Böcker av Freya Barker

Violence corroded her.Obedience defiled her.Fear kept her chained.Freedom is hard to embrace when she's never learned to trust. Yet in the span of a second, she grabs a single opportunity and runs toward it. Straight into the sanctuary of a pub at the end of a wharf.She doesn't understand the concept of friendship. She's never felt the connection of a relationship. She's as innocent as the driven snow and yet tainted with corruption. Still, she finds herself surrounded by people who accept her, without even knowing the first thing about her.But one of them is determined to dig deeper.He treasures his friends, yet he's steered clear of committed relationships. He likes his life comfortably predictable and entirely controlled. Until it isn't. For months he's avoided interacting with The Skipper's newest addition. Perhaps realizing that once he looked deeply into those liquid brown eyes, he wouldn't be able to turn away.When his present and her past puts them both on the brink of change, they are forged through fire as one.

Innocence marked her.Violation crippled her.Love left her raw.The life she carefully rebuilt is challenged when she is confronted with the sins from her past. The carefully applied protection is at once ripped away, leaving her exposed and vulnerable.Her single night of indulgence with the silver-eyed stranger is only the beginning. He sees right to the heart of her and she is unable to ward off emotions that have been deeply buried. With the sting of betrayal still fresh in her soul, she's surprised to find herself opening up to the honest integrity of the sharp-eyed, rough-looking biker.When he lost everyone who mattered, he was left without roots and learned to be content simply living in the moment. Completely unprepared for the feisty blonde bartender with old pain marring her clear-blue eyes, he questions his own rules of detachment, as she unwittingly finds a way under his skin.Appearances deceive and when the masks fall away, revealing deep, dark secrets, there is nothing left but to hang onto each other and survive the storm

Pain punished her.The bottle numbed her.Guilt kept her trapped.In the dark alley of a pub, the words "Please don't" take hold of her heart and break the silence she seeks. Thinking herself beyond redemption, she tentatively grabs on to the slim thread of hope that unfolds inside of her.Holding her secrets close, she can't resist the comforting draw coming from The Skipper. The unconditional friendships it offers, the protective roof it provides, and the spark that its owner ignites in her-melting the frost off her heart, and slowly stripping away her resistance.His life flows from one crisis to the next. Under the pressure of competition crowding him out of his family's pub and the need to protect his children from the ruins of a bad marriage, he barely breathes. That is until a mane of strawberry-blonde hair and a set of big, pale blue eyes, shake him up.He never expected the shadow of a woman he finds on the floor of his washroom to bring him the air¿the balance and the light he's been missing.

Nowadays Kendra Schmitt puts most of her time into the new clinic in Cedar Tree. Always the responsible one in her family, she has avoided any kind of entanglement. In particular with a persistent young investigator. With her schedule a bit more predictable, she is ready to explore a personal life and concedes to what turns out to be a disastrous blind date.Junior member of the GFI team, Neil James, has seen and experienced more than most at his age. When his team becomes part of a task force investigating a series of murders in the area, his protective instincts kick into high gear. The victims' profiles closely match that of a certain physical therapist.Neil has been trying unsuccessfully for over a year to get closer to Kendra. Now that she might be in danger, he's determined to break through her resistance and goes all out to win her trust.Especially now that the killer's focus appears to have zeroed in on Kendra.

An assignment has just turned interesting for GFI investigator Malachi Whitetail. When a shy, mousy woman walks into his local diner, it takes him a minute to recognize her as an employee of the real estate office he's been monitoring. Not a believer in coincidence, Mal decides a closer look at the short brunette might be warranted. It will be the first, but certainly not the last time, he finds himself coming to her rescue.Kimeo Lowe leads a pretty quiet existence, which is why, when she ends up a witness to a crime, her curiosity into her boss's suspected shady dealings gets kicked into high gear. She may not be the most sociable of people, but she's always been independent and industrious, so when an opportunity to dig a little deeper arises, she doesn't think twice. It would seem that this time she's bitten off a bit more than she can chew, and when a freakishly tall Native American Adonis intervenes not just once, she decides sleuthing may be best left to professionals. But it's a bit too late.

More often than not, Clint Mason has his foot firmly wedged in his mouth, which tends to get him in plenty of hot water with the ladies. Although his laid back good ole' Southern charm does not fly far with the female population of Cedar Tree, the big burly contractor hides his dark side well.The only one Beth Franklin allows herself to rely on is Beth, and so far that has served her well. Just when her son disappears after dropping his little guy off on her doorstep, her life seems to spiral out of control. For the first time ever, fearing for his safety, the fiercely independent waitress is forced to be on the receiving end of a helping hand.That's not easy for her, especially since the shovel-sized hand belongs to a man whose approach has run hot and cold the last year, leaving her feeling off balance. With a steady and commanding force, he exposes her softer side, while doing everything he can to keep her and those close to her safe.

When her surly teenage son moves back to live with ER physician Naomi Waters unexpectedly, her motherly instincts go on high alert. Nothing could've prepared her for the wave of trouble that follows him back into her life. Sheriff Joe Morris blew his chance with Naomi a few years back when he'd moved faster than his own past allowed. At the first opportunity to get his foot back in the door, he takes it and risks everything to keep her and her son safe.But working for a future isn't easy when you're fighting to survive your past.

Patience has always been Caleb Whitetail's strength. Quiet and unassuming is what you see with the GFI investigator, but the blood boils hot right under the surface. He kept his distance for years only to see the woman who has held his attention almost lose her life not just once, but twice. He is done standing in the shadows.Katie Acker, once a tough and athletic security specialist now struggles daily to walk. The closest to family she has are her colleagues at GFI. Especially the man who saved her life and always has her back. So when she unwittingly becomes the focus of a Mexican cartel, it's no big surprise she finds him right by her side.With the combustive change in their deepening bond, Katie and Caleb do not see the oncoming danger - until it surrounds them

Even at thirty seven, with a challenging but rewarding career as a paramedic, Bella Gomez is treated as the baby of the family. It’s made her allergic to anyone meddling, so she chooses to keep mostly to herself. Unfortunately that doesn’t stop her family from inserting themselves in her life. Nor does it deter the one man she knows she shouldn’t get close to from showing up on her doorstep.Jasper Greene, an FBI agent with the La Plata County field office, doesn’t even know the meaning of family. His team is his family, which is why—when his boss asks him to keep an eye on his baby sister—Jasper readily complies. Even when the sister in question is a spectacularly developed princess with plenty of attitude.With a shooter on the loose and corruption running rampant, Bella is a magnet for trouble, and Jasper finds himself with his hands full—in more ways than one.

Deprival haunted her.Regret troubled her.Silence left her detached.A life in the service of others is both penance and a blessing. She soothes her personal hell by pulling victims from theirs, helping them on their path to survival; never finding her own.When a crippling blow finally evaporates her last hope, the temptation to give up is strong. Still, she can't find it in her to turn her back on those who need her: the innocent, whose rescue is her perpetual goal.He was blind, but now he sees how his family has sifted through his fingers. The reality hits hard when his son becomes a stranger, slipping deeper into transgression. Concern has him call on the one person he fears will see his own failures all too clearly. A woman he's kept his distance from for his own protection.What appeared to be an incompatible pairing, turns out the unyielding bond needed to heal them all.

When her surly teenage son moves back to live with ER physician Naomi Waters unexpectedly, her motherly instincts go on high alert. Nothing could¿ve prepared her for the wave of trouble that follows him back into her life. Sheriff Joe Morris blew his chance with Naomi a few years back when he¿d moved faster than his own past allowed. At the first opportunity to get his foot back in the door, he takes it and risks everything to keep her and her son safe. But working for a future isn¿t easy when yoüre fighting to survive your past.

Deprival haunted her¿Regret troubled her¿ Silence left her detached... A life in the service of others is both penance and a blessing. She soothes her personal hell by pulling victims from theirs, helping them on their path to survival; never finding her own.When a crippling blow finally evaporates her last hope, the temptation to give up is strong. Still, she can¿t find it in her to turn her back on those who need her: the innocent, whose rescue is her perpetual goal. He was blind, but now he sees how his family has sifted through his fingers. The reality hits hard when his son becomes a stranger, slipping deeper into transgression. Concern has him call on the one person he fears will see his own failures all too clearly. A woman he¿s kept his distance from for his own protection.What appeared to be an incompatible pairing, turns out the unyielding bond needed to heal them all.

Violence corroded her¿Obedience defiled her¿Fear kept her chained¿Freedom is hard to embrace when she¿s never learned to trust. Yet in the span of a second, she grabs a single opportunity and runs toward it. Straight into the sanctuary of a pub at the end of a wharf.She doesn¿t understand the concept of friendship. She¿s never felt the connection of a relationship. She¿s as innocent as the driven snow and yet tainted with corruption. Still, she finds herself surrounded by people who accept her, without even knowing the first thing about her.But one of them is determined to dig deeper.He treasures his friends, yet he¿s steered clear of committed relationships. He likes his life comfortably predictable and entirely controlled. Until it isn¿t. For months he¿s avoided interacting with The Skipper¿s newest addition. Perhaps realizing that once he looked deeply into those liquid brown eyes, he wouldn¿t be able to turn away.When his present and her past puts them both on the brink of change, they are forged through fire as one.

An assignment has just turned interesting for GFI investigator Malachi Whitetail. When a shy, mousy woman walks into his local diner, it takes him a minute to recognize her as an employee of the real estate office he¿s been monitoring. Not a believer in coincidence, Mal decides a closer look at the short brunette might be warranted. It will be the first, but certainly not the last time, he finds himself coming to her rescue.Kimeo Lowe leads a pretty quiet existence, which is why, when she ends up a witness to a crime, her curiosity into her boss¿s suspected shady dealings gets kicked into high gear. She may not be the most sociable of people, but she¿s always been independent and industrious, so when an opportunity to dig a little deeper arises, she doesn¿t think twice. It would seem that this time she¿s bitten off a bit more than she can chew, and when a freakishly tall Native American Adonis intervenes not just once, she decides sleuthing may be best left to professionals. But it¿s a bit too late.Just when life has settled into a comfortable routine, Kim finds herself dealing with not just one, but two threats on her life. With every turn there are new challenges to face, and Mal is not about to let her face them alone. Not even when he turns out to be no match for her most dangerous enemy.

More often than not, Clint Mason has his foot firmly wedged in his mouth, which tends to get him in plenty of hot water with the ladies. Although his laid back good ole¿ Southern charm does not fly far with the female population of Cedar Tree, the big burly contractor hides his dark side well.The only one Beth Franklin allows herself to rely on is Beth, and so far that has served her well. Just when her son disappears after dropping his little guy off on her doorstep, her life seems to spiral out of control. For the first time ever, fearing for his safety, the fiercely independent waitress is forced to be on the receiving end of a helping hand. That¿s not easy for her, especially since the shovel-sized hand belongs to a man whose approach has run hot and cold the last year, leaving her feeling off balance. With a steady and commanding force, he exposes her softer side, while doing everything he can to keep her and those close to her safe.

Patience has always been Caleb Whitetail's strength. Quiet and unassuming is what you see with the GFI investigator, but the blood boils hot right under the surface. He kept his distance for years only to see the woman who has held his attention almost lose her life not just once, but twice. He is done standing in the shadows.Katie Acker, once a tough and athletic security specialist now struggles daily to walk. The closest to family she has are her colleagues at GFI. Especially the man who saved her life and always has her back. So when she unwittingly becomes the focus of a Mexican cartel, it¿s no big surprise she finds him right by her side. With the combustive change in their deepening bond, Katie and Caleb do not see the oncoming danger - until it surrounds them.

Arlene Bowers is as tough as nails. She has survived a less than perfect marriage, managing to move past it to run her own diner. Her abrasive exterior has always been a way for her to hide behind the darkness and pain that she has endured, but a recent, violent attack and several disturbing phone calls have that tight hold on her emotions wavering. Seb Griffin showed up in Cedar Tree eight months ago and was hired on at Arlene's Diner as a cook. An ex-con with secrets of his own, Seb walks a fine line. Since he began working at the diner, he's developed feelings for his fierce, stubborn boss, and the need to keep his distance from her, to protect her, is a daily struggle. When it appears that Arlene's past has come back, rearing its ugly head while her defenses are low, Seb steps up and claims responsibility for Arlene, praying that he can keep her safe from whatever is coming her way.

Since moving to beautiful Cedar Tree, Colorado, Emma Young, mother of one adult daughter, has worked from home doing some online bookkeeping and baking for her best friend's diner to supplement her disability pension. Life has been pretty good, that is until she received a strange phone call that starts an alarming chain of events. Investigator Gus Flemming is hot on the trail of a bail skip with organized crime connections that bring him to Cedar Tree. Once there, the focus of his investigation lands squarely on the gently rounded shoulders of a vivacious red haired Emma, whose physical limitations have done nothing to damped her zest for life. When it becomes clear that Emma is at risk, Gus does't hesitate to step in and protect her. Call it a job with some very hot benefits......