Tear Jerker – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read

Tear Jerker – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.books2020.com Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:15:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 http://www.books2020.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Tear Jerker – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.books2020.com 32 32 When I Should’ve Stayed (Red Bridge #2) Read Online Max Monroe http://www.books2020.com/when-i-shouldve-stayed-red-bridge-2-read-online-max-monroe Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:15:32 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/when-i-shouldve-stayed-red-bridge-2-read-online-max-monroe Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Contemporary, Tear Jerker Authors: Max Monroe Series: Red Bridge Series by Max Monroe
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Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 121210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)

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He may have let her slip away, but he never stopped loving her.

Josie: Before the Moment

There are ghosts at every corner. In the stolen kisses while I waitressed at the diner, in the town festivals at the square, in the many jokes about Betty Bagley and her pie at the Fall Farmer’s Market, and in the countless nights watching Clay make drinks with that handsome smile of his while I sat on a stool at his bar.

It should all feel familiar and comforting, and yet, it just makes it hard to breathe.

Tonight will be a defining moment for the rest of my life. I have to end it now…before it ends me.

Clay: After the Moment

When Josie and I said “I do,” I thought it’d be us against the world forever. But I wasn’t expecting the world to be so against us. I know I should’ve stayed that night. And I definitely should have gone back sooner.

Because I don’t know how to be here. I don’t know how to be anywhere. I don’t know how to be without Josie at all.

She’s fun and fiery and strong-willed and stands up for the people she loves—even when it borders on reckless. She’s everything good about humanity—my perfect person.

She might say we’re done, but it’s not over. We’ll never be over

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

“In each loss there is a gain,

As in every gain there is a loss,

And with each ending comes a new beginning.”

-Buddhist Proverb

The Moment I Should’ve Stayed: Part 1

Josie

Tuesday, December 20th

Fresh ink stains my fingers, and a sharp ache stabs my heart as I tuck the large envelope into my purse and swallow the very real and ragged pill of what I’ve done.

Of what I’m about to do.

I rush out of the library, heading straight for the streetside parking, and climb into my car as quickly as possible in the hopes that no one will see me. Gossip runs like an Olympic sprinter in Red Bridge, and right now, I need to fly under the radar more than I need my next lungful of oxygen.

I should be cold, freezing my ass off, in fact, but adrenaline is pumping so hard through my veins that it’s impossible for me to notice anything but my heart galloping like a racehorse out of the gates. With a hard crank, I start my car, and the cold air makes the engine rumble with hesitancy. When it finally revs with life, I pull my seat belt across my chest to secure it in the buckle.

A year ago, I never in my wildest dreams imagined I’d be here. A year ago, I was happy. I was healthy. I was hopeful and invincible.

But more than any of those things, I was incredibly and painfully naïve.

Life isn’t the version we view through rose-colored glasses, and love, sometimes, isn’t even close to enough.

Love, in fact, can be the very thing that hurts us the most. It steals our breath and makes fools of our actions. It sinks its teeth into our innocence and begs for happy endings when there aren’t any to be had.

It robs us over and over, and, at some point, you have to stop feeding yourself to it as a victim.

I don’t want to leave, but I can’t stay. I can’t.

My legs are numb, unable to move even with the proverbial train coming right at me. I know Clay would reach out a hand—would sacrifice himself if he had to. But that’s exactly why I have to do this.

With my hand on the stick shift, I glance over at my purse, and the large envelope sticks out poignantly. A stark reminder of why it’s there in the first place, and the D word sits heavy in my mind.

There’s no other option.

I back out of the spot and drive toward Grandma Rose’s house, my vision a blur of routine and simple objects. I see the courthouse and The Diner. I see Earl’s Grocery Store and Fran’s flower shop and Melba’s bakery and the Red Bridge Police Department. And, of course, I see Clay’s bar, The Country Club—the brick-and-mortar that make up nearly every aspect of my life.

But the only thing that registers is heartbreak.

There are ghosts at every corner. In the stolen kisses while I waitressed at The Diner, in the town festivals in the square, in the many jokes about Betty Bagley and her pie at the Fall Farmers Market, and in countless nights spent watching Clay make drinks with that handsome smile of his plastered on his face while I sat on a stool at the bar.

It should all feel familiar and comforting, and yet, it makes it hard for the person I am now to breathe at all.

I wish I’d been stronger. I wish I’d been wiser. I wish I didn’t have to do this.

I wish.

But wishing doesn’t matter anymore, and I can’t turn back time even if I want to.

I have to go. I have to get out and not turn back, and I have to do it as soon as possible.

Sorrow and guilt and grief and shame claw at my throat, and the scratches are deep enough to bleed. My heart tries to compensate, but the loss is too much.

It’s all too much.

I turn into Grandma Rose’s driveway, shut off my car, and go inside to wait.

Tonight will be a defining moment for the rest of my life.

I have to end it now…

…before it ends me.

Before the Moment: Part 1

The Start of It All

1

Clay

Saturday, May 24th

On a scale of one to ten, how bad is it to make yourself a third wheel on a date with strangers?

Generally speaking, I’d rate it at an eleven. It’s tacky and borderline narcissistic—something I’d watch the wealthy pricks from my old life in New York do with sickening confidence and something I’d ride them for every time.

But this isn’t New York, and this date I’m considering cutting in on isn’t just a date.

“Oh, Drew! You’re too much.” Blond curls fly over her shoulder as she turns coy eyes to the schmuck in front of her, and I lean into the bar to watch her in action.

A real-life man-eater, this unbelievably beautiful woman I know through town lore as Josie Ellis, has been inside my bar every Friday night for the last four months, each time with a different man. She teases and taunts and flirts, her siren’s call luring them into the calm waters of overconfidence.

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Advertisement The Golden Raven (All for Game #5) Read Online Nora Sakavic http://www.books2020.com/the-golden-raven-all-for-game-5-read-online-nora-sakavic Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:25:43 +0000 http://www.books2020.com/the-golden-raven-all-for-game-5-read-online-nora-sakavic Genre: Contemporary, Gay, GLBT, M-M Romance, Sports, Tear Jerker, Young Adult Authors: Nora Sakavic Series: All for Game Series by Nora Sakavic
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Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 163209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 816(@200wpm)___ 653(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)

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I do not care what they think of me. I can’t. It only matters that I play.

Jeremy Knox is no stranger to damage control, but his last season on an Exy court is off to a disastrous start. The relentless crusade against his newest teammate threatens the haven he and his friends have worked so hard to build. He promised Jean a fun senior year, but tragedy and ugly truths make every step forward an uphill fight.

Jean Moreau promised the USC Trojans a championship trophy, and he intends to deliver. Granted, it would be significantly easier if they’d slide off their high horses and throw a few elbows on the court. Their steadfast refusal to do things his way is nearly as aggravating as their unwanted affection, but maybe they’re not the ones that need to change.

With so many ready to drag him down, how can he learn to fly?

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

CHAPTER ONE

Jean

Friday morning practice started with a brief team meeting. As each Trojan arrived, one of the coaches was on hand to redirect them to the huddle rooms. “Whichever one has seats” was the only directive they received, but for the most part the players segregated themselves by offense and defense out of habit.

Unsurprisingly, striker Ananya Deshmukh had eschewed the status quo to sit with Cody Winter and her fiancé Patrick Toppings, both of whom were backliners. Movement in the doorway had her looking up to check the newest arrivals, and her jaw dropped when she saw Jean Moreau’s battered face.

“Good lord,” she said, too loudly, and all eyes swung his way.

Catalina Alvarez briefly pressed a shoulder against his arm, but Jean didn’t care if they looked. He’d been a bruised and bloodied mess most of his career with the Ravens. His former teammates were quick to mock him and quicker to take advantage of his weakened state on the court, but they knew better than to ask questions. Most of them assumed his injuries were due to the master’s displeasure, especially since the perfect Court was called away daily for private sessions. Whether or not they truly believed it or simply refused to think critically of their beloved captain, Jean would never know.

“We left you alone for twelve hours,” Pat said. “Did you get hit by a car or something?”

A stupid question deserved a stupid answer, so Jean said, “Yes.”

“We’re going to talk about it, I’m sure,” Jeremy Knox said. He’d preceded Jean into the room, but now he was half-turned to study Jean’s distant expression. He said nothing else, but Jean saw the question in his searching look. Jean didn’t waste his breath responding but stepped toward him and sent one last glance around the room. Lucas Johnson and his friends were yet to make an appearance, but as far as Jean could tell the rest of the defense line was accounted for.

The room was arranged as five rows of five seats each, with a table at the front for Coach Jimenez to use as needed. Sophomores William Foster and Jesus Rivera were in the first row with the over-eager freshmen, though they were now all turned to unabashedly stare at Jean. Cody’s lot had claimed the second row, and fifth-year Shawn Anderson was in the fourth with Shane Reed. Those two had nothing to say yet, but their stares were heavy and unwavering. Jean’s injuries only benefited one of them, the man whose spot he planned on taking this season, so Jean didn’t waste his time returning their searching looks.

Jeremy led Jean and Cat down the third row so he could take a seat behind Ananya. Cat gave Cody’s shaved hair an affectionate scritch when she ended up behind them, but Cody was too busy staring at Jean to greet her. The three had just gotten settled when Laila Dermott arrived. She’d detoured by the lockers alone to put their lunch away, but now she took the chair on Cat’s other side and said, “Lucas is here.”

It was a split-second warning before Lucas finally stepped through the doorway, and the entire mood in the room shifted. Shane was on his feet immediately with an alarmed, “Jesus Christ, Lucas.”

The hours since Grayson’s visit had been unkind to them both: reddened skin and faint shadows had bloomed into technicolored bruises that covered too much of their faces. Both of Lucas’s eyes were blackened, courtesy of his broken nose, and Jean had long scratches down his face from cruel fingernails. Lucas hadn’t bothered to cover anything up, and Jean had only slowed long enough this morning to tape new gauze over the teeth marks left on his throat and wrist.

“This has to stop,” Shane said, looking between them. “You’re teammates, for god’s sake.”

“Shane,” Jeremy started, but Lucas beat him to the punch:

“We didn’t do this,” Lucas said as he led Travis Jordan and Haoyu Liu onto the fourth row. Because Shane and Shawn had gotten there first, it forced Lucas into the open seat behind Jean. Jean didn’t feel like turning far enough to keep an eye on him, so he folded his arms across his chest and faced the front of the room. Lucas stopped behind him but didn’t sit until he corrected himself with a quieter, “He didn’t. I did.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Shane asked. “Jeremy? Jean?”

Jeremy was still turned enough to see the door, so he just said, “Coach.”

Eduardo Jimenez entered the room with Jackie Lisinski only a few steps behind him. Since neither James Rhemann nor Michael White showed up, Jean assumed they were handling the other room. Lisinski’s face was a thundercloud, but Jimenez’s expression was harder to read. The defensive line coach did a quick headcount before slapping a folder against his palm.

“Good morning,” he said. “Couple quick announcements and then we’ll get you back on track. First things first: Lucas and Jean will be on no-touch jerseys until further notice and will not be participating in scrimmages today.”

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Advertisement Royally Remembered Read Online Emma Chase http://www.books2020.com/royally-remembered-read-online-emma-chase Mon, 18 Apr 2022 20:42:26 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/royally-remembered-read-online-emma-chase Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Tear Jerker Authors: Emma Chase Advertisement

Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 22425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)

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Read Online Books/Novels:	Royally Remembered
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Emma Chase
Language:	English
ISBN/ ASIN:	1957521910 (ISBN13: 9781957521916)
Book Information:
The lives of the Wessco royal family have always been extraordinary. Abounding in power and wealth, and marked by moments of soul-searing passion, exquisite love, and tragic loss. In this collection of short stories, set during the time period of the Royally books and beyond, we explore the moments that helped shape these characters into the irresistible heroes and heroines readers have come to know and cherish. We meet Prince Nicholas and Henry's parents, Prince Thomas and Lady Calista; we see the struggle to balance family relationships with the demands of the monarchy; and we continue the story of Queen Lenora and Prince Edward, whose deep, abiding love lasts beyond a lifetime. Royally Remembered is not a standalone--it is a companion novella meant to be read after Royally Screwed, Royally Matched, Royally Endowed, and Royally Yours.
Books by Author:	Emma Chase

(Two years after Royally Yours)

“I had a second child, after Thomas—a daughter. Did Nicholas ever tell you that?”

~Queen Lenora, Royally Screwed

Edward

“I DON’T WANT TO HAVE any more children,” my wife says.

Grief is bottomless. An endless chasm of anguished yearning for all that could have been, should have been. For more time, more memories. For just one more moment.

I didn’t understand that until now. When we lost my brother, I believed that would be the most acute pain I would ever feel. The aching helplessness of watching him waste away, knowing that when he was gone he would be gone forever.

But I was wrong. There is deeper agony.

“I couldn’t bear it if we . . . I won’t survive if this happens again.”

We buried our daughter today. In a small satin dress and her favorite fluffy blanket.

The service was a spectacle as royal funerals always are, with press and pageantry and miles of black-shrouded mourners. So much pomp and circumstance for such a tiny box. We walked behind her through the streets of the capital—Lenora and I, Miriam, and little Thomas. Before Nanny put Thomas to bed, Lenora kissed his cheek and I patted his head and we told him how proud we were that he had walked the whole way. That he had done his duty as a prince and he had honored his baby sister so beautifully.

And now we lie here, side by side, staring at the dark ceiling above our bed, still wearing our funeral garb because we’re too worn out to change.

“All right.”

Lenora turns her head to me, and I can feel her surprise before I read it on her face.

“You thought I would disagree?” I ask.

Her voice is curious and soft. It’s not Her Majesty the Queen’s tone—commanding and stern. This voice is for my ears only.

“Don’t you want more children?”

She feels the loss of our daughter in a keenly excruciating way I can’t really comprehend. Because she carried her in her body. Felt her grow, knew her kicks and hiccups long before I was ever able to hold her.

And after . . . after we knew she was ill, after the doctors told us there was nothing else they could do—Lenora still hoped. Still thought they were mistaken. Still believed fiercely as only a mother can. Still kept her faith that our daughter would recover.

And I couldn’t bear to take that from her. To crush her that way.

I will never not loathe myself for that.

Because when the end came, when the final goodbye was upon us and we held her in our arms as her breathing slowed and slowed, and then stopped—Lenora was unprepared. Blindsided. The devastating shock of it took a piece of her that will never be made whole, wounded her in a way from which she will never fully recover.

“You could’ve died when you gave birth to Thomas,” I tell her. “With Evangeline, it was worse.”

It hurts to say her name. And I hate that.

The memory of your child isn’t supposed to gut you. There should be delight at the thought of her tiny, perfect face, her little toes, her chubby hands, the way her eyes lit up when she saw us. Her eyes were pale green, but I think they would’ve lightened all the way to silver. She would have had her mother’s eyes if she had more time. If she had lived.

The ifs hurt too.

“I won’t risk losing you again, Lenora. So, no . . . I don’t want more children. You and Thomas are all I want.”

She nods, her features pensive. She’s still so young—only twenty-four—and in some ways even younger than that. In time, she may change her mind about this and if she does, I will do everything I can to dissuade her.

It’s selfish of me. But I have made peace with the fact that when it comes to this woman—her heart, her mind, her body—I am a greedy, selfish man.

“Dr. Abbott said there’s a pill I can take. Though the Church says it’s a sin.”

“I’m willing to take our chances that the Church is wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“The pill will prevent me from conceiving, so we won’t have to stop . . . we can still . . .” She hesitates, trailing off.

Because in all the times and ways we’ve touched and tasted and given each other pleasure, there are still certain words that don’t come easy to Lenny. It’s utterly endearing.

“Fuck fantastically?” I offer.

She closes her eyes, shaking her head, her lips pulling into an exasperated smile. And then she chuckles ever so gently.

It’s the first time she’s laughed in months. And it is everything.

“You do that on purpose, don’t you?” she asks.

“Oh, yes.”

“Just to make me blush.”

I sweep my thumb across the sweet blush.

“Every chance I can.”

Lenora gazes at me, quiet for a moment. Heavy, glistening tears well in her eyes and her voice cracks.

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Advertisement Hard Limit (St. Louis Mavericks #2) Read Online Brenda Rothert http://www.books2020.com/hard-limit-st-louis-mavericks-2-read-online-brenda-rothert Wed, 23 Feb 2022 19:28:03 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/hard-limit-st-louis-mavericks-2-read-online-brenda-rothert Genre: Angst, Contemporary, Romance, Sports, Suspense, Tear Jerker Authors: Brenda Rothert Series: St. Louis Mavericks Series by Brenda Rothert
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Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76749 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)

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Read Online Books/Novels:	Hard Limit (St. Louis Mavericks #2)
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Brenda Rothert
Language:	English
ISBN/ ASIN:	B09CGKR249
Book Information:
St. Louis Mavericks star defender Lars Jansson is dead set against relationships. A new love makes him wonder if maybe he can change, but first, he must confront the truth about who he is. Lars On the ice, I’m unstoppable. If anyone is in my way, it’s simple—I move them. Hockey is my life, and I don’t have the patience for relationships spanning more than one night. But when I meet a woman so bold and intriguing I can’t help wanting more, I’m blindsided by the revelation that no matter what I do, I may never be enough for her. Sheridan One night. That’s all it was supposed to be. But Lars Jansson is larger than life in every way—how could one night be enough? It’s risky for me to see him again, and to let myself fall for the stoic hockey player who is charming in his own way. He thinks it’s his truth that could undo us, but he couldn’t be more wrong about that—it’s mine
Books in Series:	St. Louis Mavericks Series by Brenda Rothert
Books by Author:	Brenda Rothert

Chapter One

Sheridan

* * *

“This was a bad idea,” I muttered, staring out the window of the limousine as it inched through St. Louis traffic. “Maybe we should turn around and go home.” I turned to my best friend, Vanessa, and she quirked a brow at me.

“We’re not going home,” she said quietly, folding her arms across her chest. “I did not get all dressed up to sit at your place eating cheesecake. It’s going to be fun, Sheridan. You haven’t been out in over a year. It’s time and we both know it.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready to be in the spotlight. You know how mean the press can be and I’m not…the same.”

“Of course you’re the same!” Vanessa snapped.

“I’ve put on twenty pounds and the camera adds another ten, so—”

“You were in a life-threatening accident. It’s a miracle you’re not in a wheelchair. You’re going to walk in there tonight like the badass you’ve always been and own it. Besides, the focus tonight is the charity, not the celebrities who are going to the fundraiser.”

“I bought the table in your name,” I said. “So maybe no one even knows I’ll be there.”

Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Would you stop? It’s going to be a blast. It’s a freakin’ bachelor auction! Of professional athletes! I’ve got a thousand dollars put away for Nash Reilly from the Mavericks.”

I laughed, relaxing for the first time all night. “I thought you were hot for that new pitcher for the Cardinals?”

“We’ll see which one strikes my fancy.” She arched her brows and grinned. “Maybe I’ll take both.”

“I could use a little fancy striking myself.” I sighed. “It’s been more than two years since I’ve had sex.”

Vanessa shuddered. “Jesus, woman, that’s a streak that needs to end right fucking now. You need to talk to your lawyer and—”

“Not tonight.” I held up a finger. “This is my first time out since the accident, and I just want to hang out and look at hot guys and have a glass of wine and laugh with my bestie. Can we do that?”

Her eyes met mine. “Absolutely.”

“Sheridan, do you want me to escort you right up to the front?” My driver-slash-bodyguard Flynn lowered the partition. Though I didn’t own the limo, we’d rented it so he could drive Vanessa and I to this event since he provided my security when I left home these days.

“The bulk of the press will be up front,” I protested.

“Dropping you at the front would allow you to walk the shortest distance though,” he pointed out.

I loved Flynn ninety-nine percent of the time. Right now, I hated him.

Because he was right.

“Okay. The front it is.” I stiffened my spine and sat up straighter.

I could do this.

I’d been through worse and wasn’t going to let a broken back derail the rest of my life. Even though it was turning out to be harder than I’d ever imagined.

He pulled into the lane for VIPs and flashed our pass to the security guard who waved him through. When he stopped the limo at the red carpet that led to the front entrance, a few dozen reporters surged forward, anxious to see who was getting out.

“Let’s go,” I told Vanessa. “But you first, okay?”

“I’m all about the attention!” she laughed, holding out her hand to Flynn, who had come around to the passenger side to help her out of the car. There were some camera flashes, but no one recognized Vanessa Cruz, my best friend since we were fifteen, the Chief Operating Officer of my new plus-size lingerie company, and the smartest woman I knew.

Flynn leaned back down and reached out a hand to me.

“You got this,” he said in a tone so low only I could hear.

I took a breath before letting him help me out of the limo. I tested my footing; I was wearing the highest heels I’d worn since the accident—rhinestone-covered sandals with two-inch wedge heels. I straightened up and smiled as the first flash went off. Then I heard the whispers.

“Holy shit, it’s Sheridan Lee!”

“Hey, Sheridan, look over here!”

“Sheridan, you look amazing!”

I smiled and waved, walking slower than I would have thirteen months ago but with an even, steady gait, the way my physical therapist had taught me. Learning to walk again as an adult was hard.

“Are you going to start modeling again?” someone called out.

“Sheridan, how’s your back?”

Luckily, we made it inside before I had to answer any questions and I exhaled heavily.

Okay, the first hurdle was a success. Now I could sit in a chair, have a glass of wine, and enjoy the auction, which I was actually looking forward to. I didn’t plan to bid on one of the bachelors, but I’d donate a few thousand to the cause. Anything to do with helping pediatric cancer patients was right up my alley.

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Advertisement Surrender to Me (Boggy Creek Valley #4) Read Online Kelly Elliott http://www.books2020.com/surrender-to-me-boggy-creek-valley-4-read-online-kelly-elliott Thu, 27 Jan 2022 20:41:32 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/surrender-to-me-boggy-creek-valley-4-read-online-kelly-elliott Genre: Angst, Contemporary, Romance, Tear Jerker Authors: Kelly Elliott Series: Boggy Creek Valley Series by Kelly Elliott
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Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >94

Read Online Books/Novels:	Surrender to Me (Boggy Creek Valley #4)
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Kelly Elliott
Language:	English
Book Information:
Arabella Adams was the one woman I would have laid my life down for, no matter the circumstance, because that’s what you would do for your soulmate. But when she broke up with me our senior year of college—for no reason or explanation at all—my world as I knew it fell completely apart. My heart was instantly ripped from my chest…and it was a pain I felt in my very soul, and one I never truly recovered from. Now, here I am, ten years later, and I’ve finally learned the real reason Bella pushed me away. So, I must prove to her that anything that happened in her past—our past—doesn’t change the way I feel about her. After all, soulmates never stop loving each other, and even a decade later, I will make her see that I will protect her until the day I die. Because you see, we promised one another we wouldn’t keep secrets, wouldn’t hide parts of ourselves that the other wouldn’t understand. Except, well, I lied. Because the moment I find the person who took Bella from me all those years ago, I’m going to make him pay for every lost moment of the past ten years, and nothing—not even the fact I’m a cop—will stop me from inflicting the same level of pain on him that Arabella and me endured all this time. Note to readers: Arabella endures trauma no woman should have to suffer. Respectfully, the author invites you to emotionally and mentally prepare before experiencing this book on your own terms, should you choose to do so.
Books in Series:	Boggy Creek Valley Series by Kelly Elliott
Books by Author:	Kelly Elliott

Hunter

The sound of hundreds of swarming bees nearly lulled me to sleep as I stared up at the clear blue sky. Arabella lay next to me, her head on my stomach with a book in her hand while she read, and I prayed one of those bees wouldn’t sting me.

“How many times do you think you’ve been stung by a bee?” I asked, watching one small cloud meander across the sky.

Arabella put her book down across her stomach, clearly thinking about my question. “Well, if I had to guess, I’d say thousands of times.”

“And you still want to do this? Take over the apiary someday?”

She sat up and spun around to face me. “More than anything. The bees are all I’ve ever known. When I’m around them I feel so calm. Safe.” After a beat, she looked away, blushing slightly.

I touched her arm. “Tell me what you just thought?”

“Well,” she said, climbing on top of my lap to straddle me. “I feel safest when I’m with you. In your arms.”

I couldn’t help but smile. I loved Arabella Adams and had since the first time I saw her on the playground in elementary school. Her blonde hair had been up in a ponytail, and she’d been carrying a lunchbox that was in the shape of a bee. I might not have known I was in love with her then, but I knew she was going to be my best friend. And she was.

I, of course, also had my guy best friends. Aiden O’Hara, who was joining the Navy right after graduation. Kyle Larson, who planned on following in his dad’s footsteps and becoming a cop. Adam Smith, who was destined to be a doctor, no doubt about that. And Bishop Harris, who had dreams of owning the local Christmas tree farm in Boggy Creek. They were more like brothers to me, if I was honest.

We’d all had a clear path from a young age, and I’d thought I’d known mine. I was planning on going into the Navy with Aiden. It would have sucked to be away from Bella, but it was something Aiden and I had talked about for as long as I could remember. It was our plan. Then my father ended up getting cancer, and I knew what I needed to do. Go to college, get a degree like he’d always wanted, and get my ass back to Boggy Creek to make sure my mom and two baby sisters would always be taken care of in case anything happened to Dad.

So, I chose to go with my second choice. Be a cop. It’s what I’d wanted to do in the Navy, so it wasn’t that much of a difference. A part of me couldn’t help but be a tad bitter that I couldn’t join the Navy, but my family was my number one concern. Always.

“I’m glad you feel safest with me, Bella. Don’t ever forget that. I’ll always protect you.”

She smiled and leaned down. “I know I shouldn’t say this, but I’m glad you’re not going into the Navy.”

I raised a brow and sat up. Arabella draped her arms around my shoulders and played with the hair at the nape of my neck. “Why?”

A blush appeared on her face again. God, I freaking loved how easy it was to do that to her. She had one of the sweetest personalities I’d ever known. Her heart was nothing but pure kindness—with a little bit of a naughty side that I also loved.

“Because that means once we finish college, we can get married.”

I blinked a few times and then laughed. “I’m sorry, but isn’t the guy supposed to propose?”

She nodded. “I didn’t propose just now. I simply stated a fact.”

I laughed again.

Bella’s smile slipped. “You do want to marry me, don’t you?”

Before she could react, I turned her around and lay her on the blanket. “I love you, Bella. More than I love anything in this entire world. And you’re mine. My heart will always belong to you, and that’s a promise I never intend on breaking.”

I ran my finger lightly along her jawline, down her neck, and across her chest. “I love knowing I’m the only man who has ever touched you. Kissed you.”

There went the blush, this time moving over the tops of her breasts. “And you’ll always be the only man.”

Rubbing my nose over hers, I whispered, “Good. Now, how long did you say your folks were gonna be in town for?”

A smile grew across her beautiful face. “Until at least dark.”

I moved my hand up along her exposed leg, causing her to shiver. “I really love it when you wear dresses, Bella.”

“I know. That’s why I wear so many of them.”

“You naughty girl,” I said as I slipped my hand into her panties. She arched her back and let out a soft moan.

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Advertisement In Silence She Screams (Midnight Mayhem #3) Read Online Amo Jones http://www.books2020.com/in-silence-she-screams-midnight-mayhem-3-read-online-amo-jones Wed, 10 Nov 2021 23:59:15 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/in-silence-she-screams-midnight-mayhem-3-read-online-amo-jones Genre: Alpha Male, Dark, Erotic, New Adult, Romance, Tear Jerker Authors: Amo Jones Series: Midnight Mayhem Series by Amo Jones
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Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 117774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)

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Read Online Books/Novels:	In Silence She Screams (Midnight Mayhem #3)
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Amo Jones
Language:	English
Book Information:
Love will never die if it exists on the lips of death. I often thought about this while I was locked inside my Doll House in Patience. Groomed every second of every day, they made sure to cover all of the darkness lurking in my soul with the false guise of perfection. The soul is fickle. Naked to the public eye and only visible to the owner, a soul bleeds every time it’s put through pain. But when that’s hidden, it spreads. The trick is to protect it from reaching your brain. It was too late for me. Until I met them. One was an Elite King. One was a Brother of Kiznitch. Both were liars. I’m Lilith Patience, The Sorcerer of Death and daughter of one of the most feared organizations known to man. After being thrust into the notorious world of Midnight Mayhem, I found myself coiled around a past that I want to forget and a future that could destroy me. I love two men, and they love me as much as they love each other, but when the demons of my past tighten their grip around my throat, will I finally let them strip away the layers of perfection to get to my rotten, withered soul? Maybe. Or maybe they’ll die trying.
Books in Series:	Midnight Mayhem Series by Amo Jones
Books by Author:	Amo Jones

Seventeen years old

I heard her sobbing before I even reached the end of the hallway. Washed up and fucking tired from traveling, I couldn’t walk past the sound. It was Cartier and the girl never fucking cried. She was tough as shit. When she was five years old, she put Keaton in a damn choke hold and knocked his ass clean out. So, despite the fact that I was about as fucking useful as a nun in a strip club when it came to hashing out girl feelings, I found myself backtracking and pushing open her bedroom door. It was after midnight, my head fucking ached. I wanted to sleep for three days straight before even considering opening my eyes.

My muscles tensed when I saw her curled up on top of the covers of her bed, her arms around her thin legs. “Kyrin, go away…” she whispered softly.

“Fuck that. What’s wrong?” I noticed a few things before she started talking. Like for one, she was in a little party dress made from that glittery shit girls like to wear.

“Nothing. Okay? Nothing.” Her voice trembled, her lips quivering.

Adrenaline started to pump through my veins when I realized she truly was fucked up over something. I walked in and kicked her door closed behind me. Her phone started going off from her desk, and before she could fly up from her bed to grab it, I snatched it.

“Unlock the phone, Chuckles…” Her nickname that I gave her when she was born flew out unintentionally. Apparently, I didn’t know how to say Cartier, so I called her Chuckles instead. It stuck. She hated it.

She shook her head, sitting up straighter in her bed. Her dress was ripped around the edges, her mascara leaking down her cheeks. I ground my teeth and grabbed her around the chin, raising the phone up to her face for recognition. “Ky, please. It’s okay.”

It unlocked and opened onto a message from her best friend.

Car, you have to tell someone about what happened tonight. Please? I’m here for you.

As I read the message, my blood began to boil. I felt the flames of anger burning through my veins. I looked up at Cartier, squeezing her phone in my hand.

I snarled at her. “Someone fucked with you tonight?”

Her lip trembled as she moved her blonde hair away from her face, swiping the smudged mascara under her eyes. I hated it because I’d been fighting my parents left and right to not let her come on tour. I didn’t want her in this. I wanted her to have a mundane life. We all did. Since she was the only girl out of us all, she had to answer to all of us, and what we said usually went. Though she fought us all with her bare teeth.

I took a deep breath and reached for my phone in my pocket. “Name?”

“Ky, I—”

“Name, Cartier!” She flinched, and I would feel like shit under other circumstances, but someone touched my fucking sister tonight and that shit didn’t fly with me. I fucking hated high school.

“Ben Jules.”

“Address?” I asked calmly.

She spewed off the address and I typed the details into the maps app on my phone. Other times, I would hit up one of The Brothers for backup, but I knew. I knew I wouldn’t need it tonight. “Tell me everything.”

“I-he-he and her, they gave me a drink. They gave me a drink, and I only woke when either of them was on top of me. She would laugh, with a recorder in her hand.” Her words barely made it out of her pain, and by this fucking point, rage was burning through my vision.

I couldn’t fucking see straight. “Do you know them?”

She shook her head. “No. They were just at the party I was at.” Her eyes drifted closed. “I shouldn’t have gone.”

I growled. “Cartier, you should be able to go to a fucking party without some grubs putting their hands on you without your permission.” This is one of the very aspects of life outside of Midnight Mayhem that I will never relate to. A woman can’t wear what the fuck she wants without being judged or touched.

“Ky, what are you going to do?”

“Don’t worry about that.” Once I hit the underground garage, I looked over the cars we had parked. I knew Dad took the Lambo in to get serviced, so I whacked the keys for the bike off the loop, swinging my leg over, not bothering with the helmet.

The party was over, from what I could see, but the lawn was riddled with Solo cups and empty kegs. “Fucking pigs.” I stepped over the litter and went straight for the front door. Kicking it open, I paused when I saw people scattered around asleep on the floor. Treading through the bodies, I searched all of their faces and looked between them and the photo on my phone. When I didn’t find Ben among any of the sleepy fuckwits on the bottom level, I made my way upstairs. I checked every bedroom—all empty, until I came to the last one.

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Advertisement Bring Me Home Read Online Nicola Haken http://www.books2020.com/bring-me-home-read-online-nicola-haken Wed, 13 Oct 2021 23:53:46 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/bring-me-home-read-online-nicola-haken Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire, Romance, Tear Jerker Authors: Nicola Haken Advertisement

Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 103281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)

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Read Online Books/Novels:	Bring Me Home
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Nicola Haken
Language:	English
ISBN/ ASIN:	9798471423923
Book Information:
A tale of friendship, acceptance, and second chances... Hugo Hayes has it all; the voice, the money, the looks. Adored by fans all over the world, there’s nothing more he could ever wish for. Or so it appears. But no one sees what happens off stage. Nobody knows where he came from, what he goes through, where he’s heading… Except the girl he left behind. She’ll know. She always did. Helen Jenkins is starting over. Back on the diet and heading for a career change, it’s time to stop wallowing in the past and give up missing the best friend who traded her in for fame and glory eight years ago. Harder than it sounds when his image and voice seem to follow her wherever she goes… Harder still when he appears at her front door one rainy spring night. Hugo is falling. After all these years, will Helen still be prepared to catch him before the inevitable crash? Or has he lost the only home he’s ever known, forever? Please note: Recommended for adult readers only. This book contains scenes, language, and references that may pose as a trigger, or be uncomfortable to read, for some people.
Books by Author:	Nicola Haken

One

Helen

Thirteen years ago…

School had dragged by painstakingly slowly today. It always did when Hugo hadn’t turned up before the end of registration. It was a pretty crappy place to be without my best friend by my side. I didn’t have many friends, wasn’t slim enough to hang with the popular girls or smart enough to chill with the boffins, but I didn’t particularly care. I liked my own company and I had my drawing pad and pencils to keep me busy. What made the day painful was knowing that if Hugo wasn’t there, it meant he was having a bad day.

At lunchtime I knocked on the door of the head of pastoral’s office. Mrs Armstrong knew Hugo well, better than his own fucking parents, and I wanted to see if she’d heard from him…or them. I doubted the latter.

“Helen.” She said my name with sadness, like she already knew what I’d come for. “You know I can’t talk about him with you.”

Yeah, yeah, confidentiality and all that crap. She must’ve known Hugo and I shared everything. “Please, Miss? Can you at least tell me if he’s called in? Or you’ve heard from his mum? I’ve tried texting but he’s not replied.” I couldn’t call because I’d ran out of credit, but he always replied to my texts unless things were really bad. He was also supposed to have music today. Hugo never missed music. It was the only lesson he actually enjoyed.

Mrs Armstrong’s head tilted as she exhaled a long sigh. “I haven’t heard anything,” she admitted, clearly feeling sorry for me. It wasn’t me she should feel sorry for. “Try not to worry.”

“Right.” The word sounded every bit as acidic as I’d intended it to, though I knew I’d probably feel bad later. I liked Mrs Armstrong. She’d been the only adult in his whole life to show an interest in Hugo and his needs, but in that moment I needed her to make me feel better and she had nothing.

Hitching my bag further onto my shoulder, I turned to leave, make my way to English, but stopped when I heard my name. “And Helen?”

I spun round, heart racing with anticipation in case she’d changed her mind, decided to give me news about my friend. “Yeah?”

“Lengthen that tie. You know the rules.”

Go fuck yourself. “Yes, Miss.”

At the end of the day, I sprang from my seat before the bell had finished ringing. I caught the bus straight to Hugo’s house, knowing my mum would still be at work for a couple more hours. No one answered after my first knock, so I did it again, harder this time.

“All right, give it a bloody rest, will yer!” I heard Mrs Hayes yell from the other side. My head moved with the door, followed it open trying to get a look inside to search for Hugo.

“He’s not ‘ere,” said his mum, the words slurring on her lips. Great, she’d been drinking again.

“Do you know where he is?”

She scratched at her face, rubbed her eyes like I’d woken her. Then, she just shrugged.

“Right. Thanks.” I didn’t wait for her to close the door before walking off. I was pretty sure I knew where he’d be now, so I picked up my pace into a jog and sprinted to the end of the road, turning left towards the park.

“Christ,” I choked out into the cold September air. Being fat didn’t usually bother me, but I hated myself right then for being unfit. My run had slowed into a fast walk because breathing had started to feel like inhaling shards of glass. All I could think was if I’d stuck to the diet I’d started a month ago, I could’ve reached Hugo already.

Eventually, the monotony of bricks and pavements broke and the field of green came into view. Once through the gates, I passed the playground and the fountain, kept going around the pond and down past the gigantic cedar until I saw the neglected bandstand. Our bandstand.

“Hugo…” His name rolled off my tongue as a whisper when I saw the hunched figure a short distance away. I ran for the stone steps that led up onto the polygonal stage and, when I got there, took them two at a time. “Hugo.”

Dressed in his school uniform, minus the blazer, Hugo had his back to the metal railings, his head buried deep in his knees which he was hugging close to his chest. Tossing my bag onto the floor, I knelt down beside him. “Hugo, what is it?”

His body started rocking back and forth, gently at first, but when I tried to take his arm he pulled back and started moving even faster. A loud sob ripped from his throat and he flung his head back onto the railings. The sound of the impact made me jump, forced a rush of air into my lungs. Then, he did it again…and he wouldn’t stop.

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Advertisement Fated Hearts (Southern Bride #8) Read Online Kelly Elliott http://www.books2020.com/fated-hearts-southern-bride-8-read-online-kelly-elliott Wed, 29 Sep 2021 10:33:10 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/fated-hearts-southern-bride-8-read-online-kelly-elliott Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Tear Jerker Authors: Kelly Elliott Series: Southern Bride Series by Kelly Elliott
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Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)

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Read Online Books/Novels:	Fated Hearts (Southern Bride #8)
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Kelly Elliott
Language:	English
ISBN/ ASIN:	B08RXJ3V44
Book Information:
It was only meant to be a short trip—up to Chicago for two days and then back to Texas. At least, that was the plan until a massive snowstorm leaves me trapped in Chicago at a local hotel with no definite timeframe of when I can go back home. If that wasn’t a crazy-enough turn of events—I wake up to a beautiful princess standing in my hotel room. She was definitely a sight to behold, but she’s not the least bit thrilled to see me—think Momma Bear finding Goldilocks lying in her bed type of annoyance. You see, my princess turned out to be a tired and angry traveler who had been double-booked…in my hotel room. With no rooms left anywhere in the city, we are forced to bunk together to ride out the storm. Now all that’s left to determine is will we survive each other. After a rocky start and some much-needed rest, Analise and I soon forge a friendship that turns into a no-strings-attached fling. When the fairytale we got lost in melts away, we have an even bigger storm to weather that we never saw coming. The one where I’m faced with the uncertainty of having to walk away from the one woman who has opened a part of my heart I had thought was as frozen over as the city we found each other in. Fated Hearts is a stand-alone novel and the last book in the Southern Bride series.
Books in Series:	Southern Bride Series by Kelly Elliott
Books by Author:	Kelly Elliott

Roger

“I’M SORRY, MR. Carter, but all flights out have been canceled due to the snowstorm.”

I sighed but then quickly flashed the older woman behind the American Airlines counter a smile and a wink. I traveled enough to know that if the issue was weather-related, they didn’t have to put you up in a hotel, and I knew things would be booked fast because of the storm. “It’s not your fault. Can’t control the weather, even if you do have lovely blue eyes.”

She blushed and leaned in closer. “We don’t normally do this when it’s weather-related, but I can offer you a hotel room over at the Grand Marshall since it looks like you may be stuck here for at least two nights.”

“Two nights?” I asked with a frown.

“It’s a pretty intense storm that’s moving in.”

I took a quick glance around the airport. Hotels were going to be booking up fast, and the Grand Marshall was a luxury one with a nightclub on the top floor. I’d be stupid to turn it down. I looked back at the lovely lady. “I think I should take that room before they’re all g–one.”

With a grin, she replied, “I’ll get you all taken care of. They always hold a few rooms for us just in case.”

An hour later, I stepped into my room at the Grand Marshall right outside O’Hare Airport. I walked straight to the bedroom, dropped my one bag by the window, shut the curtains, and then face-planted on the bed.

“Christ on a cracker, I’m fucking tired.”

I had been on the business trip from hell, and I swore it was the longest trip I’d ever taken. Considering it was only supposed to be two days, for me to think that showed how messed up the entire thing had been. Delayed flights getting to Chicago. Too much pizza and beer, and meeting after meeting. I hated negotiations, I hated pompous-ass businessmen, and I hated flying. I hated business trips, in general, and I hated being stuck in the frigid north where the temperature outside was cold enough to freeze my goddamn balls off. Not to mention I was hungry. The whole way here in the Uber, I had debated whether I should eat or just go to sleep. Considering I had made it to the hotel alive despite the daredevil driver, I decided to go for sleep.

My phone buzzed and I rolled over to pull it out of the back pocket of my jeans.

“What?”

“Hello to you too. What has you so grumpy?”

The voice on the other end of the phone was my brother Truitt’s. It was his fault I was stuck in Chicago in the first place. It should have been him here, but he had asked me to do him a favor. Never again.

“First off, asshole, it’s nearly midnight. I’m stuck in Chicago for what looks like another two days if this storm is as bad as they say it will be, and I haven’t gotten laid in at least six months. No…longer. Oh, and I’m hungry as shit.”

“Dude, that sucks big time for you. How did the meetings go?”

“Is that all you care about, the stupid meetings? Do you even care if I’m sleeping in a chair in O’Hare right now?”

Truitt laughed. “Please. I know you, and I’m almost positive you’ve sweet-talked yourself into a hotel room—and not only a hotel room, but most likely one that’s right there at the airport so you can get on a plane at a moment’s notice when they start flying out.”

I sat up and stared straight ahead in the dark. “My God. How is it you know me so well? They put me up at the Grand Marshall.”

Truitt whistled. “How young was the ticket agent?”

“I’d say she was around Mom’s age.”

Truitt laughed. “It’s scary how well I know you. Now, the meetings?”

With a sigh, I fell onto my back again. I could hardly keep my eyes open. “Truitt, I’m so fucking tired I can barely think straight. I’m so tired I’m not even going to eat. I’ve been sitting in a small, cramped boardroom with stuffy producers, directors, and suits from the network since seven this morning. It’s now almost midnight, and I haven’t eaten, I haven’t taken a shower, and all I want to do is sleep.”

“Fine, we can talk tomorrow, but can you at least tell me—”

I hit End on my cell phone, turned it off, and tossed it onto the side table. I got up and stripped out of my clothes before sliding into the bed. I didn’t even care that I hadn’t taken a shower. I didn’t even care enough to take the top cover off. I was that exhausted. I knew the moment my head hit the pillow, I was going to be out.

The sound of a hotel door opening and closing had me pulling the pillow over my head. Fucking thin walls. How could they call it a luxury hotel when I could hear every damn thing the person in the next room was doing? The couple next door had been having sex for the last hour and had only just stopped. One of them must have left, which would explain the sound of the door opening and closing. Now, it was finally peaceful, and I could get some sleep. I moved my pillow back under my head and closed my eyes.

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Advertisement Sweet Collateral Read Online L.P. Lovell http://www.books2020.com/sweet-collateral-read-online-l-p-lovell Sun, 23 May 2021 21:50:36 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/sweet-collateral-read-online-l-p-lovell Genre: Dark, Erotic, Mafia, Romance, Tear Jerker Authors: L.P. Lovell Advertisement

Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 170747 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 683(@250wpm)___ 569(@300wpm)

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Read Online Books/Novels:	Sweet Collateral
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	L.P. Lovell
Language:	English
Book Information:
Anna I'm a whore. A slave. A possession. Freedom is so close I can almost taste it, only to have it snatched away under the guise of protection. A gilded cage is still a cage. Rafael D'Cruze is a bad man. I hate him, so why do I feel safe with him? Rafael She's a favor. A pretty slave. Sweet collateral. I have no interest in Anna beyond keeping her alive for the man who now owns her and paying off a debt. And yet, I'm fascinated by the little slave. I find myself willing to bleed for a willing touch, a trusting glance... A broken little bird. The big bad wolf. A longing that could heal or destroy. Hate me or hold me?
Books by Author:	L.P. Lovell

1

Rafael

A chorus of agonized screams ricochets around my skull until a dull ache forms behind my eyes. Tossing my paperwork aside, I get up from my desk and yank the office door open. All the girls in the warehouse look up from their workstations, dressed in worn and dirty-looking underwear, their little paper masks stopping them from getting higher than a damn kite breathing in my shit.

“Get back to work!” I shout, and they all scurry on with what they were doing.

My gaze snaps to where my second, Samuel, stands in the middle of the warehouse. In front of him, a guy is hanging by his bound wrists, the metal chain creaking as his weight swings back and forth on the winch. A crimson pool is slowly gathering beneath him, tainting the dull grey concrete. Sam casually wipes his hands on a dirty rag before doing the same with his blade.

“You shouldn’t drag out his suffering, Samuel. Just kill him.”

“No. No, please,” the man begs, lifting his head weakly.

The man is a rat who rolled over on us to the DEA, and he has the audacity to beg for his life.

“They made me!” he blurts. If there is one thing I hate more than a rat, it’s a pussy. “They said they would protect me.”

A laugh breaks past my lips, cutting into the tense silence. “I am Rafael D’Cruze.” Moving closer, I grip his jaw, forcing him to look at me. “There is no protection from me. There is nowhere you can run. Nowhere you can hide. They played you. They knew I would kill you.” A low keen slips from his throat before he starts rambling, begging.

“You don’t want to die?” I ask with a smirk.

“Please, I have children.”

“I do not take betrayal well.” I take a cloth from my pocket and dab at a streak of blood covering his cheek. “But I do not like to leave children without a father, and I am a believer in redemption, Javier.” I pat his cheek, and he sags in his chains.

“Thank you. Thank you,” he breathes.

“My mercy is not without cost.” He’s already nodding his head, agreeing to terms he has not yet heard. Because when faced with the choice, a man will do anything but die. “You will continue to work with the DEA and tell them whatever I instruct you to. Are we clear?”

“Y-yes.”

“Good.” I grin. So easy. The only way to play the DEA is with their own dirty tricks. They may threaten a man like Javier with jail if he does not comply, but I hazard that he’d rather go to jail than suffer a cartel execution. So very gruesome.

“Betray me again, and it will be your children who pay the price.” His eyes go wide, panic flashing through them. Good. In my line of work, you must become a monster in order to maintain power.

My phone starts ringing, and I shove Javier away from me before turning my back on him. I take the phone out of my pocket, smearing blood over the screen. Nero Verdi. Fuck’s sake. The man goes through cocaine like its water. I slide the answer button.

“Samuel, drop Javier off and while you’re there, acquaint yourself with his wife and children,” I say over my shoulder.

“Yes, boss.”

I turn and walk back to my office, placing the phone to my ear. “Nero.”

“I see you’re up to old tricks.”

“Eh, fucking gringos putting rats on the ship. I’m dry until Thursday, Nero.” I still haven’t worked out why a capo is buying enough cocaine to supply several cities, but then, it’s Nero. I wouldn’t put anything past him. As long as I get paid, I don’t care.

“I don’t need another shipment. I’m calling in my favor.” Well, this can’t be good. It’s been five years. If he’s calling it in now, then it has to be something big, and undoubtedly inconvenient.

“What do you need?”

“I’m buying a girl. Andre is negotiating her sale as we speak…”

I groan. “You know that little fuck will rob you blind.”

“I had to use a middleman, Rafael. I can’t very well walk into the Sinaloa cartel and ask to buy a sex slave, can I? I can’t draw too much attention to this. Once the sale is done, Andre will bring her to you.”

“I don’t deal in girls, Nero. You know this. I owe you, but don’t ask me to—”

“I’m not buying her as a slave.”

“What are you buying her for then?”

“Collateral.”

“Collateral for what?” Silence. “You’re not going to tell me?”

“It’s safer if you don’t know. No one can know she’s with you.” What the hell is he getting into?

“And what am I supposed to do with her?”

“Just keep her safe. I can’t get her out of Mexico yet.”

He’s serious. “And you aren’t going to tell me who she

is.”

“Her name is Anna Vasiliev. I can’t tell you more than that right now.”

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Advertisement Finding Perfect – Hopeless Read Online Colleen Hoover http://www.books2020.com/finding-perfect-hopeless-read-online-colleen-hoover Wed, 17 Feb 2021 09:49:58 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/finding-perfect-hopeless-read-online-colleen-hoover Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, Novella, Romance, Tear Jerker, Young Adult Authors: Colleen Hoover Advertisement

Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 20548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)

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Read Online Books/Novels:	Finding Perfect - Hopeless
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Colleen Hoover
Language:	English
Book Information:
Finding Perfect is a short story that brings back some of Colleen’s most beloved characters. Told from the point of view of Daniel from Finding Cinderella, readers will finally get the conclusion they’ve been hoping for. For the best reading experience, make sure you’ve read all four books that come together to make up this heartwarming story: Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, and All Your Perfects.
Books by Author:	Colleen Hoover

Chapter One

“That’s three for me,” Breckin says, dropping his Xbox controller. “I really need to go home now.”

I pick up the controller and try to hand it back to him. “Just one more,” I say. Or beg, really. But Breckin already has on his ridiculous puffy jacket and is making his way to my bedroom door.

“Call Holder if you’re this bored,” he says.

“He had Thanksgiving dinner at his dad’s house yesterday. They won’t be back until tonight.”

“Then ask Six to come over. I’ve hung out with you enough today to last me until Christmas break. I have family shit tonight.”

That makes me laugh. “You said shit.”

Breckin shrugs. “Yeah. It’s Thanksgiving. I have family shit.”

“I thought Mormons couldn’t swear.”

Breckin rolls his eyes and opens my bedroom door. “Bye, Daniel.”

“Wait. You coming Saturday?” On our drive home from school a couple days ago, Holder suggested we do a friendsgiving while we’re home on Thanksgiving break. Sky and Six are going to cook. Which means we’ll probably end up ordering pizza.

“Yeah, I’ll be there. But only if you stop pointing out my religious flaws.”

“Deal. And I’ll never call you Powder Puff again if you stay and play one more game with me.”

Breckin looks bored with me. I don’t blame him. I’m bored with myself.

“You need to go somewhere,” he says. “You’ve been playing video games for twelve hours. It’s starting to smell like a waffle cone in here.”

“Why do you say that like it’s a bad thing?”

“I meant it in a bad way.” Breckin closes my door and I’m alone again.

So alone.

I fall back onto my bedroom floor and stare up at the ceiling for a while. Then I look at my phone and there’s nothing. Six hasn’t texted me at all today. I haven’t texted her either, but I’m waiting for her to text me first. Things have been weird between us for the past couple months now. I was hoping it was because we were in a new setting, both in our first semesters of college, but she was quiet on the drive home two days ago. She had family shit yesterday and hasn’t even invited me over today.

I feel like she’s about to break up with me.

I don’t know why. I’ve never had a girl break up with me. I’m the one who broke up with Val. But I would think this is what it’s like just before a breakup. Less communication. Less making time for each other. Less making out.

Maybe she does want to break up with me, but she knows it would hurt the awesome foursome we’ve got going on. We do everything with Sky and Holder now that we’re all in college together. Breaking up with me would make it awkward for all three of them.

Maybe I’m overthinking things. Maybe it is college that’s stressing her out.

My bedroom door opens and Chunk leans against the doorframe, arms folded. “Why are you on the floor?”

“Why are you in my room?”

She takes a step back so that she’s technically in the hallway. “It’s your turn to do dishes.”

“I don’t even live here anymore.”

“But you’re home for Thanksgiving,” she says. “Which means you’re eating our food and using our dishes and sleeping under our roof, so go do the chores.”

“You haven’t changed at all.”

“You moved out three months ago, Daniel. No one changes in the span of three months.” Chunk walks back down the hallway without closing my door.

I have the urge to run after her and disagree with her about people not changing in just three months, because Six changed in that short of a time span. But if I disagreed with her, I’d have to back it up with an example, and I’m not talking to Chunk about my girlfriend.

I check my phone one more time for a text from Six and then push off the floor. On my way to the kitchen, I pause at the doorway to Hannah’s bedroom. She doesn’t come home as often as I do because she goes to college in South Texas and has a full-time job.

I haven’t found a job yet. That’s not surprising, though. I haven’t filled out a single application.

Hannah is sitting up in bed with her laptop. Probably doing homework for med school or something equally responsible. “Do they still make you do dishes when you come home?” I ask her.

She glances up at me before looking back down at her computer screen. “No. I don’t live here anymore.”

I knew she was the favorite. “Then why do I have to do chores?”

“Mom and Dad still support you financially. You owe them.”

That’s a fair point. I remain in her doorway, stalling the inevitable. “What are you doing?”

“Homework,” she says.

“Want to take a break and play video games with me?”

Hannah looks up at me like I’ve suggested she murder someone. “Have I ever wanted to play video games with you?”

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