Tropical Tryst: 25 All New and Exclusive Sexy Reads

by Nicole Morgan

  “You don’t think they’d want their own daughter…”

  “No,” Addie whispers. “They wouldn’t…”

  “We’ll phone them from the hospital,” my dad says.

  FORTUNATELY THE HOSPITAL isn’t very crowded and they take Addie into a room right away. My dad tells me he’s going to phone Agent Torres and that I should contact Addie’s parents.

  “Just tell them that she escaped from the kidnappers and that she’s beat up pretty badly. Don’t say anything else.”

  “I’ve got it,” I assure him.

  “I’ll check on Addie,” Theo says. “It’ll make me feel useful.”

  “I’ll meet you over there in a few minutes.”

  I quickly dial Mrs. Vance’s cellphone number.

  “Brooklyn?” She sounds surprised by my call.

  I tell her that I’m at the hospital with Addie and that she’s injured pretty badly.

  “I don’t understand,” she sputters.

  I repeat a shortened version of what I just said.

  “That wasn’t supposed to happen,” she cries.

  “What was supposed to happen?” I say sharply.

  She hangs up on me.

  I join Theo at the nurses’ station. “Your friend has internal bleeding,” a nurse says. “We’re prepping her for surgery.”

  “Will she be okay?” I ask.

  “It’s good that you got her here when you did.”

  My dad joins us a few seconds later. “How is Addie?”

  “She’s going into surgery,” I tell him.

  “Two local FBI agents will be meeting us here is a few minutes,” my dad says. “In the waiting area.”

  Theo and I follow my dad into the waiting room. We’re the only three people in the stuffy area. I’m too anxious and my body is too hyped up with adrenaline to take a seat. So I pace instead. I’d use the tired cliché that I feel like a lion in a cage, except that there’s nothing lionlike about me, and I don’t think comparing myself to a kitten in a cage carries the same punch.

  Imagine my surprise when Emma Garcia and Ben Walker enter the room. Only this time the two of them are sporting badges and guns on their belts.

  “You’re police officers?” I mutter, mostly to myself.

  Emma apparently hears me because she replies, “FBI.”

  “Addie is going into surgery,” I tell her.

  She nods. “As soon as she’s stabilized we’re placing her under arrest.”

  “She’s a victim. Those men beat her up. They wanted to kill her.”

  “She’s also a criminal,” Emma says matter-of-factly.

  It’s a tough pill to swallow. I’ve been living with someone involved in criminal activity. I trusted her and now it looks like she was using me as a cover for the crime.

  “The kidnappers. They’re still out there. Addie said they wanted to kill her parents.”

  Emma shakes her head. “They were arrested by local police who were called to the campground where they were staying. It was initially a noise complaint. They got them for public intoxication. Drunk and disorderly. Assaulting a police officer. By the time we add our charges they won’t see the light of day for a while.”

  “What about Addie?” I ask. “Will she go to prison?”

  Emma nods. “Most likely. If she’s willing to testify against the kidnappers and her co-conspirators, there’s a possibility she could get a lighter sentence.”

  “Her co-conspirators are her parents. Do you really think she’ll testify against them?”

  “They used her to try to score a payday. They used you too.”

  I rub my forehead. My headache has returned with a vengeance. “I really need to lie down.”

  My attention is drawn to the entryway when Mr. and Mrs. Vance come rushing into the waiting area. They’re both completely disheveled, as if they threw on wrinkled clothes from the dirty laundry and didn’t bother to look in the mirror.

  Mrs. Vance’s eyes immediately land on Agent Emma Garcia. “What are you doing here?” Then after a moment she adds, “Why do you have a gun?”

  “We’re with the FBI,” Agent Garcia says.

  Mrs. Vance’s jaw drops. Then her mouth opens and closes like a puppet several times but no words come out.

  “You and your husband are under arrest,” Agent Garcia says.

  Agent Garcia and her partner, Agent Ben Walker, place Mr. and Mrs. Vance in handcuffs and lead them out of the hospital.

  My dad, Theo and I are quiet for several moments as the events of the last few days sink in.

  My head is pounding. “I’d really like to go back to the resort and get a few hours of sleep while Addie is in surgery.”

  “We could all use some rest,” my dad says.

  “Where do you plan on staying?” I ask my dad.

  “Maybe I should get a room for you and me to stay in,” he offers.

  I place a hand on his arm. “I’m staying with Theo.”

  He nods. It’s a reluctant gesture, but it’s a small step in the right direction.

  “No one is staying in the room the Vances rented for me and Addie,” I tell him. “I have a connection at the front desk. I’m registered as a guest in that room. I think I can convince him to give me another room key.”

  CHAPTER 13

  “The surgery went well,” the head nurse tells me and Theo. “Addie is resting in a private room. We thought it would be best considering the circumstances.”

  “What circumstances?” I ask.

  The nurse flinches. “Maybe you’d better see for yourself. She’s in 226.”

  My dad told us he had some work to do when we checked on him. I was taken aback when he told us to go ahead and visit Addie without him. Then added that Theo should make sure that I’m okay. I don’t want to read too much into it, but it almost sounded like he’s warming up to the idea of Theo and I being together.

  When Theo and I approach Addie’s room it becomes clear what the nurse meant by considering the circumstances. There’s a police officer stationed outside of her room.

  The officer looks us up and down when we approach.

  I clear my throat. “We’re here to visit Addie Vance.”

  “And you are?” He eyes me suspiciously.

  “I’m her roommate.”

  The officer turns his attention to Theo. “And you are?”

  He points to me. “I’m with her. Theo Hunter. I’m her—um—boyfriend.”

  “Can I see some ID?” The officer asks.

  I pull my wallet from my handbag and remove my driver’s license. I show it to the officer. He nods. Theo shows the officer his ID as well.

  “Five minutes,” the officer says.

  I enter Addie’s room and Theo follows. She’s hooked up to an IV and several monitors. She looks frail and weak. “Brooklyn.” Her voice is raspy.

  “We wanted to check in to make sure you’re okay.”

  I notice that she’s handcuffed to the bed. “I’ve been better.”

  “The nurse said the surgery was successful.” It’s the most optimistic thing I can think of to say.

  “I’m alive, but my life is over.”

  I shake my head. “Don’t say that.”

  “I’m getting kicked out of school. I’ll be going to prison. I’m going to be a convicted felon. Not the bright future I was hoping for.”

  There’s not much I can say that will make her feel better. She’s going to have to face the consequences of her actions. “Why did you do it?” I ask.

  She glances towards the window and blinks back tears. “It was my mom’s idea. My dad and I went along with it. She found out that my dad’s company has kidnapping insurance. It’s not something that they make known to employees exactly for this reason. They don’t want them to set up fake kidnappings for the insurance money.”

  “Wouldn’t it have been easier just to get a student loan?” I ask.

  She gives me a single cold laugh in return. “It wasn’t just about the tuition mone
y. My parents lost everything in an investment scam. Every bit of their savings, even their house. I guess they felt like they had nothing more to lose and everything to gain.”

  “Officer Garcia said that if you testify…”

  She shakes her head. “I can’t do that. They’re my parents.”

  I take her hand and give it a squeeze. “Please think about it. You’re only eighteen. You have your whole life ahead of you.”

  “I know what I did was wrong. It was my decision to get involved.”

  “Please let me know if you need anything,” I tell her.

  She glances over at Theo. “So you decided to go for the nerdy guy after all?”

  “You were right. He’s the right guy for me.”

  Theo grins.

  “You can have all of my stuff,” Addie says. “I won’t be needing it where I’m going.”

  “I’ll box it up and save it for you,” I tell her. “Do you need me to take care of Tiger?”

  She shakes her head. “He’s with a cat sitter. She loves him. She’ll be able to take care of him.”

  “We’re only allowed to stay for five minutes.”

  She nods. “Thank you for not hating me. I’m really sorry I dragged you into all of this.”

  “It’s not exactly the Spring Break trip I imagined. But one positive thing did come out of it.” I grab ahold of Theo’s hand.

  “PROMISE you’ll call me if you need anything,” my dad says.

  “I promise,” I tell him.

  Theo and I are standing in the parking lot with him. As nice as it is to know how much my dad cares about me, it’s also nice to see him going back home.

  “Let me know as soon as you get back to Arizona,” he adds.

  “I will.”

  He gives me a hug. Then he shakes Theo’s hand. “Are you sure I can’t buy you breakfast?”

  “We’ll be fine,” I assure him. “Have a safe flight back to Arizona.”

  He gives me a quick nod before he climbs into his rental car. Theo and I watch as he drives away from the resort.

  “We’ve got three more days on Sanibel Island,” Theo says. “What do you feel like doing?”

  “What I’ve wanted to do since I got here. Lie on the beach and listen to the waves beating against the shore while I watch a sexy shirtless guy playing volleyball.”

  “I can definitely play volleyball, but do you think I’m sexy enough to fulfill your Spring Break fantasy?”

  I place a soft kiss on his lips. Then I whisper in his ear. “You’re sexy enough to fulfill all of my fantasies.”

  He grins. “Then we’d better get started on your list.”

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  A homebound hacker clashes with a prestigious underground fraternity known for their rape rooms when one of his online friends becomes the fraternity's latest victim.

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  Karen M. Bryson™ is known for writing new adult, love in midlife, contemporary romance and romantic crime fiction with a little spice and lots of heart. She is a winner of the prestigious RONE Award for Excellence in the Indie and Small Publishing Industry. When she's not at her computer creating spicy stories Karen likes to spend time with her husband and their bloodhounds. Karen previously wrote under the pen names REN MONTERREY, SAVANNAH YOUNG, SIERRA AVALON and USA TODAY Bestselling author DAKOTA MADISON.

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  TWO RECKLESS HEARTS

  A BARRETT RIDGE NOVELLA

  HOLLY CORTELYOU

  One beach resort. Two ambitious rivals. Will steamy island nights tempt these enemies to become lovers? Escape into the Barrett Ridge romances and lose yourself in captivating, heart-melting happy-ever-afters!

  * * *

  Weddings mess up everything.

  * * *

  Jami Barrett is fed up. First, she’s jilted by her fiancé, then she’s expected to endure her sister’s crazy Caribbean wedding. Now, her arch rival has crashed the party! But Beck Kavanagh is more than just the black-hearted foe set to ruin the family’s business and her chance to win her father’s trust; he’s the groom’s brother. To make matters worse, she can’t stop daydreaming about Beck’s laughing gray eyes and his surprisingly soft heart. With a make-or-break deal and her loyalty in the balance, Jami’s feeling the pressure…and the heat of her hidden desire.

  * * *

  Beck Kavanagh has no time for sarcastic, competitive women, especially one who’s his real estate adversary and newest in-law. Jami’s out for his blood, and all he wants is to keep the peace. Yet, her sharp wit and delicious curves make him yearn for a midnight tropical tryst. When a wacky treasure hunt goes haywire, and Jami tumbles into his arms, Beck knows he’s met his match and found his one true love.

  * * *

  Five sultry nights. Two reckless hearts. One family wedding. What could go wrong?

  To My Favorite Truck Driver who took me on my first trip to the Caribbean.

  I love you to the moon and back.

  CHAPTER 1

  The last thing Jami Barrett expected was a wedding crasher. Seriously, who infiltrated a private party on an exclusive island resort? But there he was, Beck Kavanagh, sucking up to the bartender.

  Jami glared at the back of the dark-haired, broad-shouldered man. She knew that stupid, swirling cowlick in the middle of his lush, brown curls like the back of her hand. She’d stared at it for seventy minutes straight at the county commissioner’s hearing last month. It was definitely Beck Kavanagh, the CEO of BK Industries. Fabulous. What was he doing in the middle of the Caribbean at her sister’s wedding?

  He was the one thing standing between her and a successful real estate purchase for her family’s business expansion plans. During the land use committee meeting, he and his lawyer had matched her every argument and outflanked the strategies employed by her and the family attorney.

  Jami glanced around to see if her father had noticed what was going on. Nope. Teddy Barrett was nowhere in sight yet. Thank goodness. The last thing he needed was more stress, not after finally healing from open heart surgery.

  Jami narrowed her gaze, and without conscious volition, marched across the pool deck toward her enemy malingering by the bar. Okay. It was an all-inclusive resort, so he had every right to drink, but really!

  “Mr. Kavanagh?” Beck turned toward her with a friendly expression in his gray eyes, but it faded as he seemed to recognize her. “I’m sorry, you’re going to have to leave.” Jami pointed toward the stairs leading down to the main public pool area. “This is a
private gathering. No outsiders allowed.”

  “Aren’t you a long way from home?” Beck Kavanagh stared coldly at Jami. He straightened his back, and his broad shoulders, encased in a sleek white shirt, suddenly seemed even more imposing. “What are you doing here?” Beck flicked a dismissive glance at her.

  Jami bridled at his condescending tone. “Once again, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

  “You seem to have me confused with someone else.” He looked away with disinterest as he picked up his drink. “I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

  “Are you spying on us, Mr. Kavanagh?” Jami couldn’t believe his insistence on remaining. What was his game?

  “Get over yourself.” Beck scowled. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  “Jami! Beck!” A woman with shoulder-length blond hair patted Jami on the arm.

  It was Anna, the bride-to-be, and she appeared to be chummy with public enemy number one, Beck Kavanagh. Jami swallowed against the knot forming in the pit of her belly. Something wasn’t right here. Beck’s eyebrow shot up as he gave Jami a flinty, hard look.

  “Oh, Jami, it looks like you’ve already met Beck.” Anna touched Beck’s arm. “He’s one of my new in-laws.

  “Half-brother-in-law.”

  “That’s way too complicated.” Anna laughed. “Either you’re family, or you’re not. Rob says nothing but wonderful things about you.” Anna tilted her head and smiled at Jami. “We’re siblings now. One nice, big family.”

  Beck shot Jami a so-there look. She bit her lip and wondered why she was always rushing into things headlong without first considering the consequences. But then she thought about her father’s stress levels at seeing the main competitor to their business expansion plans, and Jami knew she’d go to battle any day for her father. She lifted her chin and stared back at Beck.