Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Review of INEVITABLE by C.A. Harms



INEVITABLE
Author: CA Harms
Series: The Key West Series #2 
Genre: Contemporary Romance
~ SYNOPSIS ~
Harper Jameson, had built the necessary walls to keep her heart safe.

Never again would she allow herself to become weak and vulnerable.

Confident and full of attitude.

A mask she wore than many fell for...

Except Easton Black.

He was equally confident, cocky and knew what he wanted.

Determined.

Things he wanted rarely escaped his grasp.

He was immune to the facade Harper had created.

She was intriguing.

It was Inevitable and Harper could sense that there was no way out.

Easton Black would no doubt be the man that could change everything.

People aren't always as strong as they appear to be on the outside...



~ PURCHASE ~

~ REVIEW ~

Wow!  C.A. Harms has done it again.  This is a great follow up to the first book in this series, UNPREDICTABLE.  Harper is Jett's sister and I think we will all agree that we fell in love with her sass in the first book.  She has a take no prisoners attitude and dared anyone to cross her.  She kept herself closed off from most people and wanted to keep it that way.  Only her family knew what had happened in her past that caused her attitude and she was determined to keep it that way.  However, the last thing she expected was Easton.

Easton loved Harper's spit fire attitude and couldn't get enough of her.  Every time she was around and went on a rampage, he fell for her just a little bit more.  He was determined to get close to her and find out all her secrets.  What he didn't plan on was Harper burrowing into his heart in the process.  

Harper and Easton both had a past they needed to overcome in order to find true happiness and it was wonderful going on that journey with them.  I adored them.  I loved watching them grow and learn to trust each other.  Each time they faced hardships, they were determined to keep their relationship alive.  Easton was so easy to love and I loved his reaction to Harper's dog.  If nothing else, read the book just for that!  Fun times!

I can't wait for the next book in the series as the sneak peak has left me dying for Kade's story.  I'm sure C.A. Harms will not disappoint as she hasn't yet!!

~ TEASERS ~




~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~
CA Harms
C.A. Harms is like any other addicted reader. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories. She hasn't always been a lover of Romance and had once been addicted to a good Mystery. Just recently she has taken on a new liking and now is a full blown Romance novel addict.

She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. You will always find her with her kindle or paperback in hand as it is her favorite pass time.

Social media links:


Release Day Blitz of SEARCHING FOR ALWAYS by Jennifer Probst

 

SFA_BLITZ

Today we are celebrating the release of SEARCHING FOR ALWAYS by Jennifer Probst. This is the 4th book in the Searching For series and it is published by Gallery Books. Check out the teaser and giveaway below.


SearchingforAlways
 

SEARCHING FOR ALWAYS Synopsis:

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Jennifer Probst sparks a blissful mind-body connection as her “sexy, satisfying” (Kirkus Reviews) new series continues!

She’s an expert in helping others de-stress, but Arilyn Meadows is running on fumes. Along with her job counseling singles seeking soul mates at the Kinnections agency in Verily, New York, she’s a yoga teacher, animal shelter volunteer, anger management therapist, and helping hand to her beloved grandfather. No time to find Mr. Right—but after discovering her yogi boyfriend in a compromising asana, Arilyn would rather dog-sit for her honeymooning friend Kate than risk her heart on another downward dog. And when police officer Stone Petty—radiating masculinity and bad-boy attitude—is sent to her for mandatory lessons in cooling off when the job gets too hot, Arilyn vows to ignore his seductive glances and sexy grin. But there’s no halting their sizzling flirtation—a red-hot, high-speed chase that’s breaking all the limits.  

Add the book to Goodreads


SFA_LIVE


PURCHASE SEARCHING FOR ALWAYS


Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes


SFA_Teaser2 copy

SFA_RescuePet    

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

AUTHOR INFORMATION:


Jennifer Probst

Jennifer Probst - Bio: Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon's Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.

LINKS:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads



InkSlinger PR Blogger Banner - New

Happy Release Day Sophie Moss! WIND CHIME WEDDING is now Live!! Enter the Giveaway to win your PB copy!

WCW_Release_Blitz_Banner_Sophi_Moss_IndieSage

Wind Chime Wedding by Sophie Moss Wind Chime Cafe #2 
Publication Date: June 30, 2015 

Tour: Wind Chime Wedding by Sophie Moss 


Second-grade teacher, Becca Haddaway, is weeks away from walking down the aisle when she learns that the Heron Island Elementary School is about to be shut down. In the midst of a whirlwind of wedding planning, she launches into a last-ditch effort to save it. But the one man who can help her is determined to make her question every decision she has ever made—including the man she’s about to marry.

Former Navy SEAL and son of the current Maryland governor, Colin Foley, is finally starting to feel whole again after losing his leg on a career-ending deployment in Afghanistan. After struggling for months to figure out what to do with his post-military life, he’s found a new mission—opening a rehab center for wounded veterans on the peaceful Chesapeake Bay island. All he needs now is a woman to share his new life with…and he knows exactly who he wants. With a little help from the island’s magical wind chimes, can Colin convince Becca to change her mind before it’s too late?


Add to Goodreads

About Sophie Moss

fb-author_0317_Square

Sophie Moss is a USA Today bestselling author of five full-length romance novels. She is known for her captivating Irish fantasy romances and heartwarming contemporary romances with realistic characters and unique island settings. As a former journalist, Sophie has been writing professionally for over ten years. She lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where she's working on her next novel. When she's not writing, she's testing out a new dessert recipe, exploring the Chesapeake Bay, or fiddling in her garden. Sophie loves to hear from readers. Email her at sophiemossauthor@gmail.com or visit her website sophiemossauthor.com to sign up for her newsletter.

Monday, June 29, 2015

Release Day Blitz of OTHERS OF SEATTLE Box Set #1 by Brandy L. Rivers



Others of Seattle – Box Set 1
Author: Brandy L Rivers
Genre: Paranormal Romance
– Blurb –
✦ Nights Embrace ✦
It all started with a song.

Roxy was instantly captivated by his voice.

Trevor couldn't stay away, despite fearing his reality would scare her away.

Everything is about to change. Roxy will learn there's a whole world she's only dreamed of.

Can they survive an age old vendetta? Will love prevail? Or will the truth be too much for Roxy?

✦ Storm Mistress ✦
Nothing is as it seems.

Everything Isadora wants is right in front of her. But as her best friend, Toryn is off-limits.

Toryn has a long past full of secrets. Until the truth comes out, she can't know how he really feels.

When she's attacked by her own kind the old rules no longer apply.

After a decade of misdirection and omissions, can Isa still trust Toryn’s only goal is to protect her?

✦ Accepting Fate ✦
Accept fate, or it destroys you...

Michael Nights hides his true nature. His first love, Amanda, convinced him he was a monster when she left.

Gwen Fate takes one look at Mike and is captivated. She wants to know all his secrets.

Amanda deLuna has changed, but was it for the better? She can offer Mike what he always wanted.

Mike will have to choose, the life he wished for? Or his fate?

✦ Red Queen ✦
Joey Mullins is the man who got away. Desire will stop at nothing to get the werewolf back in her bed.

When Joey learns Red Queen is playing at the same music festival he goes on high alert. He has no doubt an old flame is out for Sorcha’s blood.

Sorcha has seen Desire use dark magic to manipulate Joey against his will. That doesn’t scare her. She’s willing to fight dirty to keep her man.



~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Brandy L Rivers ~
I've always loved books, especially about monsters and magic, so I started writing. I'm working on a prequel and the next few books in the Others of Edenton series, and I have a head full of stories to share.

I'm a stay at home mother with a wonderful husband who lets me write and write to my hearts content.

Social media links:

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Review & Giveaway of UP IN SMOKE by Tessa Bailey





Meet Ex- Navy Seal Connor in UP IN SMOKE!
AVAILABLE NOW

AMAZON US    AMAZON UK    B&N    KOBO    iBOOKS




Blurb

Never start a fire you can't control...

Connor Bannon is supposed to be dead.  Dishonorable discharged from the Navy SEALs, he's spent the last two years working as a street enforcer in Brooklyn for his cousin's crime ring.  Through a twist of fate, he's now in Chicago, working undercover to bust criminals.  But when a cute little arsonist joins the team-all combat boots, tiny jean shorts, and hot-pint hair-Connor's notorious iron control slips.

Erin "she's getting away" O'Dea knows two things.  She hates authority.  And...Nope, that's it.  When she's forced to operate on the "right" side of the law, her fear of being confined and controlled blazes to the surface.  The last thing she expects is a control freak like Connor to soothe her when she needs it most.  Worse, something behind the sexy ex-soldier's eyes ignites a dangerous inferno of desire.  One that invites Erin to play with fire.  And one that could get them both killed...


Review

I seriously don't know how she does it, but alas she has done it again.  Tessa Bailey has written a book with such strong characters and story line that I couldn't put it down.  We met Connor in the first book in this series, Risking It All, but we finally get a better look at him in this one.  At first glance you think he is a bit too rough, too domineering, but once you get inside his head; you will seriously never want to leave.

Both Connor and Erin are recruited to be on a secret task force to bring down criminals.  Who better to help bring down the bad guys then other criminals who know all the secrets.  As soon as Connor sets eyes on Erin, he is done for.  In that first brief encounter, he knows he is screwed.  His desire for Erin is all consuming and he will stop at nothing to have her.

When Erin walks into the conference room to meet her new "partners", the last thing she expects is the drool worthy man sitting across from her to knock her off her axis.  In order get them on an even playing field, she decides to have a little fun.  However, when she sets her mouth on his, the last thing she can think of is staying away.

Throughout the whole book, Connor does everything he can to help Erin overcome her demons while keeping his at bay.  He knows his desires could scare her away, so he has to learn to lock them up if he wants to have her. The longer they are together, the hotter the flames of desire get.  Just when you think Erin may be ready for the next set in their relationship, her past comes back to take it all away.

Will Erin finally be able to overcome her past?  Can Connor prove to Erin that she is everything he could ever want?  Will they both survive the storm that is heading their way?  In order to find out, you have to read this flaming hot read!!  

I absolutely adored Connor and Erin.  I loved Connor's filthy mouth, but I think the thing I loved the most was the fact he sacrificed what he wanted/needed in order to be with Erin.  Erin was such a strong person who had to push past all her fears in order to have a life.  They truly were the perfect couple.  She quieted his demons and he helped to show her the light.  There is so much I want to say about this one, but I better stop while I am ahead.  No spoilers here!!  I will say that I HIGHLY recommend you pick up your copy today.  I PROMISE you will not be disappointed!  



Excerpt #1 
     As if her thoughts had made him appear, Connor strode into the courthouse. Her pulse started beating double time, her stomach muscles tightening. Good Lord, the man was a fucking panty dropper. She’d only been away from him for a few hours and it felt like years since she’d experienced his presence. In jeans and a fitted gray T-shirt that molded to his muscles like her hands itched to do, he personified confidence and authority. Hot, rugged male. His gaze connected with hers immediately and darkened. She thought back to that morning when he’d dressed in the early morning light, his abs flexing as he pulled the shirt over his head. His erection barely contained by his boxers. She’d never been one to beg for anything, but she’d been seconds from offering him her mouth. Pleading for the privilege of sucking him off.
     Conner shook his head at her with a sexy half smile on his face, as if he could read her thoughts across the room. He stopped at the metal detector and walked through after the security guard beckoned him forward. When the woman grabbed her wand and instructed him to raise his hands in the air, something ugly reared its head deep inside her. The detector hadn’t even beeped. There was no reason for the personal service. When the woman smiled at Connor and ran a hand down her ponytail, Erin propelled herself forward, boots echoing on the polished marble.
     Erin hissed as she drew even with the guard. “If you’re done feeling up my boyfriend, I’d love a turn. We were in a rush this morning.”
     The guard dropped the wand, letting it dangle near her thigh. “Did you just hiss at me?”
     Erin hissed again.
     “Okay.” Connor stepped between them, winking down at her. “We should go. Don’t want to keep the clerk waiting.”
     Appreciation spread in her belly like honey. He hadn’t chided her for her behavior or apologized to the woman on her behalf. Instead he’d given the impression they were on their way to get married, appeasing her jealousy in one fell swoop. “That’s right.” She sauntered toward the elevator. “There’s vows to be exchanged. Rings to put on fingers. Shit like that.”
     She glanced behind her to find Connor staring at her ass as she walked, so she put a little swing in her hips and savored his groan. Damn. She’d definitely never had this much fun at a courthouse.
     A moment later, she and Connor stepped into an empty elevator. She hit the button for the top floor even though the clerk was on the first, and leaned back against the wall, looking up at him through her eyelashes. “How was your morning, baby? Was it worth leaving me in bed, all hot and bothered for you?”
     “Fuck no, it wasn’t.” He crooked a big finger at her. “Climb on up here.”



About the Author:



Thank you for your interest in my books! I'm Tessa and I live in the crazy, loud, overcrowded borough of Brooklyn, New York. I love it here. This city is a constant source of inspiration, which is why I've decided to set my most recent books in the Line of Duty Series here.

I moved to New York when I was eighteen, the day after I graduated high school. Threw my suitcase in the back of a Chevrolet Cavalier and drove across the country to find my adventure. I'm still finding it, little by little.​Thank you for being a part of it.

Stalk Tessa: WebsiteFacebook | Twitter | Goodreads


GIVEAWAY

Signed copies of Risking it All & Up in Smoke
$100 Amazon Gift Card (2 Winners)



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Brought to you by:


Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Review of SAFE AT LAST by Maya Banks & Giveaway!





SAFE AT LAST: A SLOW BURN NOVEL, BOOK #3

They say young love doesn't last, but a girl from the wrong side of the tracks with unique abilities and the hometown golden boy were determined to defy the odds. For Zack Covington, Anna-Grace—his "Gracie"—was the one. But one night forever altered the course of their future; when a devastated Gracie disappeared without a trace, Zack was left to agonize over what happened to the girl he loved. As the years passed, his desperate efforts to find her uncovered nothing.

Now working for Devereaux Security, he stumbles across a painting featuring a special place only he and Gracie would know. The image is too perfectly rendered for it to be coincidence. His Gracie must be alive. When he comes face to face with her, he is shocked—and heartbroken—to discover the wounded shell of the girl he once knew and still loves. Her psychic gifts are gone, and worse, she believes he betrayed her all those years ago.

Zack has enemies, and once his weakness is discovered, Gracie becomes a target for revenge. He'll have to save her before he can earn her trust and her love. And he vows they'll never be torn apart again.




REVIEW

Wow!  Maya Banks did not disappoint her eager fans with this one!  I, like most of us, am a HUGE Maya Banks fan, so when the opportunity came to review this book, I could not fill out the request form fast enough.  I love anything she writes and knew this book would be no different.  I wasn't wrong.  This book sucks you in right from the beginning and you can't read the pages fast enough to find out what happens.

Zack has been in love with Gracie for half his life.  He wanted nothing more than to marry her and have a happy life, but one weekend he comes home from college to find her gone.  No one seems to know where she went or what happened to her.  He searched for her for years and vowed to one day find her.  Just when he has given up any hopes of having her back in his life, she unexpectedly appears.

Gracie has only loved one man; however, she feels as though he betrayed her and set the event in motion that forever changed her.  She has never gotten over his betrayal, but she knows she must move on.  Just when she thinks she is at a point in her life to let go of the past, the one man who owns her heart slams back into her life.

Zack and Gracie can't believe they are facing each other again.  Zack thought he had lost her forever and will stop at nothing to get her back.  Gracie is forced to face her past and re-live the worst night of her life.  When Zack realizes that Gracie thinks he hurt her, he makes it his mission to prove that he would never do so.  However, when Gracie is attacked and left on his doorstep, will this be the final straw that breaks them both completely?  Will they ever find out what happened to Gracie?  Will they ever catch who is responsible for all the hurt?  In order to find out, you HAVE to read this one.

Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down.  I had so many questions that I needed the answers to and I couldn't read fast enough to answer them.  I couldn't help but feel for Zack.  He loved Gracie so much and every time something happened, I felt my heart break with his.  I wanted them to overcome their past and be together, I mean, they are perfect for each other.  I could understand Gracie's issues with Zack, but I couldn't help but want her to open up to him once and for all so they could find a way back to each other.  They were a perfect fit for each other and I adored them.

Zack was the perfect BBF and I think I will just go ahead and claim him for myself.  No one will ever come close to the person he is and how much he puts his heart on the line for those he loves.  While their story may be a little hard for some to read, I think this was truly a great read.  Maya may have outdone herself on this one and I can't wait to see how she tops it with the next book!  


PURCHASE LINKS:


SAFE AT LAST

 Amazon **  B&N


Chapter 1

            Zack Covington simmered with impatience as he waited for the go signal from his teammates. He didn’t exactly know what was going on in the basement of the McMansion—one not unlike he’d once dreamed of building for the girl he’d planned to spend forever with—but knew it wasn’t good. Sometimes bad lurked in seemingly benign locations. People existed in denial it could happen in their little corner of the earth. How very wrong they were.

            It was a lesson he’d learned the learned the hard way. Coming from a small town nestled against the shores of Kentucky Lake, he’d thought—just as most of its citizens, likely—that they were impervious to bad. And Zack? He was more confident than most, because his father was the chief of police, and he’d grown up knowing his father’s job was to ensure the safety of the town, regardless of size.

            But he’d damn sure failed when it came to Gracie. Everyone had failed her and Zack had lead the pack. His father’s refusal to use county resources on someone who didn’t belong anyway had caused a rift between him and his father that to this day hadn’t been mended.

            It never would be.

            Zack sighed as he contemplated the stately homes, the expensive cars, swimming pools behind high privacy fences and the immaculately landscaped yards. The white collar families who resided in the gated community that boasted top notch security would be horrified to know that evil lurked in their midst. The irony of it all, was that the affluent neighborhood had recently been voted the safest and most desirable communities to live in the greater Houston area. Hell, it had scored in the top five in the entire state of Texas and in the top twenty for the whole country. So yeah, these people were utterly convinced that they were safe.

            But he knew better. Inside was a child. Just a baby. Well, not so much a baby as she was only two years younger than his Gracie. Goddamn it. Not here. Not now. It was no time for the past to intrude. Besides Gracie was hardly the beautiful, innocent sixteen year old girl he’d loved over a decade ago. She’d be twenty-eight now.

            If she was even alive.

            And she wasn’t “his” Gracie anymore. She wasn’t his anything.

            Maybe he hadn’t been able to save Gracie. Maybe he’d failed her. But over his dead body was he going to fail this young girl whose dreams were as big as the sun. Not when the two most important people in her life—or at least should have been the most important—had failed her in every possible way.

            Alyssa Delacroix had been a very promising ballerina at a very early age, a fact her mother had taken pride in when she’d participated in kindergarten recitals, received high praise and glowing local and state accolades. Later, when the demands of her training had encroached on both mother and father’s social lives, Alyssa had fallen far down the list of their priorities.

            Until the father had received pointed threats, aimed at Alyssa.

            The Delacroix’s had five children with Alyssa being the middle child, with two older brothers and two younger sisters. When Howard Delacroix had called in DSS, it had disgusted Zack that the man seemed irritated, not that his daughter was being threatened, but that he wasn’t the subject of the threat. It was a blow to his ego that evidently he was not as important as his daughter.

            Pompous, arrogant pig who had no business having children. His wife was no better.  Zack could only dream of the life they had—a life he once thought he would have—a houseful of children. Happy. And yet the couple was more concerned with their social standing than the care of their children.

            They’d hired a nanny and it was the nanny who attended all sports events, dance recitals and provided the love and support the parents should have. And now she was dead, shot when trying to protect one of the younger Delacroix children when masked men had burst into the auditorium where the dance recital was being held, cut the lights, causing instant chaos when gunfire erupted.

            The father? Had dropped like a fucking coward, hiding behind his wife, while the nanny had saved his son. Zack would like to put a bullet right between the asshole’s eyes for that alone.

            The only reason Howard and Felicity Delacroix had even been there hadn’t been to see their daughter shine. They’d attended solely because the CEO of another oil company also had a daughter performing and Howard was in negotiations to merge the two companies because the competitor was looking to retire and Howard wanted to take over both companies and expand his “empire.” Hell, he and his wife hadn’t even sat with their children, leaving the nanny to tend to them while they sat a row back talking business while their daughters’ performed.

            The target had been Alyssa. And Alyssa had been Zack’s responsibility. Hell, she was all of DSS’s responsibility, but Zack had been the closest, and in the clusterfuck that had ensued, a hysterical woman had blocked his pathway to Alyssa, a mere foot away, getting shot in the process and Alyssa had been abducted in a professionally executed hit.

            This was no amateur operation, and Zack had to wonder why someone would go to such lengths to kidnap the child of a high profile oil mogul when the man took absolutely no security precautions, and if any research on Delacroix had been done at all and ransom had been the aim, he would have been the obvious choice.

            He’d give up a hell of a lot of money for his own life. But for his children? Even Zack knew the answer to that, and he’d only briefly made the man’s acquaintance. He’d despised him on site because he grudgingly had to part with some of his precious money to protect his daughter for “appearance’s sake.” After all, it wouldn’t do for it to get out that a father had ignored threats to his child, and above all else, Howard Delacroix had an ego the size of the state he resided in.

            When the silence through his earpiece continued—and he’d already waited an interminable amount of time—Zack lost what was left of his patience. Fuck it. He was going in. The Delacroix’s may not give two fucks about their daughter, but Zack did, and he wasn’t about to sit on his hands when each passing second could mean the difference between life and death.

            Stealthily, he crept toward the window of the guest room. DSS had pulled the floor plans of the housing developments—they were cookie cutter houses after all—and quietly inserted his knife around the edges and bottom of the window to loosen the panes. Only when he was able to slide the window upward, did he whisper into the com, “I’m in.”
            He ignored the curses of Dane, heard an “about time” muttered by Eliza, while Capshaw and Renfro said nothing at all.

            Zack slid into the bedroom with ease and quickly drew his gun with silencer attached with one hand and reached for a flash bang grenade with the other. He knew the layout by heart having studied it until it was ingrained in his mind.

            The house was eerily dark when he slipped from the bedroom, but in the distance, the sound of a television could be heard. His partners could cover the front. His aim was the lower level and he honed in on his target with absolute focus.

            A shadow appeared in his periphery and he immediately flattened himself against the wall just as a man rounded the corner, heading directly toward Zack. A quick assessment told him this wasn’t a resident of the house. He was dressed in fatigues and a black shirt, a shoulder harness holding a pistol and several Kevlar knives secured to his waist. What the fuck did these jokers want with a fourteen-year-old girl? Were they running some sort of human trafficking ring? And if so, why the one girl? There had been over two dozen girls between the ages of eight and eighteen at the recital. In the utter chaos that had ensued, they could have grabbed several others.

            Zack yanked his gun up just as the other man spotted him and did the same. But Zack had the element of surprise and only the thud of a dead body falling broke the quiet.

            “One down,” Zack said quietly into the comm. “And these guys are trained. Watch your sixes.”

            “Goddamn it, Zack,” Beau hissed. “Wait for back-up.”

            “Alyssa may not have time for back-up,” Zack bit back, moving toward the stairway at the end of the hall.

            He paused at the top and peered downward, his ears straining for any sound to indicate movement up the stairs. What he heard froze him to the core.

            Soft weeping. The sound of pain and despair. And it broke his heart.

            Resisting the urge to rush recklessly the rest of the way down the stairs, he forced himself to take it step by step, making sure he made no sound as he descended when his every instinct was to charge in and take out the fuckers who’d taken and hurt an innocent child.

            He paused at the bottom because there was only a small area between the bottom of the stairwell and the wall. He would have to round the corner to enter the larger area of the room. Where Alyssa was being held. Where soft weeping could still be heard.

            He couldn’t lob the flash bang grenade, because it would be devastating to Alyssa, and she could be executed in a split second once her kidnappers were aware they’d been found. As schooled as Zack believed them to be, they’d likely been exposed to them before—and trained to withstand the effects while adequately defending themselves. Or taking out the enemy.

            Inhaling a quiet breath, he gripped his knife in his left hand and curled his fingers on his right hand around the stock of the pistol, just brushing the trigger. The sight that greeted him would live with him until his dying breath.

            Alyssa, bloodied, bruised, pale with shock, eyes glazed with pain and the sheen of tears was manacled to the brick chimney base. It was like something out of a medieval horror movie.

            But worse was seeing who her tormentor was.

            Zack didn’t move. Didn’t so much as breathe, praying the girl holding a knife to Alyssa’s neck wouldn’t be alerted to his presence and slice through the delicate skin.

            “Why are you doing this to me, Lana?” Alyssa whispered, choking on her tears as she stared dully at her tormentor. “I thought we were friends!”

            “Because with you out of the picture, I’ll be the best. Not you,” the teenage girl hissed. “It’s always been about you. I’m sick of hearing about how great Alyssa is. How talented. How you’re destined for stardom. What does anyone say about me? Runner up. To you. 
Always second place. Now I’ll be the star and no one will even remember your name.”

            Jesus. Zack recognized the girl. She’d performed just before Alyssa, and obviously displayed talent, but from the moment Alyssa had taken the stage, it had been equally evident that Alyssa had clearly outshone the other girl.

            The sheer hatred for Alyssa was obvious in her rival’s voice. The malicious triumph in her voice sickened Zack. A thin rivulet of blood slipped down Alyssa’s neck and she gave a small cry, more of distress and fear than of pain.

            What was more horrifying was that there was no way this girl could have pulled off a plan so flawlessly. Nor would she have knowledge of such men capable of executing a professional hit. Which meant her parents not only knew what was happening in the basement of their home but had likely masterminded the entire event.

            Zack had to act fast. He was very good at reading people and he didn’t doubt for a second that the jealous teenage girl would kill Alyssa if he didn’t step in now. In no way did he want to kill a teenage girl, just a child—but no, this was no child. She was a cold-blooded psychopath who thought nothing of removing someone she perceived as competition.

            And then the decision was ripped from him when Alyssa glanced past her captor and betrayed his presence by widening her eyes in alarm. Thankfully, the girl lowered the knife and turned, perhaps thinking he was one of the men who’d abducted Alyssa. But when her gaze settled on him, she raised the hand holding the knife, her expression so vicious it gave him chills. Then she turned, clearly directing the knife toward Alyssa’s chest.

            It all happened in a split second, and yet it was as though everything was in slow motion.

            Alyssa screamed, straining sideways to avoid the wicked edge of the knife. Zack fired, his aim precise, penetrating Lana’s arm just above the wrist, causing the knife to drop. Lana’s scream mimicked Alyssa’s own and yet the obvious pain the bullet wound must have caused didn’t deter her from her determined vendetta.

            She lunged at Alyssa, scratching furiously at Alyssa’s face while her other hand hung uselessly at her side.

            Goddamn it!

            Zack hurled himself forward, grabbing a fistful of the hell cat’s hair and yanked her back. In his ear, two voices were demanding a status report. He ignored both, more worried about defending Alyssa from further harm if someone not on his team came down the stairs.

            “I’ll kill you!” Lana screamed, turning her fury on Zack.

            And just as suddenly, her anger turned to triumph as she turned a spiteful look in Alyssa’s direction.

            “You’re too late anyway,” she said smugly.

            Zack didn’t pause to consider what the crazy ass girl meant. He shoved her down into a nearby chair and handcuffed her uninjured wrist to the arm. This time it was she who gave away the presence of another. Relief flared in her eyes and Zack immediately dropped and rolled toward Alyssa, placing his body between her and any possible threat.

            His gun was up and he didn’t hesitate when he saw a man who was similarly attired as the one Zack had already taken down on the upper level. He didn’t have time to go for the kill shot but put a bullet in the assailant’s upper leg. Judging by the blood pumping from the wound as the man went down, it was likely Zack had hit his femoral artery. If that was the case, the man was finished and would bleed out in a matter of seconds.

            Still, not one to assume anything, he took aim and put a second bullet through the downed man’s neck.

            “Goddamn it, where the fuck is everyone?” Zack demanded, addressing his teammates for the first time. “Alyssa’s in the basement and two of the kidnappers are dead. Anyone care to offer some back up here?”

            “Well, if you’d been a little more patient, you’d have gotten your back up,” Dane said dryly.
            “If I’d waited any longer, Alyssa would be dead right now,” Zack snapped.

            “We’ve cleared the main level,” Eliza broke in. “On our way now. And Zack, this is some fucked up shit we’re dealing with.”

            “You don’t even know the half of it,” Zack said grimly.

            Satisfied that he’d encounter no further nasty surprises, Zack picked himself up and quickly freed Alyssa’s wrists, using the key lying on a table just a few feet away. As soon as she was free, she threw her arms around him and sobbed into his neck. He closed his eyes, cupping the back of her head as he gently stroked her hair.

            “It’s all right now, sweetheart. You’re safe now.”

            “No it’s not,” she said with gulping sobs. “It’ll never be all right again.”
  
          She clung tightly to him her grief causing a knot to form in Zack’s throat. The world was filled with all kinds of sick, twisted fucks, but even this had the power to surprise him. That someone so young was so evil and…sick. He didn’t have words.”

            “Can you get up or do you need me to carry you?” Zack said, using a soothing, calming voice. “How badly are you hurt?”

           At his question, she completely fell apart, her cries so hopeless that it enraged him that such innocence had been destroyed. But even then, he wasn’t prepared for her answer.

            “She broke my knees,” Alyssa sobbed. “She made it so I’ll never dance again. Dancing was all I had and now it’sgone. She was supposed to be my friend. We were going to room together, go to the same performing arts academy. Oh God. What if I never walk again?”

            Zack went utterly still with shock. As gently as he could, considering he was shaking with rage, he pulled her away, just enough that he could evaluate her legs. He hadn’t seen them before. He’d been too focused on Lana and the knife she’d held and the fear in Alyssa’s eyes.

            And what he saw horrified him.

           The leotards she’d worn in her recital were torn and bloodied, impossibly stretched by massive swelling caused by trauma to the kneecaps. He’d never felt so sick in his life. Not since the day…

           He shook his head, refusing to go back to that time in his life. There was a young girl who needed him right now. He was all that had stood between her and death. And to her, such a devastating injury was tantamount to death.

           He very carefully slid one arm underneath her thighs, above the backs of her knees and below her behind and the secured his other arm around her upper body, hooking it underneath her armpit.
  
          “This will hurt, honey, but I have to get you out of here and to a hospital where it’s safe. Perhaps your injuries aren’t as severe as you fear.”
  
          Devastation and doubt were clear in her tear-swollen eyes, but she clamped her lips shut and leaned into him, not uttering a single sound as he lifted her and carried her past Lana who was still handcuffed to the chair.

           “What about me?” Lana shrieked. “You shot me!”

           Zack turned his cold gaze on her, ensuring Alyssa’s head was tucked firmly beneath his chin, her face buried against his neck so she would no longer have to lay eyes on her torturer.

            “Sue me,” he growled.


THE SLOW BURN SERIES


KEEP ME SAFE: A SLOW BURN NOVEL
By Maya Banks

When Caleb Devereaux discovers his younger sister, Tori, is kidnapped, he quickly turns to an unlikely source for help: Ramie St. Claire, a beautiful and sensitive woman with a psychic gift for finding answers others cannot. The two quickly find out their chemistry is undeniable and an intimate relationship follows. 

While Ramie can connect to victims and alert authorities to their locations, her ability comes with a steep price. Every time she uses it, she experiences the same torture as the victim. Helping the infuriatingly attractive and impatient Caleb find his sister nearly kills her. Even though his sexual intensity draws her like a magnet, she needs to get as far away from him as she can. 

Deeply remorseful for the pain he has caused, Caleb is determined to make things right. But just when he thinks Ramie’s vanished forever, she reappears. This time she’s the one in trouble and is in desperate needs of his help. Caleb will risk everything, including his heart, to protect her from a relentless and cruel murderer, who will stop at nothing and no one until he gets to Ramie.


IN HIS KEEPING: A SLOW BURN NOVEL
By Maya Banks

Arial knows the rules that keep her safe. She’s been following them since she was a little girl: Do not tell. Do not show. But in a moment of terror, facing an attacker intent on taking more than just her life, she has no choice but to unleash the psychic powers she’s been hiding since childhood. 

Now, with Ari’s abilities revealed, a bigger threat looms - something that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her parents and her secretive upbringing. But this isn’t a fight she can face on her own. 

As the head of Devereaux Security, Beau Devereaux is no stranger to the bizarre. But when he takes on a new client--a beautiful young woman with an extraordinary gift--Beau isn’t prepared for the extent of his attraction to her. What began as a simple assignment quickly turns personal as he discovers he’ll do anything it takes to protect Ari, the woman he loves.



PURCHASE LINKS:


KEEP ME SAFE
Amazon * B&N


IN HIS KEEPING
Amazon * B&N


SAFE AT LAST
 Amazon * B&N


About the Author:

Maya Banks a #1 USA Today and New York Times bestselling author whose chart toppers have included erotic romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance, Scottish historical romances. She is the author of the Breathless Trilogy, the KGI novels, the Sweet series, and the Colters Legacy novels. She lives in the South with her husband and three children and other assorted babies, such as her two Bengal kitties and a Calico who’s been with her as long as her youngest child. She’s an avid reader of romance and loves to dish books with her fans and anyone else who’ll listen! She very much enjoys interacting with her readers on Facebook and Twitter as well as in her Yahoo! Group.


To learn more about her please visit her online at www.mayabanks.com or at www.facebook.com/AuthorMayaBanks
Twitter: @maya_banks









a Rafflecopter giveaway