Betrayed by Sharon C. Cooper
Betrayed
Atlanta's Finest Book 5
by Sharon C. Cooper
Genre: Romantic Suspense
When secrets turn into lies…
Former DEA agent Angelo González’s final undercover operation exploded in a betrayal he’ll never forget or forgive. He’s moved on. As one of Atlanta’s Finest, providing personal security for the rich and famous, Angelo is living his best life—until he has to play fake boyfriend to one of their clients. Not just any client. A client who stirs something so sensually intense inside him, he’s not sure he can fake anything.
Singing sensation Zenobia Westfield’s troubled past and poor judgment, especially with men, nearly destroyed her life. Music saved her, but now her safety is in jeopardy, forcing her to seek personal security. Angelo is more than she expected. Dangerously sexy. Fearless. Attentive. The attraction sizzling between them is impossible to ignore, but her track record with men has her treading lightly.
When the threat against Zenobia escalates, Angelo will stop at nothing to protect her. But lies and treachery come to the forefront. Will another betrayal destroy their newfound love? Or will Angelo realize in time that Zenobia is a woman worth fighting for?
**easily read as a standalone! **
“Why’d you bring me up here?” Zenobia asked, her voice quiet as she looked at him shyly. She was like a puzzle that he so wanted to piece together. How could a woman who sang with such emotion and power seem so timid and unsure of herself? Then again, the way she fought those guys off the other day proved that she was also a fighter.
Yep, definitely a puzzle.
“If you don’t want to be a part of my security detail, I understand. I don’t blame you. Why would you want to protect someone who stole from you? Someone who ran off and didn’t look back?”
“You ran off because I told you to.” Angelo kept his voice as low as hers. “With us taking your case, you’ll be expected to do whatever we tell you to do.”
She leaned back and frowned, looking as if she was about to argue. Angelo didn’t give her a chance.
“Whatever we tell you to do is always for your own good. Everyone who’ll be assigned to you will put your safety first. You’re not going to like everything we’ll insist on, but—”
“So, does this mean you’re going to pretend to be my boyfriend?”
Angelo inched closer, close enough to see her take a hard swallow. “Under one condition.”
She worried her bottom lip, that shyness that he’d seen earlier returning. “What condition?”
He moved in even closer, close enough to feel her shudder. “I need to see if you can handle being close to me, because when I go undercover, I’m all in.” Without giving her a chance to speak, or even process what he was saying, he cupped her face between his hands and kissed her.
At first the kiss was sweet, gentle, and cautious, but when she moaned into his mouth, he couldn’t help but deepen the lip-lock. His tongue slid between her juicy lips and he explored the inner recesses of her enchanting mouth. Testing. Savoring. He’d only planned to get a little taste of her, see if there was any way to pull off this boyfriend/girlfriend idea, but he was getting more than expected. So much more.
His hands slid down the sides of her body, grazing over every dip and curve until they landed on her hips. When she whimpered and looped her arms around his neck, it spurred him on. He pulled her flush against him, loving the feel of her body against his.
Oh yeah. This was going to be one hell of an assignment. Angelo would make sure he kept her safe, and he planned to enjoy every minute of being her man.
Yep, definitely a puzzle.
“If you don’t want to be a part of my security detail, I understand. I don’t blame you. Why would you want to protect someone who stole from you? Someone who ran off and didn’t look back?”
“You ran off because I told you to.” Angelo kept his voice as low as hers. “With us taking your case, you’ll be expected to do whatever we tell you to do.”
She leaned back and frowned, looking as if she was about to argue. Angelo didn’t give her a chance.
“Whatever we tell you to do is always for your own good. Everyone who’ll be assigned to you will put your safety first. You’re not going to like everything we’ll insist on, but—”
“So, does this mean you’re going to pretend to be my boyfriend?”
Angelo inched closer, close enough to see her take a hard swallow. “Under one condition.”
She worried her bottom lip, that shyness that he’d seen earlier returning. “What condition?”
He moved in even closer, close enough to feel her shudder. “I need to see if you can handle being close to me, because when I go undercover, I’m all in.” Without giving her a chance to speak, or even process what he was saying, he cupped her face between his hands and kissed her.
At first the kiss was sweet, gentle, and cautious, but when she moaned into his mouth, he couldn’t help but deepen the lip-lock. His tongue slid between her juicy lips and he explored the inner recesses of her enchanting mouth. Testing. Savoring. He’d only planned to get a little taste of her, see if there was any way to pull off this boyfriend/girlfriend idea, but he was getting more than expected. So much more.
His hands slid down the sides of her body, grazing over every dip and curve until they landed on her hips. When she whimpered and looped her arms around his neck, it spurred him on. He pulled her flush against him, loving the feel of her body against his.
Oh yeah. This was going to be one hell of an assignment. Angelo would make sure he kept her safe, and he planned to enjoy every minute of being her man.
Award-winning and bestselling author of over twenty-five books, Sharon C. Cooper, is a romance-a-holic - loving anything that involves romance with a happily-ever-after, whether in books, movies, or real life. Sharon writes contemporary romance, as well as romantic suspense and enjoys rainy days, carpet picnics, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She’s been nominated for numerous awards and is the recipient of Romance Slam Jam Emma Awards for Author of the Year 2019, Favorite Hero 2019 (INDEBTED), Romantic Suspense of the Year 2015 (TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES), Interracial Romance of the Year 2015 (ALL YOU’LL EVER NEED), and BRAB (Building Relationships Around Books) Award -Breakout Author of the Year 2014. When Sharon isn’t writing, she’s hanging out with her amazing husband, doing volunteer work or reading a good book (a romance of course). To read more about Sharon and her novels, visit www.sharoncooper.net
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The cover is interesting. It does give the feeling of betrayal.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like most about romantic suspense reads are that even though there is mystery there is also romance. These are great types of reads.
ReplyDeleteRomantic suspense - romance and suspense flesh out each other, and make for a deeper story.
ReplyDeleteI like all types of thrillers and mysteries, so the romance is an added interesting element.
ReplyDeleteI love the romance and mystery of a suspense....keeps you really interested in whats going to happen next.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting my latest release - BETRAYED!
ReplyDeleteI like the combination of romance & suspense, watching how 2 people fall in love despite trying to stay alive.
ReplyDeleteI like the mystery of it.
ReplyDeleteThe characters & plot.
ReplyDelete