Tag: outnow

Categories
New Release Standalone

New Release: Protecting Anastasia

This is a complete standalone story.

He will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

Buy Links:
Evernight Publishing: Amazon (UK): Amazon (US): Amazon CA):  Amazon (AU): Amazon (FR): Amazon (NL): Smashwords:  Barnes and Noble: Kobo: iBooks: 
ISBN: 9780369513892
ASIN: B0GHN99YVB


Blurb


Dmitriy Fedulov was known as the ghost devil. He was who the head of the Gnesin Bratva sent when they wanted to annihilate. He killed all enemies, and he did so without remorse. Until her.

Anastasia Babkin defied her family and refused to marry a cruel man. As punishment, she was thrown out, forced to live on her own, far away from the Bratva. She knew the risks. It was why she stayed all alone.

When Dmitriy was sent, he didn’t kill her. Instead, he kept her safe. He felt nothing for no one, until he met Anastasia. She was unlike other women. She was different, and he couldn’t bring himself to kill her.

The orders from Gnesin didn’t sit well with Dmitriy. When he demands a meeting, and it goes silent, he knows something is wrong. When the enemy comes hunting him down, it’s only a matter of time before the Bratva falls.

Anastasia doesn’t know who ordered the kill on her family. She has fallen in love with her savior. But, will they be able to survive? Is the leader of the Bratva still alive? Will he let them live? Or is it just one big betrayal?

Excerpt:

“I have no idea what is going on, and I can only assume my safe locations have been compromised. I’m not going to put you in any danger. We’ll rest here tonight, and tomorrow, we’ll figure something out.”

“You know, if you had killed me, you probably would be able to just run away and live your life.”

“Running away is not an option.” He never ran away, not from his parents, not from anything.

“Take a shower. I’m going to go and get food, and do not answer the door to anyone.” With that, he closed the door and left the motel room.

He should have killed her. It should have been easy for him to do. Just one bullet to the back of the head, or slitting her throat, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He didn’t want to hurt her. In all his years, Dmitriy had never felt this way for anyone.

Running fingers through his hair, he got into the car and drove for ten minutes until he found a drive-thru. He ordered them plenty of food, kept a smile on his face for the woman serving him, which wouldn’t allow any questions or suspicions to be raised, and when she was finished serving him, he told her to have a good day.

He made his way back to the motel, grabbed all the food, and let himself into the apartment. At the same time, Anastasia stepped out of the bathroom. Her hair was damp, and she had a towel within her grip, drying it by scrunching it up in her fist. She had a single towel wrapped around her body, but he saw a lot more of her flesh on display, and he found it impossible to ignore. She was almost naked.

“The shower is free, and I didn’t use up all the hot water,” she said.

“I’ll take a quick shower.” He moved past her with speed. He didn’t want to spend any more time looking at her.

He had to get control of his erection. After what she had just seen, Anastasia didn’t need to deal with an aroused man as well. He wasn’t that much of a fucking monster.

“There’s food, enjoy it,” he said, and slammed the door. This was not Anastasia’s fault. She didn’t know how he felt. That he had been obsessed with her since she had turned eighteen. That she was nothing like any other woman he had seen or known. She was different.

Stripping out of his clothes, he turned on the shower and stepped beneath the spray. His cock was rock-hard, and he couldn’t get the sight of her out of his mind. Her smooth shoulders exposed, slightly glistening from the shower she had taken. She had been here moments before, and he was pretty sure he could smell her. He had to get some level of control. This was fucking shit.

Wrapping his fingers around his cock, he closed his eyes, and it was all Anastasia playing through his mind. Her smile. The laughter he had heard from time to time. Then of course, the way she looked moments ago, and that was all it took to send him right over the edge, and he grunted as he spilled his seed into the bathtub.

He couldn’t recall the last time he was with a woman. It had been so long ago, possibly even the night before he had seen Anastasia for the first time. That one look at the party was enough for him to never want anyone else.

There had been a few moments where he had tried with other women, but none of them appealed to him. They meant nothing.

He stopped trying and accepted there was only one woman for him, and that woman was Anastasia.

Reviews


Kindle Customer

5.0 out of 5 stars Wooah!

Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2026

Format: Kindle

Twists and turns and full of surprises! It was a read I just could not get enough of! Loved it

*****

Fran

Protecting Anastasia – By – Sam Crescent 

This is another standalone story by the amazing Sam Crescent and it has you engaged from the very beginning. Dmitriy Fedulov, known as a loyal soldier to Nikolai Gnesin, The head of the Gnesin Bratva, but to only a few as the Devil Ghost. He is sent to clean up mistakes and keep people in line. If the Devil Ghost is coming for you then your days are numbered. When he is tasked with removing certain families he accepts his orders without fuss but when he encounters the young and innocent Anastasia Babkin he finds himself for the first time unable to complete his orders. Since she left the family and went out and started a new one her own he has been drawn to her, wanting to protect her and keep her safe. When his orders come he takes her away and protects her but now things are not looking to be as clear cut as he thought. Something could be wrong, is the Gnesin Bratva at risk. Dmitriy and Anastasia must work together to find the truth as they give into their feelings for one another and explore their chemistry before the chance is taken from them. This is a fast paced, action packed story that was well written with two strong leading characters. Dmitriy is swoonworthy and Anastasia is a lot stronger than many thought her to be. Their chemistry is smoking hot and Jack the hacker is a great additional character. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed thos story and their well deserved happily ever after. 

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.

*****

ChrisS

5 out of 5 stars

Super Read!

Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2026

Format: Kindle

Sam does Mafia books like no one else. This is one of the best stories I’ve read this year. This grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. Dmitry and Anastasia’s story grabs you from the first page and takes you on a roller coaster of twists and turns. This is a fantastic read! I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Kindle Customer

5 out of 5 stars

Wooah!

Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2026

Format: Kindle

Twists and turns and full of surprises! It was a read I just could not get enough of! Loved it

Categories
Age Gap Mafia New Release Standalone

New Release: Saved By The Monster

Saved by the Monster is LIVE!!!

Buy links Below:
Evernight Publishing:  Your local Amazon, ibooks: Amazon (UK):  Amazon (US): Amazon (CA): Amazon (AU): Amazon (FR): Amazon (NL): Smashwords: Barnes and Noble: Kobo: iBook’s: Bookstrand:

ISBN: 9780369513564

ASIN: B0GFB14S9H

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?

Excerpt:

At the start of this engagement, Massimo had intended for his wedding night to be fake. He was not going to put Adelina through the pain of losing her virginity.

Only, they had gotten to their wedding night, and seeing her in her gown, being near her, smelling that hint of vanilla mixed with cinnamon, was a tempting combination. She made him ache so damn bad. He’d been wanting her since the moment he turned at the church and saw her walking down the aisle toward him.

To him, Adelina had looked absolutely stunning. He’d been drawn to her throughout the ceremony, and even at the after-party. Dancing with her had been a dream. She fit against him as if she was always supposed to be there. Absolutely breathtaking.

And now, as the door closed behind them for their wedding night, he had seen the looks from some of the women. He’d even seen Lily-Mae talking to his wife earlier, and he had sensed her withdrawal, and it pissed him the fuck off.

Staring across the room at her, with the door now locked, he released his jacket and cleared his throat.

“If you don’t want to … I understand,” Adelina said.

He looked at her, and then with purpose he closed the distance between them so he was right in front of her, and she had no way of escaping.

“You understand?” he asked.

“I mean, I get it, if you want to, you know, not … do what needs to be done.”

He reached out and stroked a curl back behind her ear. “I don’t know who has gotten into your head, but unless you don’t want my touch, Adelina, I have every intention of consummating this marriage tonight.”

He was not going to allow room for doubt from anyone. Adelina would leave this room his bride, and that was all he had to say about it.

Stroking some of her hair back behind her ear, he stared into her eyes and cupped her cheeks. At the church, he had been so tempted to ravish her mouth, but he’d seen the slight panic in her eyes and held back for her. Now, he didn’t need to hold back. He could do whatever the hell he wanted, and right now, he desperately wanted to kiss her.

He touched his lips to hers, tentative at first, and then he deepened the kiss, sinking his fingers into her bound hair. He removed the few clips that had pulled her hair back. Massimo was already addicted to this woman, and he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

With his other hand, he rounded her back, gliding down, going toward the curve of her ass. He pulled her in close so she would be able to feel exactly what she did to him. There was no holding back for him. He was hard as fucking rock.

“I think it’s time for us to wash away the day,” he said.

He took her hand and led her into the bathroom. If he tore off her clothes and just took her, he feared he might make her terrified of sex. That was not what he wanted. He had a sneaking suspicion that one time with Adelina would never be enough. He was already addicted to the feel of her lips against his.

 

Reviews

Andrea

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME!!!! Wonderful book

Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2026

Format: Kindle

I am such a sucker for these stories that author writes–this one was so great. Loved how the hero stands up for and takes care of the injustice that heroine faced. The OTT protector vibe was just great?? I LOVED THIS ONE.

Saved by the Monster
by 

Chrissy‘s review

Feb 03, 2026

it was amazing

bookshelves: arc

Sam has done it again! I absolutely LOVED this Mafia story. She has a way of creating such wonderfully atypical Mafia stories. Massimo is part of the Russo Mafia. He is feared for a reason, he’s a monster. Adelina’s family is part of the Russo Mafia. She has been treated horribly by her family and now her father has arranged a marriage to a monster. He has been married before but is wives and other women are all dead. She realizes what her future will be and has reconciled that she won’t live much longer. Massimo sees Adelina at family functions and always looks forward to talking to her. She breaks the monotony for him and he can’t believe the horrendous dresses she wears. When Adelina tells him to her upcoming nuptials, Massimo knows he can’t let it happen. His solution is to marry her. This begins the dark, dangerous, emotional ride that grabs you and doesn’t let go. This is a fantastic read! I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Categories
Standalone

New Release: Finally Mine

This is a complete standalone story.

Looking for …

<3 Second Chance
<3 Small town
<3 Unrequited
<3 Quick, Sweet, and Sexy …

Buy links Below
Evernight Publishing:  Your Local Amazon, Kobo, iBook’s: 
Amazon (UK): Amazon (US): Amazon (CA): Amazon (AU): 
Amazon (FR): Amazon (NL): Smashwords: Barnes and Noble: 
Kobo: iBooks: 
ISBN: 9780369513458
ASIN: B0GD5T1V4C

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?

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.

Reviews

ChrisS

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read!!

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2026

Format: Kindle

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.

Kindle Customer

5.0 out of 5 stars Hawk and Katie let the healing begin

Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2026

Format: Kindle

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. 

Andrea

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book–so so good!!

Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2026

Format: Kindle

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).

Categories
Age Gap New Release No Wolves Road

New Release: Lonely Wolf

NEW RELEASE ALERT!!!

It’s my first release of 2026!!!

Are you ready to go back to, No Wolves Road?

All books in the series can be read as a standalone.

Buy links Below:
Evernight Publishing: 
My Book (Amazon / Kobo / iBooks) : 
Smashwords: 
Barnes and Noble: 
ISBN: 9780369513304
ASIN: ‎ B0G6B3M6DC

Blurb


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.

#newrelease #outnow #nowolvesroad #mf #grovel #evernightpublishing #samcrescent 

No Wolves Road

Customer Review

  • Andrea5.0 out of 5 stars 
  • I FREAKING LOVED THIS ONE–BOOK 3 ROCKED
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2026
  • Format: Kindle
  • 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).

Kindle Customer

5.0 out of 5 stars Lord and Astrid

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2026

Format: Kindle

Nothing like a fairly quick read to put happiness in your heart. Sam as always made my heart happy. A must read

Categories
Mafia

New Release: Doormat

🔥 RELEASE DAY ALERT 🔥

Doormat is NOW LIVE!!!

This is a complete standalone story.

<3 Virgin heroine
<3 Grovel
<3 OTT
<3 HEA

Buy links Below:


Evernight Publishing: Amazon (UK): Amazon (US): Amazon (CA): 
Amazon (AU): Amazon (FR): Amazon (NL): Smashwords: 
Barnes and Noble: Kobo: iBooks: Bookstrand: 
ISBN: 9780369513052
ASIN: B0FZ69TVZR

Blurb:


Doormat!

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.”

“I don’t want to be married to a man like you.”

Categories
Mafia Standalone

NEW RELEASE: The Mafia Man’s Baby Deal

The Mafia Man’s Baby Deal is NOW LIVE!!!

This is a complete standalone.

Buy links Below
Evernight Publishing: Amazon (UK): Amazon (US): Amazon (CA): 
Amazon (AU): Amazon (FR): Amazon (NL): Smashwords: 
Barnes and Noble: Kobo: iBooks: 
ISBN: 9780369512987
ASIN: B0FWZ25SCJ

Blurb


From the moment Ella Rue stepped into Mateo Cole’s bar, he knew she was different. When a picture, drawn by a kid, falls out of her work locker, he has questions. All of his background checks didn’t say she had a child.

The work was by a child—her own work from many years ago. Being a foster kid, she was used to not being wanted. Ella’s desires had not changed. She wanted to have children, be a mother, and to be a wife. She didn’t want to be a business woman.

Many years ago, Mateo killed his father, along with anyone who dared step in his way. But now, he wants children. He wants a life with Ella, and he knows exactly what to do to make it happen.

Ella knew the proposition was crazy. Most people were afraid of Mateo, but not her. She couldn’t believe that she was even considering the deal, but it was the best way to get what she wanted.

So, they got married, and they began the journey of becoming pregnant. But along the way, something happened. It was no longer a business deal once feelings were involved.

A happily ever after isn’t in the cards. The mafia does not approve of marrying outsiders, and they will stop at nothing to remove the problem.

Excerpt:

Ella left her picture underneath the magnet on the fridge right at home, in her apartment. There was no point in carrying it around with her all the time. Arriving at work, Bernie was already behind the bar. On Friday nights they always had two or three people manning the bar, including her. The bar wasn’t open yet, and she gave Bernie a wave.

“Ella, the boss wants a word with you,” he said.

This made her stop and turn to look at Bernie. “What?”

“The boss said to tell you as soon as you come in, that he wanted to see you.”

She nibbled her lip and then glanced back over at Bernie. “Did he say why?”

“No, and I didn’t ask, seeing as he is the boss, and so what he says, goes.”

She tried not to wince, but it was hard not to. This wasn’t good, was it?

She didn’t drop her stuff off at her locker, and instead went straight to Mateo’s office. The door was closed, and she lifted her hand and knocked.

His call to come in came almost immediately after. Her stomach felt incredibly tight. She had no idea why he would want to see her, and it freaked her out just a little. She had never been called to his office. Had a customer reported her? She tried to scramble her brain for a valid reason, and she kept coming up blank. There was no reason he should want to see her.

Stepping into his office, she saw no one was there with a complaint.

“Close the door,” he said.

Was this good?

She did as he asked, and then turned to look at him. He pointed at the chair opposite her, and she had no choice but to take a seat, although she just wanted to ask him what was going on. She licked her very dry lips, and waited. Her heart raced. She felt that spiraling sickness swirling in her gut, making her wonder what the hell she was going to do.

“I want to talk to you about a … proposition,” he said.

Okay, she wasn’t expecting that, but at least it didn’t lead to her getting fired, which was a huge plus.

“A proposition?”

“Yes. I’m forty-five years old. I have no wife and no children.” He didn’t look away from her. “And it has come to my attention, Ella, that I want children.”

“Okay. Are you wanting me to help you find a girlfriend or a wife—”

“You’re wanting children, a family, someone to take care of you. How about you and I come to an arrangement that suits both of us?”

This was not what she expected. She had to remind herself to press her lips closed, because she was so close to losing her composure. Her mouth had literally fallen open and stayed open.

“Uh, you want to have a child with me?”

“Children, yes. I want to have more than one child, and based on your picture last night, you want a big family.”

“And you want to have those children with me?”

“Yes,” he said.

She smiled and pressed her lips together, wondering if this was some kind of prank. “You’re kidding?”

“No. I am not kidding. I’m serious, Ella. I want to have kids and a family, and I want to have it with you.”

“What, uh, what exactly would that entail?”

“We’ll get married. I have already made the arrangements. We can be at a church in less than twenty minutes. Everything would be legal. I promise I will take care of you, and in return, you’ll take care of me. Provide me with everything a loving wife can offer. I will give you the kids.”

“How would we … make those kids?” Ella asked. She felt like she was in a dream, but each time she kept pinching her arm, she wouldn’t wake up.

“The old-fashioned way. We can come to a deal with this arrangement, but after that, everything would be real. You will be my wife, I will be your husband, we will have children and a family. Together, we can give each other what we want.”

Categories
Age Gap Bratva Volkov

New Release: Nobody Wants Me

It’s finally here 😱😱😱

Nobody Wants Me is NOW LIVE!!!

Are you ready to know what happens next?

Blurb


Freya
All of my life I’ve been a burden. My father didn’t love me. Hated the way that I looked. Spent all of his time trying to convince me to change. Brothers who bullied me. And a mother I never knew.

Marrying Victor Abdulov is the only truth I know. But, a past I didn’t know about is going to get me killed. I hated my husband, until I fell in love with him. I never got to tell him, and now it is going to be too late.

Victor
I did not want a wife.

I did not want to fall in love.

I just wanted to be a Brigadier and serve Ivan Volkov. He had given me the chance to make shit right. But, my wife is so much more than I could have imagined, and I was a dick to her. I need to make it right. People are out to take her from me, and I am willing to follow her to the ends of the earth to keep her alive.

I didn’t want her, now I don’t think I can breathe without her. In vows, we always say, until death do we part, because we expect a lifetime together—not a love that ends before we know it.

Excerpt:

My stomach growled again, just as Victor turned, holding the tray of food.

“Breakfast is ready.”

I’m not used to Victor being so … friendly. He seemed quite cheery and approachable. I didn’t know if I wanted him to yell at me, so I could convince myself that he is in fact the same person.

Following him to the dining room table, I saw a bowl and a plate set up for each of us, complete with a fork, spoon, and a butter knife.

“Have your pick,” he said.

All I wanted was to sip my coffee. “I’ll just have some coffee to start.”

He nodded his head, then reached out and started to fill his bowl to the top, and even dome it with fruit. Before he even started eating the fruit, he took a slice of toast, some jam, and spread it thickly, taking a bite.

For me, I had a sip of my coffee, and the milk wasn’t half bad. Was I seriously thinking in terms of the taste of milk, rather than the fact we had to come to a damn deserted island because people are going to kill me?

“What happens if they kill me?” I asked.

“They won’t.”

“But, I mean, if they do, does it just go away?”

Victor took another bite of his toast, and he looked at me a little sternly. I was not going to back down.

“If they kill you, then yes, in theory, it all goes away.”

“Can’t we just fake my death?”

Victor chuckled and I wasn’t sure if he was entertained or not.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because we can’t.”

I found that hard to believe.

Victor ate some more of his fruit, and my stomach rumbled so I reached for some to add to my bowl.

“If we attempted to fake your death, or if they even succeeded in killing you, there would be knock-on effects from it.”

This made me frown. “How? It’s not like I’m anyone important. I’m a complete and total nobody.”

“You’re now part of the Volkov Bratva. If anyone attempted to kill you or if they succeeded, it would show Ivan as weak.”

“How does it not show him being weak now?” I asked.

“Because, while we’re here, he is hunting down the ones who are willing to take the hit. There is going to come a point where people will realize to get to you risks death. Even if they kill you, Ivan will not stop until he kills everyone responsible. Your life is important,” Victor said. “There is no way anyone is going to get away with killing you.”

“Your life is important.”

Those words rang in my head. I couldn’t believe what he had said. Was this even real? It didn’t make any sense to me at all.

I felt a little sick. Tears filled my eyes. I’m not important. I had never been important. I’m the girl no one wants. I didn’t want Victor to see me cry.

“Excuse me.”

I don’t know if he detected the croak in my voice, but I don’t linger to speak to him. I just get to my feet and rush like crazy to get the hell out of there.

Taking a deep breath as I get outside. I exhale slowly. Then, I do the same all over again. I’m trying to stop the tears from falling, but today they are giving me some real trouble. All I want to do is sob. Only, I can’t just do it. The outside and the beauty that surrounds me is breathtaking.

I clench my hands into fists.

“Why are you crying?” Victor asked.

I spun around and sure enough, he is standing there.

How can he look so good now? I mean, I know my husband looked good, but back at our house, where he was dressed the role, he didn’t seem quite so handsome. Also, he was showing more concern in the past half hour than he had just the past month and a half of our marriage.

“I’m not important,” I said. “I’m nobody.”

He looked at me and then surprised me and took me into his arms. I had no idea what the hell was happening. Why was Victor hugging me? Why was I in his arms? It made absolutely no sense to me, and I tried not to freak out.

Only, I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my face against his chest. I held onto him, and I didn’t want to let him go.

Ebook

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Paperback

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Categories
Age Gap Chaos and Carnage MC M.C My Work Sam Crescent

New Release: Savage Ends

Chaos and carnage 3

Chaos and Carnage MC are back!!!

Savage Ends is NOW LIVE!!!

BE WARNED … you might need a couple of tissues.

Blurb


Pat struggled to sleep, so he stepped into a late-night coffee shop. That’s where he first met her—Ava Beckett.

Ava knows she shouldn’t keep looking for Pat. He’s a member of the Chaos and Carnage MC, and they are nothing but trouble. But, she likes him. He makes her smile. Even though she knows she should stay away from him, Ava is drawn to him.

He’s older than her. She deserves someone her own age, but he still can’t let her go. What starts as a small romance, soon blooms into something much more. Ava was a virgin, and Pat won’t let anyone else have her.

However, danger within Carnage is heating up. It started with an attack on his bike. Then someone shoots out the mechanic shop, injuring one of their men. It has to be the Cartel, and now it is time to take the fight to them.

Only, it’s not that simple. The Cartel never stays in the same place. And they use people. When their own start turning up injured or dead, they are running out of time. When Ava is targeted, Pat will stop at nothing to protect his family.

But will he be able to figure out the truth in time to save her? Sometimes, the enemy is a lot closer than you think.

Excerpt:

“Okay, now you know you’re going to have to spill the details of what just happened,” Lidia said.

He had almost forgotten he had company.

“Nothing.”

“Oh, please, I feel like I need to mop up that little bit of drool you’ve got going on,” Lidia said.

He swatted at her hand as if she was about to clean away his chin.

She threw back her head and laughed. “You’re so funny.”

“Ava’s … a waitress I know.”

“I know who Ava is. I know her sister Violet as well.” Lidia nudged his arm. “You know, I haven’t known you long, but from what I have seen and do know, you’re never interested in a woman.”

“Stop,” Pat said.

“Okay, you literally perked right up when you saw her. You spun around looking all bored and morose, and then the moment you saw her, it was like bam, you came to life. Now that means something.”

“It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Damn it, Pat. There is nothing wrong with you being interested in a woman. You know, you can have some fun and enjoy yourself, and it would not be a bad thing.”

He turned to look at her and she threw her hands up in the air.

“Fine. Fine. You know best, but you know what, we can just sit here and guess which of these guys are going to get her to dance.” Lidia looked across from him, and he was trying not to look. “There is a guy approaching their table, and … don’t worry. False alarm. He has taken Violet to go and dance. Hold on, it’s coming. There is another guy approaching the table.”

Pat didn’t get to hear her running commentary as he made his way toward the table, stopping anyone from getting to Ava.

“Do you want to dance?” he asked.

Ava’s eyes went wide.

She held a drink in each hand. One of them was clearly her sister’s beer, and the other an orange juice.

“Yes, I’d love to.” She looked at the drinks.

“Leave them. I’ll buy you two fresh drinks.”

And with that, he held his hand out. He didn’t know why, but he expected her to ignore his hand, but she didn’t. She put her hand in his, and that was it. It felt right.

There was a current circulating between them, and he led her onto the dance floor. Pat didn’t dance. He hadn’t taken a woman onto the dance floor in a long time. Yet, pulling Ava into his arms, he ignored the upbeat rhythm that filled the air. None of that mattered. All he cared about was the woman in his arms.

For several seconds neither of them spoke.

“You know, I didn’t think you were going to ask me to dance,” Ava said.

“I wasn’t.”

“Oh.” Her lips formed the perfect little O, and he saw that he’d upset her.

“But, I couldn’t stand the thought of another man asking you to dance.”

“You couldn’t?”

“No, there are a lot of assholes here, Ava. You deserve someone better.”

“So, you’re not dancing with me because you want to, but because you think there is no one here worthy of dancing with me?”

Pat frowned. “I’m not good at this,” he said.

“I don’t know, if you want to give the girl a message that you are not seeing her in any way other than a friend, the message is received.”

He had no idea what was happening here.

“I don’t consider you a friend,” he said.

“Thanks?” Ava asked.

“I think you’re beautiful, Ava. I look at you, and…” He stopped. Should he tell her? Would he scare her away? Would it be good to say this?

He stared into her eyes, and he didn’t know what it was about her, but he just went with it. Pat leaned in close. Two things could happen. One, she’d slap him, and that would be the end of that. Or, she’d be interested. He would never be rude to a woman.

“And I think about taking you home, stripping you naked, and showing you every little thing I could do to you.”

She let out a gasp.

“To put it short, Ava, I want to fuck you. That is why I keep coming to the coffee shop.”

She didn’t pull away. There was no slap. She didn’t scream at him, and when he pulled away, she didn’t look offended at what he had said to her. She looked … happy.

There was so much more he wanted to say, but then he heard the scream, the sound of gunfire, and the ground shook as an explosion filled the air.

He grabbed Ava, pulling her behind him. “Stay here,” he said.

Without another word, he rushed outside and saw what happened. His bike was pulled away from all the other vehicles, had been shot at, and when a bullet hit the gas tank his bike exploded. In the distance, he saw the red lights.

His cell phone was already lighting up, and when he put the phone to his ear, he heard that the clubhouse parking lot had also been targeted.

Buy links Below:
Evernight Publishing: Amazon (UK): Amazon (US): Amazon (CA): 
Amazon (AU):  Amazon (FR): Amazon (NL): Smashwords: 
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ISBN: 9780369512482
ASIN: B0FLF5PKRB

Categories
Age Gap Standalone

New Release: The Marriage Demand

Looking for …

💥 Forced marriage
💥 Virgin heroine
💥 Possessive hero
💥 Curvy

this story has all of that and more. 🙂

If anyone hurts his wife …

Blurb


Four years ago, Winnie met her husband, Elias Moore. He had stormed a warehouse where she was fighting off multiple attackers and killed them all. He should have killed her. Only, he married her.

Now, she was his wife, and she had to follow his rules.

Elias knew he should have killed Winnie. She had been a witness to murder, but there was no way he was going to allow those fucking animals free. After growing up in the system, he knew she’d had a hard life. There was something about her he just couldn’t let her go. So he kept her.

Now, as his wife, she could have anything she wanted. What did she want? She had fallen for her husband. Winnie knew there was no chance of him loving her. She was just a girl that he saved. However, she was no longer just a girl, but a woman. A woman intent on showing her husband that she could give him everything he needed.

When Winnie is targeted, there is no telling what he will do. He was a monster before, but now, he is unstoppable. Anyone who hurts his wife, will die. No questions asked.

Excerpt:

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Tell me what happened. Did someone stop you at the club? Did someone scare you?”

She frowned. “What? No.”

“Then tell me, otherwise I am going back there to see what you’re lying about.”

Technically, she was lying, but only to save her own feelings. What if he looked over the security footage and saw her watching him? No, there was no way she could let that happen.

“Did you enjoy your date with the blonde?” she asked, hating the words the moment they spilled from her lips.

Jealousy was a horrible feeling. It was even worse voicing it out aloud. She hated feeling like this.

“Blonde?”

“Yeah, the blonde that was waiting for you, who was very familiar. If you wanted to spend time with your girlfriend, you didn’t have to take me along to humiliate me.” She gritted her teeth.

Winnie tried to be strong, but she felt so fucking useless. She had no right to be angry at him, but she couldn’t help it. He was with other women, and this feeling wasn’t going away. He started to laugh, which made it worse.

She clenched her hands into fists. She was not going to punch him, although it would feel good. Elias didn’t deserve her punches.

“You think that is funny?” she asked.

With every sound of his laughter, it tore her heart out. This was not fun. She wanted to burst into tears.

“Trish is not my girlfriend.”

“Trish? That’s her name. She looked a little too comfortable not to be.”

“Trish is one of the whores I employ. She loves cock and loves making money from riding cock, but I am not fucking Trish.” He didn’t back away. He didn’t give her any space. “Is that what you think?” he asked. “That I’ve got a line of women at my beck and call?”

“Don’t you?”

“No. I could. All it would take is a snap of my fingers, and there would be a line of women waiting to service me, Winnie, but I don’t.”

“Do you expect me to believe that?” she asked.

She was so hopeful that he was telling the truth. Elias had never lied to her, at least not that she was aware of. Did he really have no one?

He leaned in close so his lips were against her ear. The closeness shouldn’t affect her, but she found herself wanting to sink against him.

“Why would I have other women, Winnie, when I have you waiting for me?” he asked.

This made her pull back, and she opened her eyes to look at him. “But … you and I … it’s in name only.”

“For now. But tell me, Winnie, are you curious to know what it would be like between you and me?” he asked. He didn’t pull away. “Is that why you’re jealous? Would you like to be my wife in more than name?”

Every part of Winnie was screaming to run, to hide. This man was a wolf, he was a monster, and she didn’t have any clue what kind of game he was playing. She was no master. She was a child in comparison. Only, that jealousy hadn’t felt nice. She hated it. Lying to him was not the answer.

“Yes,” she said, surprising both of them.

Even more so, she didn’t know how she felt so bold, but she reached up and cupped his face. Elias didn’t move, nor did he move his hands from the counter.

Cupping his face, she stared into his eyes, and then kissed him. She had no idea what she was doing, she followed her intuition. His lips were firm, yet soft, and as she kissed him, the hands that had been trapping her in place wrapped around her.

His touch sent a shockwave of pleasure rushing through her, and she didn’t want him to stop. Their kiss deepened, the first real kiss they had shared.

In pulling her close, she felt the hard ridge of his cock pressing against her stomach, and she let out a little moan, which he swallowed down, kissing her harder. She whimpered, not wanting him to stop.

Buy links Below:

Evernight
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Amazon (Ca)
amazon (Au)
Amazon (Fr)
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Bookstrand


ISBN: 9780369512338
ASIN: B0FHJRX89F

Categories
Age Gap Bad Boy Bratva Standalone Standalone

New Release: Bratva Past

🔥 NEW RELEASE ALERT 🔥

Bratva Past is now live!!!

He has a past … will she be able to handle the truth?

This is a quick, standalone story, and is not connected to any other worlds. <3

Blurb

~Editor’s Pick~

For a long time, Isaac Flynn has had his eye on Lucy Rue. She was a beautiful woman, and he knew it was only a matter of time before someone else saw the gem that she was. But, he had a past, one that meant he needed to stay well clear of her.

From the moment Isaac arrived in town, Lucy had the biggest crush on him, but at the time she was just a teenager. Now, she was a full-grown woman, and having dealt with loss, she knew how short life was. She finally worked up the courage to ask him on a date, and he was the perfect gentleman.

Isaac does not talk about his past. There is no past life. He has no pictures. There is nothing. Nothing will come from his past because it is all dead. He was part of the Rostova Bratva, but when they killed his family, he turned on them. He was one of the most feared men in the whole of the Bratva, and now they’re all gone.

He wants to live a simple life. Find a wife, a woman he loves, and finally have the family his father always wanted for him. But first, he has to tell Lucy the truth. Once she knows, will she accept him, or will she walk away?

Excerpt:

Several hours later, Lucy stared at her reflection in her en-suite bathroom. It was strange, because when she was twelve, her parents had gifted her with this very en-suite as a birthday present. She had been complaining about wanting to have her own bathroom, and they gave it to her. She was shocked, but she loved it.

Some of the girls at school had complained that her parents were pathetic for only giving her a bathroom, but Lucy was happy with what she had gotten. She was not greedy. She had felt guilty afterward, and hoped her complaining hadn’t forced their hand. Her parents had told her they had every intention of getting her an en-suite when she was ready.

Her parents were not wealthy, but they were frugal, and knowing she owned this house outright was a relief after her parents’ passing. She embraced the frugal life, never living outside her means.

And now, she was no longer a virgin.

Isaac had made love to her and had taken his time. That first moment he entered her, it had been painful. It had taken her by surprise, but she hadn’t wanted him to stop. She didn’t regret what they had done.

At the sound of his voice, she turned to find the man that had turned her world upside down, standing naked in the doorway of her en-suite.

He stepped inside, moved up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Throughout it all, he kept asking her to tell him to stop. As if she could. She had loved every second of it. The pain, not quite so much, but being in his arms, his kisses, his touch. She was addicted.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She sunk against him. “Yes, I’m fine.”

They had already taken a shower together, and Isaac had insisted on cleaning her sheets. Although, the electricity was still out, so she didn’t know what he had done with them.

Her virginity was gone.

Her stomach chose that moment to growl.

“Well, that answers what we’re doing next.” Isaac gripped her arm, spun her in a circle, and then made her follow him.

“What are you doing?” she asked, as they made their way downstairs.

“Finishing our sandwiches.”

He walked them into the kitchen, and she knew she shouldn’t be charmed by him, but she was. She loved how he took charge and forced her to sit down at the small table in the kitchen. He placed her plate in front of her, along with the bag of cheese-and-sour-cream chips she was eating. She watched as he opened the bag and poured a generous amount onto her plate. Next, he did the same with his own plate.

She looked at his endless tattoos. None of them made any sense to her. There were a couple of crosses on his back, his arms, a few skulls, what appeared to be a gravestone, along with flowers. All of his ink was in black. There was no color.

She wanted to ask him so many questions. He sat down, and they were both naked, and she couldn’t help but steal glances his way. Who was this man?

“How old are you?” Lucy asked.

He laughed. “Shouldn’t you have asked me before seducing me?”

She gasped. “I did not seduce you.”

He raised a brow, to which she rolled her eyes.

“I’m forty-five. Are you having regrets?”

“No, not at all.” She took a bite of her sandwich and added a chip into her mouth. “Have you ever been married?”

“No.”

“There’s no ex-wife or ex-girlfriend from your past?”

“None.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

She looked at him and noticed his intense stare as he looked at her. What was going through his mind? She had no idea what he was thinking.

“There is no one from my past, Lucy. I did not have a wife or a girlfriend. There was no one.”

She then remembered he had mentioned on their first date that it was also his first. “You didn’t date?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“There was no reason to date.”

This made her curious.

Isaac reached out and took her hand. “I was not a virgin with you, Lucy. I lived my life and in the past, I didn’t need to date, because women were happy to throw themselves at me without invitation.”

“Oh,” Lucy said.

“Yes, oh. There was no dating involved.”

Okay, that just made her even more curious about him.

“Lucy, my past is exactly that and is where it should be. You do not need to worry about anything, because it is all dead.”

She had a feeling he was trying to tell her something without saying the words. She couldn’t look away, so she nodded.

It was time to stop questioning him about his past. That was where it was going to stay.

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ASIN: B0FFZXPJBG

ISBN: 9780369512208