Laylah Roberts – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read

Laylah Roberts – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.books2020.com Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:51:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 http://www.books2020.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Laylah Roberts – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.books2020.com 32 32 Her Forbidden Daddies (Daddies of Club Slade #1) Read Online Laylah Roberts http://www.books2020.com/her-forbidden-daddies-daddies-of-club-slade-1-read-online-laylah-roberts Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:51:31 +0000 https://www.books2020.com/her-forbidden-daddies-daddies-of-club-slade-1-read-online-laylah-roberts Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Paranormal Authors: Laylah Roberts Series: Daddies of Club Slade Series by Laylah Roberts
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Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)

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Indie fell in love with four boys who adored and protected her.
Only to have them shove her out of their lives ten years later.

Pregnant and hiding from an abusive ex-boyfriend, Indie is alone except for her best friend Maggie to help her.
Until her ex-boyfriend finds her, putting her and her baby in danger.

They thought that she’d betrayed them. However, when they learn the truth . . . well, no one will keep them from her anymore.

And they will do whatever they need to in order to make it up to her.

But trouble is brewing.
And it might just take all four men to keep Indie safe from the storm.

Can four dominant, overprotective men show one Little that they can be everything she needs?

Please This is a reverse harem book where our heroine doesn't have to choose!

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

PROLOGUE

Fifteen years old (nearly)

Indie stared up at the huge house in awe.

Wow.

Did her mum’s new man work here? Her mum constantly fell in and out of love. Sometimes, they’d move in with her latest boyfriend. Other times, the relationship would end before it got that far.

This time, things seemed almost different. Her mum was . . . happy?

Which was odd because Indie didn’t think that she’d ever seen her mum happy.

She’d known something was different about this guy when a dark car had pulled up in front of their dingy apartment building with an actual driver.

The car was so clean. It smelled amazing and the seats were really comfortable.

Where were they? They must have left London by now, it had been a long drive.

Hertfordshire? Oxford?

Shit. Maybe she actually should have asked her mum some questions this time.

“Mum? What are we doing here?” she asked.

“What do you mean?” her mum asked, a strangely serene look on her face.

Indie blinked at her. “I mean, does your new man work here or . . .”

“Work here?” her mum said with a scoff. “God, no, he doesn’t work here.”

Their driver parked and got out quietly.

“If he doesn’t work here, then what are we doing at this house?” Indie asked.

Could you call it a house? It was a freaking mansion.

Surely her boyfriend didn’t . . . didn’t own this house?

No, that was crazy.

Her mum laughed, making her wince. She had two sorts of laugh. One that was gleeful and one that was mean.

This was the gleeful one.

“We’ve hit the jackpot, darling. Work here? He owns this place. We’re rich.”

It was said with so much joy that Indie felt slightly ill.

If you were in love, it shouldn’t matter how much money the other person had, right?

Her mum’s feelings for someone seemed to be dependent on how much he had in his bank account.

Maybe that was why Indie had become a romantic.

Lord knew she didn’t want to be like her mother.

Her mother slid out of the car with a regal nod at the driver who had opened her door for her.

Bloody hell.

Indie wasn’t sure about this. Their current apartment was tiny and in a bad area of London. They were behind on the rent, the electricity was close to being cut off, and she hadn’t eaten since lunchtime yesterday because there was no food in the cupboards.

She’d been contemplating trying to sell some of her mum’s shoes and handbags. Mum would have been furious when she discovered them gone, but they needed to eat more than her mum needed to dress in designer wear.

Now she understood how she’d managed to buy all that stuff.

Indie got out of the car with a nervous smile at the driver. She felt so out of place. What was this guy going to be like?

“Miss? Are you all right?”

Indie startled and glanced around, suddenly realizing that her mum had disappeared.

Big shocker.

“Um, oh yes,” she managed to say.

Urgh, he was going to think she was an idiot.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch your name,” she said.

“It’s Andrew, miss,” he said in a kind voice.

“Please, call me Indie,” she said in a slightly desperate voice. It would be nice to have one friend here.

“All right, Miss Indie. Your stuff will arrive soon and I’ll have it sent up to your room. If you want to go inside, that is,” he added as she just stood there, staring at him.

Her stuff?

What did he mean, her stuff?

“Miss Indie? Are you all right?” he asked. “Were you expecting your things to be here already? I apologize for the inconvenience, this was the quickest we could arrange things.”

Great. Now he thought she was a spoiled brat.

“No, no, it’s not that. I just didn’t realize . . .”

Shoot. She couldn’t tell him that she’d had no idea she was moving here because her mother hadn’t bothered to tell her.

What did she know about living in a place like this? What was her mother’s new man going to think of her?

Her clothes all came from charity shops. Sure, she put her own Indie-spin on them but there was no mistaking them for what they were.

Hand-me-downs.

Worn items that had been washed countless times.

The soles of her shoes had holes in them, for God’s sake.

“Where . . . where did my mother go?” she finally managed to ask.

No use having a panic attack over any of this. It wasn’t like she could do anything to change her appearance.

Bloody hell.

Something flashed through Andrew’s face.

Pity? Anger? It was too quick for her to really tell.

“She’s gone inside, Miss Indie,” he explained gently.

Right. Of course she had.

“Sure, silly me. I saw her walk off,” she lied. “I guess I should . . . head inside.”

She walked up to the front door. This house had to be over a hundred years old. There was a wide circular driveway in front of it. The middle of the driveway held a fountain with a chubby cherub playing a harp. Water spurted out of its mouth.

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Advertisement Daddy’s Atonement – Crime Boss Daddies Read Online Laylah Roberts http://www.books2020.com/daddys-atonement-crime-boss-daddies-read-online-laylah-roberts Wed, 13 May 2026 18:55:07 +0000 https://www.books2020.com/daddys-atonement-crime-boss-daddies-read-online-laylah-roberts Genre: Alpha Male, BDSM, Biker, Contemporary, Crime, Erotic, MC Authors: Laylah Roberts Advertisement

Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 160192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)

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All her life she’d been trapped in a cage . . .
Some of them were better than others, but that didn’t matter when all she dreamed of was freedom.
However, dreams weren’t for people like her.
Angie only had nightmares.
People either abused or abandoned her.
Which is why she wasn’t going to believe the promises from a crime lord.
A Bartolli had ruined her life once. She couldn’t let that happen again.
No matter how sexy and protective he was.
Or now seductive and possessive his sub could be.
They would just have to find another girl to be Jared’s Little and North’s plaything, to love them.
Because love wasn’t for girls like her.

Please This book contains a super hot crime boss who is definitely in charge. Although his sub might try to argue that point. And both of them want our heroine as well as each other

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

PROLOGUE

Chicago

Five years ago . . .

His father was a dead man.

It was only a matter of time. With the lifestyle that bastard led it wouldn’t take long before he pickled his liver.

Or was murdered.

But as he looked at the extremely young, scared woman sitting across from him at the dining table, Jared felt like grabbing the steak knife off the table and stabbing it into his father’s fat, fucking throat himself.

Fuck, he wished North was here.

But his father didn’t believe in letting “the help” sit at the dining table. There was a definite divide in this household between “the help” and “the family.”

Jared longed to tell his father just what North meant to him . . . but he knew that would only put a target on North’s back.

North thought he could take care of himself.

However, Jared’s father was a fucking monster.

And Jared knew that he’d use anyone he loved against him. It was why he had to act like he didn’t care about his cousin, Tabby, while doing his best to keep her safe.

And why he couldn’t show that he was concerned about the young woman across from him.

The girl who his father had apparently fucking married.

Jared tightened his hand around his fork, then slowly eased his hold.

Do not show any reaction.

Do not show that you care.

The urge to murder him was almost too much for him to control. And while his father deserved to die, Jared wasn’t quite in a position to make that happen.

He was building up his own empire, without the old man’s knowledge, down in Colombia. His own team of men that worked for him because they wanted to.

Not out of fear.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t openly murder the bastard. Not without making too many waves in the family.

North had offered to sneak into his bedroom and slit his throat. But there was too much risk.

However, he needed to move up his timeline.

“Well?” Fergus said as he stabbed a piece of steak. “Don’t you have anything to say to your new stepmother?” He chortled after saying that.

As though everything was a big joke.

The girl flinched.

She looked hungry, haunted.

On her plate was a tiny serving of food. Some plain mashed potatoes and a few beans.

He didn’t blame her for not wanting to eat but that wasn’t enough.

“Don’t call her that,” he snapped and she jumped.

Regret filled him.

Jared hadn’t meant to scare her. The last thing he wanted was to add to her pain.

When his father told him eighteen months ago that he was getting married, Jared had felt sorry for the poor woman. But he’d also figured that she knew what she was getting into.

He hadn’t attended the wedding.

Hadn’t given her another thought.

Jared hadn’t had time to worry about what shit his father was getting up to.

But he should have known better.

He should have been keeping a closer eye on what his father was doing.

“How old are you?” He hadn’t meant to ask that, but the words just shot out of him.

She would be stunning if she didn’t look so terrified.

“N-nearly t-twenty-one.”

His father smiled. “Fucking hot, isn’t she? The young ones are just so . . . delicious. I can get you a young one, too. I’ve built up some nice connections.”

“I’ll let you know,” Jared said through gritted teeth.

Not fucking happening.

But appearances had to be kept.

He could not let his father know that behind the scenes, he was plotting to take him out.

It could be done.

It had to be.

For his sake.

For his cousin’s safety.

And for this abused and traumatized woman.

“We’ve got to get her free, North.”

Jared paced back and forth in the bedroom suite at his father’s sadistic torture venue.

Otherwise known as his home.

North knew he should have gone to dinner with Jared. What Jared didn’t understand is that he wasn’t scared of his father.

That disgusting pig didn’t intimidate him. Jared only had to give him the go-ahead and he’d happily slip into his bedroom and slit the bastard’s throat.

Easy-peasy.

He sharpened his knife as Jared paced back and forth. North was hoping he might notice and give him the nod.

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Advertisement Her Daddy Knows Best Read Online Laylah Roberts http://www.books2020.com/her-daddy-knows-best-read-online-laylah-roberts Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:00:54 +0000 https://www.books2020.com/her-daddy-knows-best-read-online-laylah-roberts Genre: Alpha Male, Insta-Love Authors: Laylah Roberts Advertisement

Total pages in book: 15
Estimated words: 14459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 72(@200wpm)___ 58(@250wpm)___ 48(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 >15

When Trent leaves her alone for a few nights, April knows she’ll be fine. She has an army of stuffies and a cupboard full of junk food, after all.
But she hadn’t counted on how scary it was at night without Daddy there to keep the monsters away.
And then she encounters a real monster. And all she wants are Daddy’s arms around her, keeping her safe.
The way that only he can.

PLEASE NOTE: This novella was previously published in the Sip of Pleasure anthology. Nothing has been changed

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

1

Pleasure rushed through her.

A moan escaped her as his tongue flicked her clit slowly. April opened her eyes, blinking back the last vestiges of sleep as his fingers slid into her pussy.

“Trent,” she groaned. “Please.”

She wasn’t entirely sure what she was begging for. To come? To have him fuck her?

Both?

Then he drew his mouth away.

“Nooo,” she cried. “Trent, please. I need to come.”

“Shh,” he murmured. “I’m not finished with you just yet.”

Kneeling, he patted her leg. “Roll over. Get on your hands and knees.”

She moved quickly, her heart racing with anticipation. As soon as she was on her hands and knees in front of him, he thrust his cock inside her.

Oh God.

So good.

Another cry left her as he moved. Short, fast thrusts, followed by long and slow ones. Her head was spinning, her breath coming in harsh pants.

“Please, please, please,” she whispered.

“Not yet, baby.”

“Trent!”

“No.” He smacked his hand down on her ass. She’d gone to bed wearing a black, lacy nightgown.

And nothing else.

Trent didn’t like her wearing underwear to bed for just this reason. He loved waking her up with his mouth on her pussy.

Heck, she was pretty fond of that too.

Suddenly, he sat back on his heels, pulling her with him so she was sitting on his lap with his dick still piercing her. Her back was to his chest. Grabbing the bottom of her nightgown, he pulled it off over her head. Then his hands cupped her breasts, kneading them before tweaking her nipples.

April rested her head on his shoulder, her breath coming in sharp, desperate pants. She wriggled on his lap, moving herself up and down his cock as much as she could.

“Do you want to fuck me, baby?” he asked.

“Please,” she moaned.

And then they were moving again. Sex with Trent was often like this. The man had more energy than should be legal for one person to have. How he could go from fucking her like he was a marathon runner, to working a twelve-hour-day, she had no idea.

Some days, it felt like she could barely get out of bed. Without caffeine, she’d be completely screwed.

Now, he was on his back with her straddling him.

“Take me inside you,” he ordered.

Trent liked to be in charge. And that didn’t stop when they left the bedroom. He was her Daddy Dom, and he took that very seriously. Her wellbeing and safety always came first with him.

Of course, that didn’t mean April always obeyed him.

But hey, that’s what made life interesting, right?

Grasping hold of his dick, she guided him inside her. God, that felt so good.

“Ride me, baby.”

“So bossy,” she grumbled as she slid up and down his dick.

“You love it.”

Hmm. Sometimes having a man who knew everything about you could be annoying.

He pressed his finger against her clit, flicking it back and forth.

Oh hell.

“Trent!”

“Fuck me faster, baby. Harder.”

She placed her hands on his chest and drove herself up and down his dick.

“Fuck, baby. Yes. That’s it. Christ. You’re gonna come with me. Come now.”

She moaned as her orgasm washed through her. Her head spun as she slumped forward. With his hands on her hips, Trent pushed himself deep, finding his own release.

When they’d both caught their breath, Trent gathered her up and rolled them onto their sides. He pushed her dark-red hair off her face before leaning in to kiss her. She opened her mouth on a soft moan, letting him explore.

Pulling back, he cupped the side of her face. “Morning, baby girl.”

“Morning, Daddy.” She smiled up at him.

His eyes grew warm. Trent didn’t smile a lot. But he had his own way of letting you know that he was happy. And he smiled a heck of a lot more now than he did when she first met him.

Back then he’d been a grumpy asshole.

Now, any smiles he did give were mostly aimed at her. And that was something she was perfectly fine with.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“About how much I like you waking me up like that.”

“That’s good. Because I like it too.” He ran his finger down her cheek. “I think you should come with me.”

“Trent, it’s a stag trip.”

He frowned. “I still don’t get the point of it.”

“To have one last big night with your family and friends before you get married? To party it up? Get drunk and have fun?”

“I didn’t have one.”

“That’s because you don’t like doing any of those things.”

He narrowed his gaze at her. “I like to have fun. Eating you out is fun.”

“It sure is,” she sighed happily. “You can have that sort of fun anytime you like. But mostly, your idea of fun is to go camping, hunting and fishing.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing. But that’s not Ben’s idea of fun. He wants to go to Vegas and have some fun at the casinos and nightclubs. And he wants you to go with him.”

<<<<1 2 3 11 >15

Advertisement All For Arabella – Haven Texas Read Online Laylah Roberts http://www.books2020.com/all-for-arabella-haven-texas-read-online-laylah-roberts Sat, 28 Feb 2026 17:33:44 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/all-for-arabella-haven-texas-read-online-laylah-roberts Genre: Alpha Male Authors: Laylah Roberts Advertisement

Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 113272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >112

Eli and Kellan Jones like control and order.
They left Haven a long time ago, never expecting to live there again.
Until they meet her.
Arabella.
She’s beautiful, sad, and sweet.
And she keeps running the other way whenever she sees them coming.
What she doesn’t realize, though, is that Eli and Kellan like the hunt, they enjoy the chase.
And they’re not giving up easily.

Arabella’s life was one of fear and misery under her father’s thumb.
When that nightmare ended, she found herself unexpectedly free.
And scared to be alone.
There was only one place she wanted to go.
Haven.
Moving to Haven isn’t without its challenges, though.
There she encounters Eli and Kellan Jones . . . who seem determined to boss her around and make her theirs.
What they don’t realize is that she’s vowed to never belong to anyone again.

However, Arabella doesn’t stand a chance against these two determined Doms.
Because they always catch their prey.

Please This book is MFM, our heroes are overprotective, possessive, and dominant

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

PROLOGUE

Three years ago . . .

Arabella snuck out of the hotel.

Her father was already asleep. He’d worn himself out with all his blustering and anger and taken himself off to bed about half an hour after they’d arrived in Haven.

Coming to Haven to track down Cole was a stupid idea. Cole didn’t want to marry her. He’d made that very clear. But her father thought he’d just needed a break.

From her.

Because everything was always her fault. She was never good enough. Never pretty enough or smart enough or obedient enough.

Never perfect.

Although Lord knew she tried.

Her father blamed the ‘temporary’ break-up on her. He’d told her that she must have annoyed Cole and forced him into needing a break.

But she knew that wasn’t it.

When Cole broke things off with her, she’d acted like she didn’t care, but the truth was that she’d been devastated.

Not because she loved him, but because Cole had been her ticket to getting away from her father.

It might sound insane, but if you met her father you’d get it.

Abusive. Mean. A nasty rattlesnake waiting to strike.

She shuddered and pushed all of those thoughts out of her mind. What she needed was a distraction.

It was nearly nine and growing cooler outside. She wished she’d thought to grab a sweater on her way out.

Oh well.

No way was she going to return to the hotel and risk waking her father.

She needed some time to herself and this town was so darn pretty. She walked toward a place called Dirty Delights. Hmm. Interesting name. It looked like a bar.

Did she dare?

Arabella Bridges in a bar in a small town in the middle of nowhere . . . her father would have an absolute fit.

All the more reason to go in, really.

Where had this rebelliousness come from?

She didn’t know. But she liked it.

As she stepped inside, she suddenly grew apprehensive. What was she supposed to do? Where did she sit? What if someone tried to talk to her?

Who are you kidding? You shouldn’t be here.

Idiot.

“Hello there, darlin’. You got a name or can I call you mine?” a teasing voice asked.

She glanced up at a smiling man. A very attractive man. Shoot. What did she do? He was talking to her!

His smile faded and a look of concern entered his face. “Hey, you okay? Is something wrong? I was just joking, I need to know you for at least five minutes before calling you mine.”

She still had no clue what to say. Probably because he was flirting. At least she thought he was. And she had no idea what to say.

Etiquette lessons hadn’t covered flirting cowboys in bars.

“I’ve never been to a bar before,” she blurted out.

He raised an eyebrow. “Never?”

“Never,” she whispered, cringing. Did that make her pathetic?

He glanced behind her. “There’s no one with you?”

“Um, no.”

A look of surprise filled his face that she didn’t understand.

“I’m guessing that you don’t live here, darlin’.”

“Um, no. I’m staying at the hotel. I can leave if I have to . . . “

“Nope. Come on. If you’re gonna pop your cherry in a bar, this is the one to do it.”

“Pop my cherry?” she asked, staring at him with wide eyes.

He let out a bark of laughter. “Not like that. I meant that if there is any bar to come to alone it’s this one. Nothing bad will happen to you here.”

“But it might somewhere else?” she asked.

“The world’s a dangerous place, darlin’,” he murmured, looking slightly . . . haunted.

Arabella squashed the urge to ask him if he was all right. If anyone knew about being haunted by their past it was her.

He led her to the bar and lifted her onto a stool. She let out a small squeal, but his hands quickly left her waist. “Yo, Devon!”

A good-looking man turned from where he’d been speaking to someone at the end of the bar and raised his eyebrows.

“Come here!” her new friend yelled, waving his hand through the air.

Arabella could feel herself growing red. She glanced around as people turned to stare.

“Um, you really don’t need to yell,” she said. “I’m happy to wait until he’s free.”

“Darlin’, he wouldn’t be happy if I didn’t tell him you were here.”

What?

That made no sense.

“What is it?” Devon grumbled, staring at her with a frown.

Great. Maybe he thought that she’d asked her flirty friend to yell out to him.

“This is . . . what is your name, darlin’?” her friend asked.

“I’m Arabella.”

Her new friend whistled. “Fancy name. This is Arabella. She’s never been to a bar before and she’s staying at the hotel. She’s also on her own.”

Arabella sighed, glancing around. “Could you say that a bit louder? I don’t think they heard you in the back.”

His grin grew wider, then he took in a deep breath. Without thought, she reached up and placed her hand over his mouth. “Do not.”

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Advertisement A Crime Boss Daddy Christmas Read Online Laylah Roberts http://www.books2020.com/a-crime-boss-daddy-christmas-read-online-laylah-roberts Thu, 25 Dec 2025 22:08:01 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/a-crime-boss-daddy-christmas-read-online-laylah-roberts Genre: Alpha Male, BDSM, Contemporary, Erotic, Mafia Authors: Laylah Roberts Advertisement

Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 31777 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >32

It’s a Crime Boss Christmas!
Cat and Alejandro are hosting Christmas this year and everyone is coming!
Well, except for Isaiah who no one has heard from.
But they’re all still going to try and celebrate the holiday.
Only Cat might be getting coal in her stocking, Maeve isn’t feeling so great, Faith thinks she’s ruined Christmas, and Immy might have run over Rudolph.
Christmas is shaping up to be very interesting this year

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

1

MAEVE AND GRAY

21st December

Maeve sat back on the bathroom floor, wiping at her mouth shakily.

Oh, this wasn’t good.

Her stomach rolled and she let out a small whimper.

Get it together, girl!

You can’t let Gray see me like this. Get up. Get sorted.

Unfortunately, her little pep talk didn’t immediately have her springing to her feet, ready to take on the day.

Instead, she dragged herself up until she was standing and glanced wearily into the bathroom mirror.

A tired, pale woman with limp hair stared back at her.

This was terrible. As soon as Gray saw her he’d know that something was wrong.

That she was ill.

This wasn’t fair! She was always sick when something important was going on. She’d missed Cat’s wedding because the Surgeon had said she was too ill to travel.

Why the heck Gray trusted a doctor who didn’t even have a proper name, she had no idea.

But the Surgeon wasn’t going to ruin Christmas for her.

Not happening.

They were meant to leave tomorrow morning for Southampton to spend Christmas and the New Year with her family.

And Maeve was determined that nothing would stop her. Certainly not a stomach bug that had appeared out of nowhere.

She had no idea where she could have picked it up. She’d been working nonstop on the large number of doggy outfits her customers had placed for Christmas and had barely left the house. The only people she’d seen lately were Gray, Markovich, Triple-T, Ilya, and Dahlia.

It made zero sense.

Maybe it was something she’d eaten?

That had to be it. She turned on the shower and got in once the water warmed up. Gray wouldn’t be home until this evening so she had some time to get over this.

God, she couldn’t wait until they were on their way.

It felt like ages since she’d seen everyone. She hadn’t even been to Tennessee yet to see the new family compound.

The only dark spot on the holidays, besides her weird stomach bug, was the fact that Isaiah was still missing, and no one knew where he was. He’d disappeared two months ago. Immy had been the last one to see him and she’d said he was tracking wannabe Deity.

A shudder ran through Maeve as she washed herself. The last thing she wanted to think about was the fact that there might be a copycat out there. Someone who was going around pretending they were now the Deity.

No.

She definitely didn’t want to think about him or any of this. After turning off the shower, she dried herself and got dressed in her favorite purple tracksuit with gold and purple striped socks. They were so worn that Gray had threatened to throw them out several times.

That wasn’t happening.

He needed to keep his big paws off her stuff.

Maeve put on a bit of makeup, hoping to hide the paleness of her cheeks. Although she was starting to feel better. Perhaps it had just been something she’d eaten.

Then again, maybe there was another reason for her sudden illness . . . she put her hand over her stomach.

No.

There was no chance. She was on birth control. She’d know if she was pregnant.

That was stupid.

So what if her period was late . . . that didn’t mean anything. She’d been under a lot of stress trying to complete all of her online orders. Dahlia was helping her package and send everything off.

Speaking of which . . .

Maeve heard the front door slam and rushed through the bedroom into the dining area of the cottage they lived in.

Which was also the area she’d set up as her office. They had a spare bedroom, but Maeve preferred to work out here and it was easier for Dahlia to have a table for packaging items.

“Morning!” Dahlia said cheerfully, unwrapping a lumpy, misshapen scarf from around her neck. “Brr, it’s getting so cold out there.”

“Morning!” Maeve said cheerfully.

Maeve was grateful she had a friend close by who could help her when she got busy. It was a bonus that Dahlia was also a Little.

“Did you come over by yourself?”

Dahlia shook her head. “Triple-T walked me over. I’m not to leave without him. Our Daddies just left to go get some stuff done before you guys leave. I am going to miss you!”

“Me too!” Maeve told her, giving her a hug. “Cute scarf by the way.”

It really wasn’t. It was terrible. It looked like a toddler had knitted it. But Maeve would never say that because Dahlia was super proud of her knitting ability.

“Thank you! I knitted something for you and Grumpy Bear.” Dahlia took off her knitted hat, which matched the scarf. They were both red-and-white-striped, but the stripes weren’t of equal thickness and sometimes a red stripe would just end, and a white one would start up. She drew out two items from her oversized tote.

Uh-oh.

Dahlia had once knitted Gray a sweater. It had been yellow with a brown smiley face that had looked more like a weird blob. The arms of the sweater had ended at his elbows and the bottom had only reached his belly button.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >32

Advertisement Receiving His Mercy (Raptor Inc #1) Read Online Laylah Roberts http://www.books2020.com/receiving-his-mercy-raptor-inc-1-read-online-laylah-roberts Sun, 07 Dec 2025 21:06:32 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/receiving-his-mercy-raptor-inc-1-read-online-laylah-roberts Genre: Alpha Male, BDSM, Erotic, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Magic, Paranormal Authors: Laylah Roberts Series: Raptor Inc Series by Laylah Roberts
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 105231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >106

Travis Andrews isn’t getting any younger; he’s ready for a long-term relationship.
And he knows just the sort of woman he wants. A sub who obeys him perfectly. Someone calm and collected who has their life together.
What he doesn’t need or want is a ball of chaos and color.
No matter how gorgeous she is.

Caren has always had a crush of Travis, but men like him don’t choose women like her.
She’s quirky, awkward, and loud. Not elegant or obedient.
And he’d always seemed annoyed by her.

It wasn’t like she needed a bossy, overprotective Dom in her life.
Except for when she really did . . .
Only problem was that it might just be too late.

*Please note the trigger warning for this book. Also this is a spinoff of Doms of Decadence so there is a crossover of characters. A character bible has been included

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

PROLOGUE

She was watching him.

Again.

Caren couldn’t help it. He was just so . . . magnificent. Gorgeous.

A sigh escaped her as she peered through the bushes at him playing around with his brothers in the pool.

Maybe you should try talking to him.

Right.

Like a twenty-one-year-old man was going to be interested in a stupid fifteen-year-old girl like her.

Especially not a man like Travis Andrews. Even at twenty-one, he was all grown up. Strong and responsible. A bit bossy. Lacey often complained that he was always telling her what to do. When he was at home, that was. He’d joined the Marines. Which she thought was just . . . awesome.

He was a defender of their country. A hero. And so darn cute.

And he really doesn’t like you that much.

No. She knew that he still thought she was a nuisance. The strange girl that didn’t talk and followed his cousin around, mooching off her.

Caren hunched her shoulders.

She should just go. No one really wanted her here. Even though Lacey had invited her sometimes Caren still didn’t feel like she belonged.

Why did Lacey even want to be friends with her? She wasn’t fun or interesting. She was just . . . weird.

“Thought I might find you here.”

Caren jumped, letting out a muffled cry. Lacey grimaced in regret. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

Caren waved her hand through the air and gave her best friend a wry smile.

Her only friend.

“What are you doing? Why are you hiding back here? I invited you to come swimming with us. You’re allowed to be here.”

Caren twisted her fingers nervously together and glanced back at the pool. Lacey’s cousins were all so handsome and popular. Confident.

And she knew she wasn’t actually welcome.

Turning to Lacey, she gave her a hug. Lacey was the only person who ever touched her with kindness, who’d hugged her in years.

Caren knew that change was coming . . . she just hoped that it meant a better life for her. One where she’d no longer be the weird kid. The outcast. Maybe she’d finally become someone that Travis Andrews might notice.

Yeah, she couldn’t see that ever happening.

In no universe would a girl like her ever be lucky enough to be with a man like Travis Andrews.

1

Travis Andrews plotted ways to kill the groom.

He could shoot him, but it was risky considering how he was always standing so close to his cousin.

He could strangle him. But Travis would still have to get him away from his cousin. Hmm, poison might be a better option, however that seemed a bit like cheating to him.

“Careful,” a cheerful voice said from behind him. “If you keep scowling at the groom like that people are going to think you’re plotting his murder.”

Travis turned his glare on the small woman standing behind him.

Fuck. His eyes widened in shock.

It was her.

Caren Stanford.

What the hell was she doing here? He hadn’t seen her in probably twenty years. She’d been Lacey’s best friend before she had suddenly left without a goodbye. Lacey had been sixteen and devastated.

As far as he was aware Lacey hadn’t heard from her since, so why would she be at Lacey’s wedding rehearsal dinner?

Then again, part of him wondered why he was at a wedding rehearsal dinner. What the heck was there to rehearse? Eating? Drinking? He’d been able to do that on his own since he was around two.

Nope. He didn’t get it.

Then again, he wasn’t in the best mood. In two days’ time, he’d have to watch his baby cousin get married off to . . . that man.

Gray Mathers.

Okay, Gray wasn’t a terrible guy. In fact, he was smart and protective. Most importantly, he took good care of Lacey. But Travis didn’t like the idea of anyone being with his cousin.

“Unless you are actually plotting his murder. In which case, well, I’m afraid I’d have to stop you.”

He snorted. Caren would be lucky if she reached five-feet-tall. When she was around twelve years old, she’d stopped growing and everyone else had shot up past her. She’d been this skinny thing with big eyes who’d followed Lacey everywhere.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >106

Advertisement Broken Daddy – Montana Daddies Read Online Laylah Roberts http://www.books2020.com/broken-daddy-montana-daddies-read-online-laylah-roberts Sun, 12 Oct 2025 20:52:04 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/broken-daddy-montana-daddies-read-online-laylah-roberts Genre: Alpha Male, Insta-Love Authors: Laylah Roberts Advertisement

Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >141

After losing his wife, Hayes became a shell of himself.
He was breathing, but he wasn’t living.
And that was fine with him.
Because he didn’t deserve to be happy.

Devi was always positive.
Life might throw her curveballs, but she always picked herself up and kept going.
Until tragedy strikes.
And suddenly, Devi’s sunny life grows dark.

Can this grumpy, broken Daddy help Devi find her sunshine again?
Or is she doomed to live in the darkness?

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

1

He had the saddest eyes.

Devi wondered why.

A man like him didn’t have such tragic eyes without it being something truly awful.

And that made her heart ache. She wanted to fix him. But then, Devi was a fixer. She liked to take care of everyone’s problems.

And she was pretty good at it. If she did say so herself.

Too bad she wasn’t as good at taking care of her own issues.

“Good afternoon,” she said cheerfully to Sondra and Mr. Tragic Eyes.

Even though he’d been in every day for the last week with Sondra, who was a regular at the café, Devi had yet to figure out his name.

Would it be rude to ask? How else would she find out?

“Hello, Demi,” Sondra said.

Devi held her tongue against correcting her. The customer was always right. And Sondra was one of their best customers. Aaron would have her head if she was rude to her.

Not that she would be. Devi liked to think that everyone had some good in them. Well, almost everyone.

There were a few exceptions.

And she didn’t think that Sondra was a bad person, she was just a bit . . . forgetful.

“Spiced chai with oat milk?” she asked Sondra. She got the same drink every morning in a to-go cup, even though she would sit in the café and drink most of it.

If anyone ever wanted to kidnap Sondra it would be easy since she stuck to the same routine every day that the café was open.

Devi wondered if Mr. Tragic Eyes was guarding her. He definitely looked like a bodyguard. He was strong and muscular. Constantly on alert.

Yep. He was a bodyguard.

Maybe one of his charges was killed while he was guarding them and that’s why he had those sad eyes.

Although he didn’t look like the sort of man to ever make a mistake.

“It’s Devi.”

Shock brought her back into the present and she stared up at him in surprise. Because he was the one who’d spoken, right? It had to be him. There was no one else that could have such a deep voice.

It was the first time she’d heard him speak, although that wasn’t why she was stunned.

No, it was because he’d said her name.

Her. Name.

Devi.

“What?” Sondra asked, turning to glance up at him. “What’s a Devi?”

He didn’t reply and she figured she would have to explain.

“Um, me. I’m Devi.” She waved at Sondra.

“Oh, yes, right. Wasn’t that what I said?” Sondra asked.

“Close enough.” Devi smiled at her.

“Not close enough,” he rumbled. “It’s not her name. You said Demi not Devi.”

“Um, right, yes,” Sondra said, looking extremely confused.

“Spiced Chai with oat milk?” Devi repeated.

“Yes. Thank you,” Sondra said with a stiff smile. “Devi is an unusual name. Is it short for something?”

“No, that’s just my name.” She shrugged. “My dad’s name is Derick and my mom was Violet. It’s a mix of their two names.”

“Really? How interesting. I’ll take my coffee in a to-go cup,” Sondra said before wandering off.

Devi didn’t bother to tell her that she knew that’s how she took her coffee since it was what she’d been ordering for the last three months.

Which was how long Devi had worked here.

“And you? Would you like a coffee?” she asked him.

He never said yes. But she always asked.

It was her job. Plus, she just felt the need to do something for him, to try and make him less sad.

When he didn’t reply, some sort of devil took hold of her. “Or a tea? I know, how about a green tea? Maybe chamomile. We have a nice ginger tea that’s good for digestion. You look like you might enjoy ginger tea. To help with any . . . you know . . . tummy pains.” She rubbed her stomach.

He raised an eyebrow, his face as stoic as ever.

Uh-oh.

Darn it, Devi. Why do you always push things a step too far?

Story of her life.

Her mom used to say that she had more courage than she did sense and she wasn’t wrong.

“To aid my digestion?” He glanced at Sondra and then around the room, as though searching for something before his gaze landed on her again. “Do I look like I need something to aid my digestion?”

Eek.

“Maybe? You kind of look like you . . . might be . . . blocked . . . um . . . I’m going to stop talking now.” She should have stopped a long time ago.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >141

Advertisement Papa’s Bebe – MC Daddies Read Online Laylah Roberts http://www.books2020.com/papas-bebe-mc-daddies-read-online-laylah-roberts Sat, 30 Aug 2025 08:41:56 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/papas-bebe-mc-daddies-read-online-laylah-roberts Genre: Alpha Male, Biker, Contemporary, Dark, MC Authors: Laylah Roberts Advertisement

Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 147967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 740(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >149

Matthieu had never planned to settle down, to have a home, or fall in love.
But then he takes a job for a friend and he meets her.

Maya puts up walls to stop people from getting close to her.
But that is almost impossible around Matthieu.
She has a lot going on and she absolutely cannot fall for the gorgeous, sexy bodyguard.

Matthieu knows that Maya needs a break from everything that life keeps throwing at her.

But will he be able to gain enough of her trust for her to let him in?

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

1

Wow, that was one large, lazy dog.

Maya couldn’t help but stare in shock as a woman with wavy dark hair attempted to carry an enormous dog into her yoga studio.

Considering the dog looked like it weighed as much as she did, she wasn’t having much luck.

The dark-haired woman straightened from where she’d been trying to pick the huge dog off the floor and blew out a deep breath, brushing back strands of her hair before stretching out her back.

“Darn it, Mr. Fluffy. You cannot just lie in the doorway. You’re a fire hazard.” The woman moved her hands to her curvy hips as she glared down at the dog. “I’m gonna count to three and you gotta get out of the way. Other people want to come inside. One.”

The dog flopped his head onto the floor.

Oh man.

That dog did not look like he was going to move.

The woman let out another deep sigh. “Do I have to go get Spike? He will not be happy if he has to come down here to move you.”

Who was Spike? Her boyfriend? And who was she? She must be a new member of Maya’s class since she hadn’t seen her before.

“Millie? What’s going on?” Livvy moved through the doorway, stepping over the enormous dog. “What’s Mr. Fluffy doing here?”

“He’s here for yoga, of course,” Millie said.

As Maya looked closer, she saw that the other woman’s yoga pants actually had images of dinosaurs on them. Oh, those were cute. She was also wearing a white sleeveless top with more dinosaurs in different exercise poses.

Oh, that was cute.

“What is going on here? Why is there a big dog in the way?” a nasally voice asked.

Great. They were here.

Every time she taught this class; she prayed they wouldn’t turn up. Maya really didn’t know why Emily, Regan, and Jenni kept signing up for this class.

They didn’t like Maya and Maya certainly didn’t like them. But they kept coming back. Maybe it was just so they could complain about everything in those obnoxious voices.

Whatever.

The main reason she’d taken this job was because of the puppy yoga class. She’d heard that the puppies being used were way too young to be separated from their mamas. And that there no were regulations, no proper care for the animals.

When you couldn’t make a difference from the outside, sometimes you had to infiltrate from the inside.

Unfortunately, she had yet to make any headway into her investigation because her boss always taught the puppy yoga class. And he didn’t care about exploiting sweet, innocent puppies.

It was a shame that her boss sucked because Maya actually liked teaching yoga. As long as she didn’t have to teach it to jerks.

Like Emily and her friends.

Now, if her class was filled with people like Livvy, then she’d be happy.

She’d met Livvy when she was attacked by an asshole. Maya had seen her fighting him off as she’d been walking past.

And there was no way she could ignore a woman being hurt. Maya hated people who preyed on those smaller and weaker than them.

She’d helped Livvy and in the process she’d actually made a friend. Maya didn’t have many friends.

They’d gone to a few self-defense classes together and Livvy tried to get to one of Maya’s yoga classes at least once a week. It wasn’t always that easy for her, though. She had three boys she was raising, owned a business, and had one sexy as heck man to keep happy.

Livvy and Sav had recently gotten engaged and Maya was so happy for her friend, even though she’d felt a weird pang of sadness.

Maybe because she’d never really had a proper relationship. Men only seemed to want to use her or hurt her.

“I’m so sorry,” Millie said. “When he decides he wants to lie down, well, there’s not much that can move him. Unless someone has any sausage?”

“Ew,” Jenni ‘with an i’ said. “Why would we have any sausage?”

“And why would you bring him if he’s like this? So disgusting,” Regan sneered. She was the third part of the bitchy besties.

Now that was uncalled for.

Her anger surged.

Do not turn your feelings into felonies.

Do not.

Lord, it was hard, though.

“I don’t know, you girls look as though you like a bit of sausage. Might even put you in a better mood,” Millie told them, her hands on her hips.

Oh, Maya liked her.

Livvy put her hand over her mouth, but everyone heard her giggle. And several of the other women who were already in the room laughed as well.

The bitchy besties weren’t well liked.

“What did you just say to us?” Regan gasped.

“All right, we have to start class now. Can everyone get inside?” Maya asked, deciding to interrupt before things kicked off.

“We will,” Emily sneered. “As soon as this mutt gets out of the way.” She drew back her leg as though she was going to kick Mr. Fluffy.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >149

Advertisement Her Daddies Everything – Crime Boss Daddies Read Online Laylah Roberts http://www.books2020.com/her-daddies-everything-crime-boss-daddies-read-online-laylah-roberts Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:14:35 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/her-daddies-everything-crime-boss-daddies-read-online-laylah-roberts Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Crime, Erotic, Insta-Love, Virgin Authors: Laylah Roberts Advertisement

Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >149

For as long as she can remember, Immy has been in love with Jenner.
But he’s only ever seen her as a little sister.
Someone to coddle and tease.

But Immy needs more. She deserves more.
She needs love and passion. Protection and possession.
She needs a Daddy to adore and take care of her.

And Tobias could be that man.
He’s gruff. Sexy. A total Daddy.
And he wants her.

Jenner had his reasons for keeping his distance with Immy...but as a threat to her emerges, he comes to realize those reasons are becoming less important.
What is important is keeping her safe.

So will the two of them be able to work together to keep her safe?

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

PROLOGUE

Immy heard the window of her bedroom open.

She stayed still, not wanting to scare him away. That had happened before. So she lay there frozen as he climbed through the window and slid it back down. Then he lay on the floor next to her bed.

Time to move.

She grabbed the spare pillow and blanket that she kept next to her and rolled over, dropping them down next to him.

“Immy,” Jenner said on a sigh. “Shit. I woke you up.”

“I was already awake,” she told him. “Are you all right?”

Immy knew what his answer would be. He always gave her the same answer.

“I’m fine, Immy. Go to sleep.”

As he took the pillow and blanket, she thought she heard him grunt in pain. Immy bit her lip.

Don’t ask.

Don’t ask.

Don’t ask.

It was so hard, though. She loved him. She adored all of her friends, but there had always been a special relationship between her and Jenner. He took care of her, stood up for her, he made this whole crazy scary world seem less crazy and scary because she knew he was at her side.

Always.

“I don’t ever want to be apart from you, Jenner,” she whispered.

Things were happening. Cat was close to turning sixteen and the Deity seemed to be taking an interest in her. That made Immy feel sick to her stomach. She was the youngest of all of them and wouldn’t be turning sixteen for another six months.

But she was dreading it.

Immy knew that when she turned sixteen, the Deity would give her to one of the men in the cult. As his wife.

She swallowed heavily. She wasn’t even sure what would happen then. But she just prayed she was given to someone kind.

Although that was doubtful.

The best case scenario was that she’d be given to Jenner. Being his wife would be amazing.

And then he could sleep in the bed with her instead of on the floor.

“I can hear you thinking, Immy,” he said. “Go to sleep.”

“How can you hear someone think?” she asked.

“Don’t know, I just can. And if you don’t go to sleep, I’m going to leave.”

Immy didn’t want that. She liked having Jenner close by so she could take care of him.

Four Years Later

He was failing to take good care of her.

Jenner paced up and down the living room floor, listening to Immy cough from her bedroom.

Fuck.

She could hardly breathe.

Abe stepped out of her bedroom, looking worried. He and Immy were close. Close in a way that had often made Jenner feel jealous.

Which was ridiculous.

Immy loved them all like brothers. Which is how he felt about her.

Yep.

Exactly how he felt.

“How is she?” he asked.

Sampson was making her a honey lemon drink while Isaiah was sitting on their old, crappy sofa, tapping away on his laptop.

But they all paused to look up at Abe who ran his hand over his face. “Not good. She’s running a fever, she’s bringing stuff up when she coughs, and it’s hard for her to catch her breath.”

“She needs to go to the hospital,” Jenner said. “I’ll call an ambulance.”

Immy had always had a compromised immune system. No one knew why, exactly. Her mom had said that she’d had anemia when she was born and that it was some sort of genetic issue. Immy’s parents didn’t really believe in traditional medicine. Sometimes he wondered if the Deity had promised to make Immy healthy to get them to join the cult.

Now that she was out of the cult, she seemed to be getting sick more often. And he knew why.

It was this place.

They’d wanted to live together again. All of them had hated living apart after they’d left the cult. Abe and Immy had been with her parents. He, Sampson, and Isaiah had lived with his mom.

Now, the five of them were all old enough to live on their own. Maeve was away at college and Cat was in New York. Abe and Isaiah were going to college here while Sampson was working at a gym and Jenner had a few singing gigs.

They were barely scraping by. Immy tried her best to add to the pot, but she was often ill and could only work part-time.

This apartment was making her sick. They couldn’t afford better, but they really couldn’t stay here.

It was going to kill her.

They were in the worst part of Nashville. Immy wasn’t allowed to leave the apartment without one of them with her. They tried their best to keep the place well-ventilated and clean, but mold kept growing in the bathroom and kitchen. They didn’t have the money to eat as healthy as she needed.

She needed a safe environment.

Somewhere dry and clean that wasn’t overcrowded.

And he had to provide that for her. To make sure she didn’t keep getting ill.

“She’s refusing to go,” Abe said.

Jenner frowned. “What do you mean, she’s refusing to go?”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >149

Advertisement Protecting Little Phoebe – Littles of Rawhide Ranch Read Online Laylah Roberts http://www.books2020.com/protecting-little-phoebe-littles-of-rawhide-ranch-read-online-laylah-roberts Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:15:00 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/protecting-little-phoebe-littles-of-rawhide-ranch-read-online-laylah-roberts Genre: Alpha Male, BDSM, Contemporary, Drama, Erotic Authors: Laylah Roberts Advertisement

Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >47

He wasn’t enough. She’s been told she’s too much. Together, they might just be exactly right…

Left shattered by the revelation that his ex-wife only ever loved his money, Barren Rose heads to Rawhide Ranch in search of the Little girl he’s always wanted.
And leaves disappointed yet again.
Until he spots an adorable woman with blonde pigtails broken down on the side of the road. From the moment he lays eyes on sweet Phoebe, he knows she’s the Little girl he’s dreamed of.
Even knowing he’s twenty years older than her isn’t enough to change his mind once he decides to claim Phoebe as his own.
He just has to be sure she wants him for all the right reasons. So he keeps his wealth a secret, determined that this time will be different.
But Barren isn’t the only one with something to hide. And when his and Phoebe’s worlds collide, and the truth of who they both are finally comes to light, the love they’ve found at Rawhide will be put to the ultimate test…

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

PROLOGUE

Smash!

The bottle landed against the wall with a satisfying crash, glass falling on the floor.

Hmm. He should clean that up.

Why? There’s only you here in this huge house.

A house that Barren had spent the last twenty years living in with his wife. Only, she wasn’t his wife anymore. He glanced down at the divorce papers on the coffee table. It was official. They were divorced. He was single.

And that fucking scared him.

Was he going to spend the rest of his life alone? He’d been married to Krystal for twenty years. Did he know how to be on his own anymore?

You’ve been on your own these last ten months since she left you.

Yeah, but a part of him had hoped she would change her mind. That she’d decide that her new, younger man wasn’t right for her and come back to him. He let out a sour laugh. That wasn’t happening. Krystal was gone and his life was falling apart.

Barren glared over toward the front door as someone knocked on it. Who could that be?

Maybe it’s Krystal.

Fuck. What if it was?

He was sitting here on his own, a complete and utter mess. He’d drunk half a bottle of vodka and now moved onto beer. The world definitely tilted as he got to his feet.

Don’t open the door. You can’t let her see you like this. You haven’t showered in days.

Go to her. Beg her to come back to you. You can’t survive on your own.

Fuck.

Opening the door, he stared blurrily at the person standing there. “You’re not Krystal.”

“Nope, I’m not,” replied Eliot grimly. “And you’re a mess. Why didn’t you call me?”

“Was I supposed to?” He didn’t remember that.

Eliot sighed. “Yes, you idiot. When you need me, you’re supposed to call and tell me.”

“I don’t need you.” What was he talking about?

“You don’t?” Eliot asked. “So you’re fine?”

“You got it.” Barren tried to smile, but he wasn’t sure he succeeded. “So, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you at home with your Littles?” Eliot had two Littles, Isla and Marcus. The lucky bastard. Not that he was jealous or anything.

Sure you aren’t. You’re not jealous over the fact that he has two Littles and you have none.

And now you sound bitter.

Eliot deserved to be happy after losing his wife, Anna. They’d been so in love and Barren hadn’t expected his friend to ever find someone else. Let alone two people to love.

“Because I came here to check on you. Melly called and said that the divorce papers came through. And you’ve stopped answering your phone.”

“Melly should mind her own business. I’m her boss, not her friend.”

“Melly cares about you,” Eliot said firmly. “And I dare you to say that to her face.”

Yeah, he wouldn’t be doing that. Melly scared him. “I told you that I’m fine.” He was getting sick of saying it, if he was honest.

“Walk in a straight line and I’ll believe you.”

Barren spun around to do just that. And found the floor coming toward him. How the hell had the floor moved like that?

Suddenly, Eliot wrapped an arm around him, holding him up.

“Shit,” he muttered.

“Yep,” Eliot agreed.

“I’m in a bad way.”

“You are. But I’m here now. Let’s get some coffee into you and then tomorrow we can have a chat about what comes next.”

Fun. Talking was the last thing he wanted to do. Yet he knew Eliot was right. He couldn’t continue to drown his sorrows in vodka and beer.

Something had to change.

“What the hell was I thinking?” Barren moaned the next morning as he sat at the kitchen table. His head was thumping and he felt queasy. The smell of food cooking wasn’t helping. Nor was Eliot’s cheerful whistling. He loved the guy, but he needed to shut up.

Now.

Eliot placed a plate of toast in front of him along with a cup of coffee.

Barren took the coffee gratefully. The toast could wait until he knew it wasn’t going to come back up.

“You’re hurting,” Eliot told him. “I get it. I know what it’s like to lose someone you love.”

And now he felt like a complete asshole. Because Eliot’s wife had died. She hadn’t left him for a twenty-something nightclub DJ.

God.

How was this his life?

“I’m sorry,” he told Eliot.

“Why?” Eliot sat across from him with his own cup of coffee.

“For acting like an idiot and causing Melly to get so worried that she called you. Did you bring Isla and Marcus?” He hadn’t met Eliot’s new boyfriend and girlfriend. It was still hard to wrap his head around Eliot being with a man and a woman.

Two Littles.

Lucky bastard.

“Nope. They’re back home.”

“You left them alone?” He raised his eyebrows. He couldn’t imagine ever leaving his Little alone. He had the feeling he’d be so possessive and overprotective that they’d rarely be allowed out of his gaze.

And you’d probably cause them to run from you. Just like Krystal.

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