Blurb
Kidnapping a reluctant bride is easy. Staying off her jilted fiancé’s radar is tough.
As the second-in-command of the Lozano Cartel, Enrique Briceño always gets what he wants. So when Lourdes’s father demands she marry another man, Enrique makes his move—abduction. Vowing to corrupt his sweet little captive in every wicked way imaginable, he doesn’t expect her to fight him with fire.
Cartel princess Lourdes Villegas longs for peace. Freedom. A chance to let her artist soul breathe. Yet once again, a man is pulling her strings. In Enrique’s arms, she trades one ruthless capo for another. His touch sets her ablaze, but she’s already plotting her escape.
As political alliances crumble and the streets run red, Enrique must prove he’s more than just another monster in Lourdes’s life. Because this time, love might be the most dangerous thing of all.
– Book three 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 kidnapping, violence, child endangerment (discussed), and miscarriage (discussed) may be uncomfortable for some readers.
– No cheating. HEA guaranteed!
Excerpt
– Background on scene: He’s just kidnapped her and taken her to his cabin in the mountains. As he’s starting dinner, she’s trying to convince him to see reason.
Mouth dry, she licked her lips. “About the bed—there’s only one.”
“We can both fit.”
“Enrique.” She stepped back and bumped against the dinette table. The blunt edge jabbed her hip. Ouch. She winced and rubbed away the sting. “I don’t feel comfortable—”
“Kidding. The bed is yours unless you invite me into it. I’ll take the sofa.”
Her cheeks heated, surely turning pink. Damn her light-skinned complexion. As much as she would enjoy casting aside her morals and living in the moment, sex would further complicate an already impossible situation.
“Burritos?” She picked up the package of corn tortilla shells from the kitchen counter.
A surplus of canned goods, sealed bags, and bottled drinks filled the cabinets.
“The ground beef is frozen, so we’ll do vegetarian tonight,” he responded. “There’s enough food to last a month. More, if we stretch it.”
“Do you always keep this place stocked? You know, in case you need a place to stash your kidnapped bride?” The words fell off her tongue sharper than intended.
He paused, then continued stirring.
Fresh tension hung over them like storm clouds. Anger and something more sliced through her heart. Her skin warmed just from being near him. Her fingers itched to touch his jaw and slide through his wayward hair. She shouldn’t feel anything but contempt. Instead, need burned within her. Desire. Excitement. Hope.
Maybe everything would work out as he claimed it would.
And yet, she couldn’t take that risk.
She stepped away, drawing in a slow breath. “I need to leave.”
His head snapped up, his gaze skewering her.
“My father will never forgive you for this, and frankly, he’ll blame me as well. He’ll say I tempted you or begged you to steal me away as if I had a means of contacting you. He won’t kill me, but he will you. I will not let you pay that price.”
“You think I care about the price?”
“I know you don’t. That’s what scares me the most.”
The muscle in his jaw twitched. Then he nodded. “You’ll find shampoo, toothpaste, everything you need in the bathroom. Clean up. Dinner will be ready soon.”
Would she find a sledgehammer? She needed to break down the wall he’d erected between himself and the matter of her freedom. She spun away for the offered respite. If he wouldn’t listen, fine. She had other means of persuasion at her disposal.
Something he wouldn’t see coming.
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Release Day: April 7, 2026
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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
Great excerpt. I love how Lourdes is fighting her own feelings here.
Thanks for visiting! Yes, she’s so conflicted!
I love an abduction romance and this one is really great. Love the chemistry between them.
Aww! Thanks a lot. Abduction has always been one of my fav tropes.
It’s exciting that you have another Lozano book out already.
I adore this exchange:
“You think I care about the price?”
“I know you don’t. That’s what scares me the most.”
Thanks! I love that line, too!
Great scene, Amber. Loved it!
Thank you!!