Mills & Boon^® Medical™ Romance brings you the final instalment in the Heart of a Rebel trilogy from favourite author Alison Roberts!

       There’d been four of them once upon a time. But, after the loss of their best friend, now there is just Max, Rick and Jet. These rebel doctors have formed an unbreakable brotherhood—a bond that would see them put their lives on the line for each other …

      Now these bad boys are about to be tamed!

      But it’ll take a special kind of woman

      to see past their tough exteriors

      and find the heart of a rebel …

      In April you met Max and Rick,

      and now it’s time to introduce

      the last of the rebel doctors—Jet!

       The Heart of a Rebel

       Legendary doctors who aren’t afraid to break the rules!

       Dear Reader

      OK. Personal confession time, here :-)

      I’m one of those women who find certain tough, leather-clad men who ride powerful motorbikes irresistibly sexy.

      Can this image be improved on?

      I thought so. What if these men are also fabulously good-looking, highly intelligent, and capable of putting their lives on the line for the people they love?

      For each other.

      For children.

      For their women.

      These are my ‘bad boys’. Max, Rick and Jet. Bonded by a shared tragedy in the past, but not barred from a future filled with love.

      Enjoy.

      I certainly did :-)

      With love

      Alison

      About the Author

      ALISON ROBERTS lives in Christchurch, New Zealand. She began her working career as a primary school teacher, but now juggles available working hours between writing and active duty as an ambulance officer. Throwing in a large dose of parenting, housework, gardening and pet-minding keeps life busy, and teenage daughter Becky is responsible for an increasing number of days spent on equestrian pursuits. Finding time for everything can be a challenge, but the rewards make the effort more than worthwhile.

      Recent titles by the same author:

      THE UNSUNG HERO

      THE HONOURABLE MAVERICK

ST PIRAN’S: THE BROODING HEART SURGEON†

THE MARRY-ME WISH*

      WISHING FOR A MIRACLE*

      NURSE, NANNY … BRIDE

*Part of the Baby Gift collection

†St Piran’s Hospital

      The

      Tortured Rebel

      Alison Roberts

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      Why not check out Wishing for a Miracle by Alison Roberts—a Dear Author recommended read.

      CHAPTER ONE

      A FIGURE clad completely in black emerged from the passenger seat of the vehicle.

      Tall. Solid. Reaching for what had to be a heavy pack from the back seat and hefting it effortlessly onto one shoulder.

      And then he turned and Rebecca could see his face under spikes of hair as black as his uniform. She could see the uncompromising features of a man she hated enough for the shockwave to steal the breath from her lungs and make her heart thump hard enough to be a painful tattoo against her ribs.

       ‘No way.’

      ‘What?’ A grey-haired man, whose uniform bore the insignia of the largest rescue helicopter service New Zealand had to offer, moved away from the small cluster of people in front of a huge map that covered an interior wall of this upstairs office. ‘Did you say something, Bec?’

      The words had seemed like an agonised, internal groan, but apparently she had spoken them aloud. Maybe they’d had even more carrying power than reaching the ears of her boss, Richard. That might explain why the man outside had turned his head so swiftly to look up. Why his gaze had flown so unerringly to her face.

      She could feel the way he stilled as he recognised her. Did it require an effort to shift the weight of so much guilt?

      She hoped so.

      ‘Ah …’ The voice was now right behind her shoulder.

      ‘Yeah …’ She was testing her voice. Checking to make sure that it did not betray her. ‘The medic’s arrived.’

      ‘Bit more than a medic.’ There was a note of awe in her boss’s voice as he raised a hand to acknowledge the new arrival. ‘James Munroe is the best the army has to offer. Emergency specialist. Been with the SAS on and off for the past six years and he can handle anything. Perfect choice for a mission like this. Stroke of luck they already had a jet coming up here that he could catch a ride on.’

      The incredulous huff escaped from Rebecca’s tight chest all by itself. A sharp punctuation mark. Rather like the way James Munroe slammed the door of the vehicle behind him, adding a flat-handed thump that dismissed the driver.

      ‘Problem?’ Richard’s tone was dumbfounded.

      You have no idea, she wanted to say. Wisely, she pressed her lips firmly together and kept her eyes fixed on the flashing beacons of the airport security vehicle as it sped off, flanked by bright runway lights that stretched into the distance.

      Lights that had looked as festive as Christmas decorations only minutes ago as she’d watched and waited for this arrival with all the excitement of a child expecting a special gift.

      Dismay could feel rather like anger, couldn’t it?

      This was … unthinkable, that was what it was. After so many years of earning the reputation of being as tough as they came, unflinching in the face of danger and ready to deal with any emergency in a heartbeat, Rebecca Harding had a horrible feeling she might have hit the wall.

      So she said nothing as she tried to deal with it.

      The perfect choice for the mission had vanished from sight now, which was helping. He’d be going into the small side door of the hangar. Climbing the stairs to this office—the operational hub of this rescue service. She could get a grip on whatever was making it so hard to breathe. Think, even. Deal with this overwhelmingly unpleasant sensation that had to be … fear? No. She didn’t do fear.

      Creases in her bright orange flight suit vanished as she straightened to her full height of five feet four inches. Never mind that at least one of those inches came from the heels of her steel-capped boots. Her fingers tightened around the strap of the helmet dangling from her hand.

      ‘Not having second thoughts, are you?’

      ‘Are