Remember the fairy tales your parents read to you when you were little?
These are NOT those fairy tales.
From modern day royalty to metaphorical dragons, contemporary castles to sexy heroes, these bestselling authors twist tales as old as time into something new.
GLAMOUR contains eight exclusive never-before-seen novellas that each have an HEA… because they all lived happily ever after.
Authors included:
A.L. Jackson, Sophie Jordan, Aleatha Romig, Skye Warren, Lili St. Germain, Nora Flite, Seierra Simone, and Nicola Rendell
ALL 8 novellas are NEVER BEFORE SEEN…NEW WORK by these authors.
We are very excited to bring you the highly anticipated cover for THE CATCH by New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg releasing on JUNE 29th!
After an unexpected twist of fate, All-Star catcher Easton Wylder is left questioning the loyalty of everyone around him.
Even the woman who shares his bed, Scout Dalton.
But if Easton thought being uprooted to the last place he expected was the only challenge life had to throw at him, he was dead wrong.
With an ailing shoulder and his career in limbo, his decision to make an unexpected change leads him to question everything – Scout’s love, family loyalties, and whether he can conquer the one obstacle he’s never been able to overcome. The secret he’s never shared with anyone.
He may be a man pushed to his limits, but he’s hell-bent on proving his worth no matter the cost.
Baseball has never been sexier in an all-new novel by New York Times Bestselling Author, K. Bromberg.
Easton Wylder is baseball royalty. The game is his life. His passion. His everything.
So, when an injury threatens to end Easton’s season early, the team calls in renowned physical therapist, Doc Dalton, to oversee his recovery. Except it’s not Doc who greets Easton for his first session, but rather, his daughter, Scout. She may be feisty, athletic, defiant, and gorgeous, but Easton is left questioning whether she has what it takes to help him.
Scout Dalton’s out to prove a female can handle the pressure of running the physical therapy regimen of an MLB club. And that proof comes in the form of getting phenom Easton Wylder back on the field. But getting him healthy means being hands-on.
And with a man as irresistible as Easton, being hands-on can only lead to one thing, trouble. Because the more she touches him, the more she wants him, and she can’t want him. Not when it’s her job to maintain the club’s best interest, in regards to whether he’s ready to play.
But when sparks fly and fine lines are crossed, can they withstand the heat, or is one of them bound to get burned?
New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love.
A mom of three, she plots her novels in between school runs and soccer practices, more often than not with her laptop in tow.
Since publishing her first book in 2013, K. has sold over one million copies of her books and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over twenty-five times.
In April, she’ll release The Player, the first in a two-book sports romance series (The Catch, book 2, will be released late June), with many more already outlined and ready to be written.
She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media or sign up for her newsletter to stay up to date on all her latest releases and sales HERE
USA Today Bestselling Author J.L. Berg’s THE CAVENAUGH BROTHERS boxset is available now! You do not want to miss out on meeting Roman and Jude Cavenaugh – plus there’s a bonus short story! Find out more about THE CAVENAUGH BROTHERS below!
Two Brothers. One family obligation neither could run from.
THE WALLS DUET
Jude Cavenaugh has everything. Until a fatal night changes him forever. Walking away from his family, he pays penitence to the woman he loves by taking a job at the hospital she died in.
It’s the end for him. Or so he believes…
Lailah Buchanan has spent her entire life within the walls of a hospital room. Born with a rare heart condition, she suffers more than most, but never lets it define her. .
Two broken hearts, one moment of connection. That’s all it takes to change their lives forever.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Roman Cavenaugh has it all. After successfully taking over his family’s company, he’s ready to take on the world.
That is, until his new assistant catches his eye. She’s young, naïve and a little quirky. But in the blink of an eye, she becomes his new obsession.
And he’ll stop at nothing to win her over. After all, all is far in love and war.
+++
WHAT LOVE BUILT– Bonus Short story
The Cavenaugh family comes together, after nearly three decades of immense highs and devastating lows to celebrate life, loss and happily ever afters.
Please Note: This boxed set includes adult themes and language. For ages 18 and up.
J.L. Berg is the USA Today bestselling author of the Ready Series, The Walls Duet, and the Lost & Found Duet. She is a California native living in the beautiful state of historic Virginia. Married to her high school sweetheart, they have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she’s not writing, you will find her with her nose stuck in a romance novel, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate. J.L. Berg is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.
Prim, proper, classic good girl, and her least favorite label – icy.
Lila Kate Carter has heard them all. The last one, being the newest. She is not icy. She just doesn’t care for Cruz Kerrington and his spoiled, selfish, careless ways. That doesn’t make her icy, that makes him a jerk!
Tired of being labeled and doing what is expected of her, Lila Kate leaves Rosemary Beach, Florida ready for an adventure. Wanting to recreate herself, find a new path, and become something more.
Eli Hardy is tired of women who always act the same, do the same thing and expect the same thing. He’s ready to swear off women until he can get the rest of his life together.
Two weeks into his no-women-rule he meets Lila. She’s so damn sweet and polite. Like she walked right out of an etiquette book. But he’d already been drunk before she walked in so there was a good chance she might not be as stunning and perfect as he thinks. He’s just too drunk to worry about that.
The next morning, he swears he can still smell her on his skin. He just can’t remember why or what happened after that third dance.
Their worlds are about to collide, and so are the secrets and lies.
***
***
Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she was born in Alabama. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, shopping (major shoe and purse addiction), sneaking off to the movies alone, and listening to the drama in her teenagers lives while making mental notes on the good stuff to use later. Don’t judge.
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.
At seventeen, music legend Dylan McAthie ran away from his Alabama home to chase his dreams. Years later, he’s forced to return—coming full circle to escape the nightmare his life has become. Hounded by paparazzi and plagued by the aftermath of personal and professional loss, Dylan craves some quiet anonymity so he can regroup and sort out what lies ahead.
Hired by his estranged brother, Jennifer Adams knows exactly who Dylan is. She grew up next door to his family and has followed his career. But the surly, overbearing man she’s caring for as a private-duty nurse is far from the charming boy she remembers. Nevertheless, she’s determined to be professional, do a good job—and not fail at her first time getting away from home.
As her patient heals, his demeanor softens, and their interactions grow less antagonistic. Soon their chemistry is undeniable—and inappropriate—leaving the inexperienced Jennifer thoroughly confused. Adding to the turmoil, scandal finds Dylan once again, threatening all the progress he’s made and putting Jennifer at risk as collateral damage.
It’s up to Dylan to fix what his fame has so easily broken and find a way to move forward with his life. But will his resurrection mean the death of any relationship with Jennifer?
Looking for an angsty rockstar romance mixed with sweet southern charm? The Resurrection of Dylan McAthie by Nancee Cain is the perfect book to rock your heart southern style.
***
Dylan McAthie’s world has imploded. His professional life and personal life has collided and left him wounded mentally and physically. He has returned home to Alabama to heal after a serious car accident and life altering events. Little does he realize that sometimes the healing process, both physically and emotionally, is more painful than the actual injury. Facing his past and redirecting his future is more difficult than his climb to fame.
***
Nineteen year old Jennifer Adams has led a sheltered life. She is the daughter of a prominent minister in the Birmingham area and has had to live by a strict moral code. When the opportunity to become a personal nurse to her former neighbor, Dylan McAthie, arises, she jumps at the chance. It’s her time to gain a little independence from her father and learn to make her own life choices. She never imagined that her patient would be as moody and difficult as he was. She remembers the sweet older boy who was kind and compassionate. She doesn’t recognize this jaded and bitter man Dylan has become.
***
Both Dylan and Jennifer are searching for something more in their lives although neither really knows what that something is. Dylan’s no longer a young man enchanted with fame and the glamorous life style. Jennifer has always done what’s right and toed the line. She’s trying to find where she fits in life. Everything she thought she wanted in life doesn’t seem like quite enough. She wants to make her own choices even if they are the wrong ones.
***
This is more than the typical rock star romance. This is the story of man who ran from his roots only to discover that those roots are the foundation of the man he wants to be. This is a story of a young woman finding herself and learning to reach out for what she wants in life. For both of them there are hard lessons to learn but together they may learn something new about life. They both will learn the true meaning of love, the importance of family, and the healing power of forgiveness.
***
Once again Nancee Cain delivered an emotional novel that taps into the complicated core of humanity. I would highly recommend reading The Resurrection of Dylan McAthie.
During the day, Nancee Cain works as a nurse/counselor in the field of addiction to support her coffee and reading habit. Nights are spent writing paranormal and contemporary romances with a serrated edge.
Authors are her rock stars, and she’s been known to stalk a few for an autograph, but not in a scary, Stephen King way. Her husband swears her To-Be-Read list qualifies her as a certifiable book hoarder.
Always looking to try something new, she dreams of being an extra in a Bollywood film, or a tattoo artist. (Her lack of rhythm and artistic ability may put a damper on both of these dreams.)
Anthony Bear and Christy Chapman are from two completely different worlds.
Anthony’s the leader of a motorcycle gang that terrorizes Florida’s West Coast. As a child, he ran away from his family and the Cherokee Indian Reservation to enter a life of crime. As an adult, he leads a multifaceted life managing his two businesses—his legitimate landscaping venture, and his loan shark and underworld dealings. Driven by anger and betrayal, Anthony begins the hunt for Christy’s father, Van Chapman, after he runs out on a loan.
Christy’s privileged life is not as it seems. She has kept painful family secrets and hidden some of her own. She’s determined to find out the truth and expose Van, but her search delivers her right into Anthony Bear’s hands, adding kidnapping to his list of crimes.
Their worlds are as contrasting as the color of their skin. The only thing they seem to have in common is their mutual disdain for Van Chapman…and each other.
Beth Flynn is a fiction writer who lives and works in Sapphire, North Carolina, deep within the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Beth and her husband, Jim, have spent the last 17 years in Sapphire, where they own a construction company. They have been married 31 years and have two daughters and two dogs. In her spare time, Beth enjoys writing, reading, gardening, church and motorcycles, especially taking rides on the back of her husband’s Harley. She is a five-year breast cancer survivor.
New York Times bestselling author, Sawyer Bennett, is happy to introduce a new Wicked Horse club in Las Vegas and you’re cordially invited to attend the grand opening…
As the owner of The Wicked Horse, an elite sex club located along the Vegas Strip, Jerico Jameson never spends the night alone. Gorgeous, ripped, and totally alpha, Jerico doesn’t grant favors and will rarely give you the time of day—unless he wants you in his bed. So when the sister of his sworn enemy shows up asking for help, saying no should be easy. But when Jerico takes one look at her and sees an opportunity to help this beautiful woman while exacting revenge on her brother, he’s not about to pass that up.
Beaten and bruised, Trista Barnes is running out of options, and Jerico is her last chance to get out of the mess she’s in. She doesn’t know why Jerico despises her brother so much, but as long as he can help her, she doesn’t care. Jerico offers her safety while opening her up to a sinful world she never knew existed.
As she succumbs to Jerico’s erotic charm, Trista lets herself fall into the wicked world of guilt free pleasure with no regrets. Under his strong alpha hand, she blooms, and so does Jerico’s possessiveness. But what happens when Trista finds out she was a pawn in Jerico’s game all along, and that the price for his favor was steeper than she ever imagined – her heart.
We’re at a table with six other people who Jerico knows. It hits me suddenly that he’s not just a hermit who hides in The Wicked Horse, but a real businessman. He owns a prominent security-consulting company and is probably very involved with the community if he’s attending functions like this.
I sit quietly, feeling like Julia Roberts in Pretty Women as the men discuss business and politics and the women talk to each other and ignore me. I only hope to God they don’t bring escargot because I definitely cannot eat it, and I don’t feel like being embarrassed by flinging a shell across the room.
When the salad is served, however, the chatter across the table dies down and Jerico turns slightly toward me as we eat. Leaning over, he whispers, “I hate all this polite chitchat.”
I have to swallow down a giggle before I whisper back to him. “Well, suck it up and eat your salad.”
Jerico responds by putting his hand on my leg, giving it a squeeze, and then using his fingers to pull at the silk of my gown. He gets it to rise right to my knees and then his hand is snaking under. I slap a hand on his wrist, look around the table to see everyone engaged in food or personal talk, and then I make a decision.
Not to stop him but to pull his hand up higher. I do this while watching Jerico’s nostrils flare and his eyes darken with arousal. But he does nothing more than squeeze the inside of my thigh before taking his hand away. I grin at him in satisfaction when he leans over once more to whisper, “Would you have really let me finger you under the table?”
“Yes,” I whisper back to him, my skin tingling with the prospect of what I almost let him do.
“Dirty girl,” he says with appreciation in his eyes. “But even I have my limits on what I’ll do in public. Besides, you’re too much of a screamer. We would have never gotten away with it.”
Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released more than 30 books and has been featured on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists on multiple occasions.
A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
Sawyer likes her Bloody Marys strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active toddler, as well as full-time servant to two adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or a combination of the two.
The Last Guy, an all-new steamy standalone from Ilsa Madden-Mills and Tia Louise is coming June 12th!
THE LAST GUY
By Ilsa Madden-Mills and Tia Louise
Publication Date: June 12th
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy
The first rule of office romance is don’t do it—especially if your dream is to hold the anchor spot on the nightly news and your boss is trying to get you fired.
But one look at Cade Hill, the sexy new sports director, and uptight reporter Rebecca Fieldstone is daydreaming about other things.
Sex in his office…
Sex in the on-set kitchen…
Sex in the supply closet…
She can’t stop thinking about the former NFL quarterback and how perfect he’d look between her sheets—except he’s an arrogant jerk with a huge… ego.
He’s the last guy she’d ever have a one-night stand with.
Cade Hill draws a thick professional line on office romance—until it comes to the hyper-focused Rebecca. He wants her, and he gets his wish when a chance encounter has them having the hottest sex of their lives.
It’s just a hook-up, she says.
When can we do it again? he says.
With Rebecca determined to keep Cade in the friend zone, it’s going to be an uphill battle for Cade to convince her he’s the last guy she’ll ever want.
THE LAST GUY is the first white-hot CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC COMEDY from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills and Tia Louise. It features Fireball-fueled hookups, Doritos Locos Tacos, attack monkeys, toddlers in tiaras, and one fabulous drag queen. Prepare for frantic clicking (or page flipping!) and smoking-hot sexytimes all the way to the out-of-this-world happily-ever-after.
Excerpt:
~ Rebecca ~
He kicks the door shut and without even turning on the light, he tosses me on my back on the bed. I prop up on my elbows. My dress is up around my waist, my bra is wet from Cade’s mouth, and my nipples are pointing right at him.
“Damn,” he rasps, and I watch, mesmerized as he reaches behind his neck to pull his shirt over his head, leaving his hair a sexy mess.
The light of the full moon blasting through my window covers him in a silvery glow. My stomach clenches when I see the lines of his muscles deepened by the shadowy light. My God, he’s gorgeous. He looks otherworldly.
“We really shouldn’t do this…” My voice is breathless.
“Agreed.”
He strides toward the bed, his eyes never leaving mine. He’s focused, determined, and I watch long fingers unfasten his belt, the top of his jeans, his zipper.
“This is a terrible idea.”
“Yes,” he murmurs as he cups my face. I sigh and lean into his palm, letting the sizzle between us electrify me. If I do this…if I go through with boning him…it’s going to be the best sex of my life, judging by the tiny raised hairs all over my body.
I scoot to the foot of the bed so I’m right in front of him and my head is level with his waist. Looking up, I slide my palms to his sides, pushing his jeans lower.
He’s standing in front of me in black boxer briefs. I slide my palms up and down against the hot planes of his pelvis, teasing him, tracing my fingers around the straining bulge of his erection. “We’re gonna regret this.”
A long shudder comes from him, and his eyes are heavy-lidded as he watches me. “I don’t think so, Stone. Not in a million fucking years.” He leans down and his lips capture mine, his tongue sweeping inside my mouth, exploring, owning me.
Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills and the “Queen of Hot Romance” Tia Louise are not a secret duo, but simply themselves.
Great friends, former English teachers, and southern gals in real life, they’ve teamed up to bring you laugh-out-loud naughty romances with strong leading ladies and sexy alpha males who know how to please their women… and who sometimes you just want to slap.
It
was supposed to be easy. Sarah Mcallister was going to flip her late father’s
house and head back to Colorado for a fresh start. But when her shady
contractor gets arrested, taking most of her budget with him, she’s at risk of
losing everything. Enter Matt Conner…sexy pilot, single dad, Sarah’s brother’s
best friend…and far too good with his hands for her peace of mind.
Moving into Sarah’s spare bedroom is just asking for trouble, but Matt’s trying
to make amends with his troubled teen son, and a key step is finding a decent
place to crash for as long as it takes. And the woman needs his help.
Unfortunately, the closer the house gets to reno-perfect, the more he knows
Sarah is meant to stay in Fortune Valley…with him.
Heatherly
Bell writes books, drinks copious amounts of coffee,
craves cupcakes and occasionally wears real pants. She lives in northern
California with her family.
The Montgomery Ink Series from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan continues with the brother who keeps his secret and the one woman he shouldn’t want.
Everly Law married the love of her life and on the eve of giving birth to their twins, lost him in a tragic accident. Now she’s a single mother working overtime at her bookstore trying to make sure her boys have the life they deserve. Her life is busy enough without her adding dating a Montgomery. As past secrets come to light, she’ll need Storm more than ever—even if she doesn’t realize it.
Storm Montgomery has spent his life atoning for sins that only few know he’s committed. When he lost his best friend, he promised his widow that he’d always be there for her—even when she wanted nothing to do with him. But when a single touch ignites passions they’ve both buried deep inside, he’ll have to remember exactly who is in his arms and that taking chances might be far more dangerous than they bargained for.
The babies kicked, sending a shockwave through Everly Law’s bladder. She winced, rubbed the large swell of her stomach, and tried to remember the last time she’d seen her feet.
“Storm?” she called out, now running a hand down her back since that ached, as well. Being eight months pregnant with twins wasn’t an easy task. “Yeah?” her husband’s best friend called out from the back of the house. “You need me?”
That man, she thought with a smile. He always put everyone else first no matter what. Here he was on his evening off, hanging out at her house making sure things were ready for the new babies and finishing up the back deck that Jackson had never gotten around to. She honestly didn’t know why the man was single. Some woman should have snatched him up years ago.
“I just need you to tell me if my shoes match,” she yelled back.
He chuckled as he made his way into the living room where she stood, sorting through the mail. “Your shoes match, Ev. I would have told you if they didn’t.”
She rolled her eyes. “You say that, but I still remember the time you let Jackson walk around campus with toilet paper tucked into the back of his pants.”
While she was a few years younger than both Jackson and Storm, she’d been an undergraduate at the University of Denver while both men were in graduate school finishing up their degrees— Storm his Master’s in Architecture, Jackson his Ph.D. in Anthropology. From the moment she’d begun dating Jackson over a decade ago, Storm had been a part of their lives. The men had been childhood friends, and as such, she’d formed a friendship with Storm also, though it was nothing like what the two men shared.
Storm ran a hand over her belly— the only person other than Jackson she’d ever allow to do that— and smiled. “Jackson deserved that. He pissed me off that morning.” He shrugged, his dark hair falling over his forehead. The man needed a haircut, but he seemed to like it longer on the top than the sides anyway. “I don’t even remember what he did, but I remember that not telling him about what he missed was decent revenge. I’d never do something like that to you.” He winked, those blue eyes of his sparkling. “Not because I’m a nice guy, but because I’m pretty sure you could take me.”
She waved her fist at him, her fingers so swollen she couldn’t even wear her wedding ring. “And don’t you forget it, Storm Montgomery.”
He let out a breath and rubbed her belly again. The babies rolled, enjoying Uncle Storm’s touch, apparently, since they weren’t kicking her bladder again at the moment. “Your shoes match, and you even have pants on, but how about you relieve my stress and sit down on the couch while you look at the mail. You’re like days from your due date and starting to freak me out.”
She let him lead her to the couch since he’d just annoy her if she didn’t— though her ankles had swollen up like her hands, so maybe he wasn’t all that wrong about her needing to sit down.
“I’m a couple of weeks away, Storm, not days,” she countered once he’d settled her on the couch with a couple of throw pillows at her sides.
“You’re having twins, and they don’t usually like to take their time. Believe me, I know. I am a twin.” He winked again, and she snorted.
“Your poor mother,” Everly teased. “Not only twins with you and Wes, but eight children altogether. I have no idea how she did it.” She rubbed her belly, that familiar tension sliding through her. “I don’t know how I’m going to do it.”
Storm frowned and sat down on the table in front of her. “You’re going to be a great mom, Ev. You already take care of Jackson and me. What’s one more set of boys?”
She laughed, despite the worry in her veins. Something was off tonight, she could feel it, but she hoped it was just nerves from the upcoming labor and delivery— and then the whole raising twin boys thing.
“You handle yourself just fine, and Jackson’s not that bad.” She rolled her eyes as she said it, and Storm grinned. “I’m serious,” she said with a laugh as Storm shook his head. “Jackson is always in his head, thinking and working, but he’s not immature or anything. I just like to make sure he’s taken care of because he sometimes forgets daily things.”
Storm narrowed his eyes. “And who is taking care of you?”
You are.
She blinked at that thought and firmly put it away. “Jackson takes care of me, as well. And now we’ll both take care of these babies.”
Storm nodded. “And I take it he won’t be going on as many trips as he has been lately? I mean, this is like the fifth or sixth conference he’s flown to since you found out about the twins. I hope he’s just getting it all out of his system before he comes home and stays here for a bit.”
There was an edge to his tone that Everly couldn’t place, but she was far too tired to deal with it. The babies had kept her up all night, and she frankly hated having half of the bed empty without Jackson there to warm it.
“He said it won’t be as bad when the babies come.” Though Jackson hadn’t sounded all that happy at the time about not being able to do as many guest lectures and conferences, and that did tend to worry her a little. Everly loved the fact that he was so passionate about his work, but she was also happy that he was going to stay at home for longer periods of time to help with their babies. While she knew she was strong and capable, raising twins on her own was not something she desired to do.
“I hope so,” Storm grumbled. “A man needs to take care of his family.”
Everly sighed. “And a woman needs to do the same. We’re fine, Storm, stop fretting. It’s going to turn that beautiful mane gray one of these days.”
His cheeks reddened, and he let out a curse. “You’re just mean, Ev. Plain mean.”
“I’ve had to be if I wanted to keep up with you and Jackson.” She frowned and looked down at her watch. “Speaking of Jackson, he was supposed to have landed already and he hasn’t texted. I hope his flight isn’t delayed.”
Storm stood up and rubbed his back. “He probably just forgot. You know Jackson.”
She did, sadly, so him not texting or calling wasn’t all that surprising. He just got so in his head with his work, he forgot those around him some days. Another thing she hoped would change with the arrival of the twins. He seemed so excited about them, so she figured they would at least keep him out of his head for longer periods of time than he was now. “
Thanks for taking care of me, Storm,” Everly said after a moment. “And taking care of the back deck tonight, though I know you’re not really in the mood.”
He shrugged. “It needed to be fixed since that bottom step rotted out. Jackson’s not exactly handy, and I do happen to own half a construction business. It’s sort of my thing.” He rubbed his back again, and Everly frowned.
“What’s wrong? Did you hurt yourself?” She tried to lever herself up, but he held up a hand.
“I’m fine, Ev. Don’t get up and jostle the babies. I’m just a little sore, is all. Nothing a few stretches won’t fix.”
“Are you sure you should be working on the deck tonight, then?” she asked, worried. “You’re the architect of Montgomery Inc., not the contractor, so I don’t know how much pressure you usually put on your back if you’re this sore. I don’t want you hurting yourself.”
He fisted his hands for a moment before stuffing them into his pockets. “I’m fine, Ev. Stop fretting. Just sit there and relax and before you know it, Jackson will be home, and your deck will be ready for you to actually stand on.”
She huffed a breath. “If that’s some kind of fat joke, I’ll hoist myself off this couch and kick your ass right now. Don’t think I won’t.”
He pulled his hands out of his pockets and held them up in mock surrender. “Dear God, woman. I would never make a fat joke about a lady, let alone a pregnant one. I have three sisters and a mother who can kick my ass just like you can. I know better.”
She smiled sweetly. “I’m glad they taught you a few things.”
He muttered under his breath as he walked away, and Everly grinned, feeling a little better than she had before, though she wasn’t about to tell him that her sitting down had helped. There was only so much ego stroking she could handle.
The doorbell rang a few minutes later, and she frowned. She wasn’t sure who it could be, but Jackson’s parents did live a few miles away and liked to show up unannounced. Just thinking about that set her teeth on edge, so she ignored it and somehow levered herself off the couch. She wasn’t sure Storm could hear the doorbell from outside, and since it was her house, after all, she might as well answer it.
Everly waddled over and opened the door, blinking hard at the sight in front of her. The two officers gave her a sad smile, their chests broad as they took deep breaths. Her hands shook as she gripped the doorknob with one, the frame with the other. “Can I help you?”
“Mrs. Law?” the older of the two officers said softly. “May we come in?” Everly’s throat went dry, and she tried to keep the sense of foreboding from rushing into her, but she couldn’t quite manage it— or think.
“What’s going on, officers?” Storm asked from behind her. He put his hand on her shoulder, steadying her. Everly’s knees went weak, and she leaned into him, knowing she couldn’t stand on her own.
Both men looked up at Storm, frowns on their faces. “We need to speak to Mrs. Law. May we come in?”
“That way, she’s not on her feet,” the younger one added softly, and Everly’s heart raced.
She moved back, pushing Storm out of the way softly. “Come in,” she whispered, her voice hollow.
The two officers could have been there for any number of reasons, and yet Everly knew. She knew that no matter what happened next, her life would forever be altered.
As soon as they sat down, the officers spoke, and Storm gripped Everly’s hands, but she couldn’t hear anyone clearly. It was as if she were in a vacuum and everything was taking longer to reach her ears than normal.
Her husband was dead.
Gone before she could take her next breath.
The commuter plane that Jackson had been on had crashed outside of Boston. There were no survivors. No hope of finding her husband alive and whole, or even his body to put to rest.
The babies kicked at her bladder again, and she pressed her hand against her stomach, numb yet knowing she had no right to be that way. She couldn’t sit here and listen to them talk of grief councilors and who would be in touch with her shortly. Storm spoke for her, and she couldn’t care. She’d deal with everything later.
Right now, she needed to protect her children.
Jackson’s babies.
Babies he’d never see. Never hold. Never know.
She stood up then, only just aware that she’d interrupted whatever the men in the room had been saying. “I have to pee,” she blurted. The officers gave her an odd look, but Storm kept his grip on her hand.
“Everly.” His voice was deep, soothing, and a little bit worried. Yet she couldn’t focus on that.
“I need to take care of the babies,” she rasped. “I’ll… I’ll be right back. Can you…” She swallowed hard. “Can you take care of… just take care of it?”
He nodded before letting her hand go, and she waddled away from the living room, not looking at the officers who sat on her soft loveseat. Storm would take care of them and tell her what she needed to do. She couldn’t focus on anything else just then, only her babies.
They were the most important things.
Tears slid down her cheeks as she locked herself in the hall powder room, her legs shaking. The numbness settled in once more, and she looked at herself in the mirror, wondering who stared back at her, because that wasn’t the Everly she knew.
Jackson is gone, she reminded herself.
Gone.
And when the pinch inside her echoed throughout her body and liquid pooled around her feet, she once again knew nothing would ever be the same.
The babies were coming, but Jackson wasn’t.
He never would be.
And Everly wept.
Now
“I need you to breathe in, baby,” Everly said softly as she held Nathan to her chest. Her three-year-old wheezed into the nebulizer, and she tried not to let herself go numb again. She refused to allow that sensation to take hold as it had once before. She didn’t have time to ignore the panic running through her veins, but she could take that panic and turn it into the focus she needed.
Nathan looked up at her, his big eyes full of fear, an emotion that made her want to cry right along with him. James, her other sweet baby boy, held onto her shirt from where he stood beside the bed, tears running down his face.
We’ve all been here before, she thought, though tonight seemed like a far worse asthma attack than usual. She held back a curse and bundled Nathan in a blanket in her arms.
“Okay, Nathan honey, we’re going to go to the doctor just to make sure you’re okay.” She kissed his little face, a thousand things going through her mind as to what needed to be done.
“Uncle Storm,” James said from her side. “I want Uncle Storm.”
Everly looked down at James before looking at Nathan, who nodded beneath the mask. She honestly didn’t want to call Storm because that’s all she’d been doing for the past three years, at least until a month ago, but tonight wasn’t about her. It was about her boys and the fact that, frankly, she needed help.
“I’ll call from the car, now come on, babies. Let’s go.” She bundled them up quickly and got them into the car within five minutes. The fact that she’d gotten into such a routine because of her two boys’ health issues made her heart hurt, but she ignored it. The twins came first.
Always.
And that meant if she had to call Storm for help once again, she would.
Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, and Gallagher Brothers series, which have sold over 2.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over fifty novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not writing about bearded tattooed men or alpha wolves that need to find their mates, she’s reading as much as she can and exploring the world of baking and gourmet cooking.
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Baseball has never been sexier in an all-new novel by New York Times Bestselling Author, K. Bromberg.
New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love.
Prim, proper, classic good girl, and her least favorite label – icy.
Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she was born in Alabama. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, shopping (major shoe and purse addiction), sneaking off to the movies alone, and listening to the drama in her teenagers lives while making mental notes on the good stuff to use later. Don’t judge.
Wicked Favor
New York Times bestselling author, Sawyer Bennett, is happy to introduce a new Wicked Horse club in Las Vegas and you’re cordially invited to attend the grand opening…
Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released more than 30 books and has been featured on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists on multiple occasions.
Saucy Southern Readers 