ICE COLD SAINT will release on 9/13/22, but you can read the prologue and first chapter right now.

Character Profile: Alice Shephard

Book: ICE COLD SAINT

Job: Owner of Abracadabra, a speakeasy in Savannah, GA

Alice is currently the suspect in the disappearances of her three exes…and she certainly knows a thing or two about how to make someone disappear because her father was a magician. He taught her all he knew about the fine art of misdirection.

𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧…You get your audience to look to the left, when all the while, the real action is happening to the right…or even under the audience members’ very noses.

“𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥, 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞?”

“𝐈’𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞.”

Alice is not some sweet and innocent heroine. Her past is dark, she’s dark, and she is not looking for a hero to rush in and save the day. A good thing, because Saint has never been called anyone’s hero…

It’s just two weeks until the release of ICE COLD SAINT…so how about a teaser??

She stiffened. “I’m not afraid.”

𝑌𝑒𝑠, 𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒. 𝐼 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑤. “Do you want more from me?” A deliberate question.

“What might that more be?” Alice returned with one eyebrow rising.

“Oh, you know, someone who isn’t afraid of what might happen in the middle of the night. Someone who can keep you safe, even from yourself.”

She swallowed. “A hero. How…cute.”

“Nah, baby. That’s not what you want. You want someone who can handle the dark. Who isn’t going to run if things go to hell. And that would be me. You know it, deep inside. It’s the reason you let 𝑚𝑒 inside.”

Ready for a tease from ICE COLD SAINT?

His lips twitched. Not a full smile, but definite amusement. For just a fleeting moment. “What makes you think I want you?”

She almost laughed again. Alice realized she hadn’t enjoyed this much fun in…hmm, she couldn’t remember when. Ages. “Seriously? I know lust when I see it in a man’s eyes. When you looked at me inside Abracadabra, let’s just say your gaze was blazing.”

His jaw hardened.

Well, well. Someone didn’t like being called out on his desire. Too bad.

“I guess you’re used to men wanting you,” he said, his voice a deep and dark, utterly delicious rumble that slid over her. “So you just assume we’re all the same.”

She would never make that fatal assumption.

“But I’m not here to seduce you, Alice.”

“No? Then what are you here to do?”

His hand lifted. She tensed automatically, then wanted to curse herself. His fingers reached out and stroked her cheek. The caress was as gentle as a breath of wind on her skin. She could feel the calluses on the edges of his fingertips, but his touch was ever so careful. She even wanted to turn into his touch, as crazy as that—

“I’m here to take you down.” His voice was serious and a bit sad. And utterly, utterly certain.

So she did turn into his touch. She nuzzled a little against his hand and heard the swift inhalation of his breath. But Alice didn’t smile at his reaction. Now wasn’t the time for a smile. However, it was time for a little bit of truth with her mysterious stranger. Testing, she let her lips skim over his hand…

She saw him tense. Felt it.

His hand jerked back from her.

Alice lifted her chin. “You said that wrong.”

His hands were at his sides. The one she’d touched with her mouth? That hand had curled into a fist. So very telling. For a moment, she admired the dark swirls on his fist. His tats were interesting. Something she’d noticed while he’d drank his old fashioned inside. The tats covered the back of his hands. Slid up his wrists. Did they go higher up his arms? Hard to say since he was wearing that ancient-looking jacket.

𝐹𝑜𝑐𝑢𝑠. Right. Because she needed to set this poor man straight. Alice let a little sigh slip from her. “What you meant was that you’re here to fall in love with me.”

“That’s damn well not what I meant.”

Alice stepped toward him. She put her hand on his chest.

“Lady, you are playing with fire,” he warned.

“I’m not playing.” His heart raced beneath her touch. “I don’t play. That’s probably the first thing you should learn about me.”

“I already learned plenty.”

Alice filed that revealing bit away for later. “You bust into my life and say that you’re here to take me down.”

“There is the little matter of three murders tied to you…”

She pressed up on her toes. She liked his mouth. Firm but sculpted lips. She liked his jaw, too. Hard and strong. There was a little cleft in his chin that she found delightful. It didn’t soften his fierce, handsome face, though. If anything, the faint cleft somehow made him seem sexier. His dark, thick hair had been shoved back from his forehead, and faint stubble covered his jaw. “You’re not a cop.”

“No?”

“No. You don’t look like a cop, and you certainly don’t act like one.”

“You don’t know me. Don’t make assumptions.”

“Ah. I could say the same thing to you.” She was staring at his mouth. Definitely considering kissing him simply for the hell of it. “Damn.” Regretful. She began to ease off her toes and back down. “I know what you are.”

“And what am I?”

Obviously… “The bad guy.” Another sigh. More forlorn this time. “That’s the only kind of guy I’m attracted to.” She was most certainly attracted to him. “Sort of a talent I have. Some women go for men who bring them flowers and treat them to candlelight dinners. Me? I tend to get drawn to the men who are trouble.”

“Are you sure that you aren’t trouble?”

Oh, she was. “The worst kind of trouble,” Alice affirmed without hesitation. “Remember that about me and stay away, would you?”

“Why? If I don’t stay away, will I end up like your last three lovers?”

She didn’t flinch. Didn’t gasp. Didn’t put her hand to her heart dramatically as if those cutting words had just, well, cut ℎ𝑒𝑟. Even though they had.

𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑖𝑡 “End up like them?” She pondered that. Pretended to ponder it. “You mean enormously satisfied and ruined sexually for everyone else?”

A beat of silence. He cleared his throat. “No.” A rasp. “I meant dead.”

Have you read Archer and Delilah’s story? If you haven’t, then this is an excellent time to snag FROZEN IN ICE…because it’s just .99 in ebook! 😍

Each month, I try to offer a deal to my readers, and for August…it’s Archer’s turn.

𝐈𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬…𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫?

Delilah “Lila” Darrow doesn’t belong in the world of the rich and famous, but for one night, she’s going to wear the fanciest dress she can find and pretend that she does. Her plan—get close to reclusive billionaire Archer Radcliffe and find out…is he a murderer?

She knows exactly what Archer likes. She knows how to slip beneath his guard. She knows how to make him fall for her. With the right tools, Delilah believes she can finally make Archer pay for the crime he committed so long ago.

𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠…𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐧.

Delilah is part of a group of crime solvers called the Ice Breakers—an online team made up of individuals who have the goal of solving cold cases. Five years ago, Delilah’s sister disappeared without a trace. Since then, Delilah has made it her mission to close as many unsolved cases as possible. Archer Radcliffe will be the latest target in her quest.

Except…Archer turns the tables on her. He sees through her lies. Tries to seduce her. And, he also swears his innocence.

𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦? 𝐎𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫?

Now that he has Delilah at his side, Archer can finally get the justice—the vengeance—he has craved. The only problem? The beautiful Delilah will be in danger. But Archer intends to stick close to her. So close that the world will believe they are completely in love. So close that a deadly enemy will want to strike. So close that just maybe—if he’s not careful—Archer might begin to fall for the woman he intends to use…

***

FROZEN IN ICE is book one in my “Ice Breakers” romantic suspense series. The Ice Breakers are a bit darker than my “Wilde” stories, but the tales contain plenty of heat, action, twists, and some fun (because you know–why not???). And, of course, you will get your happy ending, always!