Tru Blue Blog Tour {+ Giveaway}

I’m happy to welcome author Melissa Foster to Thoughts in Progress today to celebrate her TRU BLUE release with an excerpt and a tour-wide book giveaway.

Follow Melissa on her tour with Xpresso Book Tours. You can find her schedule HERE.

◊Tru Blue
◊by Melissa Foster
◊Publication date: November 9, 2016
◊Genres: Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

TRU BLUE is a sexy, dark stand-alone novel written in the same loving, raw, and emotional voice romance readers have come to love, and the deeply emotional literary prose women’s fiction readers have come to expect, from New York Times & USA Today bestselling, award-winning author Melissa Foster.

“With her wonderful characters and resonating emotions, Melissa Foster is a must-read author!” New York Times Bestseller Julie Kenner

“Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!” New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely

He wore the skin of a killer, and bore the heart of a lover…

There’s nothing Truman Gritt won’t do to protect his family–Including spending years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. When he’s finally released, the life he knew is turned upside down by his mother’s overdose, and Truman steps in to raise the children she’s left behind. Truman’s hard, he’s secretive, and he’s trying to save a brother who’s even more broken than he is. He’s never needed help in his life, and when beautiful Gemma Wright tries to step in, he’s less than accepting. But Gemma has a way of slithering into people’s lives and eventually she pierces through his ironclad heart. When Truman’s dark past collides with his future, his loyalties will be tested, and he’ll be faced with his toughest decision yet.

                                                                **
“You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that’s fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won’t want to stop reading. Every book’s a winner!” NYT Bestselling Author Brenda Novak

TRU BLUE can be found on Goodreads and is available to purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, and Kobo.

Now here’s an excerpt from TRU BLUE for your reading pleasure.

TRUMAN GRITT LOCKED the door to Whiskey Automotive and stepped into the stormy September night. Sheets of rain blurred his vision, instantly drenching his jeans and T-shirt. A slow smile crept across his face as he tipped his chin up, soaking in the shower of freedom. He made his way around the dark building and climbed the wooden stairs to the deck outside his apartment. He could have used the interior door, but after being behind bars for six long years, Truman took advantage of the small pleasures he’d missed out on, like determining his own schedule, deciding when to eat and drink, and standing in the f**king rain if he wanted to. He leaned on the rough wooden railing, ignoring the splinters of wood piercing his tattooed forearms, squinted against the wetness, and scanned the cars in the junkyard they used for parts—and he used to rid himself of frustrations. He rested his leather boot on the metal box where he kept his painting supplies. Truman didn’t have much—his old extended-cab truck, which his friend Bear Whiskey had held on to for him while he was in prison, this apartment, and a solid job, both of which were compliments of the Whiskey family. The only family he had anymore.

Emotions he didn’t want to deal with burned in his gut, causing his chest to constrict. He turned to go inside, hoping to outrun thoughts of his own f**ked-up family, whom he’d tried—and failed—to save. His cell phone rang with his brother’s ringtone, “A Beautiful Lie” by 30 Seconds to Mars.

“F**k,” he muttered, debating letting the call go to voicemail, but six months of silence from his brother was a long time. Rain pelleted his back as he pressed his palm to the door to steady himself. The ringing stopped, and he blew out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d trapped inside. The phone rang again, and he froze.

He’d just freed himself from the dredges of hell that he’d been thrown into in an effort to save his brother. He didn’t need to get wrapped up in whatever mess the drug-addicted fool had gotten himself into. The call went to voicemail, and Truman eyed the metal box containing his painting supplies. Breathing like he’d been in a fight, he wished he could paint the frustration out of his head. When the phone rang for the third time in as many minutes, the third time since he was released from prison six months ago, he reluctantly answered.

“Quincy.” He hated the way his brother’s name came out sounding like the enemy. Quincy had been just a kid when Truman went to prison. Heavy breathing filled the airwaves. The hairs on Truman’s forearms and neck stood on end. He knew fear when he heard it. He could practically taste it as he ground his teeth together.

“I need you,” his brother’s tortured voice implored.

Need me? Truman had hunted down his brother after he was released from prison, and when he’d finally found him, Quincy was so high on crack he was nearly incoherent—but it didn’t take much for f**k off to come through loud and clear. What Quincy needed was rehab, but Truman knew from his tone that wasn’t the point of the call.

Before he could respond, his brother croaked out, “It’s Mom. She’s really bad.”

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance (M/F, M/M, F/F), romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page.

Author Melissa Foster

Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success.

Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on Facebook or her personal website.

Never miss a brand new release, special promotions or inside gossip again by simply signing up to receive your newsletter from Melissa.

For more on Melissa and her writing, connect with her on her Facebook Fan Page, Goodreads, and Twitter.

This is a tour-wide giveaway (International) for 2x eBook copies of River of Love. The grand prize giveaway ends Nov 17^th.

Thanks for stopping by today during Melissa’s stop. Are you a member of a book club or have you thought about joining one?

*Just want to wish everyone a safe and Happy Veterans' Day!! Remember those who have given and those who are giving their all to keep us safe.

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The Russian Tattoos {+ Giveaway}

It’s my pleasure to be a part of the Xpresso Book Tours for THE RUSSIAN TATTOOS: PRISONER by Kat Shehata.

As part of the tour, Kat is sharing an excerpt from her book and a tour-wide giveaway for a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Please see the end of the post for more details on the giveaway.

◊Russian Tattoos: Prisoner
◊by Kat Shehata
◊(Russian Tattoos, #2)
◊Published by: Limitless Publishing
◊Publication date: August 2nd 2016
◊Genres: New Adult, Romance, Suspense

American tennis player Carter Cook is being held prisoner by the Russian mafia…

Carter is the obsession of mob boss Vladimir Ivanov, a man she once loved. Now a mafia war has erupted on his home turf, and Vladimir’s enemies have put a bounty on her head to force him to surrender. If she is captured, his rivals will deliver a deadly ultimatum—his life in exchange for hers. The price for Carter’s freedom is Vladimir’s blood.

Vladimir holds ultimate power as godfather of the Ivanov Bratva…

He spent five years in a Siberian prison camp and has earned every tattoo inked into his skin. He is a powerful man who rules his crew with an iron fist.

But his enemies have discovered his only weakness—Carter. Vladimir knows if she stays in his world, he is handing her a death sentence, so he vows to get her home and never interfere in her life again. Giving up the woman he loves is the only way to protect her from the bad guys—including himself.

Vladimir’s rivals have a different plan for the ill-fated couple…

Some punishments are worse than death, and the head of the Ovechkin Bratva will go to any length to seek vengeance and inflict maximum suffering on Vladimir.

Carter may be Vladimir’s weakness, but she is also his only hope for survival. When the boss of the Ovechkin family threatens the man she loves, she must fight for Vladimir’s freedom before their rivals can deliver the fatal blow.

Love is blind—but it could also be deadly.

THE RUSSIAN TATTOOS: PRISONER can be found on Goodreads and can be purchased on Amazon.

Now here’s an excerpt from THE RUSSIAN TATTOOS: PRISONER for your reading pleasure.

It was a bumpy ride in the back of the Range Rover as Boris drove down a dirt road that would eventually take us into the city of Ekaterinburg. The sun was setting, and all I could see for miles was farmland and an occasional roadside produce stand or a dilapidated shack that housed vendors selling hats, blankets, and handmade baskets.

Using my coat as a pillow, I rested my head against the window and closed my eyes. It would take a couple hours to get to town, and it would do me well to get some rest. I wanted to sleep, but the rocky terrain made it impossible. My head bobbed every time Boris hit a bump, and there was no room for me stretch out on the bench without using Vladimir as my body pillow. 

Sensing I was uncomfortable, Vladimir pulled me over to his side, rested my head on his chest, and draped his coat over me like a blanket. I aligned my body against him, snuggled into the crook of his neck, and inhaled the intoxicating scent of his cologne. He caressed my shoulder and I hugged him tighter, snaking my hand under his suit jacket and lightly scratching his back.

His chest heaved and he released a primal growl. I recognized that sound. It was a telltale little noise he made when I turned him on. I combed my fingers through his tousled hair and pulled him to me so I could reach his lips. I slid my tongue inside his mouth and groaned as we made out and his beard scratched against my skin.

My body was humming down there. Our bodies were hidden under his coat, and I slid my hand below his belt and rubbed his erection. I loved messing around with Vladimir, holding him, kissing him, touching his body, but I felt the urge to give him more. I wanted Vladimir to be my first. I had vowed to wait until my wedding night, but I wanted to lose my virginity with him.

One day I would get married to a man I could love without life-threatening consequences. Would I regret that I hadn’t saved myself for my future husband? Never. Spending the night with my sexy Russian would be the single greatest moment of my life. The thought of having all of him inside me made me flush with desire.

The terrain had gotten rougher since our scandalous make-out session broke out, and the truck bounced as Boris hit every dip in the road, probably on purpose, as he drove down the country road. Vladimir squeezed my ass as I touched him, and we made out with a sense of urgency like it was our last night on earth. Maybe it was.

Author Kat Shehata

Kat Shehata’s first career involved caring for exotic, dangerous, and adorable animals as a zookeeper. As an author, Kat weaves her love of animals into her work. She is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling children’s book Animals on the Other Side written with Sylvia Browne.

She is an avid tennis player and spends her free time playing matches in a recreational league in Cincinnati, Ohio. She holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Wilmington College, a professional writing certificate from the University of Cincinnati, and a master’s degree in creative writing from Spalding University.

For more on Kat and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

You can also find out more about Kat and her fascinating release by visiting the following blogs participating in her tour.

August 15th
–It’s All About the Romance >> Excerpt
–Thoughts in Progress >> Excerpt

August 16th
–Read to My Heart’s Content  >> Review
–Cafinated Reads >> Excerpt

August 17th
–BooksChatter >> Interview
–Amy’s Review Obsession >> Review

August 18th
–Evermore Books >> Playlist
–Book Addict >> Review

August 19th
–Lisa Loves Literature >> Excerpt
–Addicted to Reviews >> Review
–The Avid Reader >> Interview

August 22nd
–Book Reviews & More by Kathy >> Excerpt
–Liz Gavin’s Blog >> Review

August 23rd
–Becky on Books >> Interview
–The Book Nerd >> Review

August 24th
–Mello & June, It’s a Book Thang! >> Excerpt
–Sweet Spot Sisterhood >> Review

August 25th
–The Avid Book Collector >> Excerpt
–Princess Reads >> Review

August 26th
–The Starred Review >> Review
–The Bookery Review >> Review

August 29th
–Lynchburg Mama >> Excerpt
–NightWolf Book Blog >> Review

August 30th
–Share My Destiny >> Excerpt
–Bloodthirsty Muses >> Review
–Padme’s Library >> Interview

August 31st
–Quesarasera Book Reviews >> Review
–My Book Filled Life >> Review

September 1st
–A British Bookworm’s Blog >> Excerpt
–LYLY 5 STAR BOOKS >> Review
–BB’s Book Reviews & Promotions >> Review

September 2nd
–Romantic Fanatic >> Review
–TBR Book Blog >> Review

This is a tour-wide giveaway (International) for a $25 Amazon Gift Card. The giveaway ends Sept. 8^th.

To enter this giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient.

Thanks so much for stopping by today during Kat’s visit. Do you like books where genres (suspense and romance) are blended together or had you rather keep the genres separate?

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A Promise of Fire {+ Giveaway}

I’m happy to be a part of the Sourcebooks Casablanca virtual book tour for debut author Amanda Bouchet’s PROMISE OF FIRE, the first installment in her Kingmaker Chronicles series.

This is Sourcebooks Casablanca’s very first fantasy romance! To celebrate the recent release, Sourcebooks Casablanca and Amanda are sharing an excerpt from her book. In addition, you have the chance to win one of ten (10) print copies of A PROMISE OF FIRE being given away tour-wide. Please see the end of the post for more details on this giveaway.

◊Title: A Promise of Fire

◊Series: Kingmaker Chronicles, #1

◊Author: Amanda Bouchet

◊Pub date: August 2^nd, 2016

◊ISBN: 9781492621898

KINGDOMS WILL RISE AND FALL FOR HER…

BUT NOT IF SHE CAN HELP IT

Catalia "Cat" Fisa lives disguised as a soothsayer in a traveling circus. She is perfectly content avoiding the danger and destiny the Gods—and her homicidal mother—have saddled her with. That is, until Griffin, an ambitious warlord from the magic-deprived south, fixes her with his steely gaze and upsets her illusion of safety forever.

          Griffin knows Cat is the Kingmaker, the woman who divines the truth through lies. He wants her as a powerful weapon for his newly conquered realm—until he realizes he wants her for much more than her magic. Cat fights him at every turn, but Griffin's fairness, loyalty, and smoldering advances make him increasingly hard to resist and leave her wondering if life really does have to be short, and lived alone.

PROMISE OF FIRE is available at the following sites: Amazon, Apple, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Chapters, and Indiebound.

Now in celebration of this release, Sourcebooks Casablanca is giving you the first FIVE chapters to read FOR FREE! You can download the first five chapters here.

To get you started, they’ve included the first few pages below.

Chapter 1

I pluck at my crimson tunic, tenting the lightweight linen away from my sticky skin. The southern Sintan climate isn’t my worst nightmare, but it sometimes ranks pretty high, right along with the stifling layers of cosmetics masking my face, my leather pants, and my knee-high boots.

Heat and leather and heels don’t mix, but at least looking like a brigand means blending into the circus. Here, discreet only gets you noticed.

Craning my neck for a breath of fresh air, I navigate my way through the beehive of tables already set up for the circus fair. The performers on the center stage are the main attraction. The rest of us surround them, carving out places for ourselves amid the crowd. Tonight, hemmed in on all sides in an amphitheater lit by hundreds of torches and filled to capacity, I feel like a Cyclops is sitting on my chest—suffocated.

Damp curls cling to my neck. I peel them off and tuck them back into my braid, scanning the crowd as I walk. I recognize some of the regulars. Others I don’t know. My eyes trip over a man and get stuck. He’s looking at me, and it’s hard not to look back. He’s striking in a dark, magnetic way, his size, weapons, and bearing all telling me he’s a tribal warlord. His build is strong and masculine, his gait perfectly balanced and fluid. He walks with predatory confidence, unhurried, and yet there’s no mistaking his potential for swift, explosive violence. It’s not latent or hidden, just leashed.

Watchful, alert, he’s aware of everything in his vicinity. Especially me.

Our gazes collide, and something in me freezes. His eyes remind me of Poseidon’s wrath—stormy, gray, intense—the kind of eyes that draw you in, hold you there, and might not let you go.

Adrenaline surges through me, ratcheting up my pulse. My heart thumping, I blink and take in the rest of him. Intelligent brow. Strong jaw. Wide mouth. Hawkish nose. Black hair brushes a corded neck atop broad shoulders that have no doubt been swinging a sword since before he could walk. Body toned to perfection, skin darkened by a lifetime in the sun, he’s battle-chiseled and hard, the type of man who can cleave an enemy in two with little effort and even less consequence to his conscience.

He keeps staring at me, and a shiver prickles my spine. Is this man my enemy?

There’s no reason to think so, but I didn’t stay alive this long without the help of a healthy dose of paranoia.

Wary, I sit at my table, keeping an eye on him as he weaves a bold path through an array of potions, trinkets, and charms. He’s flanked by four similar men. Their coloring varies, but they all have the same sure look about them, although they pale in comparison to the warlord in both authority and allure. The man with the gray eyes is a born leader, and only an idiot would mistake him for anything else.

He stares for so long that I start to wonder if he can somehow bore through my layers of face paint and unmask me, but I’ve never seen him before, and he can’t possibly know the person underneath. I’m from the north of Fisa, where magic is might. He’s from the south of Sinta, where muscle and cunning decide who lives or dies. Our paths would never have crossed in the past, and warlords don’t usually frequent the circus.

I look away, hoping he’ll do the same. There are plenty of reasons a man stares at a woman. An exotic face and generous figure attract as much attention as a good mystery, if not more, and the warlord’s intense scrutiny feels more appreciative than alarming.

Ignoring the flush now creeping into my cheeks, I smooth the wrinkles from the coarse wool blanket covering my table and arrange my paraphernalia like usual. My glittering, gold-lettered sign advertises Cat the Magnificent—Soothsayer Extraordinaire, even though flashes of the future only come here and there, usually in dreams. Luckily, it only takes a few questions for truths to reveal themselves like flowers opening for the sun. I read people’s body language and glean who they are, what they want, and maybe even what they’re capable of. It’s about knowledge and illusion. I get a copper for it, which is more than a fair deal for me. I won’t peddle futures. I have an idea of my own, and that’s more than enough.

My leg starts a nervous bounce. Prophecies can be interpreted loosely, right?

The audience gasps, and I turn to see what’s happening on the stage. Vasili is throwing knives at his wife. She’s strapped to the flat side of a vertical, rotating wheel, and he’s blindfolded. He’s never hit her, but my heart still comes to a complete standstill every time they perform. Tonight is no exception, and I hold my breath, both riveted and terrified, until he runs out of knives.

The crowd is too caught up in the circus to take advantage of the fair, so I get up again and head to the performers’ gate to watch the end of the show and put some distance between the warlord and me. He’s still looking when he shouldn’t be.

The air coming through the gate is fresher, bringing with it the sound of Cerberus’s chuffing breaths and the scent of sweaty dog. He’s Hades’s pet, so I doubt the heat bothers him. I toss him a wave, and two of his three upper lips curl in a snarl of acknowledgment. One of these days, I’ll get all three, although in eight years I never have. I think his middle head just doesn’t like me.

Finished with his performance, Vasili unstraps his wife while Aetos launches himself onto the stage with a triple flip and lands in a fighter’s crouch that shakes the platform. The solid wood creaks under his colossal weight, and the rapt crowd murmurs in awe. Aetos straightens, pounds his chest, tears the horse pelt off his giant back, and catches fire. His roar shakes the amphitheater. No one can roar like Aetos. I’ve seen him perform hundreds of times, and I still get chills.

Seven and a half feet tall, muscle-bound, and tattooed blue from head to toe with Tarvan tribal swirls, he moves his hands in an impossibly fast dance, weaving fire until he’s encased in a sphere of living flame. He bursts through the crackling barrier with another roar. The explosion blasts the hair away from my face and dries out the inside of my nose. I’m forty feet away but feel like I’m in the furnaces of the Underworld. Fanning myself is useless. I’ll never get used to the southern heat, and with Aetos performing, it’s even worse.

The Sintan Hoi Polloi can barely contain themselves. It’s like doing tricks for children—everything enchants. For them, the circus is a whirlwind of power and impossible magical delights. Everywhere from the hard-packed dirt floor surrounding the fair tables and stage to the high, far reaches of the circular stone seating, people jump up and down, hooting and stomping their feet.

My feet tap along with the crowd’s, my eyes following Aetos around the stage. What a relief to be back in Sinta, even with all the dust and heat. I do whatever I can to stay on the west side of Thalyria. Our recent sojourn in the middle realm of Tarva made my lungs tight and my fingers itch for a knife. I’d probably start jumping at shadows if the circus ever went all the way east to Fisa. Just the thought of my home realm makes my sweat turn cold.

Sinta. Tarva. Fisa. West to east. Here to… Nothing I’m going to think about.

The audience whoops in approval of Aetos’s fiery moves. Hoi Polloi in the amphitheater are ecstatic—and not only with the show. They’ve been celebrating ever since a warlord from the tribal south hacked his way north to Castle Sinta to put his own sister on the throne. You’d think Dionysus had dumped a three-month supply of wine over the entire realm. Temples are overflowing with Sintans offering prayers of gratitude, their holy men overcome with gifts to help clothe and feed the poor. Statues of Athena, who is apparently well loved by the conquering warlord, have been spontaneously erected in towns and villages from here to the Ice Plains in Sinta’s north. Happiness and generosity abound, and I don’t even want to think about how many sheep have been slaughtered for celebratory feasts.

For the first time ever, the magicless majority is in charge, and Hoi Polloi are literally dancing in the streets—but only when they’re not throwing themselves in abject loyalty at the feet of the new royal family. Or so I’ve heard. I haven’t actually seen the new royals, but news spreads fast when there’s something to say. After the warlord and his southern army secured the Sintan throne last spring, his family took weeks just to move north. Not because they’re slow, but because of the sheer number of adoring people in their way.

It’s no secret the northern-born Magoi royals here in Sinta were despots, just like everywhere else in Thalyria. Hoi Polloi know they’re better off with one of their own in charge.

But royals without magic? My cynical snort is lost in the boisterousness of the crowd. It’ll never last.

Want more? Download the first FIVE chapters here.

Author Amanda Bouchet photo credit Richard Beban 2015

Amanda Bouchet grew up in New England where she spent much of her time tromping around in the woods and making up grand adventures in her head. It was inevitable that one day she would start writing them down. 

Drawing on her Greek heritage for the setting and on her love of all things daring and romantic for the rest, her debut trilogy, The Kingmaker Chronicles, took form. She writes what she loves to read: epic exploits, steamy romance, and characters that make you laugh and cry.

Her first novel, A Promise of Fire, won several Romance Writers of America chapter contests, including the Orange Rose Contest and the paranormal category of the prestigious Golden Pen.

A French master’s graduate and former English teacher, Amanda lives in Paris, France. She met her husband while studying abroad, and the family now includes two bilingual children who will soon be correcting her French.

You can follow Amanda on Facebook and Twitter! For updates and exclusives sign-up for Amanda Bouchet’s newsletter. Click here to learn more about A Promise of Fire.

This tour-wide giveaway is for ten (10) print copies of A PROMISE OF FIRE by Amanda Bouchet. The giveaway runs until August 22.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient.

Thank you so much for visiting here today as Amanda makes a stop on her tour. Do you like books dealing with magic and soothsayers? Doesn’t the book cover for A PROMISE OF FIRE just jump out at you?

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Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing {+ Giveaway}

I’m happy today to be taking part in author Terry Spear’s Spotlight Tour for her latest release, BILLIONAIRE IN WOLF’S CLOTHING, the first installment in her new Billionaire Wolf series.

As part of the celebration for this new release, Sourcebooks Casablanca is offering a tour-wide giveaway for 10 print copies of BILLIONAIRE IN WOLF’S CLOTHING. Please see then end of the post for more giveaway details. First, here’s a summary of the new book followed by the first chapter in the book for your reading pleasure.

Title: Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing

Series: Billionaire Wolf, #1

Author: Terry Spear

Pub date: July 5^th, 2016

ISBN: 9781492621898

First in a BRAND NEW SERIES from USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear, queen of shapeshifter romance.

Real estate mogul werewolf Rafe Denali didn’t get where he is in life by being a pushover. When sexy she-wolf Jade Ashton nearly drowns in the surf outside his beach house, he knows better than to bring her into his home and his heart. But there’s something about her that brings out his strongest instincts…

Rafe has good reason to be suspicious. Jade Ashton and her baby son are pawns in an evil wolf’s fatal plan. How can Jade betray the gorgeous man who rescued her? But if she doesn’t, her baby will die, and her own life hangs in the balance…

          To get to the truth, Rafe is going to have to gain Jade’s trust. If he can do that, he just might be her last—and best—hope…

BILLIONAIRE IN WOLF’S CLOTHING is available at the following sites: Amazon, Apple, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Chapters, and Indiebound. 

Here for your reading pleasure.

Chapter 1 

        Jade Ashton had made a lot of mistakes in her life, but returning to her brother’s pack topped the list. She should have known the pack members wouldn’t accept her son, the product of a love affair with a human, despite pretending they were fine with it. She glanced at her three-year-old son, napping on the daybed in her office in her brother’s home where she alternated between sketching new designs for intimate apparel and for a new baby and toddler wear line she had developed when her son was born. 
        Toby had just fallen asleep, looking angelic with his blond curls resting on his cheek, his dark brown eyes closed as he licked his lips. No way would she ever give him up, despite how everyone in her pack viewed him as a grievous error in judgment. 
        She felt a little dizzy, probably because she’d been so busy that she hadn’t had anything to drink in hours. She got up from her chair and headed out the door, practically running into her twin brother moving silently down the hall like a wolf. She fell back and gasped softly when he grabbed her arm to steady her. 
        “We need to talk.” Kenneth started to guide her to the den, his blond hair much darker than hers, his amber eyes focused on her in a way that said he had serious business to discuss. 
        Did he know she intended to leave the pack, again? Or did he want to tell her he didn’t think her being here was working out? “I need to get some water. And we can’t talk long because Toby will be waking in a half hour or so.” 
        “This will just take a minute.” 
        It had better, because she wasn’t going to be drawn into any long-winded discussions with her brother. She hadn’t told him she was leaving first thing in the morning. She wasn’t sure how he’d take it. She had to admit she was afraid he’d try to talk her out of it. But she was determined. 
        Every time he and the others had looked at her son in judgment, she’d been annoyed. Not only that, but she’d caught Kenneth and the others having secret conversations and then abruptly stopping whenever they saw her approaching. The pack members pretended to tolerate her son, but she saw through the facade. They didn’t like her having a human son who couldn’t shift. They believed he could be a danger to the pack. 
        Which was one of the reasons she had left just after her son was born. She had also wanted to save his human father from her brother’s wrath. But raising Toby on her own had been tough. When her brother had promised that the pack members wanted her to live with them and have the backup they could provide, she had agreed. She and her son had left southern Texas far behind, so she figured she’d never run into Toby’s father again. And Kenneth had sounded sincere in wanting to ensure her protection—just like a pack leader should. She wanted to be part of a family again. She didn’t have a lone wolf personality. 
        She didn’t believe Toby would be welcome in any other pack either. 
        Clearly, the members had changed their minds about having her and her son there. Unless they had never wanted her back and it was all her brother’s idea. He was the pack leader, so ultimately, it was his decision—one he was apparently coming to regret. He was just being stubborn, didn’t want to admit he’d made a mistake, and didn’t want to have to tell her to leave. 
        Then again, maybe he realized she was planning to leave. Being twins, they sometimes sensed things like that before they really shared with each other. She hadn’t packed anything yet. She planned to tell him in the morning, before he left for work at his auto body shop. She thought it would be easier on all of them that way. She’d call him when she got settled and let him know where she was staying. It was for the best—for her son, for her, and for Kenneth and the pack. 
        Having detoured from the direction of the den to go to the kitchen so she could get something to drink, Kenneth leaned against the granite counter, his focus on her, his expression still ultra-serious. “I have a job for you.” 
        She raised her brows, then grabbed a glass from the kitchen cabinet. Between raising Toby and running her own businesses, she didn’t have time for a whole lot else. But if this was something quick that she could do this afternoon, she would, to thank Kenneth for taking her in—and then she was through with the pack. 
        “It’s simple. And hell, you might get real lucky.” 
        She snorted, pouring water into the glass and adding crushed ice. “Lucky?” She drank several sips of the water. 
        The front door shut, and she figured Kenneth’s girlfriend, Lizzie, was running out for something. She was a wolf too, which meant they were sleeping together, but he hadn’t decided to mate her yet so they hadn’t gone all the way. If they did, he’d be stuck with her as his mate for life. Jade didn’t know why the she-wolf put up with her brother. If Jade was in a situation like Lizzie’s, she’d tell the wolf that either they mated or she’d look elsewhere. But Jade supposed Lizzie wanted to be a pack leader’s mate and was sticking around in case Kenneth decided she was it. Total beta wolf. 
        “You’re living off me so you can put more money into your apparel business that isn’t making enough to really sustain you and your son. So, I need you to do this job and—” 
        “Like hell my business isn’t making enough money.” She was extremely tight with her money. No fancy food for either of them. No special entertainment. No expensive clothes. Since lupus garous lived so long, she had worked other jobs to help pad her bank account before Toby was born. She wasn’t wealthy, but she got by just fine. As long as she was frugal. “That’s okay. Being here with the pack isn’t working out for Toby and me anyway.” 
        Kenneth’s eyes widened. “You’re not leaving.” 
        “Listen, Kenneth, you know no one wants my son here. And they barely tolerate me. You make Lizzie babysit Toby sometimes when I really need someone to watch him so I can work, but it’s not fair to her. The rest of the pack worries about him. I appreciate all you’ve done for me. I really do.” 
        She shrugged. “But…I know this is the right thing for me to do. And for you and the pack too. I’m leaving tomorrow, and we can get together from time to time…later.” She really didn’t believe that would happen, but she’d make the gesture anyway. 
        “Like I said, I have a job for you.” 
        What part of she was leaving did her brother not get? He was so stubborn! Or did he feel it was his place as pack leader to decide if she was leaving? He hadn’t decided things for her since before she left the pack nearly four years earlier, and she wasn’t going to allow him to start now. 
        Even so, she’d humor him because she was leaving tomorrow, with or without his consent. “What’s the job?” 
        “Do you remember when that doctor was taking blood samples from us last week?” 
        “Yeah, Dr. Aidan Denali. He wanted to take some of Toby’s, and I said no. What of it? He’s not asking to take blood samples from Toby again, is he?” 
        “No, but here’s the thing. I looked into his background, and his brother is Rafe Denali.” 
        “So?” She’d never heard of the guy. Not that she’d heard of Aidan Denali either before she’d met him at Kenneth’s house. Since Toby wasn’t a shifter, there was no reason for Aidan to take blood from him. Though she hadn’t given the doctor that reason since he hadn’t needed to know. 
        “Rafe Denali’s a billionaire. Real estate mogul.” 
        “So?” Her brother was usually much better at getting to the point. 
        “The good doctor told me he’s close to finding a cure for our longevity issues.” 
        “Okay. What has this got to do with me? Or you, for that matter?” 
        “I need you to find out where he’s living. Where he does his research.” 
        “What?” She narrowed her eyes. “Why?” She was getting really bad vibes about this. 
        “His brother is ruthless. Hell, he’s the reason our grandparents lost their manufacturing business.” 
        She closed her gaping mouth. She had never known anything about her grandparents. Since her brother had taken over the pack when their parents died, he’d been the one interested in all things family. She’d been rather a wild card growing up. She’d always known she would never run the pack, so she’d done her own thing. After her son was born, she’d thrown herself into her work and raising him. No room for getting into any further trouble. She was faced with enough already. 
        “Okay, so I don’t get the connection between what happened with our grandparents and what you want me to do. Or why you want to know where the doctor lives.” 
        “Rafe is well-known—” 
        She opened her mouth again to tell Kenneth she had never heard of Rafe, so he couldn’t be that well-known. 
        “—in financial circles. The kind that you don’t belong to. I know where he lives. He and his brother are close, but Aidan lives somewhere else. I want you to befriend Rafe and learn where Aidan lives.” 
        “Why would you want to know that? Besides, I don’t run in billionaires’ circles. You already said so yourself.” 
        “He’s a bachelor wolf. He’s not dating any she-wolves. I’ve checked. If he sees you, and you intrigue him, you can cozy up to him and learn where his brother lives.” 
        “I’m not interested. Besides, didn’t the doctor give you his business card and tell you to contact him if you have any concerns?” 
        “It has his phone number. That’s it.” 
        “Why do you want to know this anyway?” 
        “I told you. Rafe is ruthless. When he gets hold of a cure for our condition, he’ll sell it to only those who can afford it. What if lupus garous begin to age even more rapidly than we are now? What if we don’t just end up with a human’s life span, but our bodies begin to age rapidly to match all the years we’ve already lived? Hell, your boy would lose you, and he’d have no one to raise him. Think about it.” 
        She had thought about it. But she wasn’t one to live with a fatalist viewpoint on life. She hadn’t thought her brother was either. Until now. 
        “If you really want this information, ask Rafe yourself. Or call his brother. You have his phone number.” 
        “As if either would tell me.” 
        “Send Lizzie.” Jade turned to leave, and her brother seized her arm. She rounded on him, yanking her arm away from him, and said, “We’re family, Kenneth, but that doesn’t give you the right to make me do things that go against what I believe in. If the worst-case scenario ever comes to pass, I’m sure wolves can unite and make the brothers see the right in this.” 
        Kenneth folded his arms. “Lizzie isn’t right for the part. She’s not as classy as you.” 
        “Oh, wow, give me a break. I hope you didn’t tell her that.” Jade started heading back to her office, but she hadn’t taken more than a few steps when her brother cleared his throat. 
        “I need you to do this. Whatever it takes. After that, you and your son can be on your way. You really don’t have a choice.” 
        “Nothing would make lying to the Denalis worthwhile, no matter why you want this information. Toby and I will be leaving tonight.” Sooner—once she could get her car packed and Toby ready for the journey. She’d have to plot a course too. Had her brother known about the wolf geneticist before he’d asked her to return to the pack? She whipped around. 
        “How long have you known about Aidan? Is this why you asked me to return to the pack? So I could be your spy?” 
        When Kenneth didn’t deny it, she swore under her breath. “I thought you were concerned about me and my son. Or at least me. Thanks for letting me in on the truth.” Furious with her brother, she stalked off toward the office and had nearly reached the doorway when Kenneth let his breath out in a huff. 
        “You will do this for me, and then you can have your son back.” 
        His words made her stomach fall and her head spin as she rushed into the room. 
        Toby and his soft leopard blanket were gone. All that was left on the daybed was his blue rainbow-colored teddy bear. 
        Lizzie! She must have taken him when Jade heard the front door open. Lizzie was the only one who was close enough to Toby that if she woke him while taking him from his bed, he wouldn’t cry out. He’d settle in her arms and go back to sleep. Kenneth had stalled Jade long enough for Lizzie to gather up Toby and leave. 
        Shocked at what he had done and angrier than she ever thought she could be, Jade hurried out of the room, ready to kill her brother—but only after he told her where her son was. “Where is he, Kenneth? I swear I’ll—” 
        “You’ll do this one thing for me, and he’s yours. And then you can damn well leave the pack. But if you ever cause any trouble for our kind, I’ll kill both of you.” 
        So furious she couldn’t think straight, she beat on her brother’s chest with her fists, cursing at him until he grabbed her wrists and slammed her against the wall. “I’m serious about this, Jade. Do what I say, and your son won’t meet his father’s fate.” 
        “What?” Tears filled her eyes, but she tried to get a grip on her emotions so he wouldn’t see her as weak. Kenneth had promised he would leave Stewart alone if she left the area before he even knew she was pregnant, and she never had anything more to do with him. 
        She felt sucker punched. “Why? You said…” It didn’t matter now. All that mattered was Toby’s safety. “Damn you, Kenneth.” 
        She kneed her brother in the crotch with one good shove as a final comment on how she felt about him taking her son hostage. Kenneth collapsed to his knees, swearing that he’d make her pay if she didn’t do what he said. 
        Maynard Myer—one of the men who worked in Kenneth’s body shop—interrupted them, red-faced. He was a redheaded bulldog of a man who had brazenly shown his contempt for her and Toby when he dropped by the house. She suspected Maynard didn’t want to intrude on this scene, but the news had to be serious enough for him to do so. 
        “What?” Kenneth growled at him, still on his knees on the floor and holding his crotch. 
        “Grayton wants his money now. You’ve got two weeks to pay up or…” Maynard glanced in Jade’s direction. 
        She didn’t know who Grayton was, although the name sounded like he might be a wolf. If he had loaned Kenneth money, and now her brother was in arrears… 
        “What are you involved in, Kenneth?” she asked. “Gambling? The horse races? I’ve got money” 
        “Get out of here, Jade. You want to see your son in one piece, leave and do what I told you to do.” 
        No matter how angry she was, she knew she didn’t have a choice. She had to get her son back before her brother killed him. She grabbed Toby’s rainbow bear and hurried into her room to pack, praying she could pull this off without getting her son killed. If Grayton was threatening her brother, what if he took out Kenneth’s debt on his closest relations? Her and her son? 
        What would the Denalis do if they learned what she was up to?

Author Terry Spear

USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over fifty paranormal and medieval Highland historical romances. In 2008 Heart of the Wolf was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year.

A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears that have found homes all over the world and is raising two Havanese puppies. She lives in Crawford, Texas.

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