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Virgin – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.ilovenovels.com Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:51:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 http://www.ilovenovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Virgin – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.ilovenovels.com 32 32 First Time Rush (Worth The Wait #1) Read Online Dani Wyatt http://www.ilovenovels.com/first-time-rush-worth-the-wait-1-read-online-dani-wyatt Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:51:11 +0000 https://www.ilovenovels.com/first-time-rush-worth-the-wait-1-read-online-dani-wyatt Genre: Alpha Male, Crime, Drama, Erotic, Insta-Love, Novella, Virgin Authors: Dani Wyatt Series: Worth The Wait Series by Dani Wyatt
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Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 34876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)

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Previously published long ago as Where She Belongs. :) This book has been re-edited, largely re-written, additional content added. Now...what you are getting...May is a nineteen-year-old heiress who's never been allowed beyond the gates of her family's estate. But tonight she hops a bus into the city with twelve dollars in her pocket and a plan to get out of her own wedding to a man she's never loved. Her plan is simple, if not wildly flawed…find the first nightclub that's hiring. Then, dance until she's earned enough to get her and her sister new names and a new life.

What she doesn't plan on is Decker. Forty-three, the definition of tall, dark and dangerous. Oh, and he's never touched a woman in his life. By the time May finishes her first sentence, he's absolutely certain he's keeping her. The problem is, May has no idea what her fiancé is actually planning. And it isn't pretty.

Decker is about to discover the darkness that lurks behind the pristine doors of the place that May calls home. And once he does, there is nothing on this earth that's going to take her from him.

Author's The Forever Collection is all virgins, love-at-first-sight over the top fantasy. Fall hard, fall fast, take no prisoners. These are interconnected, following different couples in the series. Best read in order but can be enjoyed as stand alones as well! Get a hot read, hard breeding, happily ever after, no cheating, and an alpha obsessed hero who will paint the streets bloody to keep his girl safe. Step inside. It's steamy

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

1

Decker

Another girl, another firing. That's how my week is going.

"It was just a hand job." Claudia rolls her eyes, and her fake lashes brush her tattooed brows. "That's barely even anything. I didn't even kiss him, for chrissake."

Her eyes dart to the corners of the room as if not looking at me will change the outcome of what’s about to happen.

"You know the rules," I say, fighting the urge to lecture her like a daughter instead of fire her like an employee.

Believe it or not, it hurts me every time I have to do this. I want to help them all, but in the end, they have to want it. I can't do it for them.

"I'm great at hand jobs. I got him off in like twenty seconds." Claudia pouts. "It's almost like shaking someone's hand. Would you fire Allister for shaking hands with one of the clients?"

Allister, my right-hand man, cuts in. "Congratulations on your skill set. And no, it is not like shaking hands. Did you wear a rubber glove?" His voice is always low, but when he's disappointed, it drops to something like a bass drum learning to speak.

He's pissed. He's the one who talked me into hiring her. I told him she wouldn't take it seriously. Looks like I was right. No pleasure in being right about this kind of thing.

I press my middle fingers into my temples. The lights in here drive ball-peen hammers into my skull.

I glance down at the open employee folder on my desk, then scan around the room. The office is all white. Some would say too white. Too cold. Not me.

Neatly stacked pillars of white boxes line one wall, labeled and color-coded by unpacking priority. One of the girls asked me yesterday my favorite color. When I told her ‘white’, she snorted, said that's not a color. I disagree. White is clean, pure, without blemish. My house is the same way, and I've lived there five years.

I haven't had time to make any of it anything else.

I re-focus on the task at hand.

Claudia.

Allister is my GM. And my best friend. Heart of gold inside a body the size of Texas. The stark lights reflect off his bald head as he shakes it, running a hand back and forth over it, staring at Claudia as she inspects her shimmering pink nails.

This is my club. My rules. The girls dance, they don't strip. They wear barely anything to start with, but nothing comes off, and every customer’s hands stay where I can see them.

But in this environment, today it's a hand job, tomorrow a blowjob, next week one of my girls is in the back of some asshole's car with her face bruised. I've seen it. I won't have it.

"So, I'm done?" Claudia juts out her hip and finally settles her vitriol on me. "You're firing me? This is total bullshit. One hand job and one joint, that's all it was. And now you're firing me? I didn't even smoke it here, for chrissake. You can't tell me what I can do on my own time. This place is turning into the damn Westlake Baptist Church."

I hold up her file. "Yep, you're done. You signed the contract. School, no drugs, no drinking, don't touch the customers. You fucked up." I shrug and close the file. "I don't fire people, Claudia. They fire themselves. Get your stuff out of your locker. We'll send you a month's pay to get on your feet. Allister will walk you out. I wish you the best."

I lean back in my chair. My temples are still pounding, and my stomach is eating itself. One a.m. Haven't eaten since noon.

"You can suck my ass!" Claudia gives me one final middle finger before she stalks out the office door, Allister rolling his eyes at me as he walks behind her.

Sixteen years a Marine. Now I own nightclubs. Funny how life turns out. I don't even drink, and strip clubs never did a damn thing for me. But I got out, and the world doesn't have a lot of use for a retired jarhead with no taste for desk work, so this is what I built. Monarch was the first. Four more after that. This one, Monarch V, opened a month ago.

Every girl who walks through my door — and I do mean every one — gets the same offer. Stick to the rules, and I'll cover whatever they need to get out of whatever they're in. Rehab, attorneys, GEDs, college tuition. I've bashed in a few pimps' faces along the way, too, when they came around looking to collect what they thought belonged to them.

Some of my girls are lawyers now. PTA mothers. Social workers. One's a fucking pediatrician. I keep every Christmas card.

The low bass from the floor bleeds through the open office door. I'm usually gone by midnight. Tonight I'm not. Tuesday is tryout night. Girls who want to dance come in, we look, we decide. I usually stick around for it.

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Wedding Contract Read Online Ella Goode http://www.ilovenovels.com/wedding-contract-read-online-ella-goode Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:50:21 +0000 https://www.ilovenovels.com/wedding-contract-read-online-ella-goode Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire, Insta-Love, Novella, Virgin Authors: Ella Goode Advertisement

Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 158(@200wpm)___ 126(@250wpm)___ 105(@300wpm)

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Annabelle has always been an outsider. In school, at work, and even in her own home. Her mother favored her two older sisters. Her father was emotionally absent. Her sisters thought she was an embarassment and so she ran away from home to another state, another city, and hopefully a new life. But without money or a job, Annabelle made a reckless choice.

For one year, she would be the fake wife to a faceless, absent but very rich man. She communciated via notes and emails and felt safe until her sisters showed up demanding a share of the small life Annabelle was beginning to carve for herself.

Tired of running, Annabelle decides to fight back and to her surprise, her fake husband shows up at her side demanding a real relationship. Dare she hope that this pretend life can transform into something real?

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

ANNABELLE

“This is the key fob if you forget the passcode.” The older gentleman hands me a tiny stick that is barely larger than a couple of safety pins glued together. I wonder where the other residents of this high-rise keep their key fobs.

“The home is automated. The living room curtains will open at sunrise and close at sunset. Of course you can change it if you’d like.” The expression the man has on his face tells me that this is not an option I should consider.

“I’m sure it’s fine the way it’s already set.”

He nods in approval.

“The kitchen has an induction stovetop, which means you can only use stainless steel cookery on it, but no one expects you to cook. The Residences have on-call chefs. You can enter your daily food needs here through this device, and your prepared dishes will be brought to you at designated times.” Again, he sends me a sneaking glance, but this time, I disappoint him.

“I actually like cooking and baking. Mister—I mean Wick said that it was okay if I did that.” His exact words were “use anything you want. No one else will be there but you.”

At the time, those words felt like a safety blanket, but as I stand here in this way too big for one person penthouse, I’m having second and third and fourth thoughts.

Mr. Rise, who Wick told me was “the person who acts on my behalf,” frowns slightly but moves on. “You do not need to shop for groceries, take out the trash, or clean the apartment. All of these services are part of living at The Residences. You need only to⁠—”

“Use the app?” I interject.

He nods stiffly.

“Is there a manual? I feel like I’m wasting your time.”

“You are not. Your role is an important one, and so is discretion. If you have any questions about the use of this residence, please call me.” It isn’t a request but an order. He gives me a tight smile. “I’ll take my leave so you can settle in.”

Suddenly I’m nervous to be alone in this space with its expansive windows, high-tech automations, and butlers on demand. I’m not made for this sort of extravagance. I’m a walk up, no elevator, no doorman, cracked sidewalk, discount clothing store kind of person. “If you’re hungry, I could cook something,” I find myself suggesting.

“I had a late lunch.” He transfers his phone to his other hand and reaches into his pocket, producing a ring box.

I grimace at the sight of it even though Wick’s bullet-pointed instructions said, “Rise will have a ring for you. Wear it at all times, even in the shower. You can’t get in the habit of being without it on, so it’s best if you wear it always.”

The ring, like the apartment, is beautiful. It’s a rectangular cut, three-carat, rose-colored diamond with two smaller diamonds set on either side of the center stone. I hope it’s fake, but I’m sure it’s not. When I told Rise I didn’t want a big ring, he said he’d take that under advisement. I wonder what kind of rock I would have gotten if I hadn’t said anything. “It’s not an heirloom, is it?”

“No. It was made for you.”

“Even worse.” I pluck it out from its velvet setting. The ring is heavy. I don’t want to put it on, but Mr. Rise is staring at me. Reluctantly, I slide the gold band over my ring finger. It fits perfectly. As I turn my hand, the light catches it and sends out rose-colored rainbows. It’s lovely, and I would be over the moon if this wasn’t all a big charade.

Having accomplished all that he set out to do, Mr. Rise bows slightly and backs away. “I’m on the second floor, if you need me.”

I rub my arms, partly because The Residences is cold and partly to keep myself from grabbing him and begging him not to leave. But I do not lunge after him, and he does leave, and soon I am by myself.

The apartment is actually beautiful and not at all what I would expect a bachelor pad to look like. It’s colorful for one. The living room has a green rug with a thick cream stripe set in from the edge about a foot. The curtains that frame the windows are a lighter shade of green. The two large sofas facing each other are cream that matches the stripe in the carpet with green piping. On the sofas are pillows, some with floral covers and some with gold and white in varying geometrics: stripes, triangles, polka dots.

The living room leads into a dining room with a circular table in rosewood. The chairs are upholstered in a floral print that matches the pillows in the living room. There’s a giant flower arrangement in the middle of the table that fills the room with a fresh spring scent. The kitchen is a mix of modern and traditional. The inset cabinets are cream on the top and a golden green on the bottom. The hood over the induction stove is a harlequin pattern of white marble and gold trim. Someone decorated this place beautifully. I don’t think it was Wick. Nothing in his terse emails to me spoke of beauty and romance like this apartment does. But as gorgeous as this place is, I don’t think anyone has lived here. I want to ask Wick about it, but we don’t have that kind of relationship. I’m a fake. A fake wife. I have a fake marriage certificate, a fake wedding ring, and, as I stare into the primary bedroom, a fake marital bed.

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Breaking Blaze – Silver Spoon Cowboys Read Online Nichole Rose http://www.ilovenovels.com/breaking-blaze-silver-spoon-cowboys-read-online-nichole-rose Wed, 20 May 2026 17:52:04 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/breaking-blaze-silver-spoon-cowboys-read-online-nichole-rose Genre: Alpha Male, Erotic, Insta-Love, Virgin Authors: Nichole Rose Advertisement

Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24601 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)

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In Silver Spoon Falls, love has a way of working itself out in unexpected ways. But nothing could prepare these rough cowboys for the wild, curvy women coming their way.

To tame their hearts and find forever, they'll fight harder than they ever have. Luckily, the sweat in their veins, the dirt on their boots, and the grit in their bones has taught them everything they need to know to go toe-to-toe with fate and come out unconquered

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

Morgan

I've always considered myself a normal person, but nothing makes you question your own life choices faster than waking up with your hair full of hay and a horse nipping your butt while a donkey watches. Again.

I don't think this is what my foster brothers meant when they were talking about donkey shows that time. But I'm guessing it's pretty close.

"Shoo," I hiss, desperately trying to roll away from the horse.

He makes this noise that sounds like he's huffing at me and inches forward in the stall, far too curious for my good.

I don't even like horses.

"Please, go away," I whisper, cowering in the corner like that's going to save me from the indignity of my life. Spoiler Alert: It probably isn't. Not since I just spent a second night rooming with a giant horse in a barn I don't own on a ranch I also don't own, somewhere on the outskirts of Silver Spoon Falls.

This is what my life has become.

It happens when you've been kicked out and accused of a felony.

For the record, I'm innocent. Also, for the record, my boss knew that when he accused me of stealing over thirty thousand dollars' worth of jewelry from his safe. It's an insurance scheme.

I guess I'm the casualty.

Well, that was Roger Burkett's plan until I bolted. His new live-in maid—me—was supposed to take the fall while he pocketed the payout.

Bunking with a pushy horse with no concept of personal space seemed better than jail.

After waking up like this two mornings in a row, I'm beginning to rethink my choice.

"Please," I groan, not above negotiating with the animal. At this point, I'm willing to beg if he leaves me alone long enough for me to sneak out of here before I get caught. Or eaten.

Do horses eat people?

Knowing my luck, this one probably does.

The horse nudges my thigh with his head, stubbornly refusing to give me even a moment of peace.

I sigh heavily and reach out, tentatively scratching between his ears. He chuffs, stomping one foot.

I startle slightly, but he headbutts me gently and stomps again.

"Oh." I smile despite myself. "I guess that means you like it, huh?"

He chuffs again.

"Sorry I made a bed out of your hay again," I whisper to him. "It was an emergency situation." I gather some of the straw up in my free hand, holding it out to him like an offering. "It's mostly still fresh."

He sniffs at it and then, blessedly, decides the salt lick on the far side of the stall is more appetizing.

I wait until he's thoroughly occupied and then make a run for it. There's no way to open the stall from this side, so I hoist myself up onto the side of his trough and scramble up.

I'm lying across the stall door like it's a surfboard when the donkey decides to criticize my technique.

"Hee-haw!"

"Jesus!" I yelp, tumbling face-first toward the ground.

I land in the dirt with a thud, the wind knocked out of me.

"What the fuck?"

Heavy steps rush toward me, thudding against the dirt. I feel every single one in my soul, turning it to ice. Even after spending the last two nights freezing in a stall, I'm going to jail. I'll never be able to prove my innocence. I'll never get to finish college. I'll never—

Rough hands close around my waist, hauling me upright.

"I promise I won't sleep on your property anymore," I cry, my voice breathless. "Please don't send me to prison."

Calloused fingers curve around my jaw, tilting my head back. I look straight into the strangest, most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen. They're dark around the pupils, but faded denim around the edges.

The rest of him is pretty damn beautiful, too. Not the way models are beautiful, but the way storms are—like they might break you if you aren't careful. His face is a study in contradiction, soft around the eyes, but hard everywhere else. Brown hair falls around his broad shoulders, giving him a wild edge, like a Viking…except not. There's something about him that just screams cowboy, like he was born to wrangle cattle and fight dirty, not pillage and conquer his way across the world.

He's staring at me like he's furious and shocked at the same time, his eyes roving back and forth across my face in a way that saps the moisture from my mouth.

"You slept here last night," he finally says—growls, really, in a voice like thunder.

"I…I…" I could lie, but I think it's already too late for that. I basically confessed before he even asked a single question. "Yes," I whisper miserably. "And the night before. But if you'll let me go, I promise I won't come back."

"You've been out here for two days?"

"Well…no. Just at night."

My answer doesn't seem to make him any happier. If anything, it makes him look even more pissed than he was to begin with.

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Tyre (Redline Kings MC #8) Read Online Fiona Davenport http://www.ilovenovels.com/tyre-redline-kings-mc-8-read-online-fiona-davenport Wed, 20 May 2026 17:51:45 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/tyre-redline-kings-mc-8-read-online-fiona-davenport Genre: Alpha Male, Insta-Love, Novella, Virgin Authors: Fiona Davenport Series: Redline Kings MC Series by Fiona Davenport
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Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40297 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >44

Ares “Tyre” Costa always kept perfect control…until the club’s cool-headed treasurer became obsessed with Cecily Hayes. But the sweet swimming instructor has Olympic dreams that may take her away from Crossbend.

Even with an outside crew trying to steal the Redline Kings’ underground racing territory, Tyre’s real battle was tearing down Cecily’s walls. She was terrified her dreams would force her to walk away, but he’s determined to claim his woman.

Thanks so much for signing up for an ARC of Cage. The book is now live on Amazon, so you're able to post your review there whenever you'd like

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

1

TYRE

My boots hit the concrete as I stepped outside of the clubhouse and walked toward the wrought iron fencing that protected the brand-new pool we’d built on the Redline Kings MC compound. As I stepped through the gate, the low murmur of brothers and their families mingled with the excited squeals of kids splashing in the sparkling water.

It seemed like a long time ago that this compound was all hard edges and grit. Then our president, Kane, met his old lady and life around here and took a drastic turn. Not for the worse, though. There was a kind of domestic joy our club had carved out of blood and sweat, and it always settled something deep inside my chest when I saw it.

Until my eyes landed on her.

I froze mid-step, every muscle going stone hard as my gaze zeroed in on the petite redhead standing at the edge of the pool. My entire world shifted abruptly, narrowed down to the woman wearing a sleek black one-piece swimsuit, her fiery hair tumbling in damp waves around her shoulders. Her skin glistened with water droplets, highlighting the sun-kissed freckles sprinkled across it.

She smiled gently down at Nitro’s—our sergeant at arms’s—daughter, Nella, carefully peeling off floaties from tiny arms. Her movements were easy, as though she'd spent her whole life in the water.

Fuck, she was beyond beautiful. Elegant and strong, every delicate movement a blend of grace and precision.

Her swimsuit hugged her body, the black fabric modest but highlighting curves I had no damn business noticing so intently. It hadn’t taken more than a moment to know this woman was too damn young for me. Yet there I was, unable to look away. Lust roared to life with sudden, relentless ferocity.

My hands fisted at my sides, possessive rage flaring hot and irrational in my gut. Several of my brothers stood nearby in swim trunks, oblivious to everything but fatherhood, laughing with their kids. Their eyes never strayed toward her, but the primal instinct in my blood didn’t give a fuck about logic or reason.

My jaw clenched so tightly it ached, the territorial hunger in me rising sharply as I watched the scene. I had the overwhelming urge to toss every single one of the men into the deep end, married or not. Not because they’d done a damn thing wrong—but because they might.

“Careful, brother.” Jax’s amused voice cut into my thoughts, his sudden presence snapping me out of the haze. “Looking like you’re ready to tear somebody’s throat out.”

“Who the fuck is she?” I grated, not bothering to hide the possessive growl in my tone. “The woman with Nella.”

If anyone knew about her, it would be Jax. The enforcer was a tech genius, and Kane didn’t let anyone within miles of the kids without them being thoroughly checked into. I was positive he’d have done her background check. Plus, Jax’s six-month-old daughter was one of the infants being taught.

Jax’s lips twitched with humor, but he wisely didn’t push too far. “That’s Cecily Hayes. She’s been doing swim lessons for club kids since Kylan was barely old enough to crawl. Grew up here, parents live in Crossbend. Been teaching swimming around here for years, when she was around. She’s an artistic swimmer, serious about the sport, too. Almost made it to the Olympics at the last games. Real sweet girl. Everyone loves her.”

I frowned, wondering how the hell I’d missed her. Though, to be fair, the kid thing wasn’t exactly my area.

“She’s been away a lot for training camps, and then the time she spent living in California to train. She probably wasn’t around often enough for you to notice.”

I shot him an annoyed glance, irritated that he’d basically read my mind. Which did nothing but cause his smirk to widen into a full-blown smile.

“She was too young for you then anyway. I think Lark mentioned that she just turned nineteen.”

My brow furrowed. “Didn’t you say she almost made the Olympics?”

That was damn impressive at only nineteen.

He nodded. “Prodigy.”

Fuck. I was too damn old for her. I would probably be a distraction from her training. And odds were good we had nothing in common.

But none of that logic cooled the raging possessiveness building in my chest. My eyes locked onto Cecily again, watching as she turned, smiling warmly at something Savannah said. Her laughter drifted toward me, the sound hitting me square in the gut like a fucking sledgehammer.

“Fuck it,” I growled under my breath, already stepping forward before my brain had fully caught up.

“Easy there, Romeo.” Jax clamped a hand on my shoulder, effectively stopping me in my tracks. “Kane needs you first. Gonna drag your ass inside before you scare the shit out of Cecily.”

I glared at him, but Jax just shook his head and gestured toward the clubhouse. “Won’t take long. She’ll be here when you’re done. Maybe let the homicidal gleam in your eyes cool down before you introduce yourself, though.”

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Razor’s Woman (Chaos Monsters MC #1) Read Online Sam Crescent http://www.ilovenovels.com/razors-woman-chaos-monsters-mc-1-read-online-sam-crescent Wed, 13 May 2026 18:52:43 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/razors-woman-chaos-monsters-mc-1-read-online-sam-crescent Genre: Alpha Male, Virgin Authors: Sam Crescent Series: Chaos Monsters MC Series by Sam Crescent
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Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >46

She caught her boyfriend cheating—with her best friend.
Razor saw it all … and stepped in.

He’s wanted her from the start, but she belonged to his club brother. Now she’s finally free—and he’s done waiting.
She’s innocent. He’s anything but.
And once he has her, he’s never letting her go.

But in the Chaos Monsters MC … love always comes with a cost

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

“I think this is going to be perfect,” Eden Summers said to her best friend. From the sound of it, Hilary wasn’t really interested in what she had to say. There was a giggle, and Eden knew that meant her friend had company. “I’d better go, and I’ll talk to you later.” She pressed the red button on her cell phone.

Looking around Mac’s room, she couldn’t help but feel the nerves start to spiral. It was kind of surreal to think that tonight, on Valentine’s Day, she was going to lose her virginity. Not that anyone knew she was still a virgin. She’d been able to keep that secret locked up tight. Jumping into bed with a man on the first date was not something she did.

She and Mac had been dating for a year and a half, and yes, it surprised her, but he’d been the perfect gentleman, which considering he was a member of the Chaos Monsters MC, was a miracle.

Chaos Monsters MC didn’t exactly have the nicest reputation around town, even though they owned the only bar, as well as a strip club. The large town of Rivermont Ridge was not without problems. It was once three different towns—River, Mount, and Ridge—that joined names to become Rivermont Ridge.

She didn’t know the gory details, just that she had lived in this town all her life, and she learned to survive. It wasn’t a bad place to live, however, there were times you didn’t want to go outside, like when you heard the sound of roaring bikes.

She’d met Mac at the summer fair a year and a half ago, and they hit it off. At first, she’d been nervous, seeing as he was biker. He was gruff, he cursed, and was just an all-around bad guy. She was aware he had a couple of guns, and she never questioned him when he arrived at her house bloodied or with bruised, busted-up knuckles. Instead, she learned first aid, took a class in it, in fact, without him knowing, so she would be able to patch him up without consulting the Internet.

She and Mac hadn’t had sex. There had been a couple of times that their makeout sessions had gotten intense, but she couldn’t bring herself to go the next step.

He’d been the perfect gentleman. Which is why she knew he was the one, and this Valentine’s Day, she had purchased a lovely red lace negligee, a matching silk thong, and had cleaned his room with the intention of seducing him.

She was excited and nervous. She’d not told Mac she was a virgin. Being twenty-five and a virgin had been the last thing she wanted to talk about. Hilary didn’t even know she was a virgin, and her friend had been with her for many years.

Letting out a breath, she decided to step into the bathroom and check her appearance one last time. She’d curled her long, brown hair. Most of the time with her brown locks, she felt kind of mousy. She looked for internet tutorials on ways to style it, until she got the contract to update the stylist, Kristin Shaw’s, website in town. Kristin had been so happy with the new website design, easy access, as well as booking appointments, which she made so easily, that she now got discounted hair care. She enjoyed going to see Kristin and they’d become good friends.

“You’ve got this, Eden. You’re ready.”

She washed her hands, took a deep breath, and that was when she heard the door open. A smile broke out across her face, and just as she took a step toward the door and heard the words, she immediately dropped it.

“I need my dick inside you so badly.” There was no mistaking Mac’s gruff voice. She’d been listening to him for so long, she loved his voice.

“Yeah, baby, is that what you want? You want your big fat dick in my cunt before you go to your woman’s?”

And her heart shattered. Eden stood in his bathroom, dressed and ready to make love, while Mac had come into his bedroom with Hilary, her supposed best friend.

She moved away from the door, but there was no mistaking the sounds coming from them. They were having sex. The clothes had been thrown to the floor, and Hilary was now begging for it.

“That’s right, fuck me so you’re ready to go and deal with Eden.”

This couldn’t be any more mortifying. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

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Jilted (Savage Alpha Shifters #5) Read Online D.D. Prince http://www.ilovenovels.com/jilted-savage-alpha-shifters-5-read-online-d-d-prince Wed, 13 May 2026 18:52:37 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/jilted-savage-alpha-shifters-5-read-online-d-d-prince Genre: Alpha Male, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Paranormal, Virgin, Witches Authors: D.D. Prince Series: Savage Alpha Shifters Series by D.D. Prince
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Total pages in book: 203
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)

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The highly anticipated Jase and Bailey story is here!

Bailey Blackwood has been in love with her brother's best friend all her life.

But lately the alpha has been a cruel, dismissive jerk. When she finds out he could be in danger on a mission out of town, she decides to follow to help him out as well as close the chapter on her unrequited crush.

Jason Creed knows it’s his turn to identify his fated mate. Little does he know, she’s been under his nose all along.

By the time Jase figures out it’s Bailey, she’s not only done with him, they’re both in danger.

How hard will he need to work to win her over? Is groveling enough to convince her he's worthy of everything she's been saving for him?

Come back to Arcana Falls for Jilted, Savage Alpha Shifters #5, a slow burn, rejected mates wolf shifter romance.

Reading these spicy paranormal, fated mates romances in order is essential.

Series order:

Tyson – Wild
Mason – Twisted
Riley – Wicked
Greyson – Claimed
Jason – Jilted
There's also Sigma, a novella set between Claimed and Jilted.

Stories for Lincoln and Joel are still to come!

Which one will be your ultimate alpha wolf shifter book boyfriend?

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

PROLOGUE

VIVICA YOUNG

My sister Erica answers my call on the second ring.

“Hey, Vivi,” she greets sunnily.

It’s still so, so good to hear this joy in her voice after all she’s been through. Riley is my only brother-in-law so far, but even if he were one of four, I’m pretty sure he’d be my favorite for the miracle worker he is.

“Hey back. So! Coven business and also pack business. Jason Creed. Bailey Blackwood.” I pause for effect, then add, “It’s time. Not getting detailed clarity but what I am getting… we need to seek a way to get her to follow Jase out of town.”

There’s a beat of silence before my sister exclaims, “What?”

“Jason Creed and Bailey Blackwood. It’s–”

“Uh oh. Oh shit! Do you think Jase might be in danger?” she exclaims. “Do you think it has something to do with the Starling artifacts?”

I can’t help but laugh at how animated she’s being. I’d say Bailey Blackwood is in earshot, and this is Erica deciding action – it’s go time!

“I’ll call Dani now,” I tell her. “Get her to take a back seat so Bailey can step in. Safely. Yeah?”

“I mean, can’t we do something?” Erica sounds incensed.

We’ve already talked a little about this. Me, Ronnie, and Jess are trying to avoid getting too emotionally attached to this situation, though it’s not so easy after having spent some time with these folks. And Erica is absolutely invested, which my intuition is telling me could be problematic. She adores Bailey and told me she wanted to intervene days ago, but I asked her to wait until more was revealed to me, so she has managed to hold her urges in check. Most surprising is how invested Dani is, which is unusual for her as she’s probably the most pragmatic of the five of us.

This wolf shifter is hot and he knows it. And on Erica’s birthday, Dani let him charm her a little and when Erica stuck her oar in to put a stop to whatever was brewing between them for Bailey’s sake, I told Dani what I knew, what I hadn’t officially admitted to Erica until yesterday when I told her how to pack what we were sending with Jase. I told her I know Bailey is Jase’s fated mate. But Erica said she’d already guessed the minute she saw them in the same space.

Dani and Jase were just about to lock lips when Erica’s text stopped her and Dani is relieved about that, never ever wanting to be that girl in the way of or causing drama when there’s a serious bond.

“I definitely know how important – how critical – that he gets those artifacts there safely,” she replies. “And then gets home safely, too. What are we gonna do?”

I say, “We could use your help mapping out of some problems associated with all this. Can you come here or should we come there?”

“I’ll run coming to Marblehead past Riley. We’ve been talking about it and now might be the best time to do it,” Erica replies.

“He can’t catch wind of all this, or he’ll likely try to get involved.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“No,” I say carefully, “but that’s blaring in my mind right now so it’s obviously a warning to us.”

Now is the best time for Riley to leave his village while there’s a short reprieve between Arcana Falls council alpha claimings. Though I’m not sure it can be called a reprieve since I’m fairly sure the time for Jason and Bailey will descend while they’re overseas. Though I also know some unknown things will get in the way and strangely I know one of those things is us. This time around, we’re going to have to react on the fly, unfortunately.

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Punished by the Prison Warden Read Online Jenna Rose http://www.ilovenovels.com/punished-read-online-the-prison-warden-read-online-jenna-rose Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:10:15 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/punished-read-online-the-prison-warden-read-online-jenna-rose Genre: Alpha Male, BDSM, Erotic, Forbidden, Novella, Taboo, Virgin Authors: the Prison Warden Read Online Jenna Rose Advertisement

Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 18916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 95(@200wpm)___ 76(@250wpm)___ 63(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 >20

I’m the only woman in a prison full of men. And the warden has his eye on me.

I'm innocent, but no one believes me. Not the judge, not my mother, and definitely not Warden Killian Rew, the most terrifying, gorgeous man I've ever seen.

I’m just a number to him. 5075. He makes me call him sir and obey his every command. One second he’s warm, the next he’s ice cold, tearing my heart in two directions.

But when the other inmates come for me, he saves me. When I'm shaking and broken, he holds me together. And when his cold mask finally cracks, I see what’s underneath.

Obsession. Possession. I belong to him.
I should be afraid of this man. Instead, all I can say yes, sir.

A human-written, instalove romance featuring a dominant alpha warden, a sweet and innocent FMC, age-gap, forced proximity, no cheating, no cliffhangers, just pure escapism, steamy scenes, loving devotion and a guaranteed HEA!

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

1

ALICE

“Alice Clement, I find you guilty of theft, breaking and entering, and destruction of private property and sentence you to one year in prison!”

The judge’s gavel comes down hard, echoing through the courtroom, causing my stomach to sink like the Titanic. Somewhere behind me, I hear my mom’s desperate wail as the tears start to fall.

“I’m innocent! Momma, help me!” I cry out. But it’s too late. Big men in uniforms are already dragging me away, my wrists handcuffed like they’re worried I’m actually dangerous. Me. A five-foot-three girl, barely one hundred pounds. Who am I a danger to?

“You’re no daughter of mine,” my mom hisses, eyes bloodshot as she stands. “I broke my back raising you on my own, and this is how you repay me?”

“Mom, I swear—” But I don’t even have time to finish as I’m hauled out a side door and into a grim corridor. My legs turn to Jell-O, but it doesn’t matter. The guards hold me, dragging me on.

“Don’t try that with us, sweetie. You’re going to prison, and it can be the easy way or the hard way.”

The other man chuckles, his voice like sandpaper. “Sure wouldn’t mind if it was the hard way, am I right?”

This cracks them both up as my pulse goes wild and my heart rattles like a flag in a hurricane.

How did this happen? I’m the world’s best-behaved girl. I’m eighteen and have never been suspended, never had detention. I’ve never even been late to school. And yet suddenly, I’m a criminal.

It all started three weeks ago when Jamie, the lady who runs the nail salon where I work—well, worked—came rushing out of the back office, screaming at the staff that cash had been taken from her safe. I didn’t even know she had a safe, but she instantly accused me because I ‘looked guilty’ and was the new girl.

Nothing I said could convince her otherwise. She never liked me. Even tried to accuse me of being late when I was on time. Before I could even defend myself, she called the police and I was arrested and booked.

Mom and I couldn’t afford a lawyer, so one was appointed by the state—one who could not have cared less about me. I swear, six months in law school and I could have given myself a better defense.

Now here I am, on the verge of a full-blown panic attack, as two double doors open in front of me, revealing a white prison van.

“No, please!” I cry out, squirming against the impossibly tight grip of my captors. “I didn’t do anything!”

“Shut up,” one of them barks as I’m hurtled into the back of the van. My vision blurs and my head spins as I’m chained to the wall and the doors slam shut behind me.

The engine roars and the van leaps forward, sending my head slamming into the wall. I cry out in pain and pray for a miracle. But it doesn’t look like I’ll be getting one.

The ride to the prison feels fast, but I have no way of judging time back here. No phone, no watch, no human contact. Just me, a pair of handcuffs, and a chain.

Just as I’m starting to drift off, the doors open and the same two men snatch me up like a fresh new delivery and carry me out with the same lack of care. Somehow, I manage to look up and see a sign over the door that reads: Last Rites Penitentiary.

“You’ll love it here, sweetie,” one guard chuckles. “The only girl. You’ll have the pick of the litter.”

Adrenaline rakes through me. “W-what do you mean, only girl?”

The other guard smirks down at me, his lips dry and cracked. “Oh, they didn’t tell you? Until last month, this was an all-male facility.”

A sense of doom crashes into my stomach, weighing me down as I stare up at the stained brick walls, the fences ringed with razor wire, and the armed guards at regular intervals.

All this for petty theft? Petty theft I didn’t even commit?

“How many men?” I ask, my voice no more than a breath.

“Five thousand and seventy-four.”

I swallow hard, fighting the urge to vomit. A shiver courses through me as the gates open and I’m pulled inside. I want to kick and scream, fight for dear life against this terrible sentence being thrust upon me, but what good would it do?

All the energy has been drained from me, and I’m nothing compared to the men at my sides. They could lift me over their heads with one arm just for a laugh.

They think I’m some kind of floozy, when in reality, I’m closer to a nun than a regular girl my age. I’ve never had a boyfriend. Never even been on a date—Mom made sure of that. Then again, none of the boys at my high school were interested in me anyway.

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Meet Cute the Hitman Read Online Lucy Darling http://www.ilovenovels.com/meet-cute-the-hitman-read-online-lucy-darling Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:10:06 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/meet-cute-the-hitman-read-online-lucy-darling Genre: Alpha Male, Insta-Love, Novella, Virgin Authors: Lucy Darling Advertisement

Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 52887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >57

What happens when a recluse heiress hops into the wrong car that belongs to the hitman that's been searching for her? Glitter, tiaras and bullets fly.

Killian's whole hitman life is spun into chaos when a quirky, innocent heiress with a head full of rainbows and unicorns hops into his car, mistaking him for her driver. He was sent to find her, and she fell right into his lap wielding a lightsaber and wearing a crown of real jewels. She has a knack for doing that. New mission: keep the girl alive and kill anyone who tries to dampen the sunshine she gives the world. She is, after all, his Zolotse.

Teddy has luck on her side when all her planned sneaky adventures start to crumble away. The luck comes in the form of a sexy Russian tatted driver that is three times her size. He may appear intimidating, but he's the sweetest man she's ever met. When her flight gets cancelled, Killian is there to save the day! He has a knack for that. How lucky can one girl get? New mission: have the adventure of a lifetime with the most handsome man she has ever met. He is, after all, her sweetheart.

"Meet-Cute the Hitman" weaves humor and heart in a story where love and danger collide, leaving readers wondering if love can truly conquer all

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

TEDDY

Iimpatiently wait for my best friend to come online. Okay, she might be my only friend under the age of sixty, but that’s beside the point. This is the one time of day she can always be online. The man who keeps her trapped is going out for a few hours. He has the same routine every day. Where he goes, we don’t have a clue, but one day, I’ll figure it out. It is my new mission, my first really, but you gotta start somewhere.

I perk up when I see the little green light flick on, telling me that she's online. Quickly I put my headphones on and make sure that I’m connected. Roland sets a Shirley Temple down next to me with extra cherries. My absolute favorite, but he says I call everything my favorite.

What? Can't a girl love a lot of things?

"Do you need anything else?" he asks.

I hadn't even asked for the drink, but I swear Roland can read my mind at times. He's been in my life since before I could really remember, having worked for my grandmother for decades. I suppose now he works for me, but it's strange to think that. Also sad at times because it’s a reminder that I’m on my own now. Roland is the closest thing to family I have left.

"I'm good, but thank you," I tell him.

Roland gives a stiff nod before turning to leave. He lives on the estate, and we never have guests except for staff, but still he insists on wearing that butler suit outfit thingy. It appears too stuffy to me, but I’m not the one who has to wear it.

I should zip it on the topic. I'm not one to talk. I never go anywhere, but every day I get up and get ready like I'm going to a tea party. It’s a habit I formed with my grandma, and now I love it. Just like my Shirley Temple. I take a giant sip of it.

"I'm here." Lily's voice comes through the headphones. "He lingered today." I know the he she’s speaking of is her guardian, Tristan.

"What do you mean?" I ask in a low whisper. "Is he on to us?"

"I don't believe so. He mentioned a trip he has to go on for work."

"Really?" That might actually be rather helpful for us.

Tristan does travel often for work. At least that's what he tells Lily. She checked his calendar one day when she snuck into his office but didn't see any trips scheduled. We wanted to line up our secret plan with one of them, but nothing had been on the calendar in the following months. That was actually more abnormal than anything.

"He said it was last minute, and he'll give me more details later, but I think we're still good to go."

I puff out a breath. "Either way, I can hang around until we can strike."

"Strike?" Lily laughs. Strike her up an escape plan.

Lily can never go anywhere without a bodyguard. Tristan believes danger is around every corner. He takes her care to a whole other level. It’s truly insane.

Tristan had taken over as Lily’s guardian a few years back when her parents died. She came home for the funeral, having been away at school. Lily is always away, or she was when she was still in school.

It's how we met. Years ago, we both participated in a summer program and maintained constant contact. I hated the program. It was about etiquette. It was to train you for high society. My grandmother was more trying to get me out of the house. I'd been excited at first, but it ended up the same as school had, an awful experience that I never wanted to repeat.

I was always the target for bullying. School was miserable, and it also took almost an hour to get to, which is why Grandma had taken me out and hired tutors. When I'd gone to the summer program, it was more of the same until Lily stepped in. She wouldn't let anyone pick on me. Lily might be tiny, but she's got the mouth of a sailor and the audacity of a man. That’s what Grams would say when she’d hear her over my headphones.

This time it's my turn to save her from being locked away in the gilded tower Tristan has put her in. Sure, it's not a total jail, but there isn't much of an option for her, and honestly, Lily believes if she does push back, Tristan would put a lock on it. That's why it's better we just go ahead with our plan and then deal with the fallout. Then she will be back here with me.

Lily might live in the elite society world, but she doesn’t have access to money. That’s where I come in. Apparently, I’m loaded. When my grandma passed away a few months ago, I was left with everything. Though I’d give it all back to have her instead.

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Step-Kink (Wanting What’s Wrong #11) Read Online Dani Wyatt http://www.ilovenovels.com/step-kink-wanting-whats-wrong-11-read-online-dani-wyatt Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:10:04 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/step-kink-wanting-whats-wrong-11-read-online-dani-wyatt Genre: Alpha Male, BDSM, Erotic, Forbidden, Taboo, Virgin Authors: Dani Wyatt Series: Wanting What's Wrong Series by Dani Wyatt
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Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >38

He has the face of my father, but his hands are all his.
Rye McAllister is my dad's twin brother. He took me to my first thrift store, named a bonsai tree after me, and was always there at Sunday brunch.

Now Dad's in rehab, Mom’s a mess, I have the tryout of a lifetime coming up, and Rye's sleeping down the hall as my stand-in father figure.

And I am not okay.

When my friends drag me to a bachelorette weekend, I’m expecting chocolate dildos and too much tequila, not a private kink club for Truth or Dare night. And, because God hates me specifically, guess who’s there? Uncle Rye.

Things go from awkward to holy sh*t when he slaps a collar on my neck and takes all my dares for himself.
So, what do I do? I bolt. Because I’m the good girl that holds the family together by being, well… perfect.
The McAllister Clan is coming apart. But will love be enough to put the pieces back together?

Author's This filthy little bachelorette-gone-wrong features a 6'5" step-uncle with his twin brother's face and an obsession with a sweet, tiny dancer that is 100% off limits. Safe, no cheating, with a hero who tracks her iPhone like a love language. He looks like her dad, but being her Daddy is what he was born for

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

Elodie

How am I going to spend two weeks in the same house with the man I can't stop thinking about? A man who, incidentally, looks exactly like my father?

It's just so wrong.

Here I am, scrolling through my phone, looking at pictures of my Uncle Rye, while my mother packs her bag to go visit my father across the country in rehab.

A little bead of sweat trickles down my chest, making me shiver as April sun streams through the kitchen window.

"Rye will be here tonight,” she says as she fidgets with the tag on her Coach bag making sure the logo is clearly visible. “Most people can't tell the difference between him and your father. He'll come and go, just like your dad does. He'll drive the minivan. Just don't let any of the neighbors get too nosy, and don't mention what's going on to anyone. Elodie, are you listening?"

Blood rushes to my face, and I turn my phone face down on the granite island.

“I’m listening,” I say, receiving a doubtful frown in response. “Uncle Rye will be pretending to be Dad. Got it.”

“Perhaps you should call him Dad at all times while he’s here. What do they call it, method acting?”

I nod ignoring the rush of dampness that seeps from my body thinking of sleeping a wall away from my uncle for two weeks. “Got it. I’ll call him Dad.”

I bet Dad fucks like a beast.

All that calm control has to have an outlet right? God, I wonder if he will be jerking off while he’s here? The vision has my feminine parts clenching. My nipples are achy and sensitive and my clit is ten kinds of demanding right now.

Rye could melt most frigid women’s resolve into a steaming puddle of wanton desire with those spooky greenish gold eyes of his and the way he moves through life with a confidence that makes you want to put him between you and all the terrible things in the world. I tell myself it’s just infatuation build on the quiet attention he’s given me since I was five years old.

But, every time I see him, it’s like the air disappears. I want to reach down and rub away the tension he creates between my legs.

I know nothing of men in that way really except what Anna and Jeremy my besties from grade school tell me. But there are things built into our DNA we cannot control. Desire and want. God, so much want.

My mother offers a thin smile and I return one in my practiced, polished perfect daughter manner.

Image is everything to my mother. She won Miss Michigan, after all, and her own mother was first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant, 1952, or whatever year it was.

“No fast food,” she says checking her lipstick in the glassy front of the wall oven. “I mean it, Elodie, don’t let Rye lead you astray. You’re doing so well on this diet, I don’t want to lose our progress. Remember that Sophia said their only doubt about you is that you’ve…filled out a bit more than is normally acceptable for a principal dancer.”

I click my molars together on another forced smile. “Got it. No fast food. I promise.”

She turns to open a cupboard and take yet another count of the diet shakes stacked in there, and I take the opportunity for another peek at my phone.

I tap on my photo files, then another tap to the hidden file I keep.

The latest snapshot of Uncle Rye pops up first from last month's performance of Swan Lake, where he brought me five dozen white roses. The picture is him standing next to me as I struggle to hold up what felt like fifty pounds of floral bliss.

“You have enough Opti-Cal to last two weeks. Weigh in when you first get up after you pee, then again right before bed. The app will log it and I’ll check it while I’m gone. Remember, accountability keeps us honest. God help me, if that man ruins all the work we’ve done—”

"Everything will be okay, Mom. Just take care of Dad."

Two years ago, I put on five pounds during spring break, and I’ve been paying for it ever since. Mom blames Uncle Rye because he insisted that I could share his Chinese take-out when he came to visit, just a few weeks before my sixteenth birthday. He ordered enough for six, and I pigged out but I also took on an extra two hour practice every day because there was no school, so I’m not sure if the five pounds was from the fried rice, or just a little water weight from an overload of msg and sodium.

I’m six pounds lighter than I was then and Mom is happier with things this way.

And honestly? When Mom’s happy, my life is a heck of a lot easier.

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Wicked Rider (Bad Boy High #2) Read Online Ella Goode http://www.ilovenovels.com/wicked-rider-bad-boy-high-2-read-online-ella-goode Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:09:09 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/wicked-rider-bad-boy-high-2-read-online-ella-goode Genre: Alpha Male, Erotic, Virgin Authors: Ella Goode Series: Bad Boy High Series by Ella Goode
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Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >60

Josie

The high school news beat is usually about cheating, both on tests and on people. Recently, all that’s changed. Missing boys, thrown basketball games, a body. I might be in over my head with a murder investigation but this new guy with shady connections wants to help. My dad wouldn’t like him. He doesn’t fit in with my future plans but I can’t stop thinking about him. And honestly, with Bam at my back, I feel like I can do anything.

Bam

I’ve got no family and no future. Joining a gang was a natural move for someone like me. I take each day on its own, happy I’m still alive. Meeting Josie tilts my world. I’m starting to think tomorrow might be just as important as today so long as Josie’s in it. She ventures into places I don’t think are safe, but her light’s so bright I can’t hold her back. All I know is that if she lets me, I’ll watch her back forever

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

BAM

Icatch my breath as Niki, my partner in crime, rolls over the inert body with his shoe.

“That’s Cole.”

Niki tilts his shaved head in my direction. “You know this guy?”

“I recognize him. He was in Josie’s book.”

“Josie who?”

My buddy isn’t slow. He just doesn’t have room in his head for anyone who is not his girlfriend, Andy, or his family. He’s especially not going to remember another girl, which is fine by me. Other people perceiving Josie is irritating. Not that she should be hidden indoors all the time, but it would be nice if other people—guys in particular—would keep their peepers to themselves.

“From Andy’s school. The junior reporter girl.”

“Don’t remember her or her book. She’s a writer?”

“She’s put together a notebook of stuff about different guys going missing. This is one of them.” I squat down next to Niki and pull the collar of the dead boy’s flannel shirt away from his neck to expose the bruise marks. Someone strangled him with their hands. “He played basketball. Went missing about four weeks ago.”

“Body’s pretty fresh for someone who has been missing a month.” Niki straightens and glances around the dilapidated warehouse. It’s mostly empty. Whatever machinery this place once held was scavenged for parts years ago. The floorboards are cracked, and vines and weeds are sprouting in the crevices. If the gerbil, the marks we have to collect payment from, hadn’t told us about the kid, he might have decomposed before anyone found him.

Niki and I are the muscle in community collective, as our fearless leader Carter calls it. The alliteration is catchy but dumb. We’re a gang, and Niki and I enforce the rules. Today, we were out collecting dues owed for services rendered. That’s another Carter phrase. Essentially, we’re bill collectors. When we arrived at the door of our debt owing gerbil, he offered to show us a dead body in lieu of the five big ones he owed Carter.

“Let me take a few photos and then we can jet.” I pull out my phone before my partner responds. He walks over to the entrance and speaks in a low voice to the gerbil who led us here.

“You let him off?” I ask.

Niki shrugs. “Information is currency too.”

“I would’ve done the same.”

“I know.”

And that’s why we’re partners and have been for three years now since we joined the Riders. Technically, I suppose it’s only been two years since we were tatted and pinned. The tattoo is the public sign of our allegiance to the gang. Pinning is the private ceremony where you fight the existing crew, and if you are still standing at the end, they pound a pin into your bleeding and bruised chest. Initiation into the Riders gang isn’t easy, but since most of us spend our time chasing people and fighting them when we catch them, it makes sense to test our endurance and strength.

A few weeks ago, I thought Niki might leave the Riders. He’d fallen for a girl and thought, at the time, that the Riders would be too dangerous for her, but in the end, he came to the conclusion that hhaving someone to help watch his back—someone like me—made everyone safer.

It’s not like I was going to fall to my knees if I had to break in a new partner, but it’s nice that he’s still around.

“Need me to read to Julie tonight?” I offer. He doesn’t get a lot of alone time with his girl, so sometimes I pitch in and read to his baby sister. It’s not like I’ve got anything going on, what with being on my own for as long as I can remember.

“Not unless you want to get murdered. Andy’s been reading a dragon story to Julie. Temmy something. Can’t remember the name exactly, but anyway, if you interfere with that, Julie will stab you with a fork.”

“Appreciate you looking out for me.”

He bumps my fist and peels off in the direction of his new place where he lives with his mom, his sister, and now Andy.

My choices are to go hang out at the laundromat, the place the Riders call home base, which these days is emptier than a tomb after Easter, or my apartment, which is also very empty.

I’m a guy, so I shouldn’t need company, but my feet don’t want to move in the direction of my place. Ten minutes later, I find myself outside of a small café near the school. Because I know things about people, because it’s my business to know where they live, where they hang out, the sight of a curly-haired head bent over a book isn’t a surprise.

I’m here, I tell myself, to give Josie an update because she deserves it, not because I’ve been thinking about her for days, not because I see her when I close my eyes at night, not because my apartment feels like a tomb that isn’t going to have any Easter surprise.

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