Angel Sefer's Blog, page 21

Exciting Giveaway to celebrate Hot New Release

I’m so excited to announce that my Mystery Thriller Romance The Heiress of Santorini is included in the fabulous 12-book romance bundle Finding Love In All The Right Places.The bundle is available for only 99 cents on pre-order, and release day is right around the corner ~ July 25th! The book will only be available for 2 months after release day, so it’s an exciting limited-time offer to stock up on some spicy romance novels and discover some fabulous new authors! 
Plus we have a special giveaway for you!



In the bundle, you’ll find full-length novels from an incredible group of bestselling and award-winning romance, women’s fiction, and chick lit authors, all for only 99 cents!Aching for You by multiple award-winning author SJ Miller
Arielle Immortal Journey by multiple award-winning author Lilian Roberts
Virtual Lies by JD Combs
The Heiress of Santorini by multiple award-winning, #1 best-selling author Angel Sefer
The New Ever After by Julie Farley
Confessions of a City Girl by award-winning author Juliette Sobanet
What (Not) to Expect When You’re Expecting by multiple award-winning author MJ Fredrick
Emma’s Home by best-selling author Maryann Jordan
The Necklace IV by Linda S. Rice
Flawless by award-winning author Jan Moran
Love’s Journey by Maggie-award Finalist Jolene Cazzola
Fly Like You’ve Never Been Grounded by SJ McCoy

Where to get the Finding Love 12-Book Romance BundleWe are thrilled to offer this incredible deal to readers on Kindle, iBooks, Nooks, and Kobo all around the world! Here are the links:Amazon (US, UK, and International link)iBooks (US, UK, and International link) Barnes & Noble Nook Kobo  Share & Win with our Special Pre-Order Giveaway!Our release date is July 25th, but to give you a chance to win some exciting prizes, we’re running a special pre-order giveaway. The MORE you SHARE, the greater your chance of winning these prizes!Here are the prizes:$50 Amazon Gift Card – When we hit 1,000 preordersFREE Kindle Fire tablet – When we hit 3,000 preorders
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Excerpt from award-winning, mystery thriller romance bestseller Deadly Secrets - Chapter One

HELENA SQUEEZED THE WOODEN SHIP railing until her knuckles whitened. Trying to control the turmoil of her emotions, she took a deep breath of fresh, salty air and let it out slowly. Her heart still thundered in her chest. Am I really going through with this?An eerie feeling washed over her, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She scanned her surroundings uneasily. The ship deck was full of people—mostly families. What about him? she wondered, and releasing the railing, turned on her heel. A tall, slim man dressedin black, standing on the other side of the deck, stared at her intensely with piercing eyes. Helena swallowed hard. Pushing back the fear, she stared right back at him. Being among so many people gave her a sense of security. The man hesitated for a moment and then walked away.Stop being paranoid! she reprimanded herself. There’s nothing to worryabout… Then again, what was that last night? She shivered, thinking of the night before when someone accidentally bumped into her on the pavement in front of her hotel and pushed her right in front of a speeding car. If the hotel concierge hadn’t pulled me back at the very last minute… Closing her eyes, she shook her head to clear her gloomy thoughts. Everything is going to be all right. I need to do this for my father.A little girl’s laughter brought her back to reality. She turned and looked at the happy, little face. I could have been happy like that if only…Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back and stood still, enjoying the caress of the warm sunlight on her face and the revitalizing sea breeze blowing softly through her hair. What an amazing sensation! She opened her eyes and let the captivating scenery fill her vision. It took her breath away. This is how Dad must have felt every time he stood on the bridge of his ship. Leaning against the railing, she was mesmerized by the magnificent view of the crystal clear, sapphire waters of the Aegean Sea. Her thoughts flew back to cherished memories of her childhood, and she was overwhelmed. She could hardly wait…Feeling restless, she looked around her, wondering how much longer it would take them to get there. Mykonos was only a few hourstrip from Athens, but it seemed like ages to her.It had been thirteen years since she last saw the amazing, blue waters of the Aegean and the beautiful island where she was born. She was only eight years old when her father was declared dead, and her heartbroken mother took her to England.Since then, the shadows of the past kept her mother away from the island she used to adore. Only after her mother’s death had Helena decided to come back to meet her only living relatives, and to try to unravel the mystery surrounding her father’s death.Now, as the ship approached the shores of Mykonos, Helena closed her eyes and saw her mother’s pale face, staring at her with eyes wide open from anxiety and fear. Don’t go back! Don’t ever go back! I want you to promise me… Helenacould still hear her soft, trembling voice whispering while she was squeezing her hand tightly.Her heart fluttering like a little bird, she swallowed hard. I have nothing to worry about, she tried to reassure herself. All she needed were some answers, and after that, she would head back to England and go on with her life. However, deep down inside, she knew it wasn’t going to be that simple. She had this eerie feeling that destiny was waiting just around the corner for her…***Thinking back, she could vividly remember her happy childhood. They used to live in a big, white house on top of a cliff, overlooking the Aegean. She would wake up in the morning and run to her balcony to enjoy the breathtaking view.Her parents were so happy back then. The main offices of her father’s shipping company were in Piraeus—the harbor of Athens—but he ran the business mainly from the island, in order to spend as much time as possible with her mother and her.Mykonos was a beautiful island that took her mother’s breath away when she stepped foot on it as a young bride, twenty-two years ago. The beauty of the land and the kindness of the people kept her captive for a long time. Erin, Helena’s mother, was hopelessly in love with her husband, Captain Angelos Sistakis, and never regretted following him to his homeland, or leaving London with its cloudy days behind.The sunshine in Greece warmed people’s hearts; something about all these islands spread across the Aegean captivated their souls, and they never wanted to leave.That’s precisely the way Helena felt when her mother told her they were leaving. She’d cried and pleaded to stay, but her mother’s decision was final. Her father’s mysterious disappearance had broken her mother’s heart, and the place had lost its magic touch. Erin just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible and leave the memories behind.However, her mother never forgot the love she and Angelos shared and the happy moments at their house on the island. She spent the rest of her life bitter and miserable. And two years ago, she became sick. As Erin slowly faded away, Helena wondered if she even tried to recover.For the last thirteen years, her mother hadn’t been the same cheerful and lively woman she used to be. She never got over her husband’s tragic death, but deep down inside, Helena knew it was a lot more than that… Her mother feared for her little girl’s life. She was convinced Angelos’ death wasn’t an accident, and that Helena was in grave danger, as well.***The beauty in front of her interrupted her thoughts. She took a deep breath, staring at the shores of Mykonos with the scenic coves and the golden sand beaches. Welcome home, Helena… Her heartbeat accelerated, and anticipation washed over her like a cold wave. Tears filled her eyes, seeing her homeland…the land of her adorable father. She was finally home—the home she’d been deprived of for so long.She wiped the tears with the back of a shaky hand. It was so unfair to lose her father at such a tender age and to be deprived of everything and everyone she ever knew. Helena, however, knew her mother was scared to death. She lived the rest of her life with a threat hovering over her, every step of the way. Was it real? Helenawondered, and the scene of the previous night’s near miss flashed before her eyes. Was any of it real? She had thought about it a million times. The only thing she was sure about was that the threat felt real to her mother.And what about Grandma’s diary? According to her mother, Eleana—Angelos’ mother—had a gift of foreseeing future events and had written them down in her diary. A lot of important things that affected their lives were written down in there, years before they happened. If only I could find that diary, Helena inwardly wished. She needed to find it, not only to get some answers but to verify it actually existed. Sometimes, she was worried about her mother’sstate of mind. Maybe the pain and years of bitterness had affected her and made her imagine things. Finding the diary would prove Erin wasn’t hallucinating. And this was essential to Helena since her mother had been the center of her world since they left Greece. And now, she was gone, too.***As the ship came around a peninsula, Helena held her breath, looking at the cube-shaped, white houses of Chora—as the town of Mykonos was commonly known—glowing in the sunlight. Picturesque windmills and countless churches were scattered higher up on the hill, composing a breathtaking picture.The port was overflowing with life. Numerous ships and colorful fishing boats were anchored everywhere while dozens of shops were scattered all over the waterfront. People strolled along the dock, enjoying the beautiful, sunny day.The ship moved closer, and Helena’s heartbeat accelerated. Overwhelmed by conflictingemotions of excitement and worry, she felt as if she were floating loose in time and space…She could hardly wait for the ship to dock. Squeezing her way through the numerous passengers, she managed to be among the first ones to walk off.Once she stepped foot on the ground, she felt lost with so many people around—passengers disembarking the ship and workers running back and forth, carrying luggage and boxes.Sitting at tables outside the cafes in the shade of pergolas people were lazily drinking their afternoon coffee while kids attacked their ice creams, piled to the top with fruits and nuts.Standing undecided, Helena let her eyes wander over the colorful surroundings and listened to people talking in Greek. It was fascinating and so different than speaking Greek at school.She’d been bilingual since birth. After they had moved to England, her mother had sent her to a Greek school in the afternoons, so she continued her education in the Greek language, as well. Speaking Greek helped her remain connected to her late father and the life she was forced to leave behind.Suddenly, she realized people were staring at her—admiration mixed with curiosity in their glances. Helena had inherited her mother’s tall and slim figure along with her long, silky blonde hair and expressive blue eyes. Among the dark-haired Greeks with the bronzed by the sun bodies, her pale complexion left her out of place.Where is my ride? By now, they knew she was coming. She hadn’t written from England as she wasn’t sure she was going through with this. When she arrived in Athens, however, she called her Aunt Sophie and told her she was on her way to the island.Sophie Sistakis was her father’s younger sister, and Helena rememberedher kind face with the warm, brown eyes framed by long, black hair. Her aunt was only eight years older than her and used to take her for walks on the beach, play games with her, and read her stories. She felt ashamed she hadn’t talked to her aunt in all these years.Hearing Helena’s voice, Sophie was thrilled and told her to catch the next ferry home.“Miss Sistakis?”Helena was startled by a deep, sensual voice with a thick Greek accent.Turning around, she faced a suntanned stranger with a handsome face and a body to die for. He was at least five inches taller than she, and at five feet seven inches, she was no shrimp. His jet-black hair was shining in the sun while his captivating dark brown eyes made her feel small and vulnerable.Helena hadn’t realized she was staring until she saw the amusement in his eyes and a smile appearing on his inviting lips.“Yes, I’m Helena Sistakis. And who are you?” she said in English, her voice nothing more than a whisper.The man hesitated for a moment, searching her face. “I’m Dimitris,” he replied finally. His name struck a chord somewhere deep inside her. Bewildered, she studied him for a minute. No, she thought. If we had met before, I would definitely remember such a hunk.As his gaze roamed over her, Helena felt butterflies in her stomach. Nervously, she licked her lips and dug her nails into her palms.“Has my aunt sent you to take me home?” she asked, straightening her back and trying to steady her trembling voice.“Yes. I’m ready to go when you are. My car is just around the corner,” he replied in Greek, obviously aware she spoke it fluently.Reaching for her suitcase her hand froze on the handle. The man from the ship stood a few feet away, staring at her, totally unaffected by everything going on around him. Helena noticed the round face with the small, piercing eyes that reminded her of a snake.Her blood turned to ice. “What on earth?”“Is everything all right?” Dimitris asked.Absorbed by the hostile expression on the stranger’s face, Helena didn’t respond.“Helena…” Dimitris’ voice and his warm hand on her arm brought her back to reality.She glanced at him, puzzled. Dimitris’ eyes were fixed on her, searching her face. Then he peered at the other man.“Who’s that? Do you know him?” he asked.“No,” she whispered. “First time I saw him was on the ship. He seemed to be watching me…”“Wait here!” Dimitris said and strode towards him.The man turned on hisheel and rushed towards the street. Dimitris swiftly took off right after him, like a panther going after his prey. He was closing in on him when a black Mercedes appeared speeding out of nowhere. As the brakes of the car squeaked right in front of the man, he opened the back door and jumped inside. He had barely closed the door when the car launched forward. Dimitris arrived at the street right at the moment the Mercedeswas disappearing around a corner.Helena took a deep breath, unable to move. What was that all about? Who was he? What did he want?Immobilized, she watched Dimitris reaching in his pocket and getting out his cell phone. He spoke on the phone as he was heading back towards her.“Is everything all right, Captain?”Helena glanced at a young sailor who was rushing towards Dimitris.“Yes, everything is under control,” Dimitris replied, glancing at the street.The sailor gave Helena a polite smile and walked away.“We should be going,” Dimitris said, arriving next to her.Picking up her suitcase, he led Helena on the whitewashed cobbled pavement towards the street.As they came around the corner of a cafe, she stopped dead in her tracks. An impressive Porsche Cayenne Jeep was parked right behind the building, its black color shining in the summer sun like onyx. Helena took a deep breath, staring at her dream car.Her thoughts were interrupted as he had already put her suitcase in the vehicle and was holding the door for her to get in. She blushed as their eyes met, and hastily climbed inside. Sinking into the softleather seat, she admired the luxurious interior and the impressive dashboard. A thrill washed over her. Riding in a Jeep like this was a dream come true. She drew a deep breath and watched Dimitris walk around the vehicle and get in on the driver’s side.The powerful engine came to life, and the car took off. Helena had to hold on to her seat as he was driving way too fast for these narrow roads. She glanced over at him, trying hard to control her accelerated heartbeat. His eyes were set on the road, and she had a chance to admire the intriguing profile and the broad shoulders. Her gaze moved to the powerful hands with the long fingers holding steadily onto the wheel. A jolt of desire shot right through her. What would it feel like having those hands touching me…caressing me?Bewildered, Helena snapped out of it, wondering where those thoughts came from. She hardly knew the man. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly, flexing her hands to release some of the tension. What is the matter with me? It’s probably due to the adrenaline rush caused by fear. It just can’t be him.Turning her gaze to the road ahead of them, she took another deep breath, trying to clear the wild thoughts whirling around in her mind.She sensed his eyes on her. It took all the strength she could muster to keep from staring back at him. The proximity in the confined area of the car was bad enough; she couldn’t handle getting lost in thosegorgeous, dark-brown eyes of his again.Helena kept silent, and so did he.Trying to draw her attention from his powerful presence, she started noticing the surroundings. They were going up a hill, and things began to seem familiar. She had forgotten how beautiful this place was.The road was curving around, and she had a great view of the port and Chora with its little white houses built amphitheatrically, overlooking the water. Over to the side, Helena saw a Greek Orthodox Church built on the edge of the hill, dominating the area.Something about the Cycladic Islands—a group of thirty-three islands in the Aegean, forming a circle around the sacred island of Delos—made people feel as if they were in a dreamland…sandy beaches, architecture in white and blue, and narrow roads leading uphill to windmills and churches, standing there for hundreds of years, dominating people and nature.Helena always liked Greek Orthodox churches with their Byzantine paintings, their gold and marble decorations, their vitro windows, and the strong smell of incense in the air.When she finally saw the house at the top of the hill, she felt restless, and her heart pounded faster. Just as beautiful as she remembered, it stood drowned in red, pink, and white rosebushes while a bougainvillea climbed all the way to the second-floor windows. She remembered the exquisite aroma of the flowers and couldn’t wait to get closer. Overwhelmed by emotions, she glanced at the man next to her. He was watching her, his penetrating gaze reaching all the way to her soul. Helena drew a deep breath to calm down and instinctively licked her lips. What is he thinking about? He wasn’t the typical Greek; they usually were so open-hearted and friendly.As the Jeep pulled into the driveway, the front door swung open, and a beautiful young woman with long black hair came outside. She stood at the top of the marble staircase leading to the veranda in front of the house. Helena felt the urge to jump out of the car and run into her arms. Instead, she climbed out slowly and hesitated, staring at her aunt for a few seconds. Astonished, she saw her aunt launching down the steps and taking her into her arms.Feeling like a little girl coming home after a long trip, she couldn’t help but glance towards Dimitris. He was staring at her intensely, his gaze burning into her skin.Helena turned back to her aunt. In her crimson red dress and matching sandals, Sophie was more beautiful than she remembered. Her long shiny hair fell in loose, soft waves onto her shoulders, and her skin was tanned.Admiring her aunt, Helena realized for one more time how pale her own skin was.Her aunt released her hug and took a step back to take a better look at her. Her sparkling eyes gave away how happy she was to see her.“Welcome home, Helena,” she said excited and turned to Dimitris, who was waiting patiently by the car. “Isn’t she beautiful? She looks just like an angel.”Helena’s breath caught in her throat as she heard him agreeing with her aunt. She didn’t have time to say anything as her aunt went on. “You look just the way I thought you would. I always knew the cute little girl with the sweet blue eyes and the long blonde braid would turn into a gorgeous young woman.”Helena felt her cheeks growing warm, and she spoke quickly so that her aunt wouldn’t have a chance to go on appraising her. “It’s so good to see you again, Aunt Sophie. I’ve missed you so much.”“Then why did it take you so long to come back?” the man asked in a low tone of voice, sounding somewhat sarcastic.Helena was taken aback by his intervention and gave him a hard look. How dare he get involved in family matters like this?Her retort died on her lips when Sophie said, “Dimitris, leave her alone. You know it wasn’t her fault.” Then, smiling warmly, she turnedto Helena. “You have to forgive Dimitris. He’s been with us for so long that he gets very protective of the family.”Helena couldn’t get over her aggravation. Feeling bad enough for not having contacted Sophie all those years, she didn’t appreciate a stranger interfering in a sensitive matter like this. She wanted to set him straight but decided to leave the matter alone for now.Without giving him another look, she followed her aunt into the house. Going through the mahogany doors, she shivered, feeling his intense gaze burning into her back.Only after she heard the powerful engine coming to life, she realized she was holding her breath. I never even thanked him for picking me up at the port… Never mind. It serves him right for interfering like this.***Dimitris drove too fast for the narrow roads of the island. He had to release some tension. Being so close to her after all those years and trying to act totally unaffected were more than he could handle. She had turned out just as amazing as he had imagined. She was breathtaking… And she didn’t remember him.
I hope you enjoyed Chapter One of Deadly Secrets. Come back next Wednesday to read Chapter Two.

Read the blurb here



And stay tuned for the next giveaway coming up soon...

Another Exciting Summer Giveaway

Another Exciting Summer Giveaway is waiting for you!

Click on the link below and visit Miki's Hope website for a chance to win a
$25 Amazon Gift Certificate or PayPal


And stay tuned for the next giveaway coming up soon...

The Summer Giveaway Winner is…

 
My dear friends, we had lots of fun with this Exciting Summer Giveaway, and I appreciate your overwhelming participation and comments.I wrote all your names on pieces of paper, placed the pieces in a bowl, and asked my six-year-old little boy to pick one.Yay! I’m so excited to announce the winner…
AND THE WINNER IS:Angela Kinder
Congratulations Angela!Please email me at angelsefer@ymail.com, so that I can send you your Amazon Gift Certificate for The Greek Isles Series Collection Vol. 1Also, if any of you would like to become a member of my Exclusive Facebook Group for fans of The Greek Isles Serieshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/210503769157658/click on the above link and request to become a member. I will add you to the group.This way, you'll see sneak peeks and have a chance to win more prizes.Thanks again for participating!

And stay tuned for the next giveaway coming up soon...

Links to The Greek Isles Collection Vol. 1:
Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble /  Kobo

Excerpt from award-winning, mystery thriller romance bestseller Spellbound in His Arms - Chapter Four

Read Chapter One here
Read Chapter Two here
Read Chapter Three here

Chapter Four
THE NOISE GREW louder and louder. Michael desperately reached for his father, trying to grab his hand. But the wind blew wildly, and the broken sail banged hard against the steering wheel, sending the sailboat towards the rocks.“Mr. Apostolou!”He suddenly heard the man’s voice loudand clear and the knocking became even louder. Still a little disoriented, Michael jumped out of bed. He shook his head to clear his mind from the awful nightmare that had been haunting him night after night, ever since his father’s death.“Who is it?” he asked abruptly, unlocking the door.“She’s gone, sir,” the man replied, looking timid.“What do you mean, she’s gone?” Michael burst out, giving the man a murderous look.“Miss Alexander is gone,” the man repeated and looked at the detective guiltily. “I left my position for only a few minutes, and the girl that relieved me wasn’t aware of your instructions.”Michael wasn’t listening anymore. “Call the police department and the Coast Guard,” he yelled over his shoulder while grabbing his clothes. “Don’t let her leave the island!” ***Leaving the attorney’s office—located in a beautifully restored Venetian architecture building on the waterfront—Jackie smiled, utterly satisfied. She stepped out onto the pavement and took a deep breath, inwardly thanking Stephanos for coming through once again. She knew that without his interference, it would have been impossible to rent another car since the one she rented a couple of days ago was now sitting at the bottom of the sea.She stopped for a moment and took a quick look around, to make sure no one was watching her. Even though there were a lot of people going by, nobody seemed particularly interested in her.Feeling a little less edgy, Jackie let her eyes wander along the beach boulevard with the beautifully maintained buildings on one side and the magnificent body of crystal blue waters of the Ionian on the other. The impressive old Venetian fortress could be seen farther down on a rocky peninsula that jutted into the sea.Jackie was mesmerized by the beauty of this place and wished she had come here under different circumstances. This beautiful and elegant town of Corfu, where centuries of Greek tradition coexisted harmoniously with European influences, took her breath away with its impeccable beauty.Suddenly, she realized two men standing on the other side of the boulevard were staring at her. Alarmed, she turned and walked hastily to her newly-rented car, squeezing the keys in her hand.Getting inside, she locked the doors, even though it was in the middle of the day and there were a lot of people around. Whoever those men were, they wouldn’t be able to try something right then and there.Jackie took a deep breath and tried to calm her thundering heart. Looking in the rearview mirror, she noticed that the two men were lazily walking away.Reprimanding herself for being so foolish, she started the car engine. She should have known there was probably nothing more to it than two guys looking at a pretty girl.After all, she was aware of her good looks and how men looked at her, every place she went. But under these unusual circumstances, Jackie would pay attention to everything, even things she would normally ignore.She took another deep breath and stepped on the gas pedal. She couldn’t believe she was going back to the mansion. But after all, it was the best she could do right now. She needed to examine the documents in the safe.Having accomplished this first step of her new plan—getting another rented car and the keys to the mansion—she decided that the next thing she had to do was to get some supplies. And then, she was off to the mansion…***It was already late in the afternoon by the time Jackie left the beach boulevard and turned into the private driveway of the Demiris estate. But there was still enough light to have a better look around. The other night it had been pretty dark, and she hadn’t seen much.The paved driveway was well maintained. It was shaded by rows of majestic eucalyptus and cypress trees on both sides. The trees were extremely tall, creating a breathtaking canopy over the driveway. Thick foliage and flowering shrubbery in all shades hugged the edges of the property. White, pink, and red oleander bushes were scattered between the trees, creating an astonishing picture that looked as if it belonged in a painter’s canvas. Further back, beautiful pine, kumquat, and olive trees reached all the way down to the shimmering turquoise waters of the Ionian.Jackie was mesmerized by the amazing countryside of Corfu in all its glory. Driving along, she reached a small creek that ran through the thick woods of the estate. A beautiful wooden bridge was built to unite the two sides, giving the location a mysterious look.“What an enchanting place!” Jackie exclaimed out loud, wondering whether she had taken a wrong turn somewhere up the road. She couldn’t believe that all this beauty surrounding her was the exact place where she had experienced her dreadful nightmare. The thought of the other night’s events gave Jackie a chill, and she uneasily scanned her surroundings.Crossing over the wooden bridge, she had a feeling of experiencing a leap in time. It was as if she was leaving her past behind and moving on to a new chapter in her life. What a strange feeling? She shivered and shook her head, trying to break the spell and clear her thoughts.She followed the winding alley for a little while longer until the mansion came into clear view.Stopping the car, she let her eyes wander over the breathtaking, two-story colonial mansion, dominating the area and overlooking a small pond in the back. Magnificent white pillars stood in the front as faithful knights, giving the building a striking depiction of medieval gallantry. Beautiful rose bushes, jasmine, and bougainvillea climbed the walls of the mansion, reaching the window shutters of the second floor. A huge veranda surrounded the ground floor, and a smaller one on the second floor overlooked the entrance. It was quite impressive, considering that it had weathered the storms of over two centuries. A little further to her right, she noticed a gazebo smothered in jasmine and red bougainvillea. Rows of carved clay pots filled with gardenias hugged the edges of the small path leading from the mansion to the gazebo.Jackie opened the car window and drew a deep breath of the fresh summer air, sucking in the seductive aroma of the gardenias mixed with the alluring sea breeze. Impulsively, she leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes. This was heaven…Startled by the fluttering of a bird, she was brought back to reality and decided she should get going. She slowly approached the circular driveway leading up to the front steps of the mansion, driving around an enormous marble fountain with a mermaid resting in the center.She parked the car near the front entrance and took a careful look around to make sure she was alone. Someone is taking care of this place. The bushes were trimmed, and the lawn manicured. She looked far into the horizon and drew a deep breath, as her eyes wandered over the magnificent gardens and the woods surrounding the estate.She was carried away by all this beauty when she suddenly noticed the ominous dark clouds gathering in the sky right above the area. A storm was brewing in the distance, making her feel uneasy.Realizing it would be dark soon she hurried out of the car and climbed the white marble steps to the veranda surrounding the house. She tried the large brass handle of the huge mahogany front door. This time, it was locked.The attorney probably came by and locked it up. She contemplated this thought, as she had no idea whether anybody else had keys to the mansion. Thinking about it now, she realized she should have asked the attorney. It would be better to be prepared, just in case someone else showed up. She took the keys out of her pocket and unlocked the front door. Walking into the foyer, she couldn’t help but admire the stunning black and white, checkered marble floor and the massive marble staircase leading to the second floor. Looking up, she was impressed by the high ceiling with the beautiful trimmings and the crystal chandelier hanging in the center. Two arches led to other rooms on either side of the foyer and a smaller arch, half-hidden behind the staircase, led to the back of the house.How come I missed all this the other night?Thinking about the other night’s events, she felt a shiver racing up her spine. She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts and even though there was still plenty of light, she turned the chandelier on. Somehow, it made her feel a little better. Then she rushed back to the car and started hastily carrying her supplies inside.It took her some time to carry everything from the car. Even though she wasn’t planning to stay more than a couple of days, she still wanted to be prepared and have everything she might need since the mansion was so far from town.After she had finished, she locked up the car, went inside and locked the front door behind her. She put some of the food supplies in the refrigerator and the rest in the kitchen cabinets. Then she decided to take a quick look around and make sure that everything was locked. Walking to the living room, she saw that the broken window had been replaced. The attorney had informed her about that, but seeing it with her own eyes made her feel a lot better. Carefully, she checked every door and window on the first floor. By the time she reached the second floor, it was getting dark. She tried the light switch of the hallway with no luck. Having enough light from the chandelier in the foyer, she moved on and opened the first door to her right. She tried the light switch in the room with no luck again. There must be something wrong with the lights on the second floor.Going back downstairs, she reached into her purse that she had left on the round table in the center of the foyer. Taking her flashlight out, she went back upstairs to check the rest of the rooms. Everything was locked up there, as well.Now that everything was secured, she could take the time to have a better look around.The mansion was quite big with a beautiful, huge living room on one side of the foyer and a just as large dining room on the other side. They both overlooked the front yard through floor to ceiling windows, and there was access to the veranda through French doors.A wide hallway started below the staircase, leading all the way to the back of the mansion. Halfway down the hallway, on the same side as the living room, was a large bathroom with elaborate wall mirrors and plenty of cabinets. The spacious, well-equipped kitchenwas on the other side of the corridor, adjacent to the dining room.At the end of the corridor, there was a big study on the same side as the kitchen and a guest bedroom with French doors leading to the veranda on the opposite side. The bedroom had an en-suite marble bathroom with a round, marble Jacuzzi tub and a corner shower.Jackie had taken a glimpse of the rooms on the second floor when she was checking the window locks earlier, and she knew that they were just as spacious as the ones downstairs. She planned to examine them better in the morning. She had no intention of wanderingupstairs with her flashlight tonight.The mansion was furnished with antique, mahogany and cherry wood furniture, as well as exquisite art objects, such as marble statues and nature paintings.Even though it was well taken care of, the fact that no one lived there anymore made Jackie sad. She could imagine it being full of life and laughter, with children running all over the place.Jackie was surprised by how fast the storm hit. She was standing in the foyer when the wind started blowing hard. Rain banged against the wooden shutters, sending an awful noise throughout the old mansion.Jackie looked around uneasily. The fact that she was out here all alone made her feel very uncomfortable. And now the storm made things even worse. All of a sudden, she had this weird sensation of being watched.She turned abruptly and looked towards the top of the stairs. There was no one there, as far as the chandelier’s light could reach. However, the rest of the area farther back was in absolute darkness, giving her an eerie feeling.What if someonewas up there? What if she didn’t search thoroughly enough earlier and she missed someone hiding in the dark? The thought gave her goose bumps. But Jackie was determined to finish what she had come for and letting her imagination run wild would only make matters worse.She picked up the receiver of the phone on a small table against the wall next to the stairs, but there was no dial tone. Swallowing hard, she reached into her purse and took out her cell phone. Gazing at the screen, she gasped—No service available. Oh, that’s not good…not good at all. She pressed her lips tightly in sheer anxiety.All of a sudden, she started having second thoughts. Stephanos was right about this being the last place Michael would look for her. Actually, this was the last place anyone would look for her. What if something happened to her? If she didn’t check in, it might be days before Stephanos got worried.Well, nothing could change the fact she was here now. And even if she wanted to leave, she couldn’t possibly drive in this awful weather. Her only option was to get to work to keep her mind occupied.She walked to the kitchen and decided to make herself a sandwich. It seemed that doing something so ordinary was all she needed to relax and stop the crazy thoughts from whirling around in her mind. Not to mention that it’d beenhours since she last had something to eat.Knowing exactly what she needed to do, she took her sandwich and a glass of water and entered the studyin the back of the house. Walking inside, Jackie took a careful look around the beautifully furnished room. The French doors leading to the veranda were locked—she had checked them earlier—and the heavy curtains were drawn shut, giving her privacy from anyone who might be spying on the house. On both sides of the French doors, there were two arch-shaped, stained glass windows with a beautiful flower designed pattern.The study was furnished with a burgundy leather sofa, an oval-shaped table in front of it, and two cream color armchairs on the other side. An enormous desk was placed next to one of the stained glass windows, with a burgundy leather armchair behind it and two smaller ones in front of it.The walls were covered with bookcases filled with endless rows of books and beautiful silver, bronze, and porcelain artifacts. Between two of the bookcases, there was a showcase table made of cherry wood and glass, with a miniature of the mansion and the estate surrounding it sitting on the table. A portrait of an elegant old man dressed in a ship captain’s uniform was hanging on the wall behind the table.Between the sofa and the armchairs, a white marble fireplace dominated the room, with two bronze hounds standing guards on each side. A painting of a stunning teenage girl riding a black stallion was hanging above it. She had shining black hair pulled back in a ponytail, amazing blue eyes, and a breathtaking smile. Jackie noticed that the woods in the background seemed very similar to those surrounding the mansion. The painting was probably done here, and the girl was a member of the Demiris family.She placed the plate with her sandwich and the glass of water on the desk and stood there for a couple of minutes, totally enchanted by the beauty of the girl who seemed vaguely familiar. She looked at the painting troubled. Who is she and where is she now? Was the girl still alive or yet another victim of this family curse, or whatever it was that haunted the heirs of Greek tycoon, Andreas Demiris?The deafening sound of thunder brought her back to reality, and Jackie realized she had to get on with what she had come here for.Following Stephanos’ instructions, she walked over to the fireplace and turned clockwise the head of the hound on the right. The entire fireplace moved back inside the wall, revealing a small entrance to the left.Stepping inside, she felt along the left wall until she found a light switch and turned it on. Thank God! The lights here are working. She carefully descended the narrow steps, leading underneath the house. At the bottom of the stairs, there was a corridor to the right, leading to a steel door.Jackie noticed the touch screen monitor to the right of the door, and she punched in the first combination of numbers. She waited breathlessly until she heard a soft buzzing noise and then punched in the second combination. To her relief, the steel door opened, and bright lights came on, leaving Jackie breathless at the sight of the enormous secret room hidden beneath the mansion.She stepped inside and let her eyes wander around the impressive and elegant room with its protective steel walls covered with carved stones, probably to prevent it from looking like a vault.A mahogany showcase, with four rows of glassed-in shelves, covered the wall opposite to the door. Placed on the shelves, black velvet, display stands were filled with the most exquisite pieces of jewelry Jackie had ever seen… Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings of sparkling diamonds, scarlet rubies, dazzling emeralds, and breathtaking sapphires were dominating the surroundings with theirbrilliance. Jackie was so mesmerized by this impeccable beauty that everything else seemed to fade away.She took a few steps forward on the thick cream color carpet and absentmindedly sunk down on one of the two, semicircular sofas, placed in the middle of the room facing each other. Her eyes rested on an exquisite, crystal vase with gold designs, placed on a round table in the middle of the circle formed by the two sofas.This was almost unreal, far beyond her expectations. Jackie was sure that not even Stephanos knew exactly what was hidden in the secret room underneath the old mansion. He was precise, as always, giving her instructions how to get there and get in. But he had mentioned nothing about the contents of the room, except that she would find in there what she was looking for.Sitting on the sofa, she faced the wall on the left of the door. A desk, with a computer on it and a black leather armchair in front of it, was placed facing the wall. Above the desk, eight, wall-mounted, flat-screen monitors were placed in two rows. Even though the computer screen and the monitors on the wall were black, Jackie could hear a soft, humming noise and could see that the computer was operating. She guessed it was probably a security system, monitoring the mansion and its surroundings.Realizing that her entering the secret room might have been recorded, she shifted uncomfortably. What if the system was connected with a security company or even worse, the police? What if someone was watching her? Well, there is nothing I can do about it now. I might as well go ahead with my assignment and get out of here as soon as possible.She turned to look at the wall behind her. A bookcase was there, with shelves filled with crystal, porcelain, and gold artifacts. The bottom part of the bookcase had three closed cabinets, where Jackie was sure she would find what she had come for.She got up and walked over to the cabinets, opening them one by one and checking their contents. In the first one, she found stacks of black velvet jewelry cases. Opening a few of them, Jackie was dazzled by the exquisite pieces and realized that some of these, if not all of them, had to be priceless. She softly ran her fingers over the precious stones and closed her eyes, imagining beautiful women in evening gowns wearing them.She opened the second cabinet to find that it was filled with piles of stocks and bonds, as well as black velvet cases filled with gold and silver coins that seemed very old. Jackie swallowed hard, realizing that the secret room was hiding a treasure. This whole experience had thrown her off balance. In her entire life, she’d never seen such riches before and probably would never again. This was a once in a lifetime experience…an amazing, intoxicating thrill that made her smile.Finally, in the third cabinet, she found three folders. Here we are! These folders probably contain what I’m looking for. She felt as if she was halfway through with her assignment, and that lifted her spirits.She took the folders and walked over to the sofa, placing them on the table in front of her. She opened each one of them, trying to concentrate on their contents, but all the jewelry and artifacts around her distracted her attention. Taking a deep breath, she stood up, and taking the folders with her, walked out of the secret room and up the stairs to the study.She placed the folders on the desk and sat in the armchair. Opening the first one, she pulled some documents out. Of course, they were all in Greek, but thanks to Stephanos, Jackie was fluent in the Greek language.She was about to start reading when she heard a loud noise coming from the front of the house. Jumping up surprised, she rushed towards the sound, feeling her heart thundering in her chest. The noise was repeated, loud and clear.It took Jackie a couple of seconds to realize that it was the front door. Someone is knocking on the door.She couldn’t believe it. Out there, miles from the nearest town, in the middle of the night, someone was pounding on the door. Who could it be?Jackie stood still, but whoever it was didn’t seem willing to go away.After a couple more loud bangs, she heard Michael’s voice, loud and clear. “Jackie! Open the damn door!”Her breath was caught in her throat. It was him! What on earth was he doing out here in the middle of the night, in this raging storm?“I know you’re in there!” His voice was surpassing the howling of the wind. “Open up or else I’ll break the damn door down!”And he was capable of doing it. She was sure about that.After hesitating for a moment, Jackie approached the door. Taking a deep breath, she opened it.Michael stormed inside the house, almost knocking her down, and slammed the door shut behind him. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked, grinding his teeth.“What do you want, Michael? What are you doing here?” she snapped.“Why did you leave the hotel without a word?”“I don’t have to report to you!”Michael inhaled sharply, and his icy gaze drove a chill up her spine. Jackie stood there shocked, staring at his face distorted with rage.For a moment, neither of them uttered a word. They stood there, staring into each other’s eyes. Jackie felt the blood running hot in her veins and lowered her eyes to avoid the dangerous, but at the same time, enchanting look in those blue eyes of his.“How did you find me?” she asked, trying to catch her breath and clear her thoughts. What’s wrong with me? She was furious that all she could think about was how gorgeous he looked in his jeans and black leather jacket that was now dripping wet.“Are you crazy?” he yelled at her and grabbed her by the arm. “What do you think you’re doing out here all by yourself?”“How did you find me?” Jackie insisted, and tried to release her arm from his steel grasp.“You were under my custody, and you ran away!” he accused her.“I wasn’t aware that I was under arrest!” she rebutted, irritated.“You were caught breaking into this house, remember!” he pointed out, and took a step forward, coming unbearably close…almost leaning over her, holding her captive with his gaze.“And you did not arrest me!” she retorted. “Maybe it was because you couldn’t explain either what exactly you were doing out here in the middle of the night!” she went on, raising her chin stubbornly, looking at him straight in the eyes. If only his eyes weren’t so blue and his hair so gorgeously shining black.Michael looked at her for a couple of seconds. His gaze was dangerous, but oh…so seductive…“Now, you listen to me, Jackie Alexander,” he burst out. “I’m not the type of person you want to play games with.” He placed emphasis on every word. “You better start talking and you better start talking fast. Otherwise, I will drag you to a cell, lock you up, and throw away the key,” he concluded. There was fire in his eyes.“You don’t scare me, Detective Apostolou,” Jackie replied in a firm voice, placing emphasis on the fact that she wasn’t using his first name anymore. “You had no official business being out here the other night, and we both know it. Otherwise, I would be in a cell right now. Besides,” she went on, “I have every right to be here! The house belongs to my uncle, Stephanos Demiris,”—she lied—“and he has authorized me to be here. You can check with his attorney, Nancy Felini.”“This house doesn’t belong to Stephanos Demiris!” Michael said in a low and dangerous tone of voice. “And you know it damn well!”Jackie was left speechless. Things were getting complicated, and this detective seemed to be a lot more than what she had anticipated. Was he bluffing or did he know the truth?“What are you talking about? Of course, the house belongs to my uncle!” she burst out, trying to sound as convincing as she could. She knew she had to buy some time in order to figure out how much he knew, and how she could get rid of him in order to finish the job she had come for. Time was running out, and there was so much at stake.“No, it doesn’t!” he replied, watching her face very carefully, “For the simple reason that it belongs to me!”

I hope you enjoyed the first four chapters of Spellbound in His Arms. The novel is available here:


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Excerpt from award-winning, mystery thriller romance bestseller Spellbound in His Arms - Chapter Three

Read Chapter One here
Read Chapter Two here

Chapter Three
PHILIP MANOS WATCHED Elizabeth through the hidden camera. He suspected she wanted to turn him in. But he knew she didn’t have the courage to go through with this.A very peculiar and secretive man like him, one with so many enemies, had to be very careful. And so he had installed secret cameras throughout the building in order to monitor everything going on. Of course, he was the only one who knew about this. He didn’t trust anybody—not even his son, Eric.He also had another secret safe in his office. Actually, it was a secret room with a solid steel door, which could only be opened by a combination and his fingerprint recognition. The steel door hid behind an enormous aquarium, with thick glass on all sides, except the back one, which was a mirror. Pushing a button hidden beneath the bottom left drawer of his mahogany desk, the heavy aquarium rotated on its steel axis, revealing the door to the safe. In there, along with the cash and the bonds he had for emergency purposes, he kept the monitors connected to the hidden cameras, as well as the surveillance tapes from everything important going on in his company. He also taped the dealings taking place in his office, so he would be able to blackmail anybody he needed to, at any given time.His little black diary was also kept in there. Everybody he’d ever known or had dealings with was logged in that little diary, along with embarrassing or incriminating details of their personal lives. That little diary was a powerful weapon, which could destroy the lives of very important men—businessmen, politicians, country officials and an endless number of gentlemen of the underworld.Manos was an artist at manipulating people’s lives and turning everything to his advantage. He had no conscience and no remorse. He cared about no one, but himself—a ruthless, cold-hearted bastard, as most of his employees and associates would call him, and he had all of them on tape.***Michael watched the nurse leave Jackie’s room and close the door softly. As she turned to leave, she almost ran right into Michael, who was leaning against the wall.“Did she wake up?” he asked.“Just for a brief moment, sir.” The nurse gave him a polite smile. “I spoke to her, but I’m not sure she understood me. Does she speak Greek?”“I’m not sure,” he admitted, looking towards Jackie’s room. “You should see a doctor,” the nurse urged him, looking at the scratches on Michael’s face and arms and his bloodstained clothes.“I’m fine.” Michael moved on, not giving the nurse a chance to say another word.Jackie had him puzzled. He wanted to find out who she really was and what she was doing on the island. She’d probably told him the truth about being a relative of the owner. At least that much would be easy to verify. On the other hand, he was sure she was hiding something. Otherwise, why would she break into the mansion in the middle of the night?And what about the other guy? He was determined to find out who he was and what he was looking for.A million thoughts whirled around in his mind, driving him crazy. So many questions, and no answers whatsoever.He had called his partner, Tony Mavrikis, earlier to have him run a check on Jackie. He wanted to find out everything he could about her and how she was related to Constantinos Demiris.How come I’ve never heard of her before? If she is a relative of the Demiris family, I should’ve known about her.This entire case unnerved him. He needed to get some answers, and he needed to get them fast.Buried feelings of anger and vengeance washed over him as he thought back to the time he discovered who his real father was and what he had done to his mother.And now, years later, ghosts of the past were tearing this family apart for one more time.He needed to find out who was behind all those deaths—even though deep down inside he was sure it was his real father—and a good place to start were the documents hidden in the mansion’s safe. And this was precisely what he’d been doing when Jackie showed up.And where does Jackie fit into all this? No matter how stunning she was, he wasn’t going to let her get away with anything. There was a reason why she’d broken into the mansion in the middle of the night, and he intended to find out what that reason was.He took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind. This was a dangerous situation he was dealing with, where peoples’ lives were at stake. He couldn’t overlook the fact that she was an intruder, no matter how vulnerable and adorable she looked. Thinking of her intriguing eyes staring into his, he was left speechless by the feeling of pure desire that shot right through his body like a hot wave. The mere thought of her flawless face and tempting body left him craving to be close to her, holding her…caressing her…“You need some help, Detective?” The nurse seemed to be worried about him. “Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”“I’m fine,” he repeated, more abruptly than he intended and waved his arm in a dismissing motion. She’d interrupted his train of thought. Who was he kidding? He was upset because she interrupted his fantasizing about holding Jackie in his arms.He stepped right outside Jackie’s door and stood there for a moment, hesitating, battling between his eagerness to get some answers and his worry about her condition.He was sure now that Jackie had told him the truth about entering the mansion through the front door. After all, he had done the exact same thing. Of course, he had keys to the mansion, but he didn’t have to use them as the front door had been unlocked. It was probably the mysterious intruder who had broken the window. However, he was still wondering what Jackie was doing out there.There were so many missing pieces to this puzzle, and that drove him crazy. Not to mention that he was terrified of what could have happened to Jackie if he hadn’t been there. What if he hadn’t been in the mansion and the intruder had gotten hold of her? What would have happened to her in the middle of the night, far away from any living soul? He broke out in a cold sweat at the thought. And then, what if he hadn’t been there at the edge of the cliff to pull her out of the car?Watching the nurse entering Jackie’s room again, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. He needed to concentrate on the case but couldn’t get Jackie out of his mind. The thought of her haunted him, overriding any attempt for rational thinking and makinghim want nothing else than to sweep her into his arms and keep her there forever.I need to get hold of myself!There were so many unanswered questions and so many things he still didn’t know about this case. But he intended to find out. He hadn’t come all the way from Athens to go back empty handed.Constantinos Demiris and Dimitris Apostolou—the man who raised Michael and loved him like a real father—both drowned, trapped inside Constantinos’ sailboat during a bad storm. But witnesses from another ship close by talked about an explosion right before the storm got really bad.Michael was now sure their deaths were no accident, and he was determined to find out what had actually happened to them. He owed them that much.***Jackie woke up and looked around, surprised and disoriented. A voice echoed through her mind, calling her name. Tortured by a pounding headache, she reached up and touched bandages wrapped around her head.What in God’s name has happened to me? Where am I? She felt someone touch her hand and turned, startled, towards a nurse in a starched white uniform bending over her.“What’s going on? Where am I?” Jackie whispered.“You’re at the General Hospital of Corfu,” the nurse replied softly in English. Jackie looked around, recognizing the sterile environment of a hospital room. “Why? What happened?” she inquired worriedly, trying to clear her thoughts.“You were in a car accident,” the nurse replied. “But don’t worry,” she went on, seeing the shocked expression on Jackie’s face. “You’re going to be just fine.”“What’s wrong with me? How long have I been here?” “Please, don’t get upset,” the nurse urged her. “You’re a very lucky young lady, and there’s nothing wrong with you except a cut on your head. How are you feeling?”“My head hurts,” Jackie admitted. “And my entire body feels very stiff.”“It’s absolutely normal. You’ll feel a lot better soon.”“But how long have I been here?” Jackie insisted uneasily.“Not long. Just overnight. Don’t you remember anything?”“No,” Jackie replied, even though scattered memories started coming back to her. Flashbacks from the mansion…the moments of horror that she experienced in there, trapped in the dark, until she stared into those amazing blue eyes…“Hi there. How are you feeling?” The voice, deep and sensuous, brought her back to reality.Turning slowly, she saw him standing at the door. She drew a sharp intake of breath and her eyes widen. His face and arms were badly scratched and his clothes blood-stained and in terrible condition. “What happened to you? Are you all right?” she asked.“I’m fine,” he replied, giving her a reassuring smile. He moved closer to her bed as the nurse quietly left the room, closing the door behind her.Jackie gazed into his eyes and felt lost, as time seemed to stop. He reached over and touched her hand, and she felt her skin burning from his touch. He was so big and masculine…and so close.She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm her senses. She couldn’t believe his mere presence was enough to throw her off balance.“What’s wrong?” he asked, concerned. “Are you in pain?”“No,” she whispered. “I’m fine.” Even though, deep down inside, she wasn’t sure about that at all.What is the matter with me? How can I let myself get carried away like this? She had come here for one reason and one reason only, and she couldn’t allow herself to be distracted by him. She wasn’t about to jeopardize her assignment. He wasn’t to be trusted. Nobody was. Not after everything that had happened during these past few months.Thinking back, she stiffened. She remembered Stephanos’ face, devastated from the pain and sorrow, and Maria…beautiful, twenty-seven-year old Maria lying in a coffin.She felt Michael squeezing her hand and realized he was watching her. “Don’t worry,” he reassured her, probably misinterpreting her reaction as worrying about her health. “There’s nothing wrong with you, except that you hit your head on the steering wheel when the car went off the cliff… But you’ll be fine soon.”“The cliff?” Jackie repeated, taking in a deep breath. Now, things started coming back to her about the accident. She struggled to lift her head, and a sharp pain shot right through every muscle in her body. “Oh my God, my head hurts so badly!” She groaned and stopped moving.“Take it easy,” he urged her. “You need to stay put and let the doctors take care of you.”“Is it that bad?” she asked, searching his face. He looked tired and worried. His hair was messed up, and he needed a shave.“You did lose a lot of blood,” he admitted and encouragingly squeezed her hand.“What about you?” she inquired. “Don’t you need to see a doctor? You don’t look so good.”“I told you, I’m fine,” he insisted. “It looks a lot worse than it actually is,” he reassured her, looking down at his ripped and bloodstained clothes.“But all that blood…” she went on.“Well, actually… it’s not mine,” he admitted.Jackie realized it was her blood all over his clothes and felt a shockwave running up her spine. I must be in a lot worse shape than he’s willing to admit. How long would I have to stay in the hospital? And in the meantime, what would happen to Aphrodite?“When am I going to be able to leave this place?” she asked him, feeling restless.“The doctors want to keep you for one more day.”“But I feel fine,” she lied.“Well, you know how doctors are. Even though the tests didn’t show anything to worry about, they still want to make sure everything is fine before they let you go.”“But, I can’t stay here!” she insisted. Michael looked at her cautiously. “It’s just for one day,” he said. “Is there anybody we need to notify?” “No!” she replied abruptly. Seeing the surprised look on his face, she tried to smooth things over, “I’m here on vacation,” she lied, “and I don’t want my family to get worried.”Michael looked at her for a few seconds, clearly not buying her story.Jackie silently cursed herself for not coming up with a better excuse. She was furious this stranger had the ability to so easily tear down her defenses. She just couldn’t believe that even with his face all scratched up, and his tight fitting jeans and T-shirt torn and dirty, he still looked so handsome and inviting.Suddenly, she realized something. “Am I under arrest?” she asked.He seemed to be thinking about it for a couple of seconds. “That depends on you,” he finally said enigmatically. Jackie looked at him, puzzled. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked and felt her stomach tightening.“We’ll talk about this later,” he said and left it at that. “For now, the important thing is for you to get out of here.”“That’s exactly my point,” she agreed and tried to get out of bed, even though she was suffering.“Wait a minute, young lady!” he yelled and gently but steadily pushed her back on the bed. “Where do you think you’re going?”“I’m leaving,” she said. “I can’t stay here a minute longer. I have a million things to do.”“I thought being on vacation meant taking it easy and doing nothing,” he pointed out with an ironic look on his face.Jackie bit her lower lip. Right from the very first moment, she had realized he was going to be trouble. And unfortunately, she was right.“Look,” she started. “I need your help.”“Now, that’s better,” he said. “If you’re honest with me, then maybe I can help you out.”“I’m being honest,” she rebutted.“Then what do you mean you need my help?”“I need your help to get out of here today,” she explained, and from his reaction, she could tell that he was losing his patience with her. Well, let him be angry, she decided. She wasn’t here to please him. After all, she was only going to stay on the island for a few days. And then, she would probably never see him again. She was astonished to realize this last thought made her feel sad.He looked at her, hesitating for a moment and then turned swiftly, ready to walk out the door. “I’ll be right back,” he said and then, he was gone.Jackie watched Michael leave the room, and it took all the strength she could muster to sit back and wait until he came back.“Everything is settled,” he said. “The nurse will be here in a minute to help you get dressed.”“Thank you,” Jackie said and breathed a sigh of relief.Half an hour later, Michael helped her out of the hospital and towards his car. He watched her bite her lower lip to keep from moaning and could tell she was in terrible pain. He knew it would get worse when the pain killers wore off. She was the most stubborn person he’d ever met, and she made him furious. On the other hand, he couldn’t help but admire the way she endured the pain.He helped her into the car, tormented whether he should go ahead and take her with him or turn around and take her right back to the hospital. The doctor, however, had reassured him she was perfectly fine, and the CT scan had shown nothing to worry about. Still, he was instructed to keep an eye on her for the next few days, and to take her right back to the hospital if she felt dizzy or nauseated.Closing Jackie’s door, he walked around the black Mercedes, opened the driver’s door and sunk into the soft leather seat. He started the engine, fully aware she was watching him. Trying to keep his eyes on the road and not make any sudden moves that would cause her more pain, he carefully navigated the car out of the hospital’s parking lot.Out on the main road, he was able to relax, as there wasn’t much traffic and he didn’t have to worry about sudden turns and maneuvers. Jackie leaned back against the headrest, closed her eyes, and kept silent.Michael glanced at her and kept silent, as well. His mind kept going back to everything that had happened in these last few months, and especially in the last twenty-four hours. He needed answers, and he needed them right now. And the last thing he’d expected when he came out here was to find a beauty like this breaking into the Demiris mansion.Who is she? And if she’s telling the truth about being a relative of Constantinos, why break in? His logic told him she couldn’t be trusted—after all, she had already escaped from him once. But his instinct told him otherwise… Then again, was it really his instinct? Or, was it the fact that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life? His thoughts flew back to the very first moment he laid eyes on her. He was taken aback by the lovely face with the beautiful eyes and the sensuous lips. And then his gaze had moved to the soft golden-brown hair barely touching her shoulders, and the sexy body with the womanly curves.Trying to control his thoughts from whirling into forbidden territory, he suddenly realized she’d opened her eyes and was staring at him. “So, where did you learn Greek?” he asked, still astonished having heard her thanking the doctors and the nurses in perfect Greek.Jackie looked at him sideways, biting her lower lip.“It’s not a tricky question!” he burst out, getting tired of her constantly defensive attitude.“I’m sorry…” she apologized. “The last twenty-four hours have been really bad.”“I know,” he admitted. “They were rough for me too.”Silence stretched in the car, and Michael struggled to keep his eyes on the road.“I remember what happened last night,” she whispered, and Michael turned to meet her gaze. “The car went off the cliff… How come I didn’t die?” “You were very lucky,” he said softly. “The car was stopped by a small tree, and I pulled you out just before your vehicle plunged into the sea.”Jackie lowered her eyes and pressed her lips together. “You know… I never thanked you for saving my life,” she said in an awestruck whisper.He turned and looked at her—so adorable and so vulnerable at that very moment.“Thank you, Detective,” she whispered.“Michael,” he corrected her, and swallowed hard, trying to control the turmoil of his emotions as he saw desire burning in her eyes.Hearing her sensuous lips repeat his name, a hot wave of passion shot right through his body and all he could think about was how he longed to take her in his arms and make passionate love to her.What is the matter with me? He clenched his fists on the steering wheel, frustrated. I can’t do my job like this. I have to keep my distance. But taking another look at her, he knew that wasn’t going to be easy.“Where are you staying?” he asked suddenly, realizing that he was driving towards his hotel.He wasn’t surprised to hear they were staying at the same hotel. It was the closest one to the harbor, and that convinced him even more that she wasn’t here on vacation.She had a specific purpose, and so did he.***Later that evening, he went back to his hotel room after escorting Jackie to hers. He had left word at the reception desk to notify him immediately if she tried to leave the hotel.He sat down at the small desk by the window and called his partner.“So, what did you find out?” Michael asked Tony impatiently and took notes of everything his partner told him on the phone.A few minutes later, he laid his cell phone on the desk and sat there looking at his notebook thoughtfully. Most of the stuff he already knew. But there were some new, interesting complications. He looked at the names written down and frowned. Constantinos Demiris, Alexandra Demiris, Maria Demiris. After a moment’s hesitation, he added the name of Andreas Demiris on the list.When some years back, Andreas Demiris fell off the cliff close to his mansion on the island of Corfu—the same cliff that Jackie’s car had run off—nobody gave it a second thought. Andreas was an old man and couldn’t see very well. And after all, accidents do happen. But now, Michael wasn’t so sure anymore that his death had been an accident after all.And what about Jackie? Where does she fit into all this?His partner had told him she is an investigative reporter who came from Atlanta two days ago and spent one day in Athens, visiting the office of a local newspaper. Maria Demiris was from Atlanta also, he noted. His partner was going to contact the Atlanta Police Headquarters and request some background information on Jackie and Maria as well. ***Jackie stood underneath the hot water in the shower. She let it hit her body hard, making sure that she didn’t get the bandages on her head wet. She needed to relax her tense muscles and clear her head. With eyes closed, she could still see Michael’s blue eyes staring into hers and felt her pulse accelerating. He’s an unexpected complication, but I’m a professional, and I know exactly how to handle him... Who am I trying to fool? I have no idea how to handle him. She’d never met anyone like him before. He was smart, strong, and fearless while at the same time thoughtful and kind—not to mention the fact that he was the most gorgeous man she’d ever laid eyes on. He seemed almost perfect, and if she wanted to be honest—which she didn’t—she would have to admit that every time he was around, she would lose her mind and forget all about her assignment.Oh, my God! My assignment… All of a sudden, she felt guilty. She turned off the water, grabbed a towel and rushed to the bedroom to grab her cell phone. Her sudden moves made her ache all over, but she wouldn’t allow the pain to stop her.The face of little, innocent Aphrodite came to her mind, and Jackie let out a deep breath. I have to do this, she told herself firmly. She anxiously picked up her cell phone and pressed the speed dial.
A few minutes later, she placed the phone down and smiled, thinking of Michael’s surprise when he would wake up the next morning.
I hope you enjoyed the first three chapters of Spellbound in His Arms. I'll be posting a new chapter every Wednesday.

Read the blurb here


Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Goodreads

Exciting Summer Giveaway

Good morning my friends,
Summer is here, and it’s time to have some fun!
I know you guys love Giveaways. And guess what? I love them too!
So, let’s start a new one.
I’m so excited for the release of The Greek Isles Collection Vol. 1 —a fabulous bundle of books 1, 2 and 3 in The Greek Isles Series.
LEAVE A COMMENT TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY of an Amazon Gift Certificate for The Greek Isles Collection Vol. 1.
The winner of the Amazon Gift Certificate will be announced on Thursday, June 30th.
Good luck!

Excerpt from award-winning, mystery thriller romance bestseller Spellbound in His Arms - Chapter Two

Read Chapter One here

Chapter Two
RUNNING THROUGH THE WOODS, Michael heard a car engine starting somewhere nearby. He rushed towards it, calling out for Jackie. He saw a car speeding around a curve on the dirt road that led to the back of the property. The vehicle almost ran into the man dressed in black. The man jumped out of the way and disappeared on the other side of the road. The car swerved and went right off the cliff.Michael raced towards the cliff, feeling his heart pounding fast in his chest. He peered over the edge and saw the car below. It was lodged against a tree trunk a little bit farther down the slope and was now swaying over the abyss.He started climbing down the rugged hillside, trying to reach the car before it was too late. He slipped and fell several times, scratching and bruising his hands and knees. But he didn’t stop until he reached the car. Seeing the girl leaning against the wheel, he couldn’t tell whether she was dead or alive. He opened the door, trying not to move the car too much, and carefully pulled her into his arms. A few seconds later, the tree trunk gave way and the car dropped straight down. It crashed into the rocks and disappeared into the sea.Trying to catch his breath, Michael sat on the ground, holding Jackie tightly in his arms. He looked down at her motionless, pale face. It was covered in blood. Frantically, he searched her head and found a deep cut, right above her forehead. She must have hit it on the steering wheel. He raised her carefully and placed her on the ground. Then, he took off his shirt, wrapped it gently around her head and carefully picked her up in his arms again. Climbing up the hill wasn’t going to be easy, but he was determined to save the girl’s life. Mobilizing his Special Forces training, he began the climb, carrying her motionless body over his shoulder. At the same time, he kept a wary eye on his surroundings. The other intruder of the mansion might still be around, and he had to be very careful. This was a deadly game and lives were at stake.Reaching the top of the hill, he placed Jackie on the ground. He took out his gun and quickly scanned the area. No one seemed to be around.Now, his attention was drawn back to the girl. Who was she really? And was she telling the truth about being a relative of Constantinos Demiris? He sighed, frustrated. He had come out here to get some answers and instead of that, things had gotten even more complicated. He reached down and examined her face in the dim moonlight. She was still alive, but she was bleeding pretty badly. He had to get her to a hospital soon.It would have been easier and faster to leave her there and go get his car, but he couldn’t risk it. What if the other man came back?He picked her up again and entered the woods, heading back for his car, hidden behind the mansion. He moved swiftly and quietly, paying attention to every slight motion and sound. The suspicions and unanswered questions were devouring him. He had to find out who was responsible for all those deaths. This wasn’t just another mission… This was a personal quest for justice.And what about the girl in his arms? Was she innocent or was she also involved in all those murders? His instinct told him she couldn’t be involved in them. But then again, why did she run away from him? She might not be a murderer, but her motives weren’t that innocent either. Otherwise, why come out here all alone in the middle of the night? One thing was for sure, though—the girl had guts. He had to be very careful with her; she couldn’t be trusted.Damn! He cursed silently. If only she weren’t so hot. Just thinkingof her lovely face, with the beautiful honey-brown eyes and the sensuous lips trembling under his flashlight, made his blood run hot in his veins. Whoever she was, she was a knockout. But Michael knew better than to be affected by appearances…didn’t he?***Philip Manos, owner and managing director of Manos Enterprises, was perched in a soft leather armchair behind his huge mahogany desk, lost in his troubling thoughts. It was getting pretty late, but he had no intention of leaving his luxurious office in Piraeus—the harbor of Athens—before he had some news. The ringing of the church bells located in the steeple of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church startled him, and he anxiously checked the white-gold Rolex on his wrist.He should have called by now. He let out a deep breath like the hissing of a snake and hit his fist on the desk, making the crystal ashtray bounce. He sprang to his feet and strode over to the huge windows from where he could see the harbor.The Manos Enterprises Tower was one of the most beautiful buildings in Piraeus—a gem of architecture. It dominated the skyline with its shining white marble pillars and arches. The “M” emblem, engraved on a huge 24-carat gold disk, was placed between the thirty-sixth and the thirty-eighth floors of the forty-story building. Manos’ office was located on the top floor of the building, and along with a huge conference room and the reception area where his secretary’s desk was, it occupied the entire floor.The impeccably dressed, middle-aged man stood at the window, feeling his feet sinking into the thick, cream color carpet as he let his gaze roam over the magnificent view of the harbor at night. Lights and colors coming from the buildings and the beautiful cruise ships resting on the calm waters was something that always made him feel good. But it wasn’t the beauty of this sight that he admired. It was the way it made him feel—like he was at the top of the world. And actually, he was. He was filthy rich and one of the most powerful men in the country and around the globe. He chuckled, thinking of his accomplishments and the power he had acquired over the years. Not bad for the son of a low-life drunk who had lost his family estate, along with his self-esteem, to gambling.There was a soft knock on the door, bringing him back from his trip down memory lane. “Come in.” His voice was firm and eager and his body tense, as he turned to face the door.His secretary—a heavyset woman with short blond hair—appeared at the door, looking timid.“What’s wrong?” he asked, feeling nothing but hostility for the woman who had been his mistress for years. But that was a long time ago when she was young and beautiful and had that hard-to-resist body. Now, she had grown older, gained a lot of weight, and was nothing but a burden to him. Still, he kept her around, not being able to trust anyone else with the darker aspects of his business.The woman hesitated for a moment before she stepped inside the office. Silently, she handed him a fax. Manos grabbed the paper, avoiding touching her hand, and as he read it, his face turned red with rage.“Call Roussos!” he barked, with fire in his dark, almost black eyes. “I need him to come here, right now!” He fiercely knocked his fist on the top of his desk.His secretary hastily left the room, closing the door behind her.Manos began pacing back and forth in his office, clenching his fists. This is not good… This is not good at all. He hadn’t anticipated this new obstacle. But Manos was a very determined man, and he hadn’t come such a long way to give up now. Eric had screwed up and something needed to be done quickly.Roussos is the right man for this job. He knows exactly what to do.Half an hour later, Roussos—a tall, bulky man dressed in black—walked into Manos’ office.“Where the hell have you been?” Manos thundered out.“Calm down. I came as soon as I got the message. What is the problem?”Manos handed him the fax.Roussos read carefully. "Encountered some problems—unexpected visitors on the premises. Had to leave without accomplishing the mission. J.”“What’s this all about?” Roussos watched Manos carefully.“It means that my dear son screwed up!” Manos burst out, unable to control his temper any longer.“Nothing new there,” Roussos pointed out.Manos took a deep breath, giving Roussos a murderous look. “At least, he was smart enough not to use his cell phone,” he added. “I’m sure we’re under surveillance!”“Why don’t you calm down and tell me what you want me to do?” Roussos inquired in a steady voice, looking totally unaffected by Manos’ violent temper.“I need those damn papers. That’s what I want you to do,” Manos replied in a lower, but just as firm, voice. He picked up a black folder from the top of his desk and threw it towards Roussos, who caught it in mid-air. “Find them!”“What’s this?” Roussos inquired, holding up the folder.“Everything you need to know is in there.” Manos walked back to his desk, sank into his armchair, and let out a deep breath. “Find them!” he repeated and gave Roussos a meaningful look.“At any cost?” Roussos asked carefully, knowing that his boss knew exactly what he meant by this.“At any cost!” Manos confirmed.***The secretary, who was eavesdropping right outside the door, felt a shiver feather up her spine. She rushed back to her desk. For one more time, Elizabeth Kristalis wished she had the courage to leave this job. She hated Manos and was scared to death of him and his associates, especially this one coming out of his office now.She could still remember the shock she felt when she read in the newspapers about a girl who had drowned. The accident happened only two days after she had heard Manos mention the girl’s name to Roussos. The girl was found dead…drowned…a fine swimming athlete, who had won a lot of competitions. Elizabeth couldn’t believe that nobody suspected anything. The newspapers called it an accident. And what about the police? Didn’t they realize that there was something wrong with her death? She just couldn’t believe that somebodyhadn’t looked into it any further. She kept her eyes lowered, pretending to be reading the papers she had in front of her on her desk, trying to avoid any eye contact with Roussos as he was leaving Manos’ office. Every time she would accidentally look at this man, she had this feeling of staring at the cold eyes of a snake, and her blood would run icy cold in her veins.After he had closed the door behind him, she sensed him hesitating for a moment outside Manos’ office. It took all the strength she could manage not to look up and see what he was up to…whether he was staring at her or not. Anxiously, she cursed beneath her breath the thick carpet that prevented her from hearing his footsteps. She just kept her head down, waiting for him to leave.It seemed like ages before she heard the bell of the elevator as the doors opened on their floor. Then she heard them closing, but still it took her a couple of minutes before she looked up to verify she was all alone.Her gaze turned towards Manos’ closed door and back to the papers on her desk, without actually seeing them. Her mind ran wild. Can I do it? Do I have the courage to go through with this? And what if he finds out it was me? She quivered and swallowed hard. Her palms were damp with sweat. She had thought about talking to the police a million times over the past few years. Every time she would get all worked up and think she had enough of him, she would decide to go ahead and do it. But then, anxiety and fear would overcome her, and she would back down and be left emotionally drained inside.She couldn’t believe she had fallen in love with this ruthless, cold-blooded man. But that was ages ago, and she had been a different person back then. She was young and naive and dazzled by his good looks, as well as his wealth and power. It hadn’t been long, though, before she found out who he really was. And then it was too late to get away from him. She already knew too much about his business and was sure he would never let her go just like that. And of course, there was an even more important reason—her son. Stupid, young Elizabeth had gotten pregnant, and there wasn’t much she could do but stay close to her baby’s father and accept the help he offered, having no other person to turn to. Elizabeth’s family was from Mani—one of the most old-fashioned towns in Greece, where tradition and family honor meant more than life, and any kind of misunderstanding or insult would start a vendetta that would carry on from one generation to the next. A family and a society like this would never accept her bastard. So Elizabeth was left alone and undefended, relying on the one man she had learned to fear and hate more than anything in the world.And he helped her all right, but that was just another way of keeping her captive and using her for his own purposes. He never cared for her, and he never cared for their son, George. The fact that George was autistic infuriated Manos. According to his theory, a perfect man like him should only have perfect children—and especially sons, who would inherit and empower his empire. Elizabeth thought about his own cruel words, as he repeatedly pointed out to her that he was cursed with two sons—one from his wife, Anastasia, and one from her—who were both failures in their own way. Her son was handicapped, and Eric…well, Eric was greedy, lazy, and above all, useless. Manos had over and over again made it clear it was their mothers’ fault his sons were unworthy to carry on his name and his heritage.Elizabeth hated him with all her heart for being so cruel to her adorable son just because he happened to be special in his own way. But he was cruel to everybody. He treated his son Eric like trash, and he ruined the life of his wife Anastasia with his infidelities and his violent temper. Not being able to handle the physical and psychological abuse of her husband, as well as the shame and misery of her life, Anastasia had committed suicide at the age of thirty-five, when Eric was only ten years old.This was going to be another long night, Elizabeth realized, and let out a deep breath, feeling desperate and helpless. Deep in her heart, she was sure about what she should do, but she was absolutely terrified, even by the thought.She stood up and gathered the papers from the top of her desk and placed them in a folder. Then she took the folder to the back of the room where a state-of-the-art, in-wall safe was hidden behind a mahogany bookcase. Among the extensive collection of books, Elizabeth picked the correct one and tugged on its cover. Taking a step back, she watched the bookcase turn sideways, revealing the safe. The key to the safe hung from a gold chain around her neck along with a gold heart—a gift from Manos. She entered the combination on the touch screen monitor, which ironically was the date she met Manos for the first time—just another one of his ways to torture her. She placed the small key hanging from her chain in the lock and turned it. The door of the safe opened smoothly, revealing stacks of money and piles of folders. She placed the folder she was holding on top of the others and stood back for a moment, looking at the contents of the safe. She knew there was sufficient evidence in there to send Manos to prison for a lifetime.If only…She turned to look at the phone. No, she couldn’t do it.At least, not yet.

I hope you enjoyed the first two chapters of Spellbound in His Arms. I'll be posting a new chapter every Wednesday.

Read the blurb here


Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Goodreads

The winners to our Summer Beach Giveaway are...

We had lots of fun yesterday, and I appreciate your overwhelming participation, comments, and pics in our Stories of Sun, Sand and Sea Collection Facebook Group.
I wrote all your names on pieces of paper, placed the pieces in a bowl, and asked my six-year-old little boy to pick one. And guess what? His little hands grabbed two pieces! So, I’ll honor his choice and award an Amazon Gift Certificate to TWO winners instead of ONE!
AND YESTERDAY’S WINNERS ARE:Michele Hayes and Becky Takach WiseCongratulations Michele and Becky!Please send me a PM with your email address, so that I can forward your Amazon Gift Certificates.
Also, if any of you participating in this giveaway would like to become a member of my exclusive Facebook Group for fans of The Greek Isles Serieshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/210503769157658/send me a PM on Facebook, and I will add you to the group.This way, you'll see sneak peeks and have a chance to win more prizes.
AND DON'T FORGET THE AWESOME RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY FOR A $100 GIFT CARD http://angelsefer.blogspot.gr/2016/05/11-beaches-anything-can-happen.html
Thanks again for participating!

SUMMER BEACH GIVEAWAY

SUMMER BEACH GIVEAWAY DAY 5 (JUNE 13) Good morning my beautiful friendsLet’s enjoy another exciting day in our Summer Beach Giveaway!
I would like to share with you the blurb of my romantic suspense story Whispers in the Wind, included in the Stories of Sun, Sand and Sea Collection:
About Whispers in the Wind:Blackmailed by a ruthless mastermind, Emily Stone finds herself on the Greek island of Alonnisos, impersonating the golden heiress of a luxury beach resort.Seductive Captain Andreas Aliveris is torn between his irresistible attraction to the stunning imposter and his need to protect a loved one.Can passion overcome suspicions and regrets in this game of danger, betrayal, and greed? http://angelsefer.blogspot.gr/p/whispers-in-wind.html

Today, you have the chance to win an Amazon Gift Certificate for my mystery/thriller romance novel Dark Shadows of the Past.
About Dark Shadows of the Past:Award-winning, Dark Shadows of the Past is the fourth novel published in The Greek Isles Series. Dazzling Christina Connors is caught in a deadly game of conspiracy, vengeance, and murder while desperately trying to conceal her real identity. Seductively handsome police detective Dan Mallory puts his job and life on the line to protect this feisty enchantress from the threat hovering over her. The non-stop action and sizzling romance unfold in Atlanta, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northern Georgia, and the island of Kefalonia—the fascinating setting of ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ in the amazing aquamarine waters of the Ionian Sea.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GHX833O
TO ENTER THE DAILY GIVEAWAY visit the Facebook page of Stories of Sun, Sand and Sea and live a comment with a pic of your favorite beach, beach item, food, beverage, or beach sport.
AND DON'T FORGET THE AWESOME RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY FOR A $100 GIFT CARD  http://angelsefer.blogspot.gr/2016/05/11-beaches-anything-can-happen.html
Have fun and good luck everyone!