Action – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read

Action – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.books2020.com Wed, 13 May 2026 18:55:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 http://www.books2020.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Action – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.books2020.com 32 32 Big Bad Betrayal (Werewolves of Wall Street #6) Read Online Renee Rose, Lee Savino http://www.books2020.com/big-bad-betrayal-werewolves-of-wall-street-6-read-online-renee-rose-lee-savino Wed, 13 May 2026 18:55:23 +0000 https://www.books2020.com/big-bad-betrayal-werewolves-of-wall-street-6-read-online-renee-rose-lee-savino Genre: Action, Alpha Male, Erotic, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Paranormal Authors: Lee Savino, Renee Rose Series: Lee Savino
Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
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Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)

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I’M THE WOLF BORN TO DESTROY HER PACK.
I’ve spent years building toward one goal—bringing down the pack that brainwashed my mother and ordered me dead. It’s my sole focus and I don’t get distracted.

Not when I have dreams of a woman with hair like starlight. Not when I discover she’s an Adalwulf who serves as pack Seeress, my sworn enemy.
Not until I’m alone in an elevator with her and she collapses against me, shaking with a vision only she can see. I wrap my arms around her and hold her through it. Give her a few moments of comfort and disappear before her guards ever see my face.

I should forget her. Instead, I hunt her.
When I learn the Adalwulfs have locked her in a tower—their own seeress, caged like a weapon they can’t control—I turn feral.
Her pack will call it war. She’ll call it kidnapping. My wolf calls it destiny.
Aster is mine.

Big Bad Betrayal is a stand-alone book in the Werewolves of Wall Street series. This enemies to lovers, rival packs inclusivity romance features a Deaf wolf shifter and his psychic fated mate. No cliffhanger, HEA guaranteed

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

Prologue

Aster, 12 Years Old

Oma thinks I'm asleep, which is the only reason I hear her order a child’s murder.

As a seeress for the Adalwulf pack, I’m called to use my power for the good of the pack. But on this cold, dark night, I wish I could live as a normal girl. Then I wouldn’t be overhearing Oma, the seeress, plot with the high priest of the Moonborn, the Warden.

I’m curled up in an overstuffed armchair in her quarters, where I’d passed out with an aching head after she put me through a grueling afternoon and evening of training. I woke when the Warden entered, my body coming alert, wary in the presence of a predator, but pretended to be asleep, remaining still and keeping my breath slow.

I work hard to make myself invisible here in the Adalwulf castle. It helps me avoid verbal or physical abuse at the hands of Odin or Aiden. They hate anything they can’t control–and no one can control the Sight. Deep down, they fear and resent our witch-muddied bloodline, even though Oma and I are prized possessions as their pack’s veilwalkers–the Seeresses who can see beyond the veils of reality into the future.

“I had a vision,” Oma tells the Warden.

I can’t see him, but I can sense his aura. It’s grey and thick and oily like putrid smoke. In man form, he’s big and burly, a brutal enforcer. He’s always in war paint–his ice-blue eyes framed in a band of black. It’s supposed to evoke his wolf’s distinct markings. I think he looks like a raccoon. His long, white-blond hair worn with a drastic side-part, makes him look like a mad wizard. Right now, he’s probably taking Oma’s measure. Normally, she would offer her visions up directly to Odin, so the fact that she called the Warden in here and is speaking to him in hushed tones means there’s subterfuge going on.

My skin prickles with warning. Knowledge is power, and secrets are the most powerful of all. I learned that early in my seeress training.

“You need to kill the wolf without ears,” Oma murmurs.

“What did you see?” The Warden’s voice always sounds harsh. Cold and hungry for violence, never sated.

“It is not for you to interpret the visions,” Oma says in the authoritative voice she uses when working with the big egos of dangerous wolves. “I am the Seeress.”

“And I don’t take orders from you.” His voice is as cold as his eyes, and I have to stop myself from reflexively curling into a tighter ball.

I hear Oma pace around the small antechamber to her bedroom. Unlike the wolves who prowl this mansion, her movements are loud and uneven. We’re in the medieval stone behemoth built in the crook of the Adalwulf pack’s pine forest, nestled at the foot of a mountain beside a crystalline lake. There’s electricity and hot water, but Oma insists on living in the dark ages, lighting candles and using the fire for heat. She says fire contains magic, so we must keep it close.

I hear the sound of Oma’s teapot boiling, and she pours two cups of tea. The scent of lavender and lemon balm nips at my nose. She’s stalling. She always pours tea when she’s debating her next course of action.

Oma’s ancient–she won’t tell me exactly how old, but I think it’s over one hundred. She and Odin, the alpha of the Adalwulf pack, are magically bound by a powerful spell. Oma draws power from Odin’s body, giving her an unnaturally long life. By sharing in his alpha magic, all of her visions are of and for the pack’s well-being. She siphons some of his alpha power, as she did from his father before him. He will be the last alpha she serves, though. When he dies, so will she.

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Advertisement His Perfect Darkness (His Perfect Darkness #1) Read Online Lee Savino http://www.books2020.com/his-perfect-darkness-his-perfect-darkness-1-read-online-lee-savino Wed, 04 Jun 2025 21:18:26 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/his-perfect-darkness-his-perfect-darkness-1-read-online-lee-savino Genre: Action, Alpha Male, BDSM, Dark, Erotic Authors: Lee Savino Series: His Perfect Darkness Series by Lee Savino
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Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 94076 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)

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The first time I saw my little bird, I knew she belonged to me.

She’s new to the city, all alone. She doesn’t know who I am, but I’ve been watching her. Stalking her in the shadows, keeping her safe. Killing anyone who threatens her.

I’ve built a cage around her, luring her in. And when it’s time to reveal myself to her, she won’t be able to escape.

In every way, she will be mine.

His Perfect Darkness is a dark billionaire romance with intense, sensual themes. It is book one in a duet, so beware the cliff

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

1

Inara

The best thing about blindfolds is that every other sense is heightened. The silk swathes my face from eyebrow to cheek. No matter how I twist and turn, I see nothing but darkness.

There’s a flare of panic, but then I sink into stillness. I rest my forehead against the leather-padded cross and give myself over to the inevitable. My world narrows to the clink of the handcuffs above my head, the whisper of my satin nightie brushing against leather, and the hum of the heating unit on the wall. In the distance, so quiet it may only be imagined, the sound of soft footfalls in the hall beyond the closed door.

My wrists are bound to the arms of the St. Andrew’s Cross. I shift my weight from foot to foot, fidgeting as much as I can before the scene begins. My long hair is pinned well out of the way in a tight ballerina bun, leaving my neck and back bare. I’m wearing a black babydoll nightgown with spaghetti straps and a lacy hem that barely covers my ass. It’s as close to naked as I can stand.

The club assistant helped me with set up, secured me to the cross, blindfolded me, and left. I’ve only been alone for a few minutes, but it feels like hours. I’ve been itching for this scene for a long time. The need runs under my skin, pulsing, swelling, making it impossible to think or breathe. My recent move across the country just made it worse.

So, a little impatience now is warranted.

At least I’m only a few minutes out from getting the pain I need. The pain I crave. I only hope it’s enough to relieve the ache that lives inside me.

My skin prickles as the door behind me opens with an exhale that sends air wafting over my back. My scene partner has entered the room. There’s no way for me to know this, blindfolded as I am, but I sense that they’re taller than average. Their presence is powerful, weighty. Every molecule of air shifts to their side of the room.

“Hello.” A male voice, smooth and deep. The fine hairs on my nape rise and prickles spread down my arms. “Are you Swallow?” He uses my submissive pseudonym.

“Yes.” I don’t call him sir. He’s not my Dom. He’s a stranger to me. I filled out a request for a scene, specifying the details, and the club found a matching scene partner for me, someone to top me.

Our interaction will be nice and anonymous, just the way I like it.

There’s a pause, and I feel each individual goosebump on my back as my scene partner paces closer. He is tall. His breath comes from somewhere over my head.

There’s a slight click, like ice in a glass. But that’s impossible. There’s no eating or drinking allowed in the private room, not unless you’re indulging in food fetish play.

“You’ve requested a scene as follows: you enter the room after I’m already tied to the cross. You start with the flogger. Lightly at first to warm me up. After twenty minutes, you may continue or switch to a paddle. You continue until you hear my safe word.”

He’s reading out my request word for word. His voice is soft and lulling. Soothing. Beautiful. The butterflies in my stomach grow drowsy.

“‘You do not touch me.’” He stops as if he’s trying to understand what he’s just read. “Is that correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct.” Unusual but correct. As sexy as this stranger sounds, as much as I crave the connection of strong fingers on mine, both rough and gentle, I set my course long ago. No touching during kink. No matter how much I want it.

No matter how much I crave it.

“It’s also listed on your hard limits,” he says. “Skin-to-skin contact.”

I shift from foot to foot, impatient to get on with things. “That’s right.”

Another pause. Is he thinking how weird I am? Second guessing signing up with me? There’s no way to know, but I’m relieved when he moves on.

“What’s your safe word?” He knows it already; it’s on the request form.

“Elyria.”

“Elyria,” he repeats, drawing out each syllable. And then, “This is what you want?”

“Yes.”

He comes closer. I turn my head slightly as if I could see him, but the blindfold lets nothing in—no light, no shadow.

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Advertisement Finn (The Irishmen #1) Read Online Melanie Moreland http://www.books2020.com/finn-the-irishmen-1-read-online-melanie-moreland Wed, 04 Jun 2025 21:17:54 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/finn-the-irishmen-1-read-online-melanie-moreland Genre: Action, Alpha Male, Dark, Mafia Authors: Melanie Moreland Series: The Irishmen Series by Melanie Moreland
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Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)

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His power rules the city—but she rules his heart.

Finn O’Reilly is stern, powerful, and confident. He oversees his hotel and his syndicate with a commanding presence and leadership, knowing any weakness could be used against him.

And he has none. Except Una Murphy. The woman he lost his heart to and still loves, even though she wants nothing to do with him.

Or so she claims.

When her life is in peril, he won’t stop until she is safe and back where she belongs—with him.

Can he rescue her?

Convince her to stay?

Will she be a part of his world, regardless of the danger, knowing she is safer with him than apart?

She is his world.

He simply needs to convince her.

Start your journey in The Irishmen duet by New York Times best-selling author Melanie Moreland

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

CHAPTER ONE

FINN

I glanced at my watch, then cast my gaze at the wall of monitors on the opposite wall. I could see and, if I wanted, hear everything going on in every corner of my hotel and casino, aside from the private rooms. I had no desire to know what went on behind the closed doors of my guests. Unless you were in a suite I put you in to keep tabs on you.

That was a totally different story.

The casino was steady, the restaurants prepping for another day of busy service, and everything was running smoothly. I clicked again so the entire wall became the lobby, scanning to make sure it looked perfect.

Guests were coming and going, the concierge desk busy. The front desk had a few people in front of it, and I did a quick zoom to make sure the staff was following protocol.

At least, that was what I told myself.

I took a moment to observe the lobby, waiting until a familiar head of bright-red curls appeared. I stared at the monitor, drinking in the smile and friendly expression on her face as she dealt with a guest. The warmth she exuded, the same warmth I wished were directed toward me, even though I knew she was off-limits. She had made that very clear, and I had to respect her wishes. I watched her for a few more moments, admiring her grace and beauty, reaching my hand out to stroke her cheek on the screen, recalling how soft her skin was. How silky it used to feel under my fingers. The way it felt when I pressed my lips there, whispering to her.

“Mo chroí.”

As if hearing my thoughts, she looked up toward the monitor, her gaze feeling as if it were looking directly into my soul. The one only she knew. For a brief time, she had been the redemption, the gift I’d been given.

Until she’d left me.

Her gaze dropped and I shook my head, returning to the present. I focused my attention to the front door, waiting for my unscheduled visitor.

I didn’t have to wait long. Roman Costas was nothing if not punctual.

He walked in, his shoulders back, head high, stopping to take in the much-changed front lobby.

When he’d owned the casino and hotel, it was modern, sleek, muted grays and creams. Streamlined furniture, thick carpeting underfoot.

When he sold it to me, I closed it for a year, remodeled parts of it, and reopened as O’Reilly’s. I replaced the previous name of Maple II, as had been part of our agreement. He hadn’t seen it yet.

I zoomed in to get a closer look at his reaction.

For a brief moment, I saw his shock and a slight sadness as he scanned the vast area, then his mask fell into place.

He walked forward, taking it all in. Gone were the glass and metal and carpet. Dark woods, soft colors, and heavy, thick-planked flooring were in their place. A massive rock wall was at the back, water cascading gently over the crevices to a pool below. Flanking the waterfall area were live trees and plants, the green stretching upward to the new, light-filled dome. The area was peaceful and serene. It invited our guests to sit and relax, close their eyes and forget about the city beyond the walls and glass. The dome was fitted with stained glass, the colors cascading all around, beautiful yet allowing the light to come in and highlight the plants and water. It was my favorite spot on the main floor.

It was hers as well.

Closer to the front was another alcove that contained a huge fireplace with chairs and sofas arranged around it. There were live edge desks at reception, deep armchairs, and muted greens and cream everywhere. No steel or metal surfaces anywhere. The ambiance of the entire hotel was now that of an Irish manor. Warm, welcoming, homey. Upstairs, I had added an Irish pub, the décor so realistic you’d think it had been there for years, not a matter of months. It was always busy and one of the biggest moneymakers in the entire building, next to the casino.

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Advertisement Saving What’s Mine (Men of Maddox Security #2) Read Online Logan Chance http://www.books2020.com/saving-whats-mine-men-of-maddox-security-2-read-online-logan-chance Sun, 02 Mar 2025 13:36:07 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/saving-whats-mine-men-of-maddox-security-2-read-online-logan-chance Genre: Action, Alpha Male Authors: Logan Chance Series: Men of Maddox Security Series by Logan Chance
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Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)

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When life hands Orion Locke a new assignment, it’s not just any routine security detail—he’s tasked with protecting Briar Green, a quirky bird handler with an even quirkier pet bird named Jeb. Between dodging the advances of a persistent stalker and Jeb’s constant chaos (seriously, who knew a bird could have that much attitude?), Orion’s life takes a nosedive into feathers, flirty banter, and flying distractions.

Briar isn’t your typical damsel in distress. She’s independent, headstrong, and far too comfortable with letting Jeb run wild. Orion’s job was supposed to be protect her from the shadows and maintain a professional distance. But as danger gets closer, so do they, and suddenly keeping his heart safe becomes harder than dodging Jeb’s random flying attacks.

Will Orion be able to save Briar from her stalker before she drives him completely bananas? Or will the real challenge be keeping his feelings caged?

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

Chapter 1

Orion

I smack the snooze button again, the soft thud of it echoing in my dimly lit room.

Shut the fuck up, motherfucker.

Seriously, who in their right mind thinks nine a.m. meetings are a good idea? Certainly not me. My body feels like lead, weighed down by the exhaustion from yet another late night spent indulging in my secret obsession—magic tricks.

Yeah, I’d never tell anyone I’m into sleight of hand tricks. Especially the men I work with at Maddox Security. I’m sure the guys would love to rag on me for that. I’d probably never hear the end of it, and listen… I’d rather keep this shit to myself.

However, my fingers have a natural agility. They move with a kind of fluidity over the cards, shuffling and flipping them effortlessly. It’s not just a party trick; it’s skill, discipline, finesse. Few people can handle a deck the way I do. There’s only two things I’m really, really good at. Fucking and cards.

The alarm shrieks again, more demanding this time, yanking me out of my daydream. I groan, throwing my rumpled dark-blue comforter to the floor in frustration.

Fine, I’m getting up.

I rub my eyes, the clock flashing an accusatory 8:20 a.m. Ten minutes to get out the door. Fantastic.

I leap out of bed and stumble through my morning routine like a man possessed. A wrinkled t-shirt is the first thing I grab from the pile of semi-clean clothes on the chair in the corner of my room. Not ideal, but it’ll have to do. At least Dean, my boss, doesn't believe in suits and ties for these meetings. It’s one of the few things I appreciate about him.

However, what I don’t appreciate… Dean’s obsession with holding early-morning meetings. He’s one of those “stick to a schedule” types, convinced that knocking out meetings at the crack of dawn somehow frees up the rest of the day for productivity. Maybe for him, but for me? I’d prefer an extra hour of sleep.

I guess it also goes to say the majority of the men who work for Maddox Security are ex-military. They’re used to this shit, and sure, when I worked SWAT, I got up early for work… but it’s been a while.

My phone buzzes on the nightstand, a text from Boone popping up. “Don’t be late. You know Dean will notice.” Great, just what I need. As if the anxiety about the meeting wasn’t enough, I now have Boone in my ear reminding me of Dean’s eagle-eye for tardiness. I throw on some jeans, grab my keys, and dash out the door, hoping I can make it downtown in record time.

Dean Maddox is the head of one of the world’s largest security firms—though calling it a "security company" hardly does it justice—and has a reputation for taking on the most challenging cases, the ones other firms shy away from. It’s also how he met his wife, Sophia. They had to pretend to be married for a case, and somewhere along the way, Dean fell hopelessly in love with her. Their unconventional love story is one for the books, but right now, I need to focus on making it to that early meeting.

I race across town in my SUV, tires screeching as I speed through the traffic lights. Bursting into the conference room, I’m a groggy mess, barely able to keep my eyes open.

“Why do you schedule these meetings so early in the morning?” I grumble, collapsing into the nearest chair.

Dean, Boone, Ranger, and Lincoln turn to look at me, their expressions a mix of curiosity and amusement. It’s as if I’m some peculiar artifact they can’t quite place. Maybe they’ve never been this tired before.

“It’s nine a.m. I wouldn’t exactly call this early,” Dean chuckles, his gray eyes assessing me.

“Someone had a rough night,” Boone observes, his grin widening as he leans back in his chair.

If he only knew. I let out a groan and rest my head on my arms, desperately trying to stay awake while I wait for the last person to arrive.

A few minutes later, Asher, the newest member of our team, strides into the room, clearly apologetic. “Sorry I’m late,” he says, offering Dean a quick nod.

“Thanks for being here, everyone,” Dean begins, flipping through a stack of papers with practiced efficiency. “I know the past couple of months have been challenging with my search for Bishop Blackstone. I want to extend my gratitude to each of you for your invaluable contributions in locating him.”

As Dean speaks, I stifle another yawn, wishing more than anything for this meeting to be over so I can crawl back into bed and catch up on some much-needed sleep. The room’s early morning light feels harsh, and the comfort of my bed seems like a distant dream.

“I know Isabel has been a tremendous help, and I’m incredibly lucky to have such an awesome sister,” Dean says, his tone filled with genuine appreciation. He glances at Lincoln, who’s watching him, before continuing, “Now, I have some assignments that have come up, and I want to assign each one.”

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Advertisement Vengeful Lies (Vengeful Lies #1) Read Online T.L. Smith http://www.books2020.com/vengeful-lies-vengeful-lies-1-read-online-t-l-smith Wed, 12 Feb 2025 07:22:24 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/vengeful-lies-vengeful-lies-1-read-online-t-l-smith Genre: Action, Alpha Male, Billionaire, Dark, Mafia, Suspense Authors: T.L. Smith Series: Vengeful Lies Series by T.L. Smith
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Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 106312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)

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Dear Kitten,

Marry me and I’ll give you the world.

Refuse, and I’ll burn yours to the ground.

Sincerely,
Your soon-to-be husband

It started out as a hit. One bullet. One man.

My orders are clear—get close to the mafia heir, Eli Monti, play with his head, and wait for the signal to end it. End him.

I thought he would be my easiest mark yet. But somehow I’m the one being played.

Eli always gets what he wants and now, he wants me.
His vengeful proposal isn’t a request. It’s a demand.

When you play games with a man who's been mastering them all his life, you learn some new tricks.

Top of the list: Find the best way to kill my fake fiancé.

From USA Today and Amazon Top 25 Best Selling Author duo, a new Standalone Dark Romance in the same world as the Lethal Vows

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

CHAPTER 1

Eli

Another fucking note. What the actual fuck? A tic runs through my jaw as I press the buzzer, and the voice of one of my security team comes over the speaker.

“How can I assist you, Mr. Monti?”

“Who was in my apartment?” I demand, looking toward the bathroom, where the note is pinned to the door by a fucking knife.

I bounce between my apartment in New York City and my mansion just outside of it, staying in whichever suits my needs at the time. Both places have had security breaches recently.

“No one, sir. As instructed, no one is to enter unless they’re with you.”

Fucking hell. I hang up.

Who’s the crafty little motherfucker barking up the wrong tree? Someone who seems to want a very slow and painful death. I really didn’t want to install security cameras within my own home, but it turns out I might have to do exactly that.

I pull the knife from the door, letting the crumpled piece of paper fall to my hand. I unfurl the scrunched-up ball and read the note written in bright red pen.

Why is your underwear so neat and tidy, asshole?

I clench my jaw. I swear to God, if this is Hawke playing a prank, I’ll gut him for it. Then again, the kiss mark at the bottom of the note might indicate a woman. I know better than to underestimate a woman. However, I also know better than to underestimate my less-than-mentally-stable friends.

I fist the note as I walk into my bedroom to find everything in perfect order, as it should be. My left eye twitches at the one drawer wide open… my underwear drawer. I walk over to it and slice a quick glance down, and my teeth grind in irritation. “What the actual fuck?” I say out loud.

Whoever is fucking with me is good, I’ll give them that. They know how to break into my apartment without leaving a trace, find my fucking underwear, and leave a dead fucking rat in it.

Maybe it’s not Hawke. Maybe it’s his twin, Ford? He’s a little more silent, but I wouldn’t put it past him. They were, after all, adopted at fifteen by Anya Ivanov, head of the underground auctions. Even her husband, River, is known for his creative messages and executions, and I can say, at the very least, the twins are unpredictable. The only person who can keep them in line is their mother because they’re shit scared of her. Hell, I’m even a little scared of her.

But even as a prank, I can’t see why they’d be so tempted to piss me off, especially with the pressure I’m under from the head of the family—my father. And I adamantly refuse to let him or my mother catch wind of this. I deal with my own shit.

It’s infuriating that this has now happened twice, and I still haven’t uncovered the person’s identity. But I will.

Walking into the kitchen, I find a plastic bag and then head back to my bedroom, where I use the bag to pick the fucking rat from my underwear drawer. Now that I think about it, the whole drawer needs to go. And I need new fucking underwear.

It doesn’t take me long to throw out my entire drawer and make a few quick calls for everything to be replaced. I’m adjusting the cuffs of my suit as I step out of my apartment complex. I deal with all manners of filth and torture, but something about a dead rat is just undignified.

“Took your sweet-ass time!” Hawke complains, leaning against my car. His twin, Ford, is flicking through his phone as he waits next to him. Though the two are identical, Hawke has a bulkier build from his extreme love of lifting weights, whereas Ford has a slimmer build, which is better suited for stealth. Both have tattoos, and people actively give a wide berth as they step around them—the two ooze mischief, hell, and death. The jet-black hair and dark brown, almost black eyes do nothing to counter otherwise.

“You said you just had to change your shirt, so what took you so long?” Ford asks, looking up from the phone and pinning me with those dark-brown eyes. I may or may not have just tortured someone, leading me to need to change shirts. I certainly wasn’t expecting to find a dead fucking rat before my next meeting.

I ignore them both. They answer to me, not the other way around. Where my father has only one loyal second, I have two.

“Neither one of you happens to be into wearing lipstick these days, do you?” I ask dryly.

The two share a confused glance. “Only around my cock,” Hawke replies as he kicks off my car and comes toward me. As he does, a woman wearing black heels barges between us.

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Advertisement On Your Knees (Gods of Saint Pierce #4) Read Online Logan Chance http://www.books2020.com/on-your-knees-gods-of-saint-pierce-4-read-online-logan-chance Fri, 06 Dec 2024 20:23:17 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/on-your-knees-gods-of-saint-pierce-4-read-online-logan-chance Genre: Action, Alpha Male, Mafia, Suspense Authors: Logan Chance Series: Gods of Saint Pierce Series by Logan Chance
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Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >88

From USA Today bestselling author Logan Chance comes a new STANDALONE about a priest and the woman who captivates him.

I’m a single mother who lost custody of my son. Every night without him feels like a dagger to the heart, but I won’t give up. My ex is a lawyer and a powerhouse, someone unbeatable. I need to clean up my image, so I turn to the last place I thought would help—church.

That’s where I meet Father Carmichael.

Gorgeous. Untouchable. Completely forbidden.

I thought I was getting my life back together, but instead, he pulls me into a dangerous game. He offers me a deal: help him bring down a ruthless crime boss, and he’ll help me with my case.

The problem? I don’t have a clue what I’m doing.

Now, I’m spending late nights in dark corners with a man I can’t have, learning skills no mother should ever need. The closer we get to our target, the more tangled we become. Until the lines between right and wrong, holy and sinful, blur beyond recognition.

I’m caught between two impossible battles—winning back my son, and protecting a man I shouldn’t even want.

Saving my soul? That might be the one thing I’m too far gone to do.

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

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"Take Me to Church" – Hozier

"Wicked Game" – Chris Isaak

"Earned It" – The Weeknd

"The Blower's Daughter" – Damien Rice

"Sex on Fire" – Kings of Leon

"In the Arms of an Angel" – Sarah McLachlan

"Like a Prayer" – Madonna

Hurricane" – 30 Seconds to Mars

"Stay" – Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko

"Gravity" – Sara Bareilles

"All I Want" – Kodaline

"Unholy" – Sam Smith, Kim Petras

"Love Me Like You Do" – Ellie Goulding

"Forbidden Love" – Madonna

"You Are Mine" – Mutemath

"Tear You Apart" – She Wants Revenge

"Angels Fall" – Breaking Benjamin

"Criminal" – Fiona Apple

"Madness" – Muse

"Bloodstream" – Stateless

Chapter 1

Evangelina

“You're an asshole, Christopher Matthews.”

“Oh, you must be really angry if you’re adding the last name,” Christopher replies, a smirk playing on his lips. He stands in front of me, his expensive suit perfectly tailored, and stares at me with disdain in his light-brown eyes. “Nice language to use in front of your son, Eva. Guess you can take the girl out of the gutter, but you can’t take the gutter out of the girl.”

As always, his words are meant to remind me that he sees me as beneath him. I hate the way he judges me, like I’m the worst person in the world. Like I’m insignificant. Even when we were married, he always made me feel so… small.

But we aren’t married anymore, and he no longer has that hold on me.

I square my shoulders and raise my chin. “Nice try. Nate’s not even out here. Why did you have me bring over his teddy bear if you weren’t going to at least let me say hi to him?”

“You know the judge’s rules, Eva,” he says with a condescending tone. “No unscheduled contact, unless I approve it. And now just isn’t a good time.” He gives me a smug smile because he holds all the cards.

Our five-year-old son, Nathaniel, watches us through the pane-glass window of my ex-husband’s new million-dollar mansion. His small hand waves at me, and I see tears streaming down his sweet face. More than anything, I want to rush to him and tell him everything will be okay.

But it won’t be. Not when the judge handed down a court order that granted Christopher legal custody of our boy.

It’s been a little over six months since the court’s decision, and so far, nothing I’ve done to appeal the ruling has worked. The countless nights of poring over legal documents, the consultations with various attorneys, and the pleas to the judge—all have been in vain.

“Well, are they his rules or simply what you’ve told him to do?” I ask, my voice trembling with frustration. “Isn’t that truly how things work? You must really have dirt on him, huh?”

Christopher's smirk widens, but he says nothing, letting my accusation hang in the air. I knew a custody battle against a seasoned lawyer would be hard, but I naively thought the judge would see how much I love my son. How well I care for him. I’m not uber-rich like Christopher, but even with only a waitressing job, I make sure Nate wants for nothing.

I recall the sleepless nights staying up with Nate when he had the flu, the countless bedtime stories, and the handmade Halloween costumes. I might not have the financial means to shower him with luxuries, but I’ve always ensured he has everything he needs and more.

Yet, here I am...without custody of my child. The injustice of it all weighs heavily on me. My heart aches as I look at Nathaniel, who still stands at the window, his tear-streaked face pressed against the glass. His small hand still waving, he looks so lost and helpless.

How can the system be so blind to the pain it's causing? How can Christopher, the man who once promised to love and cherish me, now stand here, relishing in my suffering?

“Why don’t you talk to your lawyer and petition the court for more visitation?” Christopher suggests, giving me a haughty smile. He knows things won’t go my way. They never do. Not when it comes to that crooked courthouse, the crooked judge, and all of Christopher’s crooked friends.

“Just make sure he’s ready at five on Friday,” I say, grinding my teeth so I don’t say anything he can use against me.

A woman gets out of a Mercedes across the street and glances over at us before walking toward her sprawling home. They’re all so nosy. I must look pathetic standing out here on Christopher’s pristine lawn, exposed for the entire posh neighborhood to see.

“Oh, right, about that…” Christopher says. “Jessica and I are going out of town with Nate.” Before I can object, he holds up a well-manicured hand. “Listen, Nate’s been wanting to go to Disney World for a long time. And we wanted to hit it before he starts kindergarten. You’re not going to deny him Disney World, are you?”

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Advertisement Ninth Circle Read Online Jordan Silver http://www.books2020.com/ninth-circle-read-online-jordan-silver Mon, 08 Jul 2024 20:38:44 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/ninth-circle-read-online-jordan-silver Genre: Action, Alpha Male, Billionaire, Contemporary, Erotic, Thriller Authors: Jordan Silver Advertisement

Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 142664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 713(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >154

When Alyssa Archer returned home a day early from an out-of-town business trip to find her fiancé in bed with the younger sister of her best friend, she didn’t fly off the handle as some might expect. Instead, she retreated to her dining room to partake of the dinner she’d picked up as a surprise.
That night set off a trail of vengeance so dark even Machiavelli would blush.

Garrett Jacobi didn't expect to feel anything for the up-and-coming financial hotshot when they met. But just days after meeting her for the first he finds himself taking the place of the groom and embarking on one heck of a ride as his new bride makes a swath of destruction through her enemies.

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

ALYSSA

You know, life certainly is funny sometimes. This story is going to take you places you’ve never been, so buckle up, cupcakes, let’s go for a joy ride. Let me tell you about the year I lost my ever-loving shit on hearth and home and gave my little town a story to last for decades. That shit is still being told, and I’ve been damn near normal since then, but whatever. Haters gonna hate.

Now, this all started when I had to leave town on a business trip that was supposed to last four days. It was one of the biggest deals of my career thus far, and at twenty-three, it was a big deal because I was the youngest in my division, fresh off the campus lawn.

I know the only reason those good ole boys sent me was because I’m pretty as shit with a body to go with the face that was blessed by whoever threw me together. Big-up to the big guy upstairs. Oh, before we go any further, I’m just a tad bit full of myself, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t earn that shit.

I aced everything I ever did, don’t know how or why. I’m that kid you love to hate. Never cracked a book until the night before finals and still walk away with an A-Plus. People hated me, but little did they know I lived off of their tears. Sweet!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t one of those stuck-up debutant types, no ma’am. I liked to roll in the mud with the best of them. That’s probably because I grew up with four older brothers who thought I was one of them until I hit puberty. Then they lost their ever-loving minds and started treating me like spun glass. Meh!

Anyway, I was confident in my own skin and wasn’t too stuck on getting anyone’s approval, and it showed. I think Mom’s nineteen-eighties music, which was the equivalent of Beethoven to yours, truly helped promulgate my sense of myself. Her favorite song to clean the house to was Nobody’s gonna break my stride, Nobody’s gonna slow me down.

I used to follow her around with my little toy vacuum shaking my butt along with her and singing my own version, and I think it stuck. But I digress. Anyway, they sent me off to San Francisco from my little town in the deeeeeep South to hobnob with the executives they were trying to schmooze.

I’ll be honest; Garrett, the owner of the company, who I wasn’t aware was the actual owner, was hot as anything on a Hollywood lot, and he probably took one look at me and thought with my southern twang and pinup doll curves and straight blonde hair that I was as dumb as every blonde joke he'd ever heard. I had that sucker eating out of my hand in five minutes because I ain’t no slouch.

Anyway, I was sitting in my chair at the meeting, all but quivering like a wet dog in snow. When he signed on the dotted line and shook my hand, I held my breath, thinking that this couldn’t be real. Instead of the four days it should’ve taken, it only took two.

Not only that, I knew I had the thirty-percent pay raise in the bag. I’m going to be making bank. I felt the little tingle down my spine when we shook hands again and kept my legs clamped tightly together because I was not a slut. One, it’s bad for business, and two, my college boyfriend was at home waiting for me.

I said my goodbyes, only then realizing that he was the owner of the company and not the executive I’d been expecting whatever. I called my boss as soon as I got into the Uber, and we had our own little celebration on the phone.

I started to call my fiancé but changed my mind at the last minute, choosing instead to surprise him. It was still early in the day their time, and since the company always buys me an open-ended ticket when I travel, I called up the airline to see if I could bump up my flight time, which was a big fat yes.

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Advertisement Otto – The Hawthornes (The Aces’ Sons #11) Read Online Nicole Jacquelyn http://www.books2020.com/otto-the-hawthornes-the-aces-sons-11-read-online-nicole-jacquelyn Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:25:20 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/otto-the-hawthornes-the-aces-sons-11-read-online-nicole-jacquelyn Genre: Action, Alpha Male, Biker, Crime, MC, Suspense Authors: Nicole Jacquelyn Series: The Aces' Sons Series by Nicole Jacquelyn
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Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 94313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 472(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >96

Esther Allen doesn’t get in trouble. She follows every rule. She’s nice. Goes to church twice a week. Never talks back. Never steps out of line.Otto Hawthorne makes his own rules. After growing up in its shadow, he’s finally a member of the Aces and Eights Motorcycle Club. He’s quiet. Surly. A bit of a loner.The idea that they would meet at a party in the woods is completely illogical.The instant attraction is absolutely irrational.Under normal circumstances they wouldn’t have even crossed paths.Once they do? Both their lives are changed forever.

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

Prologue

Otto

“In and out,” my dad murmured, checking to make sure that the pistol he’d pulled out of the safe was loaded before handing it to me. “You’re just there to keep watch, yeah? Make sure there ain’t any surprises.”

“Got it,” I replied, checking it myself before sliding it into the holster hanging against my ribs.

“Got three chances to find those guns,” he muttered to himself. “Me and your uncle are takin’ you boys and Brody with us to the cabin. Casper’s takin’ another group to the warehouse downtown. Gramps and Dragon are checkin’ out the church down by the stadium.”

“We check out all three at once, they won’t have a chance to move ’em,” I replied in understanding. “Where do you think they are?”

“Honestly,” he said with a grimace. “No fuckin’ clue. My bet would be on the cabin. It’s isolated, yeah? Makes sense. But who knows with these fuckin’ weirdos.”

I let out a soft chuckle and loaded an extra magazine, running my fingers through the box of loose bullets my pops kept on a shelf next to the safe. “Can’t say our family’s any better,” I pointed out dryly. “We worship the wind in our faces and the open road as much as they worship their lord and savior.”

Dad scoffed. “Wouldn’t exactly call what we do a religion,” he mused. “But if I did, at least ours doesn’t discriminate, yeah? Plus, I doubt thinkin’ about their god gives ’em a tingle in the balls the way firin’ up my Harley does.”

“Pagan,” I said, laughing.

“Nah, man.” Dad reached up and scratched the back of his neck before turning toward the safe again. “I think there’s someone up there, keepin’ an eye on shit.”

“You do?” I asked in surprise.

“Have you seen your mother?” I could hear the smile in his voice. “There must be a god.”

My lips twitched. Leave it to my dad to bring the conversation around to my mom. Typical.

“You know, I watched her give birth to Myla on a mattress on our bedroom floor,” he said, his tone growing more serious. “No meds, no hospital, just sheer determination and grit. That was what sealed it for me. If I’d had any doubts that someone was watchin’ out for us, that woulda made me damn sure.”

“Fair enough.”

“You don’t think there’s a god?” he asked curiously, glancing at me over his shoulder.

“Is this seriously what you two are discussin’?” my brother Rumi asked, poking his head into the closet. “Should I be worried?”

“You should always be worried, Rum,” my dad said, tossing a bullet at his head.

“I believe in God,” Rumi replied defensively, dodging the projectile. “Have you seen Nova?”

I choked as my dad started to laugh.

“You’re turnin’ into Dad,” I said, shaking my head at Rumi as I ignored the nausea pooling in my belly. “You know that, right?”

“Whatever, I’m way more like Mom.”

“I’d say you’re a good mix of us both,” my dad said, not bothering to look at us.

“Yeah, you somehow inherited the worst traits from both of them.”

“I’m tellin’ Mom you said that,” Rumi threatened as he checked his watch. “We about ready to go? Cuttin’ it close.”

“Here,” my dad said, turning back toward me with a shotgun dangling from his fist.

“You serious?”

“Stop bitchin’,” he said, forcing me to take it. “Put some of these in your pockets.”

“You expect me to carry a shotgun?” I asked flatly as he handed me a fist full of shells.

“Shotguns are perfect,” Rumi said, grinning. “You don’t even have to aim in close quarters.”

“I’m a better shot than you.”

“Bullshit.”

“Jesus Christ, both of you shut up,” my dad muttered, sliding his pistols into the holsters at his back and ribs. “Take the shotgun in case you need it. Doubt you will. We’re doin’ this shit quick and quiet, remember? No one’s gonna be shootin’.”

“I got a rifle,” Rumi whispered as I followed my dad out of the closet. “Like a big boy.”

“You’re such a fuckin’ asshole,” I muttered, shoving him away from me.

Rumi may have gotten a big boy rifle, but he’d been smaller than me since I was eleven years old.

“Sticks and stones, baby brother,” he shot back, kicking at the back of my knee to make it buckle.

“Dad’s gonna kill you,” Mick announced, stepping out of the bathroom as we walked single file down my parents’ hallway. “Get your shit together.”

“Got my game face on,” Rumi replied with mock seriousness. “You got any idea where we’re goin?”

“Cabin’s about forty-five minutes south,” Mick replied as he grabbed his cut off the back of the couch and slung it on. “Should take a little over an hour since we won’t be takin’ the quickest route.” He glanced between the two of us. “You two gonna be able to make it without killin’ each other?”

“We’ll be fine,” Rumi said, dramatically wrapping his arms around my waist and laying his head against my chest. “I made us a road trip playlist!”

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Advertisement Just One Tease (The Kingston Family #9) Read Online Carly Phillips http://www.books2020.com/just-one-tease-the-kingston-family-9-read-online-carly-phillips Sat, 25 Nov 2023 22:13:00 +0000 https://www.booksnovels.com/just-one-tease-the-kingston-family-9-read-online-carly-phillips Genre: Action, Alpha Male, Billionaire, Contemporary, Suspense Authors: Carly Phillips Series: The Kingston Family Series by Carly Phillips
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Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >60

He’s the last single Dare sibling standing.
She’s his lost love who disappeared.
Now she’s back, bringing secrets and danger.

Hadley Stevens is on the run with her younger sister—again—but this time, she’s in control. Zach Dare might hate her, but she knows he’d never turn away someone in need. He’s the only man she trusts. The man she’s never gotten over. Even if she left him without a word.

Zach never expected the girl he once loved to walk into his bar. The last time he saw her, he’d dropped her off after school and promised to pick her up for prom. Except she disappeared.

Now, she’s back with a new name, but the same doe eyes and pouty lips, and she’s asking for the help he would have gladly given her all those years ago.

Zach agrees to protect them, but he refuses to fall for Hadley again. But late nights working side by side give them a tempting glimpse at the life they could have had…and all the reasons he loved her come flooding back.

He’ll have to keep her safe.

Before he can convince her to stay.

*Though connected by family, all books stand alone.'

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

Chapter One

Hadley Stevens loved her job but this time of year always turned high school kids into fidgety, hormonal savages thanks to being stuck inside a stuffy brick building seven hours a day, five days a week. They were so close to summer freedom, even she could relate to their restless spirits.

The sun shone overhead as she walked to her car. Coworkers also strode to their vehicles and Hadley knew without asking they were all grateful it was the second to last Friday of the school year. It helped that the weather was warm, even for mid-June in Braxton, Illinois, giving everyone an extra pep in their step. Hadley had no plans for the weekend beyond reading and relaxing, and if the weather stayed nice, she would sit outside and chill.

The house she lived in with her father, Gregg, and thirteen-year-old sister, Danika, had a small patio in the backyard where Hadley always found peace. No doubt some of this weekend would include shuffling Dani to and from a friend’s house, too, something Hadley didn’t mind at all.

She approached her car, key fob in hand when a man strode up beside her, his shadow blocking the sun.

“Hadley Stevens.” He said her name in a low voice.

She stiffened and looked up, recognizing him immediately. He was one of the sleazy men who’d been meeting with her father in their home most evenings, hanging out in their family room, and eyeing her just-developing thirteen-year-old sister with lust-filled eyes. Their perversion scared Hadley to no end and she always kept Dani within arm’s reach until the men left.

“What do you want?” Hadley slid her finger over the alarm on her key fob.

He grasped her wrist tight enough to bruise. “Don’t. Hear me out and nobody has to get hurt.” He slid his jacket aside, revealing a holstered gun.

Shaking now, she straightened her shoulders and refused to show more fear. “I’m listening.”

“Tell your father if he doesn’t do what we asked, we’ll take you and your pretty little sister as payment instead.” Releasing her wrist, he strode off, mixing in with the male and female teachers in the lot.

Trembling, she could barely unlock her car door and when she finally climbed inside, she jammed her finger against the door-lock button four times before she convinced herself she was safe.

Dani, she thought, her stomach twisting in knots. She had to get home to her sister. The plan calmed her down enough to drive but the past she’d been told to forget crashed through her mind for the duration of the fifteen-minute trip.

Hadley had just come home from shopping for last-minute makeup and hair clips for her boyfriend’s prom night. Getting out of his car, she was high on life and excited to be his date for the senior prom. He didn’t care that she was a junior. She and Zach Dare had been friends for years and a couple for almost eight months. And she planned to give him her virginity on prom night.

Except there’d been no prom. Not for her. And probably not for Zach, either. When Hadley had walked into her house that day eleven years ago, she’d been greeted by her father and the federal agents who’d relocated them that night, changing her name, her identity and altering the course of her life forever. She was sure Zach hated her for abandoning him without a word and did her best not to think about the cute boy she thought she’d loved.

Now, as she approached the home where she’d lived since being uprooted from everything and everyone she knew, that same gut-churning feeling returned. She already knew her father had gotten involved with the wrong people again but this time, she doubted they’d have government protection to keep her and Dani safe.

She pulled into the driveway, relieved to find it empty with no other cars on the street. It didn’t mean the men weren’t inside the house, but it gave her some hope. She glanced at the small home and though the white paint was chipped in places, she’d done her best to keep the grounds pretty by planting flowers and bulbs that bloomed yearly.

She pulled her car into the garage beside her father’s vehicle and tapped the button to close the electric door behind her. Still shaking, she walked inside and paused to listen. It was quiet. She didn’t hear men’s voices and Dani wasn’t blasting loud music. Knowing her sister, she was probably using earbuds and destroying her hearing instead.

Hadley rushed through the hall and into the kitchen to find her father pacing back and forth across the small area. “Dad? What did you do?”

“Hadley!” He spun around, his dark hair, newly threaded with gray, an unruly mess. He made it worse when he ran his hand through the too-long strands. His face was drawn and pale, the lines around his eyes and mouth more pronounced. “I’ve been waiting for you to get home from work.”

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Advertisement Capture Me Read Online Helena Newbury http://www.books2020.com/capture-me-read-online-helena-newbury Mon, 09 Oct 2023 12:39:55 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/capture-me-read-online-helena-newbury Genre: Action, Alpha Male, Suspense Authors: Helena Newbury Advertisement

Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 107096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >116

“I’m bringing you in...even if I have to hogtie you and toss you over my shoulder.”

I’m six-foot-four of tattooed bounty hunter: wrangling prisoners is what I do. But I never had to deal with a gorgeous female spy with curves that don’t quit and a PhD in pushing my buttons. The rest of my team warn me that she’ll try to lie and flirt her way to freedom. I’m determined not to fall for it...not to fall for *her.*

But when the two of us wind up stranded far from civilization, it’s up to me to transport her on foot through thick, untamed forest. And with each time she escapes and I have to chase her, with each time we tussle and I pin her down, with each time she pouts and I growl threats in her ear, the attraction builds. She teases so hard, I swear she *wants* me to take her over my knee.

When things go wrong, we’re forced to go from fighting each other to fighting side by side. I begin to glimpse the broken heart she hides...and start to wonder if she’s really the enemy. If her story is true then something terrible is coming...and she’s the only one who can stop it. Can I trust a woman who lies for a living? Are her feelings for me real, or just an elaborate ruse? I’m going to have to decide because there’s only one way to help her: go on the run with her. It’ll split the team I love apart. I’ll be a fugitive hunted by my closest friends. But I’ve fallen for this woman and I’ll do anything to protect her.

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

PROLOGUE

I fell for Tanya before I ever met her.

I fell for her before we talked, before the sweet whispers in that accent and the taunts that made me want to spank her ass and rip her goddamn clothes off all at the same time.

I fell for her before we fought, before I wrestled her to the ground and felt those soft curves against me, before I hogtied her and tossed her over my shoulder.

I fell for her when there was still eight hours and a thousand miles between us, when all I had to go on was one scowling, black and white photo.

Tanya was my mission. My target. My prisoner.

But long before I captured her, she captured me.

1

COLTON

I’d spent the last year building a life in the small town of Mount Mercy: a job I loved, buddies I could count on...true, I didn’t have a woman I’d buy flowers for, as my momma used to say, but I’d had plenty of one-night stands with women from Koenig’s Bar who got all hot for beards and tattoos, and damn well soaked their panties when I told them I had plenty of handcuffs and ropes and knew how to use them. And anyway, I had a bear, and a truck that ran...mostly. What else do you need?

I had everything squared away. And Tanya was about to upend it like a burglar tipping out a dresser drawer.

The day started out great. The air was so clear, I could look out over the mountains and see halfway across Colorado and it was warm, for September, the sun baking my bare arms. It wasn’t even eight in the morning yet and I was about to turn in the prisoner I’d bounty-hunted. I figured that earned me a cup of coffee from the little café on Main Street.

Heads turned as I wrestled the guy out of my truck. Haywood Lyce was a mean SOB, a six-foot biker who’d stabbed his girlfriend and then skipped bail and fled to Vegas. But then they don’t call me when it’s an office nerd who’s stolen a stapler. I got his arm up behind his back and marched him across the street towards the police station. Doctor Kitner was coming the other way. She’s some sort of scientist from Hanagan’s Hope, the tiny little community downriver of Mount Mercy. She’s a timid mouse of a woman with gold-rimmed glasses: kind of adorable, if you like that type. She balked when she saw my prisoner. Or maybe it was me she balked at: with my beard, tattoos and band t-shirt with the sleeves torn off, I look like a biker, too.

“What are you lookin’ at, bitch?” Lyce spat.

Doc Kitner flinched and stumbled back a step. And I saw red. I jerked Lyce to a stop and then hauled his arm up between his shoulder blades, just like I used to do with drunk soldiers when I was Military Police. “Apologize to the lady!”

Lyce scowled and then leered at her. I notched his arm higher, until his fingers brushed his hair. “Ow! OW! Jesus, okay, I’m sorry!”

With a respectful nod to the doctor, I marched him the rest of the way across the street, into the police station and into a waiting cell. “I didn’t even do it!” he yelled as I slammed the door. “I didn’t stab her!”

The officer on duty, an old guy named Earl, glanced up at me as he signed off on the paperwork. “You think he did it?”

After twenty hours sharing a truck with Lyce, I knew him well enough that I was pretty sure he did do it, and probably much more. But it didn’t matter. “I don’t care who’s innocent and who’s guilty,” I told Earl. “I just bring ‘em in.”

I strolled out into the sunshine and grinned, already turning towards the café. But at that second, my phone rang. It was JD, the big Texan who leads Stormfinch Security, the private military outfit I work for. “Can you come in?” he asked. “A job just came up and it’s right up your street.”

Coffee would have to wait. “On my way, boss.”

We call our place The Factory, because that’s what it used to be. It was derelict when we bought it, with holes in the roof: I still remember sitting on crates for our first briefing. Now, there’s a proper briefing room with a big, polished table and a big screen TV. JD was sitting at the head of the table, nursing a cup of coffee, but other than him it looked like I was the first to arrive. He nodded as I walked in. “Thanks for getting here so fast.”

I gave him a solemn nod. Even if I’d been in the middle of a bounty-hunting job, I’d have dropped it in a heartbeat. Everything stops for Stormfinch. “Cody ready for the start of school?” I asked. Cody is JD’s girlfriend’s son and next week he’d be starting at the little school in Mount Mercy. We’d all helped rescue the kid in New York and we were all a little protective of him.

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