by Cynthia Eden
“I’m sorry.” She was. She’d loved this job. But now she loved something else more. “I’ve been offered a new position.”
He lifted a brow.
“I’ll be in charge of Bran Copper’s security. Someone has to keep an eye on him.”
Eric slapped down the resignation. “Why not take a leave of absence? You can watch the guy while he’s on tour, then you can work for me when he’s back home. We can make this work. I don’t want to lose you. You’re an asset this company needs.”
She rose from her chair. “Thank you, Eric.” He hadn’t just been a great boss. He’d been an incredible friend. When he’d hired her, she’d barely been a shell, moving by rote and aching from pain. “I’ll never forget everything you’ve done for me.”
He rose, too. “Contractual basis. You can work remotely as a VP. Organize the teams we send on surveillance. Take the jobs that you want and make sure your rock star stays safe.”
Okay, now that was tempting.
“Deal?” Eric pressed. He hurried around the desk. Offered his hand.
She took it. “Deal.”
He smiled at her and looked helluva relieved.
She hugged him. A hard, quick tackle hug. “Thanks for being my friend, Eric.”
He squeezed her back. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
***
She flew from Atlanta to Biloxi because Bran had a show at the Hard Rock. Her VIP pass got her past the crowd and put her up on the stage so she could watch him as he sang to the sold-out house. Bodies were pressed tightly to the stage. Scantily clad women reached up, desperate to touch him. Men sang along with him as they waved hats and phones.
The lights flashed, and beams from the spotlights moved over the crowd. Fog drifted across the stage.
A voice screamed from the crowd, “I love you, Bran!”
Julia’s lips quirked. Join the club, sister.
A spotlight hit Bran as he stood in the middle of the stage. His head turned, and he was suddenly staring straight at Julia. He covered the microphone with one hand, and as he looked at her, he mouthed…
I love you, baby.
Her chest felt light, and butterflies danced in her stomach.
He dropped his hand from the microphone and turned back to the crowd. “I have a new song I want to sing for you. It’s a little different from the songs you usually hear from me. But you know what? Different can sometimes be exactly what you need.”
There were shouts from the audience. One “Hell, yes!” was particularly loud.
“It’s called ‘At The Door’ and I hope you like it.” Bran’s fingers strummed over his guitar, and the beautiful melody she’d heard back at his cabin—back from three months ago—filled the stage.
Bran began to sing. “I knew from the start…when I opened that door. I knew from the start…That woman already owned my heart.”
God. She freaking loved him.
***
Bran threw open his dressing room door, the after-rush of a performance filling him, but, even more, nervousness pouring through his veins because she had been there. Julia had watched him on stage. He’d performed her song, and, damn, but he hoped it hadn’t sucked. He hoped she didn’t think he sucked.
Something hit him in the middle of chest.
He blinked and looked down. A scrap of lace had fallen near his shoes. He bent, picked it up, and felt his cock freaking triple in size.
“Those are my panties,” Julia announced helpfully. “I heard some women throw those at rock stars so…”
His hand fisted around the panties. He looked at her. The short skirt. The tight top. The heels. “You don’t have on underwear.”
She sat on his dressing room table, swinging the high heels back and forth. “How could I? I just threw them at you.” She bobbed her head and her delectable dimple made an appearance. “You know, all rock star style.”
He locked the dressing room door.
Her smile grew.
He tried not to pounce. “Did you…did you like the song?”
“Which one? You sang a lot of songs.”
Growling, he marched for her. He caught her legs, being extra careful with her left thigh, and he eased them open. “You know which one. The one for you.”
“Oh, that one.” Her eyes widened. There was so much joy in her gaze. Happiness.
He felt the same emotion filling his chest.
“I loved it,” she declared passionately.
He exhaled.
“But not as much as I love you.”
Bran kissed her. There was nothing in this world that he loved more than Julia. It had been three months since she’d first appeared on his doorstep. Gideon was about to start his trial, and his defense attorney had looked desperate as hell the last time Bran had seen the man.
There wasn’t any reason to be afraid any longer. There was no reason to hold back. With every moment that he spent with Julia, Bran wanted her, loved her, all the more. “Marry me,” he whispered against her mouth.
She eased back. Gazed into his eyes. He waited, barely breathing. Julia owned his heart. Kept it tight in the palm of her hand. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. Because she was everything.
Julia gave him the slow smile that he loved. “Yes, absolutely, yes.”
Bran knew that the best part of his life was just getting started. He was so damn grateful that she’d been at his door. So grateful for her.
Bran kissed her again.
The next fifty years were going to be amazing.
Rock star fucking awesome.
The End
Ready for another Cynthia Eden book? FIGHTING FOR HER is coming soon.
Fighting For Her
Beauty and the Beast? Nah…this isn’t some sweet fairy tale. FIGHTING FOR HER is about danger, action, and a whole lot of hot romance.
He’s been called a beast…and he likes the title.
Rick Williams is big, bad, and not someone you want to have as an enemy. As an agent with Wilde Securities, his job is to kick butt and take names. Protecting and defending—that’s part of his package deal, but his cases don’t usually involve him protecting someone like her.
A crime princess with a body made for the sweetest sin.
Kathleen O’Shaughnessy is the daughter of an infamous mob boss. Her father made sure that she was locked away from the world so Kat didn’t exactly have easy street growing up. Now that her father is dead, she’s suddenly out on her own—and she’s the target of every enemy that her father made in his very long career.
Keep the princess alive. Keep his hands off her.
The government wants to use Kat as a witness to take down what’s left of her father’s organization. To do that, though, Kat has to stay alive. She’s not big into the whole witness protection scene. Boring guys in cheap suits aren’t her thing. Kat needs protection that’s a bit…Wilder. Good thing Rick is up for the challenge. One look at Kat, and her protection—and her pleasure—are at the top of his to-do list.
It’s not the beast that needs taming. It’s the princess.
There are seven days until the trial. Seven days in which Rick has to keep Kat at his side day and night. It should be an easy enough task…but when the bullets start flying and they have to go on the run, Rick finds out that the protected “princess” isn’t who he thought. Kat is about to wreck his world, and it’s gonna be one heck of a wild battle.
He’ll do whatever it takes…
He’ll fight hard and he’ll fight dirty to keep her alive. And he’ll also fight with every bit of his strength to win Kat’s heart. The beast is falling hard and fast…and his princess holds his battered heart in the palm of her hand.
Author’s Note: Are you up for a twisted and hot take on a wild fairytale? Rick might be a fierce beast, but when the man falls, he falls hard. Prepare for an alpha hero, dangerous fun, hot romance, and some bad guys that are on the scary side. FIGHTING FOR HER is a stand-alone read, no cliff-hangers.
; Learn more about FIGHTING FOR HER.
A Note From the Author
Thank you for reading Bran and Julia’s story! I had never written about a rock star before, so Bran was all new territory for me. I loved pairing him with such a strong, fierce heroine. Julia might be small in stature, but she was always ready to kick butt!
If you haven’t read the other books in my Wilde Ways series, be sure to check them out! All of the stories are stand-alone reads, and the very first book in the series is called PROTECTING PIPER.
If you have a chance, please consider leaving a review for the story. Reviews help people to discover new books. (And authors love them!)
If you’d like to stay updated on my releases and sales, please join my newsletter list.
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Again, thank you for reading THE HEART YOU BREAK.
Best,
Cynthia Eden
www.cynthiaeden.com
About The Author
Award-winning author Cynthia Eden writes dark tales of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller. Cynthia is also a three-time finalist for the RITA® award. Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over eighty novels and novellas.
More Information
CynthiaEden.com
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Her Other Works
Dark Sins
Don’t Trust A Killer (Dark Sins, Book 1)
Don’t Love A Liar (Dark Sins, Book 2)
Dark Obsession Series
Watch Me (Dark Obsession, Book 1)
Want Me (Dark Obsession, Book 2)
Need Me (Dark Obsession, Book 3)
Beware Of Me (Dark Obsession, Book 4)
Only For Me (Dark Obsession, Books 1 to 4)
Mine Series
Mine To Take (Mine, Book 1)
Mine To Keep (Mine, Book 2)
Mine To Hold (Mine, Book 3)
Mine To Crave (Mine, Book 4)
Mine To Have (Mine, Book 5)
Mine To Protect (Mine, Book 6)
Mine Series Box Set Volume 1 (Mine, Books 1-3)
Mine Series Box Set Volume 2 (Mine, Books 4-6)
Lazarus Rising
Never Let Go (Book One, Lazarus Rising)
Keep Me Close (Book Two, Lazarus Rising)
Stay With Me (Book Three, Lazarus Rising)
Run To Me (Book Four, Lazarus Rising)
Lie Close To Me (Book Five, Lazarus Rising)
Hold On Tight (Book Six, Lazarus Rising)
Bad Things
The Devil In Disguise (Bad Things, Book 1)
On The Prowl (Bad Things, Book 2)
Undead Or Alive (Bad Things, Book 3)
Broken Angel (Bad Things, Book 4)
Heart Of Stone (Bad Things, Book 5)
Tempted By Fate (Bad Things, Book 6)
Wicked And Wild (Bad Things, Book 7)
Saint Or Sinner (Bad Things, Book 8)
Bite Series
Forbidden Bite (Bite Book 1)
Mating Bite (Bite Book 2)
Blood and Moonlight Series
Bite The Dust (Blood and Moonlight, Book 1)
Better Off Undead (Blood and Moonlight, Book 2)
Bitter Blood (Blood and Moonlight, Book 3)
Blood and Moonlight (The Complete Series)
Purgatory Series
The Wolf Within (Purgatory, Book 1)
Marked By The Vampire (Purgatory, Book 2)
Charming The Beast (Purgatory, Book 3)
Deal with the Devil (Purgatory, Book 4)
The Beasts Inside (Purgatory, Books 1 to 4)
Bound Series
Bound By Blood (Bound Book 1)
Bound In Darkness (Bound Book 2)
Bound In Sin (Bound Book 3)
Bound By The Night (Bound Book 4)
Forever Bound (Bound, Books 1 to 4)
Bound in Death (Bound Book 5)
Boxed Sets
Bad Things Volume One (Bad Things, Books 1 to 3)
Bad Things Volume Two (Bad Things, Books 4 to 6)
Blood and Moonlight (The Complete Series)
Only For Me (Dark Obsession, Books 1 to 4)
The Beasts Inside (Purgatory, Books 1 to 4)
Mine Series Box Set Volume 1 (Mine, Books 1-3)
Mine Series Box Set Volume 2 (Mine, Books 4-6)
Forever Bound (Bound, Books 1 to 4)
Naughty Or Nice
Cynthia Eden has written many other works. Check out her full book list.