Guarding His Witness - Lisa Childs (HRS #2029 - Feb 2019)

Series: Bachelor Bodyguards (Book 9)
 
Protecting a murder witness…
 
Former vice cop Clint Quarters is haunted by the memory of an informant he couldn't save. And the victim's devastated sister, Rosie Mendez, hasn't forgiven him, either. But when the bodyguard must protect murder witness Rosie, the danger they face is only rivaled by the red-hot electricity between them. Can Clint keep Rosie safe, or will her testimony lead to certain death -- for them both?
 
Rosie witnessed the murder of her brother, Javier, an informant against a local drug kingpin. Luther may be in jail awaiting trial, but he still pulls strings. He wants Rosie and the other people involved in his arrest dead. Clint is a former vice cop working as a bodyguard for Payne Protection. When the police chief hires the agency to protect those in danger, Clint draws Rosie as his protectee. The trouble is that Clint was Javier's contact, and Rosie holds him responsible for his death.
 
Clint also blames himself. He promised Javier he would protect Rosie and nothing will stop him from keeping that promise, not even Rosie herself. Rosie irritated the heck out of me. First, with her stubborn insistence, she wasn't in any danger, even though she knew better. Then, the actions that exposed her to that danger, from insisting on going to the hospital where she works as a nurse to sneaking out on her own. The icing on the cake was when she attempted to make a deal with Luther, actually believing he would keep his word.
 
The suspense was intense as Clint tried to keep Rosie safe. Despite using safe houses, the bad guys were either right on their heels or a step ahead of them. I could feel the frustration as it became more difficult to know who they could trust. Their last confrontation in the book proves that point and leads to a desperate decision. A final scene with Luther shows his frustration and serves as a lead-in to the next book.
 
The development of Clint and Rosie's relationship was volatile. Rosie's insistence on blaming Clint helped her ignore the attraction she felt whenever she was near him. However, their proximity made it difficult for her to maintain her anger as she was forced to admit that Javier's death was not Clint's fault. Clint has had feelings for Rosie since he met her but believes it is hopeless because of Javier's death. But the more time they spend together, the stronger the sparks between them become. I liked the ending and seeing them finally admit their feelings for each other.