FINISHED & SUBMITTED: The Bear Necessities

THE BEAR NECESSITIES

Bear Essentials 4

coming August 22nd

Enforcer Jeb Taylor found his mate in bear shifter Erik Thomas. He couldn't be happier. The man was sexy, smart, and funny. He wasn't happy that someone seemed intent on taking Erik from him. Helping his alpha establish a new clan wasn't easy, but losing his mate would be impossible.

Erik Thomas's life was one big roller coaster ride. He went from traveling home from seeing friends to being kidnapped to being rescued by the sexiest bear he'd ever seen. He'd get off the wild ride except that might mean giving up the best thing that ever happened to him.

When trouble comes at them from every direction, they have to learn to rely on each other and those around them to survive what might be someone's bid to take over the clan.

http://www.stormyglenn.com/thebearnecessities.htm

STORY EXCERPT

A scream ripped through the night air, sending chills down Jeb Taylor's spine. When his clan beta went tearing off toward the thick trees, Jeb went after him. He wasn't sure if he was running to protect Harvey or if it was the obsessive need to find that scream. He just knew he had to follow.

The sound of harsh whispers cut through the thick forest. It was coming from the same direction the scent of blood was coming from.

"It hurts," someone cried out. The voice was laced with pure agony.

"Quiet!" someone else whispered. "They'll hear you."

Anger unlike anything he'd ever felt in his life raged through Jeb when he broke through the trees and saw a young man caught in a bear trap. Tears streamed down his pale face. Jeb had been caught in a bear trap once, so he could sympathize. He knew it was beyond painful.

When Harvey placed one foot on the edge of the trap then reached down with his hands. Jeb moved forward and placed his hands on the other side.

"On three," Harvey said.

Jeb nodded.

"One, two, three." Harvey pushed with all of his might, pressing the teeth of the trap down and away from the young man's ankle. "Pull him out, Jasper."

Harvey grit his teeth and growled as he waited for the man's ankle to be pulled free. Once it was, he glanced at Jeb. "Ready?"

"One, two, three."

Harvey jumped back, barely escaping the metal teeth as they snapped back together. "Can you shift?" Harvey asked the young man.

"No." The guy almost cried when he said that. "They gave me something that keeps me from shifting."

"What?" Harvey snapped.

Jeb growled as his anger renewed. Someone gave him something to keep him from shifting?

When Harvey slowly panned to look at him, Jeb shrugged. He couldn't explain his anger. He didn't understand it himself. Yes, anyone would be angry in this situation, but Jeb wanted to kill someone for what they had done to this poor man.

Harvey frowned then looked back down at the injured man. "Have you transitioned yet?"

"Yes, a little over a month ago."

"I'm going to wrap your ankle for now. We'll talk to Alpha Kersey when we get back home and see if he knows what they might have given you. How's that sound?"

The nod was instant.

"What's your name? Mine's Harvey."

"Erik Thomas."

Harvey ripped off the bottom of his shirt and started tying it around the young man's ankle. "I know this hurts, Erik," he said when Erik whimpered, "but it's got to be done. We have to stop the bleeding."

Erik nodded rapidly, his lips pressed so tightly together, they were white. Once Erik was all wrapped up, Harvey went to lift him. Jeb growled and pushed him out of the way, picking Erik up himself.

Harvey lifted an eyebrow.

Jeb's jaw clenched. He tightened his grip on the man in his arms, refusing to let him go, even to his beta. "I've got him."

"Jasper, did your brother kidnap you?" Harvey asked.

"He sent some of his guys for me," Jasper said. "I didn't want to go, but they made me."

"Did your brother tell you why he kidnapped you?"

Tears sprang to Jasper's eyes as he nodded. "He knows I'm an omega. He was going to sell me to the highest bidder."

Jeb's jaw dropped. Jasper was getting sold? By his own brother? What kind of madman were they dealing with?

"He was going to sell you?" Harvey snarled.

Jeb understood his anger.

"That's what he does," Erik whispers. "He kidnaps and sells people, and he doesn't care if they are shifters or humans as long as he can make money off of them."

Harvey clenched his hands. "Where is he now?"

"I heard him tell one of his men that he had one more package to pick up before the next auction," Erik said. "The auction is tomorrow."

"How do you know all this?"

A tear slipped down Erik's cheek. "I was to be auctioned off."

Oh hell no!

Jeb's growl was loud and clear this time. "No one is auctioning you off!"

He didn't care how many people he had to kill. It simply wasn't going to happen.

"Come on," Harvey said. "Let's get these guys—"

Jeb lifted an eyebrow when Harvey just suddenly zoned out. "Harvey?"

"Hold on." A frown wrinkled the man's forehead before his jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. "We need to get back to the house. Dwayne says there's trouble."

Oh right. Jeb had forgotten that part. They could talk to each other telepathically. It was a very handy skill to have.

"What kind of trouble?" he asked.

"Jason trouble."

Erik shivered.

Jeb pressed his cheek against the top of the man's head. "I won't let him get you, Erik. I promise."

He had no idea why it was so important to his bear to make sure Erik was safe, but it was. It was all Jeb could do to keep from shifting. His bear was being very growly.

"I'm not sure you can promise that," Erik whispered. "Jason always gets what he wants."

"Jason hasn't met my alpha yet, but I suspect he's about to." Jeb chuckled as he envisioned that meeting. "He has no idea what he's up against."

Jeb might have grown up with Rob, and they'd been best friends since forever, but the man was still impressive even to him. Rob Colton stood a towering six foot five inches tall, and had the muscle to back that up.

Rob also had the heart and determination to be a great alpha someday. He had a little growing to do before then. He'd been an official alpha all of a day. He needed a little more experience, but Jeb and the others had his back no matter what.

Jeb kept a firm hold of Erik as he carried him through the woods. He was concerned about Erik's injury. The scent of blood was overwhelming and the man whimpered every few minutes. Jeb knew he had to be in a lot of pain.

"It's okay to cry, you know," he said. "I've had my leg caught in a bear trap before. I bawled like a baby."

He hadn't really, but he sure had wanted to.

"You can shift just as soon as whatever they shot you up with wears off and then your leg will heal and the pain will go away."

Eyes as blue as the summer sky peeked up at him through a fall of sunlight blond hair. "What's your name?"

Crap. His manners had gone to shit.

RELEASE DAY: Saving Sawyer

SAVING SAWYER

Mech Warriors 2

Allied Defense Force soldier Stefan Andres lost the love of his life two years ago in a terrifying mech attack. He harbored hatred in his heart until his friends convinced him Sawyer might still be alive. Dealing with the guilt of shooting his commander isn't nearly as overwhelming as discovering Sawyer is actually alive. What he learns when he finds the man might be more than even he can handle.

Lewis Sawyer loved Stefan more than his next breath, which was the only reason he forced himself to stay away from the man after escaping the mechs. What was done to him could put Stefan's life in danger. When a nighttime attack forces him to come out of hiding, he has to face his demons, and the love he left behind, but will Stefan see him as the man he was or the monster the mechs made him?

http://www.stormyglenn.com/savingsawyer.htm

 

STORY EXCERPT

Stefan stiffed and spun when he heard someone coming up fast behind him. It was Sam and Butler and they were hauling ass. When the two men waved their arms in the universal sign to get moving, Stefan turned and started running right along with everyone else. He had no idea what was coming, and he didn't really want to find out. If it was enough to send Sam and Butler running, it couldn't be good.

As he ran, he scanned the area for any place they could all hide as well as a high vantage point where he might be able to get off a few good shots. He spotted a parking garage about half a block down.

"Commander!"

When Roark looked back at him, he pointed. Roark looked to where Stefan pointed then nodded even as he grabbed Frankie's arm and started pulling toward the garage.

They were lucky in the fact that the rebar in the building was build from steel and not iron or the place would be nothing but a pile of rubble. If they were lucky, the staircase would still be intact and they could take that up instead of running up the ramp.

"Stefan, find a place to roost," Roark called out. "Foster, track Dahl down and then get your ass back here. Sam, see if this place has a basement leading to the sewer. Butler, booby trap the entry. We'll meet on the top floor."

Stefan wanted to stay and make sure his friends stayed safe while they did as their commander ordered, but he knew he'd be of better use high up somewhere. He ran inside the parking garage and searched for the staircase. As soon as he spotted a sign for the stairs, he headed right for it.

As he ran up the stairs, Stefan noticed something that seemed odd to him. Just another line in odd things. Footprints in the dust. They looked too fresh to have been there since the city was destroyed years ago.

Stefan pushed his curiosity and confusion to the back of his mind and ran up the stairs until he reached the top floor. He wasn't thrilled with how open it was on the top deck of the parking garage, but he didn't have a whole lot of choices.

He hurried over to the edge facing the street they'd been running down. He set everything down except his rifle. He kept crouched down as he looked over the solid cement wall, trying to spot whatever had spooked Sam and Butler so damn bad.

The scorpion wasn't hard to spot and easily explained why Sam and Butler had been running for their lives. The only one of them who'd taken on a scorpion and lived to tell the tale was Roark, and he swore it had been blind luck.

The damn things had six legs and a tail that shot a phaser. They were faster, stronger, and deadlier than any of the other mechs. The consensus was that they were the mechs in charge of all the others. So, the question was, what was a scorpion doing in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado?

Stefan glanced in the other direction. He wasn't sure if Dhal and Foster had made it back yet and leaving the guy to run into a scorpion wasn't a choice he was ready to make.

"What do you see?" Roark whispered as he crouched down beside him. Frankie James, Roark's lover, crouched down beside him.

"It's a scorpion."

"Here?" Roark leaned up and peeked over the edge. "Damn."

He leaned back down. His eyes grew a little wild there for a moment before they landed on the building next to them. "Do you think we can get over to that building?"

"You don't want to wait it out?" Stefan asked.

Roark shook his head. "I think they're looking for us. It might have been that silver flier and those two scarabs you took out at the cryogenics facility or maybe they have a new way of tracking us, but we can't chance that that damn thing knows we're here."

"There's too much of a gap between the two buildings, Commander," Butler said. "I checked that when I was coming up."

"What about the basement?" Frankie asked. "Is this place hooked up to the sewer system?"

"I won't know until Sam gets up here."

It was a parking garage, but surely it had some sort of sewer access. At least a maintenance room in the basement for the electrical system. Something.

"Fuck! Silver flier!" Roark shouted as he jumped to his feet, grabbed Frankie and yanked him up, then started running back toward the stairs. "Hide."

Stefan grabbed his stuff and started to jump to his feet when an explosion rocked him back on his ass. The silver flier that was just about on his position when it changed directions and took off toward the explosion.

Stefan climbed to his feet, but as he went to take a step, he glanced back toward where the scorpion had been. He frowned as he turned and gave his full attention to the scene below. The scorpion was nothing but smoldering metal.

The silver flier flew into his line of vision as it circled the destroyed scorpion. Stefan brought his rifle up and took aim, but before he could pull the trigger the silver flier exploded into a million tiny metal shards.

"What the fuck?"

Stefan used the scope on his rifle to search the surrounding area. There had to be someone out there. As much as he wished otherwise, mechs didn't explode on their own. He couldn't see anything out of place.

Just as he was about to lower his rifle, a flash of movement caught his attention. Strangely enough it came from the same tower he'd been in not ten minutes before. The world fell out from beneath Stefan when he sighted in on the one face he'd never thought to see again.

"Sawyer?"

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER: Stalking My Mate

STALKING MY MATE

Assassins Inc. 5

coming May 2nd, 2019

Stalker
I was stalking my mate and I had good reason. He was bonded to someone else, but that didn't absolve me of my duty to him, or my obsession. Making sure he was happy and safe, even if it wasn't with me, was just something I had to do. When I discovered he wasn't, all bets were off.

Jojo
I'd given up the dream of a mate in exchange for the life of my son. It was an exchange I willingly gave to have Tommy with me. When our lives were threatened, escaping with Tommy was my only option. I just wasn't sure where we were going to escape to or who could help us, but someone had to. I'd already lost my mate. I couldn't lose my son.

https://www.bookstrand.com/stalking-my-mate-mm

RELEASE DAY: On Target (Special Operations 8)

ON TARGET

Special Operations 8

Haus Jackson was mystified by the voice that came out over his comm-unit and directed him to safety time and time again. He had no idea who the man was, but he couldn't fault his intel. Kevin had saved more times than he could count, but who was he?

Kevin Davis had a debt to pay. He owed Haus his life and he was going to make sure that the man had the backup he needed. He might not be able to be there in person, but he had mad computer skills and he planned to use them to keep Haus alive.

When someone started to mess with Kevin, he had to wonder if it was due to the top secret intel he was sharing with Haus or if it was something more. Kidnapped and tossed into a trunk, he was terrified no one would be able to save him, not even Haus.

https://www.bookstrand.com/on-target-mm

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER: His To Bear

HIS TO BEAR

Bear Essentials 2

coming March  28th 2019

George Carver's life changed forever in the span of 24-hours. He won a billion dollar lottery, but more importantly, the man sent to protect him turns out to be his mate. His very human mate. Luckily, Leon seems to know about shifters. He just doesn't know anything about mates.

Leon de Oro spent several years as an Army Ranger before retiring to work for a friend in his security company. He never dreamed that he'd be sent on an assignment to protect the man of his dreams or that the bear shifter would claimed they were fated to be together.

People will do stupid things for money. They'll do really stupid things for a lot of money, and George had a lot of money. A billion dollar lottery win brings people—old and new—out of the woodwork. Leon has a hard enough time keeping George and his billions safe. Trying to decide if he's ready to settle down with a mate might be impossible.

https://www.bookstrand.com/his-to-bear-mm

STORY EXCERPT

9-27-42-43-58-6

George Carver swallowed tightly then glanced between the lottery ticket in his hand and the numbers displayed on the TV screen.

It wasn't possible.

It just wasn't possible.

He got up and walked over to his desk. He leaned the ticket against the screen then booted up his ancient laptop. His hands shook as he typed in the website for the Mega Money Lottery contest. The website seemed to take forever to load.

It was probably just a few seconds.

He had good internet.

Once again, he glanced at the numbers on the ticket he'd purchased on a whim down at the local corner grocery store and double checked them with the ones on his screen.

They were the same.

All of them.

He'd gotten all six numbers.

Holy fuck!

George just sat there and stared. It really had been a whim. He'd been standing in line at the grocery store when he saw the flashing numbers on the lottery machine. One point six billion dollars.

He couldn't even conceive of that amount of money.

After paying for his purchases, he'd had two dollars left. He briefly thought about grabbing a coke, but then decided, why the hell not? He knew he'd never win, but it was nice to dream, so he'd bought a lottery ticket. He'd hit the random number generator, not wanting to try and choose numbers himself.

9-27-42-43-58-6

The winning lottery numbers.

Holy fuck!

George clicked the button directing lottery winners on what to do next. It took him a moment to figure out exactly what he was reading. The direction weren't that user friendly. He grabbed the ticket and signed his name across the back of it then picked up his cell phone and took a picture of the signed ticket.

Now, he just needed a place to hide it until he could figure out what to do.

George started looking around his room. He spotted several different placed he could put the ticket, but none of them seemed that secure. It wasn't likely that his house was suddenly going to be robbed, but he wasn't taking any chances.

He also didn't want to hold onto the ticket until he was ready to go to the lottery headquarters and claim his prize. He was too afraid he'd be mugged on his way down to the office. Or kidnapped. Hit by a bus. Crushed by a falling meteor. Abducted by aliens.

The list was endless.

According to the lottery website, he needed to make several copies of the signed ticket then place it in a safety deposit box for safe keeping. He then needed to get a lawyer, a financial planner, and an accountant.

That list was endless as well.

What was a trust or limited liability company?

Family limited partnership?

George squinted as he stared at the screen. He was supposed to check the records for attorneys, accountants, and financial planners to see whether there had been any complaints filed with state disciplinary authorities.

That couldn't be that hard, could it?

George reached over and grabbed his phone, dialing a number he knew by heart. "Hey, Ford, can you come over? I need a little help with something."

"Yeah, I'll be right there."

Sure enough, five minutes later my front door banged open and Ford walked in. It kind of helped that he lived in an apartment two floors down.

"What's up?"

"Lock the door."

Ford raised an eyebrow, but did as George asked.

George got up and walked over to the radio, turning it on loud enough to muffle our words, but not so loud that they couldn't hear each other talk.

Ford's forehead furrowed as he walked closer. "What's going on? Are you okay? You're acting all weird."

Ford would know. Not only was he George's best friend, but he was also his cousin. They'd been born a week apart. Being so close in age, they'd always been lumped together. The good part was that they'd become best friends.

"Come here." George waved Ford over to his laptop, then pointed to the screen. "Look at those numbers."

Ford squinted down at the screen. "9-27-42-43-58-6. Okay. Why am I looking at them?"

George held out the lottery ticket. "Now look at these numbers."

"9-27-42-43—" Ford gasped. His hand started to shake. "George."

"I know, right?"

"9-27-42-43-58-6. Jesus, George. You have all the numbers right, every damn one of them."

"Yeah." George swallowed tightly as he pushed his glasses up his face. "That's a lot of money, Ford."

One point six billion dollars.

He couldn't even say it.

"Shit." Ford's eyes grew huge. "You need to talk to Dad before you do anything."

"You think he could help me with this stuff?"

"Uh, yeah. Dad's a CPA. This kind of stuff is right up his alley."

George chuckled nervously. "Fancy a trip to Paris? Or a new car?"

He could afford it now.

"I wouldn't turn down a cup of coffee," Ford said.

And that was why Ford was his best friend. Even with a billion dollars on the line, Ford wouldn't take advantage of him.

"Come on." George tucked the lottery ticket into his pocket then grabbed his jacket. "I'll buy you a cup of coffee after I stop at the bank."

Ford lifted an eyebrow. "Dude, I can pay for my own coffee."

"No, it's not that. I have money. I need a safety deposit box. I don't want anything to happen to this ticket before I have a chance to turn it in."

"You should take a picture of it."

"I already did."

"Make a copy of it so you have it on you."

George hadn't thought of that. He pulled the ticket back out of his pocket and walked over to his printer. He made two copies, one for him and one for Ford, making sure he got both sides of the lottery ticket on the print out.

He folded his up and stuck it into his wallet then handed the other one to Ford. "Here, hold on to this for me. Put it in your wallet or something."

Ford shrugged as he took the print out, folded it up, then slid it into his pocket. "Why do you want me to have a copy?"

"In case I lose mine."

"Better hope you don't."

George chuckled nervously. "Right?"

He slid the original ticket back into his pocket. "Okay, let's do this."

He needed to make sure his future was somewhere safe before he started planning it.

COMING SOON: His To Bear

HIS TO BEAR

Bear Essentials 2

coming March 28th 2019

George Carver's life changed forever in the span of 24-hours. He won a billion dollar lottery, but more importantly, the man sent to protect him turns out to be his mate. His very human mate. Luckily, Leon seems to know about shifters. He just doesn't know anything about mates.

Leon de Oro spent several years as an Army Ranger before retiring to work for a friend in his security company. He never dreamed that he'd be sent on an assignment to protect the man of his dreams or that the bear shifter would claimed they were fated to be together.

People will do stupid things for money. They'll do really stupid things for a lot of money, and George had a lot of money. A billion dollar lottery win brings people—old and new—out of the woodwork. Leon has a hard enough time keeping George and his billions safe. Trying to decide if he's ready to settle down with a mate might be impossible.

http://www.stormyglenn.com/histobear.htm

NOW AVAILABLE: Fate & Forgiveness

FATE & FORGIVENESS

Tribal Bonds 6

available now!

Roman is a hunter, tasked with finding and eliminating those who break the laws set down in a treaty between the humans and the paranormals. After being held captive and tortured for months, he's more than ready to track down the one man he couldn't stop thinking about. It was just too bad Seth wasn't where he left him.

Wolf shifter Seth Connelly has a deep hatred of hunters. In his mind, they have done nothing but kill his kind for centuries. He fully believes that every last one of them needs to be wiped from the earth. When he meets an attractive man in a local bar and takes him home for the night, Seth never dreams that the man he spends the night with is his mate—and a hunter.

Vampire Casey is sent to deliver a message to a wolf shifter hiding out in the mountains. Before he can reach his destination, he's attacked. He shows up on Seth's doorstep, bloody and bruised, and never dreaming fate had a plan for him even he couldn't imagine.

Standing on different sides of a war that is quickly coming, Roman, Seth, and Casey have to learn to put their hatred aside and work together to eliminate a new threat to them all. Failure to do so could mean more than their lives. It could mean the end of everything, including the growing love that none of them can deny...but sometimes, hatreds run very deep.

https://www.bookstrand.com/fate-forgiveness-mmm

FINISHED & SUBMITTED: Hot Mess 9

HOT MESS 9

coming January 31st

Lany

Life doesn't always ask us what we want. I knew that was true when Sal announced he wanted a divorce. I was devastated, especially considering I had no idea why, and he refused to speak to me except through his lawyer. When my world continued to go to hell, I had to wonder if someone had it out for me.

Salvador

Life doesn't always ask us what we want. I knew this was true when someone sent me undeniable proof that Lany had been sleeping around on me. I was devastated, especially considering I had the proof on video. When my world continued to go to hell, I had to wonder if someone had it out for me.

http://www.stormyglenn.com/hotmess9.htm

EXCERPT

Lany

"I want a divorce."

My heart stuttered in my chest as I stared at Sal. For a moment, I wanted to laugh, but then I wanted to smack him. "That's not even nice to joke about, Sal."

"I'm serious, Lany. I've already packed my stuff and moved it out."

I shouldn't have believed a word Sal said. We'd been married for years. We had six kids. We'd built a life together. There was no way he'd divorce me.

I still couldn't keep from scanning the room. I started to frown as I realized I couldn't spot anything of Sal's in the bedroom. None of his clothes littered the floor. There was no coffee cup on the nightstand, no watch, not holster hanging near the bedroom door. I couldn't even see any of his shoes sticking out from under the dresser.

"Sal, what—" I gasped when Sal tossed a large manila envelope at me. I caught it before it fell to the floor. "What is this?"

"Divorce papers," Sal snapped. His voice was cold, bitter, a tone I had never heard aimed at me before. "I've already signed them. All you need to do is sign them and send them to my lawyer. He'll file them after that."

"Sal, I don't—" I couldn't breathe. "I don't want a divorce."

I loved Sal, adored him. He was my reason for breathing. He owned my soul. Nothing on Earth could ever convince me to divorce the man.

"What you want is no longer my concern."

I whimpered as daggers stabbed me in the chest. Sal had never spoken to me like this.

I didn't like it.

"The kids, Sal."

Sal nodded. "I want joint custody, but I think they should stay here with you for now. Their lives will be chaotic as it is with me moving out and all. It's important for them to have something familiar. We can work out a visitation schedule through my lawyer."

Sal grabbed his jacket off the end of the bed and laid it over his arm before looking at me once again. "I'm giving you the estate. I don't want it."

"Sal—"

"I'd prefer all future correspondence to go through my lawyer. I want no further contact with you."

I was dying. That was the only explanation for the agony exploding through every part of my body. "Why are you doing this?" I whispered. Tears flooded my eyes then spilled down my cheeks. "I love you, Sal. Whatever is wrong—"

"Whatever is wrong?" Sal snarled.

I stumbled back when he stormed toward me. I had never been afraid of Salvador Delvecchio a day in my life...until that very second.

"What is wrong is that you're a conniving, backstabbing little bitch and I've just been too dumb to see it before now."

I had always been able to see the love and adoration in Sal's copper colored eyes when he looked at me. This time, when his gaze scorched down my body, I felt like hiding.

"I don't know what—" I whimpered and turned my head when Sal leaned in close to me. I could feel his warm breath blow out across my cheeks.

"You should get a medal. You're very good at fooling people. I know I bought your innocent act for years. I'm just surprised you were able to keep up the pretence for so long."

Sal's fingers threaded through the hair at the nape of my neck before fisting. I winced when he pulled my head back, pulling at the smaller hairs. "So sexy. So innocent. How many men have had you, Lany? Ten? Twenty? A hundred?"

What?

"Sal, I would never—"

Sal's upper lip curled back in a snarl. "You think I believe anything that comes out of your mouth? You've been lying to me since the moment we met. Was that even a coincidence or did you plan for me to find you in that bar?"

Sal's gaze swept over me, making my skin crawl. This wasn't the way it was supposed to be. We were married, through good times and bad. We had made a commitment to each other. I wasn't supposed to feel like my skin was peeling off when Sal looked at me.

"Sal, please."

"You beg so nicely, Lany. It's an art form for you, isn't it?" Sal's eyes flashed with something I couldn't read, and frankly, I didn't want to. It was very dark. "I loved you so much. I would have happily given my very last breath for you, and you...it was all just some game for you, wasn't it?"

Sal's fingers tightened in my hair.

"What was it you were after, Lany? Why play your game for so long?" Sal's eyes narrowed. "Or was it just that you can only stay faithful for so long before you give in to your need to fuck anything with a pulse? Is that it? You tried the whole monogamy thing and found out it wasn't for you?"

I swallowed tightly before replying, "I have never been unfaithful to you."

Why would I? Sal was everything I had ever wanted.

Sal snorted. "Still playing the game, Lany?"

"No, I—"

"I didn't believe it at first. We've been married for years. I couldn't believe that the man I promised to spend eternity with would fuck around on me, but the clues just kept stacking up. First it was the pictures then the videotapes. I thought they had to be fakes, that someone was fucking with me, but Burke sent them to his forensics lab and had them authenticated."

"What pictures?" I asked. "What videotapes?"

What in the hell was Sal talking about?

"But it was just you fucking with me all these years." Sal pushed me back until I hit the wall, putting space between us. "Well, I'm onto your little game now, Lany, and I don't want to play it anymore. Go find some other stupid bastard to play with." Sal let out a bitter laugh that chilled me down to my soul. "Oh wait, you've already done that."

Sal picked his jacket up off the floor and draped it over his arm again. I hadn't even realized he'd dropped it. He walked over to stand next to the bedroom door. "Tell everyone else whatever you want to about the divorce, but for the kids' sake, I listed irreconcilable differences in the divorce papers. No one but us needs to know what a faithless bastard you are."

 "Don't do this, Sal. Whatever is going on, we can work it out." I couldn't let him walk out the door without trying to save my marriage. I wasn't sure I could survive without Sal. "Please, Sal. If our marriage ever meant anything to you, don't—"

Sal snorted. It was a very rude sound.

"I've banned you from the bunkhouse and blocked you on my cell phone. If there's an emergency with one of the kids, either send a message through my lawyer or your uncle. Other than that, I don't want to hear from you, see you, or receive any type of communication from you."

I wrapped my arms around my waist when Sal's gaze raked over me once again. I had never felt more exposed or my bruised as I did in that moment.

"As far as I am concerned, you're dead to me."