Excerpt!
Motherfucker. What was this horseshit? Aleah bounced over to me and flung her arms around my neck. “You’re early! Good, this gives you and Emma time to catch up before your photoshoot. I knew she’d be perfect for the job. You two have always been comfortable with each other.”
Clenching my teeth, I watched as Emma posed with her cunt of an ex. He had his hands all over her as they posed for the pictures; I wanted to rip his arms off. “You failed to mention any of this to me,” I huffed.
“Hey,” Aleah said, squeezing my wrist. I tore my gaze away from Emma and focused on her. Aleah’s smile faded as she glanced back and forth between the three of us. “Am I missing something? Why are you mad? I thought you’d like working with Emma.”
My attention went back to Emma, and I couldn’t tear my eyes off her. Her bare skin shimmered in the sun, and her dark hair now had caramel wisps that weren’t there before. I could almost remember how it felt to touch her and have her nails rake down my back as she screamed out my name. I have always wanted her, and now she was right in front of me in another man’s arms, the arms of someone I knew had been with her the way I had. And now, I had to watch him touch her as if she was his.
“Carter, talk to me,” Aleah demanded, her voice low. “I’ve never seen you this angry. What’s going on?”
The photographer directed Ryan and Emma to change positions, and Ryan moved even closer to her. I had to force myself to look away before I lost my shit.
“I wasn’t expecting Emma to be here, much less with that prick,” I hissed.
Aleah stepped in front of me. “Ryan’s not that bad. He wants Emma back and thought this would work.”
“He’s a fucking tool. He doesn’t deserve her,” I fired back.
Aleah pinned me with her honey-toned stare, crossing her arms over her chest. “And who does? You?”
“That’s not what I’m saying,” I spat out quickly.
A slow, wry smile spread across her face. “It’s not what you’re saying but how you’re acting.” She peered over at Ryan and Emma again. “I mean, correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re seriously giving off the jealousy vibes right now.” When I didn’t respond, her eyes widened in understanding. “Oh my God, you have a thing for Emma. I had my suspicions years ago but never saw anything happen.”
My jaw muscles hurt from clenching my teeth so hard. “That’s because we didn’t let anyone see it.”
Aleah sucked back a gasp. “Have you two like …” She waved her hands in front of her as if she was trying to find the right words. “Gotten close?” she finished. Again, my silence was her answer. Her mouth gaped, and she grabbed her chest. “Holy shit, you have. And here I am flaunting her in front of you with another guy. I’m so sorry.”
She couldn’t be blamed for this.
I shrugged. “Emma left for New York, and I went my own way. It’s fine. We haven’t spoken in a long time.”
Groaning, Aleah shook her head incredulously. “First off, I’m going to kill you for not telling me any of this. And second,” she griped, holding up her hands, “I got this. I’m team Carter all the way.”
“What are you going to do?” I wondered.
Aleah winked. “Getting you what you want. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what that is.”
Fame. Money. Status. An infinite number of women standing ringside in hopes of one night with him. These are all the things Carter Reynolds loves about being MMA royalty. As a UFC Heavyweight champion, and the son of the illustrious Matt Reynolds, Carter thinks he has everything he could ever want.
Until he comes face to face with Emma Jameson—the one who got away. The pair are bonded by a secret from their past, one that none in their inner circle can ever know about…
Thanks to her father, Emma is no stranger to the MMA world. UFC Middleweight champion, Ryley Jameson, is known far and wide for his scandalous antics in and out of the ring. His fame put her in the spotlight at a very early age. It even led to her lucrative modeling career and the opportunity for her to travel the world. Now Emma is back with the family of fighters she left behind and quickly discovers a darkness that has wriggled its way into the MMA fold.
Someone demands retribution for the sins of the past, and they’ve chosen to make Emma their first target. Determined to keep her safe, Carter will do whatever it takes to protect her, even if that means putting his life on the line.
As hidden truths are revealed, Carter and Emma find that no one in their circle is safe… and this is only the beginning.
Author bio:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she began her literary journey she worked in periodontics, enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.
She loves to write, but she also loves to play golf, go on mountain hikes and white-water rafting, and has a passion for singing. Her two youngest fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime, usually Christmas carols.
Dover has written countless novels in several different genres, but her favorite to write is romantic suspense. However, she has found a new passion in romantic comedy, especially involving sexy golfers. Who knew the sport could be so dirty and fun to write about.
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