by Sybil Bartel
He was quiet for a long moment, and I wasn’t sure he was going to say anything more until he began to speak. “Growing up, there was nothing I desired more than a family to call my own. I was surrounded by people, all called brother and sister, but none were my own. I was bonded to no one.” His hand gently caressed my stomach. “Now my seed is in you, our daughter is coming and I am more than content. I am bonded to you, and to our unborn child. You own my heart, and so will our daughter.” His arms tightened around me. “This makes it even more difficult to understand the actions of a man who could walk away from his family. I do not respect that, under any circumstances. And now having my own family within my grasp, I understand it even less. I would go to ground before I let anyone take you or our daughter from me.”
A tear slid down my cheek. “Hero—”
He wasn’t finished. “I will also never sow the seed of discontent between us. Our home is just that, it is ours. Our life is ours together. I will never deny you a family holiday meal, but at the same time, I am hoping you understand my position on breaking bread with a man who abandons his family.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, knowing full well who I loved, and who I chose when I said my vows.
“You have nothing to apologize for. Do not mistake my words for anger, nor contempt. It is not an issue of forgiveness that will change my stance, it is a matter of principal and how I choose to live my life and the sanctity of family that I believe in. I would never deny you, nor cause tension if you invite him into our home. All I am asking is that you do not ask me to sit across our family table from him.”
My heart both broke and reached for hope at his explanation as silly words poured out of my mouth. “What about appetizers in the living room?” I half laughed and swiped at a tear. “I’m sorry, I’m just making a bad joke. I love you and I hear you, and I’ll never make you feel uncomfortable in your own home.”
“I am not saying I am unwilling to compromise, Angel.”
“Then what are you saying?” I dared to ask.
“You will figure something out.”
My heart melted and I knew all over again how truly lucky I was to have him. “I love you, Hero,” I whispered.
His lips touched the top of my head. “I am your hunter. You are my heart. You and our daughter are all I need.”
Fresh tears in my eyes, I turned in his arms and smiled up at my man. “Are you going to teach our daughter to hunt?”
His hands rubbed down my back. “If she prefers.”
My eyebrows drew together. “How will you know if she prefers it if you don’t teach her?”
His fingers sifted through my hair. “Children are naturally predisposed to like what they are interested in.”
He had never been to school, but he was smarter than me in every way. “What if she prefers Barbies?” I teased.
He looked out over our land, surveying, admiring, remembering a different life—I wasn’t sure which, but he did it daily. “I do not know what that is.”
I snuggled into his chest. “Barbies are dolls.”
He kissed my forehead. “She will not prefer dolls over the outdoors.”
I looked up at him. “How do you know?”
He glanced down at my bare feet in the dirt and smiled. “She will be her mother’s daughter.”
THANK YOU!
Thank you so much for reading CALLAN! If you were interested in leaving a review on any retail site, I would be so appreciative. Reviews mean the world to authors, and they are helpful beyond compare!
Have you read the other books in the Uncompromising Series?
TALON
NEIL
ANDRÉ
BENNETT
Have you read the Alpha Escort Series? Three male escorts, three women who bring them to their knees.
THRUST – Alex’s story
ROUGH – Jared’s story
GRIND – Dane’s story
And check out the new Alpha Bodyguard Series!
SCANDALOUS
MERCILESS
RECKLESS
RUTHLESS
Turn the page for a preview of SCANDALOUS,
the first book in the exciting new Alpha Bodyguard Series about the men who work for André Luna at Luna and Associates!
SCANDALOUS
Bodyguard.
Babysitter.
Chauffeur.
Not what the hell I thought I’d be doing with my life.
Especially not for a spoiled Hollywood actress on location in Miami Beach. But triple pay and carrying a gun had its advantages. I’d shove away paparazzi and screaming fans for a lot less. The Marines trained me to be Force Recon—intimidation and crowd control was child’s play compared to four tours. This assignment should’ve been easy money.
But the doe-eyed starlet with the perfect ass dragged me down her rabbit hole. Living for the spotlight, she leaked the perfect scandal. I warned her making headlines wasn’t in my job description, but she kept smiling for the cameras.
Now she was going to find out just how scandalous a bodyguard could be.
*SCANDALOUS is the first standalone book in the Alpha Bodyguard Series.
The Alpha Bodyguard Series
SCANDALOUS – Tank’s story
MERCILESS – Collins’s story
RECKLESS – Tyler’s story
RUTHLESS – Sawyer’s story
When I embarked on writing the story of Callan, I have to admit, I was scared. How do you write a book about a hero who is incredibly alpha and resourceful, yet vulnerable and not completely damaged by growing up in a violent cult? I wasn’t sure, but I knew I had to tell his story. So his journey began and he challenged me like no other book. If it weren’t for my tribe, I would have been lost.
A huge thank you to Elizabeth Briggs, (you need to read her books if you haven’t done so already!) who had unwavering patience listening to all of my plot dilemmas and told me to just write the book for the story. She was right. Slow burns are awesome!
Have I told you I have the best beta reader ever? Kristin Johnson always takes my books hours before they’re due at the editor (because I am terrible at time management!), and she somehow manages to pick up on all the little details that get missed. She is a superstar!
I also have the best proofreader. She is this silent ninja that comes in at the last hour and she whips everything into shape like magic. I have no idea how she does it, but she will remember details from books past and catch inconsistencies and it always amazes me. Olivia, you’re amazing!
And Mr. Bartel. There are so many ways I could list how I would never be able to do this without the support of my husband. He listens while I bounce ideas off him, and he is the best resource ever for all of my male POV chapters! Thank you, honey!
And last but not least, a giant thank you to all of my readers and the ladies in Book Boyfriend Heroes, you all ROCK!
XOXO -Sybil
Sybil grew up in northern California with her head in a book and her feet in the sand. She used to dream of becoming a painter but the heady scent of libraries with their shelves full of books drew her into the world of storytelling.
Sybil now resides in southern Florida, and while she doesn’t get to read as much as she likes, she still buries her toes in the sand. If she’s not writing or fighting to contain the banana plantation in her backyard, you can find her spending time with her family, and a mischievous miniature boxer.
But seriously?
Here are ten things you really want to know about Sybil.
She grew up a faculty brat. She can swear like a sailor. She loves men in uniform. She hates being told what to do. She can do your taxes (but don’t ask). The Bird Market in Hong Kong freaked her out. Her favorite word is desperate, or dirty, or both, she can’t choose. She has a thing for muscle cars. But never rely on her for driving directions, ever. And she has a new book boyfriend every week.
To find out more about Sybil Bartel or her books, please visit her at:
Website: sybilbartel.com
Facebook page
Book Boyfriend Heroes
Twitter
BookBub
Newsletter