Kristen Granata is a teacher by day, and a bestselling author by night. Known for writing emotional contemporary and new adult romance, she loves creating realistic characters who struggle through the darkest parts of life and come out stronger on the other side. Kristen is a self-proclaimed “bitter cynic trapped in a hopeless romantic’s body.” Her inspirational stories make you laugh, make you think, make you ugly cry – and they will always live happily ever after.
Kristen openly shares her mental health struggles with depression and anxiety with her readers. Her message is a beacon of hope to anyone who is suffering: You are not alone. She delicately weaves this theme into her writing, and her stories demonstrate the ability of love to heal after tragedy.
Kristen was born & raised in New York. She now resides in New Jersey with her wife & two step-daughters. When she’s not teaching or writing, Kristen is reading, tripping over something, indulging in her messy love affair with popcorn, and forever singing along to The Greatest Showman soundtrack.
Chance Kellerman was the broken boy whose father convinced him he was worthless, and needed to hide his shameful desires.
We became friends first, then brothers when we played hockey for the same team.
But it was Presley King who brought us even closer. With her we became more. She set us on fire, and we had everything we’d ever wanted.
Then she left us.
Four years later, Chance and I are playing on rival teams when Presley appears on the Jumbotron. Our lives look a lot different than they did in college, and the odds seem stacked against us, but I’m positive we’ve been thrown back together for a reason.
Convincing them of the same won’t be easy, especially when Presley’s job finds out about our unconventional relationship. I’m prepared to fight for us, until one moment on the ice changes everything.
I thought fate brought us together, but maybe we’re only destined to lose it all.
She thought her past was buried. He’s about to unearth the truth along with her heart.
Thea Weaver came to Acton, Colorado, for a fresh start. She poured her soul into her bar, Bottle Grounds, and into protecting her sisters. But when her ex-husband—a dangerous man from a dangerous past—threatens to resurface, Thea knows she can’t face him alone.
Logan Cash has spent his life fixing what’s broken: his family, his ranch, and his daughter’s future. So when Thea, his stubborn and fiercely independent friend, asks for his help, he doesn’t hesitate. Even if it means pretending to be her husband.
But what starts as a charade to protect Thea’s business soon stirs something deeper between them. Late-night rides and shared secrets force them closer, but Thea’s past isn’t finished with her yet. As Logan fights to shield her from the storm heading her way, Thea must decide if she can truly trust him—not just with her bar, but with her heart.
Break the Barrier is a heartfelt, slow-burn romance packed with small-town charm, a fake marriage twist, and a cowboy hero you’ll fall head over boots for. Perfect for fans of The Bromance Book Club and The Simple Wild.
Older. Hotter. And way out of my league, Hannah Prescott has been my obsession since the moment she uttered those five simple words.
She thinks she’ll deter me by her dismissive attitude but her words only spur me on. I love a challenge and since Hannah is my literal dream girl, she’s worth putting in a bit of work.
Up until now everything in my life has come easy: hockey, women, friendships. Then Noah Harrison is traded to our team and my spot on the first line with my best friends is at risk. Suddenly Hannah is wearing his jersey and I realize I’ve got to act fast or risk losing my shot forever.
Fortunately for me, dreams do come true because though she only offers me one night, fate has other plans. She may have said she’ll never call me Daddy Hall, but the positive pregnancy test in her hand makes that impossible.
With my every dream within reach, I need to find a way to prove to Hannah that she’s the one for me and I’m so much more than a playboy.
✨TEASER: SOMEDAY YOU LEARN by @harlowjamesauthor releasing April 11th! This will be a simultaneous release in Audio with the amazing narrators Teddy Hamilton and Emma Wilder!
“I’m here to see my fiancé. I believe you know Parker, Dad…”
That sentence seems innocent enough in the right setting.
But the woman’s father? Yeah, he happens to be my boss.
The first time I met Cashlynn O’Neil, she thought she was going to die before the plane we were on ever left the ground.
So I did what any gentleman would do—I comforted her, kept her distracted, and then later that night, she ended up back in my hotel room to thank me.
But then a year later she waltzed in the Carrington Cove Animal Hospital and told her father we were engaged.
And that would have been harmless, except the last time I was engaged it left me scarred beyond repair, vowing never to entertain the idea of love again.
I can’t fall for my boss’s daughter.
I can’t keep lying to myself about how I feel either.
But is it possible that someday you learn that it’s not the wrong person that will make you question what you want in life, but it’s the right one?
Grant Stockton is the devil incarnate. The cowboy turned casino-owning crime boss has been the bane of my existence for as long as I can remember—first as my older brother’s best friend, then as my guardian when my brother died at his side, and now as the rival bar owner and landlord running me into the red.
He might be the head of The Quiet Horsemen, the man everyone else in this town fears, but I’m not about to cede a single inch of ground to him.
If I have to lie, cheat, and steal to keep him from finding out my bar’s underwater—well, that’s exactly what I’ll do.
At least until he breaks into my apartment and discovers my secret. One that gives him all the leverage he needs to control my fate.
My only reprieve is that The Horsemen are in the middle of a war, one that’s been spilling blood for the better part of a decade, and his enemies are closing in on our small mountain town.
Which is why I’m taken off guard by the demand he makes in exchange for keeping my secret.
Apparently there are benefits to being at the mercy of the devil…
We are thrilled to reveal the stunning cover for The Reluctant Flirt, an all-new small town romance and second book in the Outer Banks series from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst & Blue Box Press!
After discovering her husband’s affair, Sierra Lourde flees to New York City for a little damage control—and a lot of wine. A tipsy night in a bar with a charming stranger seems like the perfect way to forget her troubles. No names, no promises, just one night to escape reality and regain her confidence. The next morning, mortified by her vulnerability, she flees without looking back. But who needs closure, right?
But one night changes everything…
Sierra has reinvented herself as the proud owner of Flirt, a trendy boutique in the Outer Banks. Life is good—until Kane Masterson, the man she left behind, walks back into town. And of course, he’s now the developer whose big new project threatens to bulldoze her beloved shop. Kane needs this deal to save his career (and his brother), but Sierra’s not about to let him demolish her hard-won success.
With sparks flying, sarcastic jabs turning into lingering looks, and a family wedding forcing them into close quarters, Sierra and Kane find themselves tangled in a battle of wills—and hearts. But now he has to choose: reclaim his career or risk everything for a second chance with the one woman he can’t forget.
MARRIED WITH MAYHEM BY CORA BRENT
Release Date: April 2nd
Genre/Tropes: Forced Marriage Arrangement / Mafia Bodyguard + Gamer Girl / ‘Frenemies’ to Lovers / Touch Her and Die / Endless Banter / Coaching and Praise / Mega Spice / Stand Alone
Cover Art: BookCoverCouture
Character Art: Concepts by Canea
Check out this GORGEOUS cover!!
We are thrilled to reveal the cover for the upcoming release of MARRIED WITH MAYHEM by Cora Brent!
This ‘frenemies-to-lovers, forced marriage, with endless banter romance will be releasing on April 2nd!
Get married on the spot or get dragged back across the ocean to my uncle’s mafia fortress.
For starters, my only intention was to make a short escape and fly to Colorado to see my sister’s new baby.
A husband definitely wasn’t anywhere on the itinerary.
But then I got stranded in New York in the midst of a major cyberattack.
Short on options, I called the only trustworthy person I could think of.
Monte Castelli may be a gruff, unpredictable package of mafia enforcer muscle and my longtime ‘frenemy’, but he comes through when it counts.
Despite Monte’s sinful reputation, he’s always kept his hands to himself around me and he takes his role as protector seriously.
Which is why he put himself on the line when the New York scene turned threatening. And it’s why he insisted on personally driving me to Colorado whether I want his company or not.
But the real trouble started when my fearsome mob boss uncle caught up to us. Let’s just say he was less than pleased to discover me wearing a towel in a cheap motel room next to my shirtless bodyguard.
I swear that it wasn’t what it looked like.
Unfortunately, my uncle was not in a listening mood, nor is he the forgiving type.
In desperation, I blurted out the first solution that came to mind.
“WE’RE ENGAGED!”
That might have taken the heat off, if only my uncle hadn’t insisted on watching us say our vows the same day.
Now Monte and I are both stuck in this marriage arrangement until we figure out an alternative.
Despite our constant bickering, the ‘one bed’ situation meant it didn’t take long before we wound up between the sheets.
And once we started, we couldn’t stop.
We violated every single boundary over and over.
And I should have realized I was playing with fire.
All the rumors say that Monte Castelli isn’t the kind of man who can be tamed.
I thought I knew better.
And now we’re both going to pay a very high price for our sins…
About the Author:
Cora Brent was born in a cold climate and escaped as soon as it was legally possible. Now, she lives in the desert with her husband, two kids and a prickly pear cactus she has affectionately named ‘Spot’. Cora’s closet is filled with boxes of unfinished stories that date back her 1980’s childhood and all her life she has dreamed of being an author. Amazingly, she is now a New York Times and USA Today bestselling writer of contemporary romance and begs not to be awakened from this dream.
Jolie Dunn has revealed the cover for Faking the Shot!
Releasing June 10, 2025
Jack Hennicke is the polo world’s most profound playboy. He’s arrogant, dangerous, a successful polo professional…and Maggie Rynne’s longtime neighbor. When Maggie’s dad fires her from working for him, she’s forced to work for the player next door, and he isn’t shy about his intentions. But what happens when one mistake turns their entire world upside down? He drags her across the country and gives her his last name.
Now they are faking a marriage with a baby on the way. Living thousands of miles from home in a big empty house…alone. Co-parenting is their first priority, but the attraction lying between them is undeniable. The line between real and fake becomes more blurred by the day, and Maggie isn’t sure which way is up. She’s sworn off marriage forever and nothing was going to change that. Until Jack decides to change it anyway.
Jolie is a romance author who has been obsessed with reading for as long as she can remember. She loves curling up in her writing nook with her golden retriever and disappearing into her world of heroes and heroines. When she isn’t writing, Jolie enjoys traveling to new places, hiking, riding horses, and cooking.
THIS JUST IN: HOCKEY BAD BOY AND POP STAR EXTRAORDINAIRE ENGAGED!
That was the headline we’d wanted. If only I’d known the cost to get it.
Aleksander Suter has been my best friend since high school—and the only man who’s ever been able to truly get under my skin. With his reputation for trouble and a smirk that could melt ice, he’s also the NHL’s favorite bad boy.
When my publicist’s plan to fix my image collides with his need to clean up his own, we find ourselves in a fake engagement that feels too real from the start.
Now, I’m releasing my new album, putting on a show for the paparazzi I usually try to dodge, and falling too fast for a man who never falls for anyone. Every stolen glance, every heated touch blurs the lines between us until I’m wondering where the lies end and the truth begins.
And when a hurricane traps us together in his high-rise condo, all my carefully built walls collapse, and resisting the pull between us becomes a losing game.
Suddenly, the stakes are higher than just headlines, and the risks feel more personal than ever.
But as our past resurfaces and old feelings reignite, I realize the biggest risk isn’t losing my career—it’s losing my heart to the one person I thought would never be mine.
Pro Hockey Romance Fake Engagement Athlete & Pop Star Childhood Friends to Lovers Forced Proximity Unrequited Love (or so they think) Opposites Attract Slow Burn
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Save Your Breath is book four in the Kings of the Ice series: a series of interconnected standalones following a team of professional hockey players and the women who bring them to their knees.They do not need to be read in order, but you will gain glimpses of future characters/couples in each book.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Kandi Steiner is a USA Today and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author living in Tennessee. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.
An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. Her love for writing started at the ripe age of 10, and in 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.”
She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a hopeless romantic and found herself bursting at the seams with love stories she was eager to tell.
When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, planning her next adventure, or pole dancing (yes, you read that right). She enjoys live music, traveling, hiking, yoga, spending quality time with her family (fur babies included) and soaking up the sweetness of life.
Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future: www.kandisteiner.com/events
🏒Review🏒 Mia finds herself in a difficult situation when her personal life is boiling over into her professional life as a singer with negative publicity. She needs to turn it around and the best way to do that is to pretend that she is in a relationship with Aleks, as he needs to revamp his image as well.
Aleks and Mia have been friends since they were teenagers. Aleks has always felt that he couldn’t give Mia what she deserved, and he isn’t the only one to feel that way. Now that they are living together and pretending to be in a relationship they might just have to face the feelings they have always had for each other and denied.
Aleks and Mia share a physical connection but it is the emotional connection that makes what they share so special. They are always there for each other through the triumphs and the challenges and prove they are much stronger together than apart.
Meeting Bolan Adler, professional baseball catcher and single dad, is a complicated story.
One involving a one-time kiss when I was young and silly. And a two-time tryst as some kind of midlife breakdown moment.
Anyway, in the game of baseball, three strikes mean: you’re out.
I thought my third one might happen when Bolan Adler is the newest client of the sports management agency I work for.
The same business that just promoted me to agent status when I haven’t asked for the position.
Also, the ridiculous company that wrote up a reputation repair report for the newest member of the Chicago Anchors which includes:
Bolan Adler needs a wife.
He’s decided I’m it. Only this isn’t a game of tag.
Hearts are on the line when I meet Bolan’s sweet sixteen-month-old, and my role goes from babysitting the bad boy of baseball to bonus-mom for his precious daughter.
Complicated, like I said.
Add in when my fake husband starts tossing out real emotions about love, marriage, and a baby, and I’m just hoping to stay out of the strike zone. Because the obvious opponent on the field is love.
She’s the one woman I can never have. Now, I’m the only man who can keep her alive.
Ember Being the daughter of a motorcycle club president means two things—power and protection. But it also comes with one unbreakable rule: No biker touches the president’s daughter and lives to tell about it. Which means Hudson “Atom” Addams, the club’s brooding enforcer and the man I’ve loved half my life, will never be mine. Until the Bratva rolls into town, demanding protection money. Now, my father is forcing me to accept Atom’s protection. Close quarters. Late nights. And the one man I swore I’d never beg for again.
Atom Five years ago, the woman of my dreams laid her heart at my feet. I wanted to claim her. Keep her. Make her mine. Instead, I let her go. Butcher’s warning was clear—touch his daughter, and I’d be dead before sunrise. So I buried my need for her and turned my back. Now, the Bratva is making a play for her bar. And to make matters worse, she’s got a boyfriend. I should walk away. I should let her go. But I’m not that strong. Protecting her means breaking the rules. Claiming her means starting a war. And I’ll burn this town to the ground before I let her slip away again.
Available now in the Iron Outlaws MC: Colorado series + read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Trick Shot is a fake dating college hockey romance with a black cat heroine and the Golden Retriever she hates to love.
Claire
I’m a journalist. I report the truth as I see it. If there’s a story, you can be sure I’m going to dig until I get every last detail. As a staffer for The Howler, Bainbridge University’s newspaper, my job is to find a lead and pursue it until I can piece it all together and publish the facts. Sometimes there’s fallout from my kind of journalism, but I’m tough and can handle it. I don’t need a hero stepping in to take the heat off me, especially if that “hero” is a man I can’t stand.
Pete Santos has been my sworn enemy since the start of freshman year. I don’t need his help. I don’t need his charm. And I definitely don’t need any more of his panty-melting orgasms.
What I need is to be left the hell alone so I can do my job. What I get is a fake boyfriend whose love feels very, very real.
Pete
Claire Fowler hates me, and I have no idea why. But I’m a smart guy, so steering clear of the woman who despises me should be a no-brainer.
It isn’t. I fall hard for Claire, and her rejection stings. So does her betrayal.
When she becomes public enemy number one across campus, I’m the last person who should be worried about her. She made it clear that what happens on vacation stays on vacation and that she’s not interested in anything else I have to offer.
But when trouble comes looking for Claire, I can’t just stand by and watch. I’m going to do what it takes to keep her from being harassed, even if that means posing as her fake boyfriend to keep the vultures at bay. But don’t worry, I won’t let myself fall the rest of the way in love with her. Nope, not me. I’m too smart for that.
Trick Shot is the fourth book in the Bainbridge U hockey series, but it can be enjoyed as a standalone. If you love a sweet cinnamon roll of a hero wrapped in the burly body of a bruiser, Pete Santos is just what you’ve been waiting for. He’s met his match in Claire, a tough-as-nails heroine with a vulnerable side she hides from everyone. Until Pete. Trick Shot will make you laugh out loud and then hit you right in the feels. Get ready for a lovable hero, the smart-mouthed heroine who hates his guts, and all the steam they generate as they fall in love.
Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!
🩵Review🩵 After her relationship ended Lulu needs to distance herself from the situation and who better to visit than her best friend. It is through her that she meets Rafe and even though their first couple of interactions has them relating more as adversaries than friends when they both needed to pretend to be in a relationship it was a win-win.
After their initial interactions Rafe believes that it might be better for his well being to keep his distance however their lives are connected between his brother and her best friend. When she needs a boyfriend for a family event, and he needs a girlfriend for a business function they begin to realize that the sparks of animosity between them are hiding how they really feel about each other.
The conversations between them are witty and the romance and emotions are heartfelt. They fit into each other’s lives and families like they have always been there as they show each other how much better life could be as long as they had each other.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.
Jennilynn Wyer is multi-award-winning romance author (Rudy Award winner for Romantic Suspense, HOLT Medallion Award winner, Contemporary Romance Writers Reader’s Choice Award winner, four-time Contemporary Romance Writers Stiletto Finalist, three-time HOLT Medallion Award Finalist, and a Carolyn Reader’s Choice Award Finalist). She writes steamy, New Adult and contemporary romances, as well as dark reverse harem/why choose romances. Jennilynn also pens YA romance under the pen name JL Wyer.
Jennilynn is a sassy Southern belle who lives a real-life friends-to-lovers trope with her British husband. When not writing, she’s nestled in her favorite reading spot, e-reader in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, enjoying the latest romance novel.
It’s been over a year since my world changed forever. After waking up thousands of miles from home, I was forced to start over, guided by scars I didn’t recognize. It hasn’t been easy, especially when life keeps pulling me toward a past I can’t fully grasp.
Now, a twist of fate has brought me back, thrusting me into a world I don’t remember. At college, I run into Ryder—someone who swears he knew me before, someone whose eyes spark a connection I can’t explain. Then there’s Jayson, whose pain and anger cut through me like shards of a forgotten past. And Fallon, the enigmatic playboy who shouldn’t make sense in my new life but somehow does.
They all want pieces of the girl I used to be. But I’m not her anymore.
If life offers you a second chance at love, how hard will you fight for it? My story is far from over—and this time, I’m writing it my way.
💕Review💕 After the traumatic events that Elizabeth survived attention university was supposed to be a fresh start. What she didn’t know is that three men from the past she doesn’t remember are there as well and not only do they want to be in her present they want to help her remember her past.
Jayson is wanting to pick up where they left off and isn’t concerned about who gets hurt in the process. Ryder just wants to help the woman he loves heal and always puts her first. Then you have Julien who wants back the friend he has missed so much.
Filled with angst, secrets and surprises these captivating characters take us on an emotional rollercoaster that leaves us wanting more.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the next standalone hockey romance in her Love and Hockey series, THE GIRLFRIEND ZONE! This sexy, coach’s daughter, one who got away, age gap, forbidden hockey romance brings all the feels, heat and spice! Releasing March 26th in all formats, and free to read in Kindle Unlimited, check out the excerpt below and pre-order your copy today!
In my defense, I had no idea the tattooed, glasses-wearing, soulful hottie I spent one perfect day—and one unforgettable night—with was a hockey star on my father’s team.
And Miles didn’t know I was the coach’s daughter.
That’s the point of a “no-work-talk” date.
But now? He’s as forbidden to me as I am to him.
When I land a new gig as the team photographer, we vow to keep it professional. We mostly succeed…except for that time after a game when he couldn’t keep his talented hands off me. But I swear, it won’t happen again.
Too much is at stake—I can’t risk my heart or my father’s team.
But when I end up living at Miles’s place to care for his pack of rescue pups, the lines blur fast. Late nights turn into stolen moments and I discover there’s more to him than I ever imagined—a man who’s genuine, thoughtful, and irresistibly real.
He looks at me like he can’t believe his luck. Touches me like he never wants to let go. And listens to my hopes and fears.
My heart’s getting dangerously attached. But if I follow it… am I putting everyone’s dreams on the line?
“When I said you, I meant I want all of you,” I add. That’s clear enough, but just in case it wasn’t, I press my body even closer so I’m rubbing against the outline of his erection. Making my intentions crystal clear.
For a hot second, his eyes go glassy. His breath stutters. But then he gains control again.
“All of me?” he asks like it’s a question, even though it’s an amused me, as if he’s having too much fun with my words as he keeps one hand looped firmly around my waist. “How exactly do you want all of me?”
Oh my god. He’s toying with me.
I groan in mock frustration. “You want me to spell it out?”
“I do, Leighton,” he rasps out. “I really, really do.”
I roll my eyes, but it’s doing little to mask how turned on I am. “Fine—then here’s an opinion for you.” I pause, letting him hang there on my every word as I run a hand down his chest, over the buttons on his shirt. I lift my chin, look him in the eyes. “I want you to f*&k me hard. And a little rough.”
ABOUT LAUREN BLAKELY:
A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Her books have been featured in US Weekly and People. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.
She continues doling out shots and ignoring me like I didn’t see her pick up her phone and read my message. I’m gripping the glass so tight I’m about to shatter it by the time she finally starts to saunter my way, a glass of whisky in hand. She was the one who summoned me here in the first place, complaining that there’s a maintenance issue in the apartment she lives in upstairs. I’d planned to have a drink while I waited for her to have a free moment, not watch a live show of her spitting down the throats of a half dozen college guys before she slapped and drenched them. I have work I need to return to at the Avarice.
“Your whisky.” She sets the drink down in front of me without any fanfare.
“Funny, I thought it was Speyside, not spit side,” I mutter, and she raises her eyebrow in return.
“Jealous? Because if you want it served that way, it can be arranged.” She’s always sassy, but it’s turned up a notch tonight.
“I think I might be too old to be impressed by that sort of thing.” I glance back at the college kids who are still shouting and cheering as one of their own chugs beer from a boot-shaped glass. Seven Sins and Dakota lean into all the kitsch of the country dive bar and then some.
“Oh, Cowboy, it’s okay. I know that big birthday’s just around the corner for you, but we don’t judge around here.” She speaks with a saccharine tone and points back at the glowing red neon sign behind the bar that says Sinners Welcome.
I narrow my eyes at her. I don’t need to be reminded that I’m closing in on forty; the gray hairs that keep popping up handle that daily reminder just fine.
“Not worried about my age as much as I’m worried about you not being able to handle the extra whiskey you’re swallowing and falling off this bar,” I taunt her. She nearly slipped the last time getting down, and I pictured her falling backward, a mess of limbs and shattered glass. I’d lose my fucking mind if I lost another Hartfield right in front of me.
“Hayley! Get me a water, please!” she calls over her shoulder before the false smile returns. “I think you’d be surprised what I can handle.” She looks me over in one slow rake before her blue-green eyes come back up to meet mine. “Unless you’re scared?”
“Scared of what?” I bluster because I’m fucking terrified when I watch her climb up on the bar in front of me. Not about her falling, at least not in this moment because she’s nimbly navigating the counter and already perched in front of me, but that this is only going to give the crowd and her more encouragement. I can’t back down though. I’ll look like I cower from a twenty-something woman simply teasing me a little, and it’ll be hard to get anyone to take me seriously after that.
“That you might like it.” Her lips pull up at the corners as she spreads her legs in front of me. She studies my face for a moment, the sly smile growing as she reaches forward and grabs my tie. She wraps it around her fist once and tugs. “Come closer. I won’t bite.”
“You always fucking bite,” I mutter.
𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛:
Grant Stockton is the devil incarnate. The cowboy turned casino-owning crime boss has been the bane of my existence for as long as I can remember—first as my older brother’s best friend, then as my guardian when my brother died at his side, and now as the rival bar owner and landlord running me into the red.
He might be the head of The Quiet Horsemen, the man everyone else in this town fears, but I’m not about to cede a single inch of ground to him.
If I have to lie, cheat, and steal to keep him from finding out my bar’s underwater—well, that’s exactly what I’ll do.
At least until he breaks into my apartment and discovers my secret. One that gives him all the leverage he needs to control my fate.
My only reprieve is that The Horsemen are in the middle of a war, one that’s been spilling blood for the better part of a decade, and his enemies are closing in on our small mountain town.
Which is why I’m taken off guard by the demand he makes in exchange for keeping my secret.
Apparently there are benefits to being at the mercy of the devil…
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