Bloody Love (Lilah Love 6)
Page 1
CHARACTERS
Lilah Love (28)—dark-brown hair, brown eyes, curvy figure. An FBI profiler working in Los Angeles, she grew up in the Hamptons. Her mother was a famous movie star who died tragically in a plane crash, which caused Lilah to leave law school prematurely and eventually pursue a career in law enforcement. Lilah’s father is the mayor in East Hampton; her brother is the Hamptons’ chief of police. She dated Kane Mendez against her father’s wishes. She was brutally attacked one night, and Kane came to her rescue, somewhat, and what unfolded that night created a secret between the two they can never share with anyone else. This eventually caused Lilah to leave and take the job in LA, away from her family, Kane, and that secret. Lilah is back in the Hamptons now, and engaged to Kane Mendez, and working as part of a special FBI task force to take down the Society— an underground organization with deep pockets, and fingers in all the wrong political pots.
Kane Mendez (32)—brown hair, dark-brown eyes, leanly muscled body. He’s the CEO of Mendez Enterprises and thought to be the leader of the cartel that his father left behind when he was killed. But Kane’s uncle runs the operations, while he runs the legitimate side of the business. Lilah’s ex from before she left for L.A., and now her fiancé since they’ve reconnected.
Director Murphy (50s)—gray hair, perfectly groomed. Former military. Lilah’s boss. The head of the L.A. branch of the FBI. Sent Lilah to the Hamptons to follow the assassin case. Is known to have had strong feelings for Lilah’s mother, and as head of the task force Lilah is on, continues to point her in the direction to take down the Society.
Jeff “Tic Tac” Landers—Lilah’s go-to tech guy at the FBI. She’s pulled him onto the task force with her.
Grant Love (57)—blue eyes, graying hair. Lilah’s father, the mayor, and retired police chief of East Hampton. A perfect politician. Charming. He’s being groomed by Ted Pocher to run for New York governor.
Andrew Love (34)—blond hair, blue eyes. Lilah’s brother and the East Hampton police chief. Andrew is protective and seems to be the perfect brother. The problem is that he’s perfect at everything, including being as macho and as bossy as their father. There’s more to Andrew than meets the eye.
Lucas Davenport—tall, looks like a preppy version of Tarzan. A very successful and good-looking investment banker, he has taken to hacking in his spare time. He is a cousin of sorts to Lilah and Andrew. His father was the stepbrother to Lilah’s father. His father was also known to be with Lilah’s mother, Laura, on the night they both disappeared in the plane crash. He flirts mercilessly with Lilah, seeing as they’re not blood-related, but she always shoots him down.
Greg Harrison—Lilah’s old partner from the New York Police Department. He’s working with an independent security team now.
Laura Love—Lilah’s mother. Famous actress. Died four years ago in a horrific plane crash. She infamously portrayed Marilyn Monroe in an Oscar-winning performance. Much mystery still surrounds her death and will be a recurring issue throughout the series.
Ted Pocher—billionaire CEO of the world’s fifth-largest privately held conglomerate, Pocher Industries. Has taken a liking to Lilah’s father in hopes of furthering her father’s political career. He tried to do business with Kane and Mendez Enterprises but was turned down because of his rep for shady business deals. One of the leaders of the Society. Was murdered by the Umbrella Man serial killer, or that’s what was told to the public. Kane really had him killed and covered it up.
Jay—Lilah’s bodyguard courtesy of Kane.
Chief Houston (30s)—NYPD Chief. Lilah’s contact when she needs a police presence or liaison while in the city.
Kit—tall, brooding, fit Mexican man who smiles big and kills easily. Security guard for Kane’s apartment.
Emma Wells—first victim. Found wearing a wedding dress that wasn’t hers. Puncture wound through her throat.
Naomi Wells—second victim. Found in her apartment in NYC. Sister-in-law to the first victim, Emma.
Morgan Rockport—Emma’s fiancé. Attorney to the rich and famous.
Marco Rollins—Detective working the New York City homicide of Naomi Wells.
CHAPTER ONE
Kane is not dead. He’s not fucking dead.
I say those words over and over as I pull Kane’s Mercedes out of the airport and punch the accelerator, on my way to see the man behind Kane’s chopper being forced into an emergency landing. I know Pocher tried to kill Kane. And I also know that when you let evil live, it erodes everything good around it.
It destroys.
It takes.
It manipulates you. And it makes you do bad things.
But I’m not going to do a bad thing today. Killing Pocher is not a bad thing. It’s a good thing and it’s past due. He hurts and manipulates people. And he, possibly in support of my father’s wishes, which really hurts, was behind my mother’s chopper crash and murder. And I know, I just know, he’s behind Kane’s now, too. He’s that bold. He’s that damn blatant. He thinks we killed his brother, not the Umbrella Man. And he’s not wrong but that’s not the point.