“Or your reward.” Tex angled his head and raised an eyebrow. “It’s really all in how you look at it.”
Andi chewed her lower lip. “The good news is I’ve only been given six more months… so your torture won’t last that long.”
That… My body roared with injustice. …was what I was afraid of.
ELUDE
Eagle Elite Book 6
Elude: To evade, get away from. Throw off the scent. The process of slipping through someone’s fingers. Example: I never knew that in eluding death — I’d be faced with hers.
PROLOGUE
Sergio
THE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS BURNED my eyes. I blinked them rapidly — thinking it would make the stinging go away, but it only made everything worse. The pain was indescribable, like someone had broken my body in half, repaired it, then repeated the process.
“He’s not going to make it.” I recognized the voice. It was Nixon’s. Why the hell was Nixon there? Wasn’t he dead? No wait, that was me. I’d taken that bullet.
Memories of the past few days flashed across my line of vision, causing a searing headache to build at my temples.
The fight.
The gunshots.
The agreement.
My wife.
Tears burned the back of my eyes.
Wife…
“I’ll do it. I’m a match.” I gripped her hand firmly in mine.
“You’ll die,” Tex whispered. “Your body… it’s too weak from everything else.”
“We’re running out of time!” I screamed, my voice hoarse, eyes frantic. “Do it now!”
“No.” She wrapped her frail arms around my neck. “No.”
“Yes.” I pushed her away. “If I don’t — you could die. The doctor says it needs to be now, so operate.”
Her eyes were sad.
Both Tex and Phoenix looked down at the blue and white tile floor, faces pale. I knew what they were thinking. I’d already lost too much blood, my kidneys were barely working, and I wanted to give her part of my life.
I knew going in I would most likely die.
But I’d do everything within my power to save her.
It’s odd, when you face death every day, when you elude it, when you finally come to terms with the fact that you won’t be on earth for forever — that’s when you think you’re at peace.
I thought I was okay with dying.
Until I’d met her.
And then I was faced with someone else’s death every damn day — it’s harder. People don’t tell you that. It’s one thing to come to terms with your own mortality; it’s quite another to stare down death of the one you love, knowing there is nothing in this world that will stop it.
My vision blurred again.
“He’s flatlining,” a voice said in the distance.
I tried to keep my eyes open. I saw white blond hair, big brown eyes, and that tender smile. I reached for it and held onto it, held onto the memory of her. The girl who’d changed my world from darkness to light.
The girl I never wanted.
But desperately needed.
“Tell her I’ll love her...” I didn’t recognize my own gravelly voice. “…forever.”
With a gasp, I felt my heart stutter to a stop.
And welcomed the shade of night that overtook me.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
RACHEL VAN DYKEN is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books. She is obsessed with all things Starbucks and makes her home in Idaho with her husband and two snoring boxers.
CRUSHED
by Lauren Layne
Coming April 14, 2015
LAUREN LAYNE’S latest novel about the healing power of redemption tells the story of a crush gone wickedly wrong, proving that what you want isn’t always what you need.
Growing up in New York, Michael St. Claire never expected to spend his twenties wearing cowboy boots. But that was before he learned about his real father, a total stranger with a family in Cedar Grove, Texas. Once in the Lone Star State, Michael meets Kristin Bellamy, who is exquisitely refined and everything Michael always thought he wanted in a woman. The only problem is that Kristin is dating Michael’s new half brother, Devon.
After all he and Chloe have been through, Michael swears he’s damaged goods. Can Chloe convince him that love is worth the risk?
IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS since I fled Manhattan for Cedar Grove, Texas.
Six months since I traded in Armani suits for Levis, Gucci loafers for cowboy boots, and a Fifth Ave penthouse for a small-ass basement studio.
Six months since ditching Wall Street to be a country club lackey and occasional bartender.
Six months since learning that my identity as Michael St. Claire was a lie. There is no St. Claire blood running through my veins. The Michael was still mine. The St. Claire, it turns out, was a facade. Bestowed upon me by a woman’s careless affair and a man’s pride.
A man who was not my father.
Six months since I betrayed my best friend.
Six months since I walked away from her. No. Since she walked away from me.
But more than that… more than any of that…
It's been six months since I've bothered to care.
About anything…
Now Available for Pre-Order
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OTHER TITLES BY RACHEL VAN DYKEN
The Bet Series
The Bet (Forever Romance)
The Wager (Forever Romance)
The Dare
Eagle Elite
Elite (Forever Romance)
Elect (Forever Romance)
Entice
Elicit
Enforce
Ember
Bang Bang
Seaside Series
Tear
Pull
Shatter
Forever
Fall
Strung
Eternal
Wallflower Trilogy
Waltzing with the Wallflower
Beguiling Bridget
Taming Wilde
London Fairy Tales
Upon a Midnight Dream
Whispered Music
The Wolf’s Pursuit
When Ash Falls
Renwick House
The Ugly Duckling Debutante
The Seduction of Sebastian St. James
An Unlikely Alliance
The Redemption of Lord Rawlings
The Devil Duke Takes a Bride
Ruin Series
Ruin
Toxic
Fearless
Shame
Other Titles
The Parting Gift
Compromising Kessen
Savage Winter
Divine Uprising
Every Girl Does It
The Consequence of Loving Colton
The Consequence of Revenge
Table of Contents
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
CHAPTER FIFTY
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
EPILOGUE
ELUDE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CRUSHED
OTHER TITLES BY RACHEL VAN DYKEN