Lucia Valdez knew she was hated by her family, which is why she was given away as a peace offering. Boone Grinder was not a nice man, and he had been making waves for the Bonaldi mafia for quite some time.
No one knew who this man was, what he did, or why he did it. All they knew, was he was responsible for making the streets run red.
Boone Grinder wasn’t your ordinary villain. He didn’t deal in illegal business, and the truth was, he wanted to be left alone. Only, they wouldn’t leave him alone. He saw the injustice that was happening to small businesses at the hands of the Bonaldi mafia, and he couldn’t stand by and allow it to continue.
Taking Lucia as his wife was the first step in their downfall. They believed they had insulted him. In fact, they had given him the woman he wanted. Before things get too far, he gives her a choice—him or her father.
It’s a wife’s duty to stay by her husband’s side. Boone has done nothing but show Lucia kindness, and given her a life she never thought possible. She will always pick him, and as for her family … it was their choice to let her go.
She doesn’t remember the wedding. In fact, she doesn’t remember much besides the fact her family tried to get rid of her when she was sick. Now that she has recovered, she’s come to learn two things: all of her family is dead, and she was is married to one of the most feared men in the world.
Carver Turner relished his reputation for being The Beast. He doesn’t care about the fear he instilled into others. He kills without mercy. It’s what he’s been trained to do, and nothing could sway him from doing his job.
Until his wife comes into his life. She’s different. Morgan is sweet, pure, kind, and she doesn’t look away from him in disgust.
Morgan doesn’t know much about her husband, but she has come to see that while he is a beast to everyone else, to her, he is an angel. The sweetest husband a woman could ask for. And then, the danger comes…
Carver challenged the boss when he killed Morgan’s family. He did it for her, because of what they’d done to her. Now, he has to make a choice, either give up his life, or finally kill his longtime enemy. He has never run away from a fight, and he’s not going to start now.
Excerpt:
“I’ve never drank before,” she said. “I don’t think I will like it.”
“Why? Because your family said you wouldn’t?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
He held out his glass. “It’s whiskey, and I will warn you, that sucker is strong, with a capital S.”
She stepped toward him and reached for the glass. Morgan wore a very cute pair of pajama shorts along with a matching top, with flowers on it.
She took a sip and swallowed, and he watched as her eyes watered seconds before the cough erupted. He was sure to take the glass from her hand, as he didn’t want any of his good whiskey going to waste.
“Oh, wow,” she said.
“I might like to add that whiskey is not for everyone,” he said.
“No kidding, wow, that is like fire. How can you enjoy it?”
He shrugged, took a long sip, and then breathed a sigh of contentment. “You’ve got to know when to enjoy it.”
“Where’s my wedding ring?” she asked.
Now, this surprised him.
“I mean, we are married, right? I am your wife?”
“Yes.”
“But I don’t have a ring, and I didn’t know if there was a reason for that.”
He pulled at the chain around his neck and slid it off. Releasing the clasp, he pulled off the engagement ring, as well as the wedding band.
“Give me your hand,” he said.
She held out her left hand and he slid the engagement ring on, followed by the wedding band.
“I decided against using the one your parents wanted me to use.” He had his own rings he’d wanted to give her.
“They’re beautiful,” Morgan said.
The engagement band was rose gold with small diamonds around the ring. The main wedding ring is a single, large diamond with a slender band. It fit well on her finger, exactly how he knew it would.
“There. All you had to do was ask for them back,” he said. “You did wear them on that night, but I removed them when you passed out. Also, I had a feeling your parents were going to try to steal them from you, and I wasn’t going to have that.”
She rolled her eyes. “That is all they ever try to do.”
“Tried,” he said. “Past tense.”
“Oh, right.”
She dropped her hand down and looked at him. There went her lips, pressed together, and he watched her. Her long, blonde hair was tucked behind her ear, and she looked so beautiful. So pure. She was still a virgin.
“Can I kiss you?” she asked.
Now this did surprise him. “You want to kiss me?”
“You’re my husband, right? I don’t remember if we kissed at our wedding,” she said. “Everything is kind of hazy.”
He waited.
“But, I’d really like to kiss my husband, if you would like it?”
He smiled, put his glass down on the desk, and stood.
She took a step toward him, then another, until she was in touching distance. In fact, she was so close, he could smell the vanilla scent of her body wash.
He already had the next package to give her, wrapped and ready to place at the foot of the bed. Carver also liked to watch her sleep. He never lingered too long, just enough to watch her for a second after he placed the gift on the bed.
“I don’t know what to do,” Morgan said.
He reached out, putting his hands on her shoulders. She didn’t flinch as he slowly traced the tips of his fingers down her shoulders, going toward her hands. He picked them up within his grasp and then placed both on his chest. She didn’t pull away, even as he moved them up from his chest, around to circle his neck.
Morgan locked her fingers together, so that she was holding herself as well as him. With her hands around his neck, it drew her body closer to him, and he couldn’t help but hold onto her waist.
For several seconds, he held her like this. There was still a little distance between their bodies, but then he changed that by sliding his hands down toward her ass and then pulled her close. Body to body. He heard her gasp. Carver was hard.
Being close to Morgan, wanting her, not touching, not tasting, not stripping her naked and fucking her, was a challenge. Instead, he held her, had a hard cock, and was so desperate to feel those lips on his. But, he waited. This was about her, not him.
“Now, when you’re ready, you put those lips of yours onto mine, and that is a kiss.”
She doesn’t remember the wedding. In fact, she doesn’t remember much besides the fact her family tried to get rid of her when she was sick. Now that she has recovered, she’s come to learn two things: all of her family is dead, and she was is married to one of the most feared men in the world.
Carver Turner relished his reputation for being The Beast. He doesn’t care about the fear he instilled into others. He kills without mercy. It’s what he’s been trained to do, and nothing could sway him from doing his job.
Until his wife comes into his life. She’s different. Morgan is sweet, pure, kind, and she doesn’t look away from him in disgust.
Morgan doesn’t know much about her husband, but she has come to see that while he is a beast to everyone else, to her, he is an angel. The sweetest husband a woman could ask for. And then, the danger comes…
Carver challenged the boss when he killed Morgan’s family. He did it for her, because of what they’d done to her. Now, he has to make a choice, either give up his life, or finally kill his longtime enemy. He has never run away from a fight, and he’s not going to start now.
Can you believe we’re at the end of November? This year is flying by, and we’re into the last two releases of the year. To end 2024, A Wife by Christmas and Beast’s Wife (Villains) will be coming in the month of December. I do have lots planned for 2025, and I would love to know what you would like to see on my coming soon page.
To Win a Rebel and You’re Not My Mate (Poison Wolves MC) were released this past month. Which one was your favorite? I honestly cannot pick just one, as I loved writing both of them.
We’re entering one of my favorite times of the year, December. Do you have any special plans? What are your family traditions? Anything foodie related that you save for this time of the year? I’ve already started making mince pies, cakes, biscuits, and cookies galore. I will try and take some picture along the way to share (if you are interested).
You will also see that we have a special guest on my catch up this time. Please say a big hello to the lovely, Willa Edwards, who is sharing some of her books.
Anyway, I better let you all go to get back to your advent calendar :-).
Until next time,
Take care,
Sam
Released in November
Giveaway
Congratulations to those who won the on the annual Christmas giveaway
The next giveaway will now be in January for my Birthday
**Flash Sales**
Currently on Amazon USA
The below are discounted for a limited time
Amazon Australia
Hunter (Hell’s Bastards MC Book 5) will be discounted to AUD 1.49 in a Kindle Countdown to Christmas Deal which runs from 01-Dec-2024 until 23-Dec-2024 on Amazon.com.au.
Coming In December
Beasts Wife
Villians
Spotlight Author
Willa Edwards
Willa Edwards has dreamed about being a writer since she was four years old. When she picked up her first romance novel at fifteen she knew she’d found her place, and she’s never looked back.
She now lives in New York, where she works with numbers at her Evil Day Job and spends her nights writing red-hot tales of erotic romance. When she’s not at her computer, you can usually find her curled up in bed with her two furry babies, her nose pressed to her e-reader.
From the 1st of December willa’s Christmas Story and the first in the Frostbite Falls Christmas series will be on sale at Bookstrand
Here is the blurb
Nash Phillips and Cassidy Rasnick have lusted after bookish Grace Perry for years. She’s the only person in town that never held their dubious past against them. But they never acted on their feelings, unwilling to risk their friendship or her reputation. But when a mix up drops Grace’s book in their laps, they see a whole new sexy side of their curvy librarian and they can’t stop themselves any longer. They have to make her theirs.
Grace didn’t think anything could be more embarrassing then literally knocking into Cassidy outside the post office, until he and Nash revealed they read her soon to be published book. The book includes bondage and sex with two dark dangerous lords. But to Grace’s surprise they aren’t disgusted by her work. Instead they offer her all the sordid details she’s written about.
But as the night wears on, she realizes that saying goodbye to them is going to be harder to do than she ever guessed. But this has to end, right? Nothing this great can last forever.
Seven years ago, Vanessa Norma was taken and held for ransom. When something went wrong, she nearly died. Although someone saved her, she now has to live with the permanent scar and being known as damaged goods.
Diago is a monster. He is the villain in most stories. He kills without mercy.
The night he saved Vanessa, something happened, something changed. She was the first person to seek comfort in him, and now, he knows she is at risk of being sold to the highest bidder, as her father needs money.
No one will fight him. Everyone is afraid of him. So he takes Vanessa for his own.
Weds her. Beds her. Makes her all his.
But her family is going to die. He intends to kill her father for the sins he’s committed. He doesn’t care if Vanessa wants him to or not.
Excerpt:
Vanessa would never forgive them, but she was no fool. She knew what people in their world did to others. Once people were inside the mafia, there was no way out unless it was six feet under.
“Diago, a pleasure as always,” her father said, finally approaching the man who’d crashed their party.
The man himself took a second sip of whiskey and shook his head. “Tastes like piss,” he said.
His voice was so guttural, rough, and Vanessa quickly took a sip of her water to hide her smile. No man had ever insulted her father on his taste of fine wines and liquors. He considered himself a connoisseur on such matters. Her father would always buy the most expensive barrel or case he could find. She’d often heard people complain about the taste of such fine … alcohol. It was all crap.
Again, as his only daughter, she couldn’t express such opinions. Her father never wanted to hear anything from her.
Just this past week, he had taken her to a plastic surgeon’s office. He was hoping to remove the scar that had become part of who she was. He wanted her to go under the knife because he couldn’t marry her off.
She’s also been told that once the scar was gone, he intended to put her on a strict regimen to lose weight. She’d heard him complain about her fat ass. Sometimes, the walls were a bit thin, and she was able to hear entire conversations.
Vanessa watched as her father tried to compose himself at the insult that had just been thrown his way. She’d seen a lot of men and women get punished for such an insult, but not Diago. Her father was afraid of him, she was sure of that.
“I can find something more to your liking,” her father said, clicking his fingers.
She already saw a waiter headed toward him, but Vanessa didn’t see anything else, as Diago, for some odd reason, was looking straight at her. She’d lowered her glass during their interaction, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d seen her laughing at her father’s complete submission to this man.
Crap. The last thing she wanted to do was cause trouble. She remained perfectly still.
“Yes, you can offer me something new.” Diago walked straight past her father, and then headed in her direction. The whole party had stopped in their tracks and were now watching the man who was quickly closing the distance between them. She tried not to freak out or make a scene. She knew how much her parents hated scenes.
At first, she thought Diago was going to move straight past her, but that was insane. There was nothing but a wall behind her.
All too soon, he reached out and grabbed her arm. He didn’t tug, nor was his grip painful. Vanessa didn’t fight him. It seemed pointless to fight him. She simply followed him as he moved closer to her father. She still held onto her glass of water, but then they were in front of her father.
“I’m taking her,” Diago said.
“You cannot take my daughter.”
“Oh, but I can, and try to stop me, Norma. Just try it. You knew this was going to happen, and like I said, debts always need to be paid.”
And with that, Diago took her.
No one tried to stop him, and the truth was, with her heart racing, Vanessa didn’t want anyone to stop them.
Scarred Wife (Villains) is coming September 24th!!!
Blurb Seven years ago, Vanessa Norma was taken and held for ransom. When something went wrong, she nearly died. Although someone saved her, she now has to live with the permanent scar and being known as damaged goods.
Diago is a monster. He is the villain in most stories. He kills without mercy.
The night he saved Vanessa, something happened, something changed. She was the first person to seek comfort in him, and now, he knows she is at risk of being sold to the highest bidder, as her father needs money.
No one will fight him. Everyone is afraid of him. So he takes Vanessa for his own.
Weds her. Beds her. Makes her all his.
But her family is going to die. He intends to kill her father for the sins he’s committed. He doesn’t care if Vanessa wants him to or not.
Blackmailed Marriage is NOW LIVE and AVAILABLE WIDE!!!
How far is he prepared to go to keep his secrets?
<3 Forced Marriage <3 Older hero <3 Enemies to Lovers <3 Virginal heroine <3 Complete standalone 🙂
Blurb
Dante Gallo is pissed off.
When he gets married, he doesn’t intend to be blackmailed into it. However, Phillip Lewis has some damaging evidence. To keep his secrets, Dante must marry the man’s plain youngest daughter, Aria.
Being married to Dante is a nightmare. One that Aria intends to get away from. Even though she is terrified of this man, who is considered to be the most brutal in the Pesci family mafia, she finds the courage to confront him.
Once learning the truth, Aria is horrified. She doesn’t want anyone to be forced to marry her. All she has to do is figure out a way to get the evidence to set Dante free.
When Dante overhears a conversation about how Aria feels about him, about sex, about being married, he doesn’t like it. He is going to give them something to talk about. He will hold onto his wife, he will be proud to be married to her.
But Aria has to set Dante free. She doesn’t want him to be forced into a marriage he didn’t want. The only problem, she has fallen in love with him. Letting him go is proving to be the hardest thing she has ever done.
What will Dante do when he is given the means to be set free? Will he leave or has he fallen in love with his plain bride?
Excerpt:
“Dante,” she said, pressing a hand to her chest. “You startled me.”
“That was not my intention.”
Her heart was racing. She hoped she’d not spoken aloud about any part of her plan.
“I don’t imagine it was.” She was not going to freak out. Laughing, she couldn’t help but look toward the doorway right behind him and hope for a chance to escape. The last thing she wanted to do was make small talk.
They stood, opposite sides of the kitchen. She was still near the sink, Dante in the doorway. He wasn’t wearing a jacket anymore. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, and he looked angry.
Aria didn’t know what had set off his anger, and she wasn’t interested in learning either. Dante, other than to do his duty, hadn’t laid a finger on her, and she wanted to keep it that way. Other women were not quite so lucky. Black eyes, lots of makeup, and of course lies—that was what she was used to hearing from them.
The silence between them was starting to make her uncomfortable. She wanted it to be over.
“I was just getting a glass of water. I’m about to go to bed,” she said.
Move. Try not to draw his attention.
Not for a single second did she think she had the power to draw his attention, but she didn’t want to have to perform more of her duties.
Go.
Dante wasn’t saying anything, but he was staring at her. She had no choice but to attempt her escape.
She moved toward him, and was just about to glide past him when he suddenly reached out, grasping her arm, and before she knew what was happening, she was pressed up against the wall. Panic swelled up inside her. What had happened? Had she done something wrong?
She heard the cruelties of people at parties saying that he would probably beat her because she wasn’t anywhere in his league. Fear traveled down her spine, and it had no thought, no care, no consideration.
She stared at him, waiting, wondering.
“You don’t have to be afraid,” Dante said.
“I don’t?”
“No, you don’t. I just want to try something. Trust me.”
Aria didn’t trust him. His reputation far exceeded him, but there was nowhere else for her to go. She felt the panic, but then Dante surprised her. The only time they had kissed was on their wedding day straight after the priest had told them the I do’s. The kiss at the altar had been chaste. To any onlooker, they couldn’t have mistaken that neither person wanted to be there.
She’d been terrified. Since then, they had not kissed.
They hadn’t even had a honeymoon, or done anything together, other than their duty. She struggled to think of it as sex … it was duty. Sex was something different to her, intimate.
All thought fled her mind as Dante’s lips took possession of her own. She expected him to be somewhat cruel, unyielding, refusing to give up and just taking. This kiss was so many different things, and yet, all of them together.
Dante’s hands went to the wall on either side of her head. At first, it was only their lips touching, and Aria couldn’t deny that it felt nice.
Slowly, his body pressed against hers, they were flush together, and something changed within her. At first, she thought she was going to panic, but then suddenly, that all evaporated, and she felt the length of his body against hers. It was nice. Strange.
And all too soon, the kiss had come to an end.
Dante pulled away, and she stared up into his brown eyes. They had the same eye color, but her husband’s eyes were slightly darker, more intense, at least to her.
Antwone has a responsibility. A duty. He must find a wife and produce heirs, otherwise he runs the risk of ruining everything he and his brother Draven have worked for. The only problem is … he doesn’t want a young, scared bride. So rather than face his problems, he goes and finds a bar, which happens to have the prettiest barmaid he has ever seen.
Candice has known loss. She has known heartache. The guy who comes into her bar, he’s distant, vague, and aloof,but he seems to enjoy coming to see her. Each night, he’s there, waiting for her. She has no idea who he is or what he does.
For a few hours, Antwone can pretend he is a regular guy, but time is running out. He is going to have to leave Candice and their friendship behind. But, he can’t leave, not until he has a taste of her. She’s gotten under his skin and there’s no way he can leave the curvy woman without enjoying just one night with her.
Candice has fallen in love with Antwone. The one night they spent together was magical, but the next morning, he was gone. He doesn’t answer nor does he return her calls. He broke her heart and her trust. She will not try to find him. However, one month after their night together, there is a problem. She’s pregnant, and she knows she cannot keep it from Antwone. But he doesn’t answer her calls.
The months tick on by. Will Antwone turn up, or will he allow her to have a life far away from him?
Excerpt:
“Candice?”
“You can’t say something like that and not expect to dance with me.”
She pulled him away from the table, to her living room. There was only a small space to dance.
She let him go long enough to move the coffee table out of the way, and then pulled him into her arms. Taking hold of his hands, she placed them at her back, and then she put her hands on his shoulders.
Candice had never been one for dancing in nightclubs or bars, but she loved to dance in her own home.
Glancing up at Antwone and how close they were, this suddenly felt like a big mistake. She went to pull out of his arms, but he tightened his grip on her, not allowing her to go. Tilting her head back, she looked into his eyes. She had no idea what was happening, but she didn’t care.
He was so close, almost within kissing distance. When he stroked her cheek, she felt like she was melting against him, and she didn’t want to let him go.
“Tell me what’s going on in that head of yours?” he asked.
“I don’t know what’s happening,” she said.
“Two things can happen,” he said.
“Two?”
“One, I can kiss you, and you don’t have to think, just feel. Two, we can stop dancing right now, go finish our food, and pretend this didn’t happen.” He leaned close to her ear. “Tell me which one would you’d like to happen?”
This wasn’t fair. She loved his friendship but the kiss sounded so good. Would it be so hard to kiss and see how it felt?
“Or maybe we can experiment. I mean, a kiss doesn’t have to mean anything, does it? It’s not like a contract or anything. It’s just a kiss. Two people, even friends, can share a kiss.” She was rambling now and all she wanted him to do was tell her to shut up.
He smiled. “You don’t want a kiss?” he asked. Antwone went to let her go, and she held onto him a little tighter.
“I didn’t say I didn’t want a kiss,” she said. She felt her cheeks were on fire.
“Then what are you saying?” he asked.
“I … I like your company. I enjoy seeing you, and, er, I don’t want to run the risk of anything happening between us.”
“Nothing is going to happen. It’s just a kiss, to see how it feels. One teeny, tiny kiss,” he said.
She liked the sound of that. A teeny, tiny kiss sounded so good.
Staring up at him, she waited, and then she linked her fingers behind his neck, went onto her tiptoes, and kissed him. His lips felt hard and firm beneath hers.
The moment his lips touched hers, she felt like she was floating. It was magical and so sweet, and so beautiful.
Antwone slid one of his hands up her back, going toward her head, holding onto her tightly. She moaned and he slid his tongue into her mouth.
The kiss deepened and she felt her whole body come to life in a way she didn’t think was possible. She melted against him.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he said, whispering the words against her lips.
The kiss was amazing. There was no doubt about it. She loved feeling his hands all over her body. She just loved him holding her and she didn’t want it to stop.
But then, they both broke away from the kiss and looked at each other. Candice didn’t know what he was thinking, nor did she want to. His lips were slightly red and she knew without even looking at her own, they would be the same.
They stared at each other.
Waiting.
But, their food…
Antwone cleared his throat first. “I think our food is getting cold.”
And just like that, it was a bucket of cold water thrown over them both.
“Yes, our food is getting cold.”
They walked back to the table and the music was still playing. She took a seat and Antwone sat opposite.
The kiss kept replaying in her mind and she couldn’t get it out of her head. Her lips tingled, as did her body.
It was one kiss, but she knew she wanted to repeat it again and again and again.
Blurb Antwone has a responsibility. A duty. He must find a wife and produce heirs, otherwise he runs the risk of ruining everything he and his brother Draven have worked for. The only problem is … he doesn’t want a young, scared bride. So rather than face his problems, he goes and finds a bar, which happens to have the prettiest barmaid he has ever seen.
Candice has known loss. She has known heartache. The guy who comes into her bar, he’s distant, vague, and aloof, but he seems to enjoy coming to see her. Each night, he’s there, waiting for her. She has no idea who he is or what he does.
For a few hours, Antwone can pretend he is a regular guy, but time is running out. He is going to have to leave Candice and their friendship behind. But, he can’t leave, not until he has a taste of her. She’s gotten under his skin and there’s no way he can leave the curvy woman without enjoying just one night with her.
Candice has fallen in love with Antwone. The one night they spent together was magical, but the next morning, he was gone. He doesn’t answer nor does he return her calls. He broke her heart and her trust. She will not try to find him. However, one month after their night together, there is a problem. She’s pregnant, and she knows she cannot keep it from Antwone. But he doesn’t answer her calls.
The months tick on by. Will Antwone turn up, or will he allow her to have a life far away from him?
Sold to the Enemy (Crave and Claimed) is coming December 28th!!!
What do you think to this cover?
Blurb The moment Drago Jones sees Selma, he knows he wants her. There’s only one problem—she’s his enemy’s daughter. With his reputation, It’s not too hard to get Kent to offer up his kid, giving Drago exactly what he wants.
Selma knew her father wasn’t a good man. As soon as she could, she ran from him, and tried to live a life of love and compassion, giving back to those that needed her. Now, she’s away from the only life she has loved, married to a stranger. All she knows is that her father feared Drago. What does this man want with her? Will she be able to survive it?
Drago craves his woman. He intends to build a life with her, have a family. Something he never thought he wanted. But now, he does—with Selma. What will happen when she is faced with the ultimate choice?
Leave a Reply, Tell me what you think.