#MFRWHooks: Lost in His Spiderwebs, a trip down memory lane.

Blurb

Kidnapped by the enemy. Bought by the jefe. Will his smoldering touch thaw her frozen heart?

Rubén Lozano, the new leader of the Lozano Cartel, craves peace amidst a legacy of bloodshed and death. He never expected to find his ex-lover, Drina Cabrera, in the clutches of his vicious rivals. Her haunted eyes compel him to rescue her, but freeing her is another matter.

After five months of captivity, Drina trades one captor for another. Though she succumbs to Rubén’s masterful touch, the bittersweet memory of her daughter and the life she was stolen from is a constant wedge between them.

When Rubén’s darkest secret comes out, he will have to wash his hands in crimson. Will Drina let her king face the danger alone, or stand at his side as his cartel queen?

– Book two in the dark romance series, the Lozano Cartel. All the books can be read as a standalone, but are part of an interconnected series.

– Scenes featuring forced seduction, drug distribution, torture/violence, kidnapping/captivity, and attempted sexual assault may be uncomfortable for some readers.

– No cheating. HEA guaranteed!

Excerpt

(Background on scene: After a stressful dinner meeting with his enemies, Drina is surprised when Rubén takes her to an inner city park for their long-awaited date night.)

She grasped Rubén’s hand, the warmth and roughness of his skin grounding her.

“No tour of the plaza is complete without seeing the church.” He led her down another path for La Catedral de la Asunción, the massive white-stone cathedral at the end of the plaza.

The towering colonial dominated the block with its octagon-shaped twin bell towers and sharp-pointed, elaborate façade awash with moonlight.

“It’s as beautiful as I remember.” She rested her head on Rubén’s arm. “Do you remember when we used to come here? We’d get burritos from that dive around the corner.”

“How could I forget? The plaza was our go-to place. I haven’t been here in years, though.” Nostalgia, fondness, and a hint of sadness laced his words. “Ah, dinner.” He swiped his hand toward Enrique, who crossed the street with a white paper takeout bag in one hand and two soda bottles in the other.

“What’s in the bag?” She frowned until Enrique reached them and the scent of jalapeños wafted. Surprise jolted through her, quickening her pulse. She turned to Rubén, grinning so wide her cheeks hurt. “Burritos, really?”

He chuckled. “I texted Ricky to get them while we walked.”

“Enjoy. Smells damn good.” Enrique handed the bag and drinks to Rubén. “The men are stationed at each corner and entrance of the plaza. If we see anyone suspicious, I’ll text you.”

“Good. Stay on guard. Be discreet.”

“Gracias,” Drina piped in, smiling as Enrique winked at her and walked away. She grasped Rubén’s arm and pulled him toward the gorgeous, turn-of-the-century Florentine gazebo that faced the cathedral. The decorative wrought iron arches, loops, and rails towered on a lofty stone platform, where she’d relaxed countless times during her university days. “This means a lot to me.” She pressed a kiss to his smooth cheek.

“You’re the only woman I’ve ever known who prefers takeout to a gourmet meal.”

“Luckily for you, I’m low maintenance.” She laughed as they sat on the gazebo steps. Once he divided between them the six burritos, she unwrapped one and bit into warm, peppery, beefy goodness. Her taste buds tingled.

Serenity settled over her as they ate. If only things could always be this way, that this stolen moment of peace could be her life. If only Sera was there, too, enjoying burritos under the cloak of night with her parents. Longing and guilt skewered her. Rubén had a right to know he was the father of her daughter, but after what she’d seen earlier that night—what she had participated in—she couldn’t let that kind of brutality touch Sera. Not her precious little girl.

Rubén rested his hand on her knee, his inner fire seeping through her silk dress. “Something is on your mind. Care to discuss it?”

“We’re a little overdressed,” she murmured and wiped her sticky fingers on a napkin.

He grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “In that case…” he trailed off and shrugged out of his suit jacket. Then he loosened his tie, unhooked his cufflinks, and rolled up his sleeves.

She trailed her fingertip over the black ink that swirled up his forearm. She’d fallen so deeply into Rubén’s world, losing herself in the intricate web of his life. The platinum skull ring now in her purse and the severed finger still inside the metal proved that more than anything. She’d never stopped loving Rubén, as much as she tried. Being with him terrified her. He did terrible, illegal things but drew the line where it truly mattered. He wasn’t an evil person. As far as she could tell, neither were his friends. Her daughter would always be protected in the walls of the hacienda, especially if Rubén and his crew knew she was his flesh and blood.

“I’ll get her for you,” Rubén said quietly.

She blinked up at him. “What?”

“Your daughter,” he clarified and twined his fingers with hers. “Sometimes, you get this faraway look in your eyes, like you wouldn’t notice if the sky crashed down around you. The first and only time I held Aries, I loved him. I would’ve razed the world to pump air into his little lungs. Let me do this for you, Drina. You shouldn’t have to live without Sera.”

Her heart raced. Was he a mind reader? “Why would you do that?”

“You need her, and I want you to have whatever you need. I promise never to hurt her. She will be free to live her own life.”

Unlike me.

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About the Author

Amber Daulton is the author of the Lozano Cartel, the Arresting Onyx, the Embracing You, and the Ramseys in Time series, as well as several standalone novellas. Her books are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

Find her here: https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton