The innocent and the corrupt. I knew blood and I knew
violence.
Never imagining I could know love too.
Mia Ryder was a woman to love. To cherish. To fucking claim.
Now, forever, and every day in between.
If there was anyone I’d go to Hell and back for, it was her.
Even if meant, going to war with…
My fucking brother.
M has done it again!!!! She’s sucked me into her world and her characters that I am left feeling everything.
This book MUST be read after Road to Nowhere or you will be thoroughly confused. And if you read my review from that book, you know that I was left reeling with so many emotions and they all returned as soon as I started reading the conclusion to Creed and Mia’s story. And damn was it one hell of an amazing ride!!
As with most my reviews, I won’t give any details about what happens in the book. I hate spoiling things and especially with books like this one, you have to experience everything yourself without an knowledge of what to expect. M really knows how to put you right in her characters shoes; and not just with one character, but with them all – male and female. You feel their anguish, love, vengeance, desire and you also understand their reasons behind their actions – you relate to them. M really killed my nerves with this one – I could feel myself getting very worked up over different scenes, my heart beating erratically and had me clenching my kindle very tightly throughout the whole book. AND I LOVED EVER SINGLE BIT OF IT!!!
And for those of us who love the Good ‘Ol Boys – we get to see snippets of a few in this book. She doesn’t leave them out. And El Diablo – lord that man does me in (read his book if you haven’t – you won’t be disappointed in any way). M even gives us a new man to look forward to – Damien Santo/El Santo. I am extremely intrigued about this man.
M delivers another amazing and emotional book to us. She has an undeniable and phenomenal talent when it comes to writing these stories. I don’t know how she does it, but I just pray she never stops. Another must read to add to your TBR list!!
“Tell me you don’t love me. Tell me you don’t wish it were me who held you in their arms. Tell me you don’t want me to kiss you right now, yeah? Touch you, take you to our bed and make sweet fuckin’ love to all night long, until there isn’t an inch of your skin I haven’t kissed, licked, or
touched. Tell me you don’t feel me,” he whimpered, placing his hand over my heart, “here.”
“Creed,” I whispered in a voice I didn’t recognize. Trying to reel in my feelings, hide the fact that he still had an effect on me.
After all this time.
“Tell me any of that, and I swear I’ll leave you alone, cuz at the end of the day… All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, and if that’s not wit’ me, then at least I have the memory of the love of my fuckin’ life.” He placed his forehead on mine, bringing his hands up to frame my face again. “Say the words, babe,” he groaned in a tone that made my stomach flutter and my body warm. His mouth so close to mine that I could feel him breathe on me. The smell of cigarettes and mint took over my senses. As if he was testing me, he licked his lips
slowly, provoking me. Proving that he was right. I shut my eyes. I had to. Therealization was too hard to admit, and I knew he could see it in my gaze.
He knew me. “Creed,” I panted, my breathing mimicking his. “Please…”
“Please what, baby?” he rasped as if he was hanging on by a thread.
Waiting for me to say the magic words that would
set us both free.
USA Today Bestselling Author of Keeping Her Wet, Road to Nowhere, EL Diablo, The
Good Ol’ Boys Standalone Series, The VIP Trilogy, Tempting Bad, and Two Sides.
M. Robinson loves to read. She favors anything that has
angst, romance, triangles, cheating, love, and of course sex! She has been
reading since the Babysitters Club and R.L. Stein.
She was born in New Jersey but was raised in Tampa Fl.
She is married to an amazing man who she loves to pieces.
They have two German Shepherd mixes and a Wheaten and a Tabby cat.
by K. Webster and J.D. Hollyfield 2 Lovers Series #2 (May be read as standalone) Publication Date: April 4, 2017 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romantic Comedy
She hates him and his big head.
He likes her and her big t*ts.
She hates him because she somehow ends up naked every time she sees him.
He likes her because she somehow ends up naked every time he sees her.
She hates him because the big oaf knocked her up with his kid.
He likes her because she’s carrying his child.
She hates the way he gets inside her head.
He likes the way she lets him see glimpses of her heart.
Andie: I hate you.
Roman: I know…but I’m going to change that.
***This is book two in the series. It is best if you read book one first to fully understand this couple’s story.***
3.5 Stars
I enjoyed this book more than the first only because it was somewhat more realistic and I liked Andie and Roman more than Dani and Ram. However, there were parts that again, seemed a tad bit out there and that’s what held me back from loving it.
Let me warn everyone first that some people will find Andie’s antics a bit ridiculous and her aggression towards Roman a tad off balance. Yes, I agree that as many times as she hits and throws things at Roman, it’s out of control and shouldn’t be downplayed. However, I know a lot of this had to do with the authors creativity and not that they think abuse like that is ok. With that being said, it is her crazy ass outbursts and her anger that had me not loving this book because there is open scene that I felt was really pushing it and would had me walking out of that relationship (she throws glass coasters at Roman and then attempts to smashes a glass lamp all before trying to attack another woman. Yea, totally not cool and that shit would’ve been reported immediately to police). Sometimes the creativity gets a little too outside the box and it smears the character.
On to the story – I really enjoyed this plot line so much more than the first book. Andie and Roman stared off things in the last book as fuck buddies or really just hate fuck buddies. LOL There was a lot of hostility (most Andie) between them. It was Roman’s calmness that evened them out. He didn’t take her crap and that’s what fueled this strange relationship. But what I loved most was how Roman was able to play to Andie’s vulnerable side as her emotions started to run rampant. He found ways to calm her and Andie herself slowly realized that the unnecessary stress and chaos she caused was not good for the baby. Andie grows the most in this book – she learns to chill and not be so vulgar and rude.
I enjoyed getting to see the softer side of Andie. We got to learn more about her step brother and father. The authors played out this part of the story very nicely and it complimented the main the plot. Everything flowed nicely and I really enjoyed the ending. And Webster and Hollyfield have left us with itching to read about 2 new characters – Reagan and Linc. I can’t wait for the book to come out. I may enjoy that even more!
It’s the start of nothing good.
I fired off a storm of raunchy text messages…to the wrong number.
And he replied.
Him: Show me a picture.
Him: Tell me your name.
Why does the lure of anonymity have me craving to indulge a stranger?
It’s the start of everything right.
I received a slew of text messages…when everything in my life was wrong.
And she made me laugh again.
Her: You’re probably a creeper.
Her: Possibly a stalker.
Why do I have the overwhelming need to find this stranger who saved me and make her mine?
Him: Take a chance with me.
Her: This is crazy.
Him: I need to see you.
Her: What are we doing?
Him: We’re about to find out.
Her: PHOTO ATTACHED
Him: PHOTO ATTACHED
About K. Webster
K Webster is the author of dozens romance books in many different genres including contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, and erotic romance. When not spending time with her husband of twelve years and two adorable children, she’s active on social media connecting with her readers.
Her other passions besides writing include reading and graphic design. K can always be found in front of her computer chasing her next idea and taking action. She looks forward to the day when she will see one of her titles on the big screen.
You can easily find K Webster on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads!
Creative designer, mother, wife, writer, part time superhero…
J.D. Hollyfield is a creative designer by day and superhero by night. When she is not trying to save the world one happy ending at a time, she enjoys the snuggles of her husband, son and three doxies. With her love for romance, and head full of book boyfriends, she was inspired to test her creative abilities and bring her own story to life.
Life in a Rut, Love not Included is her Debut Novel. J.D. Hollyfield lives in the Midwest, and is currently at work on blowing the minds of readers, with the additions of her new books and series, along with her charm, humor and HEA’s.
When he left for a twelve-month deployment, she knew it would feel like forever before they saw each other again. She didn’t realize how right she was. When Lance Corporal Brecken Connolly gets taken as a POW, Camryn hopes for the best but steels herself for the worst. In the end, steel was what she needed to survive when he didn’t. She moves on the only way she knows how—gilding herself in more steel. Years go by. She builds a new life. She leaves the old one behind. Until one day, she sees the face of a ghost on the news. Brecken seems to have risen from the dead, but she knows she can’t perform the same miracle for herself. While Brecken was held in a torture camp for the past five years, she’s been trapped in her own kind of prison. One she can’t be freed from. The man she mourned comes back to join the living, but the girl he wanted to spend his life with isn’t the same woman he comes back for. Brecken isn’t the same person either. The past five years have changed them both. While he’s determined to put the pieces back together, she’s resolved to let hers rot where they shattered.
Broken or not, Brecken wants her back. He’ll do anything to achieve that. Even if it means going against the warden of Camryn’s personal prison—her husband.
“It’s been six years. Everything’s changed. I have. You have.” My eyes lifted. “Why? Why are you trying to win me back?” He exhaled, his lips parting. “I’m going to win you back.” When his hand slid around the bend of my waist, winding behind my back, I jerked. His touch was different tonight, hungry, determined. My head clouded, blocking out reason or letting it surface to the top, one or the other. “I married him,” I whispered even as my hand found his chest. “But you belong to me.” My eyes closed as he bowed me against him. I wasn’t sure how two bodies that had been as broken as ours could be so strong when joined. “How do you know?” “I can see it in your eyes. Every time you look at me.” His other hand lifted to my chin, tipping it until our eyes connected. His brow rose slowly, like I was proving his point right that very moment. “That’s a confident statement.” My voice shook, but my body felt steady. Unwavering. “It’s the truth.” My chest was moving so hard, it brushed his with every breath. What was I doing? Where had I found myself? The man holding me had died only to be resurrected six years later. It was too late, but it wasn’t over. No matter what, Brecken Connolly and I would never be over. “Twenty-six days,” I said slowly. “That’s all I have to give you. That’s all I have to give. Four weeks. Once he’s back, you know the way it has to be.” His face broke, but his hold didn’t budge. “It’s not enough.” My fingers curled into his shirt, looking for some way to hold on to him. “I know.” His other arm suddenly looped around me and he lifted me off the ground, his grip going around my backside when my legs tied around him. “But a fucking eternity wouldn’t be enough either, so it’ll just have to do.” He carried me through the sand and up the stairs of the cabin, then he propped me against the wall so he could open the screen door. Something slipped out of my mouth when he flexed his hips into mine. “Told you it wasn’t a morning issue,” he whispered in my ear, but I could hear the smile in his voice. “Just a Camryn one.” He made the same motion with his hips, applying a little more friction this time, causing a louder sound to echo from my lungs. Opening the screen door as silently as he could, he carried me inside. “You can set me down, you know?” I whispered. “I know,” he said, his arms tying tighter. Once all of the lights were off, the cabin closed up for the night, he padded down the hall. “You know where you’re going?” His head nodded beside mine. “I’ve always known.” My hands went behind his neck. His skin was warm and familiar. “And where’s that?” He exhaled against my skin as he closed the bedroom door. “Toward you.” He set me down once he’d untied my legs from around his waist, and he took a few steps back. He stared at me for a moment then reached for the lamp on the dresser. “What are you doing?” I asked. “Turning on the lights.” I watched him flip on another. “Why?” “Because I want to see you. Because I want to watch your face as I move inside you. Because I want to see your skin flush when I make you come.” He flipped on one more light, then all of his attention turned to me. “Because I want to see everything.” My heart took off as I imagined being intimate with him with every light in the room on. My body wasn’t the same one he’d left. It had carried a burden; it bore the scars of a shattered soul and a broken body. “I don’t want you to see me. Not like that. In the dark, you can imagine the way I was before.” When I reached for the closest lamp to switch it off, he stopped me. “I don’t want to imagine.” His hand curled around mine, guiding it away from the lamp. “I want the real thing. I want the real you.” “You’ve seen my body. You know what I look like beneath all of this.” I motioned at the fresh clothes hanging off of me, covering me from my wrists to my ankles to my neck. “When I look at you, I see beauty and strength, and the one person in the world who gives me a reason to live and a reason to die.” He drew me to him, his face creased in lines of concentration. “That’s what I see when I look at you.”
Tortured is the perfect title for this book in so many different ways. This book tortured and mended my heart all-in-one.
Nicole is one of those authors that I will always read, no matter the genre. Her writing technique always has me lost in her words and feeling every once of her characters.
“My eyes welled when I realized that he’d given me back my wings. One man had clipped them – this one had fixed them.”
My heart ached for Brecken and Camryn. And for some many reasons. The heartache of losing someone not just to death, but to a life you want to save them from. The torture of believing you are doing the write thing to keep others safe.
I will warn you that this book may be harder for some to read due to the content. Nicole does an amazing job of not sugar coating anything and making this story all the more real and raw. It’s a beautifully, haunting story that you will love.
“I never asked to be the world’s hero. All I ever wanted was to be yours.”
I love Brecken and his perseverance when it comes to Camryn. No matter what, he will live up to his promises. He won’t let anyone or anything stop him from loving Camryn, even though she is married. Camryn made her decision a long time ago, thinking it was the right one. And now that Brecken is home, she knows she still can’t have him.
“I don’t care that you married him or that you have his last name. You’re mine. To love. To honor. And to fucking protect.”
Nicole wrote an amazing story with really strong characters. Yes, the story line is easy to follow and there really isn’t anything that is unexpected to happen, but it’s the tone and the characters that will have you loving this story.
Another fantastic book from Nicole!!
Nicole Williams is the New York Times and USATODAY bestselling author of contemporary and young adult romance, including the Crash and Lost & Found series. Her books have been published by HarperTeen and Simon & Schuster in both domestic and foreign markets, while she continues to self-publish additional titles. She is working on a new YA series with Crown Books (a division of Random House) as well. She loves romance, from the sweet to the steamy, and writes stories about characters in search of their happily even after. She grew up surrounded by books and plans on writing until the day she dies, even if it’s just for her own personal enjoyment. She still buys paperbacks because she’s all nostalgic like that, but her kindle never goes neglected for too long. When not writing, she spends her time with her husband and daughter, and whatever time’s left over she’s forced to fit too many hobbies into too little time.
Nicole is represented by Jane Dystel, of Dystel and Goderich Literary Agency.
From the author of Ricochet and Backfire comes a dark erotic suspense serial … Episode Four: With every cause, there’s an effect, and Ripley will do everything in his power to keep Dylan safe. To hell with the consequences. Series Synopsis: Ripley They call me RIP. I’m a killer. A murderer. A psychopath. In the eyes of the righteous, I’m a monster, born of sin and depravity. I want to protect her, but I’m not a good man. I want to love her, but I no longer feel. She gets under my skin, though, and has awakened something inside of me. Something I’d kill for. I’m not her savior—not even close. In fact, I’m worse than the hell she’s already suffered. I’m her vengeance. Tit for tat, as they say. And if she’s not careful, I’ll be her ruin. Dylan For months, I’ve watched him. I’ve fantasized him as my savior, my lover. My ticket out of the hell I’ve lived in for the last six years. I never dreamed he’d be my nightmare. Had I known what he really is, I’d have never gotten in the car that night, but life is full of cause and effect. And sometimes the choice on offer isn’t a choice at all. It’s the result of something already in motion, and we’re merely left to survive the ripple effect. *This is an erotic suspense/erotic romance not recommended for readers under the age of 18 due to graphic violence and sex
Dylan Pressure and a nip of my skin recoils my muscles. A pinprick at my left arm tells me Randy’s shoved a needle into my veins, and the warmth that floods every muscle in my body, like a fireplace at Christmastime, has me clinging to my reality. It’s nauseating and soothing, curling my toes at the same time I want to throw up. Please. I don’t want to pass out. Not while Rook’s holding those pliers. My stomach twists and gurgles. “Just a little cocktail I put together for you, my sweet girl.” Randy’s voice fades in and out and he strokes my hair, only adding to the wave of comfort sweeping over me. “It took twelve stitches to close that stab to my ribs. So I’m going to give you twelve stitches … somewhere.” “No.” My voice is weak and slipping with every second. “Tell me you love me, Dylan.” His lips are at my ear, the crackle of his whisper growing distant. “I can make this all go away. Tell me you want me. Only me.” I roll my head against the dirty mattress they’d lain me on and moan a protest that doesn’t matter. No one will hear me. The moment footfalls diminish across the room, Randy’s at my ear again. “I’ll kill him.” He speaks so softly I can hardly hear him, even as close as he is. “For you. Just tell me you want me.” Nails scrape my inner walls, and when the heel of a hand presses against my pubic bone, fingers curve up into me—a sensation that begins to fade as the drugs take hold. “I’ll wait. You’re gonna love this shit, Dylan.” Randy’s voice is distant, floating all around me. “I fucking need to get inside you, baby girl. Need it so bad. I should’ve done this a long time ago. You ran, though. From me.” A crack to my face hardly registers as the drugs start to kick in, and he strikes me again. Same place, but I’m numb, drifting from my body into a disconnected space, away from all of this. The same place I used to hide when my mother fucked her Johns in front of me, or when Randy took pictures in that dirty laundry room. “You’ll never run from me again.” A scream hammers against my skull—it’s a loud, screechy, painful sound as if someone has reached down into the depths and pulled out a soul. Is it me? Am I screaming for my life and I’m just so gone, I don’t recognize my own pain? Has he already begun to use those pliers on me? I don’t notice the pressure against my thighs as it was before when Randy’s voice breezed my ear. The blackness lifts, and I’m staring into dark, angry eyes—one blue, one hazel. If I happened to be sober, the sight of him would have me crawling out of my skin as enraged as he looks with his lip peeled back in a snarl. My head feels as if it moves in slow motion, as I look around for Rook and Randy. They’re nowhere in sight. Am I dreaming? Is this all a nightmare? Will I wake to Rip’s pissed off face staring back at me? There’s an element of fear and relief in that thought. I didn’t take any pills, did I? No, I could swear I didn’t take any pills. The blackness tugs at me, begging me to swim in its void. Yes. Take me. Ripley stands up from me, shoving a cigarette into his mouth, and plucks his fingers along his blade. Will he kill me? Will all three of them torture me? I don’t even care. Somewhere in the darkness, there’s safety. Quiet. So I let it steal me away.
Ripple Effect is mind fuckery at it’s finest. This is the last episode in this series and I really didn’t want any of it to end. So I guess that makes me a little effed up in the head.
“Sometimes our minds are worse than the hell that surrounds us.”
This whole series was laid out beautifully. We get tiny glimpses in each episode that allow us insight into who Ripley and Dylan are. The whole series sent shivers through me – it’s mind numbing and exhilarating at the same time. Keri tells a twisted tale of violence, destruction, deceit that is thrilling, addictive and will leave you beautifully haunted by these characters.
“We’re volatile and chaotic together, ripples in the water that explode into riptides, pulling us deeper. The more she takes, the more I want to give.”
This last episode pulls everything together and you truly understand the inner workings of these two. Ripley knows how easily love for anyone can be used against you and yet he can’t stop himself from protecting Dylan. Dylan understands what Rip is doing but she refuses to be pushed aside.
“Sometimes our weaknesses are what make us stronger than we realize.”
“Because I’d kill a motherfucker for ever hurting you, and that includes myself.”
“He may not be a hero in the traditional sense, but in my world, where violence is life and suffering is survival, Ripley is a brutal contender against the iniquity I’ve come to know. And that makes him a good man, in my eyes.”
Keri has upped her game with this serial book. She really knows how to write the very dark and erotic stories that will leave your spine tingling. She knows how to push the boundaries and holds nothing back when it comes to the darker and grittier side of things. I am hoping to see more from a few of the secondary characters – Jorgen, Natalie – HINT HINT!!!!
Keri Lake is a married mother of two living in Michigan. By day, she tries to make use of the degrees she’s earned in science. By night, she writes dark contemporary, paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Though novels tend to be her focus, she also writes short stories and flash fiction on the many occasions distraction sucks her into the Land of Shiny Things. For news, updates and sneak peeks at the sexy cover model candidates for her annual Cover Model Contest, subscribe to her newsletter: http://eepurl.com/HJPHH
Moving in with Jonathon Gold was a whole new wonderful life. It felt like I’d been plucked from another dimension and dropped into a carnal nirvana, with endless rabbit holes of exploration just waiting for me to tumble down them. And gladly I tumbled – until I wanted more.
I wanted to be Head Girl, to service clients, especially when The Judge made enquiries for a day with a plaything. I thought I was strong enough. I thought I was on top of this newfound promiscuous game, but I was wrong.
Jonathon Gold had demons in his closet. Thing is, Jonathon’s closet turned out to be real, and if I really wanted to nail my man, really wanted to learn the art of the submissive and face The Judge and his perverted kinks, I’d have to live it first, in that sordid little room, and become Jonathon’s toy for a day without a squeak of complaint.
Then I’d face The Judge.
Giving is receiving, so Jonathon tells me.
I’m pretty sure I can do that.
~~~
Jonathon,
Emma Jane brings bubbly brightness to my world. She’s sexy, gorgeous, naïve and vulnerable, and her enthusiasm for her new life lifts me, really lifts me. I love her, my dirty girl, and I know in my heart it’s a love that will last forever, but right now she’s a rookie, an over-confident rookie.
The best way for rookies to learn is to be thrown in at the deep end, is it not? And it couldn’t get any deeper than The Judge – a man-mountain of depravity.
The last time he visited, he took charge of the closet for a day of filthy debauchery, but the door to that seedy little hole has been locked for almost two years.
Demons await me in that room, and demons either need to be purged or danced with, don’t they?
If Emma wants more, she has to earn it. And earn it she will when I unlock that door.
~~~
Emma Jane must learn the art of the true submissive before she can become Head Girl, but Jonathon has demons to struggle with as he takes her down the steamy path to subservient bliss.
I feel like I need to give this book 6 loves… but we only go up to 5… Sorry James!
This book. Wow. So fucking hot. So amazing. I never thought something so filthy could be written so exquisitely. James Crow gave me everything that I asked for and more. I wanted more back story on Jonathon. I wanted more kink, more filth, more debauchery (and less Mayo) and he more than delivered.
In the sequel to James’ debut novel (Six), Six Toy brings us back into the lives of Jonathon and Emma Jane. Emma has a dream to be the head girl at Jonathan’s pleasure palace. She not only wants to service customers, but she wants to star in her very own scene.
Jonathon’s first love, Heather, has been gone for 2 years. When Emma comes to him with this idea, it reminds him of the worry that swirled around his relationship with Heather when they first started servicing clients together. Jonathon isn’t keen on the idea of Emma fucking other men. And Emma isn’t certain she can stand by while Jonathon fucks other women.
With a little help from Aunt Fee, and some great advice Jonathon agrees to create a scene for Emma.
“But always remember, a cock is just a cock, unless it belongs to the man you love.”
Ahhh, Aunt Fee. So full of wisdom, that one…
It’s no surprise that this is one of my two favorite scenes in this story. Its hot in every sense of the word. Jonathon pushes Emma’s boundaries to levels that she never dreamed of. I don’t want to give any specific details away, but Emma Jane went through a gauntlet of tasks designed to make her feel every emotion from pleasure, to fear, to humiliation. Each one making her equally crazy and turned on and empowered at the same time.
After the completion of her scene, Jonathon starts thinking more about what it would be like to watch Emma pleasure other men. This results in him taking a long overdue trip down to “The Closet”. What he doesn’t realize is, Emma follows him there and witnesses something very unexpected (Vague, I know. Again, I don’t want to give anything away!) After this trip to the closet” Jonathan decides that it’s time to train Emma in the act of total submission. This means servicing any client that comes to visit, with no complaints, no matter what. Because they are everyday people, not porn stars. Emma eagerly accepts and, at times she feels like she bit off more than she could chew, but by the end of her training, she proved to be a star pupil.
However, she can’t get her mind off of the closet and what she witnessed in the closet. After constant begging, Jonathon finally agrees to put Emma through all of the trials and tribulations that one must go through in order to appreciate the full closet experience. I am not going into ANY detail regarding the closet, but just know this was one of the hottest scenes that I’ve ever read.
Will Emma Jane make it through the experience? Will it make her relationship with Jonathon stronger, or will it be their ruin?
READ. THIS. BOOK!
James Crow lives in the UK in a redbrick mansion, where the walls are tall, the basements deep, and where secrets aplenty are just waiting to be told. Watch this space.
Gabriel Miller swears he’ll keep me safe. Enemies lurk outside, waiting to strike. An army held back by these walls.
Except some animal instinct warns me the danger is much closer. It’s already here. Is Gabriel my protector or my enemy? Is this house a castle or a cage?
There’s nowhere for me to go, no one left for me to trust.
No escape from a past determined to capture its prize.
Another 5 loves for Skye Warren! I’m so sad to say goodbye to Avery and Gabriel! I loved their story so much! This was a very quick read for me. Time flew, so much so that I completely forgot to highlight more of my favorite quotes. I did manage to get 2 sizzling hot ones though!
The Castle picked up a few weeks or so after The Knight ended. Avery is “locked away” in Gabriel’s home while Johnathan Scott is still on the loose. Avery has signed up for a couple of online classes and, in between studying, Avery and Gabriel continue battling each other at chess.
SIDENOTE: Let me tell you, I’ve played chess before. I’ve never really been into it, but I guess I was doing it wrong? Haha! The next time I play, I will need to make sure to do it like Avery and Gabriel!
“You don’t know what you’re asking for.” I move one final piece before following him. “Then show me.” He whirls. “God, do you think I don’t want to? That I don’t want to hurt you? That I don’t want to see your pretty skin marred with my fingerprints? Smeared with blood?” There’s something strangely seductive about his threats. It’s the same feeling I get when he checkmates me—feeling cornered, feeling grateful. My wings want to beat against a cage. “I could make you bleed,” I whisper. He cocks his head, his eyes molten lava. “Could you?”
and
<b><i>
“Stop it. You want to push me away? Fine. Consider me pushed. You don’t have to hurt my feelings.” “Yes, that would be contrary to my purposes. I prefer to keep you satisfied so that you’ll smile when I fuck your tight little pussy, so that you’ll hide your face when it hurts too much, bite your lip to keep from crying out. So you’ll let me hurt you.”
Holy. Shit.
Anyway… back to the review…
It doesn’t take long before they find out that there is a bounty on Avery’s head. One night, while making an unexpected trip to The Den, they run into Damon Scott and an injured girl. Avery decides that she would like to care for the girl and they bring her back to Gabriel’s estate.
Its around this time that Avery starts feeling… different. I don’t want to say more because of spoilers. Gabriel knows something is up with her, but she tells him she’s fine and he doesn’t push the issue.
After getting a lead on Johnathan Scott, who is like a ghost, Gabriel leaves suddenly to look for him. Three weeks go by and Avery is going crazy with worry. She decides that she needs to go looking for Gabriel. The thought that she could be caught and killed doesn’t make her hesitate. Gabriel could be in danger and that’s the most important thing to her.
THIS ENDING… O.M.G. I never saw it coming. Let me just say that Johnathan Scott is one FUCKED UP dude.
This series was so so so good! Congratulations Skye on another amazing series! I am so looking forward to Damon’s book!
Praise for the Endgame series:
“Sinfully sexy and darkly beautiful, The Pawn will play games with your heart and leave you craving more!” – Laura Kaye, New York Times bestselling author
“Edgy, provocative and deeply erotic, The Pawn is one of my top reads of the year! Skye Warren brings you a sensual battle of wills guaranteed to leave you gasping by the end.” – Elle Kennedy, New York Times bestselling author
“Positively sinful, and outrageously sexy! Emotions run high and readers will be left gasping.” – Lisa Renee Jones, New York Times bestselling author
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“Sinfully sexy and darkly beautiful, The Pawn will play games with your heart and leave you craving more!” – Laura Kaye, New York Times bestselling author
The price of survival…
Gabriel Miller swept into my life like a storm. He tore down my father with cold retribution, leaving him penniless in a hospital bed. I quit my private all-girl’s college to take care of the only family I have left.
There’s one way to save our house, one thing I have left of value.
My virginity.
A forbidden auction…
Gabriel appears at every turn. He seems to take pleasure in watching me fall. Other times he’s the only kindness in a brutal underworld.
Except he’s playing a deeper game than I know. Every move brings us together, every secret rips us apart. And when the final piece is played, only one of us can be left standing.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
THE PAWN is a full-length contemporary novel from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren about revenge and seduction in the game of love. It’s the first book in the brand new ENDGAME series.
Gabriel Miller took everything from me. My family. My innocence. My home. The only thing I have left is the determination to get back what’s mine.
He thinks he’s beaten me. He thinks he’s won. What he doesn’t realize is that every pawn has the chance to become a queen.
And the game has only just begun.
THE KNIGHT is book two in the Endgame series from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren about revenge and seduction in the game of love.
About the Author:
Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance such as the Chicago Underground series. Her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, two sweet dogs, and one evil cat.
by Rachel L. Demeter Fairy Tale Retellings, #1 Publication Date: March 15, 2017 Genres: Historical Romance, Fairy Tale Retelling, Gothic Romance, Adult
Experience the world’s most enchanting and timeless love story—retold with a dark and realistic twist.
A BEAST LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF HIS PAST
Reclusive and severely scarred Prince Adam Delacroix has remained hidden inside a secluded, decrepit castle ever since he witnessed his family’s brutal massacre. Cloaked in shadow, with only the lamentations of past ghosts for company, he has abandoned all hope, allowing the world to believe he died on that tragic eve twenty-five years ago.
A BEAUTY IN PURSUIT OF A BETTER FUTURE
Caught in a fierce snowstorm, beautiful and strong-willed Isabelle Rose seeks shelter at a castle—unaware that its beastly and disfigured master is much more than he appears to be. When he imprisons her gravely ill and blind father, she bravely offers herself in his place.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Stripped of his emotional defenses, Adam’s humanity reawakens as he encounters a kindred soul in Isabelle. Together they will wade through darkness and discover beauty and passion in the most unlikely of places. But when a monster from Isabelle’s former life threatens their new love, Demrov’s forgotten prince must emerge from his shadows and face the world once more…
Perfect for fans of Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty of the Beast brings a familiar and well-loved fairy tale to life with a rich setting in the kingdom of Demrov and a captivating, Gothic voice.
Beauty of the Beast is the first standalone installment in a series of classic fairy tales reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.
Disclaimer: This is an edgy retelling of the classic fairy tale. Due to strong sexual content, profanity, and dark subject matter, including an instance of sexual assault committed by the villain, Beauty of the Beast is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
? Book Trailer ?
?EXCERPT?
~ The East Tower ~
Arms sprang out from the darkness. They spun her full circle and slammed her body against the king’s portrait. Isabelle gasped, more in shock than from pain, as she stared into Adam’s deformed face. The lantern flickered behind his massive form, casting his cloaked body in silhouette. But she saw enough to know he was far from pleased. Rage and frustration radiated from his body like a palpable force.
“I warned you to stay out of here,” he said, his voice dangerously cold and deep. Those rugged vocals vibrated against her body and seeped into her marrow. “What part of forbidden didn’t you comprehend?” His voice lashed out from the darkness like a hurtled knife, and the word “forbidden” seemed to whisper another meaning altogether. Isabelle tried to answer but failed to find her voice. Indeed, her vocal cords had turned to solid ice, as numb and cold as the blood rushing through her veins. She couldn’t breathe; she felt like she was suffocating.
“My mother gave me that musical box on my fourth birthday,” he said, the sensual lull of his voice causing the fine hairs on her nape to stand erect. “And now your recklessness has destroyed it. Have you nothing to say?”
“I—I’m sorry.” He offered no reply; only the ragged sound of his breathing and the hammering blizzard broke the silence. “Please—I didn’t mean any harm.”
She struggled under the weight of Adam’s colossal body and battled to free herself. He merely gave a low chuckle and pressed her firmly against the portrait. He looked otherworldly at that moment, like an angel of death seeking vengeance. Both beautiful and monstrous, his cool, sapphire eyes overflowed with warring emotions. In spite of his harsh and ruthless exterior, she detected a quaver in his voice and saw that his large, cloaked shoulders trembled. The darkness in his soul cast a shadow that embraced her; as she peered up at him, she knew he was drowning in the turbulent waters of a past time.
“What a disappointment,” he went on, his voice growing deeper still, mocking her words from so many days ago, “You’re like any other woman.”
“I—I’m sorry. Please, Adam. I—” Her gaze shot past his body and over the wreckage of a past life. She thought of her private chamber again—of the stale perfumes and outdated garments.
Her flight or fight instinct seized hold of her. She attempted to scramble free, but he merely grabbed her shoulder and whirled her back against the portrait. Gloves wrapped his hands; his long, silk-clad fingers grasped her shoulder and kept her firmly in place.
He stood intimately close.
Far too close.
As close as Raphael had been that night.
“Going somewhere, ma belle? After you’ve worked so hard to find my East Tower?”
Hands like two steel bands held her wrists in place. Hot breaths, which faintly smelled of wine, seared her cheeks and assaulted her senses. Her breasts flattened against the pressure of his strong chest, and she felt that same chest swell and deflate in perfect sync with her own. One large hand slipped down her elbow and glided across her extended arm. The lush material of his gloves drew a shudder from her heaving chest. His breathing grew more ragged, shallower, and the erratic beat of his heart banged against her own.
Anger and desire warred on his face, twisting his features into a mess of both monster and man. “Find anything of interest, aside from my musical box? Come, come. You went through such great trouble to get here,” he asked, his voice now threaded with both anger and something else.
Yes, Isabelle recognized that something else. It was the same note that had entered Raphael’s voice that night…
She attempted to duck under his arm, but he moved swiftly, capturing her in the crook of his elbow. Reeling her toward him, he emitted a low, haunting chuckle that swelled the eastern tower to its rafters. She was back where she’d started—pinned against the portrait, Adam’s body serving as a flesh-and-blood blockade.
Hunger radiated from him, enfolding her in a current of sizzling power. His silk-clad hand grazed the curve of her breast as it moved down her body in a painfully slow caress. Even more alarming was her reaction to him. Her treacherous body responded with a crush of hot and cold pulsating waves. Then he whispered a taunt in her ear, and his liquid baritone slid down her backbone like honey; it swirled inside her, finding its home in her most intimate area.
He leaned closer still. His face’s uneven skin brushed against her neck, the black waves of his hair tickled her chin… His thick arousal expanded against her, reminding her of what he was capable of—and of her sheer vulnerability.
His lips teased the base of her throat. Cursing her traitorous body, Isabelle gasped at the gentle scraping of his teeth. His tongue and lips tormented her throbbing pulse—just barely, stirring her skin in a mere ghost of a touch.
?Meet the Author?
Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and her high school sweetheart of fourteen years. She enjoys writing poignant romances that challenge the reader’s emotions and explore the redeeming power of love.
Imagining dynamic worlds and characters has been Rachel’s passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mother would record them for her. She holds a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether crafting the protagonist or antagonist, she ensures every character is given a soul.
Rachel endeavors to defy conventions by blending elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness.
Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.
Don’t be a stranger! Rachel loves to connect and interact with her readers:
In the final installment of Sally Christie’s “tantalizing” (New York Daily News) Mistresses of Versailles trilogy, Jeanne Becu, a woman of astounding beauty but humble birth, works her way from the grimy back streets of Paris to the palace of Versailles, where the aging King Louis XV has become a jaded and bitter old philanderer. Jeanne bursts into his life and, as the Comtesse du Barry, quickly becomes his official mistress.
“That beastly bourgeois Pompadour was one thing; a common prostitute is quite another kettle of fish.”
After decades of suffering the King’s endless stream of Royal Favorites, the princesses of the Court have reached a breaking point. Horrified that he would bring the lowborn Comtesse du Barry into the hallowed halls of Versailles, Louis XV’s daughters, led by the indomitable Madame Adelaide, vow eternal enmity and enlist the young dauphiness Marie Antoinette in their fight against the new mistress. But as tensions rise and the French Revolution draws closer, a prostitute in the palace soon becomes the least of the nobility’s concerns.
Told in Christie’s witty and engaging style, the final book in The Mistresses of Versailles trilogy will delight and entrance fans as it once again brings to life the sumptuous and cruel world of eighteenth century Versailles, and France as it approaches irrevocable change.
“Sally Christie’s The Sisters of Versailles is an intriguing romp through Louis XV’s France. Filled with lush backdrops, rich detail, and colorful characters, fans of historical fiction will enjoy this glimpse into the lost golden era of the French monarchy.” (Allison Pataki, author of THE ACCIDENTAL EMPRESS)
“A stunning breadth of period detail, offered in a fresh, contemporary voice.” (Juliet Grey, author of the acclaimed Marie Antoinette trilogy)
“Such an extraordinary tale makes for compelling reading and, as the lead book in a planned trilogy, will draw in readers who are interested in royal lives before the French Revolution…. Historical fiction fans, unfamiliar with the history of the Nesle sisters, will be intrigued.” (Library Journal)
“Tantalizing descriptions and cliff-hangers will leave the reader rapidly turning the pages in anticipation… A wickedly delightful read.” (New York Daily News)
Old Maids at Versailles – Guest Blog Post by Sally Christie
Louis XV, who ruled France for a good part of the 18th century, fathered 10 children with his long suffering Polish wife: Eight daughters and two sons. Six daughters and one son (the father of the ill-fated Louis XVI) survived to their teenage years.
His two eldest daughters were twins and were known as Madame Elisabeth and Madame Henriette (daughters of the king were always known as Madame, even if they weren’t married). True to royal form, Madame Elisabeth was married off to Spain just two weeks after her 12th birthday. It wasn’t the most prestigious match – she was only marrying a younger son, not the heir to the Spanish throne – but it helped solidify the France /Spain alliance.
Then, the marrying stopped. Louis XV’s five other daughters – Henriette, Adelaide, Victoire, Sophie and Louise – never married, an almost unheard of situation in the history of royalty. Traditionally, princesses were valuable as pawns for securing alliances between countries and building new ones. So what happened? Why did the five of them never marry?
It was a combination of factors. For starters, there were not as many potential Catholic bridegrooms in a Europe that was half Protestant. Had Charles Stuart, the Young Pretender, succeeded in regaining the British throne, he would have been a good candidate, but his attempt failed and the French king was not eager to ally himself with a stateless pretender.
Louis was also very fond of his daughters, at least when they were younger, and was reluctant to send them away. He was also a wee bit lazy, and never made their marriages a priority. The princesses themselves, of course, loved their father and their life at Versailles, and would not have wanted to leave the comfort and luxuries of (arguably) the most magnificent palace in the world for some inferior court in a foreign country.
The third book in my trilogy about the many mistresses of Louis XV, The Enemies of Versailles, opens in 1750 when the five sisters were between 13 and 22 years old. One of the running themes in the book is their fear of getting married and what they would do to avoid it: the youngest, Louise, was even rumored to stuff one shoulder of her gown to make herself look misshapen and crippled, and therefore unmarriageable! Only Madame Henriette had any semblance of a love affair. She and the handsome young Duc de Chartres, a cousin of the king, fell in love and wanted to wed. The King couldn’t agree, for it would mean the Orleans family would become too powerful and upset the balance of power amongst his nobility.
As they got older and lost some of their youthful charm, the unmarried spinsters became objects of ridicule and figures of fun. As shown in both The Rivals of Versailles and The Enemies of Versailles (half of which is told by Madame Adelaide), the king’s daughters pitted themselves against their father’s mistresses and gradually became more and more estranged from the king and from any sort of influence at court.
The decision to never marry the princesses had serious consequences. Each princess, as a “Daughter of France” had the right to an enormous household, each containing hundreds of officers and servants. This, of course, cost the government a great deal of money. By the time their three nephews (including the future Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette) married and had children, there were more royal households at Versailles than ever before, all of them draining the coffers of the country and increasing its debt, no small factor in the coming Revolution.
– Thanks for this wonderful post, Sally! ~Jillian
About Sally Christie
Sally Christie is the author of The Sisters of Versailles and The Rivals of Versailles. She was born in England and grew up around the world, attending eight schools in three different languages. She spent most of her career working in international development and currently lives in Toronto.
EPISODE TWO: As a calculated assassin, Ripley thrives on always being in control. But when the woman he’s sworn to kill makes an offer he can’t refuse, his control is what he risks losing most.
Ripley They call me RIP. I’m a killer. A murderer. A psychopath. In the eyes of the righteous, I’m a monster, born of sin and depravity. I want to protect her, but I’m not a good man. I want to love her, but I no longer feel. She gets under my skin, though, and has awakened something inside of me. Something I’d kill for. I’m not her savior—not even close. In fact, I’m worse than the hell she’s already suffered. I’m her vengeance. Tit for tat, as they say. And if she’s not careful, I’ll be her ruin. Dylan For months, I’ve watched him. I’ve fantasized him as my savior, my lover. My ticket out of the hell I’ve lived in for the last six years. I never dreamed he’d be my nightmare. Had I known what he really is, I’d have never gotten in the car that night, but life is full of cause and effect. And sometimes the choice on offer isn’t a choice at all. It’s the result of something already in motion, and we’re merely left to survive the ripple effect. *This is an erotic suspense/erotic romance not recommended for readers under the age of 18 due to graphic violence and sex.
This series continues to get dirtier, grittier and more intense as we go.
We get to know more about Ripley and how he works – the inner workings of his brain. He’s no prince charming and he definitely shows no mercy to anyone. He’s a man we fear yet his intensity draws us in.
“For a monster, he’s stunning.”
Dylan is a firecracker. She’s learned to live life in the worst of ways and understands one thing – life will kill you, if you let it. She will not be a victim. She holds nothing back when it comes to Ripley and has no problem voicing her opinion, even though she knows he could easily end her life without thinking twice of it.
“But this is my world, and getting fucked over is all I’ve known.”
Keri has no boundaries when it comes to her writing. She’s got a fucking wicked mind and I would mind being trapped there for awhile. I love how she is able to take the most disrespectful and degrading things and makes them desirable in that moment; yet you can see how messed up it is too. You know it’s wrong, but you just can’t stop the curiosity.
I am ready for Episode 3 to take me even further into this dark and erotic world……
I open my eyes to the sting of sterile scents, like disinfectant and alcohol. A quick scan of my surroundings shows crisp white sheets, the cool fabric brushing against my legs—my bare legs. The dripping of water from before pounds louder, without the chasing echo. Scents. Sounds. Touch. As if my body has turned into a sharper frequency, everything around me seems more alive. More intense.
Attached to my left arm is an IV whose tube connects to a bag labeled saline, hanging off a hook sticking out from the wall. Two white patches are stuck to my arm, and I can’t begin to imagine what the hell they are. Maybe he mutilated me? What the hell is this guy, a doctor?
The stabbing pain from before has dulled to an ache of intense hunger or the craving of pills, I can’t discern. Nausea still grips me the same way it had when I drank too much cinnamon liquor one night and ended up at the side of the toilet with my sugar crashing. I’m not a diabetic or anything, but I remember Chanel gave me a glass of orange soda and the jitters disappeared. I feel cool and sweaty at the same time, clammy and exhausted.
I stare down at myself, noticing a thin white shirt. My bra has been removed along with my panties, leaving me naked beneath the oversized garment that must belong to my captor. The heavy comforter, far too elegant and plush for the mattress on which I’m lying, covers only my ankles, as if I’d kicked it off. Or someone else had.
What did he do while I was out?
I perform a quick mental rundown, only remembering flashes of the bathtub, which I’m certain was nothing but a dream. From my fingers to my toes, I concentrate on any pain. Wriggling my toes doesn’t point out a weird absence of one, flexing my calves, thighs, nothing. I attempt to pull my knees together, testing whether or not it produces an ache that might suggest he’d raped me, but chains keep me from crossing my legs.
In my pathetic assessment, I find there’s no damage, nothing to suggest mutilation of any sort. And no evidence of blood on the sheets.
With my arms still bound, I turn to the faint musky scent on my skin and breathe in the clean aroma. He did bathe me.
He. Rip.
His name loops over and over inside my head in some desperate bid for my conscious half to hang on to it. As if I’d forget the name of the killer who tied me to a wall in his dark and dingy basement.
My mouth is bone dry and I push a swallow past the burn in my throat.
The single light that illuminates my surroundings is both a blessing and a curse, as I begin to see things in the wall of darkness that separates my little halo. Hallucinations? Maybe. The drugs still swimming through my body certainly don’t rule out that possibility. A pale white spectral figure dangling from the ceiling shakes my core, and I screw my eyes shut, hoping it’ll fade away. The withdrawals have settled over me, commandeering my mind, and have me seeing things that don’t make sense.
Like the terrors of my youth.
Keri Lake is a married mother of two living in Michigan. By day, she tries to make use of the degrees she’s earned in science. By night, she writes dark contemporary, paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Though novels tend to be her focus, she also writes short stories and flash fiction on the many occasions distraction sucks her into the Land of Shiny Things. For news, updates and sneak peeks at the sexy cover model candidates for her annual Cover Model Contest, subscribe to her newsletter: http://eepurl.com/HJPHH
Throne of Truth, the thrilling conclusion to Crown of Lies from New York Times Bestseller, Pepper Winters, is available now!
Throne of Truth by Pepper Winters
Publication Date: February 28th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
TWO YEARS
Since my life changed for the second time and not necessarily for the better. Two years since I traded prison bars for streets and hunted a runaway who I’d met in an alley.
TWO DAYS
Since I forgot how to lie, woke to fists, and chased after the girl who’d been stolen from me.
TWO HOURS
To save her, rescue her, keep my lies intact. She looks at me full of hate. I look at her full of confession.
TWO MINUTES
For our relationship to switch from mutual dislike to floundering with unknowns. I’ve hurt her. Now, she’s hurt me. I guess we’re even.
TWO SECONDS
For her to listen, to see, to finally know who I am. The answer comes with hardship. The answer isn’t what she wants to hear.
I’m a huge Pepper Winters fan. I loved Crown of Lies so much and Throne of Truth was a good ending to the angst filled, love-lust hybrid story that is Penn and Elle. Good, but not fantastic. It literally PAINS me to write that because of all of the love and respect that I have for Ms. Winters (Pepper, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry. I love you, but I’m sorry!) I don’t want to go into too much detail because I don’t want to give anything away, but Pepper did an amazing job putting these two through the ringer! It was heart-wrenching to read about the struggles that Elle and Penn faced throughout their story, but I knew in the end that everything would be fine and that I would be happy with the outcome (I mean, if I could make it the whole way through Q, and still be happy, then I can literally do anything, amirite?) The ending was ramping up to be phenomenal! And it was, until it wasn’t anymore, and then it came back around to being good again. So yes, in the end I got what I wanted, but I just feel like there was a little extra fluff that was added in there unnecessarily. Seeing as how Ms. Winters is amazingly spectacular and (if I haven’t said so yet) I absolutely love her, I know that she finished the book exactly how she wanted to finish it. And rightly so, it’s her story and that is how it manifested itself to her. It just wasn’t as strong of an ending as I was looking for as a reader. If I haven’t said it before (ha!) I’ll say it again. Pepper, I love you and you’re amazing
Pepper Winters is a multiple New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today International Bestseller.
After chasing her dreams to become a full-time writer, Pepper has earned recognition with awards for best Dark Romance, best BDSM Series, and best Hero. She’s an multiple #1 iBooks bestseller, along with #1 in Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and Erotica Thriller. With 19 books currently published, she has hit the bestseller charts twenty-six times in three years.
Pepper is a Hybrid Author of both Traditional and Self-published work. Her Pure Corruption Series was released by Grand Central, Hachette.
Her books have garnered foreign interest and are currently being translated into numerous languages, including already released titles in Italian and Turkish. Audio Books for her entire back-list will be available in 2017.
Lucas Thorn wasn’t born a cheater. All it took was a single moment—say, a certain disastrous incident on the night before his wedding—and boom. Reputation destroyed forever and always. So now he owns it. He has a lady friend for every night of the week (except Sundays—God’s day and all), and his rules are simple: No commitments. No exceptions.
But a certain smart-mouthed, strawberry blonde vixen is about to blow that all to hell.
Avery Black has never forgiven Lucas for cheating on her sister. And suddenly being forced to work with him is pretty much a nightmare on steroids. Of course, it does afford her the opportunity to make his life as difficult as possible. But no good revenge scheme comes without payback. Because he didn’t become the Lucas Thorn without learning a few things about women.
Now Avery’s lust for vengeance has turned into, well, lust. And if Lucas stops cheating, it’s definitely not because he’s falling in love…
Excerpt #2
Shaking, I ran my hands through my hair and was about ready to have a nervous breakdown when my phone rang.
“Yeah?” I grabbed my coat and headed out of the restaurant.
“She’s a clinger.” That’s all Thatch had to say before I burst out laughing. “She asked for my phone number.”
“How else is she supposed to have another booty call with the good doctor?” I grinned like a smug bastard, enjoying his panic, and then I warned him to stay away. “You know this is your fault, right? You know that inviting a woman to your apartment usually means that she’ll start envisioning her shit all over the place—and next thing you know, she’s about to have your baby.”
“SHE’S NOT PREGNANT!” He started cursing again. “Look, you know I have commitment issues.”
“No.” I rolled my eyes. “Shocker.”
“Like you should talk, you selfish bastard.” Thatch sighed loudly. “Break up with her for me?”
“Not a chance in hell.”
“But—”
“Nope.”
“Lucas Thorn.”
“Maybe if you had tits, and even then, that just makes shit weird, Thatch.”
I hit the elevator button and waited while Thatch started complaining about why sex can’t just be sex.
“You’re telling me.” I snorted into the phone. “Look, I gotta go. Just remember Austin and Avery are best friends, meaning, you screw her, her friend is most likely going to try to find a way to screw me. Girls go to the bathroom together. If they do the nonserious stuff in teams, you bet your ass they’re going to treat a breakup the same way.”
“That really wasn’t helpful, not at all, Lucas.”
“Or”—I shrugged and hit the button for my floor—“you could just make the sex really, really bad next time, say, finishing in like thirty seconds and screaming ‘Porcupine!’ or something.”
He was quiet, then said, “I can’t decide if that’s genius or stupid.”
“You never know until you try. Think of Christopher Columbus. Everyone thought he was stupid for sailing toward the New World, and look! He proved them wrong. The earth was in fact round, my friend.”
“Did you just compare yourself to someone who discovered an actual continent? Because it seems like you did, and this is after you told me to yell ‘Porcupine!’ when I orgasm.”
“Well, when you repeat it back like that . . .” I grumbled as the elevator doors opened to my floor. “Look, I gotta go. Leave me out of it though.”
“No promises,” he said just as I ended the conversation and greedily searched for Avery.
She wasn’t behind her desk.
Nor was she under it—I had to check because hiding and pouncing was exactly the kind of thing I could imagine her doing, just so she could scare the shit out of me and get it on camera or something. Then again, she wasn’t seventeen anymore, but this was still Avery we were talking about. Ergo, I still looked.
Frowning, I turned around in an effort to casually strut into my office and slammed right into Avery, knocking her backward onto her ass.
Folders went everywhere.
Papers scattered across the floor.
And her wedged heels somehow managed to fall from her feet, though they still dangled around her ankles.
“Are you okay?” I leaned down to grab her hand, but she didn’t take mine.
“Yeah.” Her cheeks reddened. “Sorry, I was just dropping off some files, and then I saw that these were addressed to another department and thought I could drop them off and . . .” Her voice trailed off as she flashed me a worried look, like I was going to fire her any minute.
Instantly feeling like an ass, I grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her into the air. “I’m not going to fire you.”
“Okay,” she huffed, tears welling in her eyes.
“Shit, Avery.” Earlier I’d been taking out my frustration with my family on her. Apparently, the distance and years hadn’t changed this aspect of our relationship, because this was a familiar pattern. I made her feel bad or guilty about something that wasn’t her fault—something she had no control over.
Especially the fact that I was extremely attracted to her—and knew it was wrong then, just like it was wrong now.
About the Author:
Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!
