About The Book:
Title: Freeing Him
Series: Hart Brothers #2
Author: A.M. Hargrove
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 3, 2014
Purchase: Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Smashwords
*This novel contains mature content and is not intended for younger readers.
Kolson Hart and Gabriella Martinelli…destined to be together, fated to be torn apart.
After avoiding his father for years, Kolson knew asking his father, Langston Hart, for a favor would be like selling his soul to the devil. Only the devil wants more ... more than Kolson is willing to pay. But some promises can’t be broken, not without losing what’s most important. For Kolson, that’s Gabriella Martinelli.
Left with two choices–pay up or risk everything–Kolson’s only way out is to do something drastic, something so monumental not even Langston will be able to interfere. The question is: Will it be enough to guarantee Gabriella's safety from his father?
Kolson freed Gabriella from her past, and now he’s risking everything for her again. Will she be able to save him from the demon that hunts him? Or is fate too strong for them to fight?
As the suds rinse, I stare at and memorize everything about her. A deep clenching pain rips through my gut, and then I know it’s not true what they say about your heart breaking. It doesn’t even come close. Your heart doesn’t break. A gash splits your gut wide open and then it expands straight on up to your sternum until your heart explodes out of your chest. The f***ing thing isn’t broken. It’s goddamn annihilated. And there isn’t enough superglue in the entire world to piece it back together again. And then parts of you start to fall off, one by one. And you know it’s not possible to ever be put back together again. You’re f***ing Humpty Dumpty.
Excerpt:
Kolson
All her wonderful beauty is dashed by the sound of my phone.
“Shit.”
“Do you have to take that?” Gabriella asks.
“Probably. We’re already going to be late.”
“Yeah, but it was totally worth it.”
“True.” Reaching across her to the nightstand, I pick up my phone and my body instantly stiffens.
“What is it?”
“Work shit. A contract we’re working on has just hit a snag. Gotta hit the shower.”
“Okay.”
She follows me because it’s our routine. As she begins to wash her hair, I pull the bottle out of her hand. “Let me do that.”
I love doing it. Feeling her silken hair in my hands. I work up a lather and bury my fingers in it, rubbing her scalp. She sags in response.
“You are so good at this.”
“So you’ve said.”
As the suds rinse, I memorize everything about her. A deep clenching pain rips through my gut, and then I know it’s not true what they say about your heart breaking. It doesn’t even come close. Your heart doesn’t break. A gash splits your gut wide open and then it expands to your sternum until your heart explodes out of your chest. The fucking thing isn’t broken. It’s goddamn annihilated. And there isn’t enough superglue in the entire world to piece it back together. Then parts of you start to fall off, one by one. You know it’s not possible to ever be put back together again. You’re fucking Humpty Dumpty.
I squeeze conditioner into my palm and rub it into her hair. Then I clear the hoarseness away and say, “Hey, kea, I hear my phone. I need to get that. Big meeting today. Sorry.”
“Okay, babe.”
I scurry out of there so I don’t make a fool of myself. I dress in record time and hit my office. The message that came through has put me in hell:
Your debt payoff commences in twenty-four hours. Can’t wait to have you back, son. Pack your bags. You’re flying to Vegas in the morning.
Like hell, I am. The only place I’ll be flying is the fucking coop.
This is the goddamn shits. I need to stay in here until Gabriella leaves so she doesn’t suspect anything. In thirty minutes, she sticks her head in.
“You’re still here?”
“Yeah. I have to get this out before I go.” I make up some lame excuse. Again.
“Oh. I’m leaving.”
“Okay. Hey, I’ll be pretty late today. Working on this new contract and I have a late meeting. Don’t wait on me for dinner.” I smile.
“Okay. Are you flying anywhere?”
“Maybe D.C., but if I do, I’ll text you.”
“Good. Love you, Skippy.”
We kiss.
I laugh. “Love you too. And I enjoyed your peachy ass.”
“Not as much as I did.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.”
And she’s gone. I give it five minutes before I allow myself to move. I want to break down but I can’t. There’ll be time for that later. I have things I need to do first. Important things.
Grabbing the duffel bag from the top shelf in my closet, I stuff in the clothes I’ve already set aside. There’s a backpack that I’ve preloaded with fifty thousand in cash, a passport, driver’s license, and two credit cards, all in the name of Jason Ackerman. It also contains a cell phone that will activate as soon as I make the call. I change my clothes, put on a hoodie and sunglasses, and leave the penthouse. Using the building’s side entrance, I walk several blocks and take a bus where I meet Sam on the west side of town. He’ll be the only one who knows how to contact me.
“Mr. H., you sure about this?”
“Sam, it’s the only way. I can’t go back or he’ll find a way to ruin her. You know he will. She can’t know anything for this to work.”
“Yes, sir.”
“She can’t know you know. Remember to wipe the security tapes of me leaving as soon as you can. This has to look like I vanished into thin air. All my things are at the house. No one, absolutely no one knows. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you know how to wipe the tapes?”
“I can do it in my sleep, Mr. H.”
“Good,” I say. “He’ll figure out I did it, but I don’t want him to suspect you. If he does, you know what will happen.”
“Yes, sir I do.”
“I hate to involve you, Sam.”
“Mr. H., I’m worried about you.”
“Sam, I’ll be fine. I survived him when I was a kid. I’ll survive him now. If I need anything, I’ll call you. But it will be from an untraceable number because you’ll be watched and I won’t contact you for a while.”
“Yes, sir. Good luck, sir.”
“Thanks. Now I need to get out of here and the fastest way is on a train, so I’m gone. You never saw me.”
“No, sir. And I’m going back now to check the tapes.”
“Watch your every step, Sam.”
I go to the nearest stairwell and take the train to Brooklyn. It’s there that my new life waits for me.
About The Author:
One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss and quit her job. Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).
So began A. M. Hargrove's career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer. Her books include Kissing Fire, Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge, the series the Guardians of Vesturon (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, Beginnings and reEmergent), Dark Waltz, Tragically Flawed, Tragic Desires, and Exquisite Betrayal.
Other than being in love with being in love, she loves chocolate, ice cream and coffee and is positive they should be added as part of the USDA food groups.
(If you're wondering, it didn't happen EXACTLY that way, but….)
You can also find her on Goodreads as Emerson St. Clair. Her novella series, Dirty Nights, is available and those are a little dark, a little erotic and a lot sexy!
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