John Ringo: The Gunfighter Who Never Was

She was his wife in every way that mattered. Except the one way that was real. Seven years. One document. Everything gone. June Cross walked away from her father's empire for a man who called her temporary from the start. Now she has nothing — except a secret, a suitcase, and one night she can't stop thinking about. She doesn't remember every detail. The bar. The bourbon. The stranger with quiet eyes and steady hands who looked at her like she was the only real thing in a room full of noise. She remembers enough. What she doesn't know — what she can't know yet — is that the stranger remembers everything. And he already knows her name. Dante Reyes doesn't do feelings. He does leverage, acquisitions, and victory — in that order. What he's offering isn't romance. It isn't rescue. It's a contract. She thinks it's temporary. He knows better. But what's coming for them both is something neither of them planned for — and not everyone is going to survive it intact. She thought the hardest thing was finding out her marriage was a lie. She had no idea what was still coming for her.

Two years ago, Ryder “Ghost” Callahan lost everything. His president, his brothers… and the man he loved all because of one betrayal. Luca Torres was once family, a Serpent through and through until the night a deal went wrong. Branded a traitor, hunted by the club he once called home, Luca vanished without a trace playing dead. Now Ghost finds him again, alive under a false name and working quietly in a small town garage not so far away. The rage Ghost buried rises fast and he drags Luca back to the compound, ready to make him pay for every scar and every grave he left behind. But the man chained before him isn’t the enemy Ghost remembers. He doesn’t fight or beg and when the club is attacked, Luca stands his ground to protect the very brothers who wanted him dead. Each revelation questions if Luca truly betrayed them or it was all a misunderstanding. As old lies unravel and new wars ignite, Ghost is forced to face the truth; the real traitor was closer than he ever imagined and it wasn't Luca. Now, to save the club and the man he had fallen in love with, Ghost must choose between vengeance and redemption… Between the patch he swore to protect and the love he thought he buried.

Aiden, a skilled sniper who initially served in the border areas of the world's most conflicted, but was suddenly drawn to become the leader of the elite presidential guard, as well as to carry out a suicide mission that he never imagined before. In this mission, he must take care of a beautiful girl who is innocent, but dangerous because she is the daughter of one of the most well-known mafia in the world. Aiden's task is not only to protect the girl from those who want her life, he also has to keep the girl away from those who want all of her father's possessions in Cuba. Aiden's task to protect Calistha is getting heavier when sparks of desire between them begin to ignite. Aiden had never been with a woman before. And Calistha would be the first woman to be his weakness.

After seven years of secretly dating Ross Stockdale, I found a proposal folder hidden in his study. Inside were a seaside dinner plan, a fireworks schedule, and a handwritten vow card. I nearly cried from happiness. I thought Ross was finally going to bring me into the open and give me a home. But on our seventh anniversary, I saw a short video posted by Samora Leone. In the video, the Leone family’s private marina was lit like daylight. Fireworks burst over the water while Samora stood before the family representatives with her arm linked through Ross’s. The caption read: Thank you for loving me all these years. I said yes. The man in the video was Ross. His hand rested on Samora’s waist, and on his finger was the matching silver ring I had designed for him years ago. Everyone believed Samora was the long-lost daughter of the Leone family. They were wrong. The real Leone heir was me.

I ranked 32nd in the entire state on the SATs, but I failed the security clearance. The reason? Someone reported that an immediate family member of mine had a serious criminal record. My dad rushed to check the files that night, only to be told, "The information has been verified and cannot be changed." My mom took my application file to appeal, but was turned away at the door. Then one phone call from the admissions office, and my early admission application was voided—just like that. In the end, I stayed in front of the school gate for three days and three nights, until it finally caught national attention. A school administrator walked over with a report and told me that even if it was a close relative with a criminal record, there was nothing they could do. I stood up shakily and pulled out a certificate of military honors and an orphan adoption certificate. "But I'm the orphan of a fallen hero!"

I've been in a secret relationship with Ian Bradford for five years. Ian is the captain of the Yorkson Bears hockey team and one of the league's biggest star players. I, on the other hand, am always his Left Wing who sets up goals for him from the shadows. On my 24th birthday, he gets married to Katie Terrell, the captain of the cheerleading squad. Even when faced with my silent accusatory stare, Ian seems completely unconcerned. He says, "Katie has cancer. She only has one month left to live. This is her only wish. I can't let her leave this world with regrets." Katie leans against his shoulder, taunting me blatantly with her eyes. The birthday party that is originally planned for me becomes their wedding celebration instead. My teammates and my brother, Cale Manning, take turns offering their congratulations. When it's my turn, I remain expressionless. Ignoring the warning look in Ian's eyes, I calmly raise my glass and say, "Congratulations on your marriage. May you stay together forever."