps he wasn’t staying in the country long.

He smiled as she made her way to him. It was the irresistibly