I'm not always the hero. Sometimes, I'm merciless. My whole life I've been the good guy-loyal friend, helpful son, dedicated firefighter-but in the bedroom I'm someone else. That's where my inner villain likes to come out and play. With a kink as taboo as mine, it's too risky to play with anyone who doesn't crave it like I do, so I've gotten used to depriving that side of me. Then I see HER. She's the most beautiful creature I've ever seen and my darker half recognizes itself in her mysterious brown eyes. She's everything I could ever want and thought I would never find. Our arrangement may seem twisted to everyone else, but the sex is explosive-and soon my soul is demanding to own every part of her. We come from different worlds that want to tear us apart, but I won't give up on our future. For her, I will fight. And I will be...MERCILESS. NOTE: This is the first 7 chapters of Merciless, broken into 10 smaller installments, meant to give readers a chance to "test drive" the book for free. Merciless is book 3 in the Playboys in Love series, however it can be read as a stand-alone. It's available to purchase on all major platforms (Amazon, B&N, iTunes, Kobo). For more information and buy links go to: www.ginalmaxwell.com/books/Merciless

Ever since photographer Lacy Maguire caught her ex playing Pin the Secretary to the Elevator Wall, she's been content with her dog Fabio, her three cats, and a vow of chastity. But all of that changes when the reindeer-antlered Fabio drags in a very desperate, on-the-run detective who decides to take refuge in her house -- a house filled with twinkling lights and a decorated tree. (Okay, so it's February, but she has a broken heart to mend, a Christmas-card shoot to do, and a six-times divorced, match-making mother to appease.) For the first time in a looooong while, Lacy reconsiders her vow. Because sexy Chase Kelly, wounded soul that he may be, would be an oh-so-delicious way of breaking her fast. Now, if she can just keep them both alive and him out of jail....