Hidden Roots (Citrus Cove, #3)

by Clio Evans

“I’m sorry! There’s been a serial killer in this area and I’m fucking tired and you’re a stranger and I’m just trying to get to Citrus Cove and escape the woman-eating cows.”

“I’m one of those women who will happily taser you again and then grind your balls under my heel if you

don’t check your fucking tone,” I said pleasantly. His gaze slid down to my shoes, and he shook his head. “You’re not gonna last here more than a month. Did you really drive all the way here wearing those?” “It’s only a three-inch heel. But of course you’d think three inches is a lot,” I scoffed, my eyes flicking down to his crotch.

“This is Donnie,” I said. “My dog.” “He’s a rat.” “Oh, then you must be related.”

Hunter Harlow was an asshole. I’d thought so since the moment we’d first spoken on the phone years ago. We were oil and water. He always had something to say, always got on my damn nerves. He drove me up the wall.

Everyone was under the impression that I hated her. Even Emma believed it. But I didn’t hate her.

I was fucking obsessed with her.

Emma had tased her way straight to my heart. Since

that night almost three years ago, she’d become the center of my every waking thought. She was often in my dreams too. I couldn’t fucking escape her.

I also knew the reason why she’d never managed to keep a boyfriend longer than three months. Well, that part was maybe my fault. I’d threatened every single man who dared to date her.

My bad. Maybe I should have felt guilty about sabotaging her love life. But I didn’t care. It wasn’t like any of them were good enough for her anyways.

I stayed far, far away from Emma Madden for two reasons. One, she brought out a part of me that I didn’t like. A

twisted, possessive part of me I always...

Two, she drove me absolutely crazy with that smart mouth. Every time she was sarcastic, I wanted to haul her over my shoulder, carry her to my bed, and fuck the sass righ...

“Aw, such a sweetheart. How are you single, huh?” Because I’m obsessed with a woman who hates me.

Lemons into lemonade, as Mom liked to say. In this case, they were murder lemons, but things had still worked out for the better.

I wanted to spend every moment with her. I also wanted to never see her again.

Oh. Fuck. Had I just rubbed on his dick? Oh god. Oh god, oh god, god, that is Hunter Harlow’s dick and oh god, it’s big??? What the fuck— “Let me go.”

My ex-husband stood there looking like he’d walked off the front page of a business magazine. Perfect jaw, perfect blue eyes, perfect blond hair, perfect teeth. Perfect everything. My worst perfect secret had just shown up on my front porch. “Josh.”

We’d been married for fourteen months when I was twenty, and it was the reason I’d moved to Baltimore.

“Oh, there you are, baby.” I grabbed Hunter and hauled him close. “Josh. Meet my boyfriend, Hunter.”

“I’m actually her fiancé,”

In another life, maybe she’d leave her marks on me and I’d punish her by tying a vibrator to her. Get your head out of your ass.

“Emma, your father is dead.”

“Josh used to call me that and I hate it. I hate it. I hate being called princess. I’m not the type of girl who needs saving. If anything, I’m a motherfucking queen.”

“I’m sorry, I won’t say it again. Emma, I need to know if I need to go kill that guy, or make you a new coffee, or… I don’t even know.”

“If you have to use a nickname for me, I want to pick it out. No princess. No darling.”

“What do you want me to call you?”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Alright, wifey. Tell me what I need to know.” “Wifey is out of the question.” “Baby girl?”

“No…” she giggled, her eyes tearing up.

“Taser?” I asked.

“No. Are you ever gonna let that go?” “No, I take personal enjoyment out of torturing you about it,”

“To this day, I’ve never been tased by anyone else for giving r...

“What a bastard. Acting like we should get remarried. And that I’d been allowed my fun.”

“What the fuck? He said that to you? I’m gonna kill the guy.”

“No, no killing. We’re better ...

“Now it’s we...

“Shut up. My god, the fact that it’s you of all people I’m having to pretend with.” “I’m a good actor,”

“And a good kisser.”

“What? You think the family will believe us if we don’t kiss?”

If I knew anything about the Harlows, it was that all of them were swoony as fuck when they were in love.

“Should have chosen a different partner then, sparks.”

“One, I need you to promise you will call me if he shows up unannounced. Two, I need you to promise me you will not

schedule a meeting with him alone.”

“Three, when we’re not pretending to be engaged, I need you to stay as far away from me as you possibly can. Unless you have an emergency, of course. ...

“Are you going to keep my secrets?” I yelled. “Yes, goddammit.” “Then where the hell are you going?” I called. “To buy a fake ring.”

“I can’t believe you cuddled that man knowing he’s my greatest enemy. How dare you.”

Unfortunately for him, I wasn’t going to make his life easy.

Sparks. It was the perfect nickname for her. Not only because she’d tased me the first time we’d met, but also because she sparked something inside of me that I’d never felt before.