What Happens In Tom'S Town: Kansas City And The Pendergast Legend?

I was supposed to disappear. Slip into a forgettable little town, stitch myself back together, and never trust a man again. I had a plan, a fake name, and a bruised heart too raw to feel anything. Then Colt Mercer looked at me from across the bar, and every single plan I ever made went up in smoke. He is everything I should run from. Tattooed, dangerous, and commanding, Colt is the President of the Iron Vow Motorcycle Club and, by day, one of the most powerful billionaires in the country. He built his empire from nothing and buried anyone who tried to take it. He does not ask. He does not negotiate. He claims. And the moment I walked into his bar, he claimed me. But I am hiding a secret that could destroy us both, and the man who broke me in the first place has sent someone to bring me back dead or alive. Colt says he will burn the world before he lets anyone touch me. The problem is, I am starting to believe him. Because falling for an outlaw king was never supposed to feel this much like coming home.

Five years ago, Kamarah Ruse spent one forbidden night in the arms of Zephyr Kane — the ruthless Mafia Don who ruled the city’s most dangerous casinos. She ran the next morning, carrying a secret she swore he would never discover. Now, with her four-year-old son Nevan battling a life-threatening illness and mountains of medical debt crushing her, Kamarah has no choice but to return to the one place she vowed never to step foot in again: Zephyr’s empire. She takes the stage as a singer at his flagship casino, praying the lights and crowds will keep her hidden. They don’t. The moment Zephyr’s cold, possessive gaze finds her under the spotlight, her world collapses. He never forgave the woman who disappeared after one night in his bed. But when he discovers the sick little boy with his eyes is his son and heir — obsession turns into something far more dangerous. Kamarah belongs to him now. Her body. Her future. His child. Zephyr will stop at nothing to claim the family that was stolen from him. Even if it means binding the only woman he’s ever wanted to his side, forcing her to pay for every lost year in pleasure and pain. She ran from the devil once. This time, he won’t let her go.

Tessa Smith was born into the perfect life—wealth, fame, and love. As the only child of a renowned business tycoon and his elegant housewife, her days were filled with luxury, private tutors, and the unwavering belief that she would someday inherit her father’s empire. Groomed to be graceful, admired by fans, and adored by the media, Tessa's world seemed idyllic—until it shattered in a single, tragic moment. One fateful evening, masked intruders breached their heavily guarded island manor. Her mother, Kiera, answering the door with love and peace in her heart, was murdered in cold blood. That night rewrote Tessa's future. No longer driven by wealth or societal expectations, she chose a path that no one—least of all her father—had prepared her for: justice. Despite opposition, Tessa joined the force, quickly rising through the ranks as a brilliant, fearless detective. She cracked impossible cases and earned her place in a male-dominated world. Alongside her partner and love interest, Caleb Milanowski—a sharp-minded officer from humble beginnings—the duo formed an unstoppable team, both in investigations and in life. But just when they thought they’d found peace, a final case emerged: expose a powerful, faceless kingpin who had evaded justice for decades. Through riddles and coded messages, the truth led Tessa to a devastating revelation—one that would test her loyalty, threaten her relationship, and force her to choose between love, legacy, and the truth. In a gripping battle between duty and blood, Tessa is thrust into the heart of betrayal. To restore peace to a nation, she must dismantle the criminal empire that may be rooted in her very own family. A tale of love, loss, vengeance, and truth—where every secret comes with a price.

When Covid hits, the Thomas Family decided to pack up their lives in the city and move to Buttershire, to the family mansion on the hill. But there is a secret to the mansion, that no one told the family when they got the keys. Whilst the adults seem oblivious to what is happening around them, the teenage knows that the clock is ticking. What they discover is truly not for the faint of heart.

I quit and dipped. City threw a parade. Only Jenna Blake—my oh-so-gifted junior who claimed she could "see through killers' eyes"—lost it. At her celebration banquet, she went full drama queen: "I owe everything to Kate Mercer. Please, bring her back!" I laughed. Cold. Not happening. Last time around, I was the hotshot detective. But every clue I found? She dropped it first like she read my mind. People started saying I was washed. So I went all in—three months, no sleep, cracked a massive trafficking ring. Led the raid myself. She beat me there. Again. Place was cleaned out. Boom. She's the city's golden girl. I'm the clown with no game. Pressure got ugly. My head snapped. I died chasing the last scumbag. Then—bam. I woke up. Same day. Raid morning. Round two.

With her enemies in pre-civil war Virginia still seeking her death, Esmerelda is forced to return to the future only days after wedding Lance. Because it was necessary to fake her death in order to stop her enemies from following her to the future, her new husband, Lance, was forced to stay behind. He’d placed a magic box for them to communicate until he found a way to safely be with her beneath the floorboards of the house. Now, she must find it. A task that is easier said than done! “The Magic Box” is book two of the exciting paranormal-romance-mystery-thriller Esmerelda Sleuth Series