Category: giveaway

A Compendium of Characters by Mason Bushell Genre: Short Stories, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Adventure

The world of imagination is a magical place filled with fantastical stories. Inside A Compendium of Characters you’ll be drawn into myth, legend, and mystery on every page, and across various genres. You’ll meet aliens, vampires, angels, and maybe a ghost or two; discover stranded people, farmers with shotguns and people to save. There’ll be romantic liaisons, fairytale frolics, and mysteries to solve! **Only .99 cents!!** Goodreads * Amazon

Mason is a naturalist in every way and spends much of his time in the nature reserves by his home. His faithful dog Lucy is never too far away, especially when he is experimenting with the culinary arts. Mason loves a good mystery and dreams of opening a restaurant like the Workhouse soon. Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Paranormal!
‘Kerry’s world had faded to sunlight-dappled shades of green. She felt as if the woodland was hugging
her tight. It was always her most favourite place to go for a walk to relax.’
‘A white sailing skiff flashed through his mind, severed by a bolt of lightning behind his eyes. He
remembered the storm and the rogue wave that capsized his vessel. There was nothing else until now.’
“Hmm, that’s so good!” He drank for another two minutes. “I’ll make a camp at the forest fringe to watch
for boats. I can drink all I need and hunt the rabbits…” Harry planned aloud, as if he were giving himself
orders. “Yes – I can survive here. Erm, I’ll need fires for signalling as well. I—”
‘Marie-Clair was still there… lurking… following in the shadows. From the bushes she leapt, howling like a
banshee.’

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Tender Misdemeanors by Alana Lorens Genre: Romantic Suspense

Caryn Orlane has law enforcement in her blood; her father was a cop, and his father, too. She’s a federal agent in northwest Montana, protecting the old forests and keeping the peace. Levi Bradshaw also believes in protecting the forests, but has a very different MO. He’s the leader of a group of eco-warriors, determined to save the trees of the Bitterroot by legal—and illegal—means. When they meet in the woods at gunpoint, their encounter ignites a spark of interest, despite operating on opposite sides of the law. When their worlds turn on them, they only grow closer. If they don’t work together, can either survive? Add to GoodreadsAmazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo

Alana Lorens (aka Barbara Mountjoy) has been a published writer for over 35 years, including seven years as a reporter and editor at the South Dade News Leader in Homestead, Florida. Her list of publications includes the non-fiction book 101 Little Instructions for Surviving Your Divorce, published by Impact Publishers in 1999, stories in A Cup of Comfort for Divorced Women, in December 2008, and A Cup of Comfort for Adoptive Parents, in June 2009. Website * Facebook * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

She ran a hand through the front of her hair, pulling the thick strands back away from her face. She
had no need to keep it in the bun or the tieback she often wore on duty, so she let it fly loose in the wind. She
had hardly a care in the world, as long as she looked through the window of her life with a narrow screen, only
allowing a certain amount of light in.
Caryn broke into a run, calling them to follow her. “Come on Rose, Guildy…Pete?” She didn’t see
Ophelia anywhere, but she could always come out the dog door if she wanted to join them. “Everyone, let’s
roll!”

She let loose, feeling each point of contact her foot had with the ground, swinging her arms to increase
her speed, taking in deep breaths that invigorated her. The downhill slope added momentum as well. By the
time she reached the stretch of grass at the bottom of the hill, she was traveling so fast that when Rosie cut in
front of her, she had no way to avoid her. She tripped over the dog, taking a jarring landing face down on the
ground, her breath knocked out of her, and her arm and side burned.
The dogs came over to her, sniffing at her and licking her face, encouraging her to get up. Ribs aching,
she caught the glimpse of blood pooling on her forearm. She must have scraped herself…no.
Studying the wound, she realized that it was not a scrape of any sort, and there was no object lying
near her that might have caused a vicious cut. What the hell?
A flash of light near the top of the hill in the trees caught her eye. At second glance, she recognized it
as the sun reflecting off the long barrel of a rifle. The shooter aimed, fired, and some turf four feet in front of
her tore off as the shot echoed in the mountain air. Her stomach went askew. They’re shooting at me? Shot
me?
Anger bubbled up inside her and it was all she could do not to launch herself from the ground and take off up
the hill after him. Or her. But the shooter had the advantage here. She was in an open field at this point, and a
clear target. What could she do?

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The Lover’s Portrait Zelda Richardson Mystery Series Book 1 by Jennifer S. Alderson Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

A portrait holds the key to recovering a cache of looted artwork, secreted away during World War II, in this captivating historical art thriller set in the 1940s and present- day Amsterdam. When a Dutch art dealer hides the stock from his gallery – rather than turn it over to his Nazi blackmailer – he pays with his life, leaving a treasure trove of modern masterpieces buried somewhere in Amsterdam, presumably lost forever. That is, until American art history student Zelda Richardson sticks her nose in. After studying for a year in the Netherlands, Zelda scores an internship at the prestigious Amsterdam Museum, where she works on an exhibition of paintings and sculptures once stolen by the Nazis, lying unclaimed in Dutch museum depots almost seventy years later. When two women claim the same portrait of a young girl entitled Irises, Zelda is tasked with investigating the painting’s history and soon finds evidence that one of the two women must be lying about her past. Before she can figure out which one and why, Zelda learns about the Dutch art dealer’s concealed collection. And that Irises is the key to finding it. Her discoveries make her a target of someone willing to steal – and even kill – to find the missing paintings. As the list of suspects grows, Zelda realizes she has to track down the lost collection and unmask a killer if she wants to survive. Awarded a B.R.A.G. Medallion by indieBRAG’s readers in March 2019 Chosen as Chill with a Book’s January 2018 Book of the Month and winner of a Chill with a Book Readers’ Award One of TripFiction’s 10 Favorite Books set in Amsterdam Silver Cup winner in Rosie’s Book Review Team 2017 Awards, Mystery category Readers’ Favorite 5 star medal One of The Displaced Nation magazine’s Top 36 Expat Fiction Picks of 2016 One of Women Writers, Women’s Books magazine’s Recommended Reads for April 2017. Set in present day and wartime Amsterdam, this captivating thriller is not just about stolen paintings, but also the lives that were stolen. This art history mystery also describes the plight of homosexuals and Jewish artists in Europe during World War II, as well as the complexities inherent to the restitution of artwork stolen by the Nazis in the 1930s and 1940s. The Lover’s Portrait is Book One in the Zelda Richardson Mystery Series. The amateur sleuth mysteries in this series can be read in any order. Goodreads * AmazonBook Trailerhttps://youtu.be/nqe0f5wh7aE

Rituals of the Dead Zelda Richardson Mystery Series Book 2

A museum researcher must solve a decades-old murder before she becomes the killer’s next victim in this riveting dual timeline thriller set in Papua and the Netherlands. Agats, Dutch New Guinea (Papua), 1961: While collecting Asmat artifacts for a New York museum, American anthropologist Nick Mayfield stumbles upon a smuggling ring organized by high-ranking members of the Dutch colonial government and the Catholic Church. Before he can alert the authorities, he vanishes in a mangrove swamp, never to be seen again. Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2018: While preparing for an exhibition of Asmat artifacts in a Dutch ethnographic museum, researcher Zelda Richardson finds Nick Mayfield’s journal in a long-forgotten crate. Before Zelda can finish reading the journal, her housemate is brutally murdered and ‘Give back what is not yours’ is scrawled on their living room wall. Someone wants ancient history to stay that way—and believes murder is the surest way to keep the past buried. Can she solve a sixty-year-old mystery before decades of deceit, greed, and retribution cost Zelda her life? Awarded a B.R.A.G. Medallion by indieBRAG’s readers in December 2018 One of Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews’ Top 20 Books of 2018 Winner of a Chill with a Book Readers’ Award, June 2018 A Women Writers, Women’s Books magazine’s Recommended Reads for March 2018 New Apple’s 2018 Summer Book Awards, Official Selection Mystery/Thriller category BookLife Prize for Fiction 2018, Mystery/Thriller category, rating 8.50 Art, religion and history collide in this edge-of-your-seat museum thriller, Book Two of the Zelda Richardson Mystery Series. The novels in this series can be read in any order. Goodreads * Amazon

Marked For Revenge Zelda Richardson Mystery Series Book 3

An exhilarating adventure set in the Netherlands, Croatia, Italy, Luxembourg, and Turkey about stolen art, the mafia, and a father’s vengeance. When researcher Zelda Richardson begins working at a local museum, she doesn’t expect to get entangled with an art theft, knocked unconscious by a forger, threatened by the mob, or stalked by drug dealers. To make matters worse, a Croatian gangster is convinced Zelda knows where a cache of recently pilfered paintings is. She must track down an international gang of art thieves and recover the stolen artwork in order to save those she loves most. The trouble is, Zelda doesn’t know where to look. Teaming up with art detective Vincent de Graaf may be her only hope at salvation. The trail of clues leads Zelda and Vincent on a pulse-pounding race across Europe to a dramatic showdown in Turkey that may cost them their lives. Awarded a Chill with a Book Readers’ Award in June 2019A Women Writers, Women’s Books magazine Recommended Reads in June 2019One of Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews Top 20 Reads of 2019Placed at #30 in ReadFreely’s Top 50 Indie Reads of 2019Chosen as Chill with a Book’s June 2019 Cover of the MonthMarked for Revenge is the third book in the Zelda Richardson Mystery Series. The novels in this series can be read in any order. Goodreads * Amazon

The Vermeer Deception Zelda Richardson Mystery Series Book 4

An art historian finds – then loses – a portrait by Johannes Vermeer in this thrilling art mystery set in Munich, Heidelberg, and Amsterdam. When Zelda Richardson investigates a new lead about a missing portrait by Johannes Vermeer, no one expects her to actually find the painting in a retired art dealer’s home in Munich, Germany. Not her parents visiting from America; her boss, private detective Vincent de Graaf; or the rightful owner of the Nazi-looted artwork. However, Zelda’s jubilation turns to horror when she arrives to pick up the portrait and finds the art dealer dead and several frames smoldering in his fireplace. Was the Vermeer a fake and its ‘discovery’ a cruel joke played on a Nazi victim? The Munich police, Zelda’s family, and Vincent certainly think so. Yet the art dealer’s best friend believes he was murdered and the real Vermeer stolen by an underground network of art looters, one established during World War II and still active today. The problem is, no one believes him – except Zelda. Zelda soon finds herself in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with immoral art collectors, corrupt dealers, and an all-to-real killer who wants her to stop searching. Can Zelda uncover the truth about the Vermeer before she is painted out of the picture permanently? The Vermeer Deception is Book 4 in the Zelda Richardson Mystery Series. The novels in this series can be read in any order. **On Sale for only $2.99!**Goodreads * Amazon

Hi! I am an American expat currently living in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, I moved to Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands. When not writing, you can find me in a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning my next research trip. My love of travel, art, and culture inspires my award-winning Zelda Richardson Mystery series, Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and standalone stories. The Lover’s Portrait (Book One) is a suspenseful whodunit about Nazi- looted artwork that transports readers to WWII and present-day Amsterdam. Art, religion, and anthropology collide in Rituals of the Dead (Book Two), a thrilling artifact mystery set in Papua New Guinea and the Netherlands. My pulse-pounding adventure set in the Netherlands, Croatia, Italy, and Turkey— Marked for Revenge (Book Three)—is a story about stolen art, the mafia, and a father’s vengeance. The Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries are a funny new series featuring tour guide and amateur sleuth, Lana Hansen. Join Lana as she leads tourists and readers to fascinating cities around the globe on intriguing adventures that, unfortunately for Lana, often turn deadly. Book One— Death on the Danube —takes Lana to Budapest for a New Year’s trip. Can Lana figure out who murdered her fellow tour guide before she too ends up floating in the Danube? Death by Baguette: A Valentine’s Day Murder in Paris (Books Two) will be released in February 2020, and Book 3 in May 2020. I am also the author of Down and Out in Kathmandu , Holiday Gone Wrong , and Notes of a Naive Traveler . Connect with me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or my website. I have also started a group for readers and writers of travel fiction and non-fiction – Travel By Book. We are a promotion and discussion group active on Facebook with a growing presence here on Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/216133-travel-by-book Thanks for stopping by! Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

The Lover’s Portrait
Just two more crates, then our work is finally done, Arjan reminded himself as he bent down
to grasp the thick twine handles, his back muscles already yelping in protest. Drops of sweat
were burning his eyes, blurring his vision. “You can do this,” he said softly, heaving the
heavy oak box upwards with an audible grunt.
Philip nodded once, then did the same. Together they lugged their loads across the moonlit
room, down the metal stairs, and into the cool subterranean space below. After hoisting the
last two crates onto a stack close to the ladder, Arjan smiled in satisfaction, slapping Philip on
the back as he regarded their work. One hundred and fifty-two crates holding his most
treasured objects, and those of so many of his friends, were finally safe. Relief briefly
overcame the panic and dread he’d been feeling for longer than he could remember. Preparing
the space and artwork had taken more time than he’d hoped it would, but they’d done it. Now
he could leave Amsterdam knowing he’d stayed true to his word. Arjan glanced over at
Philip, glad he’d trusted him. He stretched out a hand towards the older man. “They fit
perfectly.”
Philip answered with a hasty handshake and a tight smile before nodding towards the
ladder. “Shall we?”
He is right, Arjan thought, there is still so much to do. They climbed back up into the small
shed and closed the heavy metal lid, careful to cushion its fall. They didn’t want to give the
neighbors an excuse to call the Gestapo. Not when they were so close to being finished.
Philip picked up a shovel and scooped sand onto the floor, letting Arjan rake it out evenly
before adding more. When the sand was an inch deep, they shifted the first layer of heavy
cement tiles into place, careful to fit them snug up against each other.
As they heaved and pushed, Arjan allowed himself to think about the future for the first
time in weeks. Hiding the artwork was only the first step; he still had a long way to go before
he could stop looking over his shoulder. First, back to his place to collect their suitcases.
Then, a short walk to Central Station where second-class train tickets to Venlo were waiting.
Finally, a taxi ride to the Belgian border where his contact would provide him with falsified
travel documents and a chauffeur-driven Mercedes-Benz. The five Rembrandt etchings in his
suitcase would guarantee safe passage to Switzerland. From Geneva he should be able to
make his way through the demilitarized zone to Lyon, then down to Marseilles. All he had to
do was keep a few steps ahead of Oswald Drechsler.
Just thinking about the hawk-nosed Nazi made him work faster. So far he’d been able to
clear out his house and storage spaces without Drechsler noticing. Their last load, the
canvases stowed in his gallery, was the riskiest, but he’d had no choice. His friends trusted
him—no, counted on him—to keep their treasures safe. He couldn’t let them down now. Not
after all he’d done wrong.

“Art-related, Dutch goodies” prize package, includes: – Playmobil toy of Vermeer’s The Milkmaid (from the Rijksmuseum) – A notebook featuring Vermeer’s The Milkmaid on the cover – A tulip pen – A fabric bag from a local Amsterdam cafe

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More Than Love A Jenkins Family & Friends Novella by Sharon C. Cooper Genre: Contemporary Romance

Going from friends to lovers doesn’t come easy… Corporate Attorney Benjamin Jenkins is one of Cincinnati’s most eligible bachelors, but he’s only interested in one woman—Makena Nichols. Though life took them in different directions, they’ve been friends for over forty years. Now Ben wants more than just friendship. He wants all of her. Makena compares every man, including her ex-husband, to Ben. He’s her heart. She’s crazy about him, and what they share is more than love. But she’s not willing to risk their friendship for a romance that might not last. However, Ben is persistent, and her stubbornness is no match to his. When a Jenkins’ family secret shatters Ben’s world, Makena is the one he turns to. But will their friendship survive a roller-coaster of emotions? Or will their eternal love bring them through this challenging time? Add to Goodreads Amazon * Apple * B&N * Smashwords

Award-winning and bestselling author, Sharon C. Cooper, is a romance-a-holic – loving anything that involves romance with a happily-ever-after, whether in books, movies, or real life. Sharon writes contemporary romance, as well as romantic suspense and enjoys rainy days, carpet picnics, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She’s been nominated for numerous awards and is the recipient of Emma Awards (RSJ) for Author of the Year 2019, Favorite Hero 2019 (INDEBTED), Romantic Suspense of the Year 2015 (TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES), Interracial Romance of the Year 2015 (ALL YOU’LL EVER NEED), and BRAB (book club) Award -Breakout Author of the Year 2014. When Sharon isn’t writing, she’s hanging out with her amazing husband, doing volunteer work or reading a good book (a romance of course). To read more about Sharon and her novels, visit www.sharoncooper.net Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

“Come here.” Ben pulled her close.
Makena didn’t protest. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her chin on his
shoulder. She might be afraid to risk their friendship for something more serious, but there was one thing
she couldn’t deny. Being in Ben’s strong arms felt like home. Warm. Comfortable. Safe. It felt right. He
felt right.
She inhaled his fresh scent, a combination of his natural redolence and the body wash in the guest
bathroom. Makena loved everything about this man. He was intelligent, kind, honorable, and the most
dependable man she knew. He was everything she desired. What if she was making a mistake by not
taking their relationship to the next level? What if she kept the distance between them, and another
woman came along and snagged his attention? She would never know if they could be more than friends
if she didn’t give them a chance.
No. No. No, her common sense screamed inside of her. I can’t. We can’t, she told herself.
Ben moved slightly, and Makena’s head shot up. Their gazes collided, and before she could process
what was happening, his mouth settled over hers. The realization that he was…that she was…that they
were kissing each other, hit Makena like a two-by-four against her head.
The kiss was urgent, yet exploratory. She knew she should stop what he had started. She knew she
should push him away. She even knew the last thing they should be doing was kissing. But man if she
wasn’t enjoying the moment.
The kiss quickly grew more intense, sending the pit of her stomach into a tailspin. Ben’s hold on her
tightened and he deepened their connection. Makena’s brain told her to back away, but the desire pulsing
through her body said no, not yet.
“Well, it’s about time.”
Ben and Makena startled apart like two teenagers getting caught making out in the back seat of a
car. She tried catching her breath as her heart practically pounded out of her chest and her hand hovered
over her mouth.
Her daughter Ava stood at the opening of the kitchen, grinning like she was just notified that she
had won Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes.
“Does that mean that you approve?” Ben asked, his grin matching Ava’s.
Makena swatted his arm as embarrassment swirled inside of her. “There’s nothing to approve. That
ki— Uh, this,” she stammered, shocked that she hadn’t heard her daughter enter the house. “This is not
what it looked like.”
Ava burst out laughing. “Well, it looked like a whole lotta something to me.” She strolled toward
them, still grinning and walked into Ben’s arms, greeting him with a hug like usual. “Hey, Uncle Ben.
Are those your famous pancakes I smell?” she asked, searching the kitchen.
“Yeah, there’s plenty left in the warming drawer. Help yourself. We’ve eaten.”
Ava’s gaze bounced from Ben to Makena. “Really? ’Cause you guys still look a little hungry to
me.”

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Kill For You A Warrior For Her #2 by Ayden K. Morgen Genre: Romantic Suspense

The last thing Detective Octavio Hernandez expects to find at the scene of a mass gang-related shooting is a brown-eyed angel standing bravely in the midst of the chaos. One look at Faith Donovan and the homicide detective knows there’s more to her than meets the eye. She’s keeping secrets that just might help bring down Los Zetas, one of the biggest drug cartels in Los Angeles. He just has to convince her that trusting him is worth the risk. Forced upon a mother who didn’t want her and enslaved by a gang that refuses to let her go without a fight, Faith’s life has never been her own. She thought she’d made peace with her fate…until Octavio sweeps in and carries her out of her blood-soaked cage. Faith trusts no one, but the hardened detective makes it difficult to remember why. The way he cares for her makes her ache for what she never thought she’d find: love and a family of her own. But trusting him when she knows he has an ulterior motive is one of the most difficult things she’ll ever do. He swore to give her the freedom she craves, but when the secrets she holds paint a target on her back, keeping that promise will prove no easy feat. To secure her freedom and win her heart, this detective will move mountains. And take down anyone standing in his way. Kill for You is the second book in a series of interconnected full-length novels featuring law enforcement officers willing to do whatever it takes to protect the women who need them most. Each book can be read as a standalone, has no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA. Add to GoodreadsAmazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords * Books2Read On March 17th, 100% of author proceeds from Kill for You will be donated to Operation Underground Railroad to aid in the rescue of child victims of human trafficking. Post release day, 10% of proceeds will continue to go to Operation Underground Railroad. To date, Operation Underground Railroad has rescued over 3,200 children from slavery and has helped prosecute over 1,800 human traffickers. Learn more about O.U.R. and pledge your support here.

Fight For You A Warrior For Her #1

Some things are worth fighting for. Some people are worth dying for. For me, January James is both. Too bad she hates me. Ten years ago, I destroyed her life and lost everything that mattered to me. I’ve been in hell since, desperately trying to forget her even though I’ve never been able to do it. She still haunts me. Now a dangerous enemy from my past has it out for her. He isn’t going to stop until he gets what he wants. I know I should stay away before I hurt her all over again, but I can’t do it. It’s time to stop running and start fighting for her. My name is Michael Kincaid, and this is my swan song. When it’s over, I’ll either be the monster at the end of this book…or I’ll be the man January deserves. Fight for You is an angsty and emotional brother’s best friend, second chance romance. It is the first book in a series of interconnected full-length standalone novels featuring alpha male cops willing to do whatever it takes to protect the women who need them most. Each book has no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA. **Only .99cents 3/15 to 3/31 on Amazon!** Goodreads * Amazon

Ayden K. Morgen is the Amazon Bestselling author of the Ragnarök Prophesies series. She lives in the heart of Arkansas with her childhood sweetheart/husband of fifteen years, and their furry minions. When not writing, she spends her time hiking, reading, volunteering, causing mischief, and building a Spork army. She graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology in 2009 before going on to complete her graduate degree in CJ and Law. She puts her education to use as a 911 Dispatch Supervisor, where she’s responsible for leading a team of dispatchers as they watch over police, EMS, and firefighters for her county. Her books feature law enforcement officers, the women who love them, and the difficult cases that drive them. She also writes New Adult Fantasy as A.K. Morgen. Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * AllAuthor * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

“You shouldn’t be out here by yourself,” Cade says.

I cry out, alarmed as he pops up on the other side of the porch railing. I never even heard him
coming. My hand flies to my chest, trying to calm the way my pulse pounds with fear.

“You scared me,” I mutter and then I get a good glimpse at him.

He looks like shit. Even with all those tattoos and that hardness—the dangerous vibe that
radiates from him despite the fact that he’s standing completely still—he’s too handsome for
words. But his eyes are troubled and rimmed with dark shadows. His jaw is scruffy where he
hasn’t shaved. His hair is a mess and his jeans and black t-shirt are wrinkled. The gauges in his
ears and the piercing in his nose make him look dangerous in a way I find far too appealing. The
bandage on his arm is gone, revealing a cut about four inches long. There are still a couple of
stitches holding the edges of his puffy skin together.

“I’m not the monster in the dark you should be afraid of, ba–January,” he says, crossing his

tattooed arms over his broad chest. His gaze roves across my face, but he never meets my
eyes. Even then, I feel exposed in a way I never have before, vulnerable…like he can see all
the ugly scars and jagged wounds inside me.

“I’m not afraid of Kaleo,” I tell him, pulling my legs up into the chair and wrapping my arms
around my knees as if that will keep him from seeing the painful, ugly things inside that still hurt.

“You should be.” He climbs up the steps, his footfalls heavy on the old wood. His boots and the
bottoms of his jeans are splattered with mud. He stops at the top and props his shoulder up on
the post, still watching me. “He’s after the park. He won’t stop until he gets it or someone stops
him.”

“He can’t have it. It’s mine.”

Cade eyes me for a minute and then sighs.

“I didn’t think you were still here,” I say when he doesn’t speak. “Your car is gone.”

“I left it with a friend,” he says.

“Oh.”

An awkward silence stretches between us. I hate it. Things have never been awkward or tense
between us before. They weren’t always easy, but they were always natural. Being with him was
like breathing. It was effortless. I didn’t have to think about it or worry about it. He never made
me feel out of place or like I didn’t fit. He made me feel like I mattered. Like I had a place and a
purpose.

My entire life, I felt like an outsider. I’ve always been significantly smaller than my peers and a
little bit timid because of it. Standing up for myself isn’t something I’ve ever been particularly
good at doing. Mean girls like Mandy Wright went out of their way to make me feel like I wasn’t
good enough. She hated that Cade didn’t want her and made my life miserable because of it.
But Cade always took care of me and made sure I wasn’t excluded. People accepted me
because of him and Titan. All these years later, people still accept me because of them.

“I’m sorry about last night,” I whisper, my heart pounding. Now that the moment’s here, I’m not
even sure where to begin unburdening myself. There’s so much between us…so much I never
got to tell him. So many things I’ve regretted for a long damn time.

“There is no other woman,” he says. He fidgets, rocking on his heels and then running a hand
through his hair. He looks out into the yard and then down at his feet. “Little Mama is like a
sister to me. Her husband, Tristan, is probably the only real friend I’ve had since…well, in a long
time. I had to come back. The guy who took her wanted to do some seriously fucked up shit.

Letting that happen wasn’t an option.”

“Oh.” I swallow and then lick my lips, feeling guilty for being jealous. It’s such a petty, destructive
emotion, one I promised myself I would never give into. But I did yesterday. When I imagined
him racing back here to rescue another woman, I was jealous as hell. That shames me. “Is…is
she okay?”

“Not really, but she will be. She’s got Tristan. He’ll make sure she’s straight.”

“That’s good then.”

We drift off, both peering everywhere but at each other. I stare out into the yard. The flowerbeds
will need to be weeded soon. Dandelions keep popping up all over the place.

“Are you staying for long?” I ask to fill the silence and then peek up at him.

He’s watching me this time, a furrow between his brows.

“Didn’t plan on it, but who knows?” He shrugs, that furrow growing deeper. His face is so much
more severe than it used to be. There’s a darkness there, a wildness that I only ever saw once
—the day he got into a fight with Cody Love in the park because Cody was talking shit about
me. There was murder in his eyes that day, and I see it there again now.

He’s not the same boy he used to be. He’s all man now, with ten years’ worth of history I know
nothing about. It weighs heavily on him. The haunted weariness in his eyes leaves me with the
distinct impression that he carries the weight of the whole world on his broad shoulders and has
for a long time.

“I never hated you,” I whisper to him, my heart hurting at the evidence that life hasn’t been easy
for him. It kills me a little to know I put some of that weight there. That he carries it because of
me…because I was a selfish little girl who lashed out just so I didn’t have to hurt alone. “I was
hurt and angry, and I wanted you to hurt too. But I never hated you, Cade. I never wanted you to
leave.”

“You should have hated me,” he whispers back, his expression so solemn and serious it sends
tears slipping down my cheeks. “You should still hate me. I took everything from you.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” I argue, shaking my head. “I never blamed you. You shouldn’t blame
yourself either.”

He gives me a sad smile. “You always saw more in me than was there. I never deserved you.”
The self-loathing in his voice breaks me.

“You’re wrong. I was the one who didn’t deserve you.” I dash away the tears blurring my vision
and give him a watery smile. “You were always larger than life to me, my own personal hero.
And now look at you. You’re an honest to God hero.”

Cade chuckles, the deep sound hitting me low in my stomach. Heat floods through me in a
warm rush.

“I’m no one’s hero, sweetheart.”

“I bet your friend’s girl would tell you different,” I argue, though I’m not sure why. Clearly, he
doesn’t see himself the way I always have. Back then, I never would have envisioned him as a
cop, but it fits him. He was born to save lives and take down criminals. I’m proud of him.

“T saved his girl, January. I was just there to keep him from destroying himself to do it.” His
expression twists and he holds his hands up, palms facing me. He hits me with a look of such
intense self-hatred it pins me to my chair and steals my breath. “I’m not the hero of this story or
any other. I’ve got so much blood on my hands I’ll never wash clean.”

I flinch, taken aback by how easily those words roll off his tongue. The powerful emotion in his
eyes reflects in his voice, running so deep it’s overwhelming.

“You should get out of here for a few days,” he says, pushing away from the post. “Kaleo isn’t
fucking around. He wants the park and you’re only going to get yourself hurt trying to fight him
on it.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Cade.”

“Why not?” he asks, clearly exasperated with me. He throws his hands up again, flinging his
arms wide this time. “Open your eyes, baby girl. This place is falling the fuck apart. It was a
shithole when we were growing up and it’s a shithole now. The only thing here worth saving is
you.”

Anger courses through me at his words. I jump to my feet and glare at him. “It may be a
shithole, but it matters to me. I’m not going to run and hide while Kaleo strolls in and takes it
from me. Everything else I love is gone. He doesn’t get to take what’s left. I won’t let him.”

“Dammit, January,” he groans and I can’t tell if he’s pissed at me for refusing or if he’s just
annoyed at being back here in general. It doesn’t matter either way. Once upon a time, I would
have given him anything he asked for, no questions asked. But that was then and this is now.
He might not be willing to fight for this block any longer, but I am. It’s the only thing I have left to
fight for.

“Maybe you can turn your back on your home,” I growl at him, desperately wanting to stomp my
foot and throw a tantrum like I did when I was little. “But I can’t. I won’t. I will fight to keep that
bastard off this block until I can’t fight anymore.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed.”

“Then at least I’ll die having stood for something.”

Sometimes, I think maybe dying wouldn’t be so bad. How fucked up is that? I’m so miserable I
think dying would be a relief. That’s not normal. It’s not healthy. But sometimes I think it anyway.

“Goddammit,” he swears. “I don’t have time for this shit right now.”

That hurts. I flinch before I can stop myself. “I never asked you to stay,” I snap, slamming my
hands down on my hips to scowl at him. “Go back to Seattle, Cade. I don’t need your help.”

He grabs me before I can storm inside the house. Sparks of electric fire dance up my arm,
shooting off in all directions from where his fingers wrap around my upper arm. He’s so much
bigger than me…his fingers touch easily. His steely blue-gray eyes meet mine, so dark gray
they’re almost black. His nostrils flare as his expression turns feral, predatory…hungry.

The stark need shining in his eyes has me licking my lips. My nipples harden, my traitorous
body blooming for him.

A guttural groan breaks from his lips and then, somehow, he has me pinned to the front door
with my hands in his hair and my legs wrapped around his waist.

“Fuck,” he curses, then his lips are on mine. He kisses me like a man possessed. There’s
nothing sweet or gentle about the way he takes my mouth. It’s possessive, predatory, and so
damn right.

This is what’s been missing for the last decade. Him and the intense feelings he sends hurtling
through me like a comet. With his lips on mine, I feel alive, like I’m finally, finally living instead of
just going through the motions.

His body is hard everywhere. He grinds me down on the obvious bulge in his jeans as he
attacks my mouth, claiming it like he owns it…owns me. I cry out against his lips, pleasure
hitting me hard and fast. My fingers dance through his hair, tugging and pulling.

An inferno rages between us. Years of overwhelming need tears me apart as he kisses me so
hard I know I’ll remember the feel of his lips on mine for the rest of my life. This kiss is like none
he’s ever given me before. It’s powerful, potent…and perfect.

I can’t give this up. With his lips on mine, I know I’ll never be over him. I’ll never be ready to
move on. And I don’t want to be.

“Cade,” I whisper, wiggling in his arms, desperate for friction where I need it most. Desperate for
him. He’s the only man who has ever touched me. I ache for him. God, I ache so badly. “Cade,
please. I need you so much.”

His body goes taut at my desperate confession. His hands tighten on my ass for a split second
and then he pulls away. I cry out, hating the way it feels when his big body no longer pins me to
the door. When his lips break from mine. When he’s no longer in my personal space,
possessing it.
He slides me down his body until my feet touch the worn wood, then he releases me entirely.

He’s breathing hard, his chest rising and falling like he just ran five miles. His eyes meet mine,
his expression so severe that it steals my breath all over again. He’s definitely all man now,
grown up and so powerful. It’s honestly a little breathtaking to see him like this. With his hair all
messed up, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes on fire, he’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen in my
life.

“Go inside, January,” he rumbles when I lick my lips, savoring the taste of him on them.

“Cade, I–”

“Now!” he barks.

I jump at the loud crack of sound. Tears fill my eyes, rejection burning through me hot and fast.

His thunderous expression softens. He reaches out and tugs gently on a strand of my hair,
exactly like he always did when we were kids and he wanted to comfort me. The corner of his lip
turns up in a sardonic half smile. “I’m the last thing you need. I’ll just fuck up your life all over
again,” he whispers and then he turns and jogs down the steps.

“You were the only thing I ever needed,” I whisper to his back.

He hesitates for a split second, pausing mid-step, then he shakes his head. “Maybe one day I’ll
be the kind of man you deserve, but I’m not him now, January. I’m still the monster at the end of
this book. I always have been.”

“You’re wrong.”

His heavy sigh speaks volumes, and each one of them shatters another little piece of my heart.

“Every goddamn day without you was wrong, baby girl,” he whispers, his voice rough with pain.
“That doesn’t make this right. I already destroyed you once. I won’t do it again now.”

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