A Fighting Chance

by Shannon Stacey

  A Fighting Chance

  By Shannon Stacey

  All work and no play makes Adeline Kendrick a dull girl, so when she heads to a casino resort for a friend’s bachelorette weekend, she’s ready to have a good time. Until she runs into Brendan Quinn, professional fighter and the one who got away—the one her family drove away—and things take a turn for the interesting.

  Running into his ex won’t shake Brendan. Even if it brings up the old pain of loving her when she was only slumming. Even if she looks really good. In fact, what better way to get over the past than to take advantage of the still-sizzling chemistry running hot between them? He’s there to win an MMA fight, but he won’t say no to a little physical relief of a different kind.

  But when the weekend is over, Adeline isn’t ready to give up her second chance that easily. Brendan is still the one for her, no matter what her family thinks. Now, if only she can convince him of that...

  Dear Reader,

  If there’s one thing we have learned from the kickass heroines of the fiction we read and publish, it’s that you should always be in control of your own happiness. And, if you’re reading this, I’m guessing you’re like me and books make you happy. So this February, during Valentine’s month, instead of waiting for someone to put some romance in your life, go ahead and do it for yourself: buy yourself all the books!

  Shannon Stacey always brings a fantastic blend of humor, heroes and sigh-worthy romance, and her novella A Fighting Chance is no different. All work and no play makes Adeline Kendrick a dull girl, so when she heads to a casino resort for a friend’s bachelorette weekend, she’s ready to have a good time. Until she runs into Brendan Quinn, professional fighter and the one who got away—the one her family drove away—and things take a turn for the interesting. When the weekend is over, Adeline isn’t ready to give up her second chance that easily.

  An unexpected fresh start leads to an unlikely—but absolutely perfect—pairing in Getting Him Back, a male/male contemporary romance from bestselling gay romance author K.A. Mitchell. Ethan may have followed his high school sweetheart to college only to get dumped his first day there, but he’s not going to let that stop him. And then there’s Wyatt. Mysterious, grouchy...hot. And possibly not gay. New college goal? Get Wyatt into bed and into Ethan’s life.

  In Anna del Mar’s debut romantic suspense, The Asset, a woman fleeing from her sinister past must defy her fears and risk her life to care for a wounded warrior, a SEAL who will push the limits of his broken body and protect her to his very last breath. Don’t miss this first Wounded Warrior novel.

  If you’re looking for a melt-your-panties hot erotic romance read, look no further than Wolf’s Ascension by Lauren Dane. Attacked by werewolves. Mated to the Alpha. Declared a queen. Kari is having an unusual day. In the Cherchez wolf pack, loyalty is earned, not given. For Andreas, the pull he feels toward Kari cannot be ignored, a physical bond immediate and unbreakable—though Andreas wants to win Kari’s heart as well as her body. And be sure to watch for book two, Sworn to the Wolf, on sale in March 2016.

  In the explosive follow-up to Joely Sue Burkhart’s darkly erotic romance One Cut Deeper, life on the run with an assassin isn’t what Ranay thought it would be. In fact, parts of it more closely resemble a sex-fueled vacation—until duty calls. The FBI believe Charlie’s brother is working for a human trafficking ring, and Charlie is the only one who can bring him down. Two Cuts Darker brings you back into the world of dark romance but delivers the same satisfying happy ending.

  The only doctor who can stop a man-made killer flu couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with a grenade launcher—so his bodyguard, Sergeant Ali Stone, has her work cut out for her in Viral Justice, the last book in the Biological Response Team romantic suspense trilogy by Julie Rowe. And you can still pick up Deadly Strain and Lethal Game wherever Carina Press ebooks are sold!

  Tempted to off your significant other for forgetting Valentine’s Day again? Satisfy your more murderous urges with our two mystery offerings this month.

  Jonathan Watkins combines mystery with romance in A Devil’s Bargain. Past sins and dark secrets threaten to blow apart the lives and careers of criminal defenders Issabella Bright and Darren Fletcher when their friend, Theresa Winkle, is charged with the vicious murder of a man behind her bar—a man Darren learns is connected to his own family’s corrupt history and to the one case that has haunted him for years. Go back to the beginning of their romance, and indulge in all of the fantastic Bright & Fletcher mysteries now available: Motor City Shakedown, Dying in Detroit and Isolated Judgment.

  In Brenda Buchanan’s latest Joe Gale Mystery, Truth Beat, a newspaper reporter struggles with unreliable sources while covering two explosive stories—the apparent murder of a priest who stood up to his church and a spate of increasingly destructive bombings.

  Last, this month I’m excited to present a new romantic suspense series that I’ve been highly anticipating from Carina Press author Nico Rosso. Undercover agent Art Diaz had no choice but to drag Chef Hayley Baskov into the world of Russian mobsters, but when her tentative trust turns to full passion he vows to stop at nothing to protect her during the final strike. Be sure to pick up the first in the Black Ops: Automatik series, Countdown to Zero Hour.

  So kick off your shoes, curl up in your favorite cozy spot, and treat yourself to a Valentine’s month of books. (When it comes to books, one day of indulgence is never going to be enough.)

  And then look forward to next month, with releases from Shannon Stacey in contemporary romance, Dee Carney in paranormal romance and j. leigh bailey in male/male romance.

  As always, until next month here’s wishing you a wonderful month of books you love, remember and recommend.

  Happy reading!

  ~Angela James

  Executive Editor, Carina Press

  Editor’s Note

  Dear Readers,

  I’m so in love with Shannon Stacey’s Boston Fire series that I decided to give you an extended sneak peek of book 3, FULLY IGNITED, at the end of this novella. Coming to your virtual or physical bookshelves in March 2016, Jamie is an incredibly fierce heroine and Scott a hero worthy of the title, so I hope you enjoy the extended look. However, please be aware that this longer excerpt does mean that the story of A FIGHTING CHANCE will end at approximately 70% on your digital reader or app. I know how I feel when I’m surprised by something like this so I thought a warning was only fair. That said...enjoy this fun novella and enjoy the extended excerpt.

  Happy reading!

  ~Angela James

  Editorial Director, Carina Press

  Dedication

  For my husband, who has put up with over twenty years of watching sports with me. Thank you for not following through on duct-taping my mouth shut so you can hear the commentators. (Yet.)

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Excerpt from Fully Ignited by Shannon Stacey

  Chapter One

  It took Adeline Kendrick two laps around the massive casino resort property before she found the correct turn for the hotel’s valet parking, but she finally pulled under the right porte cochere and handed over her keys.

  While the staff took her suitcase out of the sporty SUV she’d bought herself for her twenty-fifth birthday earlier that year, Del sent a quick text letting her mother know she’d arrived in one piece. The drive from Providence to the Connecticut casino was only about an hour, but Joan Kendrick had a tendency to work herself into a ball of anxiety when anybody in the family stepped outside their usual da
ily routine. Going to a casino was definitely out of the norm for a Kendrick.

  As expected, Del got a flurry of text messages in return. Her mom started with don’t talk to strange men and moved on to not writing her room number on her key card and more, finally ending with not leaving her drinks unattended. Then, after a few seconds, a have fun, honey.

  The heels of her boots clicking on polished marble floors, Del made her way to the check-in desk, feeling as though she’d stepped onto a holiday movie set. It was the weekend before Christmas and the casino had spared no expense in decorating. Trees and garland and life-sized Nutcracker soldiers were everywhere, and the music being piped into the lobby was jazzy instrumental Christmas music. The massive lobby marked the junction of hotel and casino, and in the center was the biggest white tree she’d ever seen, with colorful lights twinkling in time to the music and magically lifting her mood.

  She was ready to celebrate.

  “Good afternoon.” The woman behind the desk had a smile that rivaled the Christmas lights. “Are you checking in?”

  “Yes, I am. Adeline Kendrick. I have a reservation for the weekend.” A long weekend, really, since it was only Thursday. She was coming in the day before Kate and Brittany because she hadn’t had a vacation in two years. One night with room service and Netflix before the festivities began sounded like heaven.

  “Are you here for the fights?” the check-in clerk asked as Del handed over her credit card.

  “Fights?” She wasn’t sure what kind of fights the woman was talking about, but it didn’t matter. She wasn’t there for any fighting. “No. One of my best friends is getting married and we’re here for a girls’ weekend. It’s sort of like an extended bachelorette party, I guess.”

  “That sounds like fun.” She handed Del’s credit card back to her, along with the key card, and went through a long spiel of the services they offered and gave her instructions on how to request almost anything her heart could desire.

  Del’s heart desired food at that moment, but she knew it wouldn’t take them long to deliver her luggage since the check-in area hadn’t been very busy. And she wanted to see her room. They’d hoped to get a big suite and relive their college days, when the three of them had arrived on campus as strangers and—after four years of laughter, tears, stress and fun—had graduated as sisters. But they’d found out the suites were not only booked long before the holiday season began, but were priced a little high for a girls’ weekend out.

  She’d just closed the door of her room behind her and flipped the security bar when her cell phone rang. The screen said Kate Tessaro and Del smiled as she swiped to answer the call from the bride-to-be.

  “Are you there yet?” Kate asked before she could even say hello.

  “I just walked into my room.”

  “Tell me it’s beautiful.”

  Del looked around, giving a mental shrug. It was nice, though not nearly as lavish as the suites they hadn’t been able to get. “You’re going to love all the Christmas stuff in the lobby. There are nutcrackers taller than you and the biggest Christmas tree I’ve ever seen.”

  She heard the happy sigh over the line. “I can’t wait to see it, and I’m so jealous you get to be there early.”

  Kate had fallen in love with a guy from Rhode Island on the internet and moved there from Boston to live with him. She hadn’t been able to get Thursday or Friday off from work since she was taking the week after Christmas for a stay-at-home honeymoon, but she wouldn’t have a long drive Saturday morning. And Brittany Woods, the third of their trio, was driving down from Vermont Friday night and probably wouldn’t arrive until very late.

  “Did you lose any money yet?”

  Del laughed. “No, not yet. When I said I just walked into my room, I mean I literally just got here.”

  She walked to the wall of windows as she talked and looked down thirty-four floors at the tiny cars driving around the bottom of the building, probably looking for the turn to valet parking. Beyond the perimeter road was a wide river and beyond that, nothing but trees.

  “Try not to lose all your money before we get there,” Kate said, but then she laughed. “As if you would. Are you even going to leave your room, or are you going to stay in your pajamas and watch movies and eat room service until Saturday morning?”

  “Busted.” There was no sense in trying to deny it to Kate since none of them had changed very much since their college days. Kate was the social butterfly and loved going out. She always wanted to do something. Brittany was happy either going out or staying in, but even with their limited space, she liked to have friends over and movie nights with popcorn or board games. Del was the quiet one, happy to have fun with a crowd, but happier to have a quiet night watching TV or reading a book. At the time, they’d always joked about balancing each other out but looking back, it was a miracle they’d made it through four years together.

  “I’ll let you get to it, then,” Kate said. “I have to make some phone calls to make sure nobody’s going to screw up my big day.”

  Because she was getting married on Christmas Eve, Kate had to deal not only with the normal wedding insanity, but the fact that most vendors were quitting early the day of her wedding, if they were working at all. Luckily it was a small family affair, but she still needed to coordinate the food and flower deliveries and make sure nobody dropped the ball because there was no Plan B available the night before Christmas.

  “I bought new flannel pajamas just for the occasion,” Del said.

  Kate laughed again. “Knowing you, you’ll still be in them when I get there, so I’ll admire them then.”

  The phone on the desk rang. “Hey, they’re probably calling to tell me they’re bringing my suitcase up. I’ve got to run.”

  Once the call ended and her luggage had been delivered, Del dug her charger out of her purse and plugged the phone in to charge while she freshened up. The new pajamas were definitely calling to her, but she would go out and explore a little bit first. The website had listed all the high-end stores on site—selling everything from makeup to bags to jewelry and sports things—but she’d save the shopping until the others arrived. And, despite Kate’s jokes, she didn’t have a lot of interest in the casinos other than people-watching. But she’d find a coffee shop and something to eat before finding something to watch for the night.

  And it wouldn’t hurt her to explore a little bit. All work and almost no play was threatening to turn Del into a very dull girl.

  She switched her license, credit card and a small amount of cash into a wristlet before locking her purse, jewelry and tablet in the room safe. After making sure she could remember her room number, she tossed the cardboard folder in the trash can and put the key card into the wristlet with her money.

  There were a lot more people milling around when she returned to the lobby, and she chalked it up to it being later in the day. The people who’d had to work Thursday but had taken a three-day weekend were probably arriving. She was a little surprised to see so many people dressed down in ripped jeans and T-shirts, though. Some had hoodies on over the tees and, though she wasn’t exactly dressed up herself, she felt she’d stepped into the crowd for a rock concert rather than the lobby of a hotel that charged four hundred dollars a night for their run-of-the-mill rooms.

  She hung a left at the giant white tree and went down an escalator into the casino area of the complex. There was a bar area at the bottom, and wide hallways split to either side of it. After flipping a mental coin, she went to the right. It was hard to walk past some of the shops and their tempting window displays without going inside, but she knew Kate and Brittany would want to hit every one of them later.

  Instead she focused on scanning the restaurant names, waiting for something to stand out. They all had their menus hung outside their doors for passersby to peruse, and she stopped to read a few, but none lured her inside. She didn’t mind eating alone, but she wasn’t in the mood for long lines and loud restaurants tonight.


  As she neared the end of the hall, which widened as it became the entrance to one of the big casino wings, she realized she’d come to the end of her options unless she wanted to wade through the gamblers and cigarette smoke to see what else there was. Off to one side, near a smaller hallway leading to restrooms and elevators, was a map. She decided to take a look at it and see if there were any coffee shops or more casual dining options to be found if she’d taken a left back at the bar.

  First, though, she had to get by the people. There was a crowd gathered, with a line forming in front of a long table. There was nobody sitting there, but off to one side was a massive banner advertising what looked like an autograph session with shirtless men who were scowling at the camera and holding their fists up like they were going to punch somebody.

  Are you here for the fights? This must have been what the check-in clerk was talking about, she thought. Boxing, maybe?

  MMA, the sign said, and she knew from the hype surrounding a recent pay-per-view event it was like boxing, but mixed with wrestling and martial arts. Other than a few highlight reels on the news, she’d never actually seen it.

  According to the sign, there would be an autograph session any minute and she had no interest, so she would have kept walking, but a few of the people in line shifted slightly so she could see the bottom half. She could have her picture taken and get an autograph from Bryan Lavaud or Brendan Quinn.

  Brendan Quinn. It couldn’t be. She found it hard to breathe suddenly and the sounds around her faded as though sucked into some kind of vacuum.

  Staring out at her from the poster, scowling and fierce, was the face of the only man she’d ever loved.