The King of the Underworld saved me from the streets,
Treated me like a princess,
And locked me in a tower.
Then he turned into a beast.
There’s a darkness in him.
I’ve seen it face to face.
He says I’m his light.
But if our love is going to last,
I’m going to have to be more than his princess.
I need to become a Queen.
The final chapter in Marcus and Cora’s story
Stasia Black
Stasia was born in Georgia, grew up in Texas, recently spent a freezing five-year stint in Minnesota, and now is happily planted in sunny California, which she will never, ever leave.
She loves writing, reading, listening to podcasts, and has recently taken up biking after a twenty-year sabbatical (and has the bumps and bruises to prove it). She lives with her own personal cheerleader, aka, her handsome husband, and their teenage son. Wow. Typing that makes her feel old. And writing about herself in the third person makes her feel a little like a nutjob, but ahem! Where were we?
Stasia’s drawn to romantic stories that don’t take the easy way out. She wants to see beneath people’s veneer and poke into their dark places, their twisted motives, and their deepest desires. Basically, she wants to create characters that make readers alternately laugh, cry ugly tears, want to toss their kindles across the room, and then declare they have a new FBB (forever book boyfriend).
Ethan Valor thought he had it all with a career he was meant for, and the perfect family at home. But when his wife unexpectedly filed for divorce, he moved into his sister’s condo. Needing a nightcap after a long day on the police force, Ethan decided to go to the neighborhood bar that, in his family, was known to bring people together. Or, in his case, bring his first love back into his life.
Reagan McCormick moved back to Chicago after twenty-three years. Divorced, and with a daughter in college, it was time for Reagan to focus on what made her happy. Wanting to make new friends and extra cash while in school, Reagan gets a job as a bartender. A blast from the past blows into her bar one night proving that moving back to the Windy City was the right decision to make.
What Ethan and Reagan didn’t expect was how easy it would be to start over together. Or how their career paths would dangerously intertwine …
When a serial killer strikes Murder City, Ethan will stop at nothing to keep Reagan safe. But how safe could they be when someone was always watching?
The game of love always goes on.
And their game was just beginning.
EXCERPT
Ethan
The very first person I gave my heart to was sitting across from me.
The same person who first broke my heart, and the person who still carried a piece of it
after all these years. When I’d thought about seeing Reagan again, I always thought I would turn
the other way. After all, she’d ripped out my heart and never looked back. But when I saw her at
Judy’s, all those thoughts went out the window, and then she was in my condo, drinking my
apple juice as if nothing had ever happened.
I didn’t hate her. It was the complete opposite. I …
I still loved her.
A part of me always had. They say you never forget your first love, and that was
definitely true. Just the thought of Reagan walking out my door and never coming back again
was messing with my head. I needed to prolong the reunion even though it was getting close to
one in the morning, and I had to be at work in less than eight hours. I wasn’t ready to let her
leave my sight.
“I’m sure I can. I know people in this town.” I winked.
“A job at your precinct?” she asked.
“Maybe. I’ll see what I can find out.”
“I just have to get through nine more weeks of school.”
“Maybe I can be your study buddy?” I proposed. “I do know all about crime scenes.”
Reagan smiled. “You’d do that for me?”
I shrugged and picked up my glass of juice before walking to the other side of the island
to sit next to her. “Sure, why not? It’ll be like old times.” I smirked.
She bobbed her head and chuckled slightly. “Old times that used to lead to not studying
or doing homework.”
That was true. After school and before our parents arrived home from work, we’d hang
out and study. We were each other’s firsts—in more than one way.
“You never complained,” I reminded her.
She threw her head back, laughing. “No. No, I didn’t.”
Her laughter made my palms itch to touch her, to pull her into my arms and feel her lips
on mine again as I kissed her. Instead, I said, “So, tell me what Reagan Hunter has been up to the
last twenty-some-odd years.”
She took a deep breath. “Well, I graduated from Stanford, moved to Denver, got married,
had Maddison about a year later, and have just been doing the mother thing since then. She kept
me busy.”
“And now you live here?”
“Yeah. Moved far away from my ex and closer to Maddie.”
“And me,” I stated.
“And you, but I didn’t know you still lived here. What have you been up to?” Reagan
took a sip of her juice.
“As I mentioned earlier, I became a cop, then got married, had my two boys, dedicated
most of my time to the job so I could one day be chief like my father was, got divorced, and then
went to a bar that has a reputation for people finding their soulmates.”
“What?” she asked, dragging out the word and scrunching her eyebrows.
I chuckled. “My sister met her husband at Judy’s.”
“She did?”
I nodded and then took a sip of juice. “About three years ago. Didn’t realize that the one
time I go there, I would run into the only woman I still dream about.”
She didn’t speak.
I didn’t speak.
The clock on the wall ticked …
Tock …
Tick …
Tock …
Tick…
Tock.
About the Author:
Kimberly Knight is a USA Today Bestselling author who lives in the mountains near a lake in California with her loving husband, who is a great research assistant. Kimberly writes in a variety of genres including romantic suspense, contemporary romance, erotic romance, and paranormal romance. Her books will make you laugh, cry, swoon, and fall in love before she throws you curve balls you never see coming.
When Kimberly isn’t writing, you can find her watching her favorite reality TV shows, binge-watching true crime documentaries, and going to San Francisco Giants games. She’s also a two-time desmoid tumor/cancer fighter, which has made her stronger and an inspiration to her fans.
Once
again Una captures my attention as she pulls a plumb lip in between her
teeth and bites it. A laugh leaves her mouth, and she finally opens her
eyes. They still manage to hold me in awe, one blue the other green.
I’ve never seen anyone like Una. It suits her. She is two very different
people, she’s unpredictable, I often think that’s why I’m drawn to her.
Right now she holds out her arms and starts to twirl.
“Una stop
it.” Finn tries to pull her hands down, but she keeps spinning and
Darragh joins her. That’s when I decide I’ve seen enough.
NUMBER TWO
“Are
you not going to greet me brother?” Shane asks as Mary places my
breakfast in front of me. Everyone‘s attention falls on to Shane and the
tension in the room seems to grow. Mary shuffles back to the stove and I
start to eat. I’m not hungry but I don’t know what else to do.
“Why
should I? You threatened Siobhan.” Siobhan was Finn’s new girlfriend
and from the sounds of it their relationship was very serious. But to
hear that Shane threatened her has me looking at him. His jaw is
clenched, and he flickers a glance at me before looking back at Finn.
“Don’t be so petty it was a few words.”
A
vein is flickering like a heartbeat in Finn’s neck. “No it wasn’t you
know what you said and I’m not having it.” Mary puts a fry in front of
Finn and he quickly thanks her.
“What are you going to do?”
Shane is leaning forward and there is something in his stance that tells
me this is far more serious than it appears to be.
Finn has a
death grip on his knife and fork and I can see them now as deadly
weapons. His nostrils flair as he stares down at Shane and he looks like
he wants to hurt him. But Shane’s eyes are shinning with violence. It’s
like he’s excited at the idea of hurting Finn. I want to defuse the
situation so I do the only thing I can think of. I knock my coffee over
with a little more force than intended. I only wanted to send the coffee
pouring over the side but the mug goes too, the sound of it smashing
has everyone looking at me.
“Sorry my hand slipped.” I say getting up. Shane is staring at me, and I’m not sure if he’s mad or what he is thinking.
“I’ll get it Una finish your breakfast.” Mary is there with a cloth but I start picking up pieces of the mug.
“Una
leave it alone before you cut yourself.” Shane’s words are barked at me
and I am so close to losing it with him. I take the cloth off Mary.
“Please Mary I’ll clean it up.” She gives me a nod before leaving me.
“Mary
clean it up.” Shane stops her in her tracks and I grind my teeth. He
was so controlling. I gather up the rest of the mug and stand.
“Mary
it’s done. Seriously, it’s fine.” She’s waiting for Shane’s word and he
nods at her so she goes back to the kitchen. I’m shaking my head in
disgust at him and I really want to throw the broken mug at him, but I
can’t. Michael picks that moment to enter the kitchen, and he smiles
when he sees us all.
“Ah, I was wondering where everyone was.” He
stops me as I make my way to the bin and kisses the top of my head.
When he sees the broken mug in my hand he leans out. “Be careful you
don’t cut yourself.”
“That’s what I said.” Shane chimes in from the corner like I’m some fragile little flower.
“I won’t. It’s a mug. Not a sword.” Michael doesn’t appreciate my smart mouth. But lets me pass as he sits down.
I’m
ready to return to the table and eat my breakfast when Shane stands up
all cheery. “Are you ready to start work Una?” he asks me like we are
best pals. I narrow my focus at my breakfast and Shane looks at his
watch. “If you need more time?”
I wave his comment away. I’m hungry but I’ll be dammed if I ask for more time. “No. I’m good to go.”
NUMBER THREE
“What are you doing?” I ask.
She
spins around, her wet long hair flicking water with the speed of her
movements. The wildness in her eyes has my stomach tightening. I’m
beside her, searching her face. Her gaze lowers now, and she’s shaking
her head.
“Una, what’s wrong?” I ask the crown of her head, and
when she peeks up at me, her eyes are watery, and she stares at me
unblinking. A tremble has entered her body, and my heart starts to
pound. “Una, what’s wrong?” I want to grab her and shake her, but
touching her has never been a luxury I have allowed myself. Right now, I
seem unable to move.
NUMBER FOUR
I step out of the car, and he places a large jacket around my shoulders.
Now
all I smell is Shane, his cologne along with the scent of leather and
trees. It’s a weird combination, but it was uniquely Shane. My stomach
trembles as he leans around me and closes the door.
NUMBER FIVE
“She was unpredictable.” He looks at me for the first time. “Untamable.”
My
pulse spikes, with how he looks at me, and it might be the lack of
sleep, but I feel like I’ve stepped into a twilight zone with Shane.
It’s like that feeling when you’re lying under the stars knowing the
world is asleep. It’s magical, but it has to end.
NUMBER SIX
“I’m
sorry.” His words are low and precise. Like he’s trying out a new
language. I glance at him, causing our shoulders to brush, and this
time, it looks like he’s the one who freezes
NUMBER SEVEN
“Master Shane?” I question not wanting to mention the fact that he knew pancakes where my favorite.
“Sit down, Una.” The demand is sharp and comes from Shane.
I don’t like it. I shed his jacket and place it on the chair, but I don’t sit.
He
flashes a glance towards Mary as she prepares pancakes and coffee
before they snap back to me. “Please.” He says it through gritted teeth,
but I take it and sit down.
NUMBER EIGHT
I love watching her mouth when she smiles. It’s as fascinating as her different coloured eyes.
I take another sip of coffee and continue to take her in.
NUMBER NINE
I
stand in front of her, and she has no choice but to look at me. “It’s
nothing, Shane,” she tells me with too much false bravado.
“I’ll decide that,” I tell her.
“It’s just when I was with him.”
“With him in what way?” I cut her off with a growl.
She throws her hands in the air. “I can’t talk to you,” she tells me, and I reel in my frustration.
“I’m sorry,” I say softly.
She eyes me. I’m ready to lose my cool, but thankfully, she speaks.
NUMBER TEN
She’s
wearing the same dress from earlier, her hair is now dry, and her
beauty is all I see. I close my eyes as her hands flutter to my face.
She moves my head to the left and right.
“Where are you hurt?”
There’s a touch of hysteria in her voice, and when her hands run down my
arms, I know I should tell her it’s not me, but I’m a bastard for
enjoying this moment.
“Shane.” She’s pulling at my top, and I open my eyes. The tremble in her lip now has intensified. So I speak up.
“It’s
not my blood,” I tell her as tears slip from her wide eyes. Her eyes
slowly move down to my hands, and she covers her mouth with her hand. It
trembles, and I take her by the shoulders. She’s shaking her head while
looking at me.
“I’m fine,” I reassure her. She searches my face
and then steps into me, her arms hugging me tightly. She’s not asking
whose blood this is all over me. She seems content to know it’s not
mine.
NUMBER ELEVEN
When I return, she’s sitting
cross-legged on the tarp chewing her lip, and my heart stills. Her red
fiery hair is like a halo, and I think again of what this place will do
to her. Since arriving, she has lost weight, and dark circles have grown
under her eyes.
She’s been strong for all she has found out,
but I’m not sure she’s strong enough. I don’t want her to have to
strengthen herself to our way. This is why I never got close to her, why
I never touched her, and now I’m terrified because I can’t let her go,
even if it damages her.
She looks up, and a smile lightens her
eyes. She takes in the two buckets and sponges that I carry. Once I set
them down, I take two pairs of rubber gloves from my back pocket, one
yellow the other pink. I hold the pink pair out to her, but she nods
while biting her lip.
“Nope, I want the yellow,” she tells me, taking them from my hands. She’s trying not to laugh as she puts on her yellow gloves.
“Put on your gloves, Shane,” she tells me as she snaps the rubber band at the wrist before grinning up at me.
“You think I’m afraid of a bit of pink?” I ask her, and she laughs. I want to keep her laughing, so I put on the stupid gloves.
Lorraine Tyler should be in vet school, but she stayed behind in her home town of Bend, Minnesota to care for her nephew, spend time with her lover, Charity, and give her momma a chance to complete nursing school.
Lorraine is content until her momma brings home a steady stream of bachelors to straighten her out. Charity is out of town more and more, and Lorraine’s brother-in-law is looking for a new mom for Little Man. To make matters worse there’re new people in town. A politician is drumming up fear and hate, a social worker is flirting with Lorraine, and Lorraine’s new friend, Ricky, is beaten into a coma.
Lorraine suspects Ricky was beaten because of being gay. Lorraine is determined to find out who did it, protect Ricky from the hater who might try to finish the job, and she’s worried she might be next on the hater’s list.
Stray is a story of politics fueling hate, competing romantic interests, and regular people examining their hearts, souls, and hormones. Will the people of Bend harbor the fear-rattled haters of some, or will they provide sanctuary for all?
Nancy Hedin, a Minnesota writer, has been a pastor and bartender (at the same time). She has been a stand-up comic and a mental health crisis worker (at the same time). She wants readers to know that every story she writes begins with her hearing voices.
In 2018 Nancy’s debut novel, Bend was named one of twenty-five books to read for Pride Month Barnes and Noble, and was named Debut Novel of the Year by Golden Crown Literary Society and Foreword Indies Honorable Mention for GLBT Adult Novel of the Year.
Who said life was a fairy tale? Because I’d gladly slice that jerk’s head off.
I never expected to end up half-naked in the woods with my guts hanging out. I didn’t plan to stumble upon the most powerful shifter clan in North America and three of the sexiest men I’ve ever laid eyes on.
Dominic, the fun and reckless new wolf.
Sam, the hot doctor with glacial-blue eyes.
And Gabriel, the intense, secretive alpha who wants nothing to do with me.
My real name is a one-way ticket back to hell, and my secrets need to stay buried like the girl I used to be.
Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Red Riding Hood—I can be all three. I can use my powers to earn a place in their werewolf town, away from the bite of my past mistakes. I can use them—and their bodies—to survive.
The only thing I can’t do is fall for them.
“Ok WOW I so loved Magnetic it was one of the stories that blew my mind in so many good ways , everything about this book just drew me in and made me want to read more about these characters.” – Brandy Roberts
“I knew as soon as I saw Teen Wolf quoted and the first chapter titled “Kiss With A Fist” that this was my book, and the author was my people.” – Red Hatter Book Blog
“I absolutely love reverse harem books and Magnetic I must say is one of my favourites.” – Goodreads
Anya J Cosgrove lives in Québec with her husband, her beautiful son, and two mischievous cats. She works as a veterinarian by day. She’s a travel and Disney junkie and is passionate about her favorite paranormal series.
From the very first time our eyes locked, I knew there was something about him. That he was the person that would change everything.
And he did.
But Abel isn’t just any man…
His past is his prison.
His guilt keeps him chained.
His grief defines him.
And now it’s up to me to set him free.
To make him see that life isn’t just about what we’ve lost but what we still stand to gain.
Because it’s not about what came before, but what comes after.
Roxs Reads – “What Comes After is beautifully written, chocked full of insightful phrases and quotes, and sits atop my list of favorite read for 2019.”
You Can’t Resista Dirty Book – “A beautiful, heartbreaking story that will pull at your heart strings.”
Melissa Toppen is a Reader’s Choice Award Winning and Bestselling Author of New Adult and Contemporary Romance. She is a lover of books and enjoys nothing more than losing herself in a good novel. She has a soft spot for Romance and focuses her writing in that direction; writing what she loves to read.
Melissa resides in Cincinnati Ohio with her husband and two children, where she writes full time.
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NOW LIVE + GIVEAWAY!!! Staying For You by Jennifer Van Wyk is available now + FREE in Kindle Unlimited!!!
“Sweet and steamy, this book is the perfect friends-to-lovers tale. Pick it up. You won’t be sorry.” – Adriana Locke, USA Today Bestselling Author
“everything I love in a great romance with a couple twists, a little
drama, and a lot of love! I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough” – Goodreads reviewer
Enter to win one of four $10 gift cards or a signed paperback + $10 gift card
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When I arrived at your resort, I was broken.
Emotionally and professionally, I had nothing left.
The last three books I published bombed and the ink was barely dry on my divorce papers. The divorce I never saw coming.
All I needed was peace and quiet, and you gave it to me.
That and so much more
Hope. Courage. Friendship. Passion.
The last thing I want to do is leave.
But if I stayed, I’d only be staying for you.
Staying For You is a friends-to-lovers contemporary romance with a push and pull that will keep you turning the pages.
For Autumn Hickman, online dating has been an exercise in nothing more than coffee and failure. There simply isn’t a man on the planet who can compare to her best friend, Trey Wattson. And while Trey is everything Autumn has ever wanted in a partner, she knows the man who loves life’s most beautiful things could never cherish anything as scarred and mangled as her.
Trey Wattson is in love with his best friend, but he can’t seem to reach her. She’s guarded, and for good reason, but Trey doesn’t care. He knows Autumn’s soul, and it’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. Desperate to claim Autumn’s heart for his own, Trey conspires with The Wolves to create a fake profile on the dating site Autumn frequents. But the more Autumn trusts Trey’s online persona, the more it becomes clear that Trey is gambling with the very thing he wants most of all.
Return to Tess Thompson’s beloved Cliffside Bay and discover for yourself why true love is built on honesty and trust, and why best friends often make the very best life partners, in this anonymous online romance set in your favorite charming small town.
About Tess
Tess Thompson is a USA Today bestselling author of small-town romance and historical fiction, with nearly 20 titles across multiple series that focus on heartwarming journeys of triumph and humanity for colorful characters you’d love to be friends with in real life.Tess holds a degree in theater from the University of Southern California (go Trojans!), and can be found most days at her desk in suburban Seattle, where she also makes her home with the hero of her own love story and their blended family of two sons, two daughters, and five cats.Tess loves music, dancing, books, bubble baths, cooking, wine, movies, snuggling, Seahawks football, and hearing from her readers. Drop her a line at tess@tthompsonwrites.com.
Release Date: August 12, 2019Cover Design: Lee Ching at Under Cover Designs
Nash Dingmen aka ‘The Dinger’ didn’t earn his nickname by dominating the hockey rink. No, he’s notorious as the biggest seducer in hockey. It doesn’t help that he carries the sexy, mesmerizing exterior that causes sane women to drop their panties at the curve of his smirk.
No Mr. Nice Guy. No girlfriends. No second date.
Or any dates – it’s all between the sheets.
After my first encounter with Nash Dingmen – I’d hoped I would never see his face again. It was the interview of a lifetime, a chance that it ended up with my dream shattered and becoming the next internet sensation – for all the wrong reasons.
With my career all but gone, I am barricaded to the house to shy away from the jokes and jibes. Drowning in ice cream and Cheetos but it’s time to get back on my feet – and get my head in the game. One thing’s for damn sure, being his next conquest is not my game plan. My sister Charlie persists there’s got to be more than ‘The Dinger’ reputation precedes – and being a reporter, I’d have to say I’m not entirely against investigating what all the fuss is about…
When hurdle after hurdle comes my way, why does Nash always seem to be there?
Every nerve is screaming at me to run as fast as I can away from him … however, do I really want to? The temptation to play the game to see what the real scoop is beneath ‘The Dinger’ may be too strong to resist.
As a writer and photographer for publication such as magazines, television and radio, I find it easy to write an article or a jingle, but I always longed to write a romance novel. To have a challenge that’s longer than five hundred words. To really dive deep into all emotions that one gets from reading a killer novel. I can only hope I’m doing it right so that people will enjoy and feel the raw grit that I draw from in my personal experiences, that I indeed put into my work.
Though I’m starting this adventure late in my career I’m confident that this has always been the right choice and I’m thankful I finally grew a pair to make it happen. Once I started there was no stopping this crazy train!
A few tidbits about myself is I love classic cars, motorcycles, going on crazy motorcycle runs, photography, writing and my puppy Bowie Brexlee Birtie, my dude of fifteen years, Mr Birtie who is a huge supporter of all the crazy things I get into, and of course I love reading romance novels!! Definitely not in that order. My girl Bowie is my number one above all things. She listens to all my book ideas, which basically makes her my writing partner. This is just some of what makes me who I am and I hope we all can form a rad writer/reader relationship!
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