Dark Novels

Sweet Little Nothing Read Free EMMYMy fall from grace was one for the books. All it took was his word against mine for everything to topple.Liar. Slut. Snitch.Now, I wear my shame like a scarlet letter pinned to my chest. People say I ruined his life. Except, he’s the one who irrevocably broke me—my heart, my body, my soul…my will to live.STERLINGLike a little coward, she thinks the span of five states is enough to keep her safe. But I know where she is and I’m going to make her pay. She ruined my best friend’s life. Now…I’m going to ruin her. One by one, I’ll spill her secrets, until she has nowhere left to turn—except to me, her very own big, bad wolf. *************** Prologue Emmy There isn’t a single cell of my body that doesn’t ache. It’s the kind of hurt that pierces your skin and sinks into your veins, your bones, your fucking soul. It’s the kind of pain that eats away at you like poison, consuming all of the good within you until all that’s left is a shell. I stumble, tripping over my own feet as I cross my bedroom. “Stupid, so stupid,” I mutter, righting myself. I flip on the lights as I enter my bathroom, recoiling at the bright light. God, even my eyes hurt. I guess days upon days of crying will do that, huh? My fingers tangle in my limp, dirty hair, and I wince as I tug on the ends, my past and my present colliding in my mind, morphing into a single mangled nightmare. “It’s okay, Em. When you love someone, this is okay,” my stepbrother croons in my ear, his soft tone a stark difference to his rough touch. I wanted to tell him I didn’t love him. I wanted to yell and shout and scream for help, but my fear of him far outweighed my self-preservation. The last time I called for help, he backhanded me; when my mother asked what happened, Rob said I tripped and hit the dresser. She believed him, too—didn’t even ask me. My heart beats raggedly, like someone ripped the already damaged organ from my chest, shredded what was left of it, stomped on the pieces, and then hastily shoved the tattered remains back beneath my ribs. “You like that puppy my daddy brought you?” Rob asks, and I nod. “Then you better do what I say or he might just disappear.” “Stop, stop, stop!” I plea, the words a garbled cry to the universe. I want it all to go away, for the memories of then and the horrors of now to all stop. But I learned long ago there’s no one out there listening. Not to the likes of me, anyway. My own mother didn’t even hear my cries as I begged and pleaded for her to take my side. “Not enough.” I pivot in a wide circle, clipping my hip on the vanity. “Never enough. Stupid!” Tears cloud my vision as I struggle to breathe. I want… I need the pain to stop. For my past to stop haunting me. For the taunts and leers to go away. I’m a top spinning out of control, desperate for someone—anyone—to save me from the path my own self-loathing is shoving me down. If I’d have been stronger—smarter—none of this would’ve happened to me. I thought a fresh start would

The Brink (Unbroken Raine Falling 3) Read Free *************** December 5, four a.m. Liam’s lodge “Hammer. Wake up,” a familiar voice whispered in his ear. “There’s a problem.” Macen “Hammer” Hammerman jackknifed up, the fog of sleep dissipating. Liam O’Neill stood above him, leaning over the bed. Why the hell was his best friend waking him up in the middle of the night? With a frown, Hammer rose on one elbow. “What?” Liam’s stare fell on Raine Kendall in the rumpled bed they’d all shared last night. Hammer glanced at the woman they both loved. Images of her moaning, melting, and writhing between them flashed through Hammer’s brain like a sensual strobe. Thankfully, she was still asleep, her inky lashes fanning over her rosy cheeks. But Liam’s face tightened, the man’s tense expression giving him pause. “Tell me.” “She’s exhausted. Let’s not wake her.” He jerked his head at the open door. “Bathroom.” Hammer scowled. Had something happened after he’d crashed? Had Liam and Raine fought? No, he wouldn’t have slept through that. Whether she was upset or in the throes of passion, she never held back. What if Liam had reconsidered their arrangement and refused to share her anymore? That idea whacked Macen with fury. After years of denying himself her touch, he couldn’t wait to have her again. If his Irish pal thought she still belonged exclusively to him simply because she’d once worn his collar, he’d lost his fucking mind. Hammer had rescued the scared runaway from an alley and taken care of her for six years. That damn well counted for something. Besides, Raine needed them both. She’d only begun to lower those towering walls around her heart in the past two days, when they’d finally started working together. Sharing her might be a new arrangement, but he and Liam had been down this path before, though not with her…and not with success. Still, Raine made them better men—and partners. Hammer knew Liam had sensed the same perfection when they’d held her. Would he really want to mess with that? Before Hammer could say a word, Liam grabbed his trousers, donned them, and stomped to the bathroom. Hammer brushed his lips over Raine’s forehead. “I won’t let anything or anyone come between us, precious. I promise.” Feeling a twinge of pain in his jaw where Liam had punched him the night before, Hammer stood and worked it from side to side. Their fight had been inevitable. Jealousy and resentment had brewed for the past month, ever since Liam had taken an interest in Raine. Hopefully, the brawl had finally cleared the air between them. Sighing, Hammer yanked his pants up and joined Liam, shutting the door behind them. In the light, Macen noticed his friend’s nose was slightly swollen, but neither of them looked too worse for wear. “I’m listening. What’s the problem?” Liam sighed. “Gwyneth just called me.” What did Liam’s ex-wife want? The British beauty looked like every man’s wet dream, but under the pretty exterior, she was his worst nightmare. “You keep in

Boogeyman's Dream (Devils Rejects MC 2) Read Free He’s her worst nightmare and she’s his dream come true. Shelly I thought being kidnapped was the worst that could happen.I was wrong.When the man who stole me away in the middle of the night decides to keep me for himself…I become his dirty little secret.A plaything starring in his every fantasy. Boogeyman The moment I laid eyes on Shelly, I knew she was a spoiled princess in need of a good spanking.I’m just the man for the job, but it isn’t that simple.I was supposed to kill her, but I didn’t. I couldn’t.I’m going to make her mine but if my club finds out…it could mean the end for us both. *************** Chapter One —Shelly— We’ve been locked in this room for hours. No one has come for us and no one will. As far as our families know we simply vanished in the middle of the night. I don’t know how many hours have passed since the Devils Rejects locked us up after a brief taste of freedom. The last time I laid down in my bed and shut my eyes, I had no idea that within the night a dirty outlaw biker was coming for me and my housemates. I was an average college student, living it up, going to parties, and spending her dad’s money. Now I’m a captive facing certain death. “They’re going to kill us!” Cassia cries as if I don’t already know our fate. “Don’t say that,” Belinda whispers, hugging her knees to her chest while rocking back and forth on the cement floor. The room is dark and empty. The only light we are provided comes from a small square window in the door. It is up to high for me to try and look through and the others are too chicken to try. If we need to relieve our bladders there is literally a hole in one corner of the room to squat over and forget anything to wipe with. I don’t say anything in response. What can I do? What can I say? Nothing I tell either of them will help our situation. I can’t even remember the last time I spoke to my parents on the phone. My dad is always busy at the hospital, working as a neurosurgeon, and my mother is too busy spending his money to worry about me. I’ve been on my own for a long time. I didn’t run away from home or anything like that. My parents were just never present once I could care for myself. My dad loads money into my account once a month and sends a weekly text message to say I love you. I can’t remember the last time I heard him speak those three little words aloud. Most girls growing up are daddy’s girls, but not me. The door opens and a man wearing a Halloween demon mask grabs Cassia. The mask is green with horns poking out of the top. I know the scary face is meant to frighten us but in a twisted sense I find him wearing it comical. The metal door clinks shut once more as Belinda begins to wail. “Please, let me out. I just want to go home.” I wish she’d shut up. The only thing she has accomplished is giving me a headache. The sound of a gun firing silences her but only momentarily. “Oh! God! They’ve killed her and we

The Catacombs (Cult 2) Read Free *************** One Constance The butter sizzled as the pancakes cooked in the pan, a dusting of cinnamon across each one, my little addition to the recipe. When raindrops the size of golf balls struck the windowpane, I jumped nearly a foot into the air. My eyes squeezed tightly together, and I released a painful sigh. “Is breakfast ready?” Claire’s sweet voice came from behind me, a ray of sunshine in this rainstorm. “Almost.” My eyes glanced at the clock on the microwave, hoping that Benton would walk through the door any minute. Claire climbed onto the chair at the dining table and sipped her orange juice. “Should we drive today?” I scooped the pancakes out of the pan and onto the plate. “I like the rain.” I chuckled. “Of course you do.” Just when I turned around with the food, the front door opened. I stopped in my tracks at the sound, my heart in my throat, a tremor in my hand. The relief wouldn’t dissolve into my blood until I heard his voice or saw his face. His heavy footsteps grew louder as he moved all the way down the hallway. Then he emerged a moment later, in a gray long-sleeved shirt and black jeans, his blue eyes tired from a long night doing…whatever he did. They locked on to mine, reading my expression like subtitles on a TV screen. The breath left my lungs, removed the anxiety, and then my entire body relaxed. He was home. His eyes settled on me for a while, as if he knew every single thought as it streaked across my mind, even before he rounded the corner. I made it the rest of the way and set the platter on the table. Claire grabbed a pancake with her bare hand and took a bite. “Constance and I are going to walk in the rain.” He came to her and kissed her on the head. “Don’t want you to get sick, sweetheart.” “I don’t care.” He gave her a quick rub on the head before he walked into the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee. Even if he was tired and ready for bed, he couldn’t resist a hot cup of coffee with his breakfast. He took a seat next to Claire across from me and ate his pancakes and roasted potatoes. The slightest sound nearly gave me a heart attack. All night, I listened for the door, waiting for Benton to come home, afraid it would be someone else. Once upon a time, I had been a different person. Carefree. Easygoing. Unafraid. But now I was a scared chickenshit…and I hated it. The only time I could enjoy being alive was when this man was here. He stared at me as he ate, elbows on the table, his hair slightly damp from being in the elements. The stare had been intimidating at one point, but now it brought me the most comfort. He was the only person in the world who could stare at me like that and not receive a snide remark as a consequence. “Want to come with us?” He put a bite of food into his mouth, chewed, and gave a slight nod in response. I tried not to appear so desperate for his companionship, but it was inevitable. I felt the held breath slowly leave my lungs. “Daddy, can we

Tyrant Twins (Tyrant Dynasty 1) Read Free *************** “One bad apple can spoil the bunch…” Please refrain from spoiling this book for yourself or others. Prologue Kade Every man regrets certain things in his life, and most of them have to do with a woman. I should have known from the moment June Wildfox appeared on my doorstep, holding her mother’s hand, that she would end up being my downfall. It was an instant infatuation. Those clear blue eyes, that pale skin. Her silky mass of dark waves. She was a walking obsession for me from the moment I met her. She was off-limits from the start. And I never could resist a bite of forbidden fruit. My name is Kade Miller, and I’ve made a huge mistake. A mistake of such epically shitty proportions, my life might fucking go up in flames at any given moment. Problem number one: I’ve been in lust with my stepsister for years. Sweet, innocent June, whom I first saw with her hair in pigtails wearing a cute little pink dress and with muddy knees. Naïve, easy to tease June, whom I bullied throughout her childhood. And then, when she was a teenager, I gave her the worst punishment imaginable. I ignored her. I pretended she didn’t exist, and I didn’t give a damn. Well, I fucked it all up. She’ll never buy that I hate her now. Because here’s problem number two: I just fucked June Wildfox. My twin brother Parker and I had a plan. A good fucking plan. We wanted to take what was rightfully ours and reclaim my father’s fortune. But I never, not once thought I would become lost in those soft blue eyes, the curve of her breasts, or her hair falling down her naked back like a waterfall. I hated her. Only months ago, I wished her dead. Hurt. I wanted revenge. We both fucking did. I was sure it would work. We both fucking were. June would pay, and we’d get what our father had worked so hard for. But as I look at her form under the duvet, her chest rising and falling softly with each breath she takes, I realize I care for June. I want to protect her from the darkness festering in my soul. The darkness she ignites with her fucking innocence. All fucking gone now because I took it in my fist, and I crushed it. Just as I did fifteen years ago. I’m torn between loyalty to my real sibling and a budding love for this girl—no, woman, because I just made her that—and this decision will tear me apart. I already know that. I stroke her silky soft hair; my lips lightly brush her porcelain skin. She breathes a sigh of pleasure, and I rub my temples, realizing just how utterly fucked I am. As far as regrets go, June Wildfox’s no-longer virgin pussy tops my motherfucking list. 1 June “What would you like to wear today, Miss Wildfox? How about your new Chanel two-piece?” “I don’t care,” I groan, pulling my feathery-soft pillow over my head. “God, Maggie. Please shut the drapes. Nobody should be awake at this time of day.” “But Miss Wildfox, it’s time for your four thirty a.m. yoga lesson!” Maggie clicks her tongue, torturing me by pulli

Hell (Black Heart Romance) Read Free *************** 1 Rowan What am I doing here? I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve asked myself that question. Why am I doing this? What am I doing here? How can I get out of this? It’s like my whole life has turned into one long, endless nightmare. And I can’t find a way to wake up. Which is why I’m walking up to the back doors of Purgatory. In the daylight, the building looks like a plain, boring structure just outside the downtown area. It doesn’t stand out from the other buildings up and down the block—except for the large neon sign above the front door. Driving by, nobody would ever guess what really goes on inside these walls. There’s not as much foot traffic around here. I guess that changes later when the main crowd arrives. Most people think this is nothing more than a dance club. Few are aware that this is an upscale sex club… one I sent my best friend, Eve, to just a few months ago. Her visit ended with a happily ever after, but I already know mine won’t. “You came,” Alexei says. He’s my connection, the guy who only wanted to help me out of a bad spot the night he found me weeping outside the diner where I used to work. Mr. Good Guy, Mr. Helpful, Mr. Let me see what I can do to get you out of this jam. I’m not a stupid person, and I’ve learned a lot in my twenty years. The thing is, when you’ve just lost your job and have no idea how you’re going to pay the rent you’re already two months late on, you might forget everything you thought you knew. That’s another lesson I’ve learned the hard way. “I didn’t think I had much of a choice.” It takes all of my courage to stand upright, shoulders back, chin held high. This might be the most humiliating experience of my life, but I don’t have to cower and tremble. Alexei’s beady, deep-set eyes crawl over my body. He must like what he sees because one corner of his mouth quirks upward in a smile that gives away everything on his filthy mind. “You don’t have a choice. I’m just glad you didn’t make me chase you down or anything like that.” That makes two of us. I resist the impulse to cover my cleavage with my hands when his eyes land there and stay there. My mouth is suddenly so dry. I nod toward the windowless door. “Well? Are we going in?” He draws his bottom lip under his teeth for just a second before my question sinks in. “Oh, yeah. He’ll be waiting for you.” I’ve never been so scared in my life. And that’s saying something. Alexei opens the door and stands to the side, gesturing for me to go in. One glance tells me nothing about what’s in there since everything is so dark. I have half a mind to ask for a flashlight, especially in these ridiculous heels I’m wearing. It would just be my luck to end up spraining my ankle or worse. But that was what I was instructed to wear: something short, tight, low-cut. Platform heels, preferably strappy so my feet would be visible. Because, of course, before I can pay off my debt, the boss has to give the final w

The Cult (Cult 1) Read Free *************** Prologue Constance Backstage, I sat in front of my vanity and wiped away the makeup that was pounded into my flesh. My eyes were heavy from the fake eyelashes and mascara. Too tired to take my time, I grabbed the corners of both eyelashes and ripped them off at once. My ballet slippers came next, carefully unwrapped and removed. My bruised feet were visible underneath, dried and cracked. I dug my fingers into the beaten areas and massaged the aches away. Ballet came at a price. I would continue to pay that price until I went broke. A man’s voice came from behind me, talking to one of the dancers. “Have you seen them?” I lifted my gaze and looked into my vanity mirror, seeing the conversation taking place behind me. A tall man stood in front of Allison and held up his phone, showing her a picture of someone. His long-sleeved shirt was tight around the muscles of his forearms and the array of muscles of his upper arm. He had short blond hair, cords visible down his neck. With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, he looked strong enough to rip a tree straight out of the ground. I watched Allison glance at his phone for a moment before she lifted her gaze and looked at him once more. “Sorry, I haven’t.” She tried to step away. “I need to get going—” He shifted with her. “She’s a dancer here. Are you sure?” She looked again, but her answer was the same—a shake of her head. He lowered his phone and turned around, exposing his face to me for the first time. With bright-blue eyes and a face tight with tension, he looked around the area for the next person to question. His large body was tight with unease, and even though he didn’t look outwardly panicked, there was a sea of trouble behind his eyes. After a scan of the area, he locked his eyes on mine in the reflection of the mirror. My hands were still on one of my feet, digging into the muscle in the arch of my foot. My fingers paused when he looked at me like that, when hope shone in his eyes, like perhaps I would have the information he wanted. He came over, his hand still holding up the phone. When he reached me, he put the screen in my face. “Have you seen them?” My eyes didn’t look at the phone because I continued to look at him, hear his deep voice reverberate in my mind like a chamber with an echo. He didn’t need to fall to his knees and sob to wear his pain on his sleeve. It was audible just in his voice. “Uh…” He pushed the phone in my face. “Do you recognize the woman? She danced here.” He was all business, desperate for answers. I looked at the phone and saw a beautiful brunette woman standing with her arm around a young girl who looked to be maybe seven. The woman was gorgeous, a slender figure, nice smile, kind eyes. “Uh…no.” “Are you sure?” He raised his voice as his blue eyes burned into mine. I released my foot and rose so we could be level with each other, but he still towered over me, so our eyes were nowhere near each other. I took the phone

The Game (A Dark Romance) Read Free *************** Part One Level One An opening gambit… “Let me go. I don’t deserve this. I don’t belong here.” “Two lies in one,” the creature hissed. It leaned over her cowering form, burning eyes searing into her soul. Sometimes the Dark seemed human, other times he was entirely devil. His hands were always scaled, as were his arms. She did not know what the rest of his body looked like. She had closed her eyes against what she could not avoid seeing. He touched her hair. She smelled it singe beneath the infernal heat which coursed through every part of him. Her arm ached from where the Dark had grasped her to drag her down into his depths. All around, the shadows danced. A dark fire kept all existence cold, and the wraiths of the void wrapped themselves around her legs like vicious cats thinking of sinking their claws into her flesh time and time again. She had been in pain for so long she barely registered it anymore. His grip was just another blazing sensation among the many others vying to make her scream. “It’s not a lie…” But they both knew it was. “There are innocent young women who are trying to survive in a world full of darkness. They may be corrupted and defiled, but ultimately they can always return to their innate purity…” He ran a long claw along the side of her neck, the threat of death ever present in his company. “And then, there are ones such as you. You sought out danger, and the dark, you who were born with the desire for self-destruction deep inside you. There is no escaping me, Hail, because you were born to be mine.” He was lying. She knew he was. He was the lord of lies. But his words rang true in the very interior of what she had once imagined to be her soul. Was this what had been wrong with her, her entire life? Had she been born corrupted, made for the arms and use of the very worst creatures in all creation? She trembled, even as a strange new warmth flowed through her. The creature’s claws ran down the back of her neck in what might have been a caress. The darkness was male and virile, it spread itself and it claimed new territory. There was not a part of her which would retain even a semblance of purity when it was done with her. This was what all good girls should fear, and though she feared it, there was another impulse far stronger than the fear. It was something which sparked a need inside her which could only be fulfilled by the appetites of the Dark. She would give herself to him, and he would hurt her. She would give herself again, and once more he would hurt her. There would be no respite. There would be no redemption. There would be nothing but an endless cycle of use until she herself was nothing more than a shade. Unless someone rescued her. But Hail knew she was beyond rescue. She had made enemies of all those who had ever loved her, liked her, or considered her merely tolerable. There was no returning to the world of love. There was only this realm of cruelty offere

My Eros (Modern Cupid and Psyche Dirty) Read Free Fantasy, suspense, mystery and heartache. Suppose to be like a high school, but more like college age students. Halyna lost her parents to the divine. Then Accused of mass murder she had no where to go. When her last chanced is to go to Rosethorne. Can she make it there? What will they think about the killings? What are these feelings for the professor? Who is really behind her coming here? What will happen when she finds out? Will the monster come for her here? Will her nightmares ever leave or get worse.I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. *************** Prologue The Third War was nothing like we imagined. It didn't involve weapons of mass destruction. It wasn't even started by humans. And that was why we never saw it coming. We prayed without realizing it wasn't just God who was listening. By the time we knew better, it was too late. We are now ruled by gods, and the world was never the same again. Excerpt taken from Dear God: A Post-3rd Diary SUMMER HAD TURNED AGATHA'S office into a boiling-hot oven, and although all of the windows were flung wide open, the only thing that blew in was a cacophony of noise from the streets below: an angry exchange between a landlord and a shop owner, drivers impatiently honking their horns in the midst of heavy traffic, and the mind-numbing drilling sound from a construction site in the next block. Such disharmonic racket would've been more than enough to ruin anyone's mood, but so great was Agatha's relief at that moment all of it only sounded like music to her ears. She was just so terribly glad, so, so glad that she couldn't even make herself care that her decade-old ceiling fan had made its last dying spin, and its untimely death had now left her cooking in her own fats. Agatha had been with Social Services since her first year out of college, and her first case at that time had been a three-year-old girl named Halyna, whose parents' death had been ruled as fated. It was a Post-3rd addition, and deaths in this category were considered thoroughly avoidable and automatically ineligible for any post-mortem investigation. Fated deaths involved humans voluntarily interacting with the divine...and dying as a consequence. Children made orphan because of fated deaths were often seen as carriers of misfortune and left unadopted. In Halyna's case, however, the child had been so tremendously lucky, with Agatha successfully finding her a match for adoption in a matter of months. She had hoped it was the last she would see of Halyna. In her line of work, not seeing a former case subject was always a good thing, and as the years went by, Agatha had eventually forgotten about little Halyna...until the call. The memory had Agatha reaching for her mouse, and she worked the scroll button to move the screen back to the top. She wanted to re-read the email one last time, just to be sure she wasn't imagining anything. A concer

Tyrant Daddy (Tyrant Dynasty 3) Read Free RAPHAELHer mother broke my heart. Her father despises me.I know I shouldn't so much as look at Willa Canterbury. She's their daughter, after all.It's a recipe for heartbreak - for both myself and her. So I'll do everything in my power to hurt her. Humiliate her. Make her fall out of love with me.Maybe then she'll stay away... and not rip my upcoming wedding apart.WILLARaphael is the unspoken name in my home. My mother's ex, the person my father hates most.But when a chance meeting pushes us together, I feel a pull, a connection.It would destroy my mother.It would enrage my father.But all I want is Raphael Santino's confession - that he wants me as much as I want him...And that he'll let his darkness come out, only for me.His sugar baby.Tyrant Daddy is a full-length dark romance novel from USA Today and Amazon bestselling author Isabella Starling. Willa and Raphael's story begins in Tyrant Stalker, but you can read this book as a standalone. *************** Prologue Raphael Getting over Dove Canterbury is im-fucking-possible. I compare every woman I go on a date with to the raven-haired vixen who stole my heart, and none of them live up to her. None are as beautiful, as caring, as deeply emotional as she is. These girls... they're shells. Empty. Beautiful, but empty. I can't feel anything for them. I refuse to fall for their charms. I find it almost disrespectful with how unoriginal it is. But Dove, Dove wasn't like that. She was fully herself, unabashed yet ashamed, innocent and yet so very broken. I'll never find that again, and deep down, I know it. Tonight, I'm sitting at a bar, watching people come and go with an impassive expression. I've seen it all from this seat. The cougars, the barely legal girls, the bridesmaids, the bachelor parties, too. I get those guys. We all come here for one thing – to find a hole to fuck. And there's a lot of beauty on display tonight. Pretty, sexy, voluptuous, thin, tall, petite, and all so motherfucking irresistible. I know if these women were reading my mind, they'd think I'm an asshole. Because I'm thinking of them as objects, not as people. And I know I could go home with any one of them tonight. But I won’t because none of them are Dove Canterbury. Because I never got my hands on Dove, I missed out on a big portion of my life. I never married. Never raised a family. I skipped out on the whole perfect life thing to make millions and fuck hundreds. Whether it was worth it or not, I still don't know. Except there's no denying the truth. That my sick, twisted black heart wants ugly, dark, depraved things I shouldn't crave. I don't want a child to call me Daddy. No, in my mind, the word falls from the plump lips of a beautiful woman, one who entrusts me with her body, mind and soul. I'm her daddy, because she knows I'll take care of her pretty little mind, but also fuck her in every hole. It's something I never told Dove, ironically – the woman of my dreams doesn't eve

Whispered Prayers of a Girl Read Free *************** Chapter 1 Gwendolyn “It’s such a shame what happened.” “They say it left him a bit… unhinged.” “Well, I can’t really say I’m surprised. I bet it would leave you a bit rattled too.” “Not to mention the scars. You know he has to remember what happened every time he sees them.” “That’s why he only comes to town once every couple of months.” “It’s such a shame, and a waste.” I put the can of cherry filling in my shopping cart and peek around the corner of the shelf. Three old ladies are at the end of the next aisle over, same position as me—sneaking around the end of their own shelves—whispering behind their hands. With the three of them in the way, I can’t see who they’re talking about. I step out further to try to get a look, but all I see is the backside of a man wearing a black-and-gray plaid shirt rounding the corner several aisles over. I shake my head, putting the whispers and my curiosity behind me. It’s not my business to know what or who they’re talking about. The last thing I want is to get caught up in rumors. I walk the aisles, glad to know this small market has all the ingredients I need for my mom’s cherry-apple pie recipe. Coming from a big city and having anything and everything just a few miles away, you’d think we’d have a hard time adjusting, but it’s been just the opposite. The town may be small, but it has all the essentials we need to live. Simple is why we moved here. Simple is what we need. Simple is hopefully what will make us all happy again. And the people have been absolutely amazing and very supportive, too. I glance down at my watch, surprised to see I’ve been gone for a couple hours already. Mrs. Tanner has been great the few times I’ve needed to run errands and the kids didn’t want to come with me, but I refuse to take advantage of her. I grab a bag each of Starbursts and York Peppermint Patties, the kids’ favorites, at the end of the checkout lane, then start unloading my cart. “Hey there, Gwen. How’re you today?” the clerk asks while sliding items under the scanner. I smile at the older man. “I’m doing good, Jeremy, thank you. How’s Mrs. Peggy doing?” “She’s doing better. Her hip’s still sore from the fall, but she’s almost as good as new.” “That’s good to hear.” I grab a loaded paper bag and put it my cart. “She needs to be careful going up and down those steps.” “I’ve told her that. And as much as she hates to admit it, she’s going on eighty. She’s refused a ramp up until now, but I’ve told her she has no choice in the matter anymore. My son, Benny, is coming over next week to help me build one.” Last week, while I was leaving the school, which happens to be right across the street from the market, I saw Jeremy rushing to his car. The next day, the talk around town was that his mother fell while walking up the steps to her house. She was lucky to only have received a sore hip and a couple bruises. “How are the kids liking their holiday?” Jeremy asks. I blow a

The Break (Unbroken Raine Falling 2) Read Free *************** Los Angeles Tuesday before Thanksgiving Macen “Hammer” Hammerman stifled the mundane conversation with his assistant, Raine Kendall, and stood, bracing his hands on the desk between them. Though his office door stood open—he wasn’t “allowed” to talk to her otherwise—they were as alone as they’d been in weeks. It was now or never. He had an important question to ask. “Tell me something, Raine. Your period is what, five days late?” Blood leached from her face. “Wha—I… How would you even know that?” Because it was his business. After six years of being her mentor, caretaker, and employer, he’d recently given in to his gnawing hunger and fucked her in every way known to man. And recklessly, he’d done it without a condom. Since admitting how much he wanted her, he couldn’t seem to stop. But the elaborate collar that now dangled from her neck strangled him with one indisputable fact: She was owned. Taken. Completely off limits. Property of another. That son of a bitch, Liam O’Neill. His former best friend. “Kind of blows your theory that I’ve always looked through you, doesn’t it?” He smirked. “Since you came to Shadows, I’ve kept tabs on your cycle every single month. You promised you’d let me know if you were so much as a minute late. I’ve been waiting.” She pretended to scan through the pages of her notepad. “I promised to tell you if I was pregnant. Right now, I don’t know anything. We need to finish discussing the Thanksgiving menu. I hope you bought cranberry sauce.” “Cranberry sauce? Really?” He cocked his head, his tone a warning. “Don’t do this, Hammer.” He leaned closer. “In case you’ve forgotten, it was my cock riding your pussy, precious. So I’m not shutting up until I have an answer.” A rosy flush suddenly stained her cheeks. Hammer smiled. She hadn’t forgotten the passion they’d shared any more than he had. It had haunted him, day after day, night after night… Raine scrambled to her feet, clutching her notepad and pen. “I have enough for the menu. We’re done here.” “We’re not,” he barked. “Sit down.” She tossed her things on his desk and crossed her arms, glaring up at him. The swells of her pillowy breasts spilled from her V-neck tank. She looked sexy when she was mad. “So you can harass me again?” Yes, Raine would see it that way. Christ, he needed to dial back on the confrontation, figure out how to drag information from her without distressing her even more. “So we can finish talking. It’s not my intention to upset you,” he murmured. She gave him a skeptical stare. “Sit. Please.” He waited until she complied, then he sat across from her. “You know I’d normally rather fucking swallow glass than say I’m sorry, but I owe it to you to shove this apology past my pride. That night, my need to mark you as mine overwhelmed my better judgment. It was selfish and reckless. I’m sorry.” Raine sighed, some of the starch leaving her. “You were drunk.” “That’s even worse. I was pissed o

The Bond (Unbroken Raine Falling 4) Read Free *************** Friday, February 8 Shadows was haunted. Macen “Hammer” Hammerman stood with his back to the wall in the dungeon of his BDSM club, watching scenes play out around him. The scent of leather filled his head. A whip cracked. A sub he barely knew let out a feminine moan. Bodies entwined. The constant erotic ebb and flow of pleasure that played out around him night after night made him hunger for the only woman he’d ever craved. Raine Kendall. In the corner, a Dom spanked his sub. Hammer clenched his fist. It had been too long since he’d felt the burn of his palm on Raine’s taut, lush backside, heard her cry in his ears. But after the trauma she’d suffered last December, his Dominant urges raged too hot for her. If he unleashed them, he’d break her. Much better for Raine if he stayed away. In his pocket, his phone buzzed. He pulled out the device and glanced at the screen. His best friend and the man he shared her with, Liam O’Neill, had texted him a video. When he clicked on the clip, Raine parted her bare thighs. He’d know her body anywhere. Petal-pink silk clung to her hips, framing transparent black lace that kissed her pussy…where Liam had conveniently focused the lens. She dragged her fingers over the damp, clinging fabric, pausing to rub her clit with an audible pant. “Please…” she cried. “Macen!” Instantly, his cock jolted to life. Liam’s accompanying message read: Don’t you wish you were here? Yes. Balls deep. Every fucking night. Yet you’re always working while Liam is at home, getting his fill of Raine. Because his best friend was better at balancing his Dominant needs with his sexual ones. Goddamn it, every time Hammer closed his eyes, the memory of Raine on her knees, looking up at him with blue eyes full of yearning, taunted him. The phantom grip of her pussy squeezed him. Hell, he could almost taste her on his tongue right now. More blood surged downward. He went from merely hard to steely enough to pound nails. Hammer shoved the phone in his pocket with a growl. The nagging in his cock wasn’t going away on its own. It never did. He’d learned that the hard way. Biting off a curse, he headed to his fucking office. Again. As he whirled around, he nearly ran into Pike, one of his dungeon monitors. “Carl is coming to bitch at you. Same shit. Just a warning.” “I don’t have time. Deal with it.” “He’s insisting on talking to you.” “Then throw him the fuck out,” Hammer called over his shoulder. “For the night?” “Or for-fucking-ever. I don’t give a shit.” Macen just wanted five damn minutes alone. He’d barely finished the thought when Carl—an egomaniac of a Dom—approached with an angry scowl. “I’m getting tired of Knotty Master not cleaning the equipment after—” “Either tell the man to clean it up or have your sub do it. Do I look like your maid? Your mother?” Carl narrowed his eyes. “You can’t talk to me that way.” Hammer clenched his fist, fighting the urge to punch the prick. “I ju

Bratva Beast: A Dark Romance Read Free *************** 1 Mack I was supposed to kill the bartender, but I wanted to sleep with her first. It’d be a shame, letting a woman like that die. She deserved a little taste of pleasure before the end. Normally, I was strict with myself, and rarely followed through on whatever bullshit came into my head—there were rules, procedures, steps, that sort of thing. Obsessively following the guidelines kept me alive and out of jail. Sooner or later, any half-cocked wanna-be hitman ended up with his throat slit or thrown into the back of a police cruiser, and I didn’t plan on going out either way. I was in this for the long haul. But this girl, she was a problem. Dark hair, almost black, tipped with red, bangs cut straight across. It should’ve been too twee—but it worked on her. Pale skin, big, dark green eyes, ridiculously full lips, and a figure barely hidden by her drab black clothes. She seemed bored and angry, and I liked women that were bored and angry. She looked like she’d rather kick me in the teeth than kiss me. That sort of shit turned me on. What can I say, I’m a little messed up. On a normal night, on a normal hit, I would’ve watched her for a while, figured out her habits, then killed her quickly and efficiently. No suffering, no witnesses, no mistakes. Instead, I just kept staring at her from across the bar, and even caught her eye once or twice. She smiled uncertainly and I smiled back. God damn, I was going to kill her, but for once I might not enjoy it. Fiona Doyle didn’t deserve to die but then again, it wasn’t my place to decide. She was the daughter of Grady Doyle, second-in-command of the Doyle Crime Family. The girl was pure-blood criminal, jaded and trouble. My type of woman. I hung around for a while, sipped a few drinks, chatted with some drunk local guy that spent half his life in the steelworker’s union before chopping off a finger and going on disability. His wife left him on account of him getting fat and cheating on her all the time, and his kids wouldn’t speak to him on account of him beating the shit out of them for half their lives, which he said he regretted. I said he probably deserved to lose them. He said he didn’t disagree. His name was Jim, and if anyone in that bar should’ve gotten a bullet to the head, it was probably him. As it happened, I wasn’t there for asshole Jim. The place was hazy and stank like whiskey and stale beer. The floors were vinyl and sticky, and the bar was slashed across with scuffs and dings. Half the bottles were covered in dust. I didn’t know what a girl like Fiona was doing working in a dive like this. She belonged somewhere better. Not that it mattered. I had to kill her. Hours passed and the regulars finished their drinks at last call. I left a healthy tip for Fiona—not that she’d use it, since she was going to die soon, but it was polite—and she smiled uncertainly when I dropped it down in front of her. Two hundred dollars for two drinks. I didn’

Scum (Wrong Side of the Tracks 1) Read Free *************** Chapter 1 – Shane Tonight, Shane would ruin two lives in one fell swoop, and he couldn’t wait. When he rode his bike, all the injustices of the world hid in the shadows, but as he pulled onto the university campus and had to slow down, reality caught up with him, scented with damp leaves and beer. It was Halloween, and he couldn’t have felt more excluded if he’d tried. Crowds of students drifting between party houses in ridiculous outfits reminded him of how different his life could have been had he been born into a wealthy family. Scoffing, he maneuvered around two girls in ‘sexy convict’ costumes featuring a ball and chain alongside a skimpy version of the orange overalls Shane had been wearing only last month. After seeing that, nothing would have surprised him anymore. He continued down the main road through the grounds, passing cowboys, sexy nurses, Jokers (so many Jokers), sexy kittens, mafiosi, a sexy tequila bottle… He shook his head, finally catching sight of the massive building ahead. The pale facade was being used as background for a projector casting images of flames and demons, and the lawn in front of it crawled with people. One got used to squalor in prison, but the sheer volume of the music blasting from every direction and the uninhibited nature of the crowd ahead made Shane stall before he drove up to the curb in the not-so-quiet cul-de-sac. If everything went according to plan, tonight would be child’s play. He’d found out that his buddies often supplied the local fraternity with fun pills for parties, and it so happened that Rosen Beck, the son of the man who’d put Shane in prison, was a member. Shane had no personal grudge against the boy, but didn’t give a flying fuck about him either, and had no qualms about making him a tool in his father’s downfall. Having one’s son in prison for drug possession and distribution served no one’s political career. Ignoring two young men who’d dressed as policemen and were trying to ‘arrest’ a group of giggling girls nearby, Shane parked his bike close to a massive stage that would likely feature an unholy spectacle later. He texted the club president that he’d arrived with the treats. Social skills worked differently in prison, but he was still charming as fuck and would get himself invited into the massive house with Greek letters above the arched entrance. He’d scout out Beck’s son and plant the drugs on him before calling the cops. Easy-peasy. As much as Shane hated the police, they’d be a useful tool tonight. Shane barked out a laugh when the prez texted him back. [I’ll send a guy. His name is Rosen. Don’t give the treats to anyone else] Could executing his plan get any easier? Shane relaxed, unfolding the kickstand before sliding off his silver Honda and resting his ass on the seat with eyes pinned to the frat house. A better man would have left the kid out of this ugly business, but Shane had always been bad, and his consci

One Night with a Nutcracker (Reindeer Falls) Read Free My name is Jake Sheppard and I’m ambivalent about Christmas and the Christmas-themed town I grew up in. But when I find out my late uncle left me an old barn and acres of land, the decision to return home to build my dream golf course is an easy one. Imagine my surprise when I arrive and find out I have a squatter. An incredibly sexy squatter, with wavy blonde hair, green eyes, a free spirit… and a herd of goats. Sutton hates my guts. Apparently evicting a non-paying non-tenant and her goats weeks before Christmas is grounds for war. Except Sutton's version of war includes flinging her clothing at me and, as it turns out, I might be in way over my head with this girl… Warning: Christmas in Reindeer Falls is more naughty than nice. These stories are over-the-top festive with merrily-ever-afters guaranteed. Novella length for quick holiday binge reading. Enjoy! *************** Chapter One I’m going to say something that’s going to make some people mad. Christmas isn’t my favorite holiday. There, I said it. Now, maybe this isn’t the kind of thing that people in Los Angeles or New York City would get mad about. It wouldn’t end any friendships in Dallas. But in the city I live in? Yeah, those are fighting words. I grew up in Reindeer Falls, which is basically a city-sized love letter to Christmas. I mean, it’s in our name, for Santa’s sake. Any other place, people might talk shit about you for having a summer Santa in your yard or an all-year-round Christmas tree. But here? In Reindeer Falls, you’re basically expected to. And look, it’s not like I’m some kind of Ebenezer Scrooge. I like Christmas a normal amount. I put up Christmas decorations and lights, and not just because my Christmas cop of a best friend would give me a violation if I didn’t. I love the twinkly lights and I like the occasional sleigh ride. But I’m not obsessed like Maggie—that’s the Christmas cop best friend. Christmas and I, we’re on decent terms. But that’s it, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s fine. I will say, though, that Christmas is good for business. In fact, I’ve been working nonstop for the last few weeks to try to get enough product to meet the holiday demand. I happen to make the perfect gift for just about anyone on your list. Sisters, mothers, grandmothers, co-workers. I’ve even got something for the man in your life. And, as a small business, I do it all myself. Well, the goats help. It’s definitely a joint venture. As if she can read my thoughts, Sharon, one of my smallest goats, lets out an indignant “bah,” like she knows I even thought of not giving her enough credit. She’s brown and white and angles her head so that she’s giving me the most judgmental expression possible. Some people might think goats can’t be judgmental, but those people clearly haven’t met Sharon. “I’m not saying you don’t do a lot of the work,” I tell her, stirring the most recent batch of Snow in Love soap in my trusty crockpot. “I’m

Tyrant Stalker (Tyrant Dynasty 2) Read Free This isn't love. It's obsession.NOXShe escaped me once, but she won't be that lucky this time.My little bird looks even prettier with the scar I carved into her cheek.I watch her... I follow her... I wait for the right moment to take what's mine.I ruined her life once, and now it's time to clip her wings and cage her.DOVEEight years ago, a sicko ruined my life. He cut me open and made me bleed, and I hid the truth to protect him.Now, a scar marks me as damaged goods.That's why I stay in the shadows. I trust them.Until they start talking back...And the man who took my innocence comes back to stalk me.Tyrant Stalker is a full-length dark romance novel from USA Today and Amazon bestselling author Isabella Starling.Dove and Nox's story begins in Tyrant Twin, but you can read this book as a standalone. *************** Prologue Nox Every love story has an expiration date. I believed mine had already expired. When I tumbled into that abyss below the cliffs, I thought my life was over. But I had a guardian angel watching over me. Too bad I wasn't worthy of fucking saving. When I woke up, they told me I'd been in a coma for six years. Six fucking years of my life, wasted while I was plugged into machines that helped me breathe. I asked about them first. Kade and June. They told me they were alive and well with three children. I fucking hated them even more when I found out about that. But after finding out about their happily ever after I stopped giving a damn. There was still one person though, one addiction from my past I couldn't bring myself to let go. That addiction had a name – Dove Canterbury. I fixated on her like I had done on June before. I slowly recovered, my thoughts filled with the desire to own her again. It was in part what helped me recover, giving me the strength to overcome all the difficulties of my new life. But I did it. I got through it all with one person on my mind – the little bird that was the only one to escape my gilded cage unscathed. Well, not completely unscathed. I smirk as I put out my cigarette under my boot. I'm standing in an alley facing a small house on the outskirts of LA. It's busy here, busy and fucking hot. But I don't give a shit about that. All my attention is focused on the door of that house, glued to it as I wait for the only inhabitant of 1490 Westwood Boulevard to show her pretty face. It's fucking gut-wrenching. This moment could change the rest of my life, and hers. I know where she lives now. There will be no running anymore. I've got her right in the palm of my hand. As I wait, I notice a purple butterfly land on the handle of her front door. She's like a Disney fucking princess too, apparently, attracting critters and shit. The door opens and out she comes. Long, flowing dark locks, glossy, hiding her beautiful face. She doesn't wear makeup anymore, but she hasn't stopped trying. She carries herself like a woman that knows her worth, even though you'd never

Hades' Flame (Devils Rejects MC 1) Read Free *************** Prologue Sara Drag Creek, Kentucky “You can’t possibly be okay with any of this!” My mother screams at my father. Hell, I am sure the whole state can hear her. He pinches the bridge of his nose. “There was no other choice.” “There’s always a choice, Nash. You want our daughter to drop out of school and raise a baby with that man. And he’s a man, Nash. He’s too old for her. I can’t. I won’t accept this.” I knew yesterday when she said she would accept Danny and Cain Thomas it was too good to be true. Danny hugs my back to his chest as we listen from the front porch of my Grandpa, Grim’s house. “I’m sorry about all of this. If I had never talked to you…” “Hey.” I twist around to face him. “I chose to get in the truck with you. I chose to be with you. I chose you and I’d choose you again.” His mouth comes down on mine and I open to him completely. Danny brings out the best in me. With him is where I am meant to be. His soul calls to mine as if they are old friends. He is mine and I am his. I won’t stop fighting to be with him. Cain Thomas needs us. He doesn’t have anyone else. “It won’t happen. I won’t sign the papers.” “It’s already happening, Karly. You can hate it all you want to, but legally that little boy sleeping in there is our grandson. If you don’t get on board with this you could lose Sara forever,” my father warns. “I’ve heard enough out of both of ye,” I hear Grim’s loud voice boom. “We did what we had to. Sara did what she had to because she knew what was on the line. You may have been off in California living your fancy little life where everything was fuckin’ perfect and your shit didn’t stink, but you aren’t in Cali-fuckin-fornia. You’re in my house. Sara will go with Danny to Webb Hollow as soon as they are married. He has to be there to get a handle on his club. He don’t need to be here pussy footin’ and sucking your asshole to prove himself, Goddamnit. Now ye either plan your daughter a fittin’ weddin’ or shut the fuck up.” Danny’s eyes widen at the same time as mine because Cain is wailing from his bassinet. “I don’t want to go in there,” I admit Danny grabs my hand. “We’ll do it like we’ll do everything…together.” I smile. “Together.” Chapter 1 Sara “You sure you’re ready for this?” “What?” Danny’s dark brows knit together. “Marrying you?” “Well…not only that but doing the wedding in Drag Creek? I know things haven’t been easy with the tension between the Devils and the Black Rebels. Is bringing the clubs together right now a good idea?” His good hand reaches out for mine and he tugs me toward him until I fall into his lap. It is a long story, but Danny lost his hand when the homemade bomb he made detonated in his grasp. Danny’s arm snakes around my waist as those torturous lips brush over my temple. “Baby, you know I would love nothing more than to avoid this whole meeting between the two clubs, but I know you. I know you want your family around no matter what you s

The Girl Who Cries Colors Read Free A painter with a spark in his hands. A muse who holds all the colors inside of her. Together, they will go on a tumultuous path of pain and love. Fate brings them together, but life will rip them apart. This is a dark romance filled with lyrical words of heartbreak, magic, and violence. The powerful prose in this love story will show you the real meaning of colors. Because he’s the prodigal painter who creates beauty, and she’s the storm that carries the rainbow in her eyes. Together, their colors will coat the world, and you will never see them the same way again. Author's Note: This book is intended for mature audiences only. Trigger Warnings: It does include scenes of violence, substance use, and non-consensual sex. *************** Chapter 1 “You’re glowing again.” I crack open one eye and groan at being woken up. “Deal with it,” I mumble into the pillow. I feel one of my mates pick up my wrist where my cupid boss mark is glowing bright pink. At first, I think he’s about to lovingly caress it, but no. He shoves it under the blankets to snuff out the bright light. Jerk. “Too early,” I hear Evert grumble, his voice all scratchy with sleep. I agree, so I close my eyes again, ready to fall back into the heavy sleep that I’d been in, when there’s a sudden screech that sounds like a banshee being tickled to pieces. A tiny body launches itself onto our bed, landing on one of the guys. I hear Sylred expel an “oomph,” and then the delighted screeching turns to incessant talking. “Wake up, wake up, wake up! It’s wing day!” I lift up my head to find our two-year-old daughter sitting on Sylred’s back while she shakes Ronak’s muscled arm and flicks Evert’s face with her red genfin tail. “Come on Daddies! Wing day! Wing day!” “Good gods, it’s not even sunrise yet,” Evert says, trying to bat away the tail in his face. “You said if I went to sleep last night in my own bed, then today you’d teach me to fly. You said that.” I blame myself for her excellent speaking skills at such a young age. It’s a blessing and a curse. She’s been talking in full sentences since before her first birthday. She even talks in her sleep. “I don’t think you’re gonna get them up this early,” I tell her. Amorette frowns in thought, and when none of the guys move, she stands up on Sylred’s back and starts systematically hopping from genfin to genfin like they’re stepping stones. “That’s one way to do it.” Before our boisterous daughter can hop onto Ronak for the third time, his arm shoots out, and he snags her around the middle and tosses her up into the air. She shrieks in delight. My heart jumps at the ridiculous height her little body reaches, but that’s always the case with these two. He catches her securely around her middle again and again, and she giggles joyfully. His impressive bicep flexes every time he tosses her up. Seriously, this guy has the best muscles ever. Sometimes I ask him to open jars or cut wood or lift something, even when

The Betrayal (Unbroken Raine Falling 1) Read Free *************** Six years ago September 1 Los Angeles Raine Kendall held her breath as she waited for Macen “Hammer” Hammerman to touch her. He prowled closer. She swallowed, her insides feeling jittery. In seconds, his hands would be on her. Then it came, his touch. She jolted when he cupped her shoulder, just as she had the first time. Except when his fingers curled around her now, it wasn’t fear that made her tremble. “Precious?” She loved the way he called her—and no one else—that. Raine leaned closer, her heart racing, as he studied her for a long, silent moment. She resisted the urge to fidget under his intense hazel stare. “What’s up?” He set a guiding hand at the small of her back and led her into his office, gesturing her to the chair opposite his big desk. “Sit. Let’s talk.” Her insides pinged with foreboding. She was a seventeen-year-old runaway, and he had taken her in off the streets three weeks ago. Who did that out of the goodness of their heart? Only a saint. Admittedly, she didn’t know Hammer well. So far he’d been great…but he was hardly a contender for a halo or his own holiday. And why would a bachelor with a busy life volunteer to finish raising an almost-grown kid with a chip on her shoulder? The short answer? He wouldn’t. Damn it, once he tossed her out, where would she go? Back home was not an option… Raine sucked in a calming breath and prayed for the best. So far, Hammer had fed, sheltered, and comforted her, never taking his watchful eye off her. And true to his word, he had kept her safe from— No, she refused to think about him. God, she didn’t want to leave here. For the first time in years—maybe a decade—she felt blessedly safe. How would she give that up? Maybe she could make a pitch to convince Hammer to let her stay. Everyone had a price, right? She froze, feeling incredibly stupid. No, naive. That’s what this chat was about. Hammer intended to tell her what he wanted in return for all the consideration and care he’d shown her. He hadn’t asked her for anything—yet. But of course, nothing in life was free. Everyone wanted something. The only thing she had to give him was her V-card. It was probably a fair price for taking on the role of her strong, stalwart protector. And it wasn’t as if climbing between the sheets with him would be a hardship. He was fucking gorgeous. And Raine suspected he’d make it good since he seemed thorough and capable in everything he did. Besides, she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t curious. At least she now knew why high school guys had never interested her. They were boys. Macen Hammerman was a man. Sure, he was older than her, probably by a dozen years or so. And he owned a kink club. Apparently, he liked to spank women or whatever. She didn’t completely understand that stuff. But he’d definitely proven dependable, patient, concerned, tender, and completely hands-off. At least until now. Raine wasn’t really down with selling herself.

Wrong Kind of Love Read Free *************** 1 Jude A pressed magnolia falls out of the leather bank bag along with the wad of rubber-banded cash, and my heart speeds up before it skips a beat. This is the worst kind of omen. One I haven’t seen in years, and one that means the man I thought to be dead—the man who slaughtered my family—is still alive. The door to my office creaks open, but I keep my gaze focused on the white petals. “Where am I going, Jude?” Rich, one of my guys, stands in the doorway, a smoldering cigarette gripped between his thin lips. “Nashville.” I drop the magnolia to my desk, redirecting my attention to business. I’d worry with Tom Campbell and his omen later. I jot down an address on a slip of paper, then pass it off. “Euan Williams. If he doesn’t have the money, rough him up, take something as collateral.” Not that I expect some dumb college kid to have anything worth twenty-grand. The only reason the little shit even got to place a bet with me was due to my having had too much whiskey that night and him placing his bet through some bad channels with a fake handle. I’m pissed as hell, but there’s not much else I can do now but threaten the fucker. The phone on my desk rings, and I reach for it, pausing as I glance back at Rich. “Give him three days to come up with the funds. Tell him he’s dead if he doesn’t deliver.” Harsh? Maybe, but the thing is, when people want to play with men like me, they need to understand the ramifications. This business is something my father taught me to take very seriously. Rich gives a curt nod, closing the door behind him as I lift the receiver to my ear. “Go ahead, partner.” “This is Big Ole’ Boy. First half bet on the underdog. Two dimes. Bottom five.” I scribble the bet over my legal pad then hang up, lighting a cigarette before I lean back in my office chair, gaze trained on that damn flower. Tom Campbell is still alive, but the thing is, this time, there’s no woman in my life for him to destroy... 2 Victoria Tonight must make the twentieth time my boyfriend, Euan, has asked me to move in with him. Every time he asks, I give him the same answer: “I’m not ready.” We still have a year of medical school left, then residency. Plus, the homesick part of me wants to move back to England. But part of me thinks that deep down, if he were “the one,” there would be no excuses. Wanting to escape his scrutinizing stare, I grab our dishes and head into the kitchen. The doorbell rings just before I turn on the water, and I hear Euan answer it. I rinse the plates, stick them into the dishwasher, and then hear the low murmur of voices drift up the hall. Euan’s probably been suckered by some Jehovah’s witnesses. I step out of the kitchen, freezing, when I see Euan cornered in the living room by a massive man. Despite the man’s dress shirt and suit trousers, something about him makes me wary. I step into the hall. The creak of the floorboards cuts off their whispered exchange of words. The stranger’s fla

Sick Heart: A Dark MMA Fighter Romance Read Free *************** CHAPTER ONE - ANYA Cort van Breda’s body conjures up images of sculpted marble, the pages of a master’s sketchbook, or the god Adonis come to life. Eyes are drawn to him and once your gaze lands, it’s caught. Like a prisoner. He is a cage with steel bars and bulky locks with large keyholes. His dark hair is cropped short, but he runs his hand over his skull like maybe just yesterday there was something there. Something to feel that has since been removed. He pauses for a moment, taking in the ship and the people around him. This gives the reporters an opportunity to swoop in, but one of his entourage pushes the people back with force. And even though I can’t hear what he’s saying, I read his lips. “Get back! Get the fuck back!” He’s pushing them. Hard. Making a scene. But it works, because Cort is ushered into a cleared area by some mercenary types and I get an even better look at him as he’s led down the stairs closest to me. No shirt, so I can see the dozens of tattoos on his upper body with perfect clarity as he walks towards the command center. He looks over his shoulder, down the main deck of the ship. His father’s ship, so he’s probably been here many times. His expression is flat and unreadable and if I were pressed to pin an emotion on him, I would call him indifferent. Maybe even apathetic. I’m six stories up in the reception room above the command center. Which is not that close, so maybe I’m wrong. But I doubt it. I’m very skilled at reading men. I’ve read up on Cort van Breda. He’s the reigning superstar of the underground fighting ring my father and his ilk are obsessed with. Cort was on the cover of Ring of Fire three months ago when this match was announced, and after my father was done with the magazine, and I was sure he wouldn’t notice that it went missing, I took it and read every word about the man they call Sick Heart. He’s ruthless, they say. Undefeated for the past twenty-two years, which is almost unheard of in this world we live in. He has won every fight they’ve put him in since he was placed in his first fight-to-the-death match at age five. There are no real records of those fights. No vids or even an article. Five-year-old fighters aren’t newsworthy. They almost never turn into a Sick Heart. But I wish there were. I would like to see those fights. My mind begins to picture this man as a boy, all those years ago, and all the things he’s had to do to stay alive since then. I quickly rein those thoughts in. There is no point. He is six foot two, a hundred and seventy-five pounds, and covered in tattoos. The Ring of Fire article was obsessed with his body art and so am I. Skulls. He is partial to skulls. And each one—if the rumors are true—represents someone he’s killed. He didn’t admit that in the article, of course, so it’s just a rumor. But there are rumors and then there are reputations. Cort van Breda, the Sick Heart, is more of a reputation guy at thi