AN OFFICER AND TWO GENTLEMEN by Missy Martine

AN OFFICER AND TWO GENTLEMEN by Missy Martine

The Wind River Pack 2 

New York Officer Katherine "Kati" Mathews took a bullet in the line of duty and is now hiding out in a small town in Tennessee to recover. The head of a drug cartel wants her dead for killing his son and he has planted a spy in the area watching over her.

Synia Wind River and Kinnith Kowana were adopted into the Wind River Pack when they were young boys. Despite the fact one of them is a wolf, and one a falcon, they’re mates. When their alpha asks them to protect Kati, as a favor to a friend, they’re shocked, and pleased to discover she’s also their mate.

Things are going smoothly until Kati’s brother is kidnapped to lure her out. Will she discover out who she can trust before it’s too late to save his life?

BUY THE BOOK   ***   BUY THE eBOOK  ***  READ THE EXCERPT

~Excerpt~

Alpha Remus cleared his throat and waited for the members of his pack to settle down. He was tired and just wanted to go home and cuddle with his mate. “Everyone, settle down. We’ve got some more business to discuss.”

“What’s going on, Remus?” asked Latan. “This is sort of a strange group you’ve put together.” Latan was Remus’s youngest brother and always considered the serious one of the family.

“Be patient, brother. I’ll explain everything in a minute.” Remus waited for the pack’s visitor to join him at the front of the room. At six and a half feet tall, he was almost as intimidating in his human form as he was as a bear. “For those of you who missed the pack meeting, this is Zander Temple. He’s the head enforcer for the National Council.” Remus stepped toward his mate. “You’ve met my mate, Maddie. These are my brothers, Latan and Ethan and their mate Kitania. Over there is their son, Synia, and another member of my pack, Kinnith. And last, this is Koril, the head of security for the pack.”

Latan stood up. “You’re here investigating the disappearance of the pack children in the area, aren’t you?”

“Sit down, Latan,” Remus ordered. Alpha Cardston, from a Canadian pack, had reported four pups disappearing without a trace from their pack lands. It had brought the total missing pups in Canada to twenty-one—eleven females and ten males. “That was his main purpose here, but now he wants to ask a favor of us.”

“Yes, Alpha Remus is correct. I’m on a fact-finding mission in regards to the disappearances, but what I want to talk to you about now is more personal in nature.”

Remus looked around the room. “He’s already explained what he needs and I’ve decided to grant his request, so listen up as he explains.”

Zander relaxed, resting one hand on his hip. “My boss is the head of the Council, Robert Mavers. He asked me to find someone to travel to Tennessee to provide some protection and some detective work for a close friend of his.”

“Who’s the friend?” asked Koril.

“Lieutenant Franklin Matthews of the New York City police department.”

Koril’s eyebrows rose. “Human?”

Zander nodded. “Lieutenant Matthews has a daughter. For the past year and a half she’s been living in White Bluff. Before that, she was an undercover officer in New York working in narcotics. Approximately two years ago her cover was blown, and in the resulting firestorm, she killed the eldest son of the head of the local cartel and took a bullet to her upper thigh. She had a hard six-month recovery and promptly left New York for the smaller town.”

Synia sighed. “As fascinating as all this is, what does it have to do with Wind River?”

Remus growled. “Maybe if you’d keep your mouth shut, Zander could continue.”

Synia swallowed hard and bared his throat. “My apologies, Alpha.”

Remus narrowed his eyes and then motioned for Zander to continue.

“Apparently she lost her nerve and didn’t want to continue with the stress of working in New York, and she wanted a quiet place to recuperate. Her father says she bought a small cabin back in the woods and has pretty much secluded herself.”

“Okay,” Koril said. “I’m assuming she’s the one that needs protection, but protection from what?”

“Miss Matthews has a brother, Detective Raymond Matthews, also with the New York police department. He recently got word from an informant that the Lawrence family is now ready for a little payback, and apparently they’ve discovered the young lady’s location.”

Maddie stood and moved close to Remus. “Forgive my ignorance, but I’m having a little trouble following all this. Who are the Lawrences?”

“Maurice Lawrence is the head of the largest drug cartel in New York. They’ve been trying to put him away for a very long time. He had two sons, and Katherine Matthews’ assignment was to get close to the oldest boy and look for evidence to bring the father down. It’s my understanding she got romantically involved with Eduardo Lawrence and then had to kill him when he discovered who she was. According to Raymond’s snitch, the old man is sending his younger son, Antonio, to take revenge for his brother’s death.”

Remus moved to stand next to Zander. “That all sounds pretty straight forward. You look for the son, take him out, and everybody’s safe and happy. Where does the detective work come in?”

“The snitch said the old man wants the girl to pay, and he thinks killing her outright is too fast and not payment enough for taking out his oldest son. He’s got a mole somewhere down in Tennessee that’s supposed to play with her for a while. He’s going to terrorize her and make her wish she’d never left New York. Then, when they don’t think she can take anymore, the younger son gets the honor of being the one that ends her life.” Zander grimaced. “He’s been told to do it in a way that will make her a good example to anyone else considering going against their family.”

“Why doesn’t your boss send a couple of the Council’s enforcers down to take care of this?” asked Koril.

Zander shrugged. “We’re stretched too thin. We’ve got a few teams investigating the pups’ disappearance. We’ve assigned two guards at each of the Council’s homes for children, and we’re putting forth a concentrated effort to find Kaugh’s hidden Canadian lab.” Dr. Vincent Kaugh was a brilliant scientist. Unfortunately, he was also certifiable. He’d been connected to Dr. Richard Constantine, another brilliant scientist, who kept the Alpha’s mate confined for years in an attempt to study their race. Kaugh had continued Constantine’s work after the pack killed him. His unsanctioned research revolved around combining human and shifter DNA. He was apprehended in time to keep him from having Kitania killed.”

Koril snorted. “Why the hell are you looking for that old goat’s lab? Is he even still alive?”

LIKED THE EXCERPT?? CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK

PATRICK'S HEART by Stacey Espino

PATRICK'S HEART by Stacey Espino

Wolves of Climax 6

Cassidy Lyons is forced to face a world where fantasy and reality collide. After witnessing Patrick shift into her red wolf, she’s scared and confused. But his raw sexuality and dominant aura keep luring her back. Can she accept that her lover is one of the forest’s deadliest predators?

Patrick’s not impressed that the rest of his pack refuses to come clean with Cassidy. He’s the odd man out after volunteering to reveal his wolf. It wasn’t the magical experience he’d hoped for, only acting to tear them apart. After spending a lifetime carrying a deep-seated hatred of humans, he’s ready to do anything to win his little human back.

When a threat comes to Climax, the pack must work together to protect Cassidy. But as soon as they get a chance to complete the mating bond, Garret discovers there is much more to Cassidy and her family drama than any of them could have imagined.

BUY THE eBOOK *** READ THE EXCERPT

~Excerpt~

Patrick always got the short end of the stick. He’d volunteered to be the one to challenge the Rockford wolves so that Cassidy didn’t have to witness the entire pack shift at once. Now she fucking hated him.

She’d developed a close relationship with the other members of his pack, but he kept holding back. He could lose her…or himself. Garret hadn’t officially marked her, which was part of the reason they were in this situation in the first place. If his alpha really expected to claim the human girl, he should have transitioned her into their world long ago.

Now Patrick was the monster. She still sidled up to Evan, so he obviously hadn’t manned up to the truth. Patrick was stuck explaining everything, and he’d never been good with words. Cassidy was naked, smelled sweet, and his territorial nature was off the charts. The more she pulled away from him, the more his wolf demanded he stake his claim.

“I know you remember me,” he said. “My wolf remembers you.” He ran the backs of his fingers along her jawline, savoring the soft femininity of her skin.

She cringed every time he touched her.

“I’ll never hurt you, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”

He tilted her chin up so she’d have to meet his gaze. Patrick knew his eyes would have a slightly inhuman glow, even in his human form.

“I remember,” she whispered.

“Do you remember running your hands through my wolf’s fur? Were you afraid then?”

She shook her head, still looking in his eyes.

“He likes you. A lot. He claws within me all the time, demanding I keep you close, keep you safe.”

“He?”

Patrick smiled. “My wolf. He lives inside me, only allowed to be free when I shift forms. And know that he’d never harm you, not a hair.”

When a tear slipped from her eye, he felt a sense of deep-seated relief. She didn’t hate him. She was just distraught.

“I don’t know what to think.”

“You have to allow yourself to accept things you were taught are fiction. That’s not easy to do.”

“Does everyone know?”

All her lovers were shape-shifters. He closed his eyes for a moment, wondering how to break the news to her, and if it would be too much for her naïve mind to handle. “It’s a carefully guarded secret. Only my closest friends know the truth.”

“I should have known this was too good to be true,” she said.

“What was?”

“That five amazing men would actually fall in love with a nobody like me. I’ve never had a place I belonged…until I came to Climax. Now I don’t know anything.”

He took her hand and held it to his heart. “Do you feel that? I’m a flesh-and-blood man.”

Patrick and emotional declarations did not go hand in hand. He lived in the moment, kept his inner demons in check, and played his role in the pack. Emotion led to weakness, and he wouldn’t leave himself so vulnerable ever again. Although he never expected to find a mate, he’d follow the lead of the alpha. If Garret marked her for the pack, he’d accept it. But were his feelings for Cassidy just sparked by the possessive nature of his wolf, or were they more complex? Could he actually love the little human, trust her with his heart? He’d vowed never to put confidence in a human being again, and since their females were the only potential mates for a shifter, Patrick never expected to find love.

Already Cassidy had proved fickle, turning away from him as he’d expected she would when discovering his secret. The day by the river was engraved in his memory, one of the happiest in his life. To have Cassidy look upon his wolf with adoration and acceptance was more powerful than an illicit drug. Apparently her affection didn’t extend to shape-shifters. But he could never be just a man or just a wolf. He was torn between two worlds, forced to find balance when society didn’t even know his kind existed.

“Do you still feel the same about me?”

“I feel the same as I always have,” he said simply. “You’re the one I worry about.”

Maybe he’d just let Garret handle her. Once she received the love bite, it would act as a bonding agent, connecting them on an intimate level. Any fears or misgivings she had for their wolfen heritage would subside.

“Sometimes I just want to close my eyes and never wake up. I’m tired, Patrick. My life has been a roller-coaster ride since I moved to Climax.”

“The ride is half the fun.” He wrapped one arm around the small of her back, pulling her flush to his body. This time she didn’t fight.

“But what does it all mean? What happens to us now?”

He kissed her forehead, trying to think of ways to reassure her. “Nothing has to change. The only difference is you’ll know I’m capable of defending you—under any circumstances.”

LIKED THE EXCERPT?? CLICK HERE TO BUY THE eBOOK

THE RELUCTANT VIRGIN by Stacey Espino

THE RELUCTANT VIRGIN by Stacey Espino

Ride 'em Hard Book Six

Cindy Taylor has reinvented herself after a childhood she’d rather forget. It’s seven years later when she’s forced to return to her hometown on business. She’s a new woman with the same deep-seated vulnerabilities thanks to her disability.

Her regular client, Josh Granger, and two men from her past, Matthew Garner and Chance Anderson, are all hell-bent on making her theirs. But Cindy can’t bring herself to reveal her secret, choosing to live a lie instead. She wants nothing more than to experience the sexual fantasies these men promise, but her fear of rejection is just as strong.

Cindy will have to overcome her personal demons if she’s to experience the happily ever after she was certain would pass her by. It’s a race against time because the men won’t wait around forever, and Cindy is the most reluctant virgin.

BUY THE eBOOK *** READ THE EXCERPT

“You’re a menace,” she said. But by the time she turned around to gauge his reaction, he had her pinned to the side of the house. He shackled her wrists and brought them high above her head. Her heart raced, her blood heated, and her pussy tightened.

“You have no idea what I am. Or what I’m capable of.” He stared at her, his eyes so blue she swore she saw the ocean waves. “You avoid me, but then you play games.”

“I’m just trying to do my job.” She struggled, but he held her still. “I have no idea what games you’re talking about, Mr. Granger.”

“Mr. Granger now?” He clucked his tongue.

She felt no sense of fear, only titillation. There was no anger in Josh. He remained calm, his voice steady, but he was in control. She liked it.

“Let me go.”

“I bet if I slid my hand down your pants you’d be soaked through.” He held her wrists up with one big hand and used his free hand to lightly run along the side of her breast. “And your nipples are begging to be sucked.”

“You’re disgusting,” she said. But in truth, his words spiraled around inside her, lighting up every erogenous zone. His raw, crude nature was driving her wild on the inside. Could he sense it? Did desire have a unique fragrance to men? He certainly behaved like an animal. Would he be as untamed in bed? Or would he be patient for her first time?

“Better for you.”

She wasn’t sure what that meant, but she was certain it had sexual connotations.

Cindy parted her lips to breathe. Her heart was pumping so fast she didn’t doubt she’d pass out for the thrill.

Josh slid his work-roughened hand up her shirt. She closed her eyes as he neared her breasts. Cindy wore no bra today even though she always did. It was as if part of her anticipated this moment, secretly yearning for it. Would Josh refuse her in the end like Matthew and Chance had?

“You’re soft, Cindy. Like silk against my fingers.” He cupped one breast in his palm, squeezing slightly. The forbidden nature of the touch set her nerves afire. Her senses became magnified. She could hear the wind, the birds in the distance, even the shed door flapping open and closed near the front of the house.

“Why’re you afraid?” he asked.

“I’m not,” she blurted, too fast. If he knew she was a virgin, maybe he’d refuse her, too. It was better if he believed she was an experienced woman, because her body no longer cared about honor and pride. She wanted to know the pleasures of the flesh. If she was destined to become an old maid, she at least wanted some memories to reflect on during the long, cold nights alone.

“Then why are you shivering? If I didn’t know any better I’d say you weren’t used to a man’s touch.” He released her pinned arms. The blood pooled into her hands in a rush, creating thousands of pinprick sensations. “That’s hard to believe seeing how beautiful you are.”

She felt defensive, determined to maintain her ruse. “I’ve been touched plenty. I was with Matthew just last week.” She left out the fact they hadn’t actually had intercourse. Josh frowned, not at all pleased.

“I don’t want to hear about Matthew now.” His voice was dominant, carrying a hint of a threat. She liked this possessive side to him. “Touch me.”

“What?”

He practically ripped off his own checkered shirt, one of the buttons flying off into the long grass along the house. “I want to feel your little hands on me. Don’t be shy. Like you said, you have plenty of experience.”

Josh was so close to her, only a breath separating their bodies. His chest looked rock hard, his nipples small, brown, and tempting. She desperately wanted to test those taut muscles for herself. What the hell was holding her back? This was what she wanted.

She tentatively reached out and laid a palm on his pec. His flesh was much warmer than hers. She’d never had the pleasure of exploring a man’s body. Cindy let her hands roam—lower. His abs were ripped, and her fingers traced each toned ridge on their descent. As she neared his big silver buckle she discovered a trail of dark hair.

“Keep going,” he coaxed. Did she dare? She was certainly curious but terrified of the unknown at the same time.

“I–I can’t.”

“Unbuckle me.” His words were more than an order. They were final. He was confident in his authority, and it made her more anxious to comply.

Cindy slid the leather through the buckle and proceeded to unbutton his Wranglers. They were already low on his hips, displaying the sharp muscled V and trail of hair which led to the hard bulge below. Her fingers began to shake as she fiddled with the stubborn zipper. Before she could succeed at unzipping him, he grabbed her wrist and pushed it to the side.

He was like an animal now, feral and one-sighted. Josh crushed his mouth to hers, kissing her with unexpected passion. She responded, needing him, needing this. His tongue played with hers. He was pure energy, unable to take enough. She felt overwhelmed but still ready to give him what he wanted.

“I’m hot all over,” she confessed on the shadow of a breath.

“I’ll fix that, baby girl. It’s my intention you leave this ranch satisfied.”

LIKED THE EXCERPT?? CLICK HERE TO BUY THE eBOOK