No Cooldown for Love Aliyah Burke (Entangled: Amara) Publication date: June 26th 2023 Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
From USA Today bestselling author Aliyah Burke comes a playfully sexy romantic-comedy about one room, one bed, and a man who knows how to play…
When ex-pro basketball player Mitchell Anderson sees an overturned car on the edge of a cliff during a nasty snowstorm, he knows he has only minutes to rescue the woman trapped inside. What he’s not expecting is their instant attraction, or that she can deliver one hell of a pick-up line even under the most terrifying of circumstances.
Hope Roman’s entire life is on the edge. She’s already overwhelmed with grief and upset, and nearly dying is pretty much the icing on a terrible, soggy cake. So it’s just her luck that she’s suddenly snowbound at a charming little inn with the hottest, yet down right grumpiest, man she’s ever met. And naturally, there’s only one room left.
Now the pillow barrier between them keeps disappearing. And the walls are coming down. But Hope knows she doesn’t belong in Mitchell’s world any more than he belongs in hers. The question is whether either of them can trust the other long enough to play for keeps…
She migrated in her sleep. Not that he had an issue with it—he’d enjoyed having her in his arms. Stretching, he yawned and burrowed back into the bed, pulling the blankets up to his neck. No rush in getting up, as they weren’t going anywhere. He snuggled up against the wall she’d made and inhaled, drawing in her scent with each slow breath he took.
The door cracked open and he held his breath as Hope poked her head in. Watching her through slitted eyes as she snuck into the room, he had this insane urge to smile like a fool. Even now, she was trying not to disturb him.
“Morning.”
She squealed and jumped, hand slamming against her full chest.
He slowly sat against the headboard and stared at her, eyebrows up. “You sure are jumpy this morning.”
Hand flexing against her chest, she shook her head. “You scared me.”
“I scared you?” Mitchell didn’t take his eyes off her for a second, just stared, wishing the fire burned a bit higher so he could see more of her facial expression.
She propped her hands on her full hips, eyes narrowing ever so slightly. “That’s what I said. I don’t scare myself. I was minding my own business when you…” She waved a hand around.
He smirked. “Said ‘morning’?”
Hope gave him a sage nod. “Exactly.”
“I can see how that would’ve been scary,” he said drolly. “Opening my mouth to say one word to you.”
Hope narrowed her eyes at him. “I was trying not to interrupt you.” She cleared her throat. “Wake you.” A deep breath. “Whatever.”
He scratched his stomach through his shirt, not ignoring the way her gaze darted toward the movement. “Interrupt me? That’s intriguing. What exactly were you envisioning me doing in this bed, Hope?” He leaned forward, lips curling up in a full-fledged smile. “And if you were concerned, why not knock on the door? Did you want or hope to catch me doing something in this bed?”
“Sleeping.” Her voice was higher and he wasn’t positive but he felt like she was blushing.
“Oh,” he replied as he tossed the blankets back, sucking in a breath at the difference in temperature outside the bedding. “Sleeping, huh? You wanted to catch me doing what I was doing when you snuck out?” Disbelief smacked hard. And damn it, he enjoyed making her engage with him.
Her gaze drifted to his arms and he flexed one, loving how she nibbled on her lower lip without looking away from him. He’d heard Emma mention to Linc about how his arms were porn-worthy. Did Hope feel that way about his? Something definitely worth finding out, but he thought she did, considering how her eyes continued to drift to his forearms.
“Or whatever.” Heat filled her eyes and he loved that she didn’t drop her gaze.
“Hope,” he said, rising from the bed.
He watched and waited for her to stop staring at his arm.
“Yes?”
“You didn’t have to put the wall back up. I already know you travel when you sleep.” In basketball, traveling was a foul, but in bed, he was all for her doing it again. Tonight.
Author Bio:
Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached at http://aliyah-burke.com/blog/contact/
She is married to a career military man, they have three Borzoi. Her days are spent sharing her time between work, writing, and dog training/showing.
I love a good Prologue. It can hook me quick, and Abigail Owen has done it in The Liar’s Crown. I am a huge fan of hers and she did not let me down.
Hesperia served Eidolon, the King of Tundra. He is a charming liar who has tasked her with cursing the child. The child is one of two, a twin, and Hesperia defies the king, cursing the other child. Twins: one is Enfornae, who she blessed, and the other is Hylorae. What does it mean? I shall have to read on to find out, but I am very curious of what the repercussions will be, for the children and for Hesperia. We shall find out when Eidolon comes for the Queen of Aryd.
One twin will rule, the other is a secret body double in dangerous situations…to die in her place. Sounds sucky to me.
I am Mereneith Evangeline XII of Aryd. There are six dominions, each named for their ruling goddess. She is a tool. A nonperson. She turns her back on Cain, her best friend, when the Queen dies. She has things she needs to do, and he can’t help her.
The Shadowwraith, alone, villified.
I loved traveling the vividly created dominions, the magicals and the humans. I want to share so much about the characters, Raven…and Meren…but that would spoil things for you. I will say, they are magical, lonely, tools to be used. A man made of evil shadows. A woman who is an echo of the queen to be. I love when peripheral characters are as important to me as the main characters.
OMG. I was swept away with the shifting sand, hiding in the shadows, filled with fear for Meren, a heroine that will sacrifice herself ,while trying to save others and her new found love from the evil that is determined to rule the dominions. Nonstop action. Pacing that brought so many chilling thrills that made me want to read until I reached the end…I got lost and didn’t want to come up for a breath of air.
The story is not finished, but it did stop at a good place, if that is possible. I hope you are writing fast Abigail.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Liar’s Crown by Abigail Owen.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
One born to rule. One to forfeit…
Everything about my life is a lie. As a hidden twin princess, born second, I have only one purpose—to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her. I’ve been living under the guise of a poor, obscure girl of no standing, slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present.
Now the queen is dead and the ageless King Eidolon has sent my sister a gift—an eerily familiar gift—and a proposal to wed. I don’t trust him, so I do what I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation. Which is why, when a figure made of shadow kidnaps the new queen, he gets me by mistake.
As I try to escape, all the lies start to unravel. And not just my lies. The Shadowraith who took me has secrets of his own. He struggles to contain the shadows he wields—other faces, identities that threaten my very life.
Winter is at the walls. Darkness is looming. And the only way to save my sister and our dominion is to kill Eidolon…and the Shadowraith who has stolen my heart.
ABOUT ABIGAIL OWEN
Multi–award-winning paranormal romance
author, Abigail Owen, loves plots that move hot and fast, feisty
heroines with sass, alpha heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles
of sexy shifters! Other titles include wife, mother, Star Wars geek,
ex-competitive skydiver, spreadsheet lover, eMBA, organizational guru,
Texan, Aggie, and chocoholic.
Abigail grew up consuming books and
exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a
practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in
English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered
that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with
it.
Abigail currently resides in Austin,
Texas, with her own personal hero (who she totally married!) and their
two children, who are growing up way too fast.
I want to thank NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to meet Linda Hurtado Bond through her novel, All The Broken Girls. Then, I saw PartnersInCrime had a tour, so I added their info for your chance to win a Gift Card so you could get a copy of your own.
#1 – Florida…Any books that take place in Florida garner my attention.
#2 – The Title…It reeks of suspense and badness.
All The Broken Girls is my first book by Linda Hurtado Bond, but I will have my eye on her from here on out. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop.
Crime reporter Mari Alvarez is coming back to work after her suspension. Her serial killer story brought a law suit against the station. Her first call out, she arrives at a murder scene and all she wants to do is go to the two girls that have been broken. Someone dear to them had been taken away. She wanted to tell them everything would be okay, but that is not always the case. She can relate to them, because she had lost her mother and the case was never solved.
I love the element of Santeria, and the fact that she is an empath. She had given her azabache charm to one of the girls in hopes that the blessing will pass to her. It was an impulsive act, but she felt the girl needed it more than she did. I wonder what it will mean for Mari. Is she no longer protected?
Linda Hurtado Bond did a great job of sharing Cuban life, the food and customs. She made the Santeria religion shine with light, not darkness, though any religion can be twisted and used against someone and Mari has a feeling…if she doesn’t figure out what is going on, someone she loves will die. She feels the Evil Eye watching her.
I love serial killers, I mean I love reading about them, studying them, trying to figure out what goes on in their heads. I love vigilante stories, the innocent making things right in the only way they can.
The writing and pacing kept me flipping pages. Linda Hurtado Bond managed to throw some twists and turns my way and I definitely will be on the lookout for more of her work.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of All The Broken Girls by Linda Hurtado Bond.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
When one falls
Crime reporter Mari Alvarez was never able to solve her
mother’s murder ten years ago. But when a woman is gunned down on the
doorstep of her West Tampa neighborhood, Mari can’t shake the eerie
sense of connection.
The others will break
Now there have been two murders in two days. Each crime
scene awash with arcane clues—and without a trace of DNA from the
killer. And for each victim, a doll. The first is missing an eye. The
second is missing a heart. But are these clues leading to the killer…or
messages for Mari?
Unless she plays the game…
Caught up in a maelstrom of Old-World superstition, secrets,
and ties to her own past, Mari has only one option. Put the puzzle
together before someone else dies—even if it destroys her career. But
there’s no escaping the hungry spider’s web when it’s been made just for
you…
EXCERPT
I’m running fifteen minutes late after driving my Abuela Bonita to her doctor’s appointment. But that’s not bad, actually, for Cuban time. Of course my statement high heels click on the uncarpeted floor like my abuela’s disapproving tongue and all I can think of is that silly commercial with the tagline “Wanna get away?” Except I can’t escape. It’s my first day back at the TV station after two weeks at home with no work and no pay. I’m still on probation, and I need this job like I need water and air.
Speaking of which, the thought makes me notice how parched my throat is and I’m afraid my voice will crack when I talk. My lungs are so empty I’m not sure I can deliver any story pitches, even if my job depends on it.
Which, it does.
Reporting is in my blood.
But my paycheck—also a necessity.
I rub my right wrist. The red rope bracelet is there. The pea-sized, black gemstone dangles from it. I roll the azabache charm between my fingers, silently going through my routine: twist the stone three times to the right, three to the left. Six times in all. My lucky number. I swear I’ll never go to a crime scene again without the charm. I’ve learned my lesson. Asi es. Truth. That’s how it is. I pull out the chair across from Mr. Payton and accidentally scrape the floor. It’s loud. Que escandalo!
More stares cut my way. The air conditioning kicks up a notch, but that means nothing to the sweat rolling down my back, sliding into the most inconvenient places. I ignore the wet tickle and stand even taller before taking a seat.
My boss drills me with that intense stare that says everything he’s not allowed to vocalize for fear Human Resources will reprimand him. “Thanks for joining us, Ms. Alvarez.”
“Had to drop off my grandmother at her doctor’s office. She doesn’t drive.” I sit and twist the water bottle on the table until the label faces me. I look at El Jefe and force the corners of my mouth up. Abuela Bonita always told me, no matter what’s going on inside, you can win over the world with a warm smile.
“Let’s continue.” Mr. Payton looks at Paul Johnson, our political reporter.
Paul clears his throat. “As I was saying, the governor is going to hold a press conference on the opioid crisis at a local…”
I cross my ankles to keep my leg from bouncing. It’s clear my boss doesn’t trust me anymore. Not since my serial killer story got the station sued.
I catch the ambitious, crime reporter wannabe eyeing me from the right corner of the room. Bet she’s dying to know what happened to warrant my suspension. She probably already knows. Secrets don’t stay secrets for long in a newsroom.
What the hell had gone wrong?
Abuela Bonita calls it mala suerte. She insisted I wear the azabache bracelet today to ward off the bad luck following me. I find the charm again and twist.
I will fix this. Don’t know how. But I will repair my damaged reputation.
“Alvarez?”
I flinch in my seat.
“You have anything to add to the meeting?” El Jefe taps his engraved pen on the table in a slow, rhythmic pattern.
“Well, Mr. Payton.” He likes it when we use his last name. “I thought I’d do a feature on a young girl in New Tampa Hospital who needs a kidney transplant.”
“That from the crime beat reporter?” I hear the words he isn’t speaking.
“I know.” I answer in my head. “Eleven Emmys, and I still messed up that last crime story, didn’t I?” Out loud I say, “She’s an artist—truly amazing gift— and she’s willing to auction off her paintings to raise money so people can get tested to see if they’re a match. We could save her life by sharing her story.”
My boss nods but says, “Busch Gardens is showing off a new baby sloth this evening.”
My cheeks burn. I sit back. The heat floods down into my chest. “A baby sloth?” I’m pretty sure this is what a public castration feels like.
“We have enough crime, corruption, death, and destruction today. We need something positive after Weather. Sloth baby it is. Can’t go wrong with baby animals,” he says.
Can’t get the station sued again, you mean.
“You’re on that, Alvarez.”
“Gracias.” I close my eyes and visualize a sloth picking at El Jefe’s bushy, needs-to-be-cut eyebrows with those two big claw-like toes. In slow motion, of course. “If our viewers see what I’m envisioning, they’re going to love it.” I smile. Warmly.
Whatever. It will keep me employed for at least one more day. My sister Izzy and Abuela are counting on me.
My phone goes off. I look down, fumbling it as I try to flip off the ringer. “Sorry. Sorry.” It’s not someone calling. It’s my home RING security camera alerting me. My pulse takes off like an F-16. Someone is at our front door. My heart stalls. And falls.
“An important source?” El Jefe asks.
A scoff from the right corner of the room. “Baby sloth police calling?” Crime reporter wannabe gets the room laughing.
Wannabe must have missed her café con leche this morning. I join the laughter and wink at her, despite the slow scalding heat I’m feeling. Abuela Bonita also taught me you get more with honey than vinegar. “No. No. Sorry.” Just my sister’s boyfriend of the week, who is not supposed to be at our house. I shake my head.
“Alvarez?”
My spine straightens. “Yes?”
“You can take the new photographer, Chris Jensen.”
That pulls me back to the moment. “But I always work with Orlando.” A big eyeball fills the RING camera at the front door, but it isn’t Izzy’s new boyfriend. His eyes are as blue as the Florida sky. Isabella’s are dark brown, so dark you can’t tell where the pupil ends, and the iris begins. Izzy pulls back and yells at the RING camera, “Stop spying on me! De conseguir una vida!”
My younger sister is telling me to get a life of my own.
Snickers flicker across the room.
Every hair on the back of my neck rises. The audio on my iPhone is still on. Wanna get away?
I glance at my friend Kiara. She smiles and shakes her head. I appreciate her support. Time to turn the sound off my iPhone.
“Everything okay?” El Jefe’s features remain constant. He doesn’t chastise me for my sister’s outburst, even though she interrupted his busy news meeting.
“Yes sir, I’m fine.” Wait till I get home, Isabella Alvarez! “I’m fine.”
He nods, but his eyes narrow.
I sit through one of his nerve-wracking, wish-I-knew-what-he’s thinking pauses.
He says, “You can take Orlando.”
I exhale.
El Jefe is throwing me a peace offering, I think. Or maybe he believes I can’t even handle an animal story with the newbie photog, so giving me Orlando is like tossing out a safety vest.
Wow.
Two weeks ago, I would have rolled my eyes at the insult of such an easy, nonrelevant assignment. I would have been deeply offended by the shade of making sure I had a veteran babysitter with me.
Tonight, I’m grateful for it.
Even though I know I can’t possibly screw up a baby sloth story, right?
Author Linda Hurtado Bond is an Emmy award winning TV news anchor and an author of romantic thrillers.
She’s worked as a television news reporter and anchor in Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa Florida. For the past twenty years, she’s shared important information with viewers on the latest medical breakthroughs and has written emotional, human-interest stories on those who have the courage and spirit to fight for their lives.
She writes every day, under deadline, but has always loved losing herself in a good fiction story. Her love for writing fiction actually started in high school, but a thriving, busy professional life, along with five kids ( 2 step-kids, an adopted son from Cuba and 2 daughters ) kept her busy for many years.
Entangled Publishing released three romantic adventures Alive at 5, Cuba Undercover and Flatline. Think James Bond meets Romancing the Stone. Cuba Undercover is based on her own true life love story.
She has received numerous writing awards for Alive at 5 , Flatline and Cuba Undercover.
Her latest book, All the Broken Girls, releasing in 2022, features two Cuban American characters and a deep dive into Cuban American culture.
Linda has won 13 Emmy awards, numerous Society of Professional Journalist awards, Associated Press awards, as well as a Florida Bar award and an Edward R. Murrow award.
This former baton-twirling beauty queen from The University of Georgia, now lives in Tampa Florida with her husband and kids.
I have loved what I have read from Tiana Warner, so when I saw The Helheim Princess, I had to have it. I love myths and legends and reading books that stretch my imagination.
‘Sigrid urged Hestur to a gallop….’ and their mad dash to Vanaheim and back had me cracking up. I’ll leave it to you to find out why, but with a start like that, I feel good about the rest of the story.
Sigrid has no memory of her family and she is bullied by the Valkyries. She wants so much to be one of them, but so many things work against her. Valkyries have magical horses and Hestur is not magical, or white and gorgeous. He is brown, ordinary looking, but as fast as the wind. She trains in secret…and it will come in handy.
Dire wolves. Night elves. Helheim…the land of the dead.
On Sigrid’s quest for her destiny, she will be used and betrayed, but she will also find the most loyal friends and her place in the world.
Tiana Warner’s creative world building had me lost in the fantasy. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey, and I thoroughly enjoyed traveling with Sigrid and her friends. The characters are fleshed out, growing and changing.
I couldn’t put it down long enough to take many notes. I was captivated with the vividly created world, fabulous characters and an adventure filled with surprise and danger. I love when I don’t always know where I am going, but enjoy the time it takes to get there.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Helheim Princess by Tiana Warner.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
A thrilling, intricate, and romantic #OwnVoices LGBTQ fantasy that builds on Norse mythology into a beautiful story all its own.
For
as long as Sigrid could remember, she’s wanted to become a mighty,
fearless valkyrie. But without a winged mare, she’s a mere stable hand,
left wondering who her parents were and why she’s so different. So when
the Eye shows her a vision where she’s leading a valkyrie charge on the
legendary eight-legged horse Sleipnir, she grabs the possibility of this
greater destiny with both hands, refusing to let go.
Too bad
that the only one who can help her get there is Mariam, an enemy
valkyrie who begrudgingly agrees to lead her to Helheim but who
certainly can’t be trusted―even if she does make Sigrid more than a
little flustered. As they cross the nine worlds, battling night elves,
riding sea serpents, and hurtling into fire to learn the truth about
Sigrid’s birthright, an unexpected but powerful bond forms.
As
her feelings for Mariam deepen into something fiery and undeniable, Fate
has other plans for Sigrid. What happens when the one thing you think
you were meant to do might end the nine worlds?
ABOUT TIANA WARNER
Tiana Warner is an LGBTQ+ author from British Columbia, Canada, best known for her critically acclaimed “Mermaids of Eriana Kwai” trilogy and its comic adaptation. Tiana is a lifelong horseback rider, a former programmer with a Computer Science degree, and an outdoor enthusiast who loves to explore nature with her musician boyfriend and their hyperactive rescue mutt, Joey. Find her online at tianawarner.com.
The Warrior King Abigail Owen (Inferno Rising #3) Published by: Entangled: Amara Publication date: March 9th 2021 Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
MY REVIEW
The Warrior King by Abigail Owen is Book III in the Inferno Rising series. Even though the storyline is familiar, dragon meets phoenix and….Abigail Owen always adds those little bits that make an amazing story unputdownable and the characters to die for.
The Warrior King is Meira and Samael’s story and it is a HOT one.
Being an empath and a Phoenix, Meira enjoys the solitude of working with computers. She has chosen her mate, not for love, but to get her revenge for the death of her parents.
A glance in the mirror from Samael changed their lives. Meira uses mirrors as portals, but she couldn’t understand how he was able to see her. That had never happened before. What does it mean?
She must forget she ever saw Samael, .but he is her intended mate’s friend and protector. He thinks of King Gorgon as a father figure. He would be assigned as her protector and I foresee some problems. I wondered how this would work out and Abigail Owen never fails to surprise me. She takes me to places I can’t go on my own and makes me love every minute of it.
The torment that Meira and Samael go through trying to do the right thing and not betray a good man and friend like King Gorgon is torturous and agonizing. Her Phoenix “lights” up when he is near and his dragon fights to take control, to be free to claim her.
The Phoenix’s are desired by the Rotting King Pytheios. When a dragon is unmated, his body rots and a Phoenix can save him and declare him High King. He wants all of their powers and will do anything to obtain them.
Meira and her sisters are protected by more than dragons. We have werewolves and Carrick, a gargoyle, who play a role. We have Maul, a Hellhound and Vincent Van Goat.
Do dragons have pets? Meira has rescued a kitten and I wonder if it will become a dragon snack or a clan pet.
Meira’s comment…”release the Kraken”, had me cracking up, creating some wild visions dancing in my head.
Dragons flying, slashing, clawing, fighting to the death, going down in flames.
I have read each book as it has been published and Abigail Owen includes bits and pieces to update what’s happening in each book so you can follow along. It didn’t take me long to catch up. BUT, I would have loved to binge read the entire series, fully lost in this world.
While each book tells the story of a couple, a Phoenix and a dragon falling in love and mating, each story has unique events that keep adding to the book surprises, and twists and turns, that I love so much.
With tears in my eyes, some of the good guys fall. I love that Abigail Owen is not afraid to kill off a character if it improves the story and gets my emotions all riled up.
The mating is HOT! and the future, though filled with danger, is bright, hopeful. I love that it ends on a positive note, leaving me feeling good and wanting more.
The secret they have fought to keep has been exposed. There are four Phoenix sisters and Angelique’s story will be told. She may be a Phoenix and daughter of the past king of the White Clan, but she has no power…does she?
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Warrior King by Abigail Owen.
4 Stars
SYNOPSIS
Meira Amon is the most reserved of the phoenixes, finding computers easier to deal with than people and their messy emotions. But she wants revenge against the Rotting King Pytheios for the murder of her parents just as much as her sisters. Offering herself as a queen for their ally, dragon shifter King Gorgon of the Black Clan, only makes sense.
Just one problem…
Samael Veles worked his lowborn ass off to become the fiercest warrior of the Black Clan. He has pledged his life to protect his king at all costs. Yet somehow, in the middle of war, he took one look at a woman in a reflection and gave up his heart. When that woman turns out to be the phoenix promised to mate his king and help bring peace to their kind, he has no choice but to accept it.
Until her fire unexpectedly destroys the king after they’ve wed. Now Samael must choose between his loyalty to his clan and protecting the queen who might be his mate from his people’s wrath, one of which will unlock a destiny no one could have ever imagined…
Meira tried to get closer to Gorgon, tried to take it back, to pull her fire back into herself. Bile stung her throat, blending with the vomit-inducing stench of burning flesh. The king stared back with shocked, awful, horror-filled eyes as her flames consumed him. He fell to his knees, and she could see him fighting the flames, his own black fire flaring out like sunspots only to be devoured by the red gold of her own fire in an instant.
One kiss was all it had taken.
They hadn’t even gotten to the undressing part, let alone the sex part. She’d turned on her flames and he’d kissed her lightly, so sweet. Except then he jerked back, a silent howl of pain contorting his features.
Already his bronze skin had turned charred before cooling to gray. Other parts continued to burn, glowing bright embers, and parts of him were sifting to ash. Like her mother in that field all alone.
“No, no, no,” Meira cried, hardly aware of the words pouring from her mouth.
She fell to her knees beside him, reaching in past the flames, which didn’t hurt her, to take his hand, already ashy against hers. “I’m so sorry. I’m here. Look at me.”
His eyes, already solid gray, shifted in his face as if searching. Could he see her? “I won’t let you die alone.”
A thunderous thud rattled the door. Samael.
By this time, most of the body had turned to ash.
Another slam against the door, this one causing a crack to appear in the thick wood. “Let me in!” Samael shouted, his voice muffled.
Meira forced herself to her feet. Her hands were shaking so hard, it took three tries for her to manage to unlock the door. She jumped back in time to get out of the way as Samael slammed it open. The door hit the wall behind with such force it embedded in the rock, small fragments of wood and stone falling to the floor, the gritty sound loud in the sudden silence as the man on the floor finished disintegrating and the fire disappeared all at the same time.
Samael ran to the heap of burned flesh and knelt beside it, he ran his fingers through the dust and ash then made a fist, seeming to grasp for control.
He won’t hurt me.
Meira shouldn’t be sure of that. He was Gorgon’s captain and would believe what his eyes were telling him. That she’d killed his king, the man he was sworn to protect.
“What have you done?” Samael asked in a low voice.
Hands to her mouth, Meira could only shake her head in horror. Was he asking her? Or asking his king?
Samael turned his head to spear her with a dark gaze full of rage, his fire sparking, like looking into an abyss that was reaching out for her. “What. Have. You. Done?”
No mistaking those growled words were directed her way. “It’s—” She had to stop and swallow around a throat so dry it felt coated in dust. Coated in a nameless man’s ashes. “It’s not—”
Samael bolted to his feet, crossing the room in two long strides, backing Meira up against the rock wall of the cavern the suite was carved from. “Don’t you dare say it’s not your fault.”
She should be terrified. This man had every right to kill her here and now. She’d heard many of Ladon’s men speak in hushed tones of respect about Samael’s skills when it came to killing. A rational person would be cowering and begging for her life.
But part of her she didn’t know even existed refused to be that woman. Not in front of him.
Samael’s emotions, released from their bonds, swirled and eddied around her like a riptide—anger, grief, blame. And one other, above all others. Protectiveness.
For her? Or his clan?
Author Bio:
Multi-award-winning paranormal romance author, Abigail Owen, loves plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, alpha heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of sexy shifters! Other titles include wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, spreadsheet lover, Dr. Seuss quoter, eMBA, organizational guru, Texan, Aggie, and chocoholic.
Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.
Abigail currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own personal hero (who she totally married!) and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.
Aiden Kent never expected to see Noelle Rana again. He’s determined to keep his distance from the beautiful enigma wrapped in denim and leather. He can’t trust anyone with the last name Rana. But he made a promise to his dying mother, and it isn’t long before Noelle invades his personal space. He can’t stop thinking about the exotic beauty’s alluring curves.
He wants the daughter of his enemy, and he’s determined to have her…if only for one night.
If Noelle wants to move forward with her life, she must make a deal with the devastatingly gorgeous, broody millionaire Aiden. He made a promise years ago, and she’s come to collect—even if it means facing down the only man who ever broke her heart. And there’s a really good chance he’ll do it again.
“What exactly do you want from me, Noelle?” Aiden shifted forward, his tone hardening, the patrician lines of his face sharpening.Noelle inhaled a deep breath…a big mistake. His clean, fresh, rain-and-earth scent filled her until she could practically taste it. Taste him.
The hell? Where had that thought come from? Whatever feelings she’d once had for him had been ground under the heel of humiliation, rejection, and pain.
“I need you to pay my graduate-school tuition.” She paused. “For Boston University.”
“Boston University,” he repeated, ice dripping from each syllable. “You’re applying to Boston University.”
“Have applied,” she corrected, voice soft. Wary. “And have been accepted with a partial scholarship. I start in January. I can cover all of my other expenses. Only the rest of the tuition has to be paid.”
“What are you playing at, Noelle?” he growled. Anger seemed to radiate from him, beating at her. “Of all the cities and colleges, you choose here? Do you think I’m stupid? I’m not one of your father’s marks. You can’t con me. What else aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing,” she insisted, insulted. “I have an apartment and a job. I arranged those before I left Chicago. I’ve been providing for myself and others for years without your assistance, and I really don’t want it now, but I have no choice.”
Screw this. Yes, her father hadn’t been a model citizen—unless it was a citizen of the Cook County DOC. But she wasn’t him. Damn if she’d let him—him—make her feel…dirty. Unworthy.
She stalked forward, allowing anger and hurt—yes, damn it, hurt—to propel her forward when caution would’ve been prudent…safer.
“Look, believe what you want. I could quote the damn Bible from Joseph to Jesus, and it wouldn’t change your opinion or erase your suspicions. But if you think coming to you and asking for help was easy, then all those millions have made you soft in the head.” She snorted, shaking her head. “At this moment, though, I need you to keep your promise to Caroline more than I care about offending your tender sensibilities with my presence. She wanted me to have the money. So how about this? Send the tuition payment directly to the university, and you don’t have to worry about seeing me again. You can go on pretending I don’t exist, and I can forego the pleasure of you staring at me like I’m something you scraped off the bottom of your shoe.”
Giving him a tight smile, she pivoted and marched for the door, desperate to escape the room before she did something stupid…like allow the tears stinging her eyes to fall. Damn it! She’d been teased, bullied, and sneered at more times than she could remember, much less count. Yet none of those mean girls or leering guys who assumed she was an easy fuck just because of her last name had been able to drag one tear from her.
Only Aiden possessed that power.
Damn him.
“Noelle, we’re not finished. Don’t you walk out that door.”
Like hell she wouldn’t. She was a grown-ass woman. Self-sufficient. Mature.
So she did the only thing a grown-ass, self-sufficient, mature woman could do in her situation…
She flipped him off and walked out.
Naima Simone’s love of romance was first stirred by Johanna Lindsey and Linda Howard many years ago. Though her first attempt at writing a romance novel at age 11 never saw the light of day, her love of romance and writing has endured. Now, she spends her time creating stories of unique men and women who experience the dizzying heights of passion and the tender heat of love.
She is wife to Superman—or his non-Kryptonian, less bullet proof equivalent—and mother to the most awesome kids ever. They all live in perfect, domestically-challenged bliss in the southern United States.
