K.A. Tucker

K.A. Tucker – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.books2020.com Thu, 25 Sep 2025 16:02:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 http://www.books2020.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png K.A. Tucker – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.books2020.com 32 32 Save Me (The Wolf Hotel Mermaid Beach #2) Read Online K.A. Tucker http://www.books2020.com/save-me-the-wolf-hotel-mermaid-beach-2-read-online-k-a-tucker Thu, 25 Sep 2025 16:02:57 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/save-me-the-wolf-hotel-mermaid-beach-2-read-online-k-a-tucker Genre: Alpha Male, Forbidden Authors: K.A. Tucker Series: The Wolf Hotel Mermaid Beach Series by K.A. Tucker
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Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)

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Save Me is the second book in the highly addictive Wolf Hotel Mermaid Beach series, a spin-off of the Wolf Hotel series.

The last thing I expected to find in Mermaid Beach was love.
Yet, here we are. I, Ronan Lyle, am infatuated with a woman again.
And there is no way in hell I’m losing this one to Henry Wolf.

Some people say I lack purpose.
I’m about to prove them all wrong because my sole purpose in life is to protect Sloane from her billionaire neighbor’s grand plans.
Even if it means my future goes up in flames.

This is the second half of Ronan and Sloane’s story.

Please note: This series is intended for a mature audience

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

1. Ronan

If the dictionary included pictures, Henry Wolf’s smug face would be right next to the definition of a prick.

If Satan were searching for a human host to possess, he would look no further than the evil specimen seated next to me, humming along like a fucking pioneer woman at a washboard on a sunny spring day.

If we were on a sinking ship with only one lifeboat, this motherfucker would shove past women and children to⁠—

“You’re quiet.” Henry interrupts my brooding.

“I’m always quiet.” I deftly maneuver our golf cart past the small army of staff unloading linens from a delivery truck, my foot crushing the pedal.

Okay, so maybe Henry wouldn’t strong-arm children—Abbi would never marry a guy like that. But he is a Grade A douchebag. And maybe I am unusually quiet, but it’s because I’m struggling to keep my cool about the bomb he just dropped on me.

He is intent on destroying Sloane’s life.

How long has he been planning this? If he’s talking about eminent domain, then it’s clear this is not an overnight grudge he’s indulging. He had to have set wheels in motion months ago, and he has the right people in his pocket to make it happen.

There’s no doubt it’ll happen because Henry Wolf always gets what he wants.

My hands hurt. Probably because I’m choking the steering wheel. I ease up on my grip and force indifference into my tone. “These big plans for Mermaid Beach … what do they look like?” I didn’t have a chance to ask before. He took a call and directed me to drive back to the hotel with a dismissive wave of his hand, like I’m Jeeves, his chauffeur.

“New harborfront, definitely. The one here is dated and lackluster.”

I frown. “You want to put in a new harborfront, right next door?”

“Hell no, not there.” His chuckle is condescending. “We’ll tear down the docks and replace them with a new system. Build a new boardwalk, widen the road, add dozens of restaurants and shops. Make it a true destination for people visiting. It’ll bring millions in revenue. The chains are dying to get in, especially now that the hotel is here.”

“And there’s space for all that?” I ask, but the uneasy tingle along my spine tells me I know where he’ll find the space.

“There will be once all those shacks are gone.”

Shacks like the Sea Witch, he means. Fuck me. He’s not just after her home. He wants her business too. “Eminent domain can’t be used for private corporation land grabs.” I don’t know much, but I know that.

A smug smile answers me. “I’m not after the land, just the atmosphere that’ll draw in more people’s wallets, and I’ve spent many months and millions with my architects, designing exactly what people want.”

Sloane doesn’t want it. “So you’re not after that?” I jut my chin toward her property.

“I was,” he admits. “Seemed smart to have it for future expansion. But a new road will work too.”

“A new road,” I repeat. Henry’s going to tear down and pave over Sloane’s entire life. That’s his big plan.

“An access point for the hotel. We’ll benefit from that. When we revitalize the harbor and the boardwalk, congestion will only get worse. The local planners agree, and they’re willing to do just about anything to please me.”

“I’ll bet,” I force out. All hail to the great and powerful Oz.

“With all that space, they’re pushing the idea of a public beach and conservation area, but I’m not keen on having that so close to my hotel. We’ll see.” He shakes his head. “Sloane Parker would have been smart to take my offer. It was a hell of a lot more generous than what she’ll get with this new deal.”

“Clearly, she didn’t want the money.”

“And now, she’ll have no choice. The Mermaid Beach council and I are unveiling the design on Friday. It’s going to modernize this entire town. I’m sure the meeting is in your schedule.”

“Can’t wait.” Archie has stuffed my calendar like a piñata at a five-year-old’s birthday party. It’s ready to burst. But that’s not my concern now. My stomach stirs with nausea. “A lot of locals live and work around here. Do you think they’ll have a problem with you coming in and blowing everything up?”

“Of course they will. People don’t like change,” Henry scoffs. “Locals tried stopping Wolf Cove too, and now look at them. All the shops in nearby towns have quadrupled their seasonal business. They’re building two new strips for stores and a supermarket. The growth has only started too. Wait until the ski runs are completed. A lot of those people complaining are also the first ones in line to benefit.” He scrolls through his phone screen as he murmurs, “Nothing stays the same forever. The sooner people figure that out, the better.”

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Advertisement Release Me (The Wolf Hotel Mermaid Beach #1) Read Online K.A. Tucker http://www.books2020.com/release-me-the-wolf-hotel-mermaid-beach-1-read-online-k-a-tucker Mon, 30 Jun 2025 19:08:02 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/release-me-the-wolf-hotel-mermaid-beach-1-read-online-k-a-tucker Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Forbidden Authors: K.A. Tucker Series: The Wolf Hotel Mermaid Beach Series by K.A. Tucker
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Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 108846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)

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Release Me is the first book in the highly addictive Wolf Hotel Mermaid Beach series, a spin-off of the Wolf Hotel series.

I may not know much, but I am an expert in two things:

Heartbreak.

And hedonism.

I've been chasing escape from one bed to the next, finding distraction in all the wrong places.

Like with my roommate's sister.

And my billionaire boss's lover.

You could say I'm lucky in lust but very unlucky in the other L-word.

By the time I arrive in Mermaid Beach, Florida, I've decided I'm done with flings. I'm over chasing women I can't have.

Until I meet Sloane Parker, the woman who has made it her mission to ruin the new Wolf Hotel.

A hotel I'm supposed to help manage, by the way. Yeah. Me, Ronan Lyle, Director of Facilities.

Don't you dare laugh.

I don't need another forbidden woman in my life, especially one who could derail my future.

But what I want? That's a totally different story.

Please note: This series is intended for a mature audience

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

1. Ronan

“What’d I tell you?” My new roommate, Connor, stretches his beefy arms out to either side, grinning at the crowded boardwalk. There must be thousands of people. Tens of thousands, even. Everyone says nights in Miami are crazy. The street festival only ups the mayhem.

His bright blue gaze rakes over three girls who stroll past, their matching black shorts like second skins hugging their perfectly round ass cheeks. They smile, they wink, their made-up eyes flash from Connor to me—to my sleeve of ink, to my face where they linger, not even pretending to play coy.

“All right. Time to move,” Connor announces.

“Give me a sec to finish this.” I puff on my Marlboro while appreciating the balmy evening temperature and soaring palm trees. It was forty degrees Fahrenheit when I left home this morning.

He frowns. “I need a solid wingman, so ease up on the chain-smoking. That may have worked for you in Indianapolis, but chicks don’t dig it down here.”

“Don’t worry about chicks digging me.” The problem is that I’m having a hard time being interested in any of them. I’d rather just lean against this stucco wall and smoke my brains out than go to the effort of searching for a girl, striking up a tedious conversation, and pretending I care what she has to say, all while waiting for her to inhale enough drinks to embolden her hands.

Why can’t they make cigarettes to replace a good fuck? I mean, sure, a smoke is a nice way to cap it off when you’ve blown your load and you’re sprawled on your back, sweaty and panting. But when you’re alone—because your girlfriend of four years decided you needed “time apart” and is riding someone else’s dick already—and you’re not in the mood for the energy it takes to pick up, it sure would be nice to pull a smoke out of your pocket and get your release that way.

It would be effortless.

Peaceful.

Uncomplicated.

I can’t say any of this to Connor, though. I only met him two hours ago, fresh off the plane. He gave me just enough time to drop my luggage in my new bedroom and take a piss, and then he announced we were going out to “pop my Miami cherry.” I can’t help but feel like this is some sort of vetting process, a test to see if he and I can be friends. And I can tell he’s the type to tell everyone I’m a pussy if I don’t go along with it.

I snuff out my cigarette. “Lead the way, Casanova.”

“Better luck tomorrow night.” I light up a smoke the moment my sneakers touch the sidewalk.

“I fucking hope so,” Connor grumbles, slamming the taxi door and earning a curse from the driver. “I was so sure I had that redhead.”

“And I was so sure you were gonna get your skull crushed in by her boyfriend.” An angry beast who could pass for a professional wrestler, bulging arms, veiny trunk of a neck and all. Not that Connor isn’t equally threatening. He looks like a juiced-up Ken doll.

“You weren’t exactly a big help.” He punches my shoulder playfully.

“Sorry, man. I haven’t slept much. The guys at work had a little going-away party for me last night.” At Racey’s, a low-class downtown strip club, where the drinks are overpriced and the girls are extra sleazy.

We stumble past a guy taking a piss against a wall, the stench of booze and fresh urine assaulting my nostrils.

“Don’t worry. It’s a good area. Mostly a young crowd.” Connor waves it off and climbs the steps to the front door of our condo building. It’s not high-end, but it’s definitely not the slums. There are six identical structures in a row—all white stucco with red tile roofs, clean pathways lined by shrubs that get bare-bones landscaping attention. Lots of palm trees. The best part, though, is that we’re a five-minute drive to the beach and our jobs at the Wolf Miami Hotel. That was a selling point for me when I was searching for a place to live, seeing as I have no plans to buy a car.

“So, what do you think about Miami so far?” Connor keys in the passcode to get into the main entrance.

“Helluva lot warmer than back home.” It was gray and miserable when I kissed my mom’s worried cheek goodbye and walked out the front door, nothing but a duffel bag slung over my shoulder.

“Enjoy it now. You’ll be sweating your balls off come summer. Still, it’s worth it. I’ve been here for six years. Can’t get enough of the ocean and the nights.” He leads my travel-weary body toward the elevator. “And our team at Wolf is kick-ass. Good bunch.”

“Great, because I left a good team back home.” For two years, I’ve worked in outdoor maintenance at the Wolf in Indianapolis, doing landscaping and other grounds work for the luxury hotel chain. Not a glamorous job, but it’s stress-free, pays decent, and there are certain perks, like discounts to book rooms at any of the Wolf locations around the world. Not that I could afford to.

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Advertisement A Dawn of Gods & Fury – Fate & Flame Read Online K.A. Tucker http://www.books2020.com/a-dawn-of-gods-fury-fate-flame-read-online-k-a-tucker Mon, 23 Sep 2024 09:22:31 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/a-dawn-of-gods-fury-fate-flame-read-online-k-a-tucker Genre: Alpha Male, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Paranormal Authors: K.A. Tucker Advertisement

Total pages in book: 210
Estimated words: 200096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1000(@200wpm)___ 800(@250wpm)___ 667(@300wpm)

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"Prophecy always finds a way."

The will of the fates has come to pass. Monsters swarm from the depths, while dragons soar overhead. And the throne of Islor lies vacant… but not for long.

Fleeing the merciless sirens, Tyree and Annika find themselves stranded on a distant shore. Forced together to survive, they find old magics and terrifying new enemies.

For Romeria and Zander, the long-held secrets of the casters’ magic reveal a chance to finally master the power that has held all their lives in the balance for too long. But with power comes betrayal. And sacrifices must be made.

The final book in the captivating Fate & Flame series.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

1

Annika

“Is there nothing palatable on this fates-forsaken ship?” I inspect a bruised apple under the oil lamp’s glow before tossing it back into the bushel of spoiling produce.

The Tempest’s cook—a brawny man with a tufted gray beard—pauses in his task of fileting the day’s catch to eye me. That’s all any of these sailors do—offer stares but no words for their princess.

“Well?” I snap. “Does no one’s tongue work around here, save for your delightful captain’s?” Who I would pitch overboard if I didn’t think his crew would toss me in after him.

“Eat your day’s rations when they’re given, or someone else gladly will,” he finally answers, his voice gruff.

“You mean that slop of soggy oats and salted pork? Is that what you deem adequate for a member of Islor’s royal family?” Corrin would beat this mortal with a wooden spoon if she were here, and I would enjoy watching.

“Pardon me for bein’ so boorish. Is there somethin’ else I can get ya?” he asks with mock sincerity, holding up his hand. The radiant two-crescent moon emblem is a taunting beacon in the gloom of the scullery kitchen.

“I would have to be on my deathbed to take your vein even without that mark,” I sneer. The man can’t have seen soap in weeks. Few of the sailors on this ship have. I can barely stand the smell below deck.

“Ya may be there soon enough.” And by the grin, he doesn’t look at all disappointed.

I’ve never been spoken to by a mortal in such a disgraceful manner. “What is your name, sailor?”

“Why?”

“So I may provide it to my brother the king when I next see him. I’m sure he will love hearing how you relished in the idea of my suffering.”

He snorts. “Name’s Sye, an’ we all saw what we were runnin’ from back there. Not much of a king without a throne to sit on. Besides, he’s likely dead, or soon will be.”

I flinch at his callousness. My twin may have left me in Cirilea to deal with a rebellion, and we may barely tolerate each other, but … all I have left are my brothers. That, and a city ablaze and shadowed by a beast like none I’ve seen before. “Perhaps I am the only royal family member left, then, which would make me queen.”

“Well then, queen, you can grab yerself a biscuit and quit pestering me. I got work to do.” He brandishes his cleaver toward a shelf where the basket of hardened bread sits and then lops off the head of a fish.

The block of kitchen knives to my left taunts me. I could probably put one of those through this filthy mortal’s jugular before he had a chance to yell. Little good killing the cook will do me, though. I’ll still be stuck on this ship and with hungry sailors, no less.

“Don’t get no silly ideas,” Sye warns, his eyes also on the knife block. “There’s a lot of us and only one of you.”

“I’m not a savage.” I make a point of snatching two biscuits—twice the day’s ration—plus a bruised apple.

Sye scowls. “Be off, then!”

A jug of mead sits nearby. On impulse, I snake my arm around it and, hugging the awkward cask against my chest, I saunter up the stairs with my head held high, trying not to stumble under the weight.

Hudem’s silver moonlight shimmers off the seawater, highlighting the absence of land.

“Must we sail so far from shore?” I complain to anyone listening.

“If we don’t wish to punch a hole in the hull and sink to our deaths,” Captain Aron answers from the helm.

“I assumed we were already as good as dead once the sirens find us.”

“If the winds don’t pick up, we won’t get that far.”

The air is stale and warm, the ship’s sails sagging. There’s barely a ripple over the water.

He peers at me, then at my loot. “I see you found the kitchen.”

“And your foul cook.”

He smirks. “Sye’s a stickler for rations. You must have really annoyed him to get away with all that.”

I flop onto the floor and yank out the cork. “I figured, by the time I reach the bottom, all my problems will vanish.”

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Advertisement Own Me – The Wolf Hotel Read Online K.A. Tucker http://www.books2020.com/own-me-the-wolf-hotel-read-online-k-a-tucker Mon, 01 Jan 2024 09:41:11 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/own-me-the-wolf-hotel-read-online-k-a-tucker Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire, Contemporary, Erotic Authors: K.A. Tucker Advertisement

Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 94687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)

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Own Me is Book Five in the highly addictive forbidden romance The Wolf Hotel series.

Eight months ago, I was a naive, small-town farm girl nursing a shattered heart. Then hotel billionaire Henry Wolf picked me up off the ground (literally), and my entire life changed.

Now, I live in a luxurious Manhattan penthouse, and I'm starting my first company while planning a beautiful wedding to the man of my dreams.
I knew these first months would bring plenty of drama. I expected the savage media attention surrounding our engagement, and I braced myself for Mama's theatrics about the wedding.

But nothing could have prepared me for the big secret that just stormed through our front door, altering the course of our future.

Own Me should be read after Tempt Me, Break Me, Teach Me, and Surrender to Me.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

“And were any of them trapped in that mine?” Henry’s jaw is tense as he paces around the plane, knuckles white from his grip on his phone. “Let me help you with that answer, Mick. No, they weren’t. They were in their beds with their high-priced escorts sucking their dicks—”

I wince. Whichever corporate lawyer Mick is, he can’t be enjoying this tongue-lashing.

“If I want suggestions from the board on how to manage my company, I’ll ask!” He ends the call and tosses the phone onto an empty seat.

“Everything okay?” I dare ask.

“Yes,” he snaps, then sighs, as if catching his temper. He pushes his hands through his thick mane of chestnut-brown hair, revealing the small scrape he earned in the mine collapse. His only injury, thankfully. “Just Scott still trying to fuck me from his grave.”

Mention of his conspiring, murderous brother has me reaching for my forehead, where bruises still linger from my last run-in with him. Scott has already almost succeeded in taking Henry from me once, thanks to that old mine he’d been funneling company money into, unbeknownst to everyone. Henry made a terrible mistake going into it. He could’ve died in there.

What else has Scott done?

Henry sees my reaction and the anger radiating from him dissolves instantly. He settles into the cream leather seat across from me and pitches forward, collecting my hand. “He can’t hurt either of us anymore.” He kisses my knuckles, his beautiful blue eyes catching the engagement ring he slipped on this morning. The gold band is thin, the pearl centerpiece perfectly round with an iridescent luster, surrounded by a cluster of tiny diamonds. It’s simple, and nothing like one might expect from the owner of Wolf Enterprise. It was his grandmother’s ring.

Who knew the hard-nosed billionaire tycoon who once intimidated me would be so sentimental?

I smile. I did. At least, I figured it out somewhere along the way to falling madly in love with him.

And now Henry Wolf is all mine.

He leans into his seat and rests his head, showing off a protruding Adam’s apple and that delicious cleft in his chin. Absent is the tailored suit I’ve grown accustomed to seeing him in. Today, he chose dark blue jeans and a soft charcoal gray cashmere shirt that hugs his powerful torso in all the right places.

While I can’t decide which version of Henry I love more, this casual one always gets my blood flowing, especially when his legs are splayed, drawing my attention to a part of him that has brought me so much pleasure over these past months.

“I was thinking about this meeting with Margo’s Nordstrom friend next week.”

“Yeah?” My eyes divert from their intent focus.

Henry is smirking at me. His hand slides to rest on his thigh, his fingers drumming inches away from the prize. “What are you thinking about, Abbi?” His eyebrow arches. “Being full last night?”

My cheeks flush upon mention of our depraved evening. Never would I have expected Henry to share me with another man—let alone Ronan. I can still feel both of them deep inside me. “What about the meeting?” I ask, steering the conversation away from one I’d never want anyone overhearing.

His knowing gaze lingers on me for another few beats before relenting in his teasing. He opens his mouth but then stalls. “Are you nervous about meeting with this buyer?”

“Terrified,” I admit with a laugh. “Like, come on! I make homemade soaps in my parents’ barn using herbs from their garden, wrap them in plastic, and sell them at the Christmas bazaar and the farmers’ market. I don’t know the first thing about this whole big business world. I’m going to make a fool of myself. I don’t even understand what a buyer does.”

Margo wasn’t much help when I asked her. “She chooses all the wonderful things they carry in store!” she exclaimed with glee. But when I asked how and why this Nordstrom buyer chooses what she does, Margo winked and said, “As long as she picks your wonderful thing, what does it matter?” A predictable answer from the enigmatic supermodel who has people falling at her perfect, beautiful feet wherever she goes.

“I can help prep you if you want.” Henry’s lips twist in thought. “But it might not be the right move for you.”

“What do you mean? It’s Nordstrom.” Where’s he going with this?

“This is your company, Abbi. Your brand. No one else’s. You get to call the shots. But do you want my opinion?”

“Of course. Always.” Henry runs a multibillion-dollar empire. There’s no one’s advice I value more, even if it’s for my little soap business.

“Don’t be so quick to hand it over to anyone.”

I frown. “But I thought landing distribution in a department store is the end game.”

“Maybe. But in today’s retail world, maybe not. You clearly have something people want. You’re only just starting out and look at all the demand you’re already stirring up.”

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Advertisement A Queen of Thieves & Chaos – Fate & Flame Read Online K.A. Tucker http://www.books2020.com/a-queen-of-thieves-chaos-fate-flame-read-online-k-a-tucker Thu, 14 Sep 2023 21:21:50 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/a-queen-of-thieves-chaos-fate-flame-read-online-k-a-tucker Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi, Paranormal Authors: K.A. Tucker Advertisement

Total pages in book: 201
Estimated words: 191006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 955(@200wpm)___ 764(@250wpm)___ 637(@300wpm)

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From internationally bestselling author K.A. Tucker comes the third novel in her Fate and Flame series, an adult fantasy novel that should be read in series order.

"You betrayed your brother to steal a broken crown."

The kingdom stands on the brink of chaos. Atticus' grip on the realm is faltering, and as threats arise ever closer to home he is driven to increasingly desperate acts to hold onto power.

With Islor's fate now in the balance, Zander stands to defend the Rift from the oncoming Ybarisan army. With the king's forces scattered, he must risk unlikely new alliances.

And behind the walls of Ulysede, secrets wait for its new queen. Romeria knows that the paths of the hidden city will lead her to answers. But will they be enough to save the realm – or is their fate already sealed?

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER ONE

SOFIE

Sofie could finally see.

After three centuries of agonizing and pleading, of empty promises and seemingly unconnected schemes that had driven her to the brink of madness …

The moment she dragged her kneeling, naked form from the cobblestones of the sanctum, stood to greet the Fate of Fire, and saw the anticipation in his harsh features, Sofie knew something monumental had shifted in their favor.

“She has done it? She has released the nymphs?” Hysteria clung to each syllable.

Malachi strolled around the stone casket holding the two corpses, his corporeal form as magnificent as it was terrifying. “The process has begun.” His deep voice rumbled; the corners of his mouth twitched with delight as he reached down to graze a finger across Romeria’s perfectly preserved cheek. “Whether she realizes it or not.”

Sofie pressed her hands against her stomach to contain her excitement. “How much longer?” How much longer before she would feel Elijah’s arms wrapped around her shoulders again?

“Soon, my love. Very soon.” Malachi lifted his gaze to her. “Until then, I have a task for you.”

CHAPTER TWO

ROMERIA

A peal of shrill laughter within the castle competes with our footsteps, earning Jarek’s scowl.

I peer up at the formidable legionary who towers over me, his sculpted body wrapped in leather, his sable-brown hair freshly shaved along the sides and braided at his crown in three thick cords gathered at his nape. “Come on, you can’t dislike children.”

“Can’t I?” His eyebrow arches, amusement painted across his angular but handsome face. “Let me show you what happens when the blood lust hits them for the first time, and we will see how cute you think those feral little monsters are then.”

I grimace, recalling Zander’s menacing description of the Islorian immortals when they’re learning to feed. “Mortal children,” I amend.

“They’re slightly less feral. Equally irritating.” His gaze surveys our limited surroundings, as if expecting a threat to materialize from the walls at any second. “And they don’t belong here,” he adds quietly.

Another squeal of childish laughter ricochets, the echo eerie within this hollow kingdom that thrums with ancient magic.

“Do any of us?” I opened the mountain wall three days ago, and since then, we have scoured every corner of Ulysede, finding signs of a thriving city—food stores, clothing, floral blooms decorating windowsills—but no life beyond livestock, songbirds, and the odd stray cat. Elisaf found an armory full of gleaming metal—enough to outfit a small army—each breastplate emblazoned with Ulysede’s two-crescent-moon emblem, as well as a treasury vault filled with gold coins stamped with the same, but no one to wear the armor or collect payment.

It’s as if Ulysede was built and then frozen in time, waiting for us. To what purpose, though, we still don’t know.

It’s an unoccupied city bordered by sheer, unscalable mountain walls on all sides, but only a fool would believe we’re within the mountain, and an even bigger fool would think we’re still in Islor. When that ancient wall of nymph scripture known as Stonekeep parted and we stepped through those main gates, we were stepping beyond our realm. The fact that two moons hang in the sky every night confirms it.

I study the painted ceiling that lines this hallway—an illustration of a teeming market with people selling wares, surrounded by horses and wagons and soldiers with Ulysede’s crest on their chest plates. The white sandstone castle with royal blue spires and soaring parapets is full of these lively murals, with no hints about who these people are, or from what time.

Are they depictions of the past?

Or perhaps a hopeful future?

I suppose I belong here, seeing as it was my blood—an inexplicable combination of Princess Romeria, heir to the throne of Ybaris and daughter to Aoife, the god of Water, and Romy Watts from New York City, unwitting key caster masquerading as a human thief—that unlocked the secret of Ulysede. A crown of thorns on a prickly throne was waiting for my head.

The question remains, now what?

Jarek and I step into the grand hall as a little girl—one of Norcaster’s humans rescued from their keepers’ cages—darts past, chased by Eden in what appears to be a game of tag.

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Advertisement The Hustler Next Door – Polson Falls Read Online K.A. Tucker http://www.books2020.com/the-hustler-next-door-polson-falls-read-online-k-a-tucker Sun, 15 Jan 2023 19:18:16 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/the-hustler-next-door-polson-falls-read-online-k-a-tucker Genre: Contemporary, Funny, Romance Authors: K.A. Tucker Advertisement

Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95264 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)

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From the international bestselling author of The Simple Wild and Ten Tiny Breaths comes a new stand-alone enemies-to-lovers, small-town romance.

Justine MacDermott is in what she would call a transition period: squatting in her best friend’s house and working in an appliance store in Polson Falls while the man she was supposed to marry starts a new life with someone else.

She’s definitely not thinking about slashing his tires and wishing his vital extremities would fall off.

When newcomer Garrett Harrington strolls into Murphy’s looking to buy a refrigerator, Justine convinces herself she’s found her rebound. Or the next love of her life. Either works. But a chance encounter leads her to discover that Garrett isn’t who he made himself out to be, and he’s more interested in hustling her kindly old boss out of his family business—and using her to do it.

Furious at being fooled by yet another man and itching for retribution, Justine enlists the help of unlikely townsfolk to battle Harrington Group’s big-city development plans for Polson Falls.

It’s all going to plan … until Justine finds herself crossing enemy lines.

The Hustler Next Door is set in the Polson Falls world. Books in this series can be read in any order.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

“Half of Boston must be here.” My calf muscles strain as I stretch on my tiptoes, striving to see over the bulky winter jackets and capped heads. It’s pointless. There are too many people and, as usual, my diminutive stature works against me.

Mom waves off my protests. “It’ll move fast. It always does.”

She’s right, of course. Rain, snow, or sunny summer skies, mornings at Sam’s Pastry are always hectic as Bostonians flock to the iconic downtown bakery for their cannoli fix. Even now, only days after everyone has renewed their gym memberships and made New Year’s resolutions about pious lives of salads and spin classes, bodies are stuffed into this storefront like the rows of cream-filled pastries in the display cases ahead. Five separate lines wait impatiently for service while a crowd loiters outside in the frigid January air.

Mom and I have always been Saturday regulars. Even after I moved out, I’d insist on coming here every visit home, just so I could taunt my brother Joe with unflattering pictures of myself shoveling pistachio—his favorite—into my gaping mouth. But it’s been ages since I’ve faced this crowd, and I’m not in the mood for it. “We picked the slow line.”

“Stop fussing.”

“I’m boiling.” I tug at the collar of my knit sweater for effect.

“And you’ll be cold once we step outside.” Mom toys with a strand of my lengthy hair. I’d dyed it black for years but recently made the switch to a rich chestnut brown. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

I meet my mother’s gaze, see her sincere smile, and I swallow the other complaints waiting to spill out. “So am I.” There’s something about walking into Sam’s and inhaling the sugary-sweet icing sugar and pastries … it transports me back to childhood every time, if only for a moment.

She hesitates. “Especially since you missed Christmas.”

Oh my God. “Please don’t start now.” I’m already irritated; a guilt trip will put me over the edge. “You know why I didn’t come home.” Why I did the unthinkable and skipped the holidays with my family for the first time in my thirty years of life. It’s not that I didn’t want to see them. It killed me not to see them. But holidays with my family include our longtime friends, the Wrights, and there was no way I was spending Christmas watching a certain six-foot-three Wright—the one I was supposed to marry—and his new woman suck back eggnog while canoodling in matching reindeer sweaters. “If you’d wanted me there badly enough, you should have banned them from visiting.”

“That would have put a strain on the relationship. And punishing everyone for his mistake—”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“These things always happen for a reason. One day you’ll look back and—”

“Cheating is cheating. Do not make excuses for Bastard Bill.” I stab the air with my finger in warning.

“I’m not! The truth is, I don’t think I’ll ever look at him the same way again. But, for Molly and Craig’s sake, would you please stop calling their son that, or I’m liable to do it in front of them accidentally.”

“Would that be so bad?” I know Mom’s in a difficult position. The Wrights have lived next door to us for almost three decades. Our families have a long, entwined history. When my father injured his back and couldn’t work construction any longer, Craig put his reputation on the line to get him a job at his company, even though my father didn’t have the first clue about insurance or office work. Mom and Molly must have burned a trillion calories together over the years on their daily walks while venting about their husbands and children. They travel to Mexico every winter together. I can’t expect my parents to cast away those friendships because of what Bill did.

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Advertisement A Curse of Blood & Stone – Fate & Flame Read Online K.A. Tucker http://www.books2020.com/a-curse-of-blood-stone-fate-flame-read-online-k-a-tucker Sat, 30 Jul 2022 10:04:17 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/a-curse-of-blood-stone-fate-flame-read-online-k-a-tucker Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires Authors: K.A. Tucker Advertisement

Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 145704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >152

Read Online Books/Novels:	A Curse of Blood & Stone - Fate & Flame
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	K.A. Tucker
Language:	English
ISBN/ ASIN:	B09GMRGKCD
Book Information:
“I do not know how to love you and be a good king to my people.” From jewelry thief to interloper to queen-in-waiting, Romeria flees Cirilea a traitor to all. But the yawning distance between her and Zander troubles her more than any king’s bounty on her head. While Zander may have escaped by her side, he seeks to regain his throne, and no immortal will ever welcome her as Islor’s queen. She fears it won’t be long before Zander abandons her as everyone else she’s ever loved has. Zander sacrificed his crown to save Romeria’s life, yet he dreads what her existence means for the future of his realm. As Ybaris’s plan to destroy Islor unfurls, a more insidious threat, orchestrated by rival fates, lurks beneath the surface. He can offer his allies no honest explanation for why he protects the Ybarisan princess and takes counsel from Queen Neilina’s caster, leading those closest to doubt his wisdom—and his allegiance. As their company aims for the Venhorn Mountains, steered by prophecy, Romeria is desperate to wield her newfound abilities to undo Princess Romeria’s treachery before the kingdom tears itself apart. But with the mortal rebellion swelling, bolstered by the gift of Ybaris’s poison, it may already be too late. From internationally bestselling author K.A. Tucker comes the second novel in her Fate and Flame series, an adult fantasy story that should be read in series order.
Books by Author:	K.A. Tucker

Pronunciations:

Romeria—row-mair-ee-a

Romy—row-me

Sofie—so-fee

Elijah—uh-lie-jah

Zander—zan-der

Wendeline—wen-de-line

Annika—an-i-ka

Corrin—kor-in

Elisaf—el-i-saf

Boaz—bow-az

Dagny—dag-knee

Bexley—bex-lee

Saoirse—sur-sha

Kaders—kay-ders

Malachi—ma-la-kai

Aoife—ee-fuh

Aminadav—Ami-na-dav

Vin’nyla—vin-ny-la

Ratheus—ra-tay-us

Islor—I-lor

Ybaris—yi-bar-is

Ybarisan—yi-bar-is-an

Cirilea—sir-il-ee-a

Seacadore—see-ka-dor

Skatrana—ska-tran-a

Kier—key-er

Mordain—mor-day-n

Azo’dem—az-oo-dem

Za’hala—za-ha-la

Caster—kas-ter

daaknar—day-knar

caco claws—kay-ko claws

Zorya—zor-eye-a

Jarek—yar-ek

Bodil—bow-dil

Horik—hor-ik

Sapling—sap-ling

Danthrin—dan-thrin

Ambrose Villier—Am-brose Vil-lier

Eden—ee-dun

Drakon—dray-kon

Brawley—bra-lee

Mika—mee-kuh

Iago—ee-aa-gow

Brynn—brin

Theon Rengard—thee-on ren-gard

Sheyda—shay-da

Ocher—ow-kr

Ianca— I-an-kuh

Ulysede—You-li-seed

Tyree—ty-ree

Oswald—oz-wald

Orme—aw-r-m

Fearghal—fer-gull

Golbikc—goal-bik

Isembert—I-sem-bert

Bregen—bre-gun

Eros—eh-rows

1

Romeria

My eyes water from the stench of sewage. If not for the endless adrenaline surging through my veins, I might have already spilled the delectable Seacadorian grapes churning in my stomach.

“I will go first—”

“No.” Zander seizes Elisaf by the shoulder, stopping his loyal friend from climbing the ladder. Even in the shadows of the underground tunnel, there’s no missing the stiffness in his jaw, the resolution in his stare. “If this is a trap set by Mordain, I am the better match for what awaits us.”

Because Zander can raze a person to ash where they stand. I’ve seen it firsthand, as has everyone who witnessed the horrifying spectacle in the arena tonight.

I sneak a glance at Gesine. The high priestess may be bothered by Zander’s blatant distrust of her people, but she hides it behind an emotionless mask, offering me a smile when she notices my attention.

I can’t bring myself to return it. There won’t be any comfort found tonight, not as the four of us slink through Cirilea’s culvert system, running from a king’s army.

“Wait for my signal and bring up the rear. Romeria, you will follow directly behind me.” Zander pauses. Under different circumstances, I might have a quip for his demand, an admiring gaze for his handsome face as he awaits my answer. Now, all I have is a solemn nod.

He ascends the wooden ladder with lithe steps and disappears into the night.

And I hold my breath. Our torch flames cast ominous forms over the jagged stone walls; the foul sludge soaks into the hide of our boots. I wish I could say it’s the first time I’ve crept through a gutter, but years of surviving the streets and then Korsakov’s criminal world has exposed me to plenty of predicaments that would draw shudders and nose curls. This smell will trail us long after we’ve fled. But bodies can be washed, clothes can be replaced. Cleanliness is the least of our worries.

Somewhere unseen, water trickles and waves lap faintly. “Where does this end?” I ask.

“At the seawall.” Elisaf’s attention is hyperfocused on the exit above. “A grate fortified with merth closes it off to invaders. Nothing short of direct cannon fire or a powerful caster will break through that.” His fist clutches a gleaming merth-forged dagger at his side, its blade primed for plunging into flesh. I want to think that flesh won’t be mine, but nothing is guaranteed now that my secret is out.

Will there come a point when the nights Zander and I shared, our heads nestled in pillows, our words laced with heady promises, mean nothing? When the fleeing king puts his kingdom and crown before his heart and accepts the ruin a key caster—one with poison flowing through her veins—could bring to Islor is far too great?

Will I see the resolve in those beautiful hazel eyes when he makes that decision?

My chest tightens with the thought of Zander becoming my enemy again. But that needs to be a worry for another day too.

I push out all concerns but the most pressing one—is there any hope in hell of me escaping death tonight?

Each second that passes without any sign of Zander swells my dread.

“This must all have been so confusing for you,” Gesine says. “From the moment you woke.”

“I thought I was losing my mind,” I admit. Just like my father had. Only now I know the truth about that too.

A whistle calls.

“Climb.” Elisaf nudges me forward, urgency in his lyrical Seacadorian accent.

I don’t waste a second, scaling the ladder far less gracefully than Zander, the rungs creaking beneath my weight. I wince against a splinter that slides beneath my skin as I emerge into a pitch-black space.

“Let me help you.” Zander’s voice is a whisper in my ear.

I can’t make out anything, yet I know he can see clearly, and I sense his hand waiting inches from mine, palm up.

This is where we part ways, Romeria Watts of New York City.

His resolute words from earlier are a deafening bell toll. Zander wants to leave me. An army led by his treasonous brother is building a pyre for me, every immortal in Islor will want me dead for the poison in my veins, and the most powerful spellcasters in Mordain will hunt me down should they discover I’m a key caster …

Zander finally knows that I do not belong in this world, and he is searching for an excuse to abandon me to it.

I ignore his offer of help, testing the floor with my toes for clear footing before stepping off the ladder. The tunnel is supposed to lead us to the Rookery, but all I sense are walls. I occupy my hands with my cloak, praying for my eyes to adjust.

Zander sighs with resignation. “You are angry with me.”

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Advertisement Running Wild – Wild Series Read Online K.A. Tucker http://www.books2020.com/running-wild-wild-series-read-online-k-a-tucker Thu, 27 Jan 2022 20:41:15 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/running-wild-wild-series-read-online-k-a-tucker Genre: Contemporary, Romance Authors: K.A. Tucker Advertisement

Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >127

Read Online Books/Novels:	Running Wild - Wild Series
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	K.A. Tucker
Language:	English
ISBN/ ASIN:	1990105203 (ISBN13: 9781990105203)
Book Information:
From the internationally bestselling author of The Simple Wild comes the story of a woman at a crossroads in her life, struggling between the safe route and the one that will only lead to more heartbreak. Veterinarian Marie Lehr knows unrequited love all too well after pining for her best friend, only to watch him marry another woman. It’s a mistake she will never make again, especially not when she can practically hear the clock ticking on her childbearing years. The trouble is, she can’t seem to find anyone who appeals to her even a fraction as much as that burly bush pilot did. Competitive musher Tyler Brady certainly doesn’t, especially not after the heated altercation with the handsome but arrogant, spiteful man. Or so she thinks. While volunteering at the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, Marie discovers that first impressions may have been false, and her attraction to Tyler is very real. But his heart belongs to someone else, leaving him with nothing to offer but friendship. Marie’s been down this road before and knows how that ends. Yet, no matter how hard she works to keep from falling for Tyler, it seems she’s doomed to follow her own trail once again.
Books by Author:	K.A. Tucker

PROLOGUE

August 2018

“I’m in love with you. Haven’t you figured that out yet, you big dummy?” The stark declaration competes with the crunch of gravel beneath my boots as I trudge toward the steel-gray building. Nearby, an Otter’s propeller hums, preparing for takeoff. At least the fog that stalled my flight from Anchorage this morning has lifted, but the sky is murky, and the drizzle has me squinting.

I release a shaky breath, my heart racing. Am I really doing this? After practicing some iteration of those words in front of my mirror countless times, will I finally work up the nerve to say them out loud to Jonah’s face?

I’ve only been secretly pining for him for a few years.

Ever since that day I walked up to the red Cessna, my veterinarian bag in hand, to meet the bushy-faced pilot. I felt the spark instantly. There was no mistaking the returning interest in those stunning blue eyes, the color of an Alaskan sky on a cloudless winter’s day. And, by the end of those two days, flying to remote villages to vaccinate and treat animals in need, all while contending with Jonah’s piercing gaze, barking laughter, and flirtatious banter, that spark had erupted into a smoldering fire.

I knew I was in trouble, the diamond engagement ring heavy on my finger, outweighed only by guilt for my disloyal thoughts.

I said goodbye to my pilot and flew back to my side of Alaska, convinced myself that the attraction would dwindle, that what I was feeling would vanish. I already knew that was a lie, one I clung to for an entire year, while quietly falling in love with a man who wasn’t my fiancé under the cover of providing philanthropic aid to the villagers and their four-legged family members.

The thing is, Jonah is one of the smartest men I’ve ever met, as well as the most perceptive. Deep down, he knows how I feel. He must. I’ve dropped enough hints over the years. All our late-night phone calls and days spent flying together. For God’s sake, I kissed him once, that night so long ago, emboldened by liquid courage and the knowledge that he had hopped in his plane and flown hours over the mountain range to see me the very same day I told him I’d ended my engagement. As if he’d been waiting for his chance.

I didn’t imagine the chemistry, either; it wasn’t one-sided. I felt the way Jonah responded—those seconds that still burn in my memory, his lips eager against mine—before the worry of destroying our strong friendship ruined the moment.

He acknowledged his attraction to me. He told me he thought I was beautiful, kind, and brilliant.

And then we both agreed to put aside those feelings for the sake of our friendship. Just box them up, pretend the kiss didn’t happen, and go on being Jonah and Marie. Best friends.

It’s been years since that night, and I’ve honored that promise, gritting my teeth while watching him cycle through shallow relationships with women who never had a chance of keeping his interest. But my feelings have only grown stronger. Lately, they’ve become unbearable, bottled up like this.

Jonah is my person. I can read every glower, every smirk, every grunt. I can call him on his bullshit when he’s being an ass and sink into his arms when he’s showing his gentler side. He’s the first one I call when I need to talk, the only one who knows me better than I know myself, the one I miss terribly whenever I’m not here.

He’s the man I want to experience the rest of my life with.

He is it for me.

And after receiving the stomach-curdling message from Agnes about Jonah’s plane crash, I decided it’s time I said all this out loud. Maybe hearing it will make the brute finally put aside his fear and see what he’ll be gaining rather than risking.

The aqua-blue Alaska Wild sign looks more vibrant than usual, but that could be the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Swallowing my nerves, I wipe away wet tendrils of hair that cling to my forehead and push through the door. The familiar and welcoming smell of coffee fills my nostrils.

“Marie!” Sharon shrieks, her hand on her swollen belly as she charges for me. I should have expected this greeting; I wasn’t supposed to arrive until Monday, and I didn’t tell anyone except Crystal, the local animal rescue group leader who lets me crash in her guest cabin while I’m in town.

Alaska Wild’s pregnant receptionist seems to have doubled in size since I last saw her. I drop my bag, my attention stalling on her only for a split second before traveling beyond, to the brawny frame leaning against the reception counter, the grinning, handsome face I’ve been aching four long weeks to see. Except … I frown. Jonah’s wild blond mane and beard that I tease him about regularly have vanished, replaced by a tidy beard a fraction of its original size and shorter hair that looks styled with product?

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Advertisement The Player Next Door Read online K.A. Tucker http://www.books2020.com/the-player-next-door-read-online-k-a-tucker Fri, 27 Dec 2019 01:57:33 +0000 http://www.test123.demo2.xyz/the-player-next-door-read-online-k-a-tucker Genre: Contemporary, Romance Authors: K.A. Tucker Advertisement

Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)

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Read Online Books/Novels:	The Player Next Door
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	K.A. Tucker
Language:	English
ISBN/ ASIN:	9781777202705
Book Information:
Scarlet Reed has returned to Polson Falls, convinced that twelve years away is long enough to shed her humiliating childhood identity as the town harlot's daughter. With a teaching job secured and an adorable fixer-upper to call home, things in her life are finally looking up. That is, until she finds out that Shane Beckett lives next door. Shane Beckett, the handsome and charismatic high school star quarterback who smashed her heart. The lying, cheating player who was supposed to be long gone, living the pro football dream and fooling women into thinking he's Prince Charming. Shane Beckett, who is as attractive as ever and flashing his dimples at her as if he has done no wrong. Scarlet makes it abundantly clear that old wounds have not been forgotten. Neighbors they may be, but friends they most certainly are not. She won't allow herself to fall for the single father and firefighter again, no matter how many apologies he offers, how many times he rushes to her aid, or how hard he makes her heart pound. But as she spends more time with him, she begins to fear that maybe she's wrong. Maybe Shane has changed. And maybe this time she's the one playing herself—out of a chance at true happiness.
Books by Author:	K.A. Tucker

One

September 2007

* * *

I survived Day One without puking or crying.

Do they make T-shirts with that slogan? They must. I can’t be the only person to head back to school after summer vacation with a broken heart. Though, I’d be lying if I wore that T-shirt. I did cry today; I just didn’t do it in public. I ducked into a restroom stall as the first fat tear rolled down my cheek and then spent my entire lunch period with my butt planted on a toilet seat, struggling to muffle my sobs as giggling girls streamed in and out, oblivious.

And all it took was one look from Shane Beckett to cause that reaction. Or rather, the lack of a look. A passing glance as we crossed paths in the hallway between third and fourth period, when his beautiful whiskey-colored eyes touched mine before flickering away, as if the momentary connection was accidental.

As if the seventeen-year-old, six-foot star quarterback for the Polson Falls Panthers and I hadn’t spent the summer in a semipermanent lip-lock.

As if last night, sitting in his father’s car outside my apartment building, he didn’t tell me that we were getting too serious, too fast, and he couldn’t handle a relationship right now, that he needed to focus on football, and I was too much of a distraction.

That one vacant, meaningless look from Shane Beckett in the hall today was worse than anything else he could have done, and it sent me stumbling away, dragging my obliterated spirit behind me.

The rest of the day has been a painful blur, with me cowering in the same restroom stall after the last bell rang to avoid the crowd. I foresee myself spending a lot of time in there. Maybe I should hang an occupied sign and declare it mine for the school year.

“Hey, Scarlet.” Becca Thompson, her stride buoyant, flashes a sympathetic smile as she passes me on the steps outside the front doors of Polson Falls High.

“Hey,” I manage, but the bubbly blond is already gone, trotting down the sidewalk, no glance backward, almost as if she hadn’t greeted me at all. She’s nice enough, but I shouldn’t be surprised by the lukewarm friendliness. We’ve never traveled in the same circles, her being the popular cheerleader and me being the reticent mathlete who slogs away at the local drive-in movie theater every weekend in summer. We’d exchanged nothing more than polite greetings before Shane and I started dating, despite our mothers working together at the hair salon for years.

Couple that with the fact that Becca is best friends with Penelope Rhodes—a.k.a. the Red Devil, otherwise known as the worst human to walk these dank halls—who was away in Italy all summer, and I’m not surprised that I’m persona non grata once again.

Becca obviously knows Shane and I broke up. They all must know. But at least she acknowledged me, so I guess there’s that.

She’s heading toward the parking lot now. That’s where the jocks and cheerleaders and otherwise popular crowd hang out, congregated around the cars their parents bought for them, talking and laughing and ignoring the peasants.

I check my watch. It’s been twenty minutes since the last bell. Most of them should have left by now. With a heavy sigh, I tuck a wayward strand of my mouse-brown bob behind my ear, hike my backpack over my shoulder, and amble down the path, ready to avoid eye contact and walk the eight blocks home where I can hide in my bedroom for the rest of my life—or at least for the night.

Rounding the bend, I spot Steve Dip heading this way with two other guys from the football team. My stomach clenches. There’s a reason the wide receiver and Shane’s best friend is nicknamed Dipshit. He’s an obnoxious ass with a cruel sense of humor.

I hold my breath, hoping he’ll ignore me, like everyone else seems to be.

Our eyes meet and he winks. No such luck. “Hey, BB. You cost me fifty bucks!”

I frown. What? I have no idea why he’s calling me that, but it can’t mean anything flattering, especially not with the raucous laughter that follows.

He brushes a hand through his cropped hair. “Tell Dottie I’m gonna come in for a quickie later, will ya?”

“Bite me,” I throw back, my cheeks burning as we pass. How long has he been sitting on that stupid joke? It’s far from the first time I’ve heard something along those lines. When your mother’s the town bicycle, everyone feels the need to share their punch line with you. He never dared say a word about her when Shane and I were together, but I guess it’s no holds barred now.

“Is that an offer?” Steve grins. “’Cause it sounds like that’d be more action than Bex got this summer.”

I lift my middle finger in the air and speed up, wanting to put as much distance as possible before this knot in my throat explodes into tears. I told Shane I wanted to take it slow and he said that was fine. He never pushed me.

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Read Online Books/Novels:

A Curse of Blood & Stone - Fate & Flame

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

English

B09GMRGKCD

K.A. Tucker

Read Online Books/Novels:

Running Wild - Wild Series

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

K.A. Tucker

English

1990105203 (ISBN13: 9781990105203)

K.A. Tucker

Read Online Books/Novels:

The Player Next Door

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

K.A. Tucker

English

9781777202705

K.A. Tucker