by Azzi , Gina
Twisting my neck, my eyes lock onto Natalie Beck’s. I gasp, my knees going weak as I try to make sense of the scene unfolding in front of me.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Eli nearly roars.
I flinch, unprepared for the malice in his tone, unsure if he’s speaking to me or to her.
“Eli.” Her voice bleeds with urgency. “Please, just let me explain.”
“No,” he cuts her off, his gaze swinging back to mine.
Fear, confusion, betrayal. The green depths of his eyes swirl, violent and turbulent.
I open my mouth again, but before my truth can tumble out, Natalie speaks. “Eli, I’m pregnant.”
* * *
Eli and Zoe’s emotional and captivating love story continues in Twisted Truths, coming April 2, 2020. Pre-order it now!
Twisted Truths
Some truths are twisted tighter than lies.
Forcing Eli to hate me shatters my heart.
It devastates me more than watching him fall back into the arms of his ex-girlfriend.
It cuts deeper than pretending I don’t care.
But I do it to protect his future happiness; I do it for him.
Eli swallows the lies I feed him and exhales them as twisted truths.
He discovers my secret and embraces the anguish crippling my soul.
Relentless. Determined. Desperate.
I couldn’t push him away again if I tried.
And I’m done trying.
Pre-order Now!
The Last First Game
Want more Gina Azzi reads? Check out The College Pact Series, FREE in KU!!
Four best friends.
Four sexy athletes.
Four hot romances.
One college pact!
Start the series now with The Last First Game, a new adult sports romance!
* * *
Prologue
Lila
The pact is my idea. As soon as it pops into my mind, I recognize its merit. Perched around a café table overlooking Central Park, my three best friends and I munch on chips and salsa and sip Sangria for the last time.
Tomorrow, everything changes.
Clapping my hands together, I secure the attention of my friends. “I have the best idea. Ever.”
Emma’s face lights up like a Christmas tree, eager for whatever crazy idea I’m going to propose. But the pact is different. It’s smart and practical. Innocent and harmless. It’s a way to embrace our senior year of college while reducing the distance between us as we all embark on solo adventures.
“We’re waiting.” Maura leans back in her chair, plucking at her tank top as the hot August air circles around us.
“This is it, our senior year. After this, we’ll be clocking long working hours, trying to climb some proverbial ladder, and spending our weekends doing laundry and meal prep.”
“You’re depressing as fuck sometimes, you know that?” Maura shifts in her seat, elbowing my forearm off the table.
“I’m working up to my pitch.”
“Get to the point.” she yawns, but curiosity hums in the undercurrent of her tone.
“Senior year is supposed to be fun and wild. Carefree and epic. We’re all starting something new, with Mia heading to Rome tomorrow morning.”
Maura coughs into her hand but I ignore her. While Mia, Emma, and me are leaving campus this semester, Maura is heading back to McShain University to join her rowing team, same as she’s done for the past three years.
Emma, the friend I can count on, nods, her bangs falling into her eyes. “Li is right. We need to turn up this semester.”
“Exactly. So, I’m proposing a pact.” I pause to swallow a large gulp of sangria.
“A pact?” Mia quirks an eyebrow. “Like what?”
“We need to date hotties, the sexy kind who stop existing once we graduate. You know how it goes, guys start working, stop working out, and let their shit go.”
Emma snorts. “And have wild nights out, getting stupidly drunk with strangers. Those are always the best stories.”
“Make new friends?” Mia glances at the rest of us. The prima ballerina, I’m not sure if she’s ever dipped one toe out of her comfort zone.
“Fine,” Maura grumbles, “but since you’re all leaving me, I want weekly updates and photos.”
Mia grins, her chocolate brown eyes shimmering as dusk falls. “So, we’ll keep in touch.”
“All the time,” I swat a gnat away from the two pizzas our server deposited in the center of our table. “We update each other on everything going on and we swear that for this semester, we go all out: break the barriers, bend the rules, and live the hell out of our college experience. No stressing about grades and exams. No falling in love and dealing with serious relationship drama. Just wild, fun, good times. Mia, you’re going to Rome tomorrow. Travel, eat everything, make out with all the tall, dark, and handsomes. Emma, I expect nothing less than gossip and scandal and midnight liaisons in the Capitol building.”
“Done.” Emma wiggles her eyebrows, breaking off a piece of pizza crust and popping it into her mouth.
“Maura, damn girl, the past few months have sucked for you.”
A blanket of silence stretches over our table.
“What? I’m not going to sugarcoat it.” Reaching out, I wrap my fingers around Maura’s wrist and squeeze. “This semester is a fresh start. Don’t waste it. Just do you and focus on yourself, your healing. Maybe rowing will help.”
Maura’s eyes narrow, two black orbs of anger.
“Maybe it won’t.” I gentle my tone. “It’s okay if you’re done with rowing. But you need to figure that out for yourself. Do you.”
“What about you, Li?” Mia asks, releasing Maura from the hot seat.
“I’m about to go to Cali,” I flutter my eyelashes. “Screw this stupid internship program. This semester, I’m all about a hot surfer with blond hair and blue eyes. While you bitches are busting your asses, I’m going to lie on a beach all day, soak in some rays, and drink colorful beverages with tiny umbrellas.” Standing, I twirl at the edge of our table, my skirt billowing out around the tops of my thighs.
Emma smacks my ass. “Stop with the stereotypes or you won’t make any new friends. Your program isn’t even near the beach.”
“I’m dreaming, babe. And that’s my point, that’s what this semester should be about.”
“Making our dreams come true?” Maura snorts, cynicism lacing her tone.
Glancing around the table, a pause hovers between us until we all erupt in laughter, like a water balloon bursting. “Okay, fine, that part was cheesy.” I admit.
Grinning at my friends, I drink in their idiosyncrasies one last time. Over the past three years of living together, they’re closer to me than sisters. A pang of longing hits me square in the chest; how the hell am I going to survive this semester without them?
“Okay.” Emma raises her sangria, “To adventure, hot boys, and an epic senior year.”
“To our college pact.” I add.
We raise our glasses, look each other directly in the eye as we clink our sangrias together. “Cheers!”
Also by Gina Azzi
The Kane Brothers Series:
Rescuing Broken (Jax’s Story)
Recovering Beauty (Carter’s Story)
Reclaiming Brave (Denver’s Story)
My Christmas Wish
(A Kane Family Christmas
+ One Last Chance FREE prequel)
Finding Love in Scotland Series:
My Christmas Wish
(A Kane Family Christmas
+ One Last Chance FREE prequel)
One Last Chance (Daisy and Finn)
This Time Around (Aaron and Everly)
The College Pact Series:
The Last First Game (Lila’s Story)
Kiss Me Goodnight in Rome (Mia’s Story)
All the While (Maura’s Story)
Me + You (Emma’s Story)
Standalone
>
Corner of Ocean and Bay
Acknowledgments
Writing The Regretful Lies Duet was a true labor of love. I’ve never felt so connected to characters before or invested in their relationships - romantic, platonic, familial - as I have in these books! Broken Lies challenged me and pushed me out of my comfort zone, and yet, I loved every second of exploring Zoe and Eli’s love story and getting to know the characters who support them.
To Becca Mysoor - Thank you for all the incredible feedback and honest conversations!! The finished product of this duet would be nowhere near where it is without your guidance. YOU’RE THE BEST!
To Regina Wamba - I am loving your photoshop classes!! Thank you for giving me the confidence and providing the tools to allow me to create my own covers for this duet.
To Amelia Wilde - who stepped in at the eleventh hour and helped me with all things book covers. You’re amazing!
To MPP - I’d certainly lose the plot without you. Thanks for all of your support but more than that, for your friendship. Ocean girls for life!
To JA Owenby - I love all our book chats and appreciate all of your help leading up to the launch of Broken Lies! So happy we connected!
To all the bloggers, bookstagrammars, and readers - THANK YOU! Your support means everything and I truly appreciate your taking a chance on me. I hope you adore this story as much as I do.
All the thanks to my family! To my dad, for talking through plot points and brainstorming outrageous scenarios. To my mom, for listening when I get stuck. To my brother, for chatting all things logistics. I wouldn’t dare chase my dreams if it wasn’t for you.
And, of course, my Home Team - Tony, Aiva, Rome, Luna - you are the best part of this adventure! Love you with all my heart.
Get ready for Twisted Truths!
XO,
Gina
About the Author
Gina Azzi writes emotional and captivating contemporary romance novels with heart-warming happily-ever-afters. She is the author of The Regretful Lies Duet, The Kane Brothers Series, The College Pact Series, Finding Love in Scotland Series, and Corner of Ocean and Bay.
A Jersey girl at heart, Gina has spent her twenties traveling the world, living and working abroad, before settling down in Ontario, Canada with her husband and three children. She's a voracious reader, daydreamer, and coffee enthusiast who loves meeting new people. Say hey to her on social media or through www.ginaazzi.com.