Night Riders Motorcycle Club Series by Kathryn Thomas

Lauren Nichols’ life will never be the same again. Twenty-two year old Lauren Nichols is celebrating her college graduation with a two month long cross-country roadtrip. But things take a wrong turn when she finds herself in the back of a van, hooded and headed to God knows where in the middle of the Nevada desert. To them, she’s nothing but another piece of meat. When the hood is pulled off and she realizes she’s on an auction block, Lauren knows that things won't ever be the same... moreLauren Nichols’ life will never be the same again. Twenty-two year old Lauren Nichols is celebrating her college graduation with a two month long cross-country roadtrip. But things take a wrong turn when she finds herself in the back of a van, hooded and headed to God knows where in the middle of the Nevada desert. To them, she’s nothing but another piece of meat. When the hood is pulled off and she realizes she’s on an auction block, Lauren knows that things won't ever be the same. Sold like cattle at the fair, Lauren finds herself the property of Blake Bell, the President of the Night Riders MC. There are no gods in the desert, only devils. And they will have their due. Blake is everything that Lauren is afraid of: a man who either gets his way or makes one, a man with blood on his hands—a man whose hard tatted body is matched only by the ruthless he shows his enemies. … and Lauren can’t get enough of him. EXCERPT Lauren could do little more than nod, and he did not demand the words. Good thing; she lacked the strength to push them out. Blake turned her face to his, and Lauren blinked as she strained to focus on his face “How… how did you know?” she finally managed. “Know what?” he asked. “That… that this was just what I needed?” He sighed heavily and pressed one finger to her mouth. Lauren was too weak to suckle his skin, but Blake parted her lips and granted her the taste of his flesh. “Saw it in your eyes,” he said. “No other way I would have laid out that much cash for you.” Those words alone should have been the shot of adrenaline to bring her to her feet and start her running. But she was weary from the events of this strange day, and his embrace was strong and sure. “Happy with the purchase?” she murmured. “Absolutely,” Blake said. Curling closer to her, he grabbed her face and peered into her eyes. “And there’s no way that I’m ever letting you go.” less

Lauren has been claimed by the hardest, toughest bastard west of the Mississippi. A month ago, Lauren Nichols would never have thought she’d be where she is now: trafficked and sold to the Night Riders MC, an outlaw biker gang. But that was before she became the property of Blake Bell, and before she discovered her own hidden desire to chase the secret rebel streak within. There is more to Blake than just a criminal. The month with Blake is nothing like anything Lauren has ever known... moreLauren has been claimed by the hardest, toughest bastard west of the Mississippi. A month ago, Lauren Nichols would never have thought she’d be where she is now: trafficked and sold to the Night Riders MC, an outlaw biker gang. But that was before she became the property of Blake Bell, and before she discovered her own hidden desire to chase the secret rebel streak within. There is more to Blake than just a criminal. The month with Blake is nothing like anything Lauren has ever known. In the privacy of his bed, Lauren discovers a man whose past hides secrets far darker than the ink that covers his scarred body, a man who has never shared that side of him with anyone else, and a man who has become like a drug that she can’t wean herself from no matter how hard she tries. Together they’ll delve deep into his past to find the keys to her future. She never expected him to open up to her, never expected him to slowly reveal his secrets to her, and certainly never expected to find a thread of commonality that she shares with the outlaw. The more she unravels his past, the less certain she is of her future and whether or not she could return to the old life she knew. EXCERPT “Don’t do that,” he whispered. “Last thing I want is to see you cry.” Choking back her sobs, Lauren sat up straighter, and her eyes widened when Blake took his hand in hers. His finger curled around her wrist, his hold strangely soft as it grazed her flesh. Daring to meet his eyes, she relaxed as his stare softened. “I want you to be mine,” he whispered. “All mine. And if…” He grabbed the back of her head and pulled her into a desperate kiss. Lauren savored the taste of his lips around hers, and as his tongue twirled down her throat, she stretched forward to kiss him deeper, drowning in her addiction of feeling any part of him. “No…” She moaned as their mouths parted, but Blake wrapped his arms around her bare shoulders and pressed his brow to hers. “I’ll keep you safe,” he promised. “You just have to…” Blake’s voice trailed off, and Lauren took his hand in hers as she waited without breathing for him to finish his thought. “You just have to trust me.” less

Lauren has a choice to make. With the keys to Blake’s back-up bike in hand, Lauren knows that the door to her freedom has been opened. But the prospect of returning to her old life—the prospect of returning to a different kind of servitude—is not the clear decision that it once was. Blake has given her more than she ever expected. When she first came to him, she was nothing more than just another face to be claimed... moreLauren has a choice to make. With the keys to Blake’s back-up bike in hand, Lauren knows that the door to her freedom has been opened. But the prospect of returning to her old life—the prospect of returning to a different kind of servitude—is not the clear decision that it once was. Blake has given her more than she ever expected. When she first came to him, she was nothing more than just another face to be claimed. But he’s brought her into the Night Riders, kept her safe from harm, and given her the hope that maybe, just maybe, everything will be alright. One final ride, one last chance for the truth. She wants to make the right choice, the choice that won’t leave her with regrets, but it seems like no matter which choice she makes, she’ll always be losing something. When she sees her picture on the evening news and an impassioned plea from her parents for her return, she knows that separation is all but inevitable… … Unless she can find a compromise between them. EXCERPT Lauren nearly laughed at the idea, the reality of him suddenly so serious. But when he failed to wink and transform it into just another step in whatever dance they were doing, Lauren leaned into the feel of her body tensing even as she stayed in his arms. “What do you… what do you suggest?” she asked. He carried her back to his bike and pressed her body into the seat. Climbing behind her, his feet hit the pedals, and the motor purred underneath them as his lips met her ear. “Found a little place where it can be just us,” he promised. “You want to come with?” Turning her head over her shoulder, Lauren met his eyes and nodded softly. “I do,” she confessed, her hands daring to touch his cheek as his brow fell to hers. Their lips nearly met, when Lauren summoned the strength to look ahead even as she kept her hand on his arm. “Take me,” she said. “Show me where you want us to go.” less