Retribution

by K. A. Robinson

  Wesley and I had started our training at an early age. By the time we were ten, both of us were deadly with not only weapons, but with our bodies as well. We started referring to our grappling sessions as playtime since it seemed to be the only part of the day either of us enjoyed.

  Neither of us had been to school. I wasn’t even sure if the government knew we existed. We’d had classes here in the mansion in the mornings, followed by strict fighting and weapons lessons in the afternoons. Besides us, there had been only three other children, and they were all a few years older than us. Wesley and I had been together since diapers, and the bond that had formed between us ran deeper than my father or anyone else realized.

  “You ready to get your ass kicked?” Wesley asked as he kicked his boots off and pulled his shirt over his head.

  I considered him my family, but even I had to stop to admire his body. The years of training had molded his body into a deadly weapon. He was pure muscle, his arms and stomach solid steel.

  I smirked at him as I took off my boots. “Are you? I know how embarrassing it is for you when you have your ass handed to you by a chick.”

  He laughed. “Bring it, babe.”

  We moved to the mats and slowly started circling each other. If it came down to strength, I would lose in an instant. Lucky for me, I had one hell of a kick, and I was fast. Wesley might be stronger than me, but he wasn’t nearly as fast. Plus, I was tiny. It made avoiding him almost easy at times.

  I grinned at Wesley as we moved. There was a fire in his eyes that I rarely saw anywhere else but in this gym. He enjoyed our sessions as much as I did. It was the only time we could truly enjoy ourselves. Plus, we got to kick the shit out of each other.

  Wesley suddenly darted toward me, his arms out in hopes of pinning me. I twisted sideways, and his fingers brushed my arm. Before he could recover, I spun and kicked. I gave a tiny shout of triumph when my foot hit his stomach. He grunted before backing off.

  “That was too easy,” I said, pretending to yawn.

  “I’ll give you easy,” he grumbled as he came at me again.

  He aimed for my stomach, but I blocked his arm with my own. He caught my arm and flipped me until I was on my back on the ground. A split second later, his body was on top of mine, pinning me.

  I cursed as I fought to free myself. When he didn’t budge, I decided to fight dirty. My teeth latched on to his arm, and he yelped. His weight shifted enough that I was able to break free. I shot to my feet and jumped out of reaching distance.

  He glared at me. “That wasn’t cool.”

  I rolled my eyes. “At least I didn’t knee your boy parts. Count your blessings.”

  His frown deepened. “Leave those be. I need them.”

  I laughed. “Sure you do.”

  He lunged for me again, but I was ready. I jumped out of the way. His body moved past mine, and I decided to take a chance. I leaped on his back and wrapped my arms around his neck, cutting off his air. He tried to break free, but I held tight.

  I yelped when he moved backward. My back hit a wall, and I gasped when my head connected as well, but I didn’t loosen my hold. He rammed into the wall again and again before finally dropping to his knees. I instantly released him, and he started coughing.

  “Are you okay?” I asked as I crouched down next to him.

  He shook his head. “You have one hell of a stranglehold.”

  I grinned. If he was capable of speech, he was fine. “Not my fault you’re weak.”

  He glared up at me. “Do you want to go another round? You got lucky. It doesn’t happen often.”

  I stuck my tongue out at him, unable to stop myself. “It wasn’t luck. You’re just pissed ’cause I won.”

  “Whatever,” he mumbled as he stood, pulling me up with him. “I think that’s enough for tonight. You need to go to bed. You’re going to have a long day tomorrow.”

  Just like that, my good mood disappeared. For a few minutes, I’d forgotten what I would have to face in the morning. I broke free from his hold and turned for the door. “You’re right. Good night.”

  “Bree, wait!” he said as he grabbed my arm and spun me back to him.

  “What?”

  “I…” He hesitated. “It’ll be okay. I promise.”

  I laughed humorlessly. “No, it won’t. We both know it won’t ever be okay again.”

  He pulled me to him and kissed my forehead. “I love you.”

  “Love you, too,” I whispered.

  “I’m sorry,” he said as he pulled away and walked toward the door.

  I stood there until he disappeared from sight. “Me, too.”

  Things would never be all right. I was about to lose my best friend and the only home I’d ever known.

  Did you enjoy The Consequences of Sin?

  Check out some of K.A. Robinson’s other titles!

  Other Books by K.A. Robinson

  Breaking Alexandria

  Alexandria’s drug-dealing boyfriend, Joel, isn’t exactly the white knight she’s always dreamed of, but she can’t deny the crazy connection they have. She would do anything for him, including helping him sell drugs in order to fit perfectly into his world.

  After catching Alexandria dealing for Joel, instead of turning her into the cops, Alexandria’s mother forces her to move to her grandparents’ farm in West Virginia. Spending the summer in the country, away from Joel, is the last thing Alexandria wants to do. But lucky for her, the sexy farmhand, Landon, who helps out around her grandparents’ place, is a very nice distraction. She tries her best to ignore her attraction to him, especially since she still loves Joel.

  When Joel does the unforgivable, Alexandria turns to her new friend, Landon, for comfort, and it ignites an undeniable spark of attraction between them. Soon, she finds herself caught between two very different men, and the struggles within her heart just might end up breaking Alexandria.

  BREAKING ALEXANDRIA IS A STANDALONE NOVEL.

  Shattered Ties

  With a former supermodel mother and a rock-and-roll legend father, Emma Preston has the best of everything. Nothing is as perfect as it seems though. After her parents divorce, she’s forced to live with her mother in a private Santa Monica community. Ignoring their parental roles, her mother becomes more focused on climbing the social ladder while her father is off on tour.

  Growing up in a trailer park with his mother, Jesse is used to people looking down on him. When his mother begs him to submit an application for a scholarship to one of Santa Monica’s top private schools, he never expects to actually get it. When he does, he is forced to attend school with a bunch of rich kids. He ignores their stares as they judge him for having tattoos and a less than impressive car. As long as he has his surfboard and the guys at the tattoo shop, he knows he can make it through.

  When Jesse shows up on the first day of school, Emma can’t help but be intrigued. Her mother would never approve of Emma talking to someone so poor, but she doesn’t care because something about Jesse draws her to him.

  Jesse tries to hate Emma, but he discovers that he can’t resist her. Forced to hide their relationship from Emma’s mother and everyone else around them, things start to fall apart. When Jesse’s friend, Ally, decides to interfere, things go from bad to worse.

  Can they survive their first love? Or will they be left with nothing more than shattered ties?

  SHATTERED TIES IS BOOK ONE OF TWO OF THE TIES SERIES. BOOK TWO, TWISTED TIES, IS NOW AVAILABLE!

  Toxic: Logan’s Story

  True love is forever. After years of chasing his best friend, Chloe, Logan finally managed to win her heart—or so he thought. His world crashes down around him when she confesses to cheating on him with a local rock star, Drake. Unable to let her go completely from his life, Logan reassumes his role of best friend while he watches Chloe find her happily ever after with another man. Each day, he sinks further and further into his depression, and the kind, caring Logan he once was dies. When Jade, a member of Drake’s b
and, inserts herself into his life, Logan never expects to fall for her. He’s too broken, too damaged.

  Jade ran away from home when she was seventeen, desperate to escape her abusive stepfather and her controlling boyfriend, Mikey. The only regret she has is that she left behind her little sister, Bethaney. When Jade’s band, Breaking the Hunger, hits it big, she vows to go back to her hometown not only to reconnect with her little sister, but also to show her stepfather that she’s not worthless like he said.

  The moment Jade saw Logan, she knew she wanted him. Unfortunately, he was with Chloe at the time. After his world falls apart, Jade steps in to comfort him, determined to bring back the Logan she once knew.

  Sometimes, you find true love with the person you never least expect. Can Logan and Jade heal each other? Or will they forever be changed by their toxic pasts?

  BOOK FOUR OF THE TORN SERIES, BUT THIS TITLE CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE.

  The Consequences of Sin

  When the sun disappeared, the world was cast in shadows, hiding the evil that lay in wait. When it was dark, I hunted. The shadows caressed my body as I did things I could never do in the light of day.

  Eighteen-year-old Bree Bowen has spent her entire life training and working as one of her father’s assassins. Fear has kept her and her best friend, Wes, under her father’s thumb—until now. When Wes takes matters into his own hands, securing Bree a new identity and a plane ticket to America, he gives her the one chance she’s been desperately seeking.

  Learning to live a new life isn’t easy. Add in her new roommate, Reid, who just happens to be a stripper, and things start to get a little crazy. Falling for a man has never been part of her plan, but she can’t seem to stay away from Reid.

  When Bree’s past comes crashing back into her life, secrets that she’s fought to keep hidden are revealed, and she’s forced to choose between Reid and the life she could have with him, or Wes, the one man who has always loved her unconditionally.

  Regardless of her choice, she must learn the consequences of sin.

  Tamed

  Mistakes—my life has been full of them. Time and time again, I’ve tried to change, tried to make the right choices, but it doesn’t matter. I always screw up.

  I hoped that Adam would be different, that he wouldn’t be a mistake. Our relationship was supposed to be about sex and nothing more.

  Fun, easy, simple—that was what we wanted.

  But things are never simple, not for me.

  Adam changed me. He made me the person I am today. I hate who I am and what I’ve become. I’m not proud of the things I’ve done.

  I thought my greatest mistake would be falling in love with him.

  I was wrong.

  My greatest mistake is much, much worse.

  I’ve lost control.

  I have a secret I can’t hide.

  It’s going to destroy everything.

  My name is Amber, and this is my story.

  TAMED IS BOOK FIVE OF THE TORN SERIES, BUT IT CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE.

  K.A. Robinson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of several New Adult and Contemporary Romance novels.

  She lives in West Virginia with her toddler son and husband. Her addictions include books, Supernatural, Sons of Anarchy, coffee, and rock music.

  For more information, please visit her website www.authorkarobinson.com

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