by Shayla Black
She arches her dark brow at me. “Is all this charm how you’ve become so successful?”
Life has apparently roughed up my sweet princess and given her a stronger spine. I like it.
Breaking her will definitely be more fun.
“No. I’m successful because I’m ruthless.”
Want a hot, suspenseful read? Don’t miss One-Mile and Brea!
He’s ruthless. She’s off-limits.
But he’s just met his one weakness…
Now nothing will stop him from making her his.
WICKED AS SIN
One-Mile and Brea, Part One
Wicked & Devoted, Book 1
by Shayla Black
Click here to purchase!
(available in eBook, print, and audio)
Pierce “One-Mile” Walker has always kept his heart under wraps and his head behind his sniper’s scope. Nothing about buttoned-up Brea Bell should appeal to him. But after a single glance at the pretty preacher’s daughter, he doesn’t care that his past is less than shiny, that he gets paid to end lives…or that she’s his teammate’s woman. He'll do whatever it takes to steal her heart.
Brea has always been a dutiful daughter and a good girl…until she meets the dangerous warrior. He’s everything she shouldn’t want, especially after her best friend introduces her to his fellow operative as his girlfriend—to protect her from Pierce. But he’s a forbidden temptation she’s finding impossible to resist.
Then fate strikes, forcing Brea to beg Pierce to help solve a crisis. But his skills come at a price. When her innocent flirtations run headlong into his obsession, they cross the line into a passion so fiery she can’t say no. Soon, his past rears its head and a vendetta calls his name in a mission gone horribly wrong. Will he survive to fight his way back to the woman who claimed his soul?
EXCERPT
Finally, he had her cornered. He intended to tear down every last damn obstacle between him and Brea Bell.
Right now.
For months, she’d succumbed to fears, buried her head in the sand, even lied. He’d tried to be understanding and patient. He’d put her first, backed away, given her space, been the good guy.
Fuck that. Today, she would see the real him.
One-Mile Walker slammed the door of his truck and turned all his focus on the modest white cottage with its vintage blue door. As he marched up the long concrete driveway, his heart pounded. He had a nasty idea how Brea’s father would respond when he explained why he’d come. The man would slam the door in his face; no maybe about that. After all, he was the bad boy from a broken home who had defiled Reverend Bell’s perfect daughter with unholy glee.
But One-Mile refused to let Brea go again. He’d make her father listen…somehow. Since punching the guy in the face was out of the question, he’d have to quell his brute-force instinct to fight dirty and instead employ polish, tact, and charm—all the qualities he possessed zero of.
Fuck. This was going to be a shit show.
Still, One-Mile refused to give up. He’d known uphill battles his whole life. What was one more?
Through the front window, he spotted the soft doe eyes that had haunted him since last summer. Though Brea was talking to an elderly couple, the moment she saw him approach her porch, her amber eyes went wide with shock.
Determination gripped One-Mile and squeezed his chest. By damned, she was going to listen, too.
He wasn’t leaving without making her his.
As he mounted the first step toward her door, his cell phone rang. He would have ignored it if it hadn’t been for two critical facts: His job often entailed saving the world as people knew it, and this particular chime he only heard when one of the men he respected most in this fucked-up world needed him during the grimmest of emergencies.
Of all the lousy timing…
He yanked the device from his pocket. “Walker here. Colonel?”
“Yeah.”
Colonel Caleb Edgington was a retired, highly decorated military officer and a tough son of a bitch. One thing he wasn’t prone to was drama, so that single foreboding syllable told One-Mile that whatever had prompted this call was dire.
He didn’t bother with small talk, even though it had been months since they’d spoken, and he wondered how the man was enjoying both his fifties and his new wife, but they’d catch up later. Now, they had no time to waste.
“What can I do for you?” Since he owed Caleb a million times over, whatever the man needed One-Mile would make happen.
Caleb’s sons might be his bosses these days…but as far as One-Mile was concerned, the jury was still out on that trio. Speaking of which, why wasn’t Caleb calling those badasses?
One-Mile could only think of one answer. It was hardly comforting.
“Or should I just ask who I need to kill?”
A feminine gasp sent his gaze jerking to Brea, who now stood in the doorway, her rosy bow of a mouth gaping open in a perfect little O. She’d heard that. Goddamn it to hell. Yeah, she knew perfectly well what he was. But he’d managed to shock her repeatedly over the last six months.
“I’m not sure yet.” Caleb sounded cautious in his ear. “I’m going to text you an address. Can you meet me there in fifteen minutes?”
For months, he’d been anticipating this exact moment with Brea. “Any chance it can wait an hour?”
“No. Every moment is critical.”
Since Caleb would never say such things lightly, One-Mile didn’t see that he had an option. “On my way.”
He ended the call and pocketed the phone as he climbed onto the porch and gave Brea his full attention. He had so little time with her, but he’d damn sure get his point across before he went.
She stepped outside and shut the door behind her, swallowing nervously as she cast a furtive glance over her shoulder, through the big picture window. Was she hoping her father didn’t see them?
“Pierce.” Her whisper sounded closer to a hiss. “What are you doing here?”
He hated when anyone else used his given name, but Brea could call him whatever the hell she wanted as long as she let him in her life.
He peered down at her, considering how to answer. He’d had grand plans to lay his cards out on the table and do whatever he had to—talk, coax, hustle, schmooze—until she and her father both came around to his way of thinking. Now he only had time to cut to the chase. “You know what I want, pretty girl. I’m here for you. And when I come back, I won’t take no for an answer.”
LET’S GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER!
ABOUT ME:
Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of roughly eighty novels. For twenty years, she’s written contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances via traditional, independent, foreign, and audio publishers. Her books have sold millions of copies and been published in a dozen languages.
Raised an only child, Shayla occupied herself with lots of daydreaming, much to the chagrin of her teachers. In college, she found her love for reading and realized that she could have a career publishing the stories spinning in her imagination. Though she graduated with a degree in Marketing/Advertising and embarked on a stint in corporate America to pay the bills, she abandoned all that to be with her characters full-time.
Shayla currently lives in North Texas with her wonderfully supportive husband and daughter, as well as two spoiled tabbies. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading, and listening to an eclectic blend of music.
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Other Books by Shayla Black
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
MORE THAN WORDS
More Than Want You
More Than Need You
More Than Love You
More Than Crave You
More Than Tempt You
More Than Pleasure You (novella)
More Than Dare You
More Than Protect You (novella)
Coming Soon:
More Than Hate You (Summer 2021)
More Than Possess You (novella) (September 28, 2021)
WICKED & DEVOTED
Wicked as Sin
Wicked Ever After
Coming Soon:
Wicked as Lies (February 9, 2021)
Wicked and True (March 16, 2021)
THE WICKED LOVERS (Complete Series)
Wicked Ties
Decadent
Delicious
Surrender to Me
Belong to Me
Wicked to Love (novella)
Mine to Hold
Wicked All the Way (novella)
Ours to Love
Wicked All Night (novella)
Forever Wicked (novella)
Theirs to Cherish
His to Take
Pure Wicked (novella)
Wicked for You
Falling in Deeper
Dirty Wicked (novella)
A Very Wicked Christmas (short)
Holding on Tighter
THE DEVOTED LOVERS (Complete Series)
Devoted to Pleasure
Devoted to Wicked (novella)
Devoted to Love
FORBIDDEN CONFESSIONS (Sexy Shorts)
Seducing the Innocent
Seducing the Bride
Seducing the Stranger
Seducing the Enemy
Seduced by the Bodyguard
DOMS OF HER LIFE
(by Shayla Black, Jenna Jacob, and Isabella LaPearl)
Raine Falling Collection (Complete)
One Dom To Love
The Young And The Submissive
The Bold and The Dominant
The Edge of Dominance
Heavenly Rising Collection
The Choice
The Chase
Coming Soon:
The Commitment (2021)
THE PERFECT GENTLEMEN (Complete Series)
(by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake)
Scandal Never Sleeps
Seduction in Session
Big Easy Temptation
Smoke and Sin
At the Pleasure of the President
MASTERS OF MÉNAGE
(by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake)
Their Virgin Captive
Their Virgin’s Secret
Their Virgin Concubine
Their Virgin Princess
Their Virgin Hostage
Their Virgin Secretary
Their Virgin Mistress
STANDALONE TITLES
Naughty Little Secret
Watch Me
Dirty & Dangerous
Her Fantasy Men (Four Play Anthology)
A Perfect Match
THE HOPE SERIES
Misadventures of a Backup Bride
Misadventures with My Ex
Coming Soon:
Untitled (Summer 2021)
SEXY CAPERS (Complete Series)
Bound And Determined
Strip Search
Arresting Desire (novella)
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
STANDALONES
The Lady And The Dragon
One Wicked Night
STRICTLY SERIES (Complete Victorian Duet)
Strictly Seduction
Strictly Forbidden
BROTHERS IN ARMS (Complete Medieval Trilogy)
His Lady Bride
His Stolen Bride
His Rebel Bride