Stay Close

By Alexa Riley

New York Times and #1 ebook bestselling author Alexa Riley returns with Stay Close, the first novella in a brand-new series spinning off from the bestselling For Her books.

A former Russian mafia soldier is hired to protect a friend’s young daughter, but he knows he’ll do more than keep her safe—he’ll make her his. Forever.

If she were to simply whisper my name, I would be at her feet, begging to touch what I shouldn’t, taste what doesn’t belong to me, run my hands along the sweet innocence she taunts me with.

Penelope Justice is eighteen, old enough to graduate high school but—according to her parents—not old enough to live without 24/7 security. Practice has made her an expert at ditching her bodyguards. One look at Ivan and she never wants to run again.

I’ve been hired to protect her.

I can’t help but think that perhaps someone should have protected her from me.

Ivan steals the breath right out of her lungs, something no boy has ever done. Then again, he’s far from a boy. This man, this man who looks like he could kill someone with the flick of a wrist, is everything. He is her future.

I can’t let her go and I won’t give her up. I’ve done bad things in my life, and I don’t deserve her. But I can’t do the honorable thing.

I’ve never been noble, and I’m not starting now.

This book is approximately 23,000 words



One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carina Press
• Release date: Jul 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781488080593

Alexa Riley

New York Times bestselling author Alexa Riley is two sassy friends who got together and wrote some dirty books. They are both married moms of two who love football, donuts, and obsessed book heroes.They specialize in insta-love, over-the-top, sweet, and cheesy love stories that don’t take all year to read. If you want something SAFE, short, and always with a happily ever after, then Alexa Riley is for you!www.AlexaRiley.com

Book preview

Prologue

Ivan

She loves to dance.

Her small body moves with the dark beat of the bass as I throw back a shot of vodka. There is no burn when the liquid warmth hits my tongue and melts down my throat. I clench the glass because I can’t put my hands where I want them.

The seductive curve of her waist as it cascades to the flare of her hips... I watch transfixed when they move side to side. Side to side. Her body is like the pendulum inside a grandfather clock, and I can’t look away.

The music is deafening, but if she were to simply whisper my name, I would be at her feet, begging to touch what I shouldn’t, taste what doesn’t belong to me, run my hands along the sweet innocence she taunts me with. An innocence I shouldn’t want but crave. Something so pure and untouched like nothing I’ve ever known before.

Slamming the glass down on the bar, I’m both disappointed and relieved when it doesn’t break. Maybe the cut of the glass could cool the feelings I have pulsing though me but I doubt it. Not with her. I’m not sure anything ever could. I would welcome a pain that’s greater than my ache for her. For there is nothing more powerful than the spell she has me under.

I’ve been hired to protect her.

But as I push away from the bar and walk towards her, I can’t help but think that perhaps someone should have protected her from me.

Chapter One

Penelope

I lean up against the wall in the hallway, trying to determine what’s being said inside my mom and dad’s office. I’ve been standing out here for over twenty minutes and can’t make out a word. In fact, I’m not even sure they’re speaking English. I saw the man who came to have a meeting with them shortly after dinner. It was odd because my parents never bring their work home. The moment my eyes met his, something funny happened inside me. He stole the breath right out of my lungs, something no boy had ever done before.

It might have to do with the fact that he was far from a boy. That beast was all man, maybe even something more. A man who looked like he could kill someone with the flick of his wrist. And the weirdest part—how could someone who looked so menacing draw me in? Call to something deep inside me. Something that I didn’t even know was there until I saw him.

My parents run the entire security and protection division for one the top companies in the world, so I’ve been around a lot of people who look deadly. My sister and I have whispered that we think at one time our father worked undercover for the government. At least that’s what Pandora, my twin, thinks. I believe her, because Pandora notices everything. You can’t get much past her.

This guy seems dark and deadly, from his eyes that are so brown they’re almost black, to his jet-black hair that’s been buzzed short. It looks like he doesn’t have the time—or the inclination—to do anything with it. The way he walked in and how he held himself makes me think he doesn’t give much thought to how he looks. Someone like him doesn’t care what others think, and that kind of confidence is sexy. It’s different than what I’m used to with the boys at school. That difference draws me to him.

I caught sight of tattoos that ran along his knuckles and hands before disappearing under his coat. Then they peeked out again, up around the collar of his jacket, making me think that most of his big body was covered in ink. And the man was big.

He wasn’t like most of the men who work for my dad. They look like they could take you in a fight, but they’re always clean-cut and in suits. Not this man. I don’t know what it was about him, but I was drawn to him instantly.

He isn’t my normal type, not that I really have a type at all. I’m only eighteen, so I’m not sure I’ve decided that yet. The boys I talk to at school would fall under the preppy category, but that’s pretty much every guy there. It’s private and caters to kids with some of the richest parents in New York City. No one there is running around with tattoos covering their body.

Not this one, Penny.

I jump a little at my sister’s soft words. She’s standing next to me with her back against the wall as well, as if she’s been there the whole time.

How do you do that? I whisper at her. Jesus. Everyone in this freaking house is like a spy or something. They move around like cats, never making a noise. When I move, people don’t normally miss me coming. I’m loud and pretty clumsy.

She shoots me a smirk, and I roll my eyes. She reaches out her hand and links it with mine. You weren’t in bed.

Because I’m spying, I whisper a little too loudly and cringe at myself.

I’m sure I’m doing a terrible job at sneaking around. You’d think living with Pandora and my parents, I would have picked up some tricks. But I should have known my sister would catch me. We’re twins and have had our own rooms since we turned thirteen, but she still ends up in my bed most nights. She doesn’t sleep well when she’s alone. I like it, though. Pandora has always been the strong one, even when we were growing up. She gives no shits, whereas I’m the girly girl who gets her feelings hurt about everything. But at the end of the day, Pandora is still the one crawling into my bed. It makes me feel like I also have a way of making her feel safe. Just like she always did with me growing up. From school playgrounds to asshole boys, Pandora was always there to put someone in their place.

They probably know you’re out here, she whispers back, and I shrug.

I don’t care. I want another look at the dark stranger. Something about him has piqued my curiosity, and I feel drawn to him. Maybe it’s the mystery, or maybe it’s that he seems like a challenge. It could be that while I find the darkness in his eyes sexy, they still seem a little lonely. My weakness is seeing someone else hurting, and I caught a glimpse of that. It calls to me.

Not him, Penny. Stick to the boys at school.

I look over at her. We look exactly the same, but I have my father’s green eyes and Pandora has our mother’s deep blue eyes. We’re both built like her, though. We’re both petite with small features and deep red hair. Our eyes are really the only way to tell us apart. That is, until one of us opens our mouth. Then it’s easy to tell who’s who.

I feel warmth hit my cheeks. I’m not shocked she knew I was standing out here trying to get another look at him, but I’m still a little embarrassed. I’ve always been a little boy crazy, but it never lasts long. I crush for a second and then jump on to the next. For some reason, when I know they like me back, I lose interest fast. Pandora always jokes that I’m in love with having a crush, and once the crush is gone, so am I.

Something feels off. I can’t put my finger on it, but he’s rough around the edges. You need someone sweet.

She’s right. Something does feel different with him, but it’s a kind of different I don’t want to stay away from. As crazy as it sounds I think he’s mine. I don’t know why but when I saw him, it was all I could think.

Fuck, she mumbles, probably reading my face.

The door to our parents’ office opens, making us both jump away from the wall. Our mom stands in the doorway, her hands on her hips. What are you two doing?

"I wanted to see if we could stay late

Reviews for Stay Close

[wndy2011 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Penelope has never known love like what Ivan could give her. But is he safe? Can this tough as nails man be the key to her heart and can she heal his in turn?