Table of Contents
Praise for the novels of Lora Leigh
Leigh draws readers into her stories and takes them on a sensual roller coaster.
Love Romances
Leigh writes wonderfully straightforward and emotional stories with characters that jump off the page.
The Road to Romance
Fraught with tension from the first page to the last... a love story of the deepest kind with a very emotional and sensual base. Combine all these elements together and [youre] guaranteed an intriguing story that will have you glued to the edge of your seat.
Fallen Angel Reviews
Blistering sexuality and eroticism... bursting with passion and drama... enthralls and excites from beginning to end.
Romance Reviews Today
A scorcher with sex scenes that blister the pages.
A Romance Review
Thrilling... explosive... a perfect blend of sexual tension and suspense.
Sensual Romance Reviews
An emotional read.
The Best Reviews
Hot sex, snappy dialogue, and kick-butt action add up to outstanding entertainment.
Romantic Times (top pick)
Ms. Leigh is one of my favorite authors because she creates new worlds that I want to visit and would move to if only I could.
Erotic-Escapades
The writing of Lora Leigh continues to amaze me... electrically charged, erotic, and just a sinfully good read!
JoyfullyReviewed.com
Wow!... The lovemaking is scorching.
Just Erotic Romance Reviews
Berkley titles by Lora Leigh
COYOTES MATE
MERCURYS WAR
DAWNS AWAKENING
TANNERS SCHEME
HARMONYS WAY
MEGANS MARK
NAUTI INTENTIONS
NAUTI DREAMS
NAUTI NIGHTS
NAUTI BOY
Anthologies
THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CAT
(with Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, and Linda Winstead Jones)
SHIFTER
(with Angela Knight, Alyssa Day, and Virginia Kantra)
BEYOND THE DARK
(with Angela Knight, Emma Holly, and Diane Whiteside)
HOT SPELL
(with Emma Holly, Shiloh Walker, and Meljean Brook)
A special thank-you to Natalie.
You help me keep my sanity,
and theres not enough thanks for that.
You go above and beyond and make life easier.
And my appreciation
for that knows no bounds.
For everything you do, thank you!
PROLOGUE
Janey Mackay should have known something was wrong when Dayle Mackay, the man whod donated the seed for her conception, left the message on her cell phone that her brother, Natches, was hurt and she needed to come home.
She should have called someone else, but who was there to call? After all, Dayle had made certain Janey was as isolated from the rest of her family as possible. Private girls schools until college, and even then, she knew she was being watched. She was always watched.
She should have been suspicious because Dayle hated Natches, his only son. Hated him so much, and feared him to such an extent that Janey knew it was the only reason she was in college rather than married to one of his fanatical friends. Or dead, because she would have killed herself first.
But she hadnt been. Her only thought had been of Natches, the brother she had never been able to really get to know, but the one she knew protected her. She knew, because hed always managed to get little notes to her through the years. Hed always found ways to contact her, to let her know he was there if she needed him.
She had needed him. But it wasnt a life-or-death need, and she knew if she defied Dayle Mackay and publicly chose Natches over him, then it would end in blood. Possibly her brothers blood.
Her father had her booked on a red-eye flight into Lexington from the college in California that hed had no choice but to allow her to attend. She arrived after midnight, and Dayle and her aunt Nadine were waiting on her.
After that, things got a little hazy. But that could have had something to do with the nasty-smelling cloth Nadine had capped over her mouth and nose after they were on their way to Somerset. Or the pills Dayle had shoved down her throat before she could fight him, as her lashes fluttered open later.
Yeah, she had a pretty good idea that was the reason. And she couldnt seem to clear her mind enough to think. She needed to think. Dayle was a monster, twisted and evil, and Nadine was his perfect match. His soul mate, Dayle called his sister.
Janey stared up at the ceiling above the bed her body felt weighted to. She wasnt tied down, but they hadnt had to tie her; whatever they had given her made her so sluggish, made her feel so heavy she couldnt move. She could feel the tears that fell from her eyes, though she didnt want to cry.
Shame twisted inside her, congealed into a sick ball in the pit of her stomach as her skin crawled with the horror of the past hours.
She hadnt begged.
Shed always imagined what it would be like if her father did something this vile to herand yes, there were times she had expected itand shed imagined she would beg. Call him Daddy and plead with him to make it stop.
But the words had choked in her throat. She had stared at the ceiling, hating him, hating her aunt. Hating that bitchs hands as they touched her.
Her breath hitched on a silent sob. Hed let that old slut touch her. Hed laughed with amused indulgence as Nadine had pleaded like a little girl to have just a little fun.
As though Janey were a toy. A toy to be used.
Nadine hadnt had time to do much, but even a little sickened Janey. Shed nearly thrown up on the bitch.
She turned her head into the pillow and tried to dry her tears. She didnt want Nadine or Dayle to see her crying. To know they had hurt her. It would only make them worse. They thrived on pain. It amused them. Empowered them.
And she had to stop crying. She had to fight past the blanketing haze that fogged her brain. She needed to just get up. If she could just make herself get up, then she could get out of here. She could find help. If she could get out of here, Alexs house wasnt far away. Alex would help her. He would take her to Natches and Natches would make it all go away.
She sobbed at the thought. Alex would take care of her. Maybe hed even put his arms around her. She would like that. Just for a minute. Just long enough to make her feel safe. There was something about him, something that warmed her in the dead of night when she was alone and cold.
Another sob broke from her. She swore she could hear Natchess voice now. She was hallucinating. She had to be. Oh God, she had to get out of here before they gave her more of those damned drugs.
Making her limbs work, making her brain clear enough to force her legs, her arms, to move, had her breaking out in a cold sweat.
If she stayed here, something would happen to Natches. Shed heard them talking about it. She couldnt remember what would happen to him, but she couldnt let them hurt him. He had protected her. He was her older brother. And he loved her.
Breathing harshly, sweat pouring along her face, she managed to roll to the side of the bed. The floor looked as though it were miles below her.
