⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This book knocked me off my feet! It’s flipping brilliant!” Goodreads Reviewer
The truth is never what it seems. Neither are the people, regardless of who they are.
✅ Mafia romance
✅ Age Gap
✅ Murder mystery
✅ Steamy sex
✅ Violence
I knew the past would come back to haunt me. It was only a matter of time before my world came crashing down.
The only thing I didn’t expect was Mateo. The head of the Italian mafia. We were never meant to cross paths; our worlds vastly different.
His green gaze captured me, his touch burning through my defenses. The words he whispered melted away all the years of loneliness. But the secret I kept could get me killed. If he spared me, his rivals wouldn’t. As my secrets unravel, it could cost me everything and everyone I loved.
“We are here,” I heard Daphne’s voice and I followed it into the kitchen. She had a wet cloth on her forehead and Marissa was rubbing ice all over her face.
“Shit, how much did we drink last night?” Marissa asked.
“Too much apparently,” I answered them. “Or not enough. Because somehow Mateo and I ended up having phone sex.”
“What?” Both of them screeched at me and I winced, a sharp pain shooting through my brain. They must have felt the same because they groaned, painful expressions on their faces.
“He told me I have to be in his office first thing this morning and demanded I spend the night with him tomorrow. Well, that would be today.”
They both stared at me dumbfounded. “Well, what am I to do?” I asked cranky.
Those two shared a look. “You have to pack an overnight bag,” Marissa started moving immediately. “We’ll take Emma to daycare. Don’t be late to his office. Did he specify time?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
“That means, you have to be in his office at eight a.m.”
I glanced at the clock. It was seven already. “That’s right,” Marissa announced. “You don’t have time. You make him focus on you and your pussy.”
“Marissa!”
“What?” She shrugged her shoulders. “I was thinking about a plan. Make him pussy whipped.”
“When did you have time to think of a plan? While we were drunk?” I asked her suspiciously. “That was so stupid,” I muttured under my breath. “My first phone sex and I go and do it with the mob boss.”
“Honestly, I can’t believe he had phone sex.” Marissa admitted. “Did he come?”
I put my hand on my forehead. “Oh my God, I can’t believe this circus!”
“Did you come?” Daphne asked. “Did you both come?”
“Someone please kill me,” I raised my eyes to the ceiling, then realizing what I said, quickly corrected myself. “Nobody better kill me. And yes, we both came.”
“Wow!” Marissa watched me with awe although I had a feeling it was for all the wrong reasons. “Yes, make him pussy whipped,” she added, a firm decision in her voice.
They both started pushing me back up the stairs and dug out a bag, then started to shove stuff into it.
“Marissa,” I complained. “You are packing like I’m going away for a week.”
She shook her head and then mumbled, “Pussy whipped.”
“Would you please stop saying that?” I ordered her. “You are freaking me out.”
“I’m freaked out,” Daphne chimed in stiffly, her eyes twinkling. “I can’t quite look in the direction of the bed, because you and Mateo having phone sex keeps coming to mind.”
I rolled my eyes. “You two are asses.”
Marissa stood up. “He will probably want to buy you stuff, like freaky sexy stuff.” She took my face between her hands. “Let him.” I went to open my mouth and she quickly continued talking. “You let him buy you stuff, Brianna! You hear me.”
I took a heavy sigh. “This is getting out of hand.”
“Brianna, he is pussy whipped,” Marissa emphasized each word.
“Well, technically he can’t possibly be since he hasn’t seen my pussy nor touched me. I did all the work.”
Eva Winners released her first novel Second Chance At Love in 2020 and has been writing vigorously ever since. She writes about everlasting romance for every century focusing on characters emotional development and always guarantees an HEA.
She loves yoga, wine and her kiddos. In her spare time, she seeks adventures either hiking through trails or exploring the beaches.
Writing books has always been her passion and she brings real life to the forefront in everything she writes about.
Deeply passionate characters and stories will draw you in and you’ll never want to leave.
Follow her on social media to stay up to date with all her new releases!
For the past few years, I was drawing dead. Every hand that was dealt to me couldn’t possibly give me a win. But with every step I took to move past my anger and hatred, I felt myself healing, and that was largely due to the Cortell brothers. Like it or not, they helped me when I needed it the most. Every time they let me drag them down to the station, every ticket they took from me, gave me the strength to keep going. What kind of man would I be if I didn’t return the favor?
Ilikebooksbest.com – “If you have read any books by Giulia Lagomarsino, you know her characters are all zany and quite a bit crazy. That is one thing I love about her books.”
S&C’s Book Blog – “This may of been a short interlude to the next book, but I loved every second and isn’t to be missed.”
Goodreads Review – “I absolutely loved this book!!!”
I’m a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, “No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book.” I didn’t think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn’t already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven’t been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.
Is a happily-ever-after on the cards when the ‘after’ isn’t even promised?
The Lady, the stunning conclusion to the must-read The Oath Duet from Serena Akeroyd, is available now!
I’ve spent a lifetime avoiding the various factions of the mafia in NYC, yet somehow I’m in it up to my eyeballs.
I should be scared.
I should want to run.
Yet the city quivers in fear with every designer-clad footstep I take, because the Valentinis have ascended, and I’m the Don’s Lady.
It’s intoxicating.
However Luciu comes with vendettas and a craving for vengeance that could get him killed.
With my allegiance tied to the Irish, can I say yes when he wants me to take an oath to the Sicilians?
Is a happily-ever-after on the cards when the ‘after’ isn’t even promised?
This is the second part of ‘The Oath’ duet in The Valentini Family series.
THE DON must be read first.
Download your copy today!FREE in Kindle Unlimited
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Start the duet with The Don, Book 1FREE in Kindle Unlimited
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Excerpt from The Don, Book 1:
I stared out onto the city, well aware that even if it were daylight, no one would be able to see in here. It made me feel our isolation more, and I loved it.
Wanted it.
Craved more.
Needed like I’d never needed before.
Then, everything changed.
It was quite accidental.
A sharp turn around a bend had us jostling into each other. Nothing crazy. But our hands slipped, and the edge of mine brushed against his crotch.
He had a hard-on.
He had a hard-on, yet he wasn’t pawing at me. Wasn’t treating me like I was a whore. Was holding me as if I were the opposite, in fact.
His control was lust-inducing.
His arousal was inspiring.
And I wanted both.
I wanted his control ruptured.
His arousal burned off.
On me.
I turned my face to the side, letting my lips press against his throat. His pulse bobbed as a result and as I let my tongue dart out to play, he groaned, and I felt the soft vibrations. Encouraged, I sucked down, nipping and teasing as I made my way up, soft kisses dancing against the line of his jaw where I could feel the slight bumps of stubble that would begin to grow soon.
Finally, I found his mouth. Reaching up with my free hand, I encouraged him to tilt his head downward so our lips could meet.
A whimper escaped me when they did.
It felt as if I’d been waiting a lifetime for this moment, for the meeting of our mouths, for this kiss. Time stopped still, everything in me freezing as my body processed the rightness of the connection between us.
About Serena
I’m a romance bookaholic and I won’t touch a book unless I know there’s a happy ending. This addiction is what made me craft stories that suit my voracious need for raunchy romance. I love twists and unexpected turns, and my novels all contain sexy guys, dark humor, and hot AF love scenes.
I write MF, Menage, and Reverse Harem (also known as Why Choose romance,) in both contemporary and paranormal. Some of my stories are darker than others, but I can promise you one thing, you will always get the happy ending your heart needs!
Connect with Serena
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Rich. Vicious. Vengeful. Forbidden. The Boys of Clermont Bay had always been untouchable.
The Taste of an Enemy, the first angst-filled new adult romance in The Taste of an Enemy Duet from Holly Renee is available now!
Rich. Vicious. Vengeful. Forbidden. The Boys of Clermont Bay had always been untouchable.
And Carson Hale was the worst of them all.
He was pretentious and a player, and he had hated me for so long I forgot that we were ever anything more than enemies.
Brutally beautiful and savagely heartless, his only plan was to ruin everything I loved.
But dares were made, and even though I had no business saying yes, I found myself in trouble and forced to work with my rival to get us out of it.
He had always been cruel, but something changed.
The lure of him was too much. The way I craved his touch was unbearable.
Just as I fell for him, he proved himself to be exactly who he had been all along.
Grab your copy today!
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Pre-order the stunning conclusion, Deceit of a Devil!
Releasing September 23rd
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Excerpt
I walked into Wings and Things and spotted Eli as soon as I made it through the door. He smiled before standing and coming to meet me. I couldn’t tell if anyone else was already at the table, and I tried to remind myself that I shouldn’t care. Tonight was about having fun and getting to know Eli.
Carson didn’t matter for either of those things. I would just drown him out and pretend he wasn’t there. That was what I was used to doing. That was what the two of us had been doing for years.
Even though I was already a little but irritated that Eli hadn’t offered to pick me up. My dad was irritated by that fact too.
“You look beautiful.” Eli grinned before pulling me into a hug.
“Thank you.” I breathed in the scent of his warm cologne, the smell familiar and calming. “You look nice as well.”
I looked up at him as he let me go. He was much taller than me, although shorter than Carson, and he had a smile that made me feel comfortable.
He grabbed my hand in his and led the way back to the table. I fixed my hair while I was still blocked from view, and I planted the best smile I could manage on my face as he pulled out the chair for me that was directly across from Carson.
“Thank you.” I settled into my seat and tried to avoid making eye contact with Carson.
“Allie, this is Kimberly. Kimberly, Allie. I think you all might know each other.”
I looked across the table at Kimberly, and of course I knew her. We had gone to school together since grade school, and I had hated her almost as long. She was popular, conceited, and a perfect fit for Carson.
“Of course.” I nodded and pulled out my menu. “How are you, Kim?”
“I’m perfect.” She giggled and looked over at Carson. His hand disappeared under the table, and even though I couldn’t see it, I knew that his hand probably rested on her thigh.
I wanted to rip it off.
“Awesome,” I mumbled and tried to focus on the menu.
Carson laughed under his breath, but I ignored him.
“What are you getting?” I looked to my right where Eli sat. “Do you want to share some wings?”
“Oh.” He looked up from his menu. “I was thinking about getting the burger.”
“A burger at a wing place.” Carson scoffed and tossed his menu down on the table. “I’ll share an order with you, Allie. Kim’s getting a salad.”
He didn’t give me time to answer. As soon as the waitress came to our table, Carson opened his mouth. “My girl Allie and I are going to share a large order of wings, extra ranch for both of us. No carrots. She hates those.”
I looked at him like he had lost his mind because I was pretty sure that he had.
“What can I get you to drink?” The waitress was now looking at me.
“Um, just a Coke, please.”
Everyone else ordered their food, and I fidgeted with my hands under the table.
“So, Allie, how is school going for you?” I looked up at Eli. I had almost forgotten he was there.
“It’s all right. I’m so ready for fall break, though.”
“Me too.” He nodded. “Are you going anywhere? My family is taking a trip to Europe.”
“No.” I almost choked on the word. Sometimes I forgot just how far apart my family was from those who went to Prep. They were made of money, old money to be exact, and guys like Eli had never had to think about working or how he’d pay for college. “We typically stay home and do a Thanksgiving meal at our house. It’s real low-key.”
And my dad would still be working every day except for Thanksgiving, and my small house would be busting with people. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. We were always together on holidays, and I loved it.
It may not have been Europe, but it was ours.
“That’s cool.” He nodded and turned his chair to where he faced me better. “We’ve been going to Europe for years now. My parents love it, and they take us about every other year. Have you ever been?”
“To Europe?” I shook my head, and suddenly I felt ridiculous. “No. The farthest I’ve been is Disney World.” I didn’t mention that had been almost ten years ago.
I could hear Carson and Kimberly talking across from us, and I hoped he was too enthralled with her and her perfect face to even consider listening to our conversation.
Eli laughed like I had just told a joke, but I hadn’t. “That’s too bad. I bet you would really like Europe.”
“What makes you think that, Eli?” Carson was leaned back in his chair with his arm resting on the back of Kimberly’s.
Eli laughed nervously and looked between me and Carson. “It’s Europe.” He shrugged his shoulders.
“But you don’t know anything about Allie specifically that would make her love Europe, correct?”
Eli opened his mouth, but Carson continued.
“Like you have no clue that she’s been dreaming of going to Paris forever, and she has this little Eiffel Tower key chain that she’s had on her set of keys since she’s had them. Or that she thinks she’s part Irish because she has a little bit of green in her eyes.”
“I didn’t realize you knew so much about her.” Eli was no longer aloof. He was sizing Carson up, and I wasn’t here for a pissing contest.
“Well, now you do.” Carson stared back at him with the same unrelenting gaze, and I felt like I was going insane.
Carson hadn’t given a shit about me since that night he needed me and I wasn’t there. If he wasn’t ignoring me altogether, he was making me wish he was, and now all of the sudden, he wanted to share wings and spew facts about me like he was my best friend.
“Stop,” I hissed. “You’re being an ass. Aren’t you supposed to be on your own date?” I looked over at Kimberly, and she looked uncomfortable. I couldn’t blame her. I felt uncomfortable too.
The waitress arrived back at our table with food in hand, and we were spared from whatever Carson was going to say next. He looked down at the food, and his bright eyes looked so hollow. He scrunched his brow, something he always did when he was upset, and his jaw stiffened. I didn’t know if he was angry with me or with himself.
But I didn’t want to find out. I quickly grabbed a wing from our plate and took a huge bite. Sauce dripped down my chin, but I didn’t stop. The food was a distraction. If we were eating, then we weren’t talking, and I couldn’t stand to hear anything more from Carson right now.
Not after everything he just said. Not with the way he had brought up memories of me like it wouldn’t mess with my head.
“This is good.” I wiped at my mouth with the back of my hand. “Do you want a bite?” I looked over to Eli, and he shook his head as he looked at my half-bitten wing.
“Nah. I’m good.”
“Suit yourself.” I shrugged as I looked down at his measly-looking burger.
“I’ll take one.” Carson reached forward, his fingers wrapping around my wrist, and he stood in his seat enough to bring my hand to his lips. I stared at him, shocked by what he was doing, but there wasn’t an ounce of shame in his gaze.
He didn’t look away from me for a second as he bit down into the wing I was still holding, and I couldn’t stop myself from holding my breath as his lips met my fingers. Carson Hale wasn’t just taking a bite of my chicken. He was causing a scene, and part of me wondered how he had gotten so damn good at it.
He ran his tongue over the edge of my thumb, licking up the sauce that had dripped there, and I felt like he had just used his tongue on parts of my body that no one else ever had. I pressed my thighs together as I watched his mouth, and I couldn’t bring myself to care that Eli was watching me as Carson finally let go of my hand and settled back into his seat.
“You’re right, Allie. That’s absolutely delicious.” He licked his lip before picking up a wing of his own, then began eating like that display hadn’t just happened.
I picked up my napkin, quickly dropping my gaze to my lap as I wiped my hands, but I couldn’t get the feel of him off. And I didn’t know if I wanted to.
About Holly
I’m Holly Renee, a small-town east Tennessee girl who is obsessed with all things romance. I love bringing flawed, sassy, and real characters to life in a way that makes you feel like you’ve been best friends with them for years. No two Holly Renee books are the same, but if you love real, relatable, fun female characters and swoon-worthy heroes, I’m your girl.
When I’m not writing or reading, you can find me momming so hard, being disgustingly in love with my husband, or chilling in the middle of a lake with my sunglasses and a float. #lakelife
I have a 2-year-old adorable little man who is as wild and sweet as they come and a baby girl on the way.
Connect with Holly
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Website: https://www.authorhollyrenee.com
When my young son inherited half of his great grandfather’s historic inn, I decided to move us both to the place where I grew up.
Notice I said half of the Inn. The other half now belonged to Levi Miller, the famous quarterback who had other ideas about what we should do with the property.
We won’t mention that I accidentally injured him during our first meeting, causing him to get eight stitches.
You could say we got off on the wrong foot.
We bickered a lot as we both moved into the property while we figured things out.
He wanted to unload the rundown place which, admittedly, needed a lot of work.
I wanted to restore The Palm Inn to its original beauty and re-open it as a bed and breakfast.
We couldn’t agree on anything. So Levi made me a proposal. One he thought I would surely lose. If I could sell out the place by the time he had to leave for training at the end of summer, he would back off and let me run it.
But in the weeks that followed, we got more than we bargained for while we were living under the same roof.
Levi and I got closer, and before I knew it, my nightly fantasies about the brawny Adonis became a reality. Not to mention, he was so great with my son.
We were in over our heads in more ways than one.
Because not only was he the last man on Earth I should be falling for because of our deal, but Levi was also my ex’s older brother.
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-five languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
Genre: NA Romance, College Sports Romance, Interracial Romance
Release Date: September 4, 2021
I Don’t Get Sundays – “Holy goodness, this was one of those can’t put down until the very last word books.”
Lindzanne1_bookworm – “This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster!”
Romance Me – “I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of I’ll Be There and I can say, with this I definitely found another so far new to me author whose backlist will be immediately checked out now.”
Jasmine Phillips has always had her sights set high, and it seems like she has everything figured out. She has the grades, the looks, the money—and let’s not forget her perfect boyfriend. To anyone on the outside looking in, she has the perfect life. Little do they know, it’s not what it seems. Despite her stellar grades and top percentile MCAT score, her parents still aren’t happy. Jasmine’s surgeon parents want her to follow in their footsteps while she wants to pursue a career in pediatrics. However, this turns out to be the least of her worries. Her perfect, med student boyfriend is determined to ruin her future along with his own. When he lays his hands on her for the first time, Jasmine’s life is thrown into turmoil and Brock Givens seems to be the only one able to keep her life from spinning out of control.
Brock Givens might seem like an average dumb jock at a glance but to people who know him, he’s much more that. While a football star, he’s also smarter than most give him credit for and has a passion for more than just football, but that doesn’t mean he’s without issues of his own. Brock’s troubled past and childhood trauma are impacting his football career and threatening his future. Jasmine tries to be there for Brock as a friend but they seem to be getting closer and closer each day while denying there is anything more than friendship until their mutual need for comfort and support brings them closer than they anticipate.
Content Warning, contains scenes of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and racism.
Remy Marie is an interracial romance author who loves to write about charming heroes and brave heroines. While writing never came naturally for Remy, he continued to strengthen his craft, by constantly reading and writing. If he is not writing or reading, he is usually watching TV with his supportive wife, aggressively cheering for his college and professional sports teams, playing video games, or crunching numbers at his daytime job.
Goodreads Review – “This one was a doozy, but so satisfying to see Ozzy find his soulmate and how love can overcome just about anything.”
Goodreads Review – “Again, when I think that Jeanne St. James has reached the top, she climbs that mountain even further, and brings us an incredible story filled with such raw and gripping emotion.”
Goodreads Review – “What an exceptional story! A fantastic ride that you will not want to get off.”
They call him The Great Oz, but for Ozzy, sometimes life isn’t so great…
Over twenty years ago, at seventeen, the Blood Fury’s colors were inked onto Ozzy’s back.
But when the club imploded, he was one of the few who survived.
Throughout his life, the Original has made mistakes.
Too many to count.
Most didn’t matter.
Until the last one.
The one he regrets.
The one that left a mark.
Once he realized he screwed up, it was too late.
Now his urge to hit the road is strong, to go back to being a nomad tempting.
Recent events proved he never should’ve come back since being a rolling stone’s in his blood.
Because back then, he’d only joined the Blood Fury for one reason and one reason only…
Revenge.
Now, once again, nothing’s holding him in Manning Grove any longer.
Until someone tied to his past appears.
She makes him reevaluate his life choices, in both the past and for the future.
However, will he learn from his latest mistake, or is he destined to make the same one all over again?
Or will his choice be made for him once the truth is revealed?
Note: Blood & Bones: Ozzy is the ninth book in the Blood Fury MC series. As always, this book has no cheating, no cliffhanger, and has an HEA. It’s best to read this series in order. It’s also highly recommended to read Crash: A Dirty Angels MC/Blood Fury MC Crossover before Ozzy’s story.
JEANNE ST. JAMES is a USA Today and international bestselling romance author who loves writing about strong women and alpha males. She was only thirteen when she first started writing. Her first published piece was an erotic short story in Playgirl magazine. She then went on to publish her first romance novel in 2009. She is now an author of over fifty contemporary romances. She writes M/F, M/M, and M/M/F ménages, including interracial. Want to read a sample of her work? Download a free sampler book here: BookHip.com/MTQQKK
After two days as his bodyguard, I was ready to throttle my principal my own damn self.
I was also covered in more sweat and filth than I’d been on my worst day ever in Afghanistan.
The duchess, meanwhile, seemed as pristine as the moment we’d landed, of course—and unfairly fucking gorgeous, not that that mattered. But then again, he hadn’t been the one schlepping all of the supplies on and off buses, up and down half-broken stairs, and into a stifling storage room at the back of the small medical building where we’d be spending the next month of our lives.
No, that privilege had been all mine ever since he’d brilliantly pulled the “grandfather card” on me. It was a card he’d been slapping down at least once an hour since we’d left Tennessee.
“Grandfather would be upset if I got a hernia.”
“Pretty sure my grandfather wouldn’t want me coming home after only a day because I strained my back hauling boxes around.”
“I would hate for you to get in trouble with your boss if I slipped and fell into that rocky ditch.”
“I wonder what my grandfather would think about a former Marine who was afraid of a little physical labor.”
That had been the straw that had broken the camel’s back, as I’m sure he’d intended. You didn’t throw down a challenge to someone’s service branch like that. It just wasn’t done.
Besides, hauling his shit kept my hands too busy to throttle the fucker… or to kiss him. And that was becoming more and more necessary as this interminable day wore on. I had thought being a jerk to him at his grandfather’s house would have helped me keep my distance from him. It would be easier not to be tempted by the beautiful, successful man if he hated me.
But instead of being an asshole back to me, he was an enticing kind of passive-aggressive. He acted like he was sweet as pie while he pursed his lips in false disappointment for having to force me to do all the grunt work.
The doctor was diabolical. And it only made me want him more. I’d watched him at the gala. The adorable way he joked with the bartender and the kind manner he had with the locals were enough to attract my notice even before I’d discovered he was my principal on this job.
But he was off-limits, so I needed to shut my attraction to him down and shove it away if I wanted to stay on my boss’s good side.
As I re-entered the main room of the clinic, I heard Carter’s cultured voice speaking to Eriko, the man who’d welcomed us to the Doctors Across Continents facility in the rural town of Gelada. “No, no, getting here on our own was no problem! Mr. Riggs—oh, and please make sure you call him Mr. Riggs, because he really enjoys that—that man is never happier than when he’s useful. Carrying things is literally his favorite activity! Many a time I’ve tried to encourage him, ‘Mr. Riggs, please put down the box! That’s too heavy!’ but he simply refuses. ‘I’m enjoying myself too much, Dr. Rogers!’ he’ll say, and then he’ll pick up more boxes. So by all means, if you have heavy things to be moved, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Eriko murmured a reply I couldn’t hear over the gritting of my teeth, and Carter laughed lightly.
“Oh, no. He’s not really my manservant, per se. More like a man who serves as… my assistant. And of course he’ll be happy to help transport any patients who can’t get here on their own! I daresay he’d enjoy the challenge. A few more notches on his heavy-things-I’ve-carried belt! He’s good for the physical tasks, not so much the…” He glanced up at me innocently when my boots made a sound on the floor. “Oh, speaking of the devil. Mr. Riggs, I was just telling Eriko that you’d love to help retrieve any invalid patients who need help getting to the center. Isn’t that right?”
The look on his face begged for a solid love tap from my fist. But at the same time, the look in his eyes—teasing, intensely intelligent, just like he’d been at the bar that night at the Licking-Nuthatch Gala—made me want to tap… other parts of him. Parts that would land me in serious trouble with Champ or possibly on the unemployment line, if my distraction didn’t land us in danger first.
I could not afford to like this guy.
“I think it makes more sense to stay here and assist you, Doctor. Remember the problems you’ve been having with your…” I glanced at Eriko with a grimace. “Digestion? I’d hate to leave you alone in case it comes roaring back.”
Carter’s eyes narrowed the slightest bit. I’d made up the part about the digestion problems.
Or, okay, I hadn’t made them up so much as transferred them from me to him.
“Yes, right,” he said, rather than correcting me. “You do like to clean the toilets as soon as I’m finished. Thank you for the reminder.” He turned back to Eriko. “Such a helpful boy. Don’t know what I’d do if he fell off the side of a cliff. Or whatever. Anyway, we should be ready to begin receiving patients at seven tomorrow morning. Hopefully we can prioritize the people who need to get to work.”
As Carter listened to the local man, who at this point looked like a deer caught in confused headlights, I got the lay of the land. We were in a fairly large room, maybe twenty by thirty feet. The building was made out of cement blocks, which actually provided a little break from the heat of the day. Large industrial fans that looked like they were several generations older than Eriko blew from two corners of the room, creating some much-needed ventilation. Two windows on either end of the room were covered with thick iron bars for security, and there was a similar metal security door on the front and back of the building. They were currently propped open to keep the air moving. Several locals had already poked their heads in and asked if the clinic was open yet.
“The bedroom is just there,” Eriko said, gesturing to the other door at the back of the building. I glanced over at the small room, replaying his sentence in my mind until the word “bedroom” turned plural from wishful thinking. “There is a pallet on the floor for your helper.”
I tilted my head at him. Was he trolling me?
Carter’s sparkling eyes suggested Eriko was being sincere. “Excellent! I’m sure Mr. Riggs will appreciate your kindness.”
Eriko looked very pleased. He informed Carter that someone from the community would be stopping by with our dinner and we were welcome to spend the rest of the evening setting up for tomorrow’s clinic.
“We are very grateful you are here. The people of Gelada have to travel very far to see a doctor. Many of them do not have money for the bus. When you come with your supplies and medicines… well, we are truly blessed.”
Carter’s face softened. Suddenly, I could see the doctor behind the snarky duchess. “It’s my pleasure. Thank you for having us.”
As soon as the local man was gone, closing the outer door and making sure Carter locked it from the inside, Carter’s smile disappeared.
“Aw. Someone looks like he’s having a grumpy day,” Carter remarked with fake sympathy as he passed me. “What’s wrong, Mr. Riggs? Not enough box carrying for you?”
“Just thinking that this pallet looks like it’s going to hurt your back.” I folded my arms over my chest. “Might consider hitting up the med cabinet before hitting the hay, Duchess.”
Carter didn’t even turn around and look at me. He simply said, “Duchesses don’t sleep on pallets, Mr. Riggs. This is well-known.”
Meet Lucy Lennox
Lucy Lennox is finally putting good use to that English Lit degree earned way back in the 1900s.
She stays up way too late each night reading M/M romance because she is a sucker for a good story.
May is an M/M author who lives in Boston. She spends her days raising three incredibly sarcastic children, finding inventive ways to drive her husband crazy, planning beach vacations, avoiding the gym, reading M/M romance, and occasionally writing it.
Imagine experiencing the kind of love that stays with your soul for all of eternity, continuously defeating all odds… including death.
Liam
My whole life, I’ve been a dreamer. I dream of places I’ve never been, people I’ve never met, situations I’ve never been in, but I never understood why… until met him.
Elijah
Being forced to move from the city to a small town is not how I wanted to spend my last year of high school. I don’t want to be here, and I swore to myself I wouldn’t get attached to anyone or anything… but then I met him.
Rayah Xavier has something in her very blood that makes her unique—so extraordinary that in a world ruled by the Shifter Elite, she still stands out as a prize the commander must have for his collection.
With his enhanced army of soldiers hell-bent on destruction and death, he takes control of shifter minds across the globe with the synthetic serum that he also knows can make Rayah’s powers limitless.
Now wounded and on the run from the commander and his army, Rayah seeks shelter at the only place she considers her sanctuary.
The zoo.
There she must regroup with her sexy new mates and find a way to save the shifters from the commander’s mind control, or the whole world will become his new playground…
The truth is never what it seems. Neither are the people, regardless of who they are.
Eva Winners released her first novel Second Chance At Love in 2020 and has been writing vigorously ever since. She writes about everlasting romance for every century focusing on characters emotional development and always guarantees an HEA.
