Inferno Series

Still reeling from a tragedy that changed his life, baseball superstar Dante Lamonte is a broken man. He keeps his demons at bay with alcohol and kinky sex, but never finds relief. Becca Hernandez is a sweet girl with terrible luck with men—and worse luck with sex. She hasn't been able to forget her one-night stand with Dante or how he took her way out of her comfort zone in bed, but she knew they could never be together. When their paths cross again, they can't resist picking up where they left off. One night of passion turns into much more, but their struggles dealing with the past and the present make it difficult to imagine a future. Becca stands to lose everything when details of their less-than-vanilla night at a sex club are leaked to the press—love may be their only salvation. Author's Note: This series is somewhat darker than my other books. Although they are all HEA's, there are elements of BDSM, ménage, hate crimes, vigilante justice and LGBTQ relationships throughout the series. If you're concerned about trigger warnings, this may not be the series for you.

I don't know where he lost his way, but we've been made to pay the price.   To bear the burden of his … love.   A sickening feeling stirs deep inside each time he looks at me because I know what it means.   I have to follow the rules; be his good girl.   It's the only way to survive in this house.   Being in the dark never scared me, being alone was something I used to cherish until he began to use it against me.   Against us.   I just want to find the light now.   The place where I know his darkness can't reach.   A place where maybe everything will make sense one day, but for now, I have to be strong.   I won't fall down again.   I can't.   Not before I find my peace there.   I have to do it soon because I'm not sure how much more I can take.

I've always thought of myself as a damn good father. The first three shouldn't define what you think about me. It's not my fault that they were fuck ups; I did my best with what I was given and I almost got it right. I think I've learned enough from those mistakes to know that I'll do better this time. After all, fate has decided to bestow a beautiful baby girl on me, and she doesn't know what the others went through. I've been doing alright with her so far. She loves me the same way she loves picking wildflowers out in the yard, but she doesn't understand that sometimes, innocent love just isn't enough. Especially not for a man like me. I don't tend to fail much in what I do, and I don't see the last few years as failing. I see it as learning from my missteps and becoming a better man because of it. Times are getting harder on me without someone special to warm my bed at night. I've got another chance to do it right, and this time, I'll be the man that my little girl deserves.

My son is a good man. I know what you think about him, because I know what he's done, but you have to understand that it's not his fault. He was something of a misanthrope in his youth and that can be attributed to his father. Please understand that I will take the blame for my part in wrecking his soul, but it's so hard to resist a boy so sweet. He's always loved me most of all and I took advantage of that. Until you feel what I felt in his arms don't judge me too harshly. Don't hate my son for the sins of his mother. I betrayed his trust. I made him into the man he's become. God help me. This is my confession.

I swore to myself that I would never love you. I promised my children that they wouldn't suffer for my sins. But it's so hard, Daddy. It's hard to not love the man that gave me life. It's hard to not love the man that's taken care of me the only way he knows how. I know it's not your fault, and maybe one day, I'll find out why you became a monster. While we still have time left together, I want you to know that I forgive you for everything you've done. I want you to know that I do love you, even if not in the way you would have hoped for. It's almost over, Daddy. Close your eyes and go to sleep; I'll be here with you, holding your hand and letting you know that everything will be alright. Because it will be, won't it? That's the promise that you made to me—that no matter what happens between us, everything will always turn out okay. I know you don't care much for anything you can't control, but sometimes life folds its cards and we have to go when it's our time. Please stop fighting it, Daddy. It hurts me to see you suffering so much. I've done my best to take care of you, but it's time to go. Hurry along and know that we'll be behind you shortly because I can't live in a world that doesn't have you in it. I love you, Daddy. Always and forever.

We both know that I've done my best to be a good father to these children. Sometimes, I felt like I had done right by them, but all I've ever had are disappointments. I'm going to give myself one more chance to get this right now that Darby is out of the way. Maybe they'll listen, but I doubt it. It still doesn't change how I feel a family should be run. And you … You're always so quick to believe the lies of children. Honestly, it makes me laugh. If what they told you makes you sleep better at night, feel free to imagine that it's true. Anyway, let me tell you what happened before he went off to find his sister. And if you still want to find some comfort in what he's already said, then by all means--continue believing their lies. They'll fight me; I can already see it in their eyes. But you know what they say. You can't keep a good man down.

Life began when adolescence ended.   After experiencing what should have been one of the proudest moments in my life, I was reminded of what I had done.   That I had walked that lone mile alone—that it was my fault that things happened the way they did.   I didn't mean it and I would give anything to take it all back, but I can't.   Now I'm being bred into a monster.   Molded into a darkness that I never knew even existed.   There's no daylight here, not even a sliver of hope.   And as the days go on, I can feel it happening.   I've slowly become the one thing I've learned to hate so desperately.   The head of the Greene family.

Hell. A concept used to punish the wicked, to keep the corrupt in line, and to seek vengeance against those that have lived a life less than desirable. I've been there. I've seen the cruelty, the pain, the fear … the abandonment. But what I actually found in the fire wasn't what I had expected. It's where I saw him for the first time. A man that did his best to keep his family together with the damaged blueprint of what love and loyalty should look like. And I did love him. I still do. I know that he's used to broken promises, but I won't let him down. I'm going to honor him. I'm going to ensure that his legacy lives on. Just like he taught me to do.