To the amazing crew at Random House—thank you for taking a chance on me. It’s been an awesome adventure.
And of course, I want to say thank you to all of the readers and bloggers who helped share my stories with the world. I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am.
BY L. P. DOVER
Second Chances
Catching Summer
Defending Hayden
Intended for Bristol
More Second Chances novels by L. P. Dover
Love’s Second Chance
Trusting You
Meant for Me
Fighting for Love
Intercepting Love
Armed & Dangerous Series
No Limit
Roped In
High-Sided
Gloves Off Series
A Fighter’s Desire—Part One
A Fighter’s Desire—Part Two
Tyler’s Undoing
Ryley’s Revenge
Paxton’s Promise
Camden’s Redemption
Kyle’s Return
Society X Series
Dark Room
Viewing Room
Bondage Room
Forever Fae Series
Forever Fae
Betrayals of Spring
Summer of Frost
Reign of Ice
Other books by L. P. Dover
Hard Stick
Love, Lies, and Deception
PHOTO: ? REGINA WAMBA
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a Southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she began her literary journey she worked in periodontics, enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.
She loves to write, but she also loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes, and go white-water rafting, and has a passion for singing. Her two youngest fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime, usually Christmas carols.
Dover has written countless novels, including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, the Gloves Off series, the Armed & Dangerous series, the Royal Shifters series, and her stand-alone novel Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense, but if she got to choose a setting in which to live, it would be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.
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Read on for an excerpt from
Hard Stick
by L. P. Dover
Available from Loveswept
Chapter 1
Kristen
“Cole?” I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the clock; it was eleven o’clock. Cole Harper was my best friend, a guy I’d grown up with my whole life and who followed me to New York after my parents died. He was the closest thing to family I had. “What are you doing calling me so late?” My bedroom light was still on and there was a book on my lap. I’d fallen asleep slumped over and now my neck was on fire.
Cole revved his motorcycle engine and sighed. “I’m on my way to your place. There’s something you need to see.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Now? You know that’s not a good idea.”
“I don’t give a shit,” he growled. “Your boyfriend can go fuck himself. After tonight, you need to get rid of his ass. There’s a reason he doesn’t take you out in public.”
“I already know why,” I grumbled. Only Cole and one of my girlfriends from back home knew about my relationship with the business tycoon. Mitch didn’t want our relationship to go public until his divorce was final.
Cole snapped, “No, you don’t, Kris. I’ll tell you everything when I get there.” He hung up before I could stop him. Little did he know that his visit would only stir up what I was trying to avoid.
It all began with one moment of pleasure.
That was all it took for me to fall head over heels for the man who could ultimately ruin my life. What was I talking about? He already had. I was trapped inside a sick game where he controlled all the players and I was the main piece. Even now, his eyes were on me. I didn’t have to look out my bedroom window to know that someone was out there, watching me.
Mitch Blackwell was a powerful man, the owner of Blackwell Holdings, and always used to getting what he wanted. When he hired me to decorate his office building, I was stoked for the opportunity. Working at Simon & Associates was a dream come true, but I didn’t have the clientele that some of my other colleagues had, including Cole. He was on the rise as one of New York’s best architects.
Working with Mitch would skyrocket my career as an interior designer. Little did I know I was going to fall for him. He was in his late thirties, about ten years older than me, but with a body any young man my age would envy. I wish I could have foreseen the hell he was going to put me through.
He said he wanted to make sure I was safe at all times, but after a few late nights out with my friends, I realized his true intentions. He wasn’t trying to keep me safe; he was keeping tabs on me, on who I was with. If another man touched me in any way, he would be right there on my doorstep, ready to make sure I thought of no one but him. Sometimes he’d do it with a passionate kiss and then rush off, but most of the time he’d want more and the sex would be demanding. Again, at the beginning I loved it, but his obsession was getting out of control. Now that Cole was on his way over, Mitchell would no doubt find out and show up.
At first, I loved his attention and the way he made me feel wanted. Now he terrified me, only there was no escaping him. Maybe that was why his wife had left him.
The sound of Cole’s motorcycle blared down the street and I sighed. I hadn’t told him what Mitchell would do if his people spotted another man coming to my condo. It had gotten so bad that even my male clients steered clear of me during our meetings. It was like Mitchell was everywhere, scaring the shit out of every man who tried to get near me. And he could do it, too. There was no way anyone could take him on and make it out on top.
Cole banged on my door and I opened it, restraining myself from flipping off the guy I knew was in the shadows somewhere watching. With his bleach-blond hair in disarray, Cole stormed inside, his jaw clenched tight.