by Hughes, Maya
“He ditched us. Not cool!” The video loop started again on Declan’s phone.
“What the hell is he doing?” Heath looked over Declan’s shoulder, trying get a better view.
In the video, Ford stood beside a bar with his hand on the back of a woman’s neck and the other disappeared between them. It looked like his hold might be the only thing keeping her body up from the way she gripped his arm. His face was pressed against the side of hers.
“Holy hell, are his fingers where I think they are?” We all tilted our heads to get a figure out what we were seeing. A telltale tug on her skirt and way her body sank against him told us everything we needed to know. “Out in public? We knew he was a beast, but damn, that’s next level, the way her knees are buckling.” Heath grinned from ear to ear.
“What the hell are you three doing?”
Mak pushed her way through the semicircle wall we’d built and looked at the screen. “What’s Ford doing with Olivia?” She tilted her head and sipped on her drink.
“What?” we all shouted at once.
“That’s not Olivia.” Declan shook his head like he’d walked in on a murder scene in a horror movie.
“Sure it is. Look at her streak.” She tapped the screen and there it was—faint to most people, but definitely there.
My stomach sank. “Oh shit.”
“Wait, what’s Ford doing?” The blood drained out of her face and her mouth hung open before closing and opening like a fish now that she’d seen more of the video.
“What’s going on?” Avery’s arms draped around my neck and her chest pressed against my back as she peeked over my shoulder. Her eyes widened when she looked at the screen. Dropping her arms, she stepped beside me. “Tell me that’s not what I think it was.” The grim look on all our faces told her everything she needed to know.
“Let me see.” Kara grabbed the phone out of Declan’s hand, covering her mouth as the looping clip began again. “Does Colm know?” Kara’s eyes were glued to the video.
Judging by the fact that the Earth was still rotating on its axis, I was going to go with no.
“Damn, this is EPIC!”
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Thank you so so much for reading RUTHLESS KING! I’ve been dying to tell Emmett and Avery’s story when the Kings first popped into my head, but I knew I needed to wait until the time was right.
I hope you enjoyed reading their story as much as I loved writing it. These two are one of my favorites and will always have a special place in my heart!
And don’t miss their extended epilogue! Are those wedding bells I hear? Grab it now!
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If you’d love to know more about Declan and Mak’s history it all starts in SHAMELESS KING!
Enemies to lovers has never felt so good!
Declan McAvoy. Voted Biggest Flirt. Highest goal scorer in Kings of Rittenhouse Prep history.
Everyone’s impressed, well except one person…
I can’t deny it. I want her. More than I ever thought I could want a woman. I’ve got one semester–only four months–to convince her everything she thought about me was wrong.
Will my queen let me prove to her I’m the King she can’t live without?
Only one way to find out...
One-click SHAMELESS KING now!
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If you loved Ruthless King, you’ll love my steamy, second chance romance, Blinded. It’s a second chance, movie star romance and it’s available NOW!
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And don’t miss the sensual, second chance mob romance, Under His Ink, which is ready for you to one-click TODAY!
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Turn the page for a sneak peek of my single dad romance, Mr. Control…
Mr. Control Excerpt
His apology and peace offering cleared the air between us. I didn’t know what it was like, entrusting your kid to someone else’s care, but I imagined it came with a whole lot of worry about whether they were good enough, responsible enough, honest enough.
“I hadn’t realized,” he said, gesturing to one of the chairs. The cool leather squeaking as I slid into the seat.
“She had a lot of fun at the snowball fight. It was nice to see her playing with other kids.”
“She doesn’t do that very often. Thanks for getting her out. She loves to stay cooped up in the house and I don’t push her to do more,” he said, squeezing the bridge of his nose.
“I can’t imagine what it’s like for you. You’re doing the best you can,” I said, cringing. Of course, he was. He had more money than God. Esme had the best of everything and above all else, she had a daddy who she knew without question loved her. He didn’t need my seal of approval. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine. Now that I know Esme’s safe. That you’re safe. I’m sorry if I scared you before.”
“It’s okay. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to my own kid.” Was this what my mom felt that day at the grocery store? That clawing panic that threatened to bring you to your knees?
“The fact that it’s happened twice in the past couple of months has put me on edge.” The ice rattled in his glass as he gazed out the window. “I must be the world’s worst father.” He drowned the pain in his voice with another sip.
“Don’t think that. Don’t ever think that. You have no idea how terrible some parents can be. None. Esme is healthy, happy, warm, safe and loved. That’s more than a lot of kids could ever hope for.” I said it emphatically, probably more than I needed to.
“I’ll get you another drink,” he said, again not asking. I was beginning to get used to his controlling nature. Sometimes he just seemed to know what I needed, even before I realized it.
When Rhys stood in front of me to take my glass, our fingers touched as he took it from my outstretched hand. Once again, I froze, staring into his eyes, as he towered over me. He put both our glasses down on the table behind him and ran his hand along my jaw.
“I don’t know what we’d do without you, Mel.” His touch sent a tingling down my spine as he said my name again. The way it rolled off his tongue. I licked my lips and his thumb ran along my chin, just under my bottom lip. I don’t know if it was instinctual or if I just really wanted to do it, but I couldn’t help it. I dipped my tongue out and ran it over my lips. The fire was back in his eyes now, the fire that made my stomach somersault and my core throb.
He sucked in a breath and ran his thumb over my wet lip. A hint of his flavor danced on my lips and I couldn’t hold back anymore. Maybe it was the highly charged emotional day I had, or maybe it was the fact that I’d wanted him since the moment I saw him, but never thought it possible. I wanted comfort. I wanted his comfort, in whatever way I could get it. I stuck my tongue out and licked his thumb, drawing it into my mouth and sucking on it. A mix of scotch and Rhys hit my tongue. I longed to taste even more of him as he groaned. I loved that I could draw that out of him, make him putty in my hands. Wielding a power I didn’t even know I had.
Rhys pushed his thumb into my mouth deeper and I sucked on it harder, keeping my eyes on him, not wanting to break the trance we were both under.
“You’re playing with fire, Mel,” he warned. When he said my name like that I couldn’t help but turn liquid under his gaze. I let his thumb fall from my mouth.
“I know, but I can take the heat,” I said, resting my hands on his belt buckle. I was out of my mind, but I was past the point of caring. I needed this, and I think he needed this too. One second I was looking up at him, and the next, my back was pressed against the top of his desk, my legs wrapped around him and his heavy weight settled on top of me. I savored his body on top of mine.
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T
hings are just heating up between Rhys and Mel! Grab your copy of this single dad romance, Mr. Control, TODAY!
Acknowledgments
Wow, I can’t believe we finally made it! After all this time, Emmett and Avery have finally gotten their HEA! It’s been a long journey!! From all the emails in my inbox and messages that poured in from the day I released the prequel, I knew their story was something special.
First, I want to thank my editors, Tamara, C. Marie, and Sarah. This book was so emotional for me, I know it would have been a mess without your amazing work!
The whip cracking was much appreciated to get Emmett and Avery to where they needed to be.
To the friends who have listened to my day in and day out as I freaked out about making sure everything was just right for this release, I don’t even know what I would have done without your hand holding and talking me down from the ledge.
To every amazing blogger and bookstagrammer who helped spread the word about this book and made me cry with their kind words and shouting from the rooftops about Ruthless King!!
And to you reading this and going on this journey with me, thank you so much. I can never tell you how amazing it is that I breathe life into these characters, but you welcome them into your world and your home. Thank you a million times and I can’t wait for you to meet the rest of the guys!!
<3
~Maya
P.S. If you enjoyed their story, it would be awesome if you could take a few minutes to write a review!
Also by Maya Hughes
Kings of Rittenhouse
Kings of Rittenhouse - FREE
Shameless King (Declan and Mak) - Enemies to Lovers
Reckless King (Heath and Kara) - Off Limits Lover
Misters
Mr. Control - Single Dad Romance
Mr. Ruin - Revenge Romance
Mr. Wicked - Second Chance Romance
Under His Series
Under His Ink - Second Chance Romance
Breaking Free Series
Blinded - Second Chance Secret Baby Romance
Mixed - Enemies to Lovers Romance
Served - Enemies to Lovers Romance
Rocked - Rockstar Romance
Standalone
Passion on the Pitch - Sports Romance
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