Massimo Salvatore hates public functions. They’re a waste of time, and he has no interest in making friends within the Russo Mafia. He has his place, and no one is going to take it from him. The only reason he goes, is for one person. Adelina Ferri. She is funny, sweet, sexy, and she wears the worst clothes he has ever seen.
Adelina’s parents are embarrassed by her. They force her to wear clothes that are too large, and not at all flattering. However, soon it would all be over. She has learned that she is engaged to a man who has a history of hurting his wives. All of them are dead, and if she marries him, it will be a guaranteed death sentence.
When Massimo learns the truth, he cannot allow it to happen. Adelina is too kind, too good, to be allowed to be at the mercy of that … dick.
There is only one solution. He will marry her.
Her place is not as a Salvatore, and there are those in the Russo Mafia who will not let her forget it. However, when she is with Massimo, everything else fades. To everyone else, he is a monster, but to her, he is her savior.
He stopped her from dying. He has given her a future, but for how long. There is a traitor amongst the Russo mafia. One that is circling, intent on taking over. Massimo will not allow that to happen.
When his wife is taken, it is a race against the clock. But who is behind the threat, and will he make it in time?
Larissa is different. Getting shot was a wakeup call, and there’s no way she could just turn around the clock and go back to life before. Her friend, or boyfriend, hadn’t stuck around. He had run away.
The only person who had been willing to save her was George or Big Dick, or whatever he liked to be called.
Larissa is everywhere. No matter where he turned, Big Dick couldn’t get away from her. After running into her at a bar, he does the most ridiculous thing and makes a bet.
He has one year to get Larissa in his bed.
For some odd reason, Big Dick isn’t being his usual cruel self, and Larissa finally sees the man beneath the leather cut. She never intended to start a secret affair, but she also couldn’t deny sneaking around with him was a lot of fun.
Until the truth comes out, and Larissa learns that everything Big Dick had been saying and doing to her was just to win some kind of stupid bet. Heartbroken and betrayed, Larissa refuses to talk to Big Dick again.
He made a mistake. He didn’t intend to fall in love with Larissa, and seeing her hurt is killing him. He’s the only one responsible.
But, he gets a second chance, and this time, he is not going to do blow it.
The only problem is, he took his eye off the ball and the enemy is now closing in. They are known for breaking the rules, and Big Dick is going to need to make a choice. Protect his club, or save the woman he loves. Where will his loyalties fall?
After a life changing incident, Hawk Masters is back in his small town. He has to make changes to his life, the doctors have warned him that he wouldn’t make it if he had another heart attack.
It’s time for him to … relax, to rest, and to figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He was the owner of a multi-million dollar advertising company. He was the best one out there.
Now, he’s in Hope, the small town he didn’t want to come back to. There was nothing here for him, until he bumped into her, Katie Smith, now Katie Palmer. Now is his chance, and he’s not going to let it slip away.
Seven years ago, Katie lost her husband to cancer. He wanted her to move on, but there is no one for her, until Hawk walks back into her life. There is a spark. Katie didn’t know this but Hawk has wanted her since they were kids. But, he didn’t know how to handle it, and so, he said nothing.
There has not been anyone else since her husband, but Hawk, he is different. He makes her heart race, and every single day, she looks forward to seeing him. It doesn’t feel wrong falling in love. It doesn’t feel wrong being with him.
But what is going to happen when she falls pregnant? Will Hawk be able to handle being a dad, or was this all just for show to get what he wanted?
Excerpt:
The following morning, Katie stood in her kitchen, her hair a hot mess, as she looked out across the garden.
The only person in her life that she had sex with was Adam. That was it. They had lost their virginities together at prom. It had been so corny, but they had both wanted to. Their first time hadn’t been perfect, and it was painful. Adam spent a lot of time apologizing, and they laughed and made it through, having sex a couple more times. Adam hadn’t been able to have sex for long, as it was their first time. Over the years, they got better at it.
She hadn’t been with anyone else since him.
Until last night.
And it had been incredible.
She didn’t even know why she had changed her mind. Her mother had told her to stop living in the past, to start moving forward. It was what Adam had wanted.
Katie intended to invite Hawk in, have some coffee, and then tell him goodbye. Only, he’d looked down at her lips, and she didn’t know for sure, but she had a feeling he wanted her.
Rather than spend all her time thinking about what she was going to do, and how she was going to do it, she just did it. She got up and took Hawk to her bedroom.
She expected it to be awkward, to be exactly like when she was eighteen years old. Only, it had been so much more than that. Hawk had blown her mind, and even now as she sat downstairs in her kitchen, drinking her first cup of coffee, she could still feel his lips on her body.
After they had gotten naked, Hawk had promised to kiss every inch of her body, and he had not disappointed. She had never felt like that, and when his tongue had danced between her thighs, licking at her clit, gliding down toward her entrance, she had been shocked.
Hawk was large. At first, she didn’t think he was going to fit, but that would just be silly. Of course he was going to fit, and he had, and he’d blown her world.
And this morning, she had left him upstairs, so she could come downstairs and have coffee.
There was no one she could talk to. There was no way she was calling her mother and telling her about the amazing sex she had last night. She had friends, or more like acquaintances, but no one she could share her thoughts and feelings with. Right now, she was on her own.
The only real friend she had was upstairs sleeping in her bed, making it look so inviting. The blanket had covered his back, leaving his ass exposed, and she had a flash in her mind of gripping his ass as she pulled him inside her. There was no way she was going to be able to forget about this.
“Morning,” Hawk said, coming into the kitchen, pulling her out of her thoughts.
“Hawk,” she said.
He rubbed at the back of his head. “Hey.”
He looked really good naked. He was all muscle with several tattoos covering his body.
Hawk walked right up to her, put his hand on her hip, and it was like his touch was fire, as it lit her up from within, and she didn’t want it to stop. She looked up to him, and he took possession of her lips, and had her forgetting her own name for a second. How did he do that?
“You made coffee?”
She looked down at her cup that was trapped between them. “Yes, let me get you a cup.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
She needed a little distance between them, so she could focus. Having sex last night was like the last of her brain cells had vacated the premises of her mind.
“Yes, I do. You want a drink, and I am going to get you one.”
She reached for the cup and Hawk was not going to help her, as he put his hands on her hips.
“Do you have any idea how crazy you drive me, when you lift up like that and show off that delectable ass?” he asked, pressing his lips against her neck.
I really enjoyed this book. The premise is different and nothing like Sam has written. The story grabs you and takes you on a journey with twists and turns. Hawk and Katie make a great couple who finally realize that each one is what they need.
Hawk and Katie is a romantic read that teaches them how to heal and slowly let themselves live. It is a truly wonderful read!
Customer Review.
Hawk Masters left his home town of Hope seventeen years ago. He made a huge impact in the world of advertising but it came at the cost of his health. Determined to recuperate and reevaluate his life he heads back home to Hope and to his family with the goal of doing just that, however he wasn’t prepared to run into Katie Palmer again and she will have the biggest affect on him yet! At thirty five Katie Palmer focuses on her life of running her gift shop. She has been dealing with the sad passing of her husband Adam seven years prior and is trying to move forward but no one has made her truly want to until she bumps into Hawk Masters again. The guy from her school days who didn’t leave the best of memories with Katie but we soon learn why. Katie understands Hawk, she truly sees him and together they heal one another in so many ways that when they do come together its just magical. I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end. It has characters that kept me engaged throughout and I loved the way the leading characters interact with each other but also their families. It is a delightful small town romance, giving us a second chance at love with no outside drama and lots of delicious heat that leaves you breathless. What a great start Sam Crescent has given us to the New Year, I am excited to see what she gives us next! Happy Reading. Please note that I was given an arc of this book for my honest review which is exactly what I have given. 5 out of 5 stars.
I love all this author’s work–and this story shows how wonderfully talented author is. The characters had extreme chemistry and the steaminess was off the charts–love the story so much. This was a must read (and reread again and again it is that good).
Blurb After a life changing incident, Hawk Masters is back in his small town. He has to make changes to his life, the doctors have warned him that he wouldn’t make it if he had another heart attack.
It’s time for him to … relax, to rest, and to figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He was the owner of a multi-million dollar advertising company. He was the best one out there.
Now, he’s in Hope, the small town he didn’t want to come back to. There was nothing here for him, until he bumped into her, Katie Smith, now Katie Palmer. Now is his chance, and he’s not going to let it slip away.
Seven years ago, Katie lost her husband to cancer. He wanted her to move on, but there is no one for her, until Hawk walks back into her life. There is a spark. Katie didn’t know this but Hawk has wanted her since they were kids. But, he didn’t know how to handle it, and so, he said nothing.
There has not been anyone else since her husband, but Hawk, he is different. He makes her heart race, and every single day, she looks forward to seeing him. It doesn’t feel wrong falling in love. It doesn’t feel wrong being with him.
But what is going to happen when she falls pregnant? Will Hawk be able to handle being a dad, or was this all just for show to get what he wanted?
Blurb Massimo Salvatore hates public functions. They’re a waste of time, and he has no interest in making friends within the Russo Mafia. He has his place, and no one is going to take it from him. The only reason he goes, is for one person. Adelina Ferri. She is funny, sweet, sexy, and she wears the worst clothes he has ever seen.
Adelina’s parents are embarrassed by her. They force her to wear clothes that are too large, and not at all flattering. However, soon it would all be over. She has learned that she is engaged to a man who has a history of hurting his wives. All of them are dead, and if she marries him, it will be a guaranteed death sentence.
When Massimo learns the truth, he cannot allow it to happen. Adelina is too kind, too good, to be allowed to be at the mercy of that … dick.
There is only one solution. He will marry her.
Her place is not as a Salvatore, and there are those in the Russo Mafia who will not let her forget it. However, when she is with Massimo, everything else fades. To everyone else, he is a monster, but to her, he is her savior.
He stopped her from dying. He has given her a future, but for how long. There is a traitor amongst the Russo mafia. One that is circling, intent on taking over. Massimo will not allow that to happen.
When his wife is taken, it is a race against the clock. But who is behind the threat, and will he make it in time?
When Astrid Sinclair was sixteen years old, she had her first encounter with Lord, the lone wolf who lived near No Wolves Road. He stopped her from getting run over, as she was so engrossed in her book. Lord was not a man anyone wanted to mess with. A grumpy, lonely wolf, with no pack.
But, he was also a man she couldn’t stop thinking about. That’s why she answered his ad for a housekeeper and chose to work at his ranch.
Lord hated books. Yet, every day, he went to the library where Astrid worked. He needed a cook and a cleaner, and Astrid answered that ad. The job was hers.
He wasn’t good with people, but Astrid called to a part of him he didn’t know existed. Astrid was his, he was sure of it. One night, during the full moon, he went to her, and he couldn’t control his need. She gave her virginity to him, and in return, he called her a convenience.
Hurt. Betrayed. She tried to forget about him. She tried to build a life away from him, even as she continued to work. However, there were forces working to bring them together. Neither could fight it.
They were at the mercy of their needs. Would they be able to forget their past and fight for their future?
Excerpt:
“I’m not going to do anything,” Lord said.
Blake looked at him, doubtful.
“I’m never close to home during a full moon, and I have no intention of going back there until after the full moon has come and gone.” That was as clear as he could get.
“You’re not. Won’t you starve?”
“I have already packed myself some food to get by.” He knew he was acting strangely, and the best way to deal with that problem was to keep a wide berth.
Astrid was the problem, as was the full moon. If he kept his distance, all would be okay.
He and Blake continued to fix the rest of the fences that had broken down. It didn’t matter how often he did this job, it was a never-ending task. Fences wore over time and constantly needed fixing. It was a job he liked to do himself, and not rely on anyone else. After they got through the fixing, he took his lunch case and let Blake take the car back to the house.
He made his way toward the forest that was far from his property, but also a nice, secluded spot that meant he never interacted with anyone else. In all the years he’d been at No Wolves Road during a full moon, he’d thankfully avoided other packs.
Lord knew he was an anomaly to most of the packs. He knew there were always horror stories about wolves expelled by packs. When he was first expelled, he had feared the rabid taking over. Becoming rogue. Hurting people. Even though he wasn’t the biggest fan of humans, he didn’t want to hurt anyone. He only hurt people in self-defense. And that was rare.
He found his spot, which was near an old-looking tree. This is where he spent a lot of full moons. There were occasions he would run, but he would always come to rest at the thickest trunk, and this is where he sat, opening his lunch tray and taking out one of the many burritos Astrid had prepared just that morning. She hadn’t known he’d been watching her. There were parts of the house where he could stand and just look at her without her knowing. Although, she had known someone was watching her, with the way she kept looking over to where he stood.
The burrito was delicious. She had made some kind of breakfast meat, rice, beans, cheese, and wrapped it all in a tortilla. It tasted so good, and within a few bites, it was all gone.
This is why he stole a second one, and he took a nice large bite out of it, stuffing his face as he did, trying to think of someone other than Astrid. This morning, she had worn a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater that kept riding up over her stomach every time she reached for something off the top shelf. He couldn’t get the image out of his mind. Not that he would ever want to. She looked amazing.
The temptation to close the distance between them and press his face against her stomach had been so strong. He didn’t know how he was able to avoid it.
Lord couldn’t deny he had gotten closer to her. There had been a moment when the temptation to pull her into his arms had been so strong, but he had avoided it and just stole the burritos, along with the cookies.
He finished the two burritos he had taken, along with the five cookies. It was in that moment, he didn’t know what he was going to do about food tomorrow. There was no way he could go back to the house.
Astrid was too much temptation. He couldn’t deny it. Even now, as he sat leaning against his favorite tree trunk, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. The delicate curve of her neck. The sweetness of her body as it pressed against him. He felt his cock start to thicken and his need getting stronger. Lord wanted her desperately. But she was human. There was no way he was going to stop her.
And he thought about that day, all those years ago, when he’d been minding his own business. She’d caught his attention for just a brief second, and he figured humans were crazy, with their heads so focused on books. He was not going to let anything happen to her.
He’d seen the danger, and it was like his wolf couldn’t stand it. He could blame his wolf, but the truth was, neither could he.
He felt compelled to protect Astrid. He had a feeling he knew why, but Astrid was a human, and he was never going to mate with a human. These feelings had to stay dead. It would never work.
Astrid & Lord were wonderfully written. Author has a way of delivering a great story with steamy chemistry while throwing in a great groveling hero. This makes for such a great quick read. I really do love the No Wolves Road Series and Book 3 was really great (as is the other 2 books in the series).
As a contract killer, he will do any job for the right price. However, that also means saving people. His current job is to keep a rich man alive, before his current wife kills him. Thankfully, his beautiful PA, Ava Martin, is happy to help him.
Three years ago, Ava found herself at the mercy of a serial murdering rapist. She would have been his next victim, until Knox saved her. She witnessed him kill a man, but she didn’t care. Knox would keep her alive, so long as she agreed to work for him. That day, Ava fell in love, and she’d been falling for this man ever since.
As for Knox, he couldn’t live without Ava. She had taken his empty world, and filled it with so much more. But, he would not cross that line. Ava worked for him. That didn’t mean he wasn’t tempted.
Until, one day, he gave into temptation and finally claimed her virginity. He cannot stay away from Ava. He craves her. But, his greed will come at a price. Will he be willing to pay it to see his woman again?
Excerpt:
“You’re up,” Knox said.
Of course, she should have known she couldn’t move around this house without him knowing.
“Ice cream,” she said.
“Couldn’t sleep?”
She shook her head.
Why did this man have to torture her even more right now? He was … naked. Okay, so he wore a pair of sweatpants, but he didn’t have on a damn shirt. Those pants didn’t even look big enough to properly cover him. How had her life gotten to this? When had sweatpants become so sexy?
Knox moved in close, and he got his own spoon. He was close now, and as she inhaled, she enjoyed his musky scent. She tried not to think about just how good he smelled.
Ava took a large scoop of ice cream, hoping to distract herself with the cold. He was so close, their arms almost touching, and she looked down at his heavily inked arm.
What would it be like to be able to touch him without abandon? To kiss him without fear of consequences? She thought of all the romance movies she watched where the couples just gravitated toward one another. It looked so damn easy. There was no way she was going to ruin this. She took a slight step to the side, hoping to create a little space. It didn’t feel good, and it also didn’t last. Knox was close within a second.
Was she losing her mind? Ava didn’t know what to do or think.
“Why are you awake?” she asked, trying to distract herself.
“Couldn’t sleep.”
She wanted to know why. “Bad dreams?”
“No.”
She licked her lips and glanced toward him as Knox looked at her. Was he looking at her lips? Did he want to kiss her? What was going on in that head of his?
She nibbled her bottom lip, while trying to figure out what to do next. Nothing was coming. Her stomach kept twisting. Why was it so easy for some people?
“Why are you up?”
Ava didn’t know what was happening, and then he suddenly stepped behind her. Both of his hands going either side of her, trapping her between the counter and his body. Did he put his lips at her neck?
“You know, I couldn’t stop thinking about how good you felt on the mat today,” he said. “Is it wrong, Ava, that I want to fuck you?” he asked.
This made her gasp, and she quickly spun around. She didn’t know what she was going to say, but right now, staring up into his blue eyes, and with his body so close, this was the opening she had been waiting for.
Slapping him was not what she wanted to do. Instead, she threw her arms around his neck, pressing their bodies together, then she took the leap of faith she had been wanting to take for some time, and kissed him. Ava had never willingly kissed another man. This was, as far as she was concerned, her first real kiss.
At first, Knox didn’t touch her. His hands stayed on the counter as Ava kissed him with a passion she didn’t even realize she possessed. She moaned his name, pressing her body against his, and then Knox touched her. One hand banded around her waist and the other cupped her face.
He finally touched her, and his hands, although rough, felt gentle on her body. She didn’t want him to stop, and he took over the kiss. He pressed her against the counter, and she felt the hard ridge of his cock as he rocked against her core.
This is what passion was all about. The movies had it so wrong. They didn’t know how to portray this feeling. It was much better than chocolate. Was it possible for sex to be much better than chocolate? Ava didn’t want it to stop.
Oh, I loved Ava and Knox. I really liked that this ended up being such a sweet read they had so much chemistry together. The only thing I didn’t like was when it ended I would give this a five star and I can’t wait to read more from Sam.
I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was such a great read. I loved it and the series is so great. I really didn’t stop reading til I had finished and if you know this author it just leaves you wanting more and can’t wait to see where it goes!! I am hooked for sure.
As a contract killer, he will do any job for the right price. However, that also means saving people. His current job is to keep a rich man alive, before his current wife kills him. Thankfully, his beautiful PA, Ava Martin, is happy to help him.
Three years ago, Ava found herself at the mercy of a serial murdering rapist. She would have been his next victim, until Knox saved her. She witnessed him kill a man, but she didn’t care. Knox would keep her alive, so long as she agreed to work for him. That day, Ava fell in love, and she’d been falling for this man ever since.
As for Knox, he couldn’t live without Ava. She had taken his empty world, and filled it with so much more. But, he would not cross that line. Ava worked for him. That didn’t mean he wasn’t tempted.
Until, one day, he gave into temptation and finally claimed her virginity. He cannot stay away from Ava. He craves her. But, his greed will come at a price. Will he be willing to pay it to see his woman again?
Looking for a quick, spicy festive story to get you in the Christmas mood?
<3 Virgin heroine <3 OTT <3 Older hero
Blurb
Crow loved the open road. He was not the settling down type. However, five years ago, a young girl ran right into him with fear in her eyes.
Kelley Rade was trying to escape. Her mother had sold her to some traffickers who were intent to sell her because she had her virginity intact. They were hot on her tail. Until, she bumped into a very angry looking biker.
He didn’t like bullies, and killing the men was easy. Now, he had to take responsibility for her. Seeing as the club he was with had decided to settle down, he put Kelley in her own home, and made sure the guys looked out for her.
For the last five years, he’d been checking in on her. Kelley was no longer a little kid. She was all woman.
She had fallen in love with Crow five years ago, and she didn’t know what she could do to get him to notice her. Until one night, he finally did.
He was drawn to the open road, but it had started to lose its appeal. He no longer wanted the cold hard loneliness of freedom. He wanted his woman. He wanted somewhere warm and a place to finally call his own.
Would he take the chance this Christmas with a woman that had worked her way into his heart?
Excerpt:
After a good ten minutes, his thick cock hadn’t subsided, so he knew nothing was going to stop his arousal. It was like his dick had a mind of its own and knew what it wanted. Fucking thing. He ignored it, climbed out of the shower, and made his way toward his bedroom, but stopped when he heard noise coming from downstairs.
Kelley’s bedroom door was wide open, and he knew she was downstairs. The sane thing to do was leave it, just go to his room, get some sleep, and deal with his erection in the morning. He was a fucking idiot, because wearing only a towel, he did the dumbest thing and made his way downstairs.
He found Kelley in the kitchen, carton of ice cream in hand, and her mouth open as he stepped into the kitchen. Putting his hands on his hips, he looked at her and waited.
“Hey,” he said.
“You came back,” she said.
“Yeah, I didn’t plan to stay out long. Went to the bar, had a beer, then rode my bike until I came home.”
“You didn’t go find some other woman you wanted to be with?” she asked. There was no animosity in her gaze. It was a statement of fact.
“No, there’s no other woman, Kelley.”
She dipped her spoon back into her ice cream. Her gaze kept moving toward him, traveling up the length of his body, and then averting his gaze. He didn’t want her to look away. He wanted her to look at him, and only him.
“You’re … naked.”
“No, I’m wearing a towel.”
He looked at her, and the truth was, Kelley had stopped being a kid a long time ago. Even before he’d met her, he had a feeling she hadn’t enjoyed a childhood for long.
Taking hold of the knot, he eased it open and allowed his towel to drop to the floor. “Now, I’m naked.”
The spoon she had in her hand clattered to the floor. Her mouth opened, but she had swallowed that lump of ice cream. She looked at him, and there was shock in her eyes, which he was more than happy to see.
“What’s the matter, beautiful?” he asked.
“You’re naked.”
“That I am.” He smirked, and then walked into the kitchen. “And how about you get naked with me?”
Blurb Nikki didn’t want to be at the stupid Devil’s Beasts MC clubhouse. Growing up with a mother who had a revolving door of men or clients, she wasn’t into the party mood. However, she was not going to let her best friend down. She was there in case her friend needed a ride. That was the day she met him.
Hawk loved women. He enjoyed many a variety and was not the settling down type. When a young brunette walked into his domain, he knew he should have steered clear. He couldn’t get her out of his head. She was not like any other woman.
Nikki didn’t try to flirt with him, or gain his attention. She treated him like a man, or at times, like a pain in the ass. It was refreshing. An odd kind of friendship was born.
Hawk wanted to be there for her. He wanted to turn her bad luck around.
For Nikki, she was falling for him, although she had promised to never fall for any man. One kiss led into another, and one moment she was a virgin, the next, she wasn’t. A secret affair began. There were rules. She was not allowed to go near the club. No one was to know they were together. It was their little secret.
But then the letters started. Someone was out to hurt Nikki. Was it a joke? Was it serious? Was it a mistake?
Then the truth comes out. She didn’t earn her place, Hawk manipulated everything. He was embarrassed by her. Will Hawk be able to figure out who is threatening his woman before it’s too late? Will he be able to earn back her forgiveness?
Mae Blake couldn’t believe what she had just done. She never went to the bar, and she never had drinks. Not that she could blame alcohol for this. She was very much sober when she went home with the town’s bad boy. Caleb Dowd was known for sleeping with and leaving women. It didn’t matter that she’d had a crush on him all throughout high school. He did not settle down, and Mae had just given this man her virginity.
Caleb had wanted Mae for a long time. Knowing he was the only man she’d been with, there was no way he was going to let anyone else have what now belonged to him. He was not ashamed and he was going to keep on chasing her.
All Caleb wanted was to settle down, to have a life with Mae, but his reputation could threaten to tear them apart. He was not willing to give up without a fight. They are perfect for one another. And he had a plan.
That’s the word Liana Marchetti heard her husband use to describe her as to his friends. She was a boring doormat that didn’t have a single thought for herself. He was so wrong. Being a mafia wife, she tried to play the role that she thought he would like. Now, he was going to see who the real Liana was.
And she wanted a divorce.
Diego did not want to be married. However, when his wife demands a divorce he told her there were only two ways. One, if she betrayed the mafia, he would kill her. The second, if she even dared to be with another man, he’d kill him and get rid of her. His wife had other ideas. Liana was going to make him work.
She had no interest in any other man. Because the truth was, Diego had hurt her. She had started to fall in love with her husband, but there was no way she was going to succumb to a man who thought she was a doormat.
However, Diego is completely blown away by his wife. He didn’t want a doormat, he relished the fire and passion burning inside her, and now, he was not going to let her go. He was going to keep her, and if that meant winning her back, that was exactly what he was going to do.
Excerpt:
Swimming helped to clear her mind. At least, it used to help clear her mind, whereas now, it wasn’t exactly helping at all.
Liana had known the moment Diego had entered the room. Besides the fact the door beeped when someone entered the room, she could also sense him. Her father had installed the beep as a security measure. Several years ago, a couple of his enemies had been able to sneak onto the property, kill a few of the soldiers, and get inside the house. Every door beeped as you went in or out of the house. It was great, until someone wanted to go outside to sneak a cigarette. That was her brother, and it tended to wake her up when it happened.
Liana had actually been in the pool when the two men had broken into the house. It had been dark, and she had eased beneath the water so none of them could see her. She’d been the one to send the alert to her father and grab one of the guns from the secure case.
According to Enzo Jr., she did not have a kill, however, she believed she did. She had taken down one of the masked men, and her brother the other, but he had claimed both deaths. She refused to argue with him. They had killed bad men.
Not that death was easy to deal with. She acted all tough in front of her father and brother, but she had gone to the bathroom and vomited. Afterward, she also had nightmares, and thinking back to that, she had a feeling that was why her brother had claimed both kills. So, she didn’t have to deal with it. The truth was, she didn’t know if she had killed anyone or not. She kept replaying the whole thing in her head, but she didn’t know if she had shot her gun, or if her brother had shot more than one bullet. She was a good shot when the target wasn’t moving. Either way, that had been a long time ago.
“It’s time for us to go home,” he said.
“I’m not going to your house.” She didn’t move from her position in the pool. Diego, however, took one step, then another, until he was close, and within touching distance. “I want a divorce.”
Her brother had asked her to consider her options. He didn’t believe divorce was the answer. Liana had no interest in staying married to such a horrible man. She had tried to be married to him, and after six months, he was quite happy to laugh and joke about her. Not happening. She was not going to keep playing a part.
“Not happening,” Diego said.
“What?”
“We’re not getting a divorce.”
“I don’t want to stay married to you,” she said.
“Tough.”
She glared at him, and then when he reached down as if to grab her and pull her out of the pool, she kicked back away from the edge so he would have no choice but to either climb into the pool to get her, or deal with not being able to.
“You’re not listening to me,” she said.
“And you’re not listening to me. There will be no divorce, and seeing as I’m the one in charge, what I say goes.”
She couldn’t even believe the audacity of the man. “Well, if you don’t want a divorce, I suggest you leave. This is my father’s house, and you are not welcome here!”
He stood staring at her, and she glared at him, refusing to budge. He might be used to being the one in charge, but he was about to find out what having her as an enemy was all about. What surprised her was that he unbuttoned his shirt.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
Diego didn’t answer, as he removed his shirt, revealing his very heavily muscled chest covered in ink. She was not distracted by the view, but she continued to glare at him, and then he removed his pants and as he climbed into the pool. Liana started to swim to the opposite side.
Just as she got to the other side, she put her hands up and started to lift herself out, only arms banded around her waist and pulled her right back into the water. She let out a growl, because she felt the sheer strength of him and knew she was no match. Liana tried to wriggle out of his arms, but he just swam with her further into the pool until they were in the center, and neither at the small end or the deep end. They didn’t even go under the water.
Diego held her tightly.
“Let me go!”
“No.”
She tried to become a dead weight in his arms, but that was no good, because he held her up and the water actually helped him. This was a nightmare.
After a few seconds, she slammed her hand on top of the water, sending up a splash of water. “What will it take to get you out of my damn life?”
“Liana, we’re married. Nothing is going to separate us. You could be pregnant with my child. There is no way I am going to accept a divorce.”
That’s the word Liana Marchetti heard her husband use to describe her as to his friends. She was a boring doormat that didn’t have a single thought for herself. He was so wrong. Being a mafia wife, she tried to play the role that she thought he would like. Now, he was going to see who the real Liana was.
And she wanted a divorce.
Diego did not want to be married. However, when his wife demands a divorce he told her there were only two ways. One, if she betrayed the mafia, he would kill her. The second, if she even dared to be with another man, he’d kill him and get rid of her. His wife had other ideas. Liana was going to make him work.
She had no interest in any other man. Because the truth was, Diego had hurt her. She had started to fall in love with her husband, but there was no way she was going to succumb to a man who thought she was a doormat.
However, Diego is completely blown away by his wife. He didn’t want a doormat, he relished the fire and passion burning inside her, and now, he was not going to let her go. He was going to keep her, and if that meant winning her back, that was exactly what he was going to do.
