Make Me Trust: Bound to the Fixer, #1

By Moni Boyce

Teagan Palmer's only way out of financial collapse is working as a nurse for the Moran crime family. Every step she takes pushes her further under their control.

 

Reid Beckett, the Moran's fixer, is sexy as sin, but everything she hates: ruthless, bloodthirsty and merciless. He's also the only thing standing between her and the hit on her life.

 

Helping the headstrong nurse puts Reid in the crosshairs of their rivals and at odds with the family. But, possessing Teagan is worth the risk.

 

In her fight for survival, will she put her heart and her life in his hands?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Moni Boyce
• Release date: Jun 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781952691065

Moni Boyce

Moni Boyce is a writer, filmmaker, poet and author of the new romance novel Redemption of the Heart. She spent the last fifteen years working in the film industry and now creates characters of her own and brings them to life on the page. Moni has ghostwritten romance novellas and novels for over a year now and decided to put some of her own creations out in the world. She considers herself a bookworm, film buff, foodie, music lover and an avid world traveler having visited 31 countries and counting. She lives a bit of a nomadic life, but considers Los Angeles home. Which is the subject of her first travel book: Greater Than A Tourist – Los Angeles, California: 50 Travel Tips From A Local.

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Love Snacks Publishing, LLC

Make Me Trust © 2021 Shaquana M. Boyce

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact:

[e-mail] or to Permissions, Love Snacks Publishing, LLC, 5110 Summer Garden Place, Suffolk, VA 23434

www.lovesnackspublishing.com

First Edition

ISBN: 978-1-952691-06-5

Book cover design by:  Quirah Casey of Temptation Creations

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

"You know what I am going to say. I love you. What other men may mean when they use that expression, I cannot tell; what I mean is, that I am under the influence of some tremendous attraction which I have resisted in vain, and which overmasters me. You could draw me to fire, you could draw me to water, you could draw me to the gallows, you could draw me to any death, you could draw me to anything I have most avoided, you could draw me to any exposure and disgrace. This and the confusion of my thoughts, so that I am fit for nothing, is what I mean by your being the ruin of me. But if you would return a favourable answer to my offer of myself in marriage, you could draw me to any good–every good–with equal force. ~ Our Mutual Friend

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If you haven’t yet read the prequel, Make Me Beg, download a FREE copy.

Chapter 1

Teagan

How long was I going to be trapped?

Teagan Beckett twisted the large diamond ring and matching wedding band on her finger.

How long?

The thought clung to her brain like a barnacle. No matter how hard Teagan tried, the question embedded itself further, refusing to dislodge.

High up above the city, in the gilded cage that had been her home for the last month, the view of the New York City skyline provided no comfort. There was a time when gazing at the cityscape filled her with hope and anticipation for her future, but over the last year, so many things chipped away at those feelings: the death of her father, the crippling debt he left them with, her mother’s cancer diagnosis, having to drop out of medical school, needing to seek the help of the Moran crime family.

The latest avalanche of incidents eradicated the last glimmers of hope. Snuffed it out completely. Now the view from this high up served as a reminder to the time she was serving. How many times had she replayed that night in her head? Woke up sweaty and gasping for breath as different endings played themselves out in her nightmares?

She was alive and her attacker was dead, but some days it felt like she was living with a specter.

Ever since everything had happened it felt like she’d been sleepwalking through her days, not consciously present for anything. Was she still in that much shock over everything that had taken place?

Before she could give it another thought, her cell phone rang. Teagan shut her eyes and released a long sigh, when what she really wanted to do was scream out her frustration. Break something. But Reid’s home was so sterile there was nothing for her to break. On the third ring, she opened her eyes and grabbed the phone from her nightstand. Without waiting for the other person on the other end to say anything, she spoke. I’ll be down shortly. She hung up and looked out the window once more.

How much longer was she going to be trapped?

Trapped in this hell?

Trapped in this sham marriage?

Trapped by the Irish and Italian mafia?

When would someone decide that her life wasn’t worth the life she took?

Turning from the floor to ceiling windows, she gathered her purse and jacket and left her bedroom.

Spencer’s claws clicked against the floor. He trotted towards her with his tongue hanging out of his mouth in greeting.

Hi boy. The smile that eased its way onto her face, like the sun trying to find its way from behind a cloud, was genuine, as she scratched behind the dog’s ears. After a few more moments with the lovable beast, she moved down the hallway.

No other sound was heard in the apartment. Reid was usually gone before she emerged from her room.

When she walked into the kitchen, the only thing out of place was a dog-eared copy of whatever book he was currently reading, laying on the countertop.

There was never a thing out of place if he’d passed through a room. On her way to the door, she couldn’t help glancing at the book. Great Expectations.

The Neanderthal reads classics.

At the front door, Spencer let out a whine behind her. Teagan looked over her shoulder at him. I’ll be back soon. I know you don’t like being cooped up here, just as much as I don’t.

***

Mrs. Beckett.

Mrs. Beckett?

Mrs. Beckett? Impatience and annoyance now coated his voice.

Something finally clicked in Teagan’s brain. The waiter was addressing her. No longer was she Teagan Palmer. Mrs. Beckett was her new last name. Her married name. Teagan blinked rapidly and turned her attention to the waiter. Yes?

How long was it going to take her to get used to being called by that name? It had been a month since the wedding.

The expression she sported was meant to be a smile, but she was sure it came across more like a grimace. Sorry for... For forgetting my own damn name again.

She was ready to launch into the myriad of reasons why she hadn’t turned around the first couple times he’d called her name, explain to the man she was a newlywed, still getting used to the change. Before she got the chance, the waiter handed her the bill and stalked away in a huff to wait on the next table.

Rude. Marie glared at the departing waiter and stuck a forkful of fettucine in her mouth.

Now Teagan remembered why she’d tuned out in the first place. Besides forgetting her new last name, she’d been trying to avoid listening to Marie prattle on while chewing with her mouth open. Being forced to suffer Marie’s company was torture.

Despite the arrival of the bill, Christy’s sister was still shoveling food into her mouth like a piggy at the trough. Teagan was unsure how much more pasta she could cram in there and