Gravel crunched beneath my feet as Brax followed, iPad in hand. “If rumors are to be believed, they stole them from HQ. Want me to head over there and double-check first?”
I stopped and chewed my lower lip, “Nah, let’s just—”
“Let’s just… stand here and hold our cocks or…?”
“Do you smell that?” I frowned and looked up. “Shit!” I ran down the path toward Cabin 6 just in time to see one of the campers stumble out followed by another two. “Brax, go get help!”
“But—”
I grabbed him by the front of the shirt. “Brax, call 911. Get HELP!”
He stumbled off while I ran toward the sobbing girl. “How many are in there?”
“W-we fell asleep. There were a few candles. It wasn’t serious and—”
I grasped her shoulders and steered her off to the side. “Stay here.” I ran into the slow blaze, covering my face with my shirt as screaming assaulted me on all sides.
Something exploded next to me.
What the hell?
The smoke cleared enough for me to see some scattered fireworks in the corner, and the three terrified looking girls and one guy all giving me petrified looks.
“Let’s go!”
They didn’t move.
Shit. “NOW!” I roared.
They jumped to their feet, and as I pushed them toward the door, they tried grabbing stuff. Did they know nothing about emergencies? Fire safety?
“Leave your crap!” I shoved two of them through the door.
“My photo album!” one girl wailed. “You don’t understand! It’s all I have left from her. It’s all I have!”
I sighed as I persuaded her closer to the door. It was going to be one of those days, wasn’t it? “What color is your bag?”
“Blue.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “It has a yellow sun on it.”
“I’ll get it. Just go.” I propelled her over the threshold and down the stairs and turned. The smoke was black now. What the hell did they build these cabins with? I covered my mouth and ducked onto my hands and knees, the whole time keeping my eyes on the flames that were getting closer and closer to the bed as they climbed up the walls and floated over the ceiling above me in one giant whoosh.
Finally, I spotted the bag in the corner and grabbed it, muttering a prayer of thanks as I turned to make my way back out.
I’d heard it was a sixth sense.
That crawling-down-your-back feeling when your hair stands on end, and the universal clock of life slowly ticks toward your doom. I’d always thought it was bullshit. Until a wall of fire fell between me and my exit.
One of the curtains had fallen next to the open door.
A wall of fire.
With fucking fireworks behind me.
Time stood still as the first sound of a Roman candle went off.
“YOUR CHEEKS HAVE color,” Jackson commented once Marlo was gone and Jen was off grabbing her own cup of coffee.
I narrowed my eyes. “Maybe I got some sun yesterday.”
“Or just got some… yesterday.” He chuckled and then sobered. “I’m happy for you. Marlo’s—”
“FIRE!” A camper ran into the mess hall. “There’s a fire!”
I jumped to my feet and started running as sickness pierced through my stomach, my thoughts carrying my heavy legs toward the smoke now billowing up above the trees.
The sound of sirens filled the air as I made it in front of the small cabin and greedily searched for Marlo.
Where the hell is he?
A loud sound popped as glass shattered from every window.
“Marlo!” Brax shouted. “Marlo!”
“He’s still in there!” One of the girls sobbed. “I shouldn’t have asked him to go back.” She fell into a heap of tears against Brax while I waited for Marlo to come through.
He always came through.
This was Marlo.
Marlo, the foster kid who mowed the lawns and always did the right thing.
My Marlo.
Another blast from inside had everyone covering their ears and me taking a step toward the door just in time to see something slide down the stairs.
“My bag!” The girl ran toward it.
“Marlo!” I yelled. “MARLO!”
I started running, pumping my legs as I made it to the first step and looked beneath the fiery piece of fabric, to see Marlo looking back at me, his face black, his eyes fiercely white.
Apologetic.
Twenty-two years’ worth of confessions.
Twenty-two years’ worth of love.
Friendship.
And hate.
“Marlo!” I reached for him.
And was sent reeling backward as a blast of heat assaulted my body. I heard the screams.
I felt glass against my body.
And for the first time in my short life…
I wanted to close my eyes and never wake up.
Because I knew.
He was gone.
I felt it in my soul.
I felt it in the ripped shreds of my heart.
I had heard about life flashing before your eyes when you die. What they don’t talk about is what happened when you’re the one left living.
All I saw was his face.
And I knew it would haunt me for the rest of my life.
His smell.
His touch.
His kiss.
Him.
Marlo.
Lawn-boy.
And I could have sworn the wind carried his last words to my ears. “As you wish…”
Click HERE to purchase the series finale, Summer Nights
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CAPTURE
Losing your ability to speak at the age of seventeen; it’s not normal or fair.
But trauma, has a way of throwing normality out the window.
Dani lives anything but a normal life.
Her sister is married to one of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Her best friends are rockstar duo AD2.
And she has more love around her than most people experience in a lifetime.
But that doesn't change the fact their parents are dead.
Or that it's her fault.
It seems her new normal is being a mute, living on the inside, unable to actually communicate on the outside.
That is until Hollywood’s newest heartthrob Lincoln Greene hires her as his assistant for the summer.
He's gorgeous, completely unavailable, and unobtainable.
But that doesn't stop her from wondering… if things were different… would he want her?
If she was whole, would he be the other half?
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KEEP
My name is shouted on rooftops.
It's written on bras, on the inside of bathroom stalls, hell my name is everywhere.
To say my name is to experience an orgasm without ever leaving your damn house.
My name is Zane "Saint" Andrews.
I'm sex.
I'm a rock god.
I'm also...a virgin.
What they don't know won't kill them right? Give the people what they want. And what they want is the idea of me; the pleasure they gain at listening to my song and knowing without a doubt I'm talking about them and only them.
It worked for a while.
Until a nerdy girl with glasses falls at my feet, literally, and suddenly I don't want to be Saint anymore, what I want? What I really need?
Is to be kept.
By her.
This is a rockstar romance with lots of kissing, sex, funny one liners, and life from a different angle. I hope you guys enjoy, and remember, it's all about the mallow.
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STEAL
It's easy to lose yourself in someone you love.
Easier to lose yourself in someone you hate…
I didn't think it could get any worse than having to babysit a bunch of spoiled musicians
on set — keeping them out of trouble is a cakewalk compared to seeing my ex every day.
Seaside, Oregon isn't big enough for the both of us.
She hates me.
I loathe her.
The plan was simple — stay the hell away and make sure she gets to set on time.
What I didn't expect was to be faced with our past in front of an audience — and be forced to face it again.
It's torture.
The way she looks at me.
The way I try to look through her.
Words left unsaid.
The lingering aftermath still as powerful as ever.
I feed the chasm between us, for fear that she'll make me feel again — and steal the last shred of heart I have left.
We have everything but each other.
It's not enough.
Not when you've lost love.
And replaced it with the only thing left — hate.
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Co-Ed
Four guys.
Constant moaning.
And a revolving door across the college suite I somehow ended up in because my first name is Shawn.
They don't discriminate. Girls. Guys. Grandmas. Plants (okay maybe not plants) all walks of life stroll in stressed to the brim, and leave so satisfied I'm wondering what sort of talents lie behind that door.
My roommate calls them the pleasure ponies.
But the rest of the college campus?
They just call them the new face of Wingmen Inc. A paid for relationship service that makes big promises.
Breakup? They'll glue you back together again.
Depressed? They have the magic pill.
Lonely? Just spend a few minutes while they rub you down and you'll forget all about it.
And broken hearts? Well, that's their specialty. They'll fix you.
For a price...
I swore I wouldn't get involved.
But apparently they like a challenge, and a girl who doesn't put up with their BS is basically like waving a red flag in front of a bull.
They. All. Charged.
But one holds my attention above the rest.
Knox Tate looks like a Viking — and getting pillaged is starting to look more appealing by the day. Though he's hiding something — all of them are. And the closer I get. The more I realize that some things are left better in the past.
It's not what you think, or is it? Dive in and find out...
Knox, Leo, Finn, and Slater are waiting, and they aren't patient men.
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I’M SO THANKFUL to God that I’m able to do what I love and this book, man this book, was a lot of happiness and tears!
I’m so happy that people have been enjoying it and it would not even be possible without Nina and Ian, the team at iBooks have been amazing and I’m so thankful that I get to work with them on this project. Thank you to my wonderful husband Nate and beautiful son Thor, I’ve had to sacrifice a lot of my summer to get this done but you guys are the inspiration behind it. From the bonfires, to the swimming at night, you guys are and always will be my inspiration! Thank you to my beta readers, Jill, Georgia, Krista, Tracey, and Stephanie, you guys have been so helpful and I actually look forward to your feedback every time I send something! Jill thank you for another amazing format and making it so pretty and Jena again I love you hard for your covers! Nina, thanks for the peer pressure on these cliffhangers, and to my entire time with Rockin’ Readers and my reader group you guys are the best. I adore all the bloggers and readers who make writing books possible.
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart and as always if you want to connect you can find me trolling Instagram @RachVD or you can connect with me on Facebook Rachel’s New Rockin Readers, blood in no out ;)
HUGS! And thank you for reading!
RACHEL VAN DYKEN is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. When she’s not writing about hot hunks for her Regency romance or New Adult fiction books, Rachel is dreaming up new hunks. (The more hunks, the merrier!) While Rachel writes a lot, she also makes sure she enjoys the finer things in life — like The Bachelor and strong coffee.
Rachel lives in Idaho with her husband, son, and two boxers. Fans can follow her writing journey at www.RachelVanDykenAuthor.com and www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken.
Eagle Elite
Elite
Elect
Entice
Elicit
Bang Bang
Enchant
Enforce
Ember
Elude
Empire
Enrage
Eulogy
Envy
The Bet Series
The Bet
The Wager
The Dare
Seaside Series
Tear
Pull
Shatter
Forever
Fall
Strung
Eternal
Seaside Pictures
Capture
Keep
Steal
Waltzing With The Wallflower
Waltzing with the Wallflower
Beguiling Bridget
Taming Wilde
London Fairy Tales
Upon a Midnight Dream
Whispered Music
The Wolf's Pursuit
When Ash Falls
Renwick House
The Ugly Duckling Debutante
The Seduction of Sebastian St. James
The Redemption of Lord Rawlings
An Unlikely Alliance
The Devil Duke Takes a Bride
Ruin Series
Ruin
Toxic
Fearless
Shame
The Consequence Series
The Consequence of Loving Colton
The Consequence of Revenge
The Consequence of Seduction
The Consequence of Rejection
The Dark Ones Series
The Dark Ones
Untouchable Darkness
Dark Surrender
Darkest Temptation
Wingmen Inc.
The Matchmaker’s Playbook
The Matchmaker’s Replacement
The Bachelors of Arizona
The Bachelor Auction
The Playboy Bachelor
The Bachelor Contract
Curious Liaisons
Cheater
Cheater’s Regret
Players Game
Fraternize
Infraction
Liars, Inc
Dirty Exes
Cruel Summer
Summer Heat
Summer Seduction
Summer Nights
Other Titles
The Parting Gift
Compromising Kessen
Savage Winter
Divine Uprising
Every Girl Does It
RIP
Co-Ed
www.rachelvandykenauthor.com
Summer Seduction Page 11