Synopsis
Emma decided to skip the gym and went home early. It
was the last easy decision she made because she found her roommate being raped
by the boyfriend. She had two choices. Call the cops and be killed by his family’s
mafia connections or kill him first and hope to survive. There was no choice to her.
She killed the bastard first and went to the one person who could protect her. Carter
Reed. He’s a weapon for the rivaling mafia family, but he’s also Emma’s secret. Not
only was he best friends with her brother, but she’s the reason he became that
weapon in the first place.
4 star review by Lisa Kane
Emma comes home to her apartment to find her roommate is being raped by Jeremy, her mob boyfriend. This brings flashbacks in her head of her brother AJ being beaten to death with a baseball bat in an alley by the mob. Emma was there, hiding and she saw it all. She looked into AJ’s eyes as he silently pleaded with her to stay in safety and she saw him brutally murdered. She was helpless then, but she isn’t helpless now. Emma sees Mallory being brutalized and choked. She sneaks and gets her brother’s gun, makes eye contact with Mallory and does what she has to do.
The two flee, leaving the body behind. They go to a friend of theirs-Ben’s apartment and hide out there. Their friend Amanda joins them and slowly the truth comes out. Apparently Jeremy’s father Franco, has reported him as missing and it’s all over the news. Over and over in her mind, Emma remembers her brother telling her years ago that if she was ever in trouble to go to Carter Reed. She hasn’t seen him in ten years. While she and her brother were in foster care, Carter would spend the night on their couch. His father was an abusive drunk and he would show up bruised and bloodied, never say a word about what happened and sleep at their place. She never saw him again after AJ died. But his reputation and how he moved up in the Mauricio family is legendary. “Killer Reed” took out everyone connected to AJ’s death, regardless of how small their involvement. From there he built an empire for himself, he became rich and untouchable.
Emma
eventually is able to make contact with him and realizes the years have
brought dramatic changes to him. In spite of the mess her life is right
now, she is drawn to him, and it isn’t exactly one sided.
His
shirt sliced across his chest and shoulders, across the canvas of
muscles. His had sculpted his body into a weapon, he had done it on
purpose. He was perfect and he was a killer.
Carter moves like a shadow in the night, but Emma knows he will protect her. She leaves her friends and moves in with him. She is constantly guarded and finds her whole world is changing. When she returns to work she realizes the man who owns her company, Noah is a close confidant of Carter’s. She is assigned to work with Theresa, an ambitious, intelligent woman who is close to Noah. The two become friends in spite of their natural inclination to avoid being close to many people. Emma doesn’t quite understand the weird relationship between Noah and Theresa, but who is she to judge?
Carter moves like a shadow in the night, but Emma knows he will protect her. She leaves her friends and moves in with him. She is constantly guarded and finds her whole world is changing. When she returns to work she realizes the man who owns her company, Noah is a close confidant of Carter’s. She is assigned to work with Theresa, an ambitious, intelligent woman who is close to Noah. The two become friends in spite of their natural inclination to avoid being close to many people. Emma doesn’t quite understand the weird relationship between Noah and Theresa, but who is she to judge?
Emma is alienated by the events unfolding around her. Her former friends are not staying in touch with her and the people at work are intimidated by her new responsibilities and position. Seeing her with Carter at work functions certainly doesn’t put a stop to the gossip and curiosity. She comes to rely on Carter more and more. Slowly truths are revealed and Carter may have been involved in her life much longer than she has realized. Can Carter keep her safe from the mob, or even safe from his own world of lies and deception?
“There was a time when you didn’t come back for me. I can’t lose you. You’ve been protecting me, but it goes both ways. I will protect you.”
I really enjoyed this book. The mob element made for interesting reading. The secondary characters built layers within the story. Ben was annoying, Mallory remained an enigma; Amada flip flopped back and forth which was understandable. I would like to see more of Theresa and Noah, (but less of Noah’s bitchy sister, Brianna). Carter Reed is dark and dangerous and delicious. I hope this turns into a series.
AUTHOR BIO
Tijan started writing later in life, after she had already
graduated college with a different direction in mind and a different degree under
her belt. Hitting the brakes on that path, she taught herself how to write a good book
and began posting at sites such as Fictionpress, along with Wattpad. After receiving
such encouraging messages from readers, she self-published Fallen Crest High and
has continued throughout the year. She continues to keep writing NA books!
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EXCERPT #1
"Tell me what happened." His plea was so soft.
I broke. This wasn't the stranger anymore. This was Carter, the boy I had grown up with. I flung my arms around him and pulled him down. Instead of fighting, I clung to him now.
He wrapped his arms around me and rolled to his side.
He patted my back and tucked his head into the crook of my neck and shoulder. I
felt his lips brush there as he repeated,
"You have to tell me. I won't hurt you. I will protect you."
"You have to tell me. I won't hurt you. I will protect you."
A shudder went through my body. At last. Those were
the words I was desperate for. He moved his hands, one sliding down to my hip
and the other cradling the back of my head, he pressed into me. The last of my
reserve fled then. A gasp escaped me and I pressed against him. I needed him.
"Emma."
Shame flooded me. He knew. What kind of person was
I? Fighting, running away, and then starting to tremble in his arms?
I nodded. "I'm scared of you."
His hand started to caress my hip. His fingers slid
underneath my shirt and moved under my pants' waistband. He held me there,
his hand splayed out. I tried to resist, but I wanted to wind my legs around him. I
wanted to pull him on top of me and feel his hand between my legs. But I didn't do
anything. I lay there, still, as my heart pounded inside of me. He could feel the beat
against him. The thumping drowned everything else out.
He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead and raised
himself up again. He looked down at me. The plea in his eyes was still there. As he
brushed some of my hair from my forehead, he asked, "Do you not trust me?"
A small grin appeared at the corners of his mouth. "You are?"
"I don't know who you are anymore." I couldn't believe
I was admitting any of that, but I needed to trust someone. I had to if I was going
to survive what I had done. Feeling a little bit brave, I touched his chest. My hand
spread out like his was on my back. His heart was steady. I murmured, "I know who
you are. I know you're the Cold Killer. I know what you did for AJ." A tear slipped
from the corner of my eye. It fell unheeded. "I always wanted to thank you for
that."
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