by Carnal, MJ
Fever
An anthology benefitting Parkinson’s Disease Research
By
Chelle Bliss, Stacy Borel, MJ Carnal, Claire Contreras, BJ Harvey, Liz King, Aurora Rose Reynolds, Harper Sloan, Skye Turner, Rachel Van Dyken
Cover Photo by Eric Battershell Photography
Cover Model Matt Zumwalt - NPC Competitor/Fitness Model
Cover Design by SK Hartley
Formatting by Dawne Walters
No portion of this anthology can be reproduced without the written permission of the authors involved. Each story is copyrighted to the author and is personal property of said author.
100% of the proceeds from the sale of this anthology will be donated to Parkinson’s research through “Team Fever” at The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease Research
**Adult Content – Discretion is advised**
Hook Me by Chelle Bliss –
Michael Gallo found his calling in life – he wants to kick ass. He works at Inked as a piercer, but spends his mornings training and dreaming of winning an UFC championship. Michael is the road to achieving his goal when a chance encounter alters his world forever. The title is no longer enough – he must capture the woman of his dreams.
Dr. Mia Greco is dedicated to saving lives and helping those less fortunate. She doesn’t have time to meet Mr. Right with her busy schedule. She buries herself in her work and helping humanity. Fate steps in and sweeps the carpet out from under her. She tries to deny the pull to him, a man that uses his fists for gain, but the universe won’t let her walk away so easy and Michael isn’t one to take no for an answer.
He has a secret that may rip them apart. There are forces bigger than them at work; drawing them in and making their worlds collide – not letting either one of them walk away.
Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable.
Touching Scars by Stacy Borel –
Timber Nelson has recently returned home after serving two tours in Iraq. Suffering from PTSD, he’s a shadow of the man he was before his time in the military. Instead of learning to live with the nightmares he faced in the war, he drowns them in a bottle of Crown.
Katherine Pierce is an alluring woman with dark brown hair, tattoos, and a fiery attitude. Yet her history is one full of disturbing images that she’s been trying to run away from for the better part of six years.
Undeniable attraction between Timber and Kat reaches its peak and they both give in to the unquestionable pull.
Will Timber be able to save Kat from her past repeating itself?
And will they be able to soothe each other’s scars? Or will their old scars become new wounds?
Liquid Regret by MJ Carnal –
Damien “D’Rey” Reynolds is the lead singer of the hottest new band in the country. He’s talented, he’s gorgeous, and he’s spinning completely out of control. His dark past is threatening to ruin everything he’s worked so hard for. When a story leaked to the press has the power to clean up his image, he doesn’t see another way out.
Mia Lee has spent the past year forgetting about the week that changed her life forever. A chance encounter brings her face to face with the man who has the power to break her heart all over again. She wants the fairytale, but Damien Reynolds is no prince. How far is she willing to go to live out her dream of the perfect relationship?
Being famous comes with a price. The paparazzi are hungry, late nights are filled with women lining up waiting for their chance, and danger lurks around the corner. Sometimes the best security detail in the world can’t change what’s already been set in motion.
Catch Me by Claire Contreras –
Music is the center of both our lives, but as he found his place in it, I lost my way. He soared, while I spiraled down a destructive path.
I lost myself in more ways than I can count.
The ironic thing is that I didn’t realize how lost I was until he found me.
And now that he has, I have to wonder if he'll stay around long enough to catch me.
Temporary Bliss by BJ Harvey –
Makenna Lewis cringes at any mention of the word commitment. She doesn’t want or need a relationship, but she does like sex (who doesn't). That explains Noah, Sean, and Zander, her three 'friends with benefits'.
They know the score, they know they're not the only one, and each of them provide her with a different physical need that she craves and enjoys.
Until a late night encounter with the delicious Daniel Winters turns her preconceived notion of no-commitment completely on its head.
Soon she finds herself feeling things she vowed never to feel again, and when Daniel pushes for more than she’s willing to give, she falters.
What do you do when something that you’ve known to be so wrong in the past feels so damn right? If you’re Mac, you run and hide. But is Daniel the type of man who takes no for an answer?
Make my Heart Beat by Liz King –
Before Lynae, my heart was just sitting lifeless in my chest. I wasn't living. I've hidden away the shame and the regret for so long, that I never thought anyone could break through. She did that, and so much more.
I need Lynae more than I need air to breathe. She is everything to me. The night Lynae walked into my life, I knew that I would never be the same. My heart started to feel again.
Now that I've pushed her away, the walls that I had built stand to destroy us. I have to get her back. I can't live without her.
She is the one thing in this world that can make my heart beat.
Assumption by Aurora Rose Reynolds –
as·sump·tion:
a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof
They say when you assume that you make an ass out of you and me. Kenton Mayson learned this lesson firsthand when he made assumptions about Autumn Freeman and the kind of woman she is based on what little information he had. What he finds out is she’s not only beautiful, but also smart, funny, a fighter, and exactly the kind of woman he wants to share his life with. Autumn made assumptions of her own about Kenton, and now he needs to prove her wrong in order to protect her and their future.
Warning 18 and over due to violence and sexual encounters
Axel by Harper Sloan –
Fate hasn’t always been friends with Isabelle West. In fact, fate has been a downright bitch.
Isabelle has learned the hard way how hard life can be when fate isn’t by your side. It can hand you dreams on silver platters, but it can snatch them right back and hand you nightmares. One thing Isabelle knew for sure fate was consistent with was taking away everything she ever loved.
For the last two years Isabelle has been slowly clearing the clouds of her past. Happiness is finally on the horizon. She has a thriving business, great friends, and her life back. All she has to do is jump over the last hurdle…her ex-husband.
When problems start causing her to fear her new life, and memories that are better left forgotten start rushing to the surface the last thing she needs is a ghost from her past to come knocking on her door.
Axel never thought he would look into the eyes of Isabelle West again, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to now. He’s carried his anger for so long he isn’t sure he can just turn it off, but when he is faced with protecting her and an unexpected desire to have her again, life gets a little more complicated.
How will Axel and Isabelle deal when all their cards ar
e put on the table and everything they thought was true blows up in their faces?
Alluring Turmoil by Skye Turner –
***Contains graphic sex and language. Not for young readers.***
***Alluring Turmoil is a second chance love story and is nothing like a love story when strangers meet.
Alexia Sloane is the twenty-six year old owner of the highly successful Louisiana coffee shop/bakery, Java and Sweeties. The past couple of years have been all she’s dreamed of and her business takes all of her focus, all of her heart.
Jude Delecroix is the lead singer of one of the most famous rock bands in the country, Bayou Stix, and the man who broke Lexi’s heart.
Lexi and Jude have a past.
When Jude comes back to town eight years after leaving to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a famous musician and comes face to face with Lexi, forces collide, old hurts are brought to the surface, and life as these two have been living it will never be the same.
There are two sides to every story, and what happens when the things you believed to be concrete suddenly crumble like ash and fade away?
What happens when two people afraid to face the past, become involved in the present? Can they hope for a future?
Welcome to Louisiana where humidity and passion are high and things are not always what they seem.
Bang Bang by Rachel Van Dyken –
**This is a stand alone mafia romance that introduces you to the characters of Eagle Elite
He was my best friend.
Until he became my enemy.
All within the span of one night.
Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang.
The rapid fire of gunshots became the soundtrack to my life.
This is the Mafia. Lines are blurred. Choices are never black and white. And the life you thought you knew is... one giant lie.
He was dead.
And I didn't want his life to be in vain, so I tried to make something of myself. I tried and failed.
Now he's back. Alive. And he wants something...
Me.
Nobody ever said the mafia played fair.
Welcome to The Family.
Hook Me Copyright © 2014 Chelle Bliss
Published by Chelle Bliss
2nd Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Published: Chelle Bliss June 5th 2014: [email protected]
Second Edition Copyright © 7th August 2014
Editor: Tee Tate
Proofreader: Editing 720
Cover Design © Melissa Gill at MG BookCovers & Designs
Formatting by: Brenda Wright
Cover Model Photographer: © Milos Markovic at Mr. Big Photography
Chapter Headers: http://www.bigstockphoto.com
ISBN 10: 1 50010597X
ISBN 13: 978-1500105976
This book is intended for a mature audience only.
To my parents,
I will be eternally grateful.
~Love, Your Daughter
And to Kaylee,
My fantastic assistant that kept me
sane during the last two months.
I couldn’t have done this without you!
Love ya HARD, girl!
Prologue
Spring
Wiping the blood from my brow, I glared at Tito. The wound stung as sweat trickled into the open cut just above my swollen eye. He moved quickly, but I had more power. It felt like a game of cat and mouse. I let him feel confident in his abilities, before I made my move to take his ass down.
A sharp pain in my ribs stole my breath as I kicked him in the thigh before the bottom of my palm connected with his chin. As his head flew back, I grabbed him around the waist, lifted him off the ground, and threw him on his ass. When my body crashed on top of him, the dull pain in my ribs became excruciating. I couldn’t relent, or release him. I fought through the discomfort and held him down as he kicked and flailed like a trapped bitch.
His grunts grew louder and I took the opportunity to hit him in the face as he was locked in my grip, turning red in the crook of my arm. The back of his heel connected with my calf and the muscle instantly tightened. My body may have been screaming for me to stop, but my determination to win the match had me push through the pain and not let go.
Blowing the whistle, the ref called the match to a close. Releasing Tito, I limped to my feet and held my ribs, trying to catch my breath. I smiled for the cheering crowd as Tito crawled toward his trainer. I wanted to fall down and sprawl out against the cool plastic material, but I couldn’t, not yet at least.
“You won,” Rob yelled in my ear as he smacked me on the back.
I winced, closing my eyes to block everything out. Through gritted teeth I said, “Fuck, don’t do that shit.” I exhaled slowly with shaky breath before opening my eyes to look at Rob.
His eyes grew wide as he searched my face, homing in on my hand. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“My fucking ribs. I think they’re broken. I can’t breathe,” I huffed out, struggling to speak.
“Let’s get you checked out. Make sure you didn’t puncture a lung or some shit,” he said as he wrapped his arms around my body and helped me out of the cage.
I closed my eyes and listened to the noise outside the room. Voices carried through the hallways—the cries, yelling, beeping, and telephones made it impossible to rest. I concentrated on my breathing, taking small, shallow breaths to stave off the stabbing pain.
“Mr. Gallo,” a voice said from the doorway.
I jerked to sit up, but the pain sliced through my chest like a knife stabbing me. I collapsed against the mattress and raised my hand. “Here,” I said, before resting my hand on my chest.
Placing her hand on my shoulder, she smiled at me. “I see you’re here for your ribs.”
“What gave that away?” I said, a little pissed off.
She pulled her lips in, hiding her smile. “On a scale of one to ten, how severe is the pain?”
“Seven when I breathe too deep, and about a two if I don’t move and take short, shallow breaths.”
“I need to remove your shirt,” she said, touching the bottom of my tank top. “This is going to hurt.”
“I can handle it, doc. Do your worst.”
Her fingertips touched the flesh of my stomach, and I twitched as her nail grazed the spot just above my shorts. “Sorry,” she said, blushing. “It may be easier if you sit up. Take my hand,” she said, releasing my tank and holding out her hand to me.
Holding my breath, I used my free hand to pull myself up with her help. It wasn’t as painful as when I tried it on my own, but it wasn’t comfortable either. “Whew,” I said as I inhaled and winced.
“Just sit there, sir, and I’ll do the rest.” Placing her body between my legs, she reached for my shirt again.
When a beautiful woman says she’s going to undress me, then have at it—I’ll just sit back and watch.
Her facial features were petite—small nose, high cheekbones, and large hazel eyes. She glanced up at me as she pulled the material up, exposing my stomach. The feel of her fingers moving up the s
ide of my body sent a shiver down my spine.
“Can you raise your arms or shall I cut it off?”
“I can do it.” I raised my arms, smiling through the pain, holding my breath.
“There,” she said, pulling the shirt over my head. Moving to the side of me, she placed one hand on my back and the other on my chest.
Her touch seared my skin.
“Lie back,” she said softly.
With a very serious look on her face, she tried to hold up my body weight as I reclined.
“Which rib is giving you the problem?” she asked, looking down at my chest. She tilted her head; her eyes raked across my skin as her tongue darted out, sweeping against her bottom lip.
I needed to think of something else beside her sexy-ass mouth.
Being in this position, a hard-on would be embarrassing.
“Left side.” I tried to think of the fight, or my sister sitting in the waiting room, as the doc’s fingertips glided across my skin. I felt her touch everywhere, moving down to my toes. I stared at the ceiling and tried to wipe out all thoughts of her, but it’s pretty fucking impossible when a gorgeous woman is touching me.
“Right here?” she asked, pressing down.
My entire body jerked. My head flew off the tiny, crappy pillow and my muscles tensed. “Fuck, doc. Warn a person first, will ya?”
She bit her lip, her cheeks turning pink. “I’m sorry. Guess I did my worst.” She chuckled. “I think you need an x-ray to be sure you haven’t punctured your lung. How did you do this, anyway?”
