CHAPTER ONE
The wind stings my face and the glare from the afternoon sun obscures my vision as I fly down the long stretch of Sunset Canyon Road at well over a hundred miles per hour.
My heart pounds and my palms are sweaty, but not because of my speed. On the contrary, this is what I need. The rush. The thrill. I crave it like a junkie, and it affects me like a toddler on a sugar high.
Honestly, itโs taking every ounce of my willpower not to put my 1965 Shelby Cobra through her paces and kick her powerful engine up even more.
I canโt, though. Not today. Not here.
Not when Iโm back, and certainly not when my homecoming has roused a swarm of butterflies in my stomach. When every curve in this road brings back memories that have tears clogging my throat and my bowels rumbling with nerves.
Dammit.
I pound down the clutch, then slam my foot onto the brake, shifting into neutral as I simultaneously yank the wheel sharply to the left. The tires squeal in protest as I make a U-turn across the oncoming lane, the carโs ass fishtailing before skidding to a stop in the turnout. Iโm breathing hard, and honestly, I think Shelby is, too. Sheโs more than a car to me; sheโs a lifelong best friend, and I donโt usually fuck with her like this.
Now, thoughโฆ
Well, now sheโs dangerously close to the cliffโs edge, her entire passenger side resting parallel to a void that boasts a view of the distant coastline. Not to mention a seriously stunning glimpse of the small downtown below.
I ratchet up the emergency brake as my heartbeat pounds in my throat. And only when Iโm certain we wonโt go skidding down the side of the cliff do I kill Shelbyโs engine, wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans, and let my body relax.
Well, hello to you, too, Laguna Cortez.
With a sigh, I take off my ball cap, allowing my dark curls to bounce free around my face and graze my shoulders.
โGet a grip, Ellie,โ I murmur, then suck in a deep breath. Not so much for courageโIโm not afraid of this townโbut for fortitude. Because Laguna Cortez beat me down before, and itโs going to take all of my strength to walk those streets again.
One more breath, and then I step out of the car. I walk to the edge of the turnout. Thereโs no barrier, and loose dirt and small stones clatter down the hill as I balance on the very edge.
Below me, jagged rocks protrude from the canyon walls. Further down, the harsh angles smooth to gentle slopes with homes of all shapes and sizes nestled among the rocks and scrubby plants. The tiled roofs follow the tightly winding road that leads down to the Arts District. Tucked neatly in the valley formed by a U of hills and canyons, the area opens onto the townโs largest beach and draws a steady stream of tourists and locals.
As far as the public is concerned, Laguna Cortez is one of the gems of the Pacific Coast. A laid-back town with just under sixty-thousand people and miles of sandy and rocky beaches.
Most people would give their right arm to live here.
As far as Iโm concerned, itโs hell.
Itโs the place where I lost my heart and my virginity. Not to mention everybody close to me. My parents. My uncle.
And Alex.
The boy Iโd loved. The man who broke me.
Not a single one of them is here anymore. My family, all dead. And Alex, long gone.
I ran, too, desperate to escape the weight of my losses and the sting of betrayal. I swore to myself that Iโd never return.
As far as I was concerned, nothing would get me back.
But now itโs ten years later, and here am I again, drawn back down to hell by the ghosts of my past.
WANT MORE MY FALLEN SAINT? Read the full sneak peek here>> https://apple.co/3cSsOFjย ย
Enter the Pre-order giveaway here>>> https://bit.ly/MFS_JKpreorder
๐ซ๐๐-๐๐๐น๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐น๐ถ๐!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QchTN4
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3cSsOFj
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/myfallensaint
Nook: http://bit.ly/33eJK4i
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2QekLZU
Google Play: Coming Soon!
Synopsis
Charismatic. Confident. Powerful. Controlling.
A brilliant investor with a Midas touch, Devlin Saint turned a modest inherited fortune into billions, and now operates one of the worldโs foremost international philanthropic organizations. Heโs a man determined to help the underprivileged, to fight injustice, and to make the world a better place. And that, at least is true.
Itโs not, however, the full truth.
Because Devlin Saint is a man with a dangerous secret. One heโll do whatever it takes to protect. And when investigative reporter Ellie Holmes turns her attention to an unsolved murder, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue and passion as Devlin draws her closer and closer. But as the intensity and sensuality of their relationship grows, so do Ellieโs suspicions. Until she is no longer certain if the heat between her and Devlin is real, or only a facade he constructed to hide his dark and twisted secrets.
About J. Kennerย
Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over one hundred novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.
Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, โchicklitโ suspense, urban fantasy,ย and paranormal mommy lit.
JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a โflair for dialogue and eccentric characterizationsโ and by RT Bookclub for having โcornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.โ A six time finalist for Romance Writers of Americaโs prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy) and in 2017 for Wicked Dirty in the same category. Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development as a television show.
Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.
In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas.ย She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.
ย
Connect with J. Kenner
Facebook: http://bit.ly/38zmyQk
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2tZZV8u
BookBub: http://bit.ly/31YDywZ
Stay up to date with J. Kenner by joining her mailing list:
Website: www.jkenner.comย ย ย ย ย
TaSTy WordGasms 