By
Rebecca Royce

I’m Everly Marrs, and I’ll be damned
before I lose myself to the men that kidnapped me.

I had plans, big plans. I had my pretty little life outlined: Graduate school and get a job in social work—maybe even one day marry a nice man who actually knew what he was doing in bed. But everything changed when I woke up in a strange place with five men who insisted I call them D, W, J, K, and T.

The Letters.

They told me that the world wasn’t what it seemed. I lived my life thinking that I was in control of my own destiny, but in actuality they controlled everything. The world was their playground and I was just another ant, marching in line to the beat of their drum.

The Letters kidnapped me to force my father’s hand, and they couldn’t promise me safe passage. I knew my place in all of this but still found myself losing who I was to their games.

I’m Everly Marrs, and I’ll save myself if I have to.

Kidnapped but being somewhat treated like a guest, Everly has questions. Like millions of questions. Her captors K, T, J, D and W don’t seem to want her to know their names but they don’t care if she sees their faces. They need her father to correct something he changed that has caused numerous problems for them.

After determining their was no escape from where she was being held, Everly sets out to learn more about her captors. What she finds is disturbing, yet she is intrigued. The Alliance is something she shouldn’t know about, yet she is finding out because of her father and the things he has done.

This is a favorite scene because, sheets.

“You missed dinner. T says you have a headache.” As if mentioning it made it flare back to life, the pounding, which had dulled, rushed back into existence.

“I do.” Why was he bothering me about this?

J held out his hand. “I realized you might not have what you need.”

I practically ripped the medicine out of his hand. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Take some and if you find yourself hungry, I’ve asked Constance to keep food for you tonight in the fridge so you can warm it.” He stepped back. “Feel better, Everly. I know you’ve had a long day. Good work with T’s job issue by the way. Hugely well done.”

I wanted to ask him more about that, but I also wanted to take my pills. “Thanks. I need some water.”

He stepped into the room, looking around. I guessed he intended to stay for a minute. I made my way to the bathroom and poured some water into a cup. I took the pills. I really needed them to work fast. Sometimes, the time between taking meds and the onset of relief were the longest of the whole ordeal.

I walked back into the room. He stared out the window. “Nice view from in here. I have the other view. I never come to this side of the house.”

“It’s huge.” What was I supposed to say to him? Thank you for giving me a nice room to stay in while you hold me hostage?

He nodded. “Initially, the whole thing was built so a great-grandfather could take people bird hunting. As far as the locals are concerned, that is what we still do here. We kill birds.”

“D killed a deer today.”

J nodded. “Yes, I heard all about it. Quite a mess he made hauling that thing through the house. D can be downright savage, but he means well. Most of the time. I guess we’ll be eating venison. Not my favorite game. But it is local. And we imported the damn things to shoot them last year, so I guess it’s good he’s hunting them before they run out of food and starve.”

I sat down on the edge of the bed. “I don’t have the slightest idea what to say to you right now.”

He turned around. “Are you comfortable in here?”

“No.” If I’d been a guest I’d never had said that. My southern manners dictated certain behaviors. I hadn’t had a mother around and my father didn’t notice small things, but I’d had plenty of women to teach me what was and wasn’t to be said. Not once had anyone dictated to me the proper way to speak to the man who held me hostage. He wanted to know if I was comfy? Fine, I’d tell him the truth.

“What’s not working?” He looked around.

I shook my head. “The sheets are horrible. The comforter is scratchy. I hate them.”

J leaned over and touched the bedding. “You’re right. These are awful.”

I blinked. I’d kind of thought to piss him off. After the incident with Trace, my every response was raw and miserable. I didn’t expect him to agree with me.

He looked up. “I’m going to find out what happened to your bedding. If we don’t have it, we’ll get you something better. You might be here awhile. I don’t want to sleep on that. I don’t blame you.”

This was too much. “J, I’m your prisoner. You could lock me in a dungeon and leave me there to rot on gruel.”

“Everly, let me tell you something. If the rest of The Alliance were to find out what your father did, they would come for you and that is exactly where you would find yourself. I’ve been in those places. Be glad it’s only us blaming him for now.”

I had been kidding. “There can’t really be dungeons left. I mean, not in the civilized world. Sure in places I would never want to be, but there aren’t dungeons here in your basement or wherever you live when you’re not here, right?”

I didn’t know why I wanted to know, but suddenly knowing felt pivotal.

“There is no such thing as the civilized world. We only pretend there is. That’s not the question you wanted to ask me.”

I swallowed. “Sure it is.”

“No, it’s not. You wanted to ask me what your father did. What crime or wrongdoing did the man commit to land you here, stuck with us, trying to figure out your way?”

I supposed I did want to know. It was hard for me to think of my father at all. As T had pointed out, he wasn’t the man I’d thought him to be. I didn’t know how to deal. “Well, I know he kills people. I know he has basically abandoned me here. So yes, I suppose I ought to know.
Royce, Rebecca. Hard Truths (Kiss Her Goodbye Book 1) (pp. 61-63). Rebecca Royce. Kindle Edition.

Things heat up in more ways than one and being on the run with her captors proves to be interesting, educating and dangerous.

The places she ends up are truly unique as are the men associated with them. In spite of the circumstances that brought them together, they are forming relationships with Everly, extremely hot and sensuous ones.

I’m glad book two is out since I really need to know what happens next since it is a bit of a cliffhanger. I have a feeling book two will be as well but I can deal since the third book is already up for pre-order.

5 Contented Purrs for Rebecca!

Rebecca Royce

As a teenager, I would hide in my room to read my favorite romance novels when I was supposed to be doing my homework. I hope, these days, that my parents think it was worth it.

I am the mother of three adorable boys and I am fortunate to be married to my best friend. I live in Austin Texas where I am determined to eat all the barbecue in town.

I am in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and try to use all of these elements in my writing. I’ve been told I’m a little bloodthirsty so I hope that when you read my work you’ll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. I love to write series because I love to see characters develop over time and it always makes me happy to see my favorite characters make guest appearances in other books.

In my world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.

I’d love to hear from you!