#1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan goes all in with this sexy romantic thriller set among the dangers–both man-made and natural–of Nevada’s breathtaking landscape.
Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Christine Feehan’s Red on the River, which is out June 28th 2022.
Vienna Mortenson isn’t your typical gambler. She prefers to stay under the radar, using her poker winnings to support her family and her community, including the local search and rescue team, which she heads up. Out in the backcountry there’s no time for hesitation when lives are on the line. Vienna prides herself on being tough and decisive. She’s not the sort to make a fool of herself over a guy, especially one who left her high and dry without a backward glance.
Zale Vizzini’s job constantly puts him in harm’s way. Working undercover and disappearing for months at a time isn’t exactly a recipe for a stable relationship. Despite the challenges and the risks, Zale wants something real with Vienna. He just needed time to figure out how to be in her life without putting her in danger. Now, he’s determined to win her back, and he’s ready to lay all his cards on the table.
As their friends’ wedding approaches, Zale takes advantage of the festivities to make a play for Vienna’s heart. But there are more deadly forces waiting to strike in the rugged terrain of Nevada and the western Sierras. Soon both of their lives are threatened, and the odds are stacked against them….
“Why aren’t you asking me how I got in here? You should be.”
She shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. “Does it matter? I doubt too many others could manage. Maybe Rainier.”
“Why would you bring up Rainier?” There was a bite to his normally calm tone.
“I imagine he was trained the same way you and Sam were.”
“Let’s leave him out of this. Let’s leave everyone else out but the two of us. We have enough problems without bringing anyone else into our world.”
Deliberately she took another long drink of water. “We have problems? I wasn’t aware, Zale. What kinds of problems do we have? I certainly would never undermine your undercover work. I hope you know that. I can stay in my suite until the final tournament if that would help.” She did her best to sound accommodating.
“I interrogate prisoners, Vienna. Stop trying to pull off bullshit. I know you would never out me when I’m undercover. That’s not what I’m referring to and you damn well know it. I’m talking about us.”
“Us?” She raised her eyebrow. “There is no us, Zale. If you’re worried I’m going to be clingy or expect something from you at Sam and Stella’s wedding, seriously, there won’t be a problem. It’s been months since we had our little fling. Six weeks together isn’t a relationship. It doesn’t make us a couple. I have no expectations of you. You’re off the proverbial hook.”
He continued to search her face with those dark eyes of his. Eyes filled with temptation and sin. He could easily make her heart skip a beat and her sex dampen with need. Her breasts ached and felt heavy. That was his gift. He could make women want him when he hadn’t said or done anything to warrant it.
“It was six and a half weeks and I don’t want off the hook.” He made the statement quite clearly.
Her heart accelerated. Her pulse leapt and pounded frantically in her neck. It was all she could do to hold herself still, fingers curled around the bottle of water. “One round with you was about all my heart could take, Zale.” She didn’t care what she was admitting to him. “It was beautiful and fun and I’ll cherish those memories. But not again. You’ll have to find someone else for your downtime recreation fun.”
“Is that what you think you were to me?”
She lifted her chin and swallowed more water, letting the cool liquid slide down her throat. “Does it matter what I think, Zale? Quite a bit of time has passed. I’ve got my life and I’m just fine. We were careful. There aren’t any secret babies you have to worry about. I’m not crying every night and begging Sam to find you for me.”
She hadn’t asked Sam once about Zale. She hadn’t even told Sam they’d been together. She was proud of herself for that because it hadn’t been easy. She had cried at night. Not every single night, but she’d cried a lot of nights.
“Would it shock you to know that I asked Sam for updates on you?”
She froze with the water bottle halfway to her mouth. That couldn’t be true. Why would he do that when he’d just packed up and left without saying much of anything? He hadn’t said he’d come back. He hadn’t asked her to wait for him. He’d given her nothing to hold on to. He’d kissed her and walked out of her life. Why would he ask Sam about her?
She regarded him over the water bottle and then took a slow sip of water. What difference did it make? Maybe he was in the habit of asking Sam about all of Sam’s friends. It didn’t change anything. He’d walked out without a backward glance. She knew because she’d stood at the front of the tent and watched him go until the trees and brush had swallowed him up. He hadn’t looked back.
“What could you have possibly wanted to know?” If there was disbelief in her voice, who could blame her?
“I needed to know that you were safe. You were alive and healthy. I didn’t want another man in your life. At the same time, I wanted you to be happy.”
She contemplated that. “Well, there you go, Zale. I’m safe, alive, healthy and very happy. There’s no other man in my life at this time. You can go away feeling very fulfilled by the news.”
Excerpted from Red on the River by Christine Feehan Copyright © 2022 by Christine Feehan. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
