Special Delivery
By V. J. Devereaux and Valerie Douglas
()
About this ebook
The Internet dating site profile was simple and direct - "Special Delivery. If you're a woman looking for good, safe, clean, no-strings sex, contact me. I always wear a condom, have no communicable diseases, and I can provide proof if asked."
The man in the picture was gorgeous with a come-hither grin.
For Lacey MacKay - an attorney wrapped up in a high-profile drug case - he was just what she needed.
She wasn't really going to do this, was she?
V. J. Devereaux
V.J. Devereaux is a prolific writer and a genre-crosser, much to the delight of her fans. A fan of authors from almost every genre - she is the author of five star rated contemporary and paranormal erotic romance novels, including Cooking Class, Demon's Kiss and the Night Owl Reviews Top Pick, Cherry's Jubilee. As Valerie Douglas she's the writer of the Kindle bestselling fantasy novel The Coming Storm, but she writes fantasy of all kinds - classic, epic, historical and contemporary - as well as romance, suspense and horror novels. Who knows what will pop up down the road!Happily married, she's companion to two dogs, four cats and an African clawed frog named Hopper who delights in tormenting the cats from his tank.For more information on this author, please see her website www.vjdevereauxbooks.com.
Read more from V. J. Devereaux
Bound Series Demon's Embrace: Book Two of the Book of Demons series Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSpecial Delivery Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAll She Ever Dreamed For Christmas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCherry's Jubilee Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDemon's Kiss: Book One of the Book of Demons series Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Special Delivery
Related ebooks
Framed: Brodderick Brothers, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDisturbance: A Gathering Storm Short Story Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGone in the Night Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsShielded by the Lawman Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsColby Roundup Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBodyguard Boyfriend Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGuarding the Socialite: A Protector Hero Romance Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Seducing The Proper Miss Miller Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Kiss Before Strangling Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Penthouse Pact Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Heart of Ice: Fire and Ice, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsShadows of Light: The Darkness With in 2nd Edition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsYesterday's Gone Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStumbling on the Sand Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Texas-Sized Scandal Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCold Case Double Cross Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMore Myth Murders (A Sheffield and Black Mystery) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cost of Her Innocence Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Killer Curves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Her Prison Protector Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHer Demon Charms Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSilence in Court Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hide and Seek Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Three Weeks in Winter Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRivals In Paradise Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Best Man's Conquest Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeath at Eden's End Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBest Man's Conquest Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHer Unlikely Protector Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDon’t Look (A Taylor Sage FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Romance For You
Hopeless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All Your Perfects: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Without Merit: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Confess: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It Starts with Us: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ugly Love: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Heart Bones: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5November 9: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Something Borrowed: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maybe Now: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Before We Were Strangers: A Love Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chased by Moonlight Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wuthering Heights Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Finding Perfect: A Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bossy: An Erotic Workplace Diary Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5My Favorite Half-Night Stand Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maybe Not: A Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stone Heart Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Visitors Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Under the Roses Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Buzz Books 2023: Spring/Summer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Roomies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dating You / Hating You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Seven Sisters: Book One Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Him: Him, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tess of the d'Urbervilles Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Swear on This Life: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Adults Only Volume 3: Seven Erotica Shorts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Kingdom of Dreams Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Special Delivery
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Special Delivery - V. J. Devereaux
V. J. Devereaux
Special Delivery – Copyright 2015 Valerie Douglas writing as V. J. Devereaux
Cover art by Kudi Design
WITH THE EXCEPTION of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from author.
Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
Other Titles by V. J. Devereaux
The Book of Demons series
Demon’s Kiss
Demon’s Embrace
Cherry’s Jubilee
The Bound Series
Blood Bound
Magic Bound
Cooking Class
Discover titles by Valerie Douglas
Fantasy
The Coming Storm Series
The Coming Storm
A Convocation of Kings
Not Magic Enough
Setting Boundaries
Song of the Fairy Queen
The Servant of the Gods series
Servant of the Gods
Heart of the Gods
Romance
The Millersburg Quartet Series
Irish Fling
Dirty Politics
Directors Cut
Two Up
Romantic Suspense
Lucky Charm
Thrillers
Nike’s Wings
The Last Resort
Dedication
To my editor, who shall remain nameless
To the very real inspiration for Rick...
And as always to my beloved husband, without whom this book wouldn’t be possible.
Chapter One
THE TRIAL SEEMED TO be taking forever and Lacey hadn’t even finished making the prosecution’s case. As she dragged herself wearily into her apartment, she didn’t feel much like Federal Prosecutor L. C. MacKay – the one they’d nicknamed Dynamite for her diminutive size and enormous energy. She was one tired woman. Tired in body and tired in spirit. This case was wearing her out.
Anthony Cardenas had been and probably still was – from the confines of his jail cell – one of the biggest drug dealers on the East Coast, an affiliate of the Mexican drug cartels. The cartels now operated in most U.S. cities and had brought their own particular brand of mayhem with them. Cardenas had chosen the small town of Bridgeport in which to take up residence and run his operation. That had dropped him smack into her jurisdiction and so it had fallen to her to prosecute him.
Information from the case had been leaked that shouldn’t have. She felt like the boy in the cartoons trying to plug the dam with his finger except new holes kept springing up. With the amount of money involved the risk of corruption was always there and with it the suspicion that someone was on the take, either a cop or someone on her own team.
She hated either thought but she had limited the access to the materials and put vital information in a secure safe each night.
Threats had been made against the witnesses, so the civilians were in safe houses. Given the danger of tampering they had even taken the drastic move of sequestering the jury. There would be no tampering there. It also had the effect of limiting the amount of information they would hear from the media and elsewhere.
Similar threats had been made against her too, but that was part of the job. Lacey refused to bow to them. She didn’t take them lightly either. She kept watch as she drove, keeping alert to make certain she wasn’t followed. When she neared her apartment building, she checked that no one lingered near the lobby door. She used the same caution when she parked and left her car. She was alone, but she was always careful.
As if I’m going to be anything else but alone, she thought with a sigh as she left the elevator and walked to her apartment, at least until this trial is over.
She opened the door, dropping her purse and briefcase on the table inside as she kicked the door shut behind her.
Loneliness was guaranteed until this was over and done. Considering there weren’t many men she could trust inside or outside of it and the few she could were off limits — a clear conflict of interest if anyone discovered it. Her love life, never much to speak of, was officially on pause.
This case was too important to risk. All of which, on reflection, had been brought up by a visit to her office by her boss.
Her office, as usual, mirrored her caseload. Current cases were in one filing cabinet, completed cases with pending issues or appeals in another set, with the most current case spread across her table and desk, sorted by witnesses, evidence, etc.
Joel Hamilton, her boss, was a big, raw-boned man with a handsome craggy face and piercing eyes. She liked and respected him a great deal and they got along well. For which she was profoundly grateful as he backed her plays as much as he was able. Happily married with three kids, he was very, very off limits.
But, seeing what he had in his hand, she sighed.
A formal envelope in cream-colored parchment printed in a faux calligraphic font. He knew how much she hated what those things meant. He had held it out to her and, reluctantly, she took it and opened it.
It was an invitation to a charity black-tie dinner via the governor and the State House, Lacey had deliberately kept her jaw loose – refusing to clench her teeth in frustration – as she looked up at him.
You have got to be kidding me,
she’d said. I’m in the middle of one of the biggest drug cases in the state and I’m also supposed to kiss up to some politicians?
No,
he had said, dryly, his expression wry. I’m not kidding, and yes, you are. It’s part of the job, MacKay, part of the job. And it’s at least partly because of that case.
Just because you have to go doesn’t mean I have to,
she’d replied, grinning a little crookedly and shaking her head. She knew he hated the things as much as she did.
He’d grinned back. Yes, it does, but at least you don’t have to wear the monkey suit.
No,
she’d replied, making a face. I have to wear a dress that doesn’t show a single extra pound and high heels that will have my feet screaming in an hour. Want to trade?
Like you have to worry about weight,
he’d scoffed, laughing, as he turned. No, and you can keep the heels, they’re just not me.
Lacey had chuckled.
Keeping the weight off when she was working a case like this wasn’t that hard given the demands on her time and stress.
She’d tried not to look at his pretty magnificent ass as he walked away, then smiled and, with resignation, taped the invitation to her monitor so she wouldn’t forget.
A black-tie dinner she would attend alone, to dance with men she couldn’t date, with a dozen eyes waiting for her to make a mistake. Sheer torture.
She’d glanced upward to shoot an unfair God a nasty look.
THE DOOR CLICKED SHUT, automatically locking behind her as she turned on a single lamp, leaving the rest of the apartment in soothing shadow. She reached for the wine bottle on the kitchen counter and poured herself a glass of merlot — rich and red — to get her blood warmed up and pumping again.
At least the next day was Friday and the judge would recess them for the weekend.
However, there was no rest for either the wicked or the weary. She still needed to review her notes from the trial so far, the testimony of the upcoming witnesses, look for and plug any possible holes the defense could find in her witnesses’ testimony — some of whom were fragile at best, terrified at worst, and understandably so. The cartels had refined terror to an art form.
It all fell on her as the lead attorney. Which was fine with her, she could handle it. All her life she’d wanted to defend the innocent, the helpless, to fight for those who couldn’t fight back. She had no reason for it, no trauma in her past, it was just who she was.
The trauma had come later when she realized there were some you couldn’t save.
She was young for the position. In college, she had been a gifted student, blessed with a memory like a steel trap, and so she had carried a heavier-than-usual course load, determined to go high, far and fast. With the aid of the U.S. government to help pay for it, she had — rising quickly, a shooting star, aided by her service with the Judge Advocate General’s office in Afghanistan at the beginning of the war and joining the federal prosecutor’s office after she