ABOUT THE BOOK

The last thing Detective Octavio Hernandez expects to find at the scene of a mass gang-related shooting is a brown-eyed angel standing bravely in the midst of the chaos. One look at Faith Donovan and the homicide detective knows there’s more to her than meets the eye. She’s keeping secrets that just might help bring down Los Zetas, one of the biggest drug cartels in Los Angeles.

He just has to convince her that trusting him is worth the risk.

Forced upon a mother who didn’t want her and enslaved by a gang that refuses to let her go without a fight, Faith’s life has never been her own. She thought she’d made peace with her fate…until Octavio sweeps in and carries her out of her blood-soaked cage.

Faith trusts no one, but the hardened detective makes it difficult to remember why. The way he cares for her makes her ache for what she never thought she’d find: love and a family of her own. But trusting him when she knows he has an ulterior motive is one of the most difficult things she’ll ever do.

He swore to give her the freedom she craves, but when the secrets she holds paint a target on her back, keeping that promise will prove no easy feat.

To secure her freedom and win her heart, this detective will move mountains. And take down anyone standing in his way.

Kill for You is the second book in a series of interconnected full-length novels featuring law enforcement officers willing to do whatever it takes to protect the women who need them most. Each book can be read as a standalone, has no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.

MY REVIEW

When a young woman held against her will by the cartel for years is caught in deadly crossfire during a gang war, she doesn’t expect to be saved by a hot detective who is determined to keep her safe.

Book 2 of the A Warrior for Her series is my second novel by the author and my review for Book 1 of the series, can be found at Fight For You.  Ms. Morgen’s books are full of hot alpha males and vulnerable, yet feisty, females. Her books also have a number of great supporting characters. Some from book 1 and some new ones I would like to see in their own novel.

All Faith Donovan wants is her freedom.  She has lived a terrifying life. First, at the hands of an abusive mother who abandoned her and then left her to fend for herself with a deadly gang called the Zetas who have starved and terrorized her since the age of sixteen. When a gang shooting breaks out, she is questioned by the handsome and kind LAPD Detective Octavio Hernandez and Faith decides to tell him everything even though it most likely means death for her. Under Octavio’s protection, she learns to trust and care for someone for the first time in her life. But he can’t protect her. The Zetas, will be coming for her.

Octavio Hernandez had never met anyone like the brave and beautiful Faith Donovan. She is apparently a slave held in captivity and forced to work for the cartel-owned gang, and she is willing to risk her life to give the police all the dirt on the Zetas. Why does he feel so protective of this “angel of mercy” and why does he so fiercely want to give her so much more than his protection? She’s a witness. He’s a cop. He takes his job seriously…but she’s so tempting.

Faith and Octavio’s story is a delicate dance between getting her to talk and fighting their overwhelming attraction. She is fragile and stubborn, and he is controlling and compassionate. It’s a recipe for some very passionate lovemaking and heartbreaking secrets. The extremely volatile threat to Faith’s life is a suspenseful element to the story which leaves the reader on edge wondering if either of the characters will get hurt. The wonderful and diverse supporting characters, Mila, Roman, Luke, Finn, Knox, January, and Kincaid, are a great addition to the story and bring more depth to Faith and Octavio’s lives. 

Overall, this is a fast-paced and powerful continuance of the series. In true Morgen fashion, she tackles the issues of human trafficking and slavery head-on with no holds barred. and I look forward to reading more in this very suspenseful and sexy series.

In addition, let me commend the author on giving 100% of the proceeds of this book to Operation Underground Railroad on March 17 to help end human trafficking and slavery. If you would like to donate, please see more information below.

Thank you to Ms. Morgen for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

BUY THE BOOK

On March 17, 100% of author proceeds from Kill for You will be donated to Operation Underground Railroad to aid in the rescue of child victims of human trafficking. Post release day, 10% of proceeds will continue to go to Operation Underground Railroad. To date, Operation Underground Railroad has rescued over 3,200 children from slavery and has helped prosecute over 1,800 human traffickers. Learn more about O.U.R. and pledge your support at https://my.ourrescue.org/fundraisers/books-with-purpose.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ayden K. Morgen is the Amazon Bestselling author of the Ragnarök Prophesies series. She lives in the heart of Arkansas with her childhood sweetheart/husband of fifteen years and their furry minions. When not writing, she spends her time hiking, reading, volunteering, causing mischief, and building a Spork army.

She graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology in 2009 before going on to complete her graduate degree in CJ and Law.

She puts her education to use as a 911 Dispatch Supervisor, where she’s responsible for leading a team of dispatchers as they watch over police, EMS, and firefighters for her county. Her books feature law enforcement officers, the women who love them, and the difficult cases that drive them.

She also writes New Adult Fantasy as A.K. Morgen.

Follow Ayden on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, AllAuthor, Bookbub, Amazon, and Goodreads.

EXCERPT

Crime scene tape stretches from Tiny’s bar to the dry cleaners next door, and then across the street to the little Mexican restaurant that’s been there for longer than I’ve been alive. The tape continues on past that building, but I lose sight of it when a cop steps up in front of me, blocking my view.

At least I think he’s a cop.

Unlike most of the others, he’s not dressed in a uniform. I’ve been surrounded by men most of my life, but aside from Tiny, he’s one of the biggest I’ve ever seen. His booted feet are planted on the ground, shoulder-width apart. His jeans aren’t tight, but they do nothing to hide his thick calves and powerful thighs. His dark blue LAPD t-shirt stretches across his hard stomach and broad chest, hugging his muscular frame in ways that has heat sparking low in my belly. With his arms crossed, he looks as immovable as a mountain.

He clears his throat and I jerk my gaze upward…over the badge hanging from a chain around his neck and up to a chiseled jaw and full lips. His skin is caramel, the hint of a five o’clock shadow on his cheeks and jaw. The higher my gaze drifts, the hotter he is. His face is all sharp angles and planes. His eyes are so dark brown they’re almost black. Intelligence blazes in them…and something else too. Something I’m not even sure I know how to define. It’s some mix of confidence and uncompromising authority that screams cop.

Jesus, he’s hot.

He’s maybe thirty-five. He’s got a beanie pulled low over his forehead, but it does nothing to hide the way his dark brows climb upward as he looks me over. His hard expression softens incrementally, and I realize he’s speaking to me and I haven’t heard a word.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, shaking my head as if that’s going to clear it of the screams and gunfire still echoing in the recesses of my mind. “Can you repeat that?”

He eyes me for a moment. I’m not sure what he sees on my face, but his expression softens even more. “I’m Octavio Hernandez. I’m a homicide detective for the Los Angeles Police Department. What’s your name, pequeña?” he asks. His voice is a deep rumble, like water rushing over rocks. It’s…pleasant. It washes over me in comforting waves, soothing away some of my raw nerves and anxiety. He crouches in front of me, forcing the paramedic to move over a little to give him room.

“F-faith. Faith Donovan.”

“Faith,” he repeats. I like the way he says it like he’s savoring the taste of my name on those full lips. “Faith, did you have friends inside?”

“I…” I almost tell him that I don’t have friends at all, but catch myself at the last moment and shake my head instead. “I’m a bartender. I was at work.”

“Okay, that’s good.” He gives me an encouraging nod. “Can you tell me what happened?”

I glance over his shoulder at the two dead bodies in the street, and then over to the group of Zetas cloistered together on the far side of the crime scene. They’re all blood-stained and tight-lipped, refusing to speak to the officers standing in front of them. Not that I thought they would or anything.

In this world, problems are handled in the streets, with knives and guns, not in a courtroom. The Zetas will hunt down whoever el Demonio sent and will kill them. That’s how gang warfare works. It’s a never-ending cycle of retribution, retaliation, and revenge that’s only gotten worse the last few months. I’m guessing what happened here tonight is only going to fan the flames and send the city spiraling closer to all-out war.

An eye for an eye. It really does leave the whole world blind.

Iván Santino’s dark gaze meets mine. He’s one of three Zeta lieutenants in Los Angeles, second only to Oscar Fuentes. Iván is vicious and cruel, and has spent the last five years making my life as painful as possible. I think, if Oscar would let him, he would have dragged me kicking and screaming to his bed a long time ago, and then left my battered and broken body for someone else to dispose of. But Oscar thinks I’m still of some use to him, and no one crosses Oscar, not if they want to live, anyway.

The way Iván looks at me sends another wave of nausea crawling up my throat. He’s running out of patience…which means I’m running out of time. If I don’t find a way out of this city soon, he’s going to come for me and not even the threat Oscar poses will be enough to stop him. What the Zetas have taken from me thus far won’t even compare to what Iván will do to me when he finally gets his hands on me…I know that much down to my soul.

Even from across the road, I can read the warning in his eyes. I’m supposed to keep my mouth shut and give this cop the same runaround the Zetas are undoubtedly giving the rest of them. Normally, that’s exactly what I’d do. My survival depends on me keeping my mouth shut and my head down. But I’m covered in the blood of a girl who probably didn’t make it to the hospital alive. I’ve seen more dead bodies tonight than I ever wanted to see. And I’m done with this whole mess. If Oscar kills me for talking…well, whatever death he gives me will be a sight better than what Iván wants to do to me.

“Faith, look at me,” Detective Hernandez says, reaching up and placing a hand on the side of my face. Sparks hum to life where his skin meets mine. His touch is gentle despite the roughness of his fingers. He moves my head gently until my gaze focuses on him again and then he releases me. Those dark eyes suck me in, compelling me to open my mouth and talk to him. “I know you’re scared, but I will protect you. Just talk to me. What happened tonight?”

“I…” I don’t even know where to start or how much I should say. “Some of the Zetas came in with their friends to celebrate Thiago’s birthday. They were drinking and laughing. Someone started shooting. I looked outside, and there were five men with guns.”

“Okay, good. That’s real good. Did you recognize any of them?”

My gaze darts away from Detective Hernandez to the Zetas. Iván’s glaring at me, hatred in his eyes. My heart pounds erratically, fear pumping through my veins. I break his gaze and glance back to Detective Hernandez to find him watching me intently. I lick my lips and then shake my head.

“I can protect you, Faith,” Detective Hernandez says again, his voice soft.

I think he means that, but I don’t think he can keep that promise. He doesn’t know who I am or what my mother and stepfather did to the Zetas. He doesn’t know I’m a prisoner here and have been since I was sixteen. He can’t help me because no one can. He’ll forget about me the second this case closes, if not before.

“She needs to go to the hospital,” the paramedic announces after wrapping my hands in bandages. “There are a couple pieces of glass embedded pretty deeply into her left palm. She might need stitches.”

“Fuck,” Detective Hernandez swears. “Faith, talk to me and I swear to you that I’ll find whoever did this to your friends.”

“They aren’t my friends,” I mumble.

One dark brow climbs, letting me know I’ve said a little too much. I silently coach myself to get it together. I’m out of sorts and off my game. I can’t let this man get to me. He’ll be gone soon, and I’ll be right back where I started.

He stays silent for a moment, just watching me. “Talk to me, Faith. Please.”

I shouldn’t, but the foreign tinge to his plea does me in. It’s been so long since anyone has needed my help with anything, so long since anyone has said please to me…and I don’t think this man is used to having to ask for anything, but he’s asking me.

I want to help him, even though I shouldn’t. I want to believe he can help me, even when I know he can’t.

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