Paxton whimpered, shooting pain through me. He sounded so hurt, so broken. I hugged him tighter, realizing now that my tears weren't from the pain in my arms, but the pain that Paxton was feeling. He fell on top of me, wrapping his arms around me. His claws were no longer there, but he was still trembling. "Everything's going to be okay." I repeated over and over softly. He breathed in my scent, slowly calming down. "I thought you were gone," he whispered painfully against me. He sounded so vulnerable. "I'm right here," I said quietly into his ear. His arms tightened around me yet again. "Please don't leave me. Please don't leave me ever again." His voice cracking at the end. "Promise me. Promise me you'll stay with me." The desperation in his voice nearly broke my heart. Who knew that such a strong, powerful man could be so lost inside? Who knew that he could be so broken? "I promise." Little did I know, that promises were meant to be broken. *Cover by Maytijessen

[This book has officially been published and only a sample remains. See inside for details.] Nora Montgomery's primary goal was to remain seemingly unnoticed until graduation, and that meant staying away from Ryder Collins. But when both she and Ryder are selected to participate in the local police department's handcuff demonstration, they find themselves inescapably chained together. The tension between them is thick; filled with unresolved issues from their past friendship. But things get a whole lot worse when the officer loses the key and the pair are forced to accommodate each other until a replacement is available. Being handcuffed to the opposite gender was sure to introduce some extremely uncomfortable situations. Things are about to get awkward, right? 2013 Watty Awards Winner Most Popular, Mystery//Thriller