A. J. Downey

Shelly Jordan's family is full of monsters, and Reaver, her cousin, is the tamest of them all. One night, one stupid choice, and she's ripped to shreds, torn apart like she's never been before. Self-isolation seems to be the best option, except the family she's built within the Sacred Hearts Motorcycle Club is slipping through her fingers, and she can't seem to get a grasp of anything. Ghost would do anything to protect Shelly, but she's too loose of a woman for him to involve himself with more than just as a protector. But he never thought she'd step away from his protection and end up hurt, and he blames himself for everything that happened to her. If only he'd known she had changed for him, hoping he'd keep her safe. Now, he has to figure out how to put her back together again, before it's too late.

There's only one thing more dangerous than these streets... and that's the classroom.Corliss Legare is a bright and vibrant second-year teacher at Lakeside High. She's known rough and all she's ever wanted was to reach just one kid like she'd been and make a difference.Hex is the V.P. of New Orleans' most notorious MCs - according to its citizens that is. That doesn't mean anything if you're smarter than the pigs and always stay ahead of them. By day, he's a mild-mannered custodian at Lakeside; and man, does he have it bad for Miss Legare.When the violent and unstable nature of the city finds its way into Lakeside's halls, Corliss finds herself at its mercy; and Hex? Hex won't stand for that...

Sometimes when you feel like you're overwhelmed and drowning the only thing you have left to do is take a leap of faith... That wasn't the type of leap that Ember was poised to make, though. No, she was going to make a very permanent solution to what amounted to some temporary problems. Until he rode up. Blackjack was glad he was the only fool riding that night. He managed to stop the girl and calm her down, but it didn't sit right with him sending her right back into the hell she'd tried to end things to escape from. Still, he did all he could and gave her his number; the rest was up to her. He never expected her to call, but she did. Now, he feels responsible for saving her the rest of the way while Ember? She's discovered that her unlikely savior has some problems of his own. Maybe they could rescue each other? Only time would tell.

Radar has always been that guy for the club, his family, and anyone else he happens to meet. In a word: dependable. When his daughter, who is like him in so many ways, approaches him about a troubled tourist, he's willing to hear the beauty's story. Of course, what he hears he's totally not prepared for. Justice has been through a lot and was just starting to feel safe again. This trip to Ft. Royal was supposed to be a fresh start to her new life; not a new kind of nightmare. Can she trust the kindness of a stranger in a strange place after having gone through what most would consider a literal hell? When Radar discovers just how much the citizen justice system has failed Justice, he's bound and determined to get her the justice she deserves. He has the resources, and his brothers, and what ensues is one of the wildest rides he's ever taken. Will it be for the best cause anyone can stand for? Will love prevail?

One look at Cadence Mitchell left Glass Jaw eating asphalt. She's beautiful, and everything he could possibly like, all in one neat package. There's just one problem... Glass wasn't in the business of mixing business with pleasure and meeting Cadence was all business. He was finishing a job on the house she was set to buy. Still, you couldn't accuse the tough-as-nails VP of the Western Washington chapter of the Sacred Hearts MC of not having a soft spot. Especially when it came to this particular damsel in distress... Cadence has lost everything and has barely pulled herself together enough from the devastation to take care of herself and her seventeen-year-old son. Add moving across the country to the list of demands on her psyche, she's just about at her breaking point. She doesn't know what to make of the contractor working on her new home. With her track record for betrayal and heartache, she's uncertain if she'll be able to trust anyone ever again. These two coming together is going to be a lesson in trust, patience, and healing; like neither have had to learn before.

When Mace was at his worst, low-sided by some punks in a bar, Raven was there. She was there for him while he healed and it was only natural that Mace should find himself in his feelings over her. What wasn't there to like? She was sweet, kind, sexy, and cool with her burner chick aesthetic, sharp wit, and generous soul. Raven so did not want to get involved with the Sacred Hearts MC. It so wasn't the way to stay off of local law enforcement's radar. She just seemed to keep finding herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and the flirty biker was hurt. Like, really hurt, and it went against every fiber of Raven's being to not give aid to those in need. Raven's sure that getting involved with Mace is going to be the worst mistake of her life, but then again... she's been wrong before.

Fenris had always considered himself a lone wolf among the pack when it came to the club life. Though now that his best friend had found an ol' lady of his own, he had started entertaining the idea for himself. He never took stock in the old adage 'be careful what you wish for' but then Aspen was suddenly standing in front of him with those big, hard-to-resist green eyes and he was smitten. Aspen's life had been turned upside down and inside out through a series of unbelievable and unfortunate events - and the hits just kept on coming. She wasn't sure if her luck was turning or getting worse when she woke up in the badass biker's bed, but Fenris knew... She was just at the apex of the curve in the road her life had taken.

Some men are born to lead, born to be the one in charge, given the tools to handle everything the world throws at them. Maverick is one of those men, however, nothing could or would prepare him for Marisol.Marisol dreams of a life far and away from her so-called family. When the big bad biker gang rolls through her little village of fruit growers to deliver much-needed medicine to her people, she quickly sets her eyes on their striking leader - Maverick.You do what you have to in order to survive, but when an escape presents itself, it's nearly impossible to resist that urge.

Don't get too involved is one of the first things they tell you when you join the force. Jeremy Poe has never had a problem with that one until now. He blames it on the magic and persuasion of the blue moon hanging overhead, or maybe it was just the magic of Saylor Grace herself. Either way, he's satisfied that this is a gamble totally worth taking.Speaking of gambles, Saylor's made a huge one by driving her beat-up old car all the way across the country with nothing in her pocket except her raw talent. It was supposed to be a safe bet, it was supposed to be forever... sometimes, 'forever, ' has a funny way of working out.

It was a dark night of the soul for Angel, the night she appeared like his namesake. He would have liked to have known her, but she was gone the next morning. Now, more than a year later, he was doing much better, continuing his work in Indigo City's streets as a paramedic, responding to medical emergencies.Claire could never forget the medic whose life she saved just by being in the right place at the right time. Still, it wasn't enough to rescue her from her own dark night of the soul and unlike him, she followed through.Fate had other ideas for the both of them and for whatever reason, their paths crossed again at exactly the right moment. Both of them were now determined to not let this second chance pass them by, not like the first...

Marcie has always lived her life right. A pillar of her community, a savvy businesswoman, a picture-perfect citizen despite a few bumps in the road, she never imagined what it would be like if it all came crashing down. She also never imagined that it would be one of the notorious bikers from around town that would set her back on her feet and put things to rights. Dragon has been The Sacred Hearts' fearless leader since the club's inception. He has loved and lost harder, than any member and has had no intentions of ever trying to find love again. Of course, never say never, because that is when things tend to prove you wrong. In this final installment of The Sacred Brotherhood series, two broken souls are mended proving salvation is there if you're only willing to reach for it.

Alyssa isn't completely honest when she answers the ad for a roommate online. True, she needs a place to live, true she's getting a divorce, true; he's a cheating jerk. There's just a little bit more to it than that. So when the ad comes across her screen Indigo City beat cop looking to rent out a fully furnished room... she jumps on it, because what could be safer than living with a cop?Golden isn't too keen on living with a chick, but after posting online looking for a roommate, he's found the pickings are slim. The softly spoken brunette doesn't seem like she's much trouble, plus she's got the cash up front, so what the hell? She'll just have to get over his bringing home badge bunnies from the 10-13. He's got a stressful job, and the best way to blow off steam, in his estimation, is hot sex. It's a pressure cooker waiting to blow and it turns out the new roomie has moxie, which gets Golden to thinking, which leads to him feeling. This is either going to be a really good or a really bad idea.

Lillian Banks' career took off like a house on fire and she's on top of the world. Great job that she loves, moved to a great city, into an opulent new condo, in one of the world's premier smart buildings no less; all she was missing was the kind of romance to set her soul aflame. She thought she'd found it but instead, found herself burned. Backdraft knows what it's like to get burned and not just by fire. His ex, Torri, did quite the number on him recently by banging one of his firehouse bros behind his back. He's sworn off love and dating altogether for the time being and is happier for it. He just wishes he could get the time he wasted with that crazy skank back again. Out of the ashes, an unlikely friendship is formed. Backdraft and Lilli could find themselves rising if only they can get past their hurts and give things a chance. Of course, lasting happiness is no guarantee, no matter how much they might burn for each other. After all, sometimes what was doesn't want to let go.

Lillian Banks' career took off like a house on fire and she's on top of the world. Great job that she loves, moved to a great city, into an opulent new condo, in one of the world's premier smart buildings no less; all she was missing was the kind of romance to set her soul aflame. She thought she'd found it but instead, found herself burned.Backdraft knows what it's like to get burned and not just by fire. His ex, Torri, did quite the number on him recently by banging one of his firehouse bros behind his back. He's sworn off love and dating altogether for the time being and is happier for it. He just wishes he could get the time he wasted with that crazy skank back again. Out of the ashes, an unlikely friendship is formed. Backdraft and Lilli could find themselves rising if only they can get past their hurts and give things a chance. Of course, lasting happiness is no guarantee, no matter how much they might burn for each other. After all, sometimes what was doesn't want to let go.

The only way the system was reliable when it came to Tiffany Dempsey was in failing her. Once again, it'd done just that, but this time, she wasn't about to accept that nothing could be done. This time, she went to a source outside the law for help. She's gone to the Sacred Hearts MC, a club whose reputation for bloodshed and violence precedes them. It's a gamble she's willing to take; desperate times call for desperate measures and she's never been more desperate than she is right now. Zeb joined the Sacred Hearts by way of a second chance when he thought he had none. He's determined to do right by his club and himself by changing his ways. So, when Dragon, his president, asks him for help, he doesn't hesitate. He's more than happy to give the pretty little stripper with the scarred up face a second chance of her own. The way he sees it, a survivor like her has more than earned it. Neither Tiff nor Zeb expected that this protective detail would be anything other than a strictly business-like arrangement, but the two find quickly that they complement each other in just about every way. Maybe, just maybe, it's what Dragon had planned. After all, the president of the SHMC is sort of crafty like that.

Data has always been the quiet brother on the fringes of the club. Always there when you need him, but never quite fully engaged. That's because he's been harboring a secret. Long before he joined the club, he had a friend who meant the world to him; she disappeared, prompting Data to search for her... he's been looking ever since.A mysterious message appears on an internet forum: Does anyone remember Amalia Rose?Of course, he does; and he will stop at nothing to get her back. His secret is out, and life is about to change for everyone in some surprising ways