Title: Burned
Forbidden Series #4
Author: Melody Anne
Publication Date: June 16
Summary: Tyler Knight isn’t nearly as hardened as his brothers. He was too young to remember the horrific death of his parents, the betrayal of his mother, or the weakness of his father. But he’s watched his brothers, and the hardened life they have led, and he’s always been the calm in the storm for them all, bringing light to an otherwise darkened world.
When he watches his brothers find a ray of sun in their otherwise turbulent lives, he wonders why he can’t find the same and he goes on a quest, for the first time doing it all on his own without the negative words of his brothers in his ear. But he’s about to learn that no matter how much he may want to hide from his dark past, it’s something that won’t disappear. And it’s about to catch up to him.
See the exciting conclusion to NYT best-selling author Melody Anne’s Forbidden Series with Tyler Knight’s story.
EXCERPT
Chapter Three
There was something so familiar about this woman’s eyes. But Tyler had been sitting there in the bar with her for over an hour, and he just couldn’t place her, so it all had to be an illusion.
Elena wasn’t the type of woman a man could forget. She was certainly the type of woman a man broke the rules for, though.
Tyler could easily walk away from most of the women who crossed his path. Yes, he sometimes spoke of marriage and babies and growing up, but the reality of doing just that terrified him to the very depths of his soul. He still had that diamond ring, as a reminder of his near escape. And he was a lot more guarded now.
He always came on strong. Why not? He was great-looking, rich as sin, and had what one ex had referred to as the ultimate swagger. Tyler knew he was a catch. Most of the time, he didn’t have to break a sweat to get a hot babe into bed.
So why had it seemed crucial to his very existence that he stay and talk to this woman, a woman who clearly had some sort of agenda? He had no clue what that agenda was, but he could see someone who was playing a game a mile away. Elena had secrets, but they were ones that Tyler wanted to figure out. Most certainly. Was she after money? Fame in the tabloids, maybe to help her jump-start a modeling career? Or was there something deeper? Darker? More sinister?
The idea — the uncertainty — ought to terrify him. Instead, he was more turned on than ever before.
He should have just blown her off, but something about her made him willing to play along, willing to almost get down on his knees and beg her to let him just stay in her presence. He was taking a dangerous road, and yet he couldn’t seem to look for an exit.
“Are you seeing anyone, Elena?”
He watched her reaction. And his question didn’t make her jumpy in the least.
“Not at the moment. I like my freedom,” she told him. “What about you? Any girlfriends about to come out of the restroom and fight me for the privilege of seeing you?”
She had such quick comebacks, and he loved them. “I can’t guarantee that won’t happen,” Tyler replied.
“Then maybe I should change seats,” she said.
“Are you afraid of a challenge, Elena? You don’t strike me as the type of girl to run from a fight.”
“Oh, I’m not afraid of any woman you probably take out on dates. Let me guess. They’re the stick-thin Barbie doll types with bigger bust sizes than brains.” Elena said this all so casually that it took him a moment to realize she was insulting him.
“Then what am I doing sitting here talking to you? Your bust size is respectable, of course. But are you a ditzy sort of girl?”
She laughed openly at that. “Ditzy! Nice word, and it pegs you as a retrograde. I have a college degree — maybe more than one. I don’t think I could be called stupid.”
“It depends what level and what area the degree is,” he countered.
“You haven’t earned that information yet.”
“That’s the second time. You’re incredibly good at dodging any kind of question about yourself. Is that on purpose, or are you running on automatic?”
She looked down for a moment, and Tyler instantly reached across the small table and lifted her chin. He couldn’t read her if he couldn’t see into her eyes. That wouldn’t work for him at all.
“I don’t know you enough to let you inside my head, Tyler. Has anyone ever told you that you’re too damn pushy?” She shook off his hand.
“I’ve been told that a lot. But the thing is,” he said before leaning back, that appealing crooked grin on his lips, “I always get what I want — one way or another.”
“Maybe not this time,” she said, and he saw a flash in her eyes that he couldn’t quite interpret. Fascinating.
This witch, this foxy lady, had him even more intrigued than before. Tyler had to know her story. And he would.
His body was humming with lust, but even more than that, he was actually interested in this mystery woman. She somehow compelled him, and she made him want to trust her. That was insane. She was playing him — he knew that beyond a reasonable doubt. But what could he do but go along? She had him by the short hairs.
He had to say something, so he came out with this. “Tell me something real about yourself.”
“I’ve been telling you things about me for the past hour,” she replied.
“No. You’ve been holding me on a fishing line just enough to keep me hooked, but not enough to reel me in,” he countered. “Tell me something real.”
She froze and her eyes flew open with something like shock, but she managed to mask her expression in an instant. She was good at that.
“You tell me something real about yourself first, and then I’ll do the same,” she said.
Tyler laughed again. He’d found himself doing that a lot in the last hour. Another interesting thing in Elena’s favor.
“Fine,” he said. “I have nothing to hide.” He thought for a moment and then grinned. “I’ve never slept with a woman.”
Her mouth dropped open, but after a few moments, she sent him a withering look.
“If you honestly think I’ll believe that, then you are about the stupidest man I’ve ever met.”
“It’s a fact.”
“Really?” Her words dripped with scorn. “You come over to me and tell me you want to take me over to your — what? bachelor pad? — but you’ve never done that before?”
Man, was he enjoying himself, and he couldn’t help but smile. His buddy Matt was definitely going to have to get another ride, because one way or the other Tyler was taking Elena home with him.
“I’ve certainly done that before. I’ve just never slept with a woman.”
Her glare turned to confusion as she was trying to figure out what he’d just said. And he wasn’t going to help her out. He wanted to see how smart she really was.
“Ah, so you’re the dine-and-dash sort of guy?” she finally said.
“No. I always treat my women with the utmost respect. We do what we do together for the same reason — to feel good.”
“That’s so admirable. But you screw them and then leave immediately. I bet you have all sorts of hotel rooms on standby just for these special occasions.”
“I wouldn’t characterize myself quite that way, but I do like a good night’s sleep. Alone,” he said before leaning closer. “And yet I have a feeling you might change my mind about that.” There was no need to talk about his last long-term relationship. No, he’d never slept over at her place, and she had never slept over at his, but that was mostly due to work schedules, and he must have know then that something just wasn’t quite right.
Elena was silent for several heartbeats before she threw him a smile, and she leaned toward him, their faces now only a couple of inches apart.
“I guarantee you that if we were in bed together, even if you managed to stick around for a whole night, you’d have a good night, but not much sleep,” she said in a throaty purr that went straight to his groin and left him aching in a way he hadn’t ached since high school.
“Prove it.”
Chapter Three
There was something so familiar about this woman’s eyes. But Tyler had been sitting there in the bar with her for over an hour, and he just couldn’t place her, so it all had to be an illusion.
Elena wasn’t the type of woman a man could forget. She was certainly the type of woman a man broke the rules for, though.
Tyler could easily walk away from most of the women who crossed his path. Yes, he sometimes spoke of marriage and babies and growing up, but the reality of doing just that terrified him to the very depths of his soul. He still had that diamond ring, as a reminder of his near escape. And he was a lot more guarded now.
He always came on strong. Why not? He was great-looking, rich as sin, and had what one ex had referred to as the ultimate swagger. Tyler knew he was a catch. Most of the time, he didn’t have to break a sweat to get a hot babe into bed.
So why had it seemed crucial to his very existence that he stay and talk to this woman, a woman who clearly had some sort of agenda? He had no clue what that agenda was, but he could see someone who was playing a game a mile away. Elena had secrets, but they were ones that Tyler wanted to figure out. Most certainly. Was she after money? Fame in the tabloids, maybe to help her jump-start a modeling career? Or was there something deeper? Darker? More sinister?
The idea — the uncertainty — ought to terrify him. Instead, he was more turned on than ever before.
He should have just blown her off, but something about her made him willing to play along, willing to almost get down on his knees and beg her to let him just stay in her presence. He was taking a dangerous road, and yet he couldn’t seem to look for an exit.
“Are you seeing anyone, Elena?”
He watched her reaction. And his question didn’t make her jumpy in the least.
“Not at the moment. I like my freedom,” she told him. “What about you? Any girlfriends about to come out of the restroom and fight me for the privilege of seeing you?”
She had such quick comebacks, and he loved them. “I can’t guarantee that won’t happen,” Tyler replied.
“Then maybe I should change seats,” she said.
“Are you afraid of a challenge, Elena? You don’t strike me as the type of girl to run from a fight.”
“Oh, I’m not afraid of any woman you probably take out on dates. Let me guess. They’re the stick-thin Barbie doll types with bigger bust sizes than brains.” Elena said this all so casually that it took him a moment to realize she was insulting him.
“Then what am I doing sitting here talking to you? Your bust size is respectable, of course. But are you a ditzy sort of girl?”
She laughed openly at that. “Ditzy! Nice word, and it pegs you as a retrograde. I have a college degree — maybe more than one. I don’t think I could be called stupid.”
“It depends what level and what area the degree is,” he countered.
“You haven’t earned that information yet.”
“That’s the second time. You’re incredibly good at dodging any kind of question about yourself. Is that on purpose, or are you running on automatic?”
She looked down for a moment, and Tyler instantly reached across the small table and lifted her chin. He couldn’t read her if he couldn’t see into her eyes. That wouldn’t work for him at all.
“I don’t know you enough to let you inside my head, Tyler. Has anyone ever told you that you’re too damn pushy?” She shook off his hand.
“I’ve been told that a lot. But the thing is,” he said before leaning back, that appealing crooked grin on his lips, “I always get what I want — one way or another.”
“Maybe not this time,” she said, and he saw a flash in her eyes that he couldn’t quite interpret. Fascinating.
This witch, this foxy lady, had him even more intrigued than before. Tyler had to know her story. And he would.
His body was humming with lust, but even more than that, he was actually interested in this mystery woman. She somehow compelled him, and she made him want to trust her. That was insane. She was playing him — he knew that beyond a reasonable doubt. But what could he do but go along? She had him by the short hairs.
He had to say something, so he came out with this. “Tell me something real about yourself.”
“I’ve been telling you things about me for the past hour,” she replied.
“No. You’ve been holding me on a fishing line just enough to keep me hooked, but not enough to reel me in,” he countered. “Tell me something real.”
She froze and her eyes flew open with something like shock, but she managed to mask her expression in an instant. She was good at that.
“You tell me something real about yourself first, and then I’ll do the same,” she said.
Tyler laughed again. He’d found himself doing that a lot in the last hour. Another interesting thing in Elena’s favor.
“Fine,” he said. “I have nothing to hide.” He thought for a moment and then grinned. “I’ve never slept with a woman.”
Her mouth dropped open, but after a few moments, she sent him a withering look.
“If you honestly think I’ll believe that, then you are about the stupidest man I’ve ever met.”
“It’s a fact.”
“Really?” Her words dripped with scorn. “You come over to me and tell me you want to take me over to your — what? bachelor pad? — but you’ve never done that before?”
Man, was he enjoying himself, and he couldn’t help but smile. His buddy Matt was definitely going to have to get another ride, because one way or the other Tyler was taking Elena home with him.
“I’ve certainly done that before. I’ve just never slept with a woman.”
Her glare turned to confusion as she was trying to figure out what he’d just said. And he wasn’t going to help her out. He wanted to see how smart she really was.
“Ah, so you’re the dine-and-dash sort of guy?” she finally said.
“No. I always treat my women with the utmost respect. We do what we do together for the same reason — to feel good.”
“That’s so admirable. But you screw them and then leave immediately. I bet you have all sorts of hotel rooms on standby just for these special occasions.”
“I wouldn’t characterize myself quite that way, but I do like a good night’s sleep. Alone,” he said before leaning closer. “And yet I have a feeling you might change my mind about that.” There was no need to talk about his last long-term relationship. No, he’d never slept over at her place, and she had never slept over at his, but that was mostly due to work schedules, and he must have know then that something just wasn’t quite right.
Elena was silent for several heartbeats before she threw him a smile, and she leaned toward him, their faces now only a couple of inches apart.
“I guarantee you that if we were in bed together, even if you managed to stick around for a whole night, you’d have a good night, but not much sleep,” she said in a throaty purr that went straight to his groin and left him aching in a way he hadn’t ached since high school.
“Prove it.”
About Melody Anne: Melody Anne is the author of the popular series, Billionaire Bachelors, and Baby for the Billionaire. She also has a Young Adult Series out; Midnight Fire and Midnight Moon – Rise of the Dark Angel. She’s been writing for years and published in 2011. She hold a bachelors degree in business, so she loves to write about strong, powerful, businessmen.
When Melody isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets. She lives in a small town that she loves, and is involved in many community projects.
See Melody’s Website at: www.melodyanne.com. She makes it a point to respond to all her fans. You can also join her on facebook at: www.facebook.com/authormelodyanne, or at twitter: @authmelodyanne.
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