Battlescars: Chapter OneHis neighborhood bar was one of Dyson’s favorite places. He liked the smell of the smoke, the neon lights that cut through the haze and the long mirror behind the liquor bottles. He even liked the aloof bartender, the no-bullshit kind of guy who lined them up so Dyson could knock them down without a single question about why. But tonight, he especially liked the mirror, because the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen had just walked in.Chapter TwoKayla was dead tired. She yawned against her hand, even though it was already noon and she had slept in until she almost missed her first class of the day. It was Wednesday – one of her slower days – when she only had morning classes and her afternoons free. She thought about her friends, who could take a day off just as it was intended and spend the time doing absolutely nothing. She wished she could be like them, cruising around in convertibles, shopping to their heart’s content and maybe just going home, going back to bed and sleeping all day.Chapter ThreeIt was hot. The kind of hot that you don’t think really exists until you are in the middle of it, so parched that you feel like you’ll never be able to swallow or sweat again. You wonder how anyone could survive the heat for an hour, much less live in it, day in and day out. Merciless, pitiless heat.Chapter FourKayla knew she should be paying attention, but damn, how many times would he go over the same boring thing?Chapter FiveThe sweat was pouring and his muscles were aching, but Dyson wouldn’t have it any other way. He bounced on the mat, his feet fast and light, his body tensed and ready. He curled his fingers inside the gloves and tossed his head back, eyeing Chester as the older man circled before him. They were taunting each other, gauging what the next move might be.Chapter SixKayla looked at her watch. It was five minutes before the shelter opened, and she was decidedly nervous. Why in the world had she invited Dyson to come to this place? She had come to see it as her own private getaway, where no one really knew her but everyone was grateful for her presence. That especially held true for the animals who trusted her to care for them even though no one else in their lives had.Chapter SevenFour hours later Dyson was surprisingly tired from a full day of work. They had changed out all the litter boxes and walked all the dogs, cleaned out the kennels and laid down fresh blankets so the dogs would have a comfortable place to sleep. They had made sure all the animals were fed and watered, then spent some time playing with them all. They tossed balls for the dogs and rubbed their ears, then plied the cats with catnip and rubbed their bellies as they stretched with pleasure.Chapter EightThe sun was hell bent on torturing her. Kayla opened her eyes, was blinded by the glare, and immediately closed her eyes again. She rolled over to get away from sun, but the moment she moved, the pounding began – a deep and relentless pain that gnawed from the base of her skull. Her stomach roiled with the motion, and that made her head hurt even worse. It was the kind of feeling that meant only one thing: too much alcohol.Chapter NineThe next day, Dyson woke up long before his alarm, and the first thought on his mind was Kayla.Chapter TenThe phone rang and rang and rang.Chapter ElevenDyson slammed the locker shut and dropped down onto the bench. He hurt everywhere. There wasn’t a single spot on his body that wasn’t battered and aching. He was absolutely certain that he had never had a beating like this before in his life, and he was secretly surprised that he was able to walk out of that ring. He had been pretty damn sure Chester was going to have to carry him out.Chapter TwelveKayla had woken up very late, and had been tardy for her first class. She sat through one class after another with blurry eyes, trying to focus on taking notes, but all she could think about was the night before.Chapter ThirteenShe’s trying to get back at me, Dyson thought. She’s trying to show me how it feels.Chapter FourteenKayla hadn’t cried so much in years. It was the kind of crying that never seemed to end, the tears that she woke up to in the morning and the flood of pain that finally wore her out enough to go to sleep at night. She had actually woken herself up in the middle of the night, crying after a terrible nightmare. It was the kind of crying that came from a heart that had been broken time and time and time again.Chapter Fifteen“Jesus,” Chester whispered. “Have you seen that crowd out there?”Chapter SixteenKayla was one of the few students who sat through the final accounting class of the semester. She was completely distracted, but she was there. It mattered to her to be there for every lecture, every grade, and every note. But even as she sat there and listened to the recap of everything she would need to know for the final exam, her mind was elsewhere. She was thinking about Dyson.Chapter SeventeenDyson watched Kayla as she put groceries away in the kitchen, and he looked at his house as if he’d never really seen it before. She had changed the house for him, made it brighter and more cheerful. It even seemed like more light came through the windows since she’d agreed to move in. The hardwood floors were cool under their feet as helped her with the groceries.Chapter EighteenKayla had decided it was time.EpilogueEighteen Months LaterNewsletterExcited to see Kayla & Dyson return in the future? Be the first to find out about sequels & new books by signing up for email alerts. Your email address will never be given away and you can unsubscribe at any time.A Note from AnnWord-of-mouth is crucial for any author to succeed. If you enjoyed the book, please leave a review even if it is only a line or two; it would make all the difference and would be very much appreciated. Views: 41
MERCENARY'S WOMAN"Retired" soldier of fortune Ebenezer Scott was a bad boy to the core. Schoolteacher Sally Johnson was the fresh scrubbed beauty from across the street. When Sally's life was put in danger, Ebenezer fought to protect her. But this sweet-natured beauty yearned for so much more. She dreamed of a lifetime of love in Ebenezer Scott's big, strong arms. Could she slip through his ironclad defenses and become this beloved mercenary's bride?THE WINTER SOLDIEREveryone in Jacobsville, Texas, steered clear of taciturn Cy Parks. Except spirited Lisa Monroe. To shield the lovely Lisa from a revenge-seeking desperado, the winter soldier claimed her as his bride. Clearly, Cy was getting possessive of this alluring woman who needed the type of safeguarding only he could provide. But who would protect the beguiling bride from him? Views: 41
In the ocean’s war against the humans who have caused so much damage, Kimo Pohaku leads a corps of transformed hybrids who are part human and part sea creature. Calling themselves the Sea Warriors, they can command dangerous aquatic creatures against human activities in Hawaiian waters, creating a massive strike back against human abuses in the ocean. But when the government takes violent reaction against the demonstrations, the confrontation escalates into war. Views: 41
Welcome to the utterly eccentric world of Selby, Georgia, where the folks sprinkle three things liberally over their daily lives: sugar, religion, and the wicked fun of Southern living.Margaret Pinaldi is the quiet daughter of a hell-raising abortion-rights advocate who recently died--bequeathing Margaret a house in Georgia. Finally free from her mother's demanding presence, this transplanted Yankee is finding herself for the first time, courtesy of the Deep South. And, much to her surprise, she likes it. A former International Dogwood Festival Queen, Donna Kabel once had cute male suitors chase her like hounds to the fox. But all that changed after a car accident left her with a huge facial scar. Now Donna works in the produce section of Kroger. But it seems that the scar that could have cost Donna her inner strength has actually spurred her to reinvent herself.Thirty-four-year-old Suzanne Parley, the chardonnay-alcoholic wife of a... Views: 41
Poisonous jellyfish and deadly stonefish attack Hawaiian beaches. Whales enlarge the assault against human sea activities by blockading naval installations and shipping lanes. Kimo Pohaku, a young Hawaiian man covered with tattoos of marine animals, emerges as the leader of this war from the sea, declaring war on humanity. Kimo may look human, but he has been transformed into something else, something dangerous. Views: 41
Six years ago, the government took control of the church. Only re-translated Bibles are legal, and a specialized agency called the Constabulary enforces this and other regulations. Marcus Brenner, a new Christian, will do anything to protect his church family from imprisonment—including risk his own freedom to gain the trust of a government agent.
Aubrey Weston recanted her faith when the Constabulary threatened her baby. Now released, she just wants to provide for her son and avoid government notice. But she’s targeted again, and this time, her baby is taken into custody. If only she’d never denied Him, maybe God would hear her pleas for help.
When Aubrey and Marcus's lives collide, they are forced to confront the lies they believe about themselves. And God is about to grab hold of Marcus’s life in a way he’d never expect, turning a loner into a leader. Views: 41
On exclusive Seabrook Island, South Carolina, Nicole Seymour is simply Nikkinot the glamorous political fundraiser she is in Charleston. It's her spirited innocence and laughing green eyes that draw Kane Lombard to her from the moment they first meet on the beach.Although he seems as casual and unassuming as any vacationer, Nikki knows who Kane really is: a wealthy Houston oilman... and her brother's biggest political rival. When Kane discovers the truth about Nikki's identity, his desire turns instantly to distrust. Now Kane and Nikki find themselves pitted against each other in a battle that tests their loyalties and their desires. But even the most passionate enemies sometimes become lovers...after midnight. Views: 41
Everyone knows you shouldn't have an affair with your boss. Valerie, a curvy single girl in New York City, is three months into her first job out of college. Her boss, the very wealthy and mysterious Jasper Declan, makes her a little nervous, but that's normal, isn't it? One night, they're alone together, working late on a big project - and the next thing she knows, Valerie is half-naked on her boss's desk. She knows better, but she just can't resist giving into temptation. But as the affair continues, it turns out that Jasper has certain... preferences. That is, he's looking for a curvy, sexy, beautiful submissive - and his assistant, Valerie, would be perfect. Will she give into her desires? Or will she do what she knows she should, and end the affair? Views: 41
A heartwarming story of sisters, retail therapy, and love that endures, this book will delight readers with its sense of fun even as it confronts real-life issues. Views: 41
Life is getting more dismal by the minute in the town of Sultana, Manitoba. Thanks to a dry season that nearly dried up the river, no one wants to camp there anymore. There aren't enough tourists to keep the local restaurant busy and, if Cody's best friend's mom loses her job there, the family will have to move away.Cody, his best friend, Eric, and Eric's twin sister, Rachel, concoct an elaborate hoax that transforms this tiny town into a hotbed of activity—a hoax involving an "ancient Egyptian" tablet discovered in Sultana. Soon the tourists come flooding back, but Cody, Eric, and Rachel discover that they should have been more careful about what they wished for. This quirky caper will appeal to children aged eight to ten. Views: 41
It's 1979 and Tom Buzby is thirteen years old and living in the small working- class city of Chatham, Ontario. So far, so normal. Except that Tom's dad is the local tattoo artist, his mother is a born-again former stripper who's run off with the minister from the church where the pet store used to be, and his sister can't wait to leave town for good. And everyone along his daily newspaper route looks at him a little differently, this boy who's come back from the dead, who just might be the only one who understands the miraculous, heart-breaking mystery that is their lives. Set in the year that real newspaper headlines told of North America's hard turn to the right, 1979 offers a smalltown take on the buried lives of those who almost never make the news, and one boy's attempt to make sense of it all. Views: 41
