Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.
With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.
Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.
With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.
His cool stare held me captive, eyes inches from mine. “Is your father going to be a problem?”
My lips parted in surprise.
I’d expected innuendo and manipulation. Such a direct line of questioning hit at the very heart of my worries and unsteadied me.
I shook my head and tried to dart beneath his arm. Conner wedged his body in front of the door, blocking my path completely and bringing us chest to chest. I sucked in a shock of air, then narrowed my eyes defensively.
He wasn’t remotely unsettled by my display of irritation. If anything, his intensity only darkened further in the dimly lit basement hallway—a villainous storm threatening to crumble me to my foundations.
“Protective is one thing. I get the sense this is more, and I think I ought to know if it’s going to be a problem.” His eyes narrowed a fraction, the difference between tension and savage ferocity in one tiny twitch of a muscle. “He ever hurt you?” The words were deadly calm.
Oh God. Why was he doing this?
He needed to stop asking questions, and I needed to stop thinking his questions meant he cared. This was all probably about control and power, not me. I had to shut it down. Now. The best way to accomplish that was not to look like a scared little girl.
Taking a small step back, I opened my clutch and pulled out a pen, then took his hand in mine, palm up. It’s so much wider than I expected. Rough and solid muscle. Hands that knew hard work, like squeezing the life out of an enemy.
I mentally scolded myself to focus and wrote two letters across the full surface of his palm.
NO.
Releasing him, I peered up in challenge. Conner stepped forward, placing his leg between my thighs and swiveling us until my back was against the wall next to the door. I didn’t squirm or respond, knowing I couldn’t show doubt or weakness if I was going to shut down his questions.
“Not so fragile as they implied, are you?” he purred above me.
I took his tie in my hand, pulling him slowly lower until our noses almost touched, and shook my head slowly side to side. His hands came to rest on either side of my head as he brought his cheek to mine, his hint of stubble creating a delicious friction against my skin.
“Good, because I’m not remotely gentle.” The words were a black promise, raw and demanding and utterly intoxicating.
Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.
With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.
Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.
With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.
“You came back,” she said in a breathy voice between sips, eyes peering up at me through her lashes. Her cheeks were flushed from the exercise, and I imagined how the rest of her body would color with the proper stimulation.“There’s no place I’d rather be.”“That makes one of us.”“Come on—it’s not so bad.”Her eyes leisurely strolled down my torso. “Not so bad today as it was yesterday.”“It’s good to see your attitude has changed.” My lips spread wide in an amused grin. “A couple of hours ago, you were ready to slit my throat.” I knew what she was doing with her sultry flirting, and I was more than happy to play along.“After I had time to cool down, I realized what you said was true. We did get off on the wrong foot. If you’re going to stay here with me, there’s no reason we can’t be … pleasant.” She inched around the counter, closer to where I leaned against the wall, her eyes never leaving mine.“Your change in outlook wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with me getting you out of here, would it?” My voice was a low rumble as her hand reached up and gently ghosted down the planes of my chest.“Of course, it does,” she admitted. “I know you’re not an idiot, but I also know being ugly to you isn’t going to improve my chances. Believe it or not, I can be rather reasonable.”I lifted my hand to a strand of her hair that had fallen across her eyes and placed it back where it belonged, intentionally swiping my fingers across her forehead. I wanted to touch her. Needed to feel the silky softness of her skin.“I hope you understand, it’s hard to believe someone who is well known for their tricks and manipulation.”For a split second, hurt flashed in her unguarded expression before her confident façade was back in place. It had been so seemingly genuine, I almost believed it.The woman was good.Very good.“I doubt there’s anything I can say to change your opinion of me, and I understand that. What I’m asking of you is to consider that it might be possible for us to work together toward a common goal.” This time, her hands traced the width of my shoulders as if straightening nonexistent wrinkles, then slid along the contours of my arms.The sensation of her touch aroused a surprisingly strong urge to flip our positions and press my body against hers. I wanted to cage her against the wall where I could taste and savor her. I shook away the image, knowing better than to get caught up in someone like Morgan.“And what, pray tell, could we possibly have in common?” I asked wryly. She had my attention—I would give her that. I couldn’t fathom what might align me to her cause.Her teeth grazed across her full bottom lip as she peered up at me.“The cauldron not only restores life, it restores health, heals the sick and injured—it could give you back your memories,” she whispered.
Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.
I went to refill my hand with water and accidentally tipped the bottle more than was needed, splashing myself with the contents. I yipped and jerked back as if I could escape my own hands, and Fen barked out a laugh.The sound was beyond incredible. A laugh from him felt like liquid sunshine raining down from the sky, warming every inch of me.Wanting to keep the playful mood going, I grinned at him. “You thought that was funny, did you?” I raised a brow and pursed my lips together before sloshing the water bottle in his direction and sending a spray of water across his chest.I was to a point where I was infinitely more comfortable around Fen, but we hadn’t known each other all that long. For a split second, time came to a stop, and I questioned if I had overstepped my bounds. That was until he tucked his chin with a devious grin and sprang in my direction.I dropped the bottle and bolted with a shriek.“It was an accident! A hand spasm!” I hollered behind me as I tore back down the path.“Cat, why do I not believe you?” Right on my tail, Fen grabbed for my hand. My momentum swung around to bring me flush against his chest, his hands binding mine snuggly at my back.With heavy breaths, our gazes locked, and the world around us melted away.His heated stare dropped down to my parted lips.Desire like I’ve never experienced snaked and coiled its way from my center to every tiny nerve ending until my body was alight with sensation. Adjusting to this foreign ache inside me, my back arched, pressing me further against his hard chest.Fen’s every muscle was rigid with restraint, but when I arched and wriggled, the last thread of his control snapped. His hands clutched me tighter, one finding its way into my curls. He angled my head to give him access to my neck. Only the weakest puffs of air managed to pass through my constricted lungs as his lips lowered to the delicate skin of my throat.“It has been … so long, Cat. So long since I have touched a woman.” His words ghosted across my skin. “I only have so much restraint within me.”I licked my now parched lips, straining to think through my lusty haze. “Is there a reason to restrain yourself?”He pulled back, his eyes tracking mine, almost pleadingly. “There is every reason, yet none seem sufficient.”I couldn’t help myself.I didn’t care why he seemed to be begging me to stop him. I needed his lips on mine like I needed my next breath. I wanted Fen to be the very air I breathed.Tossing aside his wordless plea, I lifted onto my toes and brought our lips together in a tentative kiss. Fenodree held perfectly still, chiseled in stone. I began to question if he’d respond to my advance until I made one last effort and trailed my tongue along his full bottom lip, desperate to taste him.The contact drew forth a savage groan from deep in his chest before his lips crashed down on mine.I’d never felt more desired in my entire life. Not just desired. Owned.As though my body was his to command in a way I’d never known was possible. Invisible strings bound us together, tightly woven and impossible to ignore. Even our hearts pounded with the same punishing rhythm.
Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.
“Look,” I said more softly. “This shouldn’t be so hard. You and me … we’re like gasoline and an open flame. I really appreciate what you did earlier today, but maybe it’s best if Lochlan finds someone else to work with me.”Casek infiltrated my personal space, a roaring inferno of pissed off energy looming over me. “I told you once, and I won’t say it again. Don’t you fucking go near any of my brothers.”“You said you didn’t want me to feed from them. That’s not the same as training,” I argued.“The hell it isn’t.”I stomped my foot, so frustrated I was seconds from devolving into a childish tantrum. “You are freaking impossible.” Why limit who I could work with if he was just going to avoid me and make things difficult? Was this some kind of twisted game to him?Casek’s hand clamped around my neck, his fingers at the back and thumb lifting my chin to bring my gaze to his. “I’m not impossible. I’ve lost my fucking mind, and it’s your goddamn fault.”He stared so intently into my eyes that I swore he could see down to the very depths of my soul. While we waged a silent battle, his lips mouthed silent words, and heat seared the back of my neck. I yanked away from him when the feeling tinged on painful, unsure what had happened.Panic engulfed me.Had my magic responded to him? Was it trying to infiltrate his memories again? Why had it hurt so much?I placed my hand over the heated skin and peered at him warily. “What was that?”He only lifted his chin defiantly, making me reconsider my assumptions.Why the fuck did he look so smug?I rushed to the gym mirror and lifted my hair but was unable to see the back of my neck. “What the hell did you do?”“I solved a problem—looking out for myself, remember?”I grabbed my phone and took a photo of the back of my neck. When I saw what he’d done, words escaped me. My lips parted with wordless huffs of breath. “You … you…” I brought my incredulous stare back to him. “You fucking marked me?”What looked like a letter in a foreign alphabet was now scrolled in black on the back of my neck. I was speechless. Bewildered and mystified. What could have possibly possessed him to do such a thing?“Essentially,” he said casually. “Now there’s no confusion.”Was he serious? I was nothing but a blurry swarm of confusion.“No confusion about what?” I gaped.His answering smirk was dipped in venomous delight.
Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.
Tell me, Rebecca, are you looking for answers or an escape?”Both, is that so shameful? Who wouldn’t want to escape such a dangerous situation?“I’m keeping myself alive,” I quipped, irritated at his insinuation.“If that’s the case, you’re not doing a very good job.” His eyes lifted to indicate my presence out on the dark street.“Are you saying you’re a threat to my safety?”“That’s what you want to believe, isn’t it?”“It’s not a matter of want. I’m trying to be cautious, but obviously, I trusted you enough to come out here.” My voice trailed off with the reluctant admission.Lochlan slowly pulled back, and my body shuddered at the loss. “If you’re being cautious, then you won’t pretend Ronan is something he’s not. His past is far uglier than you could imagine.” He turned to start walking away when I called after him.“Funny, he gave me the same warning about you.”He glanced over his shoulder with a look as sharp as a razor’s edge. “For once, he isn’t wrong.” As his figure retreated, his booted feet didn’t make a single sound on the glistening pavement.
Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.
Zeno De Rossi is arrogant and callous. Nothing like the boy I grew up with.
He’s poised to take over the most powerful mafia family in New York.
To him, I’m nothing but the daughter of a soldier—a member of the staff at his grand estate…
Until his estranged brother comes home and shows an interest in me.
Now, I’m trapped in a dangerous dance between two men who hate one another.
Both have secrets.
Neither is safe.
They won’t quit until they destroy one another, and I have become their weapon of choice.
This is the familiar story of a second daughter, her struggling family, and the wealthy men who can change their fortunes forever; however, you will find no gentlemen on these pages, nor tittering debutants. In this dark retelling of a Jane Austen classic, our elusive hero is a mafia king, ruthless and calculating; and our heroine is a headstrong modern woman born and raised in the servant’s quarters of his estate. Complete with romance, heartbreak, violence, manipulation, and mind-blowing twists, this edgy retelling is perfect for Austen fans who like the darker side of Darcy.
“This is where you tell me it’s fine. No need to worry,” I tease with an uneasy smile, giving into the pressure to fill the silence.
“And what if it’s not fine?” he finally asks, his voice coarse as volcanic stone. Affected and raw. “What if none of it’s fine—your anger at me or your prolonged stay at Hardwick?”
I’m so stunned by his words that I nearly spill my glass of wine as I lower it to the table next to me. “I’d ask for an explanation.” I can’t fathom why my presence would be so damn upsetting to him.
“And if I refuse?” He steps closer so that I have to crane my neck to keep my eyes on his.
I don’t understand this game he’s playing, but I won’t let him win either. “Then I’d say you’re the one with a problem.”
His hands are so fast, he’s spun me around to face the wall behind me before I know what’s happened. He keeps his strong fingers firm around my waist, holding me in place when his mouth lowers to my ear. “What if I make it your problem as well? I see the way you look at me, Luisa. I’m not the only one who’s torn.”
I place my hands on the wall to ground myself. His grip assures he won’t let me fall, but the world suddenly tilts on its axis. “I wouldn’t be torn if you wouldn’t be such an ass.” My words are breathy, more so than I’d like, but his nearness has made my entire system unsteady.
I have no idea where any of this is coming from.
Why, after so many years of stilted encounters, is he changing the rules?
“I wouldn’t have to be an ass if you weren’t so fucking beautiful.” He spits the words with savage hostility. An admission ripped from deep within him against his will. “This … this is what you do to me.” His right hand snakes farther around toward my belly, his palm pressing flat against me and tugging me flush against his rigid frame.
The length of his impossibly hard cock molds itself into the soft flesh of my backside. Words escape me. My lungs no longer expand and contract in a proper rhythm. Every ounce of blood in my body rushes to my core for a mindless moment.
Award-winning author of contemporary and fantasy romance. With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.
Zeno De Rossi is arrogant and callous. Nothing like the boy I grew up with.He’s poised to take over the most powerful mafia family in New York.To him, I’m nothing but the daughter of a soldier—a member of the staff at his grand estate…Until his estranged brother comes home and shows an interest in me.Now, I’m trapped in a dangerous dance between two men who hate one another.Both have secrets.Neither is safe.They won’t quit until they destroy one another, and I have become their weapon of choice.This is the familiar story of a second daughter, her struggling family, and the wealthy men who can change their fortunes forever; however, you will find no gentlemen on these pages, nor tittering debutants. In this dark retelling of a Jane Austen classic, our elusive hero is a mafia king, ruthless and calculating; and our heroine is a headstrong modern woman born and raised in the servant’s quarters of his estate. Complete with romance, heartbreak, violence, manipulation, and mind-blowing twists, this edgy retelling is perfect for Austen fans who like the darker side of Darcy.
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Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.
𝕸𝖔𝖗𝖌𝖆𝖓
Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.
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