by Shayla Black
“Aye,” said Drake. “And old Henry was so happy for the information, Aric has become quite the favorite at court.”
“Rumor has it,” said Guilford, “that he will even make Aric the godfather of his coming child, to be named Henry after his father if ’tis a boy. I would call that an honor indeed.”
Aric’s face flushed with color. “If the king is pleased and England is well, that will satisfy my ambitions. I have much more interest in home and hearth these days.”
Upon hearing his words, Gwenyth glanced up at her husband, then, smiling, went to his side. “I have much interest in you, too,” she whispered.
Laughing, Aric kissed his wife and tucked her under his arm. Their daughter, soon to see her first year done, toddled about their feet.
“And what of you, Drake? ’Twas a mighty long winter with little word from you and Averyl.”
“We spent much of the winter at Abbotsford, Averyl’s home. The keep’s repairs are nearly complete; the crops are again flourishing. And her father took a widow to wife close to Christmas, so we simply remained there for a time.”
“She is a wonderful woman. And best of all,” said Averyl as she approached, “no one at Abbotsford will starve this winter—or any other, I believe—and the Campbells and the MacDougalls have ceased their petty squabbles.”
Drake took his younger son from her arms, then looked at his other two children standing near. He flashed his wife a contented smile. “That’s right, wench. You learned the value of a good MacDougall man at your side.”
Averyl rolled her eyes at the teasing. “Nay, you boaster. ’Twas the love of a good Campbell woman that made you worthwhile.”
He ran a tender thumb across her fair cheek, brushing the golden hair at her nape. “You are right, love.”
In the sweet moment of silence, Drake kissed his infant son’s forehead. Averyl added her affection by patting the boy’s shoulder—and looking at his father with love.
“Now we are glad that you came to your senses and took Maeve to wife,” Averyl offered.
“And that we finally had the opportunity to meet her,” complained Gwenyth with a grin.
Maeve, certainly the loveliest lady in the room by Kieran’s estimation, joined the group, completing it. “As I am finally glad to meet you. I will look forward to hearing tales of these three ruffians.”
Collectively, the trio groaned.
“I could start with that tale of the day I caught you boys watching the bathing castlewomen,” Guilford offered, winking at the wives. “Not a single one of them under forty, and these lads were barely thinking of becoming men.”
The women all laughed. The men groaned again.
“’Twas an accident,” Kieran pleaded. “Have mercy!”
Guilford joined in the laughter. “As you wish. Have no doubt I am well pleased, Kieran. Maeve will keep you in line, and well you need it.”
Kieran reached for Maeve and placed a soft kiss on her mouth. “She does, I do, and I could not be happier.”
“Well, this is a fine state.” Guilford’s blue eyes snapped as he thrust his hands on his hips. “Here we have three warriors—well trained, I might add—utterly tamed by love. What have you to say?”
“The battle was a sweet one,” said Aric, watching Gwenyth.
“Aye, beyond a doubt,” added Drake, smiling at Averyl.
Kieran reached for Maeve’s hand. “I agree, and it seems fitting that God has blessed us all in love—and friendship.”
“God willing, He always will,” said Guilford with a smile.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Dear Reader,
As depicted in His Rebel Bride, Pro-Yorkist supporters in Ireland indeed tried twice to oust Henry VII with a pretender to his throne.
In May 1487, Lambert Simnel (real name unknown) was crowned in Ireland’s Dublin Cathedral Edward VI of England, claiming he was Edward, earl of Warwick, a nephew to the late King Edward IV. Simnel was a boy of eleven and of humble origins, and a pawn of the pro-Yorkist forces. Henry VII, enraged by this turn of events, brought the real Edward, earl of Warwick, from the Tower of London for all to see, but support for the pretender grew in Ireland anyway. The pro-Yorkist forces attacked the English in June 1487, at the Battle of Stoke, where they were decisively beaten. King Henry pardoned the boy afterward and put him to work in the royal kitchens. Eventually, he rose to the role of king’s falconer. He died peacefully in 1525, at the age of fifty.
In 1491, the second such pretender, Perkin Warbeck, emerged. He was the son of a French official and, while working in Ireland, gained the support of the Yorkists. After a time, he claimed to be Richard, duke of York, the youngest of the “Princes in the Tower.” For the next few years, Warbeck traveled with Margaret of Burgundy, sister to the late King Edward IV, gaining support and recognition from many governments, including that of Maximilian I in Germany. In October 1494, Warbeck proclaimed himself Richard IV and returned to Ireland to raise an invasion force. Henry VII, however, had already arrested most of the English nobility who supported Warbeck. In 1496, he turned to the Scottish for help, which resulted in nothing more than a brief border skirmish. He tried again with Cornish backing in September 1497, without success. He was captured a month later and placed in the Tower, very near Edward, earl of Warwick. Together, these two young men plotted a conspiracy, for which they were accused of treason and executed at Tyburn in November 1499. Warbeck was then aged twenty-five.
The English-Irish conflict began heating up in earnest in 1495, when the Drogheda Parliament bound Ireland firmly to English control, ending independence for the Irish parliament. But I like to think Kieran and Maeve could brave the rough waters of politics and remain steadfast in their love.
I sincerely hope you enjoyed His Rebel Bride and the entire “Brothers in Arms” series.
Shayla Black aka Shelley Bradley
THE LADY AND THE DRAGON
By Shayla Black
Coming November 11, 2014
Click here to pre-order!
A Runaway Heiress
Lady Christina Delafield was as bold as she was beautiful. When her overbearing grandfather threatened to tame her in a Swiss finishing school, Christina stowed away on the first ship leaving London harbor, determined to make her own way in life. But the mysterious captain of the Dragon’s Lair was a seductive reason to relinquish her independence–and embrace desire.
A Gentleman Pirate
Drexell Cain had lived for four years as the merciless Black Dragon, the scourge of the seas. Bent on rescuing his brother from the British Navy, Drex would do anything to return him to his wife and son in Louisiana–even kidnap the Lord Admiral’s granddaughter for ransom. A lovely blonde stowaway was an unexpected complication, until he discovered her real identity–and her passionate claim on his lonely heart.
HIS TO TAKE
A Wicked Lovers Novel
By Shayla Black
Coming March 3, 2015
Click here to pre-order!
Racing against time, NSA Agent Joaquin Muñoz is searching for a little girl who vanished twenty years ago with a dangerous secret. Since Bailey Benson fits the profile, Joaquin abducts the beauty and whisks her to the safety of Club Dominion—before anyone can silence her for good.
At first, Bailey is terrified, but when her captor demands information about her past, she’s stunned. Are her horrific visions actually distant memories that imperil all she holds dear? Confined with Joaquin in a place that echoes with moans and breathes passion, he proves himself a fierce protector, as well as a sensual Master who’s slowly crawling deeper in her head…and heart. But giving in to him might be the most delicious danger of all.
Because Bailey soon learns that her past isn’t the only mystery. Joaquin has a secret of his own—a burning vengeance in his soul. The exposed truth leaves her vulnerable and wondering how much about the man she loves is a lie, how much more is at risk than her heart. And if she can trust him to protect her long enough to learn the t
ruth.
Excerpt
“…What about you? You’re with another government agency, so you’re here to . . . what? Be my lover? Does Uncle Sam think you need to crawl between my legs in order to watch over me?”
Joaquin ground his jaw. She was hitting low, and the logical part of him understood that she was hurt, so she was lashing out at the messenger because she didn’t have anyone else. But that didn’t stop his temper from getting swept up in her cyclone of emotion. “I’m not here on anyone’s orders. In fact, I’ll probably be fired for pursuing this case because Tatiana Aslanov isn’t on my boss’s radar. When it became obvious the agency intended to do nothing, I couldn’t leave you to that horrific death. So here we are. But let me clue you in, baby girl. Uncle Sam doesn’t tell me who to fuck. I can’t fake an erection, even for the sake of God and country. That kiss we almost shared? That was me wanting you because just being in the same room with you makes me want to strip off everything you’re wearing and impale you with every inch I’ve got.”
When he eased closer to Bailey, she squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “Don’t come near me.”
That defiance made him wish again that he was a spanking kind of guy. He’d really like to melt that starch in her spine. If she wasn’t going to let him comfort her, he’d be more than happy to adjust her attitude with a good smack or ten on her ass, then follow it up with a thorough fucking. A nice handful of orgasms would do them both a world of good.
“I am so done with people lying to me,” she ground out.
That pissed him off. “You think I’m lying to you? About which part? Your parents being agents? That I’m sorry? Or that my cock is aching to fill your sweet little pussy until you dig your nails into my back and wail out in pleasure?”
Her face turned pink. “You’re not sorry about any of this. I’m also not buying your sudden desire bullshit.”
“I will be more than happy to prove you wrong right now.” He reached for the button of his jeans. “I’m ready if you are.”
In some distant corner of his brain, Joaquin realized that combating her hurt with challenge wasn’t going over well. On the other hand, something about arguing with her while he’d been imagining her underneath him hadn’t just gotten his blood flowing, but boiling. If fucking her would, in any way, prove to her that he wasn’t lying, he was beyond down with getting busy. If she let him, he’d give it to her hard and wicked—and repeatedly.
“No!” She managed to look indignant, but her cheeks had gone rosy. The pulse at her neck was pounding. Her nipples poked at her borrowed shirt angrily.
He put his hands on his hips. If she looked down, she’d see his straining zipper. “Do you still think I’m lying?”
“I’m done with this conversation.”
“If you’re telling yourself you don’t want me at all, then you’re the one lying.”
“Pfft. You might know facts about me on paper, but you don’t know me.”
“So if I touched your pussy right now, you wouldn’t be wet?”
He’d always liked a good challenge. It was probably one of the reasons he loved his job. But facing off with her this way made his blood sing, too.
“No.” She shook her head a bit too emphatically. “And you’re not touching me to find out. Leave me alone.”
“You’re worried that I’d find you juicy. You’re afraid to admit that I turn you on.” He stalked closer, his footfalls heavy, his eyes narrowing in on her.
“Stay back,” she warned—but her eyes said something else entirely.
“Tell me you’re not attracted to me.” He reached out, his strike fast as a snake’s, and gripped her arms. He dragged her closer, fitting her lithe little body against him and holding in a groan when she brushed over his cock. “Tell me you want me to stop. Remember, you don’t like liars. I don’t, either.”
She didn’t say a word, struggled a bit for show. Mostly, she parted her lips and panted. Her cheeks heated an even deeper rose. Her chest heaved. Never once did she look away from him. “I’m involved with someone else.”
“If you think whatever you’ve got going with Blane is going to stop me . . .” He didn’t bother to finish his sentence; he just laughed.
“So you’re not listening to me say ‘no’? You’re not respecting my feelings for another guy?”
“Let’s just say I’m proving my sincerity to you.” He tightened his grip. When she gasped and her stare fell to his lips, triumph raced through his veins. “I’m also testing you. That pretty mouth of yours might lie to me, but your kisses won’t.”
Joaquin didn’t give her a chance to protest again. Normally, he would have. Women 101 was never to proceed without express consent, but this thick air of tension electrifying his blood and seizing his lungs was something entirely new and intoxicating. Their fight seemed to be helping Bailey forget her shock and sadness, not to mention the fact that it revved her, too. She wasn’t immune to him—not by a long shot. Thank fuck.
Thrusting a fist in her hair, he pinned her in place and lowered his head.
CHERISHED
By Lexi Blake
A Masters and Mercenaries Novella
Coming October 28, 2014
Click here to pre-order!
A doctor living a double life
By day, Dr. Will Daley is one of Dallas’s most eligible bachelors, but every night he dons his leathers as one of Sanctum’s most desired Doms. He’s sworn off looking for a long-term relationship but is captivated by the club’s newest member, Bridget Slaten, even though they couldn’t be more different. She comes from a world of privilege and he was raised in poverty. When he discovers she needs a date to her sister’s wedding, he makes certain he’s literally the only man for the job.
A woman no longer willing to live in the shadows
For most of her life, Bridget hid herself behind her laptop. She can write romantic, sensuous lives for her characters but not herself. Having Master Will as her date to the wedding is a thrilling prospect but he has a special request. He wants her to accept two weeks of his services as a Dom, a lover, and expert in BDSM, and that is an offer she can’t refuse. Their sexual chemistry is undeniable, but it’s in the tender moments that Bridget realizes she’s falling for a man who might never trust her with his heart.
A love strong enough to cherish
Together in paradise for a week, Will realizes he can’t imagine his life without Bridget. As the wedding approaches, ghosts from their past come back to haunt them and threaten to ruin the peace they’ve found. With everything exposed, they will have to risk it all to claim the love that can set them both free.
* * * *
“I thought you were staying for dinner.” He moved in, taking up all the space. This close, she could see that he had a five o’clock shadow across his perfect jaw. She was a sucker for a square jaw. Damn it. Even his ears were hot. She kind of wanted to lick them to see if he was ticklish there.
“I think that’s a bad idea.”
“Because I’m not looking for anything serious? Does everything have to be serious? Do you go into every relationship looking to get married?”
“No. I don’t think about getting married much.” Her parents marriage was so bad she often couldn’t stomach the idea. “But I’m getting too old to do the one-night stand thing.”
He moved in closer and she nearly forgot to breathe. He smelled so good. Clean and masculine. Sandalwood. He’d likely washed with it. All over. A vision of him soaping that body made her mouth water. “I didn’t say anything about one-night stands. I just said maybe you shouldn’t take every relationship so seriously. Bridget, I want to spend time with you.”
And her nipples were hard. Yeah, they wanted to spend time with him, but her brain was still in charge. “My sister’s getting married in Hawaii.”
Oh, her brain was a traitor, too.
He loomed over her, his body inches away. His lips curled up in the sexiest grin. “Really? That sounds like fun. When is that
happening?”
He was going to kiss her. His lips were going to touch hers and she had the sudden and deep fear that she wouldn’t be the same afterward. Still, she couldn’t quite seem to move, couldn’t get the will worked up to step back. She only managed to run her tongue across her lips to make sure they weren’t bone dry. “Soon. Next week.”
He sighed, his hands finding her shoulders. “Oh, I guess you’re going to be out of town then. I was hoping to see you while I was on vacation next week.”
She was mesmerized by his eyes. This close, she could see how green they were. His hands moved to her neck. “You could come with me. I need a date.”
Now she was kind of happy everyone else had turned her down. It seemed right to ask him, good to be here with him.
There was the sound of a phone ringing.
He shook his head as his hands sank into her hair. The way he was taking his time did something for her. The men she’d been with before had all just gone for it and would likely have already been pawing her boobs by now, but Will was moving with languid seduction. It was like a dance. “You need a date?”
The only thing pulling her out of the sensual haze was that stupid phone. Who had a landline these days? “I do. Shouldn’t you get that?”
His nose touched hers as his fingers ran along her scalp, sending pleasurable shivers through her body. “Don’t worry about it. The hospital requires I keep a house phone. And a pager. And a cell. If it’s really important, they’ll page me. This is more fun than answering the phone, don’t you think? Bridget, you know I won’t be able to keep my hands off you if we go to Hawaii together.”