The Secret

by Maggie Cole

  Collin and I stepped away and walked over to our friends, who I realized at that moment had all become my family. I didn’t need blood. I had something much stronger. They had chosen me, and I had chosen them.

  Collin held me around the waist and whispered how proud of me he was. We stood between Keri and Sam, and I held their hands while we listened to Sarah.

  I looked over at Tom, who had his arm around Liv. He had been right. At that moment, I truly became free.

  Epilogue

  Meg

  Over the weeks, the press started to ease up. The paparazzi gradually left our doorsteps.

  Liv and I decided that we should throw Keri and Sam a shoe-signing party. In our typical fashion, we blew the PR up for it. Anyone who was anyone would be there, and our office fielded calls with clients who begged to get on the list.

  The party was at Club D. I was in Collin’s closet, getting ready. I realized, through all the craziness, we hadn’t contacted a real estate agent yet. I had moved in unconsciously. The closet was stuffed full of both our clothes. It occurred to me that we needed to find a new place.

  I was in my underwear and bra and had just hooked my garter belt to my hose, when I saw Collin staring at me, intensely.

  “What?”

  He came over and gave me a kiss, which turned me on like always.

  I came up for air. “We can’t be late tonight. You’ll have to wait,” I teased him. “Oh, and I think it’s time we called a real estate agent.” I pointed to the chaos in the closet.

  Collin nervously stared at me. It sent a flock of butterflies through me.

  I reached up and stroked his face. “Collin, you okay?”

  “I think we should negotiate.” He put on his negotiator's face and gave me a challenging stare.

  “About the real estate agent?”

  He shook his head and gave me his smoldering look.

  Okay, I guess we are going to be late.

  “What do you want, Collin?” I put on my sultriest voice.

  The negotiator left, and nervousness took over instead. He stood quietly for a minute while I glanced at him in question.

  That’s when he knelt and pulled out a ring. “I don’t want to only live with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you as my wife. Will you marry me?”

  Tears formed in my eyes. I stepped forward and wrapped my body around him. I kissed him with all my love as I tried to find words. Finally, I whispered, “Done.”

  Happiness and relief washed over his face. He kissed me some more, and traced the outline of my undergarments with his fingers, as his massive hands cupped my butt cheeks. Then, he stood up and slid the gorgeous ring on my finger.

  It was a single diamond that fit perfectly.

  “It’s beautiful, Collin,” I gushed.

  “You’re beautiful.”

  He grabbed my dress, helped me step into it, and turned me around to zip it up. Then, he held my shoes for me to step into. “Come on, Meg, you can’t be late.” He grabbed my hand and led me out and into the car.

  I sat in the car, and Collin had his arm around me. I traced my finger over the diamond and smiled. I gazed up at him. “I dreamed we were getting married when you were in surgery.”

  “I was going to ask you the night I was shot,” he blurted out.

  I did a double-take.

  “I’ve been trying to find the perfect time, but everything has been so hectic. I couldn’t wait any longer.”

  I leaned in and kissed him. “Tonight was perfect.”

  Colin grabbed a bottle of Cristal out of the ice bucket, popped it open, poured me a glass, then picked up his phone.

  “Hey Liv, we’re gonna be a bit late.”

  My head snapped up, confused. It was early enough to get there in time.

  Collin looked at me, negotiator in full force. "Thanks for understanding, Liv. I’ll tell Meg you have everything handled.”

  He quickly rolled down the window to the driver. “Freeway, until I tell you to turn around.” He rolled the window back up.

  Collin took a sip of my Cristal, handed it back to me, moved me forward, and started to unzip my dress. “There are some things I was supposed to do to you with Cristal...”

  Also by Maggie Cole

  All In Series Book Three

  An adventurous writer on a spur-of-the-moment vacation. A wealthy entrepreneur with a dark secret.

  On the first night of Maddie Burns’ vacation, she meets fellow New Yorker Jack Stevens. The chemistry is instant and overwhelming. Jack doesn’t do relationships, but Maddie is different. He wants her for his own—and not just on vacation.

  Maddie, fresh out of a six-year relationship, needs to figure out who she is. But she can’t deny the way her body responds to Jack’s presence. She wants him. She needs him.

  Except Jack and Maddie soon discover they share more in common than friends. Turns out, their pasts connect them to the same horrific crime. If they don’t fight the fallout, they’ll lose their safety, freedom, and each other.

  THE CRIME is the third installment of the All In series. At approximately 75,000 words, this sizzling novel features a love-at-first sight romance and a guaranteed HEA. It can be read as a stand alone or after books 1 and 2 of the All In Series.

  Flip the page for the Prologue and sneak peak of Chapter One!

  The Crime - Prologue

  Covered in sweat, full of terror, I woke up as the visions of what I saw were still fresh in my mind.

  Women and children wept; tears streamed out of their fear-filled eyes. My ears rang with the echo of their cries and the sinister laughs that mocked them.

  Nausea overcame me, and I ran to the bathroom and violently threw up. As I hugged the toilet, a cold sweat rushed through my body. I closed my eyes as the tears rushed out, and I began to sob.

  I wanted to help them, I really did, but the gun pointed at them suggested that if I tried, I would have been shot. So I chose the coward's way out.

  After telling the men in charge, that it wasn't my scene, I left as fast as I could.

  Those sick assholes are my business partners. The thought sent my stomach pitching again.

  I must have been in shock because my mind was a black hole. Somehow, I arrived back at the hotel even though I don't remember the drive. When the valet opened my car door, it snapped me back into reality.

  I felt like a zombie as I walked to the elevator and pushed the button to my penthouse suite. I'm not sure how long I sat on the chair and stared out into the black night. My body shook (probably from shock), as their faces played on repeat in my mind.

  At some point, I must have dozed off. When I woke up from the nightmare, the sun peeked out over the bay. The water sparkled and glistened with different-colored blues as if everything was right in the world.

  Would anything ever be right again?

  In the morning light, it became clear what I needed to do. It didn't matter if they were connected to me. If I was held responsible for their crime then so be it, but they needed to be stopped.

  I picked up my phone and googled the number.

  The phone rang a few times. "FBI," a woman's voice answered.

  "I need to report a crime..."

  The Crime - Chapter One

  Maddie

  “One key or two?” The front desk clerk didn’t even look up.

  The hotel lobby was buzzing and packed with guests checking in. Several big conferences were in town and hundreds of people wore lanyards with nameplates.

  My immediate response was to say two, when I remembered that I no longer, as of this past weekend, was a package deal. “Just one,” I told her, as I felt the independence of the words roll off my tongue.

  Mike and I were together for six years, and it was strange to suddenly be alone. I left him only a few days earlier, but if I was honest, I should have left him years before. Surprise hit me, as, once again, relief washed over me that we were done.

  Why couldn’t I have been strong enough to
break up with him years ago?

  It would be a long time before I even dated again, I told myself. I needed to be by myself for a bit.

  The front desk woman quickly wrote my room number on the back of the card envelope. There were two wings to the hotel: east and west. My room was in the east wing.

  “If you want to eat in any of our restaurants, I suggest you get a reservation now, as we are full this week. Otherwise, Coastal has some appetizers and drinks if you don’t require anything extensive.” She pointed to the bar area.

  I thanked her, quickly grabbed my room key, and headed toward the elevators.

  It didn’t take long for me to reach my room. I entered the room, surprised by my view of Tampa Bay. The water glistened with multi-colored blues and sparkled from the bright sun.

  I happily flipped off my shoes and climbed into bed. The cheap ticket I booked required several layovers, and my day began pretty early. It was nearly 4:00 p.m., and a nap sounded pretty good.

  I quickly fell asleep, and woke up when it was dark. The skyline was mostly black with stars, and I could no longer see the bay. The clock on the nightstand read 7:23 p.m. I debated whether or not to stay in my room, but my stomach rumbled, and I decided to head to Coastal.

  After I looked in the mirror, I decided to jump in the shower. I freshened up my long black hair with some dry shampoo and put on some makeup.

  A new pink sundress sat inside the top of my suitcase. I grabbed it and threw it on, and slid my feet into a pair of flip-flops. My laptop bag was next to my purse, and I slung it over my shoulder, thinking that I could get some work done while I waited for my food.

  I double-checked that I had my room key and made my way through the hotel. It didn’t take me long to get to Coastal, and I was escorted to a quiet table for two at the back of the dark bar. A piano player strummed keys to a slow melody. Candles were lit on each table, and gave off a romantic glow.

  I grunted to myself at the thought of ‘romance'. Had I ever had any romance with Mike? I tried to throw that thought out of my head and reminded myself that I needed to stop beating myself up for staying—it wouldn’t change the situation.

  It wasn’t super busy yet, but I assumed it would be as the night progressed. I opened my laptop, ordered a glass of Chardonnay, and looked at the menu. I tossed the menu aside, no longer really hungry and not sure if I even wanted to order any food.

  A glass in, I needed to use the restroom. The people at the table next to me agreed to watch my laptop, and I took the chance that they weren’t thieves.

  The waiter pointed me in the direction of the bathroom. No one else was there. I washed my hands, freshened up my lipstick and headed out.

  As I stepped out, I bumped right into a man's chest, and nearly fell backward, but he put his arm around my back and embraced me tightly, so I wouldn't slip.

  My nostrils filled with his scent, and my heart started to thump in my chest. I could feel his tight biceps around me and his hand around my waist. I slowly gazed up, and discovered his dark hair and piercing dark brown eyes.

  His rugged good looks screamed he was high-powered, and I could tell his suit was expensive. Is he a GQ cover model? I felt the outline of his chest muscles through his suit, and I immediately wondered what it would be like to feel his bare skin against mine.

  “Are you all right?” His deep, sexy, and commanding voice asked, and as his smile grew, a set of dimples appeared on his cheeks.

  God gave him dimples too?

  I tried to find words. My eyes locked into his, as volts of hot electricity pumped through my body. I managed to mumble a yes.

  Someone needed us to move so they could get through. He stepped aside but still held onto me. My heart wasn’t the only one that raced—I could feel his beating through his suit.

  I licked my lips. He intently stared at me and his smile grew bigger. I couldn’t help it and grinned back at him.

  I’m not sure how long we gazed at each other, but several people tried to get past us. He reluctantly released me. Disappointment at the lack of his touch coursed through my body.

  “Thanks for keeping me from falling; I’ll let you pass now,” I somehow squeaked out.

  “My pleasure.” He winked at me and walked into the men’s room.

  Jack

  I walked into the men’s room as my mind reeled. My senses registered high alert—she was the most stunning girl I ever laid eyes on. When she stared at me with her big blue eyes, and her jet black hair brushed softly against my hands, I held myself back from leaning into her and kissing her.

  I studied my reflection in the mirror. I wondered if she would still be in the bar.

  Was she here by herself or with someone?

  Please, let her be by herself.

  I only went to the bar to use the restroom. There was a long line of people in the lobby, who waited for the elevators. The plan was to use the bathroom and go up to my room. Over a year ago, I stopped using women for my pleasure, and the bar no longer served me.

  Shock pulsed through my system when I held her. She felt perfect in my arms. I wanted to pull her closer. The only reason I let her go was because people needed to get past us.

  I wondered where she was from and what her name was. Was she here on business or pleasure?

  God, the things I want to do to pleasure her.

  Stop it! I told my reflection in the mirror. She could have any guy in the place, and I was sure they were better guys than me. I didn’t deserve a girl like that.

  She wasn’t only the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, but she seemed sweet and innocent. Every fiber of my body wanted to find out more about her.

  I tried to talk myself out of it. It wasn’t a good idea. If she knew what I had been a part of, she would definitely run.

  If only I could have met her after my dealings with the FBI were over. Maybe then we could have a chance. Surely, it wasn’t right to get involved with her while I was still dealing with this crap.

  Jack, walk straight out of the bar and up to your room.

  It was decided. I would not pursue her.

  I walked out the restroom. My brain told me not to look for her and go straight to my room. But my dick won. I glanced around to see if she was still in the bar. I spotted her, in the back, by herself with her laptop open. She had her perfect legs crossed and a glass of wine in her hand.

  She was eloquent, classy, and drop-dead gorgeous. When I gazed at her, I couldn’t walk away.

  Before I knew it, I was at the bar, ordering from the bartender. This was not in the plan, but I had to get to know more about her.

  Maddie

  I debated waiting in the hall for him to come out, but my common sense returned. I scurried back to my table. My mind raced, as I stared at my blank computer screen, not sure how a stranger could make me feel so excited.

  I booked the trip to Tampa to spend a week by myself. I wanted to detox men from my life, and here I was, with jelly insides at the first gorgeous guy I saw. “Damn it, Maddie,” I cursed myself. “You aren’t here for men.”

  I took some deep breaths and tried to regulate my heartbeat. I had never felt a jolt like that—with any man. I had just tried to convince myself it must have been because things were so bad with Mike for so many years.

  Why did you stay so long? Once again, the question I couldn’t answer flew through my mind. I sighed. I was a doormat for so many years. I tried to do whatever I could to make someone love me who never would and put his happiness over mine.

  But why did I stay?

  The waiter came over and put a bucket with ice next to the table, which snapped me out of my thoughts. I shot him a confused glance.

  He proceeded to open a bottle of Cristal Champagne. He filled a glass then handed it to me.

  “I didn’t order this.”

  “Madam, Jack Stevens ordered this for you and would like to know if he could join you?”

  “Jack Stevens?”

  The waiter nodded toward the ba
r. The jolt once again shot through me as our eyes met. My heart rate skyrocketed up again as I tried to comprehend the situation.

  Grab your copy of THE CRIME NOW! Or: www.authormaggiecole.com/thecrime/

  Coming Soon By Maggie Cole

  THE ALL IN SERIES - CLICK ON THE LINK TO ORDER NOW or go to www.authormaggiecole.com

  THE CRIME- December 8, 2019

  THE LIE - January 4, 2020

  THE TRAP - January 31, 2020

  THE GAMBLE - February 27, 2020

  If you’ve not read THE RULE, book one in the All In Series, grab it here and read all about Tom and Liv’s story!

  About the Author

  Maggie Cole is the pen name of a multi-faceted woman. She’s an entrepreneur at heart and loves writing steamy romance novels with the hopes her readers feel lots of different emotions. Her biggest hope is sometimes you’ll laugh, sometimes you’ll cry, and sometimes you’ll have little flutters racing through your veins.

  She’s a wife, mother, and lives in the sunshine, where she can often be found staring off into space while creating new scenes in her mind.

  Acknowledgments

  To my friends who read several drafts and kept pushing me to make this novel better, I thank you!

  To my editors, cover artists, launch team and author friends who shared so much wisdom with me, I thank you!

  To my readers; from the bottom of my heart, I thank you! I sincerely hope you loved this novel. I can’t wait to share the rest of the series with you!