You Are My Reason (You Are Mine Book 1) Read online

  You Are My Reason

  You Are Mine Duet Book 1

  Willow Winters

  Copyright © 2020 by Willow Winters

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Design: Lori Jackson Design

  Contents

  Also by Willow Winters

  You Are My Reason

  1. Mason

  2. Julia

  3. Mason

  4. Julia

  5. Mason

  6. Julia

  7. Mason

  8. Julia

  Don’t leave me alone…

  9. Mason

  10. Julia

  11. Mason

  12. Julia

  13. Mason

  14. Julia

  15. Mason

  16. Julia

  17. Mason

  18. Julia

  19. Mason

  20. Julia

  21. Julia

  22. Mason

  23. Julia

  24. Mason

  25. Julia

  26. Mason

  27. Julia

  28. Mason

  29. Julia

  30. Mason

  31. Julia

  32. Mason

  33. Julia

  Sneak Peek at Promise Me

  Prologue

  Also by Willow Winters

  About Willow Winters

  Also by Willow Winters

  Read Willow’s sexiest and most talked about romances in the Merciless World

  This Love Hurts Trilogy

  This Love Hurts

  But I Need You

  And I Love You the Most

  An epic tale of both betrayal and all-consuming love...

  Marcus, the villain.

  Cody Walsh, the FBI agent who knows too much.

  And Delilah, the lawyer caught in between.

  A Kiss to Tell (a standalone novel)

  They lived on the same street and went to the same school, although he was a year ahead. Even so close, he was untouchable.

  Sebastian was bad news and Chloe was the sad girl who didn’t belong.

  Then one night changed everything.

  Possessive (a standalone novel)

  It was never love with Daniel Cross and she never thought it would be. It was only lust from a distance. Unrequited love maybe.

  He’s a man Addison could never have, for so many reasons.

  Merciless Saga

  Merciless

  Heartless

  Breathless

  Endless

  Ruthless, crime family leader Carter Cross should’ve known Aria would ruin him the moment he saw her. Given to Carter to start a war; he was too eager to accept. But what he didn’t know was what Aria would do to him. He didn’t know that she would change everything.

  All He’ll Ever Be (Merciless Series Collection of all 4 novels)

  Irresistible Attraction Trilogy

  A Single Glance

  A Single Kiss

  A Single Touch

  Bethany is looking for answers and to find them she needs one of the brothers of an infamous crime family, Jase Cross.

  Even a sizzling love affair won’t stop her from getting what she needs.

  But Bethany soon comes to realize Jase will be her downfall, and she’s determined to be his just the same.

  Irresistible Attraction ( A Single Glance Trilogy Collection)

  Hard to Love Series

  Hard to Love

  Desperate to Touch

  Tempted to Kiss

  Easy to Fall

  Eight years ago she ran from him.

  Laura should have known he'd come for her. Men like Seth King always get what they want.

  Laura knows what Seth wants from her, and she knows it comes with a steep price.

  However it’s a risk both of them will take.

  Not My Heart to Break (Hard to Love Series Collection)

  Extended epilogues to the Merciless World Novels

  A Kiss To Keep (more of Sebastian and Chloe)

  Seductive (more of Daniel and Addison)

  Effortless (more of Carter and Aria)

  Never to End (more of Seth and Laura)

  Sexy, thrilling with a touch of dark Standalone Novels

  Broken (Standalone)

  Kade is ruthless and cold hearted in the criminal world.

  They gave Olivia to him. To break. To do as he’d like.

  All because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But there are secrets that change everything. And once he has her, he’s never letting her go.

  Forget Me Not (Standalone novel)

  She loved a boy a long time ago. He helped her escape and she left him behind. Regret followed her every day after.

  Jay, the boy she used to know, came back, a man. With a grip strong enough to keep her close and a look in his eyes that warned her to never dare leave him again.

  It’s dark and twisted.

  But that doesn’t make it any less of what it is.

  A love story. Our love story.

  It’s Our Secret (Standalone novel)

  It was only a little lie. That’s how stories like these get started.

  But with every lie Allison tells, Dean sees through it.

  She didn't know what would happen. But with all the secrets and lies, she never thought she’d fall for him.

  Sins and Secrets

  Imperfect (Imperfect Duet book 1)

  Unforgiven (Imperfect Duet book 2)

  Mason and Jules emotionally gripping romantic suspense duet.

  One look and Jules was tempted; one taste, addicted.

  No one is perfect, but that’s how it felt to be in Mason’s arms.

  But will the sins of his past tear them apart?

  Damaged (Damaged Duet book 1)

  Scarred (Damaged Duet book 2)

  Kat says goodbye to the one man she ever loved even though Evan begs her to trust him.

  With secrets she couldn’t have possibly imagined, Kat is torn between what’s right and what was right for them.

  Valetti Crime Family Series:

  A HOT mafia series to sink your teeth into.

  Dirty Dom

  Becca came to pay off a debt, but Dominic Valetti wanted more.

  So he did what he’s always done, and took what he wanted.

  His Hostage

  Elle finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The mafia doesn’t let witnesses simply walk away.

  Regret has a name, and it’s Vincent Valetti.

  Rough Touch

  Ava is looking for revenge at any cost so long as she can remember the girl she used to be.

  But she doesn’t expect Kane to show up and show her kindness that will break her.

  Cuffed Kiss

  Tommy Valetti is a thug, a mistake, and everything Tonya needs; the answers to numb the pain of her past.

  Bad Boy

  Anthony is the hitman for the Valetti familia, and damn good at what he does. They want men to talk, he makes them talk. They want men gone, bang - it’s done. It’s as simple as that.

  Until Catherine.

  Those Boys Are Trouble (Valetti Crime Family Collection)

  Contemporary Romance Standalones

  Knocking Boots (A Novel)

  They were never meant to be together.

  Charlie is a bartender with noncommittal tendencies.

  Grace is looking for the opposite. Commitment. Marriag
e. A baby.

  Promise Me (A Novel)

  She gave him her heart. Back when she thought they’d always be together.

  Now Hunter is home and he wants Violet back.

  Tell Me To Stay (A Novella)

  He devoured her, and she did the same to him.

  Until it all fell apart and Sophie ran as far away from Madox as she could.

  After all, the two of them were never meant to be together?

  Second Chance (A Novella)

  No one knows what happened the night that forced them apart. No one can ever know.

  But the moment Nathan locks his light blue eyes on Harlow again, she is ruined.

  She never stood a chance.

  Burned Promises (A Novella)

  Derek made her a promise. And then he broke it. That’s what happens with your first love.

  But Emma didn’t expect for Derek to fall back into her life and for her to fall back into his bed.

  Collections of shorts and novellas

  Don’t Let Go

  A collection of stories including:

  Infatuation

  Desires in the Night and Keeping Secrets

  Bad Boy Next Door

  Kisses and Wishes

  A collection of holiday stories including:

  One Holiday Wish

  Collared for Christmas

  Stolen Mistletoe Kisses

  All I Want is a Kiss (A Holiday short)

  Olivia thought fleeting weekends would be enough and it always was, until the distance threatened to tear her and Nicholas apart for good.

  Highest Bidder Series:

  Bought

  Sold

  Owned

  Given

  From USA Today best selling authors, Willow Winters and Lauren Landish, comes a sexy and forbidden series of standalone romances.

  Bad Boy Standalones, cowritten with Lauren Landish:

  Inked

  Tempted

  Mr. CEO

  Three novels featuring sexy powerful heroes.

  Three romances that are just as swoon-worthy as they are tempting.

  Forsaken, (A Dark Romance cowritten with B. B. Hamel)

  Grace is stolen and gifted to him; Geo a dominating, brutal and a cold hearted killer.

  However, with each gentle touch and act of kindness that lures her closer to him, Grace is finding it impossible to remember why she should fight him.

  View Willow’s entire collection and full reading order at willowwinterswrites.com/reading-order

  Happy reading and best wishes,

  W Winters xx

  You Are My Reason

  From USA Today best-selling author Willow Winters comes an intense romance with second chances, secrets and a twist.

  It’s been a long time since I’ve looked at a man and wanted something more.

  Even longer since one has looked at me with a gaze I couldn’t tear my eyes from.

  No one’s perfect, but that’s how he felt when I was in his arms.

  I started to think everything was going to be all right. That life had finally put the pieces of my broken heart back together.

  Fate brought us close.

  It’s a pretty little thought my poetic mind had.

  But there’s no doubt that the sins of his past will tear us apart.

  You Are My Reason is book 1 in the You Are Mine duet and should be read first.

  “Love is more than words; my heart can tell you that.” - DLS

  To Donna, always an inspiration.

  Mason

  “You should be thanking me for cleaning up your mess,” my father says snidely from where he’s seated in his high-back desk chair. His fingers grip the leather arms and his thumbs rub gently back and forth across the brass studs.

  Though the blinds are closed, the tall windows behind my father fill the large office with fading light from the evening sunset.

  Looking over my shoulder, I narrow my gaze at him, still holding a random law textbook I’ve taken from the floor-to-ceiling shelves that line the walls of his office. The room smells like old books. With the dark wood, tan leather and deep red Beaumont rug, the decor reeks of old money and that’s exactly what this room represents.

  That and bullshit.

  Lies and corruption are what have kept this room in its current state for generations. I’ve pretended for so long that it wasn’t true. But now that I’ve learned what my father’s done to get this “esteemed” position … I can’t turn a blind eye to it anymore. His actions are undeniable and unforgivable.

  I huff a small laugh, not letting him see how affected I am. “For the last time,” I say as I shut the book and smirk at him, “it wasn’t my mess.”

  I’m not admitting to a damn thing. Not even to my own father. In this city, one slipup could send you tumbling into an early grave like my mother. I’m not responsible for the mess my father’s referring to and I refuse to take the blame.

  I don’t trust him. I don’t trust anyone any longer.

  My father’s face reddens before he picks up a cup of hot coffee. He holds the black mug with both hands, blowing across the top and refusing to back down.

  “You would have gone through hell—”

  “No, I wouldn’t have,” I say, cutting him off, although my voice doesn’t reflect any emotion whatsoever. This is a turning point in our relationship. Instead of his disappointment creeping under my skin, it’s the other way around. I look him in the eye as I add, “I would have been just fine.”

  A moment passes where the only sound is the ticking of the large clock on the right side of the room. “It wasn’t my mess you cleaned up, and we both know it.” He’s the first to look away but instead of showing remorse, his expression only reflects his anger.

  “Did you need anything else?” I ask. I just want to get the hell out of here and back to the construction site. This office reminds me of my grandfather, a man I loved and trusted. But he was a man who turned out to be just like all the other powerful men in this city. Ruled by corruption, driven by greed, imperfect. Devastated is the word a former therapist would use to describe my reaction when I found out the truth about my family.

  “I’m tired of you getting into trouble,” my father says and I scoff. This is the first time in my life I’ve truly been in control of myself. No more fucking around, starting trouble. These recent events have been sobering. When I was a hormone-filled teenager dealing with grief and anger, it was easy to act out and pick fights. Caused first by the death of my grandfather and then later, my mother.

  At thirty-three and on my own, I’m not like that anymore. I finally have my life together … all but the ties to my father. It’s a tangled mess of lies and offshore bank accounts. Much like the dealings of the elite who rule this city.

  The thought makes my gaze fall to the floor before I look back up to the shelves and mindlessly scan the spines of the antique texts.

  Being aware of what my father did makes all those old memories of losing my mother surface. My stomach churns and my blood heats, the adrenaline coursing in my veins pushing me to confront the man I no longer know.

  I bring a clenched fist to my mouth as I clear my throat and take a few steps toward him. He’s the one who called this meeting, demanded it really. But he hasn’t even risen from his chair. Lazy prick.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I answer him easily. “I haven’t got a single problem on my mind.” I give him a polite smile and keep a charming look on my face. It only makes him angrier and I love every second of his pissed-off expression. He thought I’d feel as if I owed him.

  I don’t owe him a damn thing.

  I may be just like him in looks. Tall, dark and handsome, or so I’ve been told. I’ve perfected a brilliant smile with an air of ease that’s made to fool and seduce the world at large. It makes sense that he’s a lawyer. It’s the family business but if it wasn’t, it’d still be the profession most apt for my father.

  “You need to quit this
charade and do what you’re told, Mason.” He stands from his seat quickly, his chair rolling backward until it hits the wall. It disturbs the blinds and streams of dim light flicker into the room.

  “I don’t need to do anything but breathe and pay taxes.”

  He could order me around like that all he wanted back when I was a child or before I knew the truth, but now I have no respect for the man in front of me. I’m disgusted by him and caught on the edge of what’s right and wrong. I should turn him in to the authorities and let him rot. I grit my teeth as I stare back at him. It’s what’s right, but I can’t bring myself to send my own father to prison.