The Rising, page 1
part #1 of Unlawful Men Book 4 Series
The Rising
Unlawful Men Book 4
Jodi Ellen Malpas
Copyright © Jodi Ellen Malpas 2023
All rights reserved.
First published in 2023 by Jodi Ellen Malpas
eBook ISBN - 978-1-957597-99-7
The moral right of Jodi Ellen Malpas to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Jodi Ellen Malpas. All characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Editing by - Marion Archer
Proofing by - Karen Lawson
Cover design by – Hang Le
Praise for Jodi Ellen Malpas
“Malpas’s sexy love scenes scorch the page, and her sensitive, multilayered hero and heroine will easily capture readers’ hearts. A taut plot and a first-rate lineup of supporting characters make this a keeper.” —Publishers Weekly on Gentleman Sinner
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“This book is JEM at her best, the secrets, lies, enemies... and tongue it cheek humour. It’s all there on every single page! I had no idea where this book was going or how the book would end. The journey was as captivating as it was enigmatic.” - Kindle and Koffee Book Blog on Wicked Truths
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“It's just twist after dark and delicious twist; a completely, unquestionably unpredictable ride from start to finish. This is the kind of book where every page is important, because there is just SO MUCH going on, and it's an intricate dance from loathe to love for this couple.” - Jeeves Reads Romance on The Brit
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“So it's safe to say, Jodi has once again completely smashed it with another sensation making it the best read of 2021! Hold on tight your about to be enthralled.” - Booksobsessive on The Enigma
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“A magnetic mutual attraction, a superalpha, and long-buried scars that are healed by love. Theo is irresistible.” —Booklist on Gentleman Sinner
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“Filled with raw emotions that ranged from the deepest rage to utter elation, Jodi Ellen Malpas wove together an incredible must-read tale that fans will certainly embrace.” —Harlequin Junkie on Gentleman Sinner
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"The characters are realistic and relatable and the tension ratchets up to an explosive conclusion. For anyone who enjoys Sleeping with the Enemy-style stories, this is a perfect choice."―Library Journal on Leave Me Breathless
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“The Controversial Princess, told from Adeline’s POV, is thick on plot, rich in character development with Kindle-melting sex and the perfect blend of twists and turns, shockers and villains!” —SueBee, Goodreads Reviewer
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“The Controversial Princess is an all-consuming, scorching hot, modern royal romance with twists, turns and a jaw-dropping cliff-hanger that will leave you begging for more.” —Mary Dube, USA Today HEA
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“The Controversial Princess provided us with the romance our hearts needed, the passion our hearts craved, with jaw dropping twists and turns that kept us guessing and eagerly flipping the pages.” —TotallyBooked Blog
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“A brave, cutting-edge romance…This is a worthwhile read.” —Library Journal on The Forbidden
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“Unpredictable and addictive.”—Booklist on The Forbidden
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“The Forbidden proves that Jodi Ellen Malpas is not only one of the romance genre’s most talented authors, but also one of the bravest. In this raw and honest portrayal of forbidden love, Jodi delivers a sexy and passionate love story with characters to root for. The Forbidden is easily my favorite read of 2017!”—Shelly Bell, author of At His Mercy, on The Forbidden
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“The Forbidden is a gut-wrenching tale full of passion, angst, and heart! Not to be missed!”
—Harlequin Junkie on The Forbidden
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“Every kiss, every sexy scene, every word between this pair owned a piece of my soul. I could read this book a hundred times and still react as if it was the first time. The Protector is a top 2016 fave for me.” —Audrey Carlan, #1 bestselling author of The Calendar Girl series on The Protector
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“4.5 stars. Top Pick. Readers will love this book from the very beginning! The characters are so real and flawed that fans feel as if they’re alongside them. Malpas’ writing is also spot-on with emotions.”—RT Book Reviews on The Protector
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“With This Man took this already epic love story to a whole new, unthinkable height of brilliance.” – Gi’s Spot Reviews
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“Super steamy and emotionally intense.” –The Library Journal on With This Man
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"Jodi Ellen Malpas delivers a new heart-wrenching, addicting read."—RT Book Reviews on With This Man
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“We really don’t have enough words nor accolades for this book! It had everything and MORE with added ghosts from the past as well as a surprising suspense. But mostly, it was about a love that proves it can conquer anything and everything placed in its way. A beautiful addition to one of our favourite series!”—TotallyBooked Blog on With This Man
For Danny & James.
Thank you for tempting me into the darkness.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Epilogue
Also by Jodi Ellen Malpas
About Jodi Ellen Malpas
1
DANNY
I’d rather be dead. It’s got to beat constantly dodging death, and the many men out there who want to put an end to me aren’t the only ones I need to be wary of. I’m more concerned about what my wife is capable of.
I look up at our villa as I exhale and drop my arse to the sand, fucking exhausted. Exhausted of running. Exhausted of fighting with Rose. Plain fucking exhausted. I grab the bottle of Scotch and swig some more—it’s probably unwise, I need my wits about me while my wife is on the war path, need the ability to duck speedily—but . . . fuck it. Let her at me. Like I said, I’m too exhausted to fight, and the weightless sensation coming over me is a brief respite.
I fall to my back on the sand and stare at the black, twinkling sky, taking another drag of my cigarette and another glug of Scotch, spilling some of it over my face as I do. For fuck’s sake. It was such a lovely evening—my little boxing match with Otto aside. What the fuck’s with that, anyway? Him? My mother? I snort, sucking back another hit of nicotine, followed quickly with another shot of the hard stuff. “Not fucking happening,” I say to the sky. “Over my dead body.” Which might be a distinct possibility if Rose gets her hands on me.
I lift my head a fraction, looking back up at the villa. I hope Mum’s managed to reason with her because I certainly couldn’t. In fact, I was like a red flag to a bull. I left the room on numerous occasions to let her calm the fuck down, and the moment I entered again, hearing she’d quietened, she’d flown at me, either with words or deranged, flailing, desperate arms. I restrained her more than once, since I couldn’t fuck her into submission with my mother and Otto there. So in the end, I forced myself to leave the house before she did any damage to herself or our baby. I feel like a man on the edge of heaven and hell, and some unknown fucker out there will dictate which way I fall.
My wife might save him a job soon, though. And yet, I can’t be angry with her. Can’t be pissed off. I can’t blame her for flying off the handle. For throwing the vase at the wall. She’s pregnant and her emotions are all over the place. Next to that, I’ve promised that woman peace and failed to deliver it one too many times. I feel fucking hopeless. Useless. I know my wife better than anyone, and when she feels threatened, she fights. And as always, I’ll let her take her anger out on me.
I flick my cigarette away and finish the bottle, dropping it clumsily to the sand. The sky’s starting to spin. My thoughts are getting all tangled, telling me to go back to her. Deal with this mess. But I’m pretty sure she screamed clear instructions to never go back.
Unlucky for Rose, I can’t live without her.
I lift my
A face appears above me, and I squint hard, trying to get some focus. “Found him,” James calls.
“For fuck’s sake.” Brad appears, lifting his mobile to his ear. “We’ve got him.” He hangs up and gives me a nudge with the toe of his shoe. “You think this is gonna solve all our problems?”
“Fuck you,” I spit. “And go get laid. You’re a miserable fucker recently.”
“Well, there’s been no in-house whore for a while,” James says, and I chuckle, getting another nudge from Brad, this time significantly harder.
“I’m going before I beat him to death.”
“I’d like to see you try,” I yell to his back as he stomps off up the beach. “Don’t you know who I am? Be afraid, Brad. Be very af-f-raid.”
“What the fuck are you doing?” James mutters tiredly, bending to get closer, bracing his palms on his knees.
“What the fuck does it look l-l-like I’m doing?” I pat about on the sand and find my bottle, lifting it to my lips and swigging. Nothing comes out. I snarl and toss it aside. “I’m getting shitfaced. Get me another bottle.”
“No.”
“What do you mean, no?” I scramble to sit up, swaying something terrible. Fucking hell, just shut the fuck up, Black, and lie the fuck down before you throw up. “Don’t you know who I am?”
James laughs. Why’s he laughing? “Yes, I know who you are. You’re a man who’s in the doghouse. Come on, you prick.” He moves in behind me and hooks his arms under mine, getting me up with relative ease, considering I’m fucking legless. “Rose is upset.”
I laugh loudly. “Upset? Is that what we call fucking psycho these days?” I shrug him off and stagger a few paces, but quickly steady myself. I look down. My feet are in the water. And my arse feels a bit damp. “You know what I’m going to do?” I ask. “To fix this fucking mess?”
“Sober up?”
“I’m going to kill The Bear.” I start trudging up the sand toward my villa. “This is all your fucking fault, anyway.” Why’s that only just occurred to me? This shitstorm is all James’s doing, because he’s the fucker who resurrected me. I was quite happy being dead.
I stop. Turn. Sway. Blink. His eyebrows are nearly touching his hairline. “I should kill you too.” Or at least punch his fucking lights out. That’ll make me feel better.
James’s arms open up invitingly, and I clench my fist. He’s goading me. I’m not so drunk I don’t recognize that.
“I’ve always wondered who’d come out on top between The Brit and The Enigma.” His head tilts. “So let’s find out.”
He has? I thought we were friends. The fucker. I draw back my fist, narrow my eyes, and swing, intent on planting a precisely placed fist on his jaw.
But it hits precisely . . . nothing. “Fuck,” I mutter, spinning on the spot before face-planting the sand. I roll to my back and find James looming over me.
“You done?” he asks as I spit out endless grains of sand. “Or do I have to knock you out and drag you back to your wife?”
“I’m staying at yours.”
He laughs. “You’ve got more chance of digging a hole here on the shore and finding The Bear.” He offers a hand. “I’m not joining you on the wrong side of your wife. Give me your fucking hand, you dick.”
I huff and throw out a disorientated arm, taking a firm hold, and James hauls me up, but this time he doesn’t let me go, supporting me as I stagger up the beach. “How’d Beau take the news?” I ask, hoping James is in the doghouse with me.
“You mean the news that the man who ordered the death of her mum and my entire family is, in fact, alive when we all thought we’d just executed a pretty fucking seamless plan and killed the fucker?”
“No, I mean the news that you’re a sarcastic knob.” I shove him away. I can walk on my own. “Yes, that news,” I grumble. “I was having a lovely evening until he called to let us know we killed the wrong man.”
“Me too,” James muses, and I look at him, albeit through drunken eyes, but I see the lost man who’s still lingering. For a brief moment, he and Beau had their peace. For a brief moment, it was sunshine and smiles. For a brief moment, we all thought that part of the story was over.
But when you’re me and James is James, it’s never really over.
So, yeah, we’re all shook up. Some of us—like my wife—are fuming. Some of us, like Beau, are quietly contemplative. Others, like Brad, Otto, and Ringo, are thirsty for blood again.
And then there’s me.
Drunk.
But the alternative is a bloodbath, and I’ve not quite recovered from my most recent rampage in Miami. I need a rest.
There’s no rest for the wicked, kid.
“Oh fuck off,” I slur, making James recoil. “I’m not talking to you.” I stagger away, willing my dead father to leave me the hell alone. I do not need his input right now. “Call the men,” I order, throwing a hand in the air, as if all of them might see me beckoning them. “We need a mee-ee-ee-ting.” Let’s figure out some shit, make a plan, and kill that fucking bear.
Again.
“For fuck’s sake,” James breathes.
“Fuck.” I trip up nothing and land face first, getting another mouthful of sand. I start to spit and splutter as I get myself back to my feet again, marching on, determined. “I want meetings with . . .” I frown and turn to find James. “Who’s still alive?”
He shakes his head, in despair, I think, but he doesn’t get a chance to answer. Mum appears from nowhere and seizes me. “Where the hell have you b—” Her nose wrinkles. “You’re drunk.”
I roll my eyes. Or try to. “Just trying to numb the pain.”
“You’re hurt?”
“Yes, I’m fucking hurt. Didn’t you see my wife’s fist meet my fucking nose?”
“Oh, that.”
“Yes, th—”
“Oh good, you found him,” Otto grunts, and isn’t he like a red fucking flag to an angry bull? I don’t want to see that fucking fuck head. I watch as his hand meets my mother’s arm. “Where the fuck have you been?” he asks.
I look up at his bearded, pierced face. “Plotting your death.” I lunge, Mum cries out, and James yells, tackling me from the side and taking me down. I land with a grunt. “Let me at him,” I demand.
“Fucking hell,” James breathes. “You’ll be telling him to put ’em up, put ’em up soon. What are you, the fucking lion who found his courage?” James stands and hauls me up, walking me back from my target.
I scowl, fighting his hold. Obviously, I get nowhere. “My mother is off fucking limits,” I yell. “You even think about touching her again, you’ll have me to deal with.”
