His Temptation: Bad Boy Romantic Suspense

By Selina Coffey

When petite and pretty Julie Dumbarton flees the big city fearing for her life, she wants only one thing: to escape the mistakes of her past. But instead of escape, she discovers she was followed to her home town by Martin Richter, the man who beat and abused her. Now, her family is at risk as well. Julie is afraid she'll never be able be free of Martin's cruelty. When ex-boyfriend, Axel steps up to keep her safe, she vow's she'll never fall into a criminal life again, even if it means giving up Axel forever. Tough and dominating Axel Kehoe, entrenched in the life as a gang leader, wants nothing more than to squash the man who is tormenting Julie, his one and only love. His plan: get rid of Martin and get Julie back into his bed. But is he willing to give up everything he knows to win back Julie's love?

 

WARNING: This book contains mature language and themes, intended for adults only.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lovy Books Ltd
• Release date: Aug 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223577508

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Julie Dumbarton sat in the very last seat of the Greyhound Bus. She didn’t like sitting next to the chemical smelling toilet stall, but she needed the security of knowing no one was sitting behind her. She was impatient for the bus to depart, afraid that if they sat there too long the man that was hunting her would find her. She looked out of the window into the night but all she could see was her own reflection, her red hair creeping out from under her hat, blue eyes rimmed with dark circles from lack of sleep. Even her cheekbones seemed sharper than when she had left home months ago.

She thought back to the time before the city, when she’d stupidly driven the getaway car for her boyfriend Axel. She hadn’t known he was going to rob a bank, but that wouldn’t matter to the cops. The prosecutor would surely point out that she had known Axel was up to no good. She’d left him after that. Left him and moved to the city for a fresh start.

What a joke that had been; she’d had no marketable skills and couldn’t find a job. She should have known when the lovely Martin Richter had taken her in, that he was a con man. An unprincipled pimp. She’d actually thought he was in love with her until he had given her to another man. After that she’d stolen from his wallet time and time again, until she had the bus fare home. But he’d found her stash and given her a black eye so in the end she had to call her parents for a bus ticket home.

She’d spent the evening pretending to drink with Martin, refilling his glass time after time until he finally passed out on the couch. Then she’d snuck past the other rooms and down and out into the street, running barefoot to the bus station, her feet silent on the warm pavement, so the men wouldn’t hear her footfalls.

I need to pick up my ticket, she’d said panting with exertion and nerves at the ticket window.

What? asked the clerk behind the counter. Say again.

I have a ticket here, Julie spoke slower, tried to regulate her breathing.

You must pay for ticket, the clerk said.

No, Julie was starting to panic, she wasn’t sure how much time she had before the bus left. My parents paid for the ticket, I just need to pick it up.

The clerk had finally understood, found the ticket and handed it to Julie, after she’d produced her ID. Then she’d padded quietly onto the bus, still holding her shoes.

Shouting broke out in the station just as the bus engine roared to life and Julie slid down in her seat hoping to slip unnoticed out of Martin Richter’s life. He didn’t know where she was from and with a little luck he would never know where she had gone.

Julie woke when the bus pulled into her home town terminal. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep, it wasn’t safe. The movement of the bus had lulled her and she’d slept deeply the last five hours of the trip. She rubbed her eyes and looked out into the familiar downtown. Her parents were standing on the sidewalk beside the bus; arms folded not talking to each other. There was nothing new about that, they hadn’t had a proper conversation in the last 10 years as far as Julie knew.

She grabbed her backpack and climbed down out of the bus. Her mother burst into tears and threw her arms around Julie.

I’m okay mom, Julie said into her shoulder. I’m fine. It wasn’t true of course but she would never tell her mother what she’d been through. Looking over her mother’s shoulder she thought she saw someone standing in the shadows on the other side of the street, but she couldn’t get