ONE OF THE biggest and most wonderful surprises to me about the whole Hard Ink series was how quickly Jeremy Rixey became a favorite character. From the very first book, everyone wanted to know if Jeremy was going to get a story, and I was beyond thrilled to be able to do just that in Hard to Be Good! For that opportunity, I first and foremost have to thank all the readers who wanted Jeremy to have his very own happily--ever--after. And then I have to thank my wonderful editor, Amanda Bergeron, for agreeing Jeremy’s story needed to be told—-and for wholeheartedly embracing with whom he was going to find his happy ending. It’s been an amazing experience to work with an editor who so got my vision for this series and who loves the characters as much as I do, so thank you, Amanda!
My next thanks must go to Christi Barth, as always, for reading the book and giving me amazing comments that made it better and better. She’s been there beside me throughout the entire series, and I can’t thank her enough for helping me make the Hard Ink team shine!
Thanks also to my agent, Kevan Lyon, for diving into this series with me and for helping make Jeremy and Charlie’s story come true! And thanks to KP Simmon for being the world’s best cheerleader, shoulder to lean on, and (when necessary) conspirator! I’m really lucky to have such an amazing team of women to work with!
From the very first book -people were suggesting that if the team was going to have a dog, they needed a cat, too. And, of course, it couldn’t be a normal cat! Thanks to reader--friend Krystal Boehm for the inspiration for Cy. From the time she posted a picture of Cyrus, her orange one--eyed cat, on Eileen’s Facebook page, I knew he’d have to make an appearance in the Hard Ink world. (But, of course, the guys had to twist his name just a little. I hope Cyrus understands!) Oh, and Krystal, happy birthday!
I must thank wonderful writer friends Lea Nolan and Stephanie Dray, who are always there for me. And I must thank my Heroes, my wonderful street team, too! You guys rock! Finally, thanks to my family for making it all possible!
As always, thanks to the readers for taking my characters into their hearts and letting them tell their stories again and again.
With my love,
LK
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Don’t miss the explosive final chapter of the Hard Ink series . . .
HARD TO LET GO
Beckett Murda hates to dwell on the past. But his investigation into the ambush that killed half his Special Forces team and ended his Army career gives him little choice. Just when his team learns how powerful their enemies are, hard--ass Beckett encounters his biggest complication yet—-seductive, feisty Katherine Rixey.
A tough, stubborn prosecutor, Kat visits her brothers’ Hard Ink Tattoo shop following a bad break--up—-and finds herself staring down the barrel of a stranger’s gun. Beckett is hard--bodied and sexy as hell, but he’s also the most infuriating man ever. Worse, Kat’s brothers are at war with the criminals her office is investigating. When Kat joins the fight, she lands straight in Beckett’s sights . . . and in his arms. Not to mention their enemies’ crosshairs.
Now Beckett and Kat must set aside their differences to work together, because the only thing sweeter than justice is finding love and never letting go.
Coming Summer 2015
Keep reading for a sneak peek!
THE WAREHOUSE WAS an abandoned shell. Empty so long that parts of the roof had caved in, most of the windows were gone, and nature had started to reclaim the concrete and cinder block, with bits of green taking root in the building’s cracks. Proof of the resilience of life, even in the worst of circumstances.
Most of Beckett Murda’s life was proof of that.
The whistling early morning wind and the distant sounds of Baltimore car traffic and ships’ horns were the only noises that made their way into this corner of what was left of the fourth floor, and that was just fine by Beckett. Because the height and the quiet and the seclusion made it the perfect place from which to protect what he cared about most.
His friends.
His brothers.
His chance at redemption.
Crouching beside a busted window gave Beckett the perfect view of Hard Ink Tattoo, his temporary home the past two and a half weeks. Or, at least, it was the perfect place to see what was left of it. The red--brick L--shaped building sat on the opposite corner of the intersection. Just a few days before, the center of the long side of the L had been reduced to rubble, courtesy of his enemies. The predawn attack had claimed the lives of three good men. Three too damn many.
With Wednesday morning daylight just breaking, Beckett scanned a one--eighty from left to right, his gaze sequentially moving from the empty roads that led to Hard Ink’s intersection, to Hard Ink itself, to the surrounding buildings—-all empty just as this one was except for Hard Ink. Luckily, the side on which their group lived hadn’t suffered any loss of integrity during the attack, so they hadn’t had to relocate their base of operations.