Review – We’ll Be Home For Christmas by HelenKay Dimon

When Lila Payne arrives in Holloway to take over her uncle’s resort, she has more than a few surprises waiting for her. One of the biggest is that the “resort” is falling down and isn’t habitable. The other? Spencer Thomas, the man she spent three nights with who lied about his name. Spencer is part owner of the local nursery and is determined to do the “neighborly” thing by helping her fix up the resort.

Spencer doesn’t believe in romantic happily ever afters but he’s more than happy to have Lila in his bed for as long as she’ll stay. After a rocky start, Spencer begins to show Lila the man he is behind the bossiness. She wants a future with him but can’t force him to believe in love. That’s something Spence, with a little help from his family, will have to learn on his own.

I’m usually all about Ms. Dimon’s heroes and Spencer was great but this story was all about Lila for me. She’s coming off a bad marriage and while her self-confidence is shaken, she still stands up for what she deserves and doesn’t let Spence get away with anything. The banter between the two, as well as other members of the small town, had me laughing out loud more than once. This sweet and sometimes snarky holiday romance was everything I was hoping for.

WE’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS can be purchased by itself or in the Romancing the Holiday anthology from Carina Press.

4.5 stars

Favorite quote:

“Oh, man. Please tell me you aren’t hiding a wife and ten kids or something. Because, honestly, I will hit you with a rock and bury your body in the woods if you made me the other woman in your marriage.”

His eyes widened. “That’s the third threat of violence in ten minutes.”

It was her turn to hold up a finger. “Put one woman on my jury and I walk.”

He blinked a few times. “It’s a little disturbing how easily these attack plans come to your head.”

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 3rd, 2012
Format: Digital

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Donna Grant gives the 411 on her immortal Highlanders

Thank you to Fatin for hosting me today in celebration of my newest book – MIDNIGHT’S WARRIOR.

 

For those unfamiliar with my Dark Warriors series let me tell you a bit about it. 

The Warriors are a group of Highlanders who are the greatest warriors of their family.  By being so, they carry within their blood primeval gods that once unbound, not only make them immortal, but give the Highlanders enhanced abilities and special powers.  They also transform by way of claws and fangs, but also each god has a color, so the Highlanders turn the color of their god when that god is released.  IOW, when those Warriors are ready for battle. J

 

There are so many legends and myths of Scotland that it’s hard to know what was real and what wasn’t.  So, when I began the series, I developed a legend of my own: What if Rome was driven out of Britain by magic? 

 

And by magic I mean Druids.  Two sects actually (good and bad).  It’s the evil Druids who call up the primeval gods from Hell, but it takes both sects to bind the gods inside the men.  Until my first villain, centuries later, sets the gods free once more in her bid to take over the world.

 

Deirdre is the perfect villain in my Dark Sword series, but when the series time traveled to modern day Scotland, I knew I had to add another twist.  Welcome Declan Wallace, a new kind of villain that takes my Warriors by surprise.

              

Wait, your saying.  Time travel?  Yep.  The series began in 2009 with DANGEROUS HIGHLANDER, a historical paranormal set in medieval Scotland.  After six book in the DS series, my guys decided to throw me a twist and time travel.  Needless to say, I sat dumbly at the computer for awhile.  My love was historicals.  I’d dipped my toes in contemporaries with a novella and one time travel, but not an entire book, and certainly not for the remaining 8 books in the series.

 

My publisher loved the idea and asked me to keep the Warriors in modern time, so there would be no going back for me. L  Yet, when I sat down to write MIDNIGHT’S MASTER (the first Dark Warrior book), I found the idea of taking these alpha, immortal Highlanders into contemporary Scotland a thrill.

 

All is not fun and games, however, because the storyline that began in the Dark Sword series continues in the Dark Warriors.  There is still villains to fight, evil to battle, and love to find.

 

It’s been a lot of fun taking each Warrior’s power and using it for – or against – him.  To add to the conflict, their heroines are Druids who each hold a special type of magic.  With the Warriors being such strong, rugged men, their heroines have to be just as stalwart to be able to stand beside them. 

 

I love talking about my Highlanders, and I’m pleased to announce that one of my favs – Ramsey – had his book release this past Tuesday.  Ramsey is a bit different from the rest of the Warriors.  He’s kept a secret for hundreds of years – that he’s half-Warrior/half-Druid. 

 

He’s from a sacred race of warrior Druids whose magic is only able to be contained by the men.  His heroine, Tara, doesn’t try to use her magic because its so unpredictable.  She has trust issues, but Ramsey isn’t about to let her go easily.  Here’s a little snippet from MIDNIGHT’S WARRIOR…

 

Instead of telling her what he’d been about to say, he held out his arm, palm out toward the hearth. A second later a blast of magic erupted from his hand and shattered the glass candleholder on the mantel.

Tara stumbled backward until she collided with the wall behind her. Her eyes looked from the broken bits of glass to Ramsey.

“I’ve wanted to tell you,” he said.

She tried to calm her racing heart. Her only recourse was to lie, because she couldn’t admit the truth. Not to Ramsey. Not to anyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The sadness on his face evaporated, replaced by cold rage. He stalked toward her, causing her to press against the wall.

“Really? You want to lie?”

She shrugged.

Ramsey leaned close until his face was inches from hers and she could see the dark silver band around his irises. “I know you have magic, Tara. I know you’re a Druid.”

And then he placed a finger atop her hand.

Confused, she looked down and gasped as wisps of white smoke curled around Ramsey’s thick index finger to his hand, around his wrist, and up his arm.

“This is what happens when I touch you,” he whispered.

Tara was mesmerized by the ribbons of white that continued to circle Ramsey. They originated from her, but when she moved her hand away, the wisps remained with him.

“Try to lie to me now.”

 

 

I’ve got two copies of MIDNIGHT’S SEDUCTION (book 3) to give away to two readers.  All you have to do is tell me what you want for Christmas this year. 😀

 

A HEART IN HIDING

For ten long years, Tara has been a woman on the run, hiding from the magic-wielding Warriors and Druids of modern-day Scotland. Now, as a tour guide at a remote Highland castle, she hopes to finally escape her past—until one impossibly gorgeous man enters her life…and exposes her wildest secrets.

A WARRIOR IN LOVE

For centuries, Ramsey MacDonald has concealed his strength and skill as part Warrior, part Druid, for fear of unleashing the full force of his power. But when he takes Tara into his arms—and seals their fate with a kiss—Ramsey will have to fight for her love…though it may mean losing control of the magic inside him.

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant has been praised for her “totally addictive” and “unique and sensual” stories. She’s the author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance. Her latest acclaimed series, Dark Warriors, features a thrilling combination of Druids, primeval gods, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her husband, two children, a dog, and three cats in Texas. Visit Donna at www.DonnaGrant.com

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Review – Night Whispers by Alisha Rai

It’s been three years since The Illness became wide spread, turning every one infected into zombie-like creatures called Shadows. Jules Gerrero spends all her time searching for and rescuing survivors with only the voice of her handler, James Bennett, in her ear to keep away the loneliness. She never wants him know their light flirtation has become love for a man she’s never seen. He’s one of the elite chosen to go underground with key government officials to help rebuild their world. She doesn’t think he could ever want her if he learned of her past filled with violence and drug abuse. She couldn’t be more wrong.

James hasn’t been outside since an explosion destroyed part of the bunker and left him scarred. Jules’s bravery amazes and humbles him. He teases her about her hero complex but that is one of the things he loves about her. When she vanishes and no soldiers are available to send after her, James faces all his fears to find the woman that means the world to him.

I thoroughly this enjoyed one. It had an urban fantasy vibe with the world building but was still full of romance. I was holding my breath waiting for the first face to face meeting of Jules and James and it was every thing I hoped it would be. The banter between the two kept me engaged and once they were together, their love was so sweet and refreshing.

I’m looking forward to seeing where Ms. Rai goes with this world. As soon as I finished reading NIGHT WHISPERS, I hit twitter to ask when the next one will be out and I was told it would probably be next year. Yay for more creepy Shadows, mad scientists, and heroes and heroines that kick butt!

4.5 stars

 

Favorite Quote:

By the time she opened her eyes he’d jerked the pants over his arousal.
A flash of disappointment ran through her. Damn it all, she’d wanted to see it. She liked penises, and it had been a while since she’d gotten to play with one.

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Romance
Release Date: November 6th, 2012
Format: Digital

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Review – Angel in Chains by Cynthia Eden

 

As a fallen Angel of Death, Azrael is cursed to walk the earth alone in search of redemption. One night, as he wanders the streets of New Orleans, he discovers a woman surrounded by panther shifters.  No longer able to contain the anger simmering within, Az summons his dark powers and attacks, determined to protect this innocent human from certain death.

Only Jade Pierce is no delicate flower.  She’s spent years learning to survive and fight the evil forces sent by her ex-lover who refuses to let her go. But after seeing Az in action, she figures she could use a little supernatural help. And so she plans a course of seduction guaranteed to arouse his interest and his angelic passions…

I’ve been anxiously awaiting ANGEL IN CHAINS ever since I read ANGEL BETRAYED. My expectations were high going in and I am so happy to say Jade and Az exceeded those expectations. Jade is a fantastically flawed heroine. She’s made massive mistakes in her life that led to lives lost. Now all she wants is a chance to live her life free of her psycho ex and she’s willing to use Az to get that. But from the beginning, she can’t fight her attraction to him.

Az has never understood why other Fallens give in to temptations of the flesh until he meets Jade. She awakens feelings he’s never experienced and this virgin hero wastes no time in making up for those lost centuries. He’s hot, badass, protective, and surprisingly sweet. Both of my favorite quotes are from Az.

“His hands, though lethally strong, were lighter on her flesh.

Gentleness. She’s only expected heat and hunger.

“I won’t break,” Jade told him.

“I’ll never let you.” A vow.

And…

Az never wanted her to know the truth about him. He wanted her to keep looking at him like he was a hero. Like he was a protector. A man she could count on. A man she wanted.

Not a monster she feared.

This was such a fantastic romance! Suspenseful and over the top with an ending that made me cry, ANGEL IN CHAINS was one of the best paranormal romances I’ve read this year. I can’t recommend it enough!

 

5 stars

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: November 27, 2012
Format: Print and digital

Preorder:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

 

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Lorie O’Clare – Guest blog and giveaway!

Wow! Thanksgiving is over. I hope all of you had a wonderful time visiting with family and eating way too much food. How many of you have already shopped ‘til you dropped? I’m not even going to ask if any of you have your Christmas shopping done yet. (But if you do, come here and do mine lol.)

I wanted to drop in and chat with all of you today because tomorrow, the 27^th, SLOW HEAT, releases. I hope all of you have pre-ordered it so you’ll have it in your hands the day it comes out.

SLOW HEAT is my fifth bounty hunter book but in truth it stands alone. The first four books were about the King family, Greg King, the father, Marc and Jake King, the two sons, and Natasha King, their cousin and office manager for KFA, King Fugitive Apprehension. Now with Greg King’s two sons out on their own, and quite happy I hear with two awesome ladies, he’s hired on new bounty hunters. Micah Jones is one of them and an incredible asset to KFA.

With twenty-five years on the force as a police officer, and now seven years under his belt as a bounty hunter, Greg King is a pretty perceptive man. There’s not much you can pull past him. He notices right away that Micah isn’t like other men. To start, Micah is an incredible shot. In fact, he never misses.

There are a few other personality traits, qualities if you will, although Micah doesn’t view them as such, that King starts to notice. Micah would rather they not be discovered, and his reasons are valid. I don’t want to give too much away about this book but Micah is a man with more secrets than any man I’ve ever had the honor to write about. I think the best way to explain Micah’s story is to give you the blurb, then we can proceed with some questions.

Here is the blurb—and the cover!

In the high-risk world of bounty hunters, one falsely accused woman is searching for justice—and one truly arresting man is feeling the heat…

 

As a new employee with KFA, the King family’s bounty-hunting agency, Micah Jones feels like he’s a perfect fit. All he has to do is remember…capture, don’t kill. He also needs to keep a low profile so his past life won’t catch up with him. But his latest assignment—to bring in a night-club owner suspected of money-laundering—heats up fast when he meets the “brains” of the outfit: an irresistibly beautiful bookkeeper who’s resisting arrest. In fact, she’s so determined to prove her innocence that she tries calling 911 to report thugs posing as bounty hunters are raiding her night club. Micah wrestles her to the ground before she can make the call, which was his first big mistake. Maggie O’Malley feels a bit too good underneath his powerful body.

Held for questioning but released by police, Maggie O’Malley is still a person of interest. Maggie is interested in Micah Jones—in his services. With his iron-hard muscles and tough-guy exterior, the

Harley-riding bounty hunter is just the man Maggie needs to track down the real crook at the club. A slow-burning attraction ignites a firestorm of insatiable desire—until the secrets of Micah’s past are exposed. Explosive passion now must prove stronger than a history so terrifying it might haunt them forever…

Okay, so there you have it. That is what SLOW HEAT is about—the blurb as it appears on the back of the book. Does that give you a good idea of what this story is about? Are you intrigued?

SLOW HEAT is an action packed suspenseful novel. It’s about an assassin who is trying to start his life over, and not let anyone know who he was in his past. He thinks he’s got it covered. Life is going as planned. He’s got a new life, a new job, and no one suspects a thing. What Micah doesn’t plan on, or expect in any way, is to fall in love. So what happens when Micah finds he can’t quit thinking about Maggie O’Malley?

Micah has to decide how much he will tell Maggie about who he really is—or was. Now I have a question for you. This question plagued me as I was writing Micah’s story. When you enter into a relationship, how much of your past should you share with the person you are falling in love with? Should you be an open book and let this person know everything about you? Or does the past matter as much as the future? I’d like your input. If you had a past that was somewhat questionable, is it as important to share as who you are today, and will be in the future?

I know some folks in relationships who kept the dark secrets of their past to themselves. Their significant other doesn’t know about it. Or at least in one relationship I know of, didn’t know about until long after they were married. In the case of my friends, it all worked out okay. They were in love, in a solid relationship, and when one shared with the other something terrible about their past, their partner was sad to hear about it but it didn’t change the love they had for each other.

It got me thinking, while writing SLOW HEAT, maybe Micah shouldn’t tell Maggie who he had been. I went back and forth about this. Micah is a good man. I know…I know…you’re thinking how can an assassin be a good man? My God! He is a murderer. Can’t get around that.

Micah couldn’t have a simple past. He couldn’t make it easy for me. And truth be told, for himself. He is in one hell of a dilemma. I let my fingers tap away at the keys and was as anxious as I know you are going to be in finding out what he was going to do about Maggie.

On a side note, and I have to share this with you, with every book I write there is a process with editing. The first pass is doing the edits, making any and all changes my editor suggests. A line editor goes through it next and when I receive the book a second time, it’s formatted to go to print. I simply read over it to make sure all is good.

By this point I’ve read the book about five times. I’m well into writing my next book and really don’t like having to stop to do these final line edits. I don’t know an author who does like this stage. Most of us loathe it, in fact. LOL. (To any editors who might be reading this; of course we still do this last

stage of the editing process, and do it diligently. J ) SLOW HEAT is the first book, I think, that I’ve read—for the fifth time—and couldn’t quit reading. It was that good!

And folks, I don’t toot my own horn. I never have. Any of you who know me, know that I don’t. Because honestly I’m never sure if my books are any good or not. But SLOW HEAT, and Micah—damn!

I want to ask you again. How much should a person share about their past, a past they’re trying to bury, with the person they are in love with? Also, if you don’t mind giving me your thoughts on two questions, I’m going to brazenly ask—what do you think of SLOW HEAT from what you’ve heard so far? Think you’ll buy it? If so, why? If not, would you be honest and share why it doesn’t intrigue you?

Okay, let me know your thoughts. I’m anxious to hear what you think.

 

~~~*~~~*~~~

For more information, visit www.lorieoclare.com. And for a chance to win a signed ARC of SLOW HEAT with comments written in the book of Lorie’s thoughts as the story progresses, just leave an answer for the above questions. Good luck!

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Winners!

Ashley Virt

wins an ebook from Elle Kennedy’s or Vivian Arend’s Samhain backlist

*

pc

wins a swag pack from Carrie Ann Ryan

*

J.K. Hogan

wins DIRE WANTS by Stephanie Tyler

*

Congrats! To claim your prize, please email mad @ romancereaderatheart.com (without the spaces). You have 48 hours to email before a new name is chosen.

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Review – Bonds of Trust by Lynda Aicher

Cali Reynolds is taking hesitant steps to claiming the life she wants. After more than 20 years in a passionate-less marriage she craves touch and hopes to find it at The Den, the most exclusive BDSM club in the area. Her first night there, she pairs up with Jake McCallister, one of the club owners. He gives her more than she ever dreamed of in a D/s relationship but she can’t get rid of the insecurities of her past.

Jake may be the perfect professional Dom but he has his own private demons. After a troubled childhood, he doesn’t get close to anyone. After any significant time in one place, he gets the urge to run. From their first meeting, Cali is different for him. He finally wants to claim something as his own and the more time they spend together, the easier it is for him to imagine a future in one place with one person.

This book started very slowly for me. The scenes from Jake’s POV were engaging and zipped right past but as soon as it switched to Cali’s POV, it started dragging. It did pick up around 60% and that’s when I realized what my problem with this book is. While I am sympathetic to some of Cali’s issues, I just don’t like her. She came across as weak and self-centered. It was always what she is getting out of it, what other people will think about her, and what her needs are. She doesn’t give a thought to Jake, his feelings, or his needs outside of the bedroom.

On the other hand, I really liked Jake. A fabulous hero, he had his own issues but was working through them and really put himself on the line for their relationship. From the very beginning, he treated Cali with the utmost respect. And he was oh, so sexy.

My favorite quote:

“I’m fine,” she reassured him, her attention focused on the floor.

Every inflection of her body told him she wasn’t. But that wasn’t his problem. Physically, she was unharmed. And she was refusing his comfort. His job as a Dom was done.

But his honor as a man wasn’t.

Later in the book, Cali totally overreacts to a situation. She doesn’t trust him, humiliates him in public, and walks away. After thinking on it for a day, we get this.

She owed Jake the chance to explain and she was ready to hear what he had to say.

That pretty much sums up my problem with Cali. Jake didn’t need to explain anything, he’s not the one that spun out. And now, after putting him through all that pain, she’s ready to hear what he has to say. Like she’s doing him a favor. I love a good hero grovel as much as anyone but it wasn’t his place to grovel. That would be Cali’s place. I thought Jake deserved better.

There was a very interesting secondary character that I’ve developed a crush on. Deklan is Jake’s best friend and business partner in The Den. Big, gruff, a little cranky, and a lot sarcastic, he stole every scene he was in. According to the blurb in the back of Bonds of Trust, his story is next and it is one I want.

 

Genre: Erotic Romance
Release Date: November 26, 2012
Format: Digital

Preorder:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

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Dire Wants by Stephanie Tyler – Giveaway!

 

The supernatural world is rising up against the human one. The weretrappers want control, and only the immortal Dire wolves stand in the way of total destruction. Stray, a Dire, and his long-lost brother, Killian, emerge as the leaders of their pack. To keep themselves and the humans safe, the Dires need a witch as powerful as Seb, who betrayed the Dires to work for the weretrappers.

They find what they are looking for in Kate, a human who survived a horrible car accident that left her back scarred with a handprint no one else can see. Stray senses Kate’s abilities as a witch and recruits her to help the Dires — all the while knowing she is so powerful they will need to kill her once she helps defeat the weretrappers.

Stray doesn’t expect the powerful connection that he feels with Kate, or his irresistible need to protect her. They cannot hide their feelings for each other, and what once was taboo now seems inevitable…

stephanietyler.com

 

GIVEAWAY!

For a chance to win DIRE WANTS, book 2 in Stephanie Tyler’s Eternal Wolf Clan series, just leave a comment below. The winner will be announced on Sunday. Open to U.S. residents only.

*Giveaway sponsored by the publisher

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving filled with family, food, fun & lots of books! 🙂

Fatin & Lillie

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Dark Romance by Carrie Ann Ryan

Why is it that I love a good romance set in a world that’s dark and twisty? Am I the twisty one? Maybe…

I write sweet erotic, small town paranormal romances for one of my series. Frankly, that’s because my other two series are dark, demented, and a little—okay very—emotionally taxing.

But why do I love reading and writing it?

Maybe because we all have demons we don’t even know about. Or maybe we’re all just very demented.

I love writing an emotionally drenching romance because I can place myself in the characters, feel that numbness that starts at your arms and claws at your heart. I love reading that and I love writing it. I love that tingling that happens when you’re scared and sick with what’s going on inside the demon’s head but you can’t turn away. You need to know how evil he truly is so you can see the heroine and hero fight it.

I love the personal demons that take hold of the characters and force the reader to break down right along with them.

Yes, I’m a little dark & twisty. (Cue the Grey’s Anatomy reference. Seriously.)

I can’t do it with every book I read or write, but I need to do it sometimes. I need to break open that wall inside and see how deep I can go.

Adam and Bay have enough personal demons between the two of them that it broke me to write their story. Oh yeah, and they’re in the middle of a demon war that’s getting even more tragic as time moves on.

What about you? Do you like the dark and twisty stories sometimes?

Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate – even if it’s just in her books. Happy endings are always near – even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.

Carrie Ann’s Redwood Pack series is an bestselling series that has made the shifter world even more real to her and has allowed the Dante’s Circle and Holiday, Montana series to be born. She’s also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at:

 

Website | Facebook  | Goodreads | Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan |

 

 

 

Adam Jamenson has suffered through the worst loss known to man. The only reason he lives day-to-day is to ensure the safety of his Pack. As the Enforcer of the Redwood Pack, it is his job to protect all in his path, though he was unable to protect the ones he held dear. The war with the Centrals is heating up and Adam must try and grit through it in order to survive. Though the broken man inside of him may not want to…

Bay Milton is a werewolf with a past. And a secret. She’s met the Redwood’s Enforcer only once, but it left a lasting effect. Now she needs to find him or everything he had thought he lost, may be lost again.

Together, they must struggle and find a way to fight their pasts and present in order to protect their future. But the Centrals have a plan that might make their path one of loss and destruction.

 

Find it On:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Kobo

***Giveaway***

 

Carrie Ann is giving away a swag pack to a commenter. Be sure to leave your email!

Excerpt

A crash from the living room brought Bay out of a fitful sleep. She pulled herself to a sitting position, her belly getting in the way. Someone mumbled a curse, and she inhaled their scent.

Adam and Maddox.

A very drunk Adam and a slightly inebriated Maddox.

Oh, goody, just what she needed; a drunken wolf who probably didn’t know she was in his bed and wanted her nowhere near him. Oh, what fun.

She pulled down the extra-large shirt she wore so it hit her mid-thigh even over her belly and waddled out to the living room, her ankles aching with each step. When she got out to the living room, she shook her head. Maddox had Adam draped over his shoulders and a sheepish expression on his face.

“Sorry, Bay. Didn’t mean to wake you,” Maddox said as he carried a very drunk Enforcer past her and into the bedroom.

“What happened?” It was like déjà vu. The first time she’d seen Adam he’d been drunk, and here he was again. Was this something he did often?

Maddox dropped Adam on the bed and shook his head. “Drank too much.”

“I guessed that, but why?”

Maddox turned to her with so much emotion in his eyes that she almost staggered from the weight of it. All of that couldn’t be just him. How on earth did he live like that as the Omega?

“He’s had a long day,” he said simply, and Bay under her breath.

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