C. L. Stone

Evelyn-Eva-Lacroix is desperate for a fresh start after her life goes fubar, thanks to her drug-dealing boyfriend getting busted. She hadn't even known what he was up to, but no one will believe she's innocent when all signs point to her.Time for a location change.Eva starts her new life at the side of the road, hitchhiking in the kind of heat that would melt steel and nearly her resolve.Never one to pass up a chance to help a damsel in distress, Ace Waris picks her up on his way to Charleston. But he quickly learns this damsel is on the run from the law. Ace promises to help her, but could use a favor in exchange if she's willing: he needs a little help with a rival. Can Eva be the distraction?At first, Eva feels it's a fair trade, but something doesn't add up. Distrustful of Ace, she seeks out his enemy, Lo c Courteau, to discover the truth. That truth? Not at all anything she might have dreamed up.It's not about revenge, but a sensual game with high stakes, and she's the new pawn.What the boys don't know is that Eva is not willing to lie down for anyone. Maybe it's time the boys of Charleston were put in their place.

Sang's life was on pause after the dramatic break with her real family. Now she's back in the game, returning to Ashley Waters to appear like a normal student. However, returning to school hasn't made her life any easier. When it comes to the Academy and her role in the secret organization, there's no such thing as normal. When Kota's mother catches Sang and the guys in the complex web of lies they've woven, everything starts to unravel: Their relationships, their ties to the Academy. Everything's under risk of exposure. Nathan struggles most with his conscience and lying to Erica Lee, the woman who supported him when his own mother was never there, doesn't seem like the right thing to do. She's his family and Nathan knows you shouldn't lie to family. But he also knows the truth could hurt her: It could put Erica in danger. And it could force Kota to make a choice he should never have to: his mother and sister, or his team-his chosen family. With Ashley Waters High School under attack and the principal now missing, the Academy needs to maintain its cover more than ever. It's a bad time for Erica to start discovering what the Academy is really all about. But to protect them all, Nathan's willing to take the heat. He'll do it for Sang, as well as Kota, Victor, Silas, Gabriel, Luke, North, and the rest of the team. He may be their only chance at survival. But Sang, who committed to be all in with her team, isn't about to let Nathan go down alone. The Academy: Family First