Release Day Blitz…Dirty Filthy Billionaire by Laurelin Paige

When my boss’s rival saves me by pretending to be my date, I’m surprised but grateful.
Until he tells me what I owe him…

Dirty Filthy Billionaire, an all-new smoking-hot novella set in the Dirty Universe world from New York Times bestselling author Laurelin Paige is available now!

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Laurelin Paige comes a new story in her Dirty Universe series…

I’m damn good at my job.

So if I swipe my boss’s event invitations from time to time, it’s kind of like a much-earned bonus. He’ll never miss them, and I get a five-star free meal in the company of men in well-fitted suits.

But then he shows up at an award’s dinner that I’m most definitely not supposed to be at.

Lucky for me, when my boss accuses me of stealing his ticket, a hot swoony man in a tux steps in and says, “She came with me.”

Now I owe the stranger one, which is totally cool.

Until I discover the hot, swoony man is none other than Steele Sebastian, a rich man with a penchant for scandal.

And the way he wants me to pay him back?

Let’s just say that Steele Sebastian has a reputation as a dirty filthy billionaire, and I’m about to find out why.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

Fall in love today, exclusively on Amazon!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3rY4qej
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/dirtyfilthybillionaire
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3JjzTzQ

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3TkrrVB

Keep reading for a look inside Dirty Filthy Billionaire!

Here’s the thing—will Donovan fire me for using his discarded invites without his permission? No.
Will he reprimand me? Also, no.
Will he take advantage of my desire to attend these functions and put me to work at future events? No, probably not.
In fact, he’d probably pat me on the back while giving me one of his infamous smirks and tell me how to get a hold of his partners’ discarded invites as well. Donovan and I are two of a kind like that, which is the real reason he keeps me around, not my awesome PA skills. It’s not always easy to find company while walking semi-ethical lines.
But this is my thing. My thing that has nothing at all to do with who I am during office hours. It’s personal and private and sort of embarrassing, when I think about admitting it out loud, because it’s not just about getting free food. Hell’s Kitchen apartments take a fair amount of my salary, but Donovan pays well. I can afford to go out.
I just don’t really want to go eat solo in expensive restaurants.
People stare and whisper. Not that I care what they think, but it’s distracting. It’s much easier to be a solo at a business function. Maybe my plus one is involved in the actual event. Maybe they canceled, last minute. Maybe I’m there purely because of work, and no one whispers or stares or judges, and waiters don’t give me pitying comments, and strange men don’t (usually) take it as an opportunity to hit on me.
It’s a perfect hobby, as far as I’m concerned, and I’ll be damned if it’s taken away because of the hazel-eyed assface who sat at my table, who is the sole reason I’m out in the lobby at the same time Donovan is.
I have half a mind to turn around and go tear that too-hot-for-his-own-good fucker to shreds, and I would if my boss wasn’t looking at me like I’m a lifeline.
I quickly try to make up a backstory. “Uh, Donovan…I’m…” Try and fail. “Hi. You’re here.”
He waves to a security guard then points at me, which…okay. Maybe I was wrong thinking he wouldn’t be mad. He really doesn’t have to go so far as to bring security in.
But though the guard is eyeing us, he doesn’t make a move, letting Donovan approach me.
“Hey, I’m looking for Sabrina. Do you…?” Donovan trails off, and I can see that I misjudged the situation, because it’s just now that his expression becomes suspicious. “What are you doing here? Did you use my ticket?”
“No!” The denial was too obvious, but I’ve chosen my path. Now I have to walk it. “No. Of course I didn’t do that. I just. I’m, um, here—”
Suddenly, an arm slips around my waist. “She’s here with me. It’s okay, Simone. We don’t have to keep it a secret.”
I look up to see it’s none-other-than the antagonizing prick from the ballroom, and I’m both shocked and…aroused?
I mean, I’m not into being rescued. By anyone. Ever.

For More Information about Laurelin Paige, visit her website:
https://laurelinpaige.com/

For More Information about 1001 Dark Nights, visit:
Website: https://www.1001darknights.com/
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Cover Reveal…The Other Belle by Whitney G.



Cover Reveal: The Other Belle

Author: Whitney G. 

Publication Date: November 4th, 2022

Genre: Fantasy Romance, Steamy Fairy Tale 

Cover Design: Qamber Designs

 


Synopsis


The ‘tale as old as time’ has always been a lie…

 

There was no such thing as a “beautiful girl who stumbles into an enchanted castle and falls for a beast.”

My older sister is a liar, and she’s always been far more calculated than that.

 

I don’t blame you for buying into her compelling fairytale, though.

She’s always been an incredible storyteller.

 

Truth is, deep in The Whispering Woods, far past the Seven Sinful Kingdoms, several secrets remain untold.

They’ve lain dormant for centuries, protecting the true hero of this story, a dominant “villain” destined for Hell…

 

Until now, until me.

The other Belle…


PURCHASE LINKS


AMAZON US    AMAZON UK    AMAZON AU    AMAZON CA



About the Author 


Whitney G. is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author. Her books have been published in twelve languages.

 

Whenever she’s not penning a new novel, you can find her blogging about self-publishing at The Indie Tea, drinking hot coffee, or traveling the world in sweater boots.

 

You can connect with Whitney via whitneyg.com & via social media:



Facebook: Facebook.com/AuthorWhitneyG

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitneyg.author/

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Email Whitney: www.whitneygbooks.com/contact


Don’t forget to sign up for Whitney’s monthly newsletter, The F.L.Y. List, by clicking here


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Glamour – Contemporary Fairytale Retellings by Various Authors….Release Day Blitz

Glamour: Contemporary Fairytale Retellings

A.L. Jackson, Sophie Jordan, Aleatha Romig, Skye Warren, Lili St. Germain, Nora Flite, Sierra Simone with Nicola Rendell

Releases Tuesday, July 18th

Synopsis

Once upon a time… 

Remember the fairy tales your parents read to you when you were little? 

These are NOT those fairy tales. 

From modern day royalty to metaphorical dragons, contemporary castles to sexy heroes, these bestselling authors twist tales as old as time into something new. 

GLAMOUR contains eight exclusive never-before-seen novellas that each have an HEA… because they all lived happily ever after.

Links

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Glamour-Contemporary-Fairytale-Retellings-Jackson-ebook/dp/B071FNKD8Z/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XTQ2RQE3AEFMXHB9FB0J

iBooks:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/glamour/id1250593618?mt=11

Barnes & Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/glamour-al-jackson/1126536325;jsessionid=FADB8C50BC3D5E7B826A789AAADF5BE5.prodny_store02-atgap10?ean=2940157487836

Kobo:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/glamour-57

EXCERPT

 

Red Hot Pursuit by A.L. Jackson

Chapter One

Broderick

I’m not sure how you handle things where you come from, Mr. Wolfe, but I can assure you it is not how we handle things in Gingham Lakes. Mrs. Tindall has been a value to our small community since the fifties, and her family long before then, and I have every intention of securing that legacy for many years to come. Why don’t you make things easier on yourself and remain in your high-rise office, which I’m sure affords you quite the dramatic view of Manhattan. You seem better suited for that than our ‘provincial’ town.

I didn’t even fight the satisfied smile that pulled at my lips as I let my eyes retrace her latest email.

God, this woman was a handful.

Determined and feisty.

A challenge I couldn’t wait to take on.

For the last five months, we’d been going back and forth via email. My interactions with this tough-as-nails attorney, who was working pro bono for a tiny company in an even tinier city in Alabama, had escalated with each click of send.

Maybe it was a little sick that I’d come to crave this game.

Cat and mouse.

Round and round.

She was sharp and obviously loyal. I’d never even seen her. But apparently, I didn’t have to. Just sitting there and reading the fight in her words made my dick hard.

There was nothing like a strong woman who knew what she wanted.

The best part was I wanted it more.

My laptop screen burned through the dim light of my high-rise office, which did indeed offer the most spectacular view of Manhattan. With a smirk, I leaned forward and let my fingers fly across the keyboard.

That is where you’re mistaken, Ms. Redd. I’m sure you’re well aware of our company’s reputation. The Wolfe name is the very definition of success. It’s the cornerstone on which our company has been built, and I will not let that name be tarnished. I will have that building, and in the end, my hotel will stand in its place. I’m trying to be fair, but make no mistake, if you force me into a corner, I will come out, teeth bared. I’ve been told they’re sharp.

A shock of lust curled in my gut as I sent the email. Why did I get the feeling I would love sinking my teeth into this woman?

It took only a few moments before my inbox pinged with a new message.

Is that a threat, Mr. Wolfe? Because if it is, I can assure you, my nails are equally as long, and I never hesitate to fight back.

Visions assaulted me. Ones of her nails clawing at my shoulders and raking down my back. Her body straining beneath mine as I ravaged her.

My breaths turned shallow as I typed out a response.

Is that a promise or your own threat, Ms. Redd? I’m up for either.

God. What the fuck did I think I was doing? I’d always been about the job. But this woman…this fiery woman had me stepping out of bounds. Saying things I knew I should never say.

Her response was almost immediate.

Don’t flatter yourself. You’re clearly compensating, and I definitely don’t need that kind of disappointment. Save yourself the trip. You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself with that kind of failure.

“Oh, you went there, did you?” I murmured beneath my breath. I fucking loved that she didn’t hold back. My teeth scraped my lower lip, my mouth watering as I gave into the chase.

Failure is not a part of my vocabulary, Ms. Redd. I think we’ve already established that. But don’t worry, at the end of all of this, you will be thanking me.

I pressed send a little too eagerly, becoming even more excited when I clicked into her quick response.

Only in your lofty, lofty dreams, Mr. Wolfe. I will see to it those dreams are crushed.

A chuckle rumbled free, and I rubbed at my jaw. She had no idea just how much pleasure I would take in crushing her.

This could have been an easy acquisition.

We’d made a more than generous offer, after all. Instead of accepting it and moving on, they let nostalgia taint their decision and rejected the small fortune.

Some people didn’t seem to understand when it was best to take the path of least resistance.

But you wouldn’t see me complaining. They had no clue just how much I relished the battle.

My cell bleeped and lit up where it rested on the glass desk, and I subdued the irritation that fought to work its way up my throat. I cleared it as I rocked forward and accepted the call.

“Father,” I said by way of hello as I stood and shrugged into my suit jacket before closing down my laptop and sliding it into its leather case.

“Son. Tell me you’ve taken care of the issue.”

“I’m working on it.”

“Working on it isn’t good enough. I needed this finished yesterday.”

I gritted my teeth in an attempt to keep from spitting the words at him. “I told you, I would handle this one my way.”

He huffed. “Haven’t you figured out yet that your way doesn’t work?”

A jolt of bitter laughter tripped from my tongue. “I think I’ve cleaned up enough of your messes that you would have realized by now that it does.”

If it were up to my father, he would have gone in there and basically stolen that building right out from under that old lady. His men had no qualms about making a threat or two to get what he wanted, bending people to his will by cowardly shows of force.

Silence traveled the line, the two of us at odds, the constant contention that had churned between us since I was a little boy so close to reaching its boiling point.

“Two weeks, Broderick. Two weeks,” he finally said. There was no missing the threat.

“I won’t need them.” My voice lowered. “And I’m warning you—do not interfere in this. I will do this my way.”

“We’ll see.” That was the last thing he said before the line went dead.

Fuck. I squeezed the phone in my hand. It took every ounce of willpower I had not to send my phone sailing through the air.

Broderick Wolfe Sr. thought he was the epitome of success.

Believed his efforts were what Wolfe Industries was built upon.

When in truth, the man was nothing but underhanded deals and greed.

Those were footsteps I refused to walk in.

I worked relentlessly for what I wanted.

Chased it.

Hunted it until I had it in my clutches.

And when I won? It was because I was actually the best at what I did.

I buttoned a single button on my jacket and shook out the cuffs. Lifting my chin, I grabbed my case and strode out the door.

I had work to do.

And I was going to love every second of it.

Wake the Hollow by Gaby Triana…Blog Tour & Review

wake the hollow banner

wake the hollowWake the Hollow by Gaby Triana

Published by Entangled Teen

Published on August 2nd, 2016

Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26114202-wake-the-hollow?ac=1&from_search=true

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wake-Hollow-Gaby-Triana/dp/1633753514

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wake-the-hollow-gaby-triana/1122537705;jsessionid=F6351BD4AD3F7E943D40755521F0E640.prodny_store02-atgap07?ean=9781633753518

Entangled: http://entangledpublishing.com/wake-the-hollow/

Forget the ghosts, Mica. It’s real, live people you should fear.

Tragedy has brought Micaela Burgos back to her hometown of Sleepy Hollow. It’s been six years since she chose to live with her father in Miami instead of her eccentric mother. And now her mother is dead.

This town will suck you in and not let go.

Sleepy Hollow may be famous for its fabled headless horseman, but the town is real. So are its prejudices and hatred, targeting Mica’s family as outsiders. But ghostly voices carry on the wind, whispering that her mother’s death was based on hate…not an accident at all. With the help of two very different guys—who pull at her heart in very different ways—Micaela must awaken the hidden secret of Sleepy Hollow…before she meets her mother’s fate.

Find the answers.

Unless, of course, the answers find you first.

my-review

Wake the Hollow is a great YA suspense novel with a touch of romance involved.  I loved Triana’s take on this legendary work – The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

I can’t say enough about this book.  First off, Trianadoes a fabulous job of giving you details about Irving, all his works plus his personal details to give more depth to this story.  Even if you aren’t a fan of Irving, this book will have you wanting to look things up on google and wanting to learn more about everything that is Irving related.

Back to the book – I loved how Triana wove in her own modern ideas into this tale and make it more intriguing to read about these tales.  Mica has returned home only to discover as she stays there longer, she is starting to act like her mother did.  She hears voices, sees apparitions and can’t seem to explain why it’s all happening to her. 

“Forget the ghosts, Mica. It’s real, live people you should fear.”

Triana does a great job of keeping you in suspense throughout this book.  There are many people involved and you only have hunches as to who could be behind what.  Triana does a great job of retelling the Sleepy Holly story wit her own twists to it along with the added mystery of Mica’s mother and their family history. It’s a very crafty story line. 

“All these, however, were mere terrors of the night, phantoms of the mind that walk in darkness.”

I would really recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good YA suspense story or anyone that enjoys The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.  Readers will find themselves engrossed in the story quickly and enjoying the modern twist on this legendary tale.

 C signature

5LovesRLB

Trailer:

About the Author:

Gaby Triana

GABY TRIANA is the award-winning author of six YA novels—Wake the Hollow (Aug. 2016, Entangled), Summer of Yesterday, Riding the Universe, The Temptress Four, Cubanita, and Backstage Pass, as well as thirteen ghostwritten novels for best-selling authors. Originally a 4th grade teacher with a Master of Science in Elementary Education and ten years teaching experience, Gaby earned Teacher of the Year in 2000, wrote her first novel, Freddie and the Biltmore Ghost, then left teaching to launch a full-time writing career. She went on to publish young adult novels with HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, win an IRA Teen Choice Award, ALA Best Paperback Award, and Hispanic Magazine’s Good Reads of 2008. She spends her time obsessing about Halloween, Christmas, and Disney World, as well as hosting parties, designing mugs, making whimsical cakes, and winning costume contests. When she’s not writing, she might also be watching Jurassic Park movies with her boys, posting excessive food pics on social media, or helping run the Florida region of the SCBWI. Gaby lives in Miami with her three sons, Michael, Noah, and Murphy. She has one dog, Chloe, and two cats—Miss Daisy, and the reformed thug, shooting survivor, Bowie.

Visit her at www.gabytriana.com and @GabyTriana on Twitter.

Read Below for an excerpt from the book:

Chapter One

“A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere…” — Washington Irving, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”

Follow me, please. The woman’s smoky silhouette hovers over me again.

Leave me alone. I cover my eyes, though I can still see her swirling shape through my fingers.

She floats closer, wringing her misty hands. You mustn’t ignore me, Micaela. You must come with me.

Stop, I won’t go with you! I hate that I can never see her face clearly. Why won’t she leave me alone? Wake up!

A long screech rips me from the hazy dream. My eyes fly open, and my hands grip the first thing ahead of me for balance. Seats. Plastic. Brakes hiss to a stop. A drunk old man asleep in a window seat opposite mine stirs. Where am I? The Metro-North train…that’s right. We’ve pulled into Tarrytown station. 11:28 p.m. I almost slept through my stop.

Hurrying, I stand to gather my bags, try to shake off the haunting image of the faceless woman. But her voice rings through my brain fog one last time…need to face the inevitable

She got that right.

As difficult as this is for me, I have to do it. For my mom. And my sanity.

The train doors slide open, and I stumble through them onto the platform. The sweet smell of the river mingled with cold, fresh air hits me. I’m transported six years back, waiting for my southbound train to the city, for my plane out of this forsaken place to go live with Dad in Miami. Don’t think about it, I remind myself. Just do what you came to do, then get back home.

The valley hasn’t changed much in six years. The station is still the same old cabin from when I was twelve. Boxy, old houses still sit across the street, and behind me, power lines still ruin the view of the Hudson’s palisades.

Lumbering into the station with all my stuff, I see the building is empty except for a woman using the ticket machine, in a hurry so she won’t miss the train. Her little girl has a teddy bear in the crook of one arm and a jacket in the other, all while trying to play a video game on her handheld. “Let’s go, baby.” The mother tugs her child by the elbow clutching the teddy bear. The bear drops to the ground without the girl noticing, and the two move on.

I reach down to grab it, my bags slipping off my shoulders and hitting the ground. “Ma’am.” I run over and hand the mother the little girl’s bear.

“Oh, thank you so much! She would’ve freaked.” The mom smiles at me.

The little girl takes her bear, gives me a shy glance with big brown eyes, and together, they hurry across the platform, jumping onto the train just in time.

The doors slide closed. The train slips into the night.

She almost left her bear.

The very memory I told myself to avoid at all costs comes barreling in—my last day here six years ago. The station’s honey wood paneling, the lines on my mother’s face, how she looked so worn. She’d held a tissue to her stiff lips.

Then the worst part—I’d pushed Sofia, the doll she’d made me when I was little, into her hands. “Take care of her for me,” I’d said, though I knew she wouldn’t. Just like she hadn’t taken care of me.

Her gaze had gripped me, hazel eyes welling up, burning through pain. “Selfish, like your father,” she’d said. “Go. You two deserve each other.” Then she’d turned and left.

I remember standing there shaking, not knowing what to do, what to think, whether I was making a mistake by leaving. But I needed to go. I needed a parent. Sorrow crushing me, I stepped onto the train, and when I reached my father’s arms three thousand miles later, I cried for days.

Yet, despite it all, I’m here. Because she asked me to come. Because I want to make things right with her.

Because I need closure before I can move on with my life.

I wipe my eyes with my sleeve and head outside to find Abraham Derant, my best friend from Sleepy Hollow Past. He’ll probably be the only person happy to see me back. We reconnected online recently, where I had the chance to browse through his selfies and discover that everyone now calls him “Bram,” which makes me laugh, because he always hated his name. But it suits him, too. He’s changed a lot since we were twelve—now he’s big and brawny and athletic—a fact that knots my stomach. I can’t start anything romantic with him, though. One, he’ll always be just Abraham—the boy who grew up with me at Sunnyside, the historic home in town where both our moms worked. He did always try too hard, joke too much…plus he didn’t bathe every day. So, yeah.

And two, I won’t be staying long anyway.

Get in, get out, go home.

All around me, trees rustle in the feisty October breeze. I close my eyes and take in the sounds, breathing deeply. When I reopen them, I spot headlights coming down the hill, then a car turns out of my view and heads into the adjacent parking lot. Nerves flutter in my stomach. In a minute, Abraham—Bram—will be live in front of me again after all these years.

Around the corner of the station, a car door slams shut, and heavy boots step onto the wooden walkway leading to the building. I get my friendliest smile ready. “Hey, you.”

The sound stops. No one appears. But I heard someone. I know I did. “Hello?”

With my bags, I trudge to the other side of the station where the parking lot is. There’s an old blue Eclipse, ticking as its engine cools off in the chilly night, but no Bram. Maybe I should’ve asked what car he’d be driving. I call him, but it goes straight to voicemail—Greetings, I’m being held captive by an army of Amazons. Don’t try to find me. Beep…

“Hey. I’m at the station. Call me.” I hang up, about to text him, when another text comes in from Nina, my dad’s assistant, telling me the townhouse key won’t be available until tomorrow, so I should check into a Days Inn instead.

“Ugh.” Hell no. I’ll ask Bram if I can stay with him before I stay in some cheap motel by myself.

I’m a few letters into my reply when I hear it— “Lela.” A whisper.

Nobody calls me that anymore. Only Mami—my mom. Sometimes Bram did, a long time ago. To everyone else, I’ve always been Micaela or Mica. The chill in the air deepens. I pocket my phone and hug my bags tightly to fight off the cold. Suddenly, I hear something even weirder than the whisper—the clop of a horse’s hoof.

But why would… I smirk. Sleepy Hollow, boots, horseman. Okay, I get it.

“Cut it out, I know it’s you,” I tell the emptiness. It’s a small town. In small towns, people make up their own entertainment. And Bram Derant has always been king of entertainment around here. “Where are you?”

I head to the shadowy recesses behind the station, bracing for his surprise attack, but I don’t see him. Then, in on the breeze comes mumbling near my ear. I can’t understand what it’s saying. I swallow softly. The voices are back, torturing me again. Jesus, I’ve been here less than five minutes, and already, this town is haunting me.

“Bram?” I call out, even though I know it wasn’t him.

Nothing. Just wind, crickets, and tinkling chimes from somewhere nearby.

“Fine, I’m leaving, then.” I spin and hurry across the road toward Route 9. I still know my way around and will walk to Bram’s apartment if I have to, I don’t care. I think I hear soft footsteps behind me, but when I glance over my shoulder at the army of shadows I’m leaving behind, there’s no one.

Faster up the hill, away from the riverbank, I walk in the middle of the street. Visibility is higher here, away from stalkers in bushes and other hiding places. Wow. I’m really thinking like the city girl I’ve become. No one ever gets attacked in Sleepy Hollow in real life.

The smell of lavender, my mother’s favorite, fills my senses. I stop in my tracks. Mami? My ears strain to hear. On the street, a crumpled gum wrapper rocks in the wind. Moths dance beneath the dim street lamp, and assorted pumpkins sit on front porches like families gathered in the dark, telling ghost stories.

“Come out already!” I cry aloud.

In the distance, a dog howls a sad reply.

Then, from a side street, a low voice emerges. “Micaela Burgos, as bossy as ever.”

Even in the dark, I make out his wide smile, as mischievous as the day he sat in the corner of Ms. Sanstet’s Pre-K class for putting sand in my shoes. His hair has darkened since I last saw him, short on the sides, long on top. “God, you scared me.” My hand presses against my chest. Because he startled me, or because I’m seeing him again after six years? Not sure.

“Sorry. But finally, you’re here!” He pumps his fist in the air and emerges from the shadows into the cone of light cast from a nearby lamppost. I’m hit with the full picture I can’t quite get from his pics online. Wearing jeans and a black sweater, keys in hand, Bram makes his way down the street. He’s super gorgeous with wide shoulders, over six feet tall, and sigh, this will be tough.

“Thank you, thank you. My flight got in late, then I had to wait to take the next train, and…”

His dark brown eyes soak me in underneath heavy brows. He shakes his head.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask.

“Nothing, you just…” He blinks a few times. That rascal smile.

I cock my head. “I just what?”

“You don’t look twelve anymore.” He laughs, letting out a low whistle. “Holy shit, Mica. You are one fine woman.”

I grin in spite of myself. Apparently, someone learned to flirt while I was away. “Uh, thanks.”

“You’re so welcome. And what’s this?” He gestures to my clothes and purse. His eyes land on the tag hanging from it. “MK? Code for Micaela?”

“Wow, really?” I shake my head. “Michael Kors?”

“Forgive me, Miss Burgos. I keep forgetting you’re a Miami girl now.” He glances down at his clothes. “And me in my Gap jeans and ten-dollar sweater.”

“Stop, you look fine.” Way more than fine. Hot. Pick-me-up-and-carry-me-straight-into-hell hot. But no. God, no. I can’t tell him that. I shouldn’t even think that. He’s good ol’ Abraham from back in the day, nothing more, nothing less. “You look…uh…great!” I say instead. “Just like your thousands of selfies.”

“Oh? I post too many, do I?” He clucks his tongue and makes silly duck lips. “As if you don’t post pics every day from your gleaming white mansion.”

Is that all I’m going to be while I’m here? The holes-in-her-Payless-shoes-turned-rich-girl? “Not a mansion. Just a house.”

“It’s nicer than where I live.” He raises an eyebrow, the funny-faced kid I remember poking through.

Ugh,I should’ve left the bag at home. Then again, it feels strangely satisfying being able to show that we’ve come such a long way. “Anyway…” I try not to feel his resentful jab. “Come help me with these bags already.”

His eyes chastise me.

“Please?”

“Hmm, I was waiting for the magic word.” Bram grabs my bags out of my tired hands, but instead of carrying them off to his car, he places them at his feet. Suddenly, his arms are enveloping me, my cheek against his broad chest. Bone-crushing, heartbeat-skipping, a nice…really nice hug. And hey, how about that? He bathes now.

God, he smells good. Like the woods by my old house after an autumn storm.

Still, it takes me a moment to melt into him. I’ve pushed this corner of the world out of my mind for so long, tried forgetting the pain, that I almost can’t give in. But some things are worth remembering. I allow my arms to wrap around him and lean into his solid body.

“There you go,” he whispers. Do not cry, I tell myself. Do not. “Sorry, Mica.”

“No, don’t. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay.” His clean scent is laced with underlying familiarity. Another memory—us at Kingsland Point Park, by the lighthouse, the day I left. He’d told me he loved me, a pretty bold move for a twelve-year-old. It shocked me at the time. I’d pushed him away gently, not ready to feel that way, but now…

I pull back, reeling, pressing my sleeve against my eyes. “Were you the one sneaking around back there, scaring the crap out of me?”

“Me? I sneak not.” He lifts my bags again and hoists them onto his new muscle-man shoulders.

“Over there?” I point toward the station. “You weren’t going, Lellaaaa?”

“Nope, I just got here. They close the pickup/drop-off area after eleven, so I parked over there.” He points down a street. “Voices still torturing you, Mica?”

He always loved teasing me about my peculiar “talent.” I guess he still doesn’t believe I can hear them, whoever they belong to. “You’re in a blue Eclipse?”

“Black Accord. Mom’s old car. Everything okay?”

Black Accord? But then…who was walking around? I could’ve sworn… I rub my eyes and suck in a deep breath. After the sleepless nights I’ve had over the last month, it’s not hard to believe I might’ve imagined it all. “Fine. I’m just exhausted. Hey, is it okay if I stay with you tonight? Change of plans. My townhouse key isn’t ready for pickup.”

“Of course, Princess, you know you can. You’ll get to see our amazing palace. Let’s get thee off to bed! Your chariot awaits.” He struts off toward his car.

Princess. I say nothing about his new nickname for me, but he knows he’s hit a nerve.

He cocks an eyebrow back at me. “It was just a joke, Mica. I know you can take the girl out of Sleepy Hollow but not Sleepy Hollow out of the girl. Face it. This town is, and always will be, your home.” He pops the trunk and tosses my heavy bags inside like they’re filled with nothing but feathers. Then he rounds the car to open the passenger door for me. Before I have the chance to sit down, he kisses my cheek. “So welcome home.”

I give him a half smile then stare out at the quiet, sleeping town. Home. I don’t have the heart to tell him I stopped thinking of this place as home a long time ago. But if anyone can make me think of Sleepy Hollow that way again, it’d be Bram.

Especially now that Mami is dead.

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The Tour:

August 29th

PBC – Promo Post

Never Too Many To Read – Review

August 30th

Kimber Leigh Writes – Guest Post

Book Wish – Review

August 31st

A Literary Potion – Review

YaReads – Author Interview

September 1st

A Leisure Moment – Character Interview

Books,Dreams,Life – Promo Post

September 2nd

The Book Beacon – Review

The Hermit Librarian – Review

September 3rd

Literary Meanderings – Promo Post

Ginger Night Owl – Review

September 4th

Bookish Escapes – Review

Pandora’s Books – Promo Post

September 5th

Daydreaming Books – Review

Roxy’s Book Reviews – Promo Post

September 6th

Smart Girls in the YA Stacks – Review

Reader Girls – Review

The Book Cellar – Promo Post

September 7th

The Phantom Paragrapher – Review

Just One More Chapter – Promo Post

Book Lovers Life – Promo Post

September 8th

RoloPoloBookBlog – Promo Post

Bookish Wanderlove – Review

September 9th

With Love For Books – Review

Elizabeth Delana Rosa – Promo Post

Read Love Blog – Review

Folded Corners and Smudged Screens

September 10th

The Broke Book Bank – Review

Angel Erin’s Book Obsession – Review

September 11th

books are love – Review

Dana’s YA Bookpile – Guest Post