Title: Needles Author: H.J. Marshall Series: Death Hounds MC #4 Genre: Contemporary MC Romance
From the moment I was born, I was destined to be a Death Hound. Tragedy tore me from my family at an early age and cast me into a reality so dark, I contemplated ending it all. But my club brought me back from the edge, fostering my dreams and giving me a new lease on life. Years later, with secrets from my tormented time threatening to pull me back into the abyss, the innocence of a child kept me hanging on.
In finding her family, I discovered a beautiful woman who understood that in darkness, light could be found. She understood me like no one else had, but her life was complicated, full of despair and loneliness on a level I couldn’t comprehend. Every day, she fought her own demons.
When the nightmares returned, pulling her into a world of depravity and pain, I found a part of myself that I didn’t know existed. I never asked to be a protector, but no one deserved to live in fear. So, I would walk through hell to save her.
H.J. Marshall began her love of reading and writing at an early age and has always dreamed of being a writer full-time. A nomadic youth exposed her to different perspectives of life, community, and culture, resulting in a lifelong love of food, music, and history. When she is not writing, she enjoys the music of all generations and genres, writing full-time, and living in her quiet cabin in the woods. Currently landlocked, H.J. dreams of her beach house, salty air, and a life filled with laughter.
USA Today Bestselling Author Renee Rose loves a dominant, dirty-talking alpha hero! She’s sold over a million copies of steamy romance with varying levels of kink. Her books have been featured in USA Today’s Happily Ever After and Popsugar. Named Eroticon USA’s Next Top Erotic Author in 2013, she has also won Spunky and Sassy’s Favorite Sci-Fi and Anthology author, and Romance Reviews Best Historical Romance. She’s hit the USA Today list ten times with her Chicago Bratva, Bad Boy Alpha, Wolf Ranch books, and various anthologies.
Trapped in her cage as a socialite, Romy just wants her freedom, but getting caught speeding puts her in danger in more ways than one. The cop’s attention is magnetic, intense, and positively sinful, and being at his mercy might be just what her life needs.
When Mike pulls over the pretty girl trying to break the sound barrier, he’s not prepared for her innocence, or just how tempting her vulnerability is. Everything about her screams off-limits, but what is it they say?
Let it go, and if it comes back…it’s yours? Well, then she belongs to him and no one else.
Christine Paige grew up in a small town outside of Spokane, Washington, where she lived on a farm, riding her father’s cattle, before she could convince him into purchasing a pony for her. After high school she packed her bags and moved to New York City where she was a nanny for a few years, before landing a job at the American Red Cross, then becoming a Paramedic for the FDNY. Her stepmother introduced her to the love of romance novels. Christine writes in the early morning hours, most of her free time is spent hanging out with her four special needs rescue dogs, or she is out wandering the trails on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Christine considers family, friends, and her critters to be the most important aspect of her life. Gunner’s Girl is Christine’s first novel.
I’m the monster in the dark. The Boogeyman. I shouldn’t touch her. Shouldn’t keep her. But I will.
Raina — A man took me from my home in Tahiti when I was only five. They called it an adoption, but I know the truth. My parents sold me, pure and simple. My life has been one nightmare after another, a living hell that I can’t escape. When my owner gives me as payment to Feliks Sobol, I think it’s just like any other time. But it’s not. He’s different. Under the darkness and danger, there’s a tenderness I’ve never experienced. I want him. I shouldn’t, but I do. He might be the one who ends up breaking me.
Feliks — I’m the monster in the shadows, the man everyone fears. I’ve done unspeakable things, and I will do them again without a hint of remorse. I’m Bratva, born and bred. Hard. Unyielding. Yet when I’m around Raina, there’s another side of me that emerges. One that’s weaker. Wanting her could get me killed. Yet I can’t let her go. Until my brigadier demands I choose. Raina, or the woman I wish to marry. I decide to hold on to the power I’ll gain by marrying Natalia Gorev. I didn’t realize it was too late. Raina is already under my skin, and when she’s taken, I know I’ve made the wrong choice. I’ll bathe the city in blood if that’s what it takes to get her back. I only hope she can forgive me.
WARNING: This is a dark romance suitable for those 18+ and contains strong language, graphic violence, sexual situations, human trafficking, and a dark undertone that some may find objectionable.
My phone rang, and I answered, seeing Viktor’s name on the screen.
“What do you need?” I asked, knowing he wouldn’t call without a reason.
“Why am I hearing from Leeds about his debt being reduced?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, wishing the asshole had waited. This wasn’t a conversation I wished to have with Viktor just yet. I needed to figure things out. Mostly, I needed to know what I wanted to do with Raina.
“I’d planned to discuss it with you tomorrow. I lowered what he owes by one thousand dollars.” I paused. Leeds hadn’t demanded more when I’d left. I knew the man feared me. Now that I was gone, would he try to get Viktor to lower the debt more? If he did, I’d discuss it with Viktor. The asshole should be grateful I let him live.
Viktor growled, and I heard him slam his fist onto his desk. “And why would you do that?”
“He had a girl chained up. He’d stripped her, locked her to a table, and offered me the use of her to reduce what he owes.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Viktor, he’s had her since she was only a child. All she’s known is pain.”
“And where is she now?” I glanced at the bed. “The apartment I keep for my mistresses. I didn’t find out until after I’d accepted his offer she wasn’t on birth control. It’s possible she’s pregnant.”
Harley Wylde is the International Bestselling Author of the Dixie Reapers MC, Devil’s Boneyard MC, and Hades Abyss MC series. When Harley’s writing, her motto is the hotter the better — off the charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can’t deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you’ve come to the right place. She doesn’t shy away from the dangers and nastiness in the world, bringing those realities to the pages of her books, but always gives her characters a happily-ever-after and makes sure the bad guys get what they deserve.
The times Harley isn’t writing, she’s thinking up naughty things to do to her husband, drinking copious amounts of Starbucks, and reading. She loves to read and devours a book a day, sometimes more. She’s also fond of TV shows and movies from the 1980’s, as well as paranormal shows from the 1990’s to today, even though she’d much rather be reading or writing.
You can find out more about Harley or enter her monthly giveaway on her website. Be sure to join her newsletter while you’re there to learn more about discounts, signing events, and other goodies!
Paige Warren is a contemporary romance author who believes in happily-ever-after for everyone. Sexy, steamy stories about mobsters, cowboys, inked bad boys, and interracial couples…sometimes with a bit of kink. If you like alpha heroes and strong heroines, then you’re in the right place! No matter the odds, in a Paige Warren book, true love conquers all.
When her husband, children, and furbabies aren’t demanding her attention, she’s typically either writing or reading. Paige enjoys reading a variety of genres from young adult books, to general fiction, and of course romances! But when it comes to movies, she’s a big-time horror fan – especially the 80’s slasher flicks. That being said, ghostly movies are her favorite regardless of when they were made, like Rose Red or The Amityville Horror.
Where do you run when everything has been stripped away?
Mercedes
After making the biggest mistake of her life, Mercedes Elliott thought moving halfway across the world was the right decision. But six months later, she’s isolated, dependent on a dangerous relationship with her boyfriend, Jason Marsh, and no closer to rebuilding her once promising legal career. Running low on hope, Mercedes secretly reaches out to the one man she never thought she’d see again.
Alec
Alec McKinley always regretted letting Mercedes slip through his fingers. So when she invites him for coffee, he jumps at the chance to see her. Mercedes is just as beautiful as he remembered, only he can’t help but notice the pain lingering in her eyes.
The Truth
After Mercedes’ relationship comes to a violent head, she finds herself unable to escape her boyfriend’s grasp. That is, until Alec makes an unexpected offer that could be her saving grace. But accepting that offer comes at a cost.
Being near Alec ignites a flame Mercedes thought had burned out long ago. And when they realize Jason is not the man they thought he was, she and Alec uncover a stunning truth that will change everything between them.
Will they let the past ruin them for a second time, or give in to the truth they’ve been keeping secret?
Devastated and lost, Alec McKinley knows he must move on. Still, he can’t forget the love of his life. The woman he tried so hard to protect and failed. When Alec arrives at the trial that will determine the fate of those responsible for destroying his world, he discovers how deep their lies run.
Mercedes
Mercedes Elliott has suffered through a lifetime’s worth of trauma, but finally, the end seems near. The trial that could set her free is around the corner, and all she can think about is finally being able to go back to Alec. But when Mercedes returns, she finds he’s not alone, and everything she thought she knew was all just a devastating lie.
The Lies
Deceptions run deep, and Alec grows more and more desperate to protect Mercedes, even as she is slipping through his fingers. Can he keep her alive long enough to prove his love for her, or will lies be what shatters them completely?
American writer AV Asher (Avie) was one of those kids always who got in trouble for reading in class. She has been creating stories since childhood, but only recently began writing them down. The Truth Keeps Silent is Avie’s debut novel. The second book in the duet, The Lies That Shatter, is expected to be released in the Autumn of 2021. Avie lives in Northern Nevada with her husband and three children.
To have and to hold from this day forward – to love and to cherish, till death do us part – and these are the bonds we break.
My name is Mia Stone. You may know how my story ends, but the truth is buried between the headlines. A secret that was meant to be taken to the grave – Until now.
I promised myself to one man, while still in love with another. I came between two best friends and by betraying one, I lost everything. In the end, we both knew, those bonds were always meant to be broken.
These men want to own me, possess me, or hold me down, but I was never meant to be tamed.
I have been told that I am a force of nature, but even a hurricane comes to an end.
Authors Note: If you have read Blood & Bone then you know how Mia’s story ends. If you require a happy ending, this book may not be for you. You can choose to skip this book and read Bound To Burn. If you choose to read Bonds We Break, know that this book contains sensitive subjects so please read with care.
The creek of the metal stops him in his tracks and he strokes the back of his neck, dipping his head nervously. His black engineer boots are rooted to the concrete floor as we stare at each other. Even though no words are spoken, the enormity of our conversation is palpable as he holds me captive with his eyes.
I see the war raging inside of him, and if I didn’t want him so much, I would tell him to turn around and run. But I can’t, because I’m selfish. The small space between us is heavy with the weight of our pasts.
His decision is made like a gavel hitting the block the moment he steps forward and crashes into me. Sparks fly and the air swirls around me, making me dizzy with the feeling of his body on mine. I am tangled up in him like a ball of string and I’m slowly unraveling. The door shuts behind us with a kick. I have missed this feeling of being consumed by someone, the need so great you might die without it. I tear at his shirt as he pulls down my shorts, our clothes left on the floor like breadcrumbs leading to our demise. I fall onto the edge of my bed and everything slows down. My heart races, the blood pumping in my veins, and I can still feel his touch on my body even though he’s hovering over me.
I am breathless with anticipation and have stars in my eyes, but I know how this story ends. Cash will be the victim to the recklessness of my chaotic heart, but I can’t make myself push him away. At this moment I should only be thinking of him, but images of Jack’s face cross my mind because I realize something; it’s not Jack who is my weakness, it is this man standing before me.
There is so much on the line and it could easily end badly for both of us, again. He once offered me forever, and I didn’t treat it as the gift it was meant to be.
“I’m only going to break your heart,” I warn him.
He leans over me, his mouth inches from mine. “Smash it, shatter it, do whatever you want.” Somber eyes meet mine as if he knows how this will end, but he’s willing to take the risk. “It’s yours.”
I place a hand to his chest, feeling the slow beat of his heart and the hard muscle is hot under my palm. “We can stop this before it starts,” I offer him one last reprieve, because once we start, I won’t ever be able to stop. “It’s been in motion for a long time, Mia.” Cash looks at me darkly, his body hovering over mine, pushing me further into the mattress. “Couldn’t stop it now if I tried.”
Paula Dombrowiak grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois but currently lives in Arizona. She is the author of Blood and Bone, her first adult romance novel which combines her love of music and imperfect relationships. Paula is a lifelong music junkie, whose wardrobe consists of band T-shirts and leggings which are perpetually covered in pet hair. I am a sucker for a redeemable villain, bad boys and the tragically flawed. Music is what inspires her storytelling.
Check out my website for more ways to learn about me and my books, as well as purchase signed paperbacks and book merchandise @ www.pauladombrowiak.com
Out of the Ashes will be the best bar in the county. At least that’s what I promised my uncle before he passed away.
With all the changes we’re making, more challenges arise. The crowd seems to get rowdier with every day that passes, and most days I feel like I can’t keep my head above water.
That is until Dylan, the kid I used to babysit, walks in. He’s definitely not a kid anymore. But he might just be what I need to keep the bar running smoothly. Too bad he isn’t staying in town.
Guarding my heart is the least of my problems, but I’m not sure how long I can fight my attraction.
The hallway to the office is a short distance away, and I make my way toward it. The loudness of the bar fades away the closer I get to the office. Now where is that box? Scanning the shelf, I don’t see it anywhere. I squeeze behind the door, bumping it slightly as I reach up to look at the boxes higher on the shelf. There. Of course, it’s on the top one. I really need to get some kind of a ladder in here. Especially since there are more people working here that may need to get something.
My hand goes up to grab the box, and I feel a sudden presence behind me. The door creaking before a soft thud as it shuts. “Here, let me help you with that.”
Before I have a chance to turn around or offer any sort or rebuttal, Dylan’s hands are covering mine on the box. They are warm and softer than I expected, and I can’t deny the sparks that course through my body at the contact. My hands slide off the box as he brings it down in front of us. Me, caught between him and the shelf. “You didn’t have to do that. I’m perfectly capable of pulling a box down.”
I turn around to face him. That was a mistake. With my back to him, I could pretend his mere presence didn’t have an effect on me, but now…I don’t know if I can hide my reactions as easily. “You sure about that? The last time you tried aprons fell all over the floor.”
Don’t look up. Don’t look up. Keep your eyes focused in front of you. His chest is perfectly reasonable to talk to, right? “And that’s because you intervened.” Jesus, this is ridiculous. My eyes move up his body. Above his chest, to his chiseled jaw, and up until I can see his eyes. Yep, big mistake. They hide nothing. Want simmers in their deep brown depths. The ball is in my court, and the way he’s looking at me makes it hard to keep my wits about it.
A part of me wants to knock the box out of his hands and climb him like a tree. The other part knows damn well I don’t need to venture down this path. This way lies heartache and broken promises. “Angie, are you still with me?” The box holding the mini straws and napkins falls to the floor. “Hello?”
That shakes me out of my thoughts. “Yeah, sorry what were you saying?”
“I was talking smack on your awesome box getting skills.” He bends down until he’s eye level with me. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just can’t think.” I turn, but I’m trapped between Dylan and the shelf. His arms are on either side of me. My hand goes to his arm to push him away and stop at the sound of his voice.
“Is there a reason you can’t think? Am I that reason?” I don’t have to see his face to know he’s smirking. I can tell by his voice, low and seductive. When the fuck did he master that?
“Does it matter?” I try for annoyed, but it’s clearly not working. “I need to get this box to Carlos.”
“Okay,” he leans in closer. His breath a soft whisper against my ear. “But, answer one question.” He waits for me to speak up, and I don’t. I want to know what he’s going to ask. “Do you feel anything toward me? I think I’ve made my interest pretty damn clear.”
I could lie. Lying would be a hell of a lot easier, but I can’t. Not now. Not with him so close to me. “I’m attracted to you. In ways I shouldn’t be.” A glance toward him is all it takes to know that he doesn’t give a damn that I shouldn’t have any feelings toward him. A wide grin is all I can see. And fuck if I don’t want to kiss him. To see if he’s as confident as he lets on.
My toes lift of their own volition, and I do just that. I need to know. Maybe then whatever the hell I’m experiencing around him will stop. I mean for it to be a quick peck, but soon my lips are parting and I’m deepening the kiss. I fully expect him to pull away, or grab me. Something to give me an idea of what he’s thinking. All I can hear is the metal shelf behind me shaking. He has some restraint at least. Before I can pull away the door opens and we jump apart from each other. “Angie, did you find the straws and napkins?” Carlos asks as he rounds the door. Dylan picks up the box and hands it to him before hurrying out of the office. Carlos pins me with a glare. “I sure hope you know what you’re doing, Ang.”
Katrina Marie lives in the Dallas area with her husband, two children, and fur baby. She is a lover of all things geeky and Gryffindor for life. Welcome to Your Life is her debut novel and she hopes you enjoy reading it as much as she enjoyed writing it.
Title: First Comes Love Author: Rachael Brownell Genre: Small-Town Romance
For lovers of second chances, small town romances, and happily ever afters…
Chloe
They say everyone has one true love, one person who was made just for them. A person they were meant to spend the rest of their life with. Who souls are intertwined.
For me, that person was Wyatt.
Our love was perfect. When we were together, nothing else mattered. Not college. Not our parents. Because our relationship wasn’t about anyone else.
We had big plans for our future together.
The thing about life… it doesn’t always go as planned.
It’s been five years since I’ve been home. Since I’ve laid eyes on the only man I’ll love in this lifetime.
And in a town this small, there’s no chance I’ll be able to avoid him for long. Or anyone else from my past.
Addison
From the moment I first laid eyes on Adam, I knew I was in trouble. There was a tension between us, chemistry I couldn’t deny. The way he was looking at me, as if he could see straight into my soul, sent my heart into overdrive.
After an hour together, I knew. He was the one. The one who would make me want to change everything. Who could make me believe in love again. In the idea of happily ever afters.
And he did.
His love and two tiny pink lines were about to change my entire life.
The thing about life… it doesn’t always go as planned.
“Sorry, I was taking a walk down memory lane when you called.”
“A good walk or the kind where you feel like someone is chasing you and you’re running for your life?”
Only Addy would remind me that I’m still running from my past.
“The good kind.”
“That’s good. Any sign of you-know-who?”
That’s a trick questions, but she doesn’t know that yet. “I have yet to spot him.”
“But he’s around, isn’t he?”
“I’m assuming. I ran into his cousin last night. I stopped at the Tavern for a drink, and he was working behind the bar.”
“A man after my own heart,” Addy teases. “What did he have to say about him?”
Addy knows I hate to talk about Wyatt. She also knows that I hate hearing his name. It still stings, deep down.
“He didn’t offer up any info and I didn’t ask.”
“You should have. At least you would know where to avoid this weekend. Plus, aren’t you the least bit curious? It’s been five years, Chloe. He may have moved away by now.”
He’s here. I can feel him. I felt him last night. His eyes, burning into my back as Jones hugged me. There’s only one man that’s lit me on fire like that. Only one man that ever will.
“Doubt it. With my luck, I’ll run into him with Lola. At least I won’t have to explain much when he looks at her.”
“What are you talking about? She looks just like her mommy.”
Right. Except the dark hair, the hazel eyes, and the strong jaw. Just like mommy dearest. If only I had a picture to show Addy, then she might understand what I’m talking about.
“Well, if he is here, I’m sure he knows I’m in town now. Jones and him have always been close, and I’m sure that hasn’t changed much.”
“That’s a good thing if you ask me. What did I tell you before you left, Chloe?”
Not this again. The first two times she said it I listened, took her words to heart. The day before I left, she recited it again and I did my best to block her words. Now that I’m here, it’s the last thing I want to hear. My heart won’t like it.
“I know, Addy.”
“Say it,” she demands.
“Why? It’s not like—”
“Chloe Grace Warren. You’ve never been afraid of anything in your life. You face things head on and you’re going to face this head on too. Now, say it.” Did she just summon my mother? She sounded oddly like her.
Damn her no-nonsense attitude.
“If I still love him after all this time, he may still love me too. Because our love is a love that doesn’t fade away. It’s the forever kind of love and imperfection is what makes it perfect.”
Leaving me with only her words, Addy says goodbye and hangs up on me. I come to a halt, my heart beating so wildly in my chest I need to pause. It’s time to a stop thinking about the chance that Wyatt may still be holding onto feelings for me after all this time.
That would mean he stopped living, and the thought breaks my heart.
Rachael Brownell is an Amazon bestselling author of contemporary, New Adult, and YA romance.
She lives in Michigan with her husband, son, snuggly dog, and hateful cat. She moonlights as a bartender a few days a week (her excuse to get out of the house and socialize) and writes full time. She published her first novel in 2013 and since she’s released more than 30 additional titles.
Rachael writes all kinds of romance – dark, sexy, sweet. She started her career writing young-adult romance and as she matured, so did her characters and her writing. These days, Rachael writes steamy, new adult romance. Her favorite tropes to write are small-town and friends to lovers.
When she’s not hiding in her office, writing her next novel, you can find her hanging out with her family, watching her son play baseball, or running on the treadmill at the gym (though she skips more days than she goes).
Princess Aubrey of Malquar has loved Grady Basset since they were kids. She followed him and her brother around wherever they went; she wrote his name in her diary repeatedly; and she even practiced saying her name with his last name—for years.
Only once has Grady shown any romantic interest, and things did not turn out well.
As the son of the king’s secretary, Grady grew up playing with the royal children. He’s known them his whole life, and while he’s drawn to Princess Bree, he knows that there’s no way they can be together. The princess’s station is too far above his.
As the captain of the royal yacht, Grady sees Bree often, but in recent months the princess has been rude, belligerent, and an all-around pain in the butt. When unforeseen circumstances have Grady and Bree spending time together on her family’s island, things really start to heat up.
Will Grady finally give Bree a chance? Will it be too late?
Find out in the deliciously fun fifth installment of the Seven Brides for Seven Mothers Series.
As Lu gets up to welcome another guest—one I didn’t know was coming—I pull the window sheer to the side and watch as none other than Grady Basset strolls up the front path. He’s carrying a bouquet of yellow tulips. What in the world is he doing here?
I’m torn between running out the back door and confronting the man who’s been a thorn in my side since, well, forever. Leaving would be the nicest thing I could do for everyone, but suddenly I’m not feeling very generous.
I stride toward the entryway like a general marching onto a battlefield. My shoulders are squared, and my jaw is sticking out so far it leaves the living room well ahead of the rest of me. Lu yanks the front door open. “Grady! We’re so glad you could make it.”
He’s about to hand her the flowers when he sees me. “What are you doing here?” His tone suggests that he’s as happy to see me as I am to see him.
“Why am I here?” I put my hands on my hips in fury. “What are you doing here?”
“I was invited.” He dismisses me and turns to Lu, offering her the bouquet.
“I was invited, too.” Then I tell my soon-to-be sister-in-law, “You didn’t mention that Grady would be here. Why is that?”
Before she can answer, Alistair comes out of the back room. He immediately takes in the scene but doesn’t seem eager to explain himself. I should have known this was his doing. “Grady, Bree, we’re so glad you could join us.”
“Yes, well, I’m thinking about leaving,” I blurt out.
“Please, let me do the honors.”
Grady turns and is nearly out the door when my brother says, “Children, is there any chance you two can act like adults long enough to enjoy lunch? There is a perfectly sound reason we asked you both here. It has to do with this petty feud you have going on.”
“Petty feud?” I sputter. “The man picked me up and threw me off a boat. Off a boat! That’s not petty, that’s … that’s …” Words escape me. Barbaric? Contemptuous? Illegal? Apparently, words don’t escape me, after all.
“It’s the only sensible thing to do when you’re being harassed by an annoying child who refuses to grow up.” He has no right to be mad at me. I’m the injured party here.
I square off and face him, my hands firmly on my hips. “I’m sorry, Grady.” I’m not and nothing in my tone suggests I am. “Are you, or are you not, the ship’s captain?” Before he can answer, I tell him, “You shouldn’t be entertaining women on my family’s boat while you’re on duty.”
“I had your brother’s permission. I did not need yours.” His face turns an unnatural shade of red.
Instead of commenting, I abruptly turn toward my brother. “Let’s get this over with. I have a million things I’d rather be doing than wasting my time here.” Like tending to a den of vipers. I was not raised to be so rude, but Grady Basset brings it out in me.
Lu leads the way into the dining room. I follow begrudgingly, wishing custom and courtesy didn’t dictate that I walk in front of Grady. I can’t stick my tongue out at him when I’m in front of him.
Once we’re all seated and the champagne is poured, Lu raises her glass. “Alistair and I were hoping the two of you would…”
“Aubrey.” Grady says my name like he’s speaking to the devil himself. “If you act like an obnoxious, spoiled brat, I will treat you like one. But if you can grow up and behave with some decorum, I assure you, you will have no further trouble from me.”
“Obnoxious … spoiled …” I’m full-on sputtering. “I’m not the one who threw the daughter of his employer into the ocean. If anyone is being taken to task here, it’s you.”
“It’s both of you,” Lu interjects firmly. She looks at Grady. “You cannot toss Bree overboard until after our wedding.”
“But he can then? What kind of friend are you?” I demand while picking up my chair and sitting back down in a huff.
“You had it coming, and you know it, Bree. Alistair gave Grady permission to bring a date onboard, so he was in the right, and you were in the wrong.”
Instead of answering Lu, I glare at my brother. “As long as you don’t let Grady get above himself and treat the yacht like his own, I’ll agree.” I sound like a petulant child, but I can’t seem to help myself.
The room becomes so quiet you could hear a pin drop on a pile of freshly shorn Malquarian wool.
Grady clears his throat loudly. “Princess Aubrey, if it will tame the shrew in you, I promise to never bring another woman onto the boat unless you personally give me permission to do so.”
Tame the shrew in me? As if. My life is no Shakespearean comedy. “I’m sorry, Petruchio, but I think you’ve mistaken me for another.”
“Ah, Katherine,” he drawls, “I can assure you, I’m not your Petruchio.” Everything this man says makes my skin tingle with outrage.
Instead of arguing further, I turn to Alistair. “I’ll do my part.” I sound like I’m agreeing to a public execution.
“Good.” He nods his head once. “But you’re going to have to prove it to us before the wedding.”
“Excuse me?” Grady and I say at the same time.
Lu exhales loudly. “Alistair and I have decided that before we confirm your status as wedding attendants, you will need to exhibit the fine manners you claim to possess.”
“How?” I’d rather eat the rug.
My brother smiles smugly. “Starting tonight, we expect the two of you to accompany us on several outings, both public and private, to ensure that you can be trusted on our wedding day.”
“I’m sorry, Alistair, but I have a life of my own which consists of an array of commitments. I’m not going to audition for the role of bridesmaid.” How insulting.
Standing up, my annoying sibling approaches the sideboard and collects a small stack of papers. He shuffles them into two smaller piles before handing them to us. “If you have any commitments that aren’t on this list, Lu and I would be happy to join you.”
“You can’t expect to monopolize my time for an entire year!”
“We won’t need you for the entire year if you can prove yourselves to us before then. The amount of time it takes is entirely up to you.” Lu raises one eyebrow like a stern nun contemplating corporeal punishment.
“How long will it take to do that?” Grady wants to know. His expression is hard to read, but if I had to guess, I’d say that he’s as pleased as I am.
Which translates into not at all.
“We’ve decided ten consecutive pleasant outings should do the trick,” Alistair tells him.
“And if we have a minor altercation on the tenth?” I demand.
Lu smiles smugly. “Then you start over.”
I slam back my entire glass of champagne in one gulp. “I don’t want to be in your wedding that badly.”
“What will the king and queen say?” Al taunts. Damn him. He knows our parents would make my life a living hell if they discovered why I wouldn’t agree to be in his wedding. There’s no way to sell that to the press without making myself a laughingstock.
“What if I don’t want to be in your wedding that badly?” Grady interjects.
“You don’t think you can do it?” I taunt. Then I look at Al. “There you have it. Grady can’t be a gentleman for that many outings in a row. As he’s thrown in the towel, we can all go back to our regular lives without any fuss.”
“I didn’t concede, Aubrey. I was just asking.”
“Then back out now so we don’t have to jump through these stupid hoops,” I tell him.
“I would, if I were the problem. But you’re the one who can’t stay in her own lane.”
Oh, no, he didn’t. “Grady Basset, I can accomplish this blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back.”
“I think you might need a gag, too,” he mumbles.
Alistair refills my glass before raising his into the air. “To both of you being in our wedding!” While there was once a time that I would have loved to be around Grady that often, that ship sailed years ago. In fact, it didn’t just sail, it sank.
Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries — not always in that order.
Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.
She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.
Gold Medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2017.
Silver medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.
Title: The Devil Within Author: Tanya Nellestein Genre: Romantic Suspense
Sometimes you have to go to dark places before you can truly find the light.
Sarah Darcy has created the life she always wanted with her dream job in London, as far from Australia as she can get. However, all she’s ever wanted was to love and be loved. She thought she’d found it in bad boy biker, Alex Riley; until he ripped her heart out.
Unwanted his whole life, Alex went from foster child to an outlaw and enforcer with The Devils MC. He never went looking for love, never thought he deserved it, until he found Sarah. To keep Sarah safe, he ended the relationship. But he couldn’t stay away, not forever.
Alex has come to start his life over as well. But he’s running from a dark and violent past that will not let him go alive. Forced to run for their lives across Europe, being chased by a biker gang hell-bent on revenge. With no one else to turn to, can Sarah trust Alex, let alone love him again?
He stepped out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist. Sarah was sitting on the sofa, but stood up when he entered. His head felt lighter seeing her still here. He was going to ask her if she felt like ordering dessert, but she’d crossed the room and wrapped her arms around him before he could get a word out. She lay her head against his chest and Alex closed his eyes and dropped his lips to her wet hair, breathing in the scent of the vanilla bath soap and the soft, sweet, purity that was innately Sarah. He tangled a hand through her hair, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and murmured another apology. God, he loved this woman.
Alex felt her breath hot against his skin, sending sparks of desire right to his core. His heartbeat kicked up a notch. He tried to take a step but found her hand against his chest, keeping him in place. Slowly, she raised her face until her eyes peered up at him from under long lashes.
Fuck, she was breathtaking.
His cock twitched. With a gentle hand, he smoothed her hair back, losing himself in those eyes. Allowing himself to forget, for just a second, what had brought them to this moment.
‘Sarah…?’ The question hung in the air. Her eyes had darkened; her tongue wet her bottom lip.
Need screamed through him. This could not be happening. It shouldn’t…
She rose up to meet him, dragging her lips across his.
‘I want you.’ Her voice was low and hoarse. ‘I need you.’
He ran a thumb across her cheek, searching her face and finding desire in her eyes.
‘Are you sure?’ His heart hammered against his chest.
Sarah snaked her arms around his neck, bringing his mouth down on hers. He held her gaze as they kissed, softly, tenderly. He teased her lips with his tongue. She pressed against him, a moan gently escaping. He deepened the kiss, and she matched his intensity. Her hunger drove him close to insanity.
He pushed the robe from her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. She stood before him, her skin paler than he remembered, but every inch as sexy. He needed to touch her, taste her.
Alex picked her up and her legs encircled his waist while he moved them back towards the bed, his hands cupping her gorgeous ass while her lips found his again. His cock strained against the towel held in place between their bodies, desperate to be set free.
He laid her on the bed, letting his towel drop to the floor. Christ, he wanted her all at once. His need to taste her won out. He ran his tongue inside her thigh until he reached her soft curls and paused. If memory served, and it did, she’d always waxed her pussy clean and smooth when they were together. Alex chose to take this as a sign that like him, she hadn’t been with anyone else recently. With a groan, his tongue teased her slit; she responded by opening her legs wider. Fuck, she was so wet. He probed further, licking her salty sweetness while he grasped her hips to hold her writhing body in place.
Sarah moaned, her fingers knotting in his hair. He inserted one finger, and then another, feeling her grip him as he worked her with his tongue. His other hand slipped across to hold her at the base of her belly.
Her moans turned to cries of ecstasy, her fingers tightened in his hair. The pain at his scalp let him know she was getting close. He was going to take her over the edge. Feel her come against his mouth.
‘Alex! Jesus Christ, yes,’ she screamed while her body contorted against him.
Leaving his fingers inside her, he moved up beside her, crushing his mouth to hers so she could taste herself on his lips.
She reached for his cock, her fingers grasping his shaft. ‘I want you inside me.’
He slipped his fingers out and used her slick to wet her nipples. ‘Not so fast.’
He took her hand from his cock and held both her wrists above her head. While his tongue ran gentle circles around her breasts and across her nipples. Her back arched and her hips bucked, creating friction against his rock-hard cock lying on her belly.
‘More, I need more…’ His teeth grazed the side of her breast. Sarah hissed with pleasure. ‘Please, Alex.’
Tanya Nellestein has been recreating the fruits of her overactive imagination on paper since she was a child. She is an avid reader, novelist, experience enthusiast, outstanding car vocalist, and Queen of fancy dress. Tanya writes gut-churning historical fiction, contemporary crime/mystery and suspense with a romantic angle that always includes good sex and a happily ever after. One thing you will always get with Tanya’s books – a strong woman who knows who she is (eventually) and gets what she wants.
She lives on the outskirts of Sydney with her two children, a psychotic cat and a dog that refuses to believe he’s not human. Tanya is also an award-winning freelance journalist and member of the Romance Writers of Australia, the Australian Romance Readers Association and the Romance Writers of New Zealand.
