Untitled by Anne MacLaine
I pick up the stack, moving the first page and read the words: Chapter One.
“My mom wrote a book,” I say it as much for my benefit as his.
“Why is it here?” He doesn’t try to take it from me. Instead, he moves behind me, coiling his strong arms around my waist and looking over my shoulder.
“I don’t know.” I press the manuscript to my chest, a deep ache growing with each breath I take. “I didn’t even know she wrote. Should I read it?”
“I think she’d want you to,” he says.
It’s not what I thought I might find in that drawer. It’s not something I ever expected to find. What else don’t I know about my family? My ringtone breaks the silence again and I drop the manuscript on the desk and race over to pick it up. “I’m sorry,” I say to Sterling, seeing it’s my brother for the third time. A familiar panic settles over me. The last time he called this repeatedly was the night our mom died. “It’s him again. I should make sure nothing’s wrong.”
Sterling’s face remains blank, but I know what he thinks. Still, no matter how broken my relationship is with Malcolm, I can’t risk ignoring him. I answer, “What?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” Malcolm storms.
Did I actually just interrupt a romantic interlude with a veritable sex god—and the love of my life—to get lectured by my brother?
“I have company. I need to go,” I say.
“Have you seen the news? Been on Facebook?” he demands.
My thumb freezes over the end button. “No, why?”
“Is your company Sterling Ford?” he asks. “You might ask him. I don’t know who else would do this to our family. But if I find out you had anything to do with it, I will make sure you not only never step foot inside this house again, but that you never see your family again.”
“I have no fucking clue what you’re talking about,” I hiss, but he’s already hung up on me.
Sterling plucks a fry from a plate on the dining cart. “Everything okay?”
“I’m not sure,” I mutter, opening the news app on my phone.
Sterling doesn’t press me for more information. Instead, he grabs another fry and The Great Gatsby. He thumbs it open at the same time that I see the first mention of MacLaine.
“Oh holy shit,” I breathe, reading the headline. “Did you tell someone about the night my mom died?”
I look over to Sterling for an answer, but he’s holding a sheet of paper. It’s creased from being stuck inside the novel for years, but, even from here, I recognize the City of Valmont watermark printed on the back. When he manages to tear his eyes from it, they find me. Neither of us speaks. We just stare at each other as the past comes back to destroy us once again.
Secrets revealed, rivalries created, love tested. Don’t miss the explosive conclusion to Adair and Sterling’s story: BOMBSHELL
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Also by Geneva Lee
THE RIVALS SAGA
Blacklist
Backlash
Bombshell
THE ROYALS SAGA
Command Me
Conquer Me
Crown Me
Crave Me
Covet Me
Capture Me
Complete Me
Cross Me
Claim Me
Consume Me
THE SINNERS SAGA
Beautiful Criminal
Beautiful Sinner
Beautiful Forever
FOUR SEASONS
Fall For You
A Long Winter’s Night
Spring Fever
Hot Summer Nights
STANDALONE
The Sins That Bind Us
Two Week Turnaround
His Private Collection
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank the characters in this book for giving me a place to escape during this crazy year!
Thanks to Louise, my fairy godmother, and the team at The Bent Agency. Not just for all your hard work, but also the integrity and ingenuity you showcase every single day.
Thank you to my foreign teams for all the hard work you do getting my books to readers all over the world. Thank you to Blanvalet for your enthusiasm regarding this new project.
Thank you to my endlessly patient assistants, Natasha and Shelby. You keep my shit together better than I do!
Thanks you to my Loves for being my safe place online. I’m so glad we have each other!
To my author friends, this has been an insane year and I am awed by your grace, motivation, and humor.
To my readers—thank you for loving Sterling as much as I do!
I couldn’t do any of this without my family. Thank you for being my cheerleaders, my accountability partners, my escape at the end of the day.
And to Josh, I’m all in. Always.
About the Author
GENEVA LEE is the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of over a dozen novels, including the Royals Saga which has sold two million copies worldwide. She lives in Poulsbo Washington with her husband and three children, and she co-owns Away With Words Bookshop with her sister.
Geneva is married to her high school sweetheart. He's always the first person to read her books. Sometimes, he reads as she writes them. Last year, they were surprised by finding out Geneva was pregnant with their third child. They welcomed a beautiful baby girl in 2020.
When she isn't working or writing, Geneva likes to read, bake ridiculous cakes, and watch television. She loves to travel and is always anxious to go on a new adventure.
