Product Description

Bullet Catcher and former Navy SEAL Constantine Xenakis has infiltrated a dive ship to discover who's plundering priceless gems from a legendary sunken Spanish galleon. When he catches Lizzie Dare red-handed in the locked treasure room, her story of a stolen ancestral legacy convinces him to work with the sexy thief instead of turning her in -- and not just because he wants to find the real culprit. Lizzie is willing to risk everything to save the Bombay Blue Diamonds from her sworn enemy, even if that means giving in to an irresistible desire to get closer to her accomplice. But when passion hits them like a rogue wave and danger surrounds them like a school of hungry sharks, their adventure on the high seas turns treacherous...and deadly.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41795 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 368 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781439102220
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author
Roxanne St. Claire is a bestselling, RITA-Award winning author of twenty-two novels of romance and suspense. She currently writes a popular romantic suspense series called ?The Bullet Catchers? featuring a cadre of bodyguards and security professionals. In addition to the RITA, her books have won the National Reader's Choice Award, the Daphne Du Maurier Award, the Maggie Award, the Booksellers Best, the Book Buyers Best, The HOLT Medallion, multiple Awards of Excellence, and Borders ?Top Pick? for Romance in 2007. Currently readers are enjoying the first ?Bullet Catcher Trilogy? featuring three connected stories titled First You Run, Then You Hide and Now You Die. Up next, back-to-back Bullet Catcher adventures: Hunt Her Down (Sept. 2009) and Make Her Pay (Oct. 2009.)  Prior to launching a full-time career as a novelist, Roxanne managed a large marketing and public relations business with international clients including Fortune 500 businesses and high-profile celebrities.  She lives in Florida with her husband and two children and can be reached via her web site, www.roxannestclaire.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter One

"I don't normally make a habit of hiring thieves as security specialists." Lucy Sharpe met the cold blue gaze of a man she'd never imagined would return to the Bullet Catchers after she'd discharged him under a cloud of suspicion.

"Habits can be broken." Constantine Xenakis strode across the library and dropped into an antique chair that most men avoided, but his long, rugged body dominated the dainty seat, completely at ease. "Kind of like rules. And locks."

"Dan Gallagher mentioned you were as confident as ever."

"As I recall, that's a big plus for this job." A flicker of a smile softened his hardened expression.

"It helps," Lucy agreed. "First of all, thank you again for your assist on the kidnapping in Miami. Helping to find that piece of evidence was key and helped to save several people's lives, including Dan's son. I'm very grateful for that."

His smile deepened to show the contrast of white teeth against tanned olive skin. "I had to get creative to find a way back into this mansion, Luce."

"You could have called." She nodded to the BlackBerry on her desk. "The number hasn't changed in six years."

"As if you'd take my call."

In fact, she might have. "I tried to find you after the truth came out on that diamond drop, Con. You were exonerated and I wanted to tell you that I was wrong."

"You didn't try very hard, then -- because you can find anyone, anywhere, no matter how deep underground they go."

"True," she conceded. "But by then you'd already taken a new career path, and I didn't like it. I still don't."

"Neither do I," he said quietly. "That's why I'm here."

She lifted a brow. "You've grown a conscience after half a dozen years of helping yourself to corporate secrets, priceless jewels, and countless works of art?"

He bristled and she knew she'd hit his weak spot. "Let's get this straight. I didn't help myself to anything. I have never kept anything I've stolen. I have worked as a middleman between collectors with a lot of money, and the people and places who have things they want."

Lucy chuckled. "I've heard euphemisms for stealing before, but that one is in a league of its own."

"Think what you want, Lucy, but I don't want the stuff I've stolen. I've simply used the talents I was born with -- skills I unfortunately honed too well as a teenager."

"You haven't been a teenager for twenty years."

"And as you recall," he continued, his voice low and deliberate, "I found that people assumed that because I had certain abilities, I automatically used them."

Definitely his weak spot. That would make the assignment, if she chose to offer it, even more challenging. "I assumed you helped yourself to diamonds because they were missing under your watch and you made no effort to dissuade me of that belief."

For the first time, he shifted his muscular frame in the undersized chair. "You hired me, Luce. Don't you trust your own judgment? Did I have to come in here and plead my case, or is the client always right?"

"If you wanted to stay a Bullet Catcher badly enough, it would have been a smart move." Instead he'd tested her, and they'd both lost. "And, no, the client is not always right. And neither am I. I have an open mind and am a reasonable woman, Con. There was no need for you to disappear and become a professional thief. You could have been protecting those things instead of stealing them."

"I made my choice, Lucy," he said simply. "And now I am here to unmake it."

"Dan told me you're serious about becoming a Bullet Catcher and I trust his judgment," she said. "And, I admit, the idea intrigues me. But only if I understand why, so that I can believe this sudden change of heart is real."

"It's real, and it's not sudden. The impetus was the case in Miami last month, when I saw one of your men in action."

"Dan Gallagher is one of the best."

"For good reason. So, I decided if I was going to steal anything worthwhile..." Humor glinted. "It should be his job."

She almost laughed at the idea that anyone could replace the man who'd been her right hand for the last five years. The man who she was already wooing to temporarily fill her chair when her baby arrived in six months. "That would be some steal."

"Let's put it this way. I don't do things halfway. If I work for you, I'd want to be the man you call one of your best." The conviction in his voice erased any concerns that the Con Man was doing a job on her.

A few seconds crawled by, punctuated by the pendulum swing of an antique grandfather clock across the room. Finally, without taking her eyes from his, she circled the writing table, settled in her chair, and reached for the dossier she'd been reading before he arrived. She couldn't go one more day without fulfilling this client's request, and the perfect man for the job was right in front of her.

"The assignment is tough, even for a seasoned Bullet Catcher." She handed him the file. "I need a diver."

"My time as a SEAL was brief, but I'm certified to dive."

"And I need a thief."

He lifted his gaze from the paperwork. "Excuse me?"

"Or someone who would know how to spot one." When he nodded, she continued. "The Bullet Catcher client is Judd Paxton. Are you familiar with him?"

"Of course. Paxton Treasures is the most successful underwater salvage company in the world. But no one's diving in November."

"Yes, actually, someone is. Paxton is running a highly confidential dive about ten miles off the east coast of Florida that isn't an official salvage effort."

He frowned. "You mean it's not leased or claimed with the state?"

"Not yet."

"So there's no state rep on board cataloging everything they recover so Florida can suck its twenty percent of the potential bounty? That makes it a lot easier to sell anything recovered for full profit on the black market."

His knowledge of the inner workings of the salvage industry was another point in his favor, even if it was gleaned from the wrong kind of experience.

"Judd's not out to cheat the state or anyone out of money," she assured him. "He has a sponsor who wants to be the exclusive buyer for any treasure recovered on the dive, and that sponsor has insisted that the dive be kept secret, until they can confirm exactly what they've found. Evidently it will rock the salvage world, and when word gets out the area will be pounced on by poachers or, worse, pirates."

He looked intrigued. "What is it?"

"Are you familiar with the legend of the ship called El Falcone?"

"Yes," he said with a soft laugh. "I'm also familiar with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. It's folklore, Lucy."

"Well, Mr. Paxton doesn't happen to agree with you," she replied. "The folklore of an unregistered ship that carried treasures from Havana to Lisbon would become fact if he is able to prove that's what he's found."

Con sifted through a few pages in the file, obviously unconvinced. "There's no manifest on record of a ship that wasn't registered, so this is pure speculation."

"The entire business of treasure hunting is speculative, but evidently some paperwork does exist, in various bits and pieces, and some of those are in the hands of Mr. Paxton's sponsor. The dive job is so confidential, I might add, that the crew and divers don't know what wreck they're salvaging."

He flipped the page, read some names. "Then why are they out freezing their backsides off, diving in November?"

"Because Paxton's paying a fortune. So, they're abiding by a no cell phone, no Internet access rule while on board. Since several of the Paxton ships were ambushed last season by well-organized thieves, the divers have been told the secrecy is for their safety."

He nodded. "That makes sense. So what's the assignment, protection from the potential pirates?"

"Not exactly. The threat, Judd thinks, is closer. They've recovered quite a few items already, and some are missing."

"Oh." His fingers rested on the diver and crew list. "So there's a thief on board -- one of the crew or divers."

"It would appear so, but it's more complex than that," she said. "In Paxton's opinion, just as worrisome as someone helping himself to a few gold coins is a leak to the outside world when something more substantive is recovered. There are a few items in particular that are believed to have been on board El Falcone."

"What are they?"

"A pair of gold scepters topped with matching diamonds, made for the king and queen of Portugal on the occasion of their marriage in 1862. And not just any diamonds -- the Bombay Blues, two of the most valuable blue diamonds ever mined in India."

He smiled, shaking his head. "That tale's been going around the art world for years. The Bombay Blues don't exist."

"Whether or not they exist doesn't matter. Our job isn't to find them," she reminded him. "It's our job to get on the boat and identify the thief, and if there is a leak, stop it."

He acknowledged that with a tilt of his head. "Flynn Paxton is the manager of the dive," he noted. "A relative?"

"Stepson. Evidently they have a contentious relationship and Judd is trying to smooth things out by letting him manage a dive. You'll go undercover as a new diver, infiltrate the crew, stop whoever has the sticky fingers, and figure out if someone's getting word to the outside world. No one, not even Flynn, will know your real reason for being there."

"Does Flynn know about El Falcone?"

"No one does."

"So Judd doesn't even trust his own stepson. Interesting." Con shifted through the file that contained in-depth backgrounds of the six divers, conservator, and crew on board the Gold Digger, then looked up at her. "Anything else?"

"Just check in daily. If you uncover anything or anyone suspicious at all, I want to know immediately. That day, that hour. We'll strategize together how to handle it."

"No problem."

"And remember that you're not on your own." She leaned forward, pulling his attention. "Bullet Catchers, even on individual assignments, work as a team. They might not be there with you, but we're just a phone call away, giving you access to all my resources, my information...

Customer Reviews

Rivetingly suspenseful plus passionately steamy
MAKE HER PAY is romantic suspense at its best, as heartfelt passions soar and dangerous threats intensify. This is the eighth book in the always compelling Bullet Catchers series, and the suspense will grab you from the start of this adventure while mounting passionate feelings conflict with hidden agendas. Roxanne St. Claire knows what keeps her readers coming back for more, and she skillfully delivers on every enthralling page of MAKE HER PAY.

When he was previously with the Bullet Catcher agency, doubts concerning one of his cases led to Constantine Xenakis being dismissed. The creative man then turned his talents for being able to take anything without being detected in another direction, where he was paid to acquire items for others. However, Con feels he previously made a wrong decision and now wants to atone for his choice by becoming a Bullet Catcher again. Fortunately, the ideal assignment is available for him to prove whether he can work for the agency once more. A vessel is salvaging artifacts supposedly lost when a ship carrying several invaluable treasures sunk off the coast of Florida in the mid 1800's, and someone is stealing what is recovered. His knowledge as a former SEAL plus his skill as a thief should come in exceedingly handy when he goes undercover as a diver.

The first night on board the salvage ship, Con catches a woman sneaking into the lab where recovered items are kept. When he threatens to expose her, Lizzie Dare is emphatic about not being there to steal anything. She eventually tells him about the personal reasons motivating her quest to see any fabled treasure found during this undertaking to be displayed as a historical find, not sold to a private collector. Her father was a salvager, and she wants to carry out his wishes for this particular ship if at all possible. Con still plans to follow the orders he received for this assignment plus feels Lizzie is holding back part of the truth, but he agrees to just wait and see what happens next while keeping a close eye on the spiritedly fascinating woman. When threats turn dangerously perilous, they realize someone will go to any length to keep the treasure for themselves.

Roxanne St. Claire completely captures your imagination with believable scenarios and unforgettable characters in her convincing stories. With meticulously crafted settings, each scene seems as though it is totally credible and could actually take place. There are plenty of vivid descriptions to let you experience what is happening in MAKE HER PAY, such as salvaging or risky exploits, where the reader senses not only the surroundings but also any resulting emotions such as joy or even fear. Ms. St. Claire has a gift for creating dilemmas where a myriad of sentiments might arise, some expressed with much fervor and others remaining unspoken, yet each one clearly shows the nature of those involved. How Con and Lizzie respond to their unconventional first meeting and every subsequent predicament will have you falling just a little more in love with this couple after each one. The conversations between these two are often quick-witted, with several of the declarations made by Con being especially touching with candid honesty. They both react to any unforeseen situation with courage and cunning, and I found many of their responses to be creatively original. Though Lizzie is dedicated to her personal cause, Con is equally determined to successfully complete his assignment and this leads to numerous clashes, some verbal and others only causing pain to their hearts. An abundance of sexual tension affects this couple all throughout the story, and when they give in to these overwhelming desires, the moment is steamily sizzling. Mysteries and twists are constantly tossed into the mixture, where unknowns abound and disclosures are frequently shocking. The daring adventures in MAKE HER PAY will leave your heart racing, while the romantic elements will profoundly touch you with their sincerity.

SingleTitles review

CON IS THE REAL TREASURE!
No surprise, I loved, loved, loved MAKE HER PAY and really loved that it came out so soon after the last one. I cannot get enough Bullet Catchers! This one fast and fun action, hot and sexy hero, witty and smart heroine and a really interesting backdrop of underwater treasure hunting. Con's trying to go straight after a lifetime of stealing and Lizzie's trying to find a treasure that her father died trying to prove existed. From the moment they meet (and Lizzie tries to bathe him in acid) the tension between these two is absolutely fantastic. He's supposed to be catching her and turning her in, and somehow she manages to convince him to help her and work directly against his client. The action scenes are terrific and vivid, the way this author writes everything. There were underwater dives, wild car chases, and a really scary scene inside a windmill. But I read Roxanne St. Claire for the romance, and this one is a keeper. Lizzie and Con belong together no matter how different their goals are and I think there final scene is one of the most touching I've read in the series. I love all these books and MAKE HER PAY goes right on the to be re-read shelf next to the rest. When does the next one come out???

Make Her Pay
SHE DID IT AGAIN
Every time I think I've read my favorite book by Roxanne St Claire, the next one takes its place. Make Her Pay is the perfect example of why I started reading this author in the first place. It's got a strong sexy hero who is in a tough position and a smart, likeable heroine who needs him even though she doesn't wnat to. Onece again,there's an unforgettable and unusual adventure and setting, with lots of other characters that make the whole story seem so real and like a movie. I loved this book, especiall the hero and highly recommend it.