Silent Bondage

Accused of a crime she did not commit, Ava seeks help from a most unlikely ally...Ava Mitchell awakes one morning to find her abusive husband dead and his blood on her hands. Now, she stands accused of his murder. With time running out, Ava must rely on her former flame, Detective Kwan Daniels, to find her husband's killer.Kwan's reunion with Ava isn't like anything he'd imagined. The interrogation room in his precinct is the last place he would expect to find her. But here she is, as beautiful as ever, but more broken than how he'd left her. She's about to take the fall for something she didn't do, and he has the power to set her free. For Ava he would do anything, although she'd broken his heart years ago. Still, his love for her is even stronger than before. His plan is simple; find Stephen's killer, and win Ava's heart in the process. But it's not as easy as he thinks. His search uncovers a devastating secret that threatens his campaign for Ava. His career is called into question, forcing him to decide. Can he put his personal feelings aside to solve the case?SILENT BONDAGE is Book Two of the Island Drama series. Can be read as a standalone novel.EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER ONE: The sounds of heavy breathing filled the room as they rested on the carpet, too spent to move. Stephen rolled to his side, kissing her temple as his cell phone rang. Pulling it from the pocket of his pants, he glanced at the screen and disabled the ringer-not before Ava glimpsed the caller's picture.It was his mistress, Nyla. "It's my cousin," he grumbled. "No doubt he's calling for a favor. I'll check with him tomorrow."Ava grunted in response, her heart hurting. Raising from the floor, Stephen retrieved a box of wipes from the bathroom. He spread Ava's legs open and cleansed her, his strokes delicate. She watched him as he worked, feeling a flicker of tenderness for the first time in ages. After all he'd done, her feelings for him were dying a slow death. Still, a part of her fought to keep them alive. Stephen had been a part of her life before she became a woman. When she had nothing. He'd given her a financial boost to her career and helped her establish a small empire. She owed it to him to keep fighting for her marriage.Didn't she? Done with cleaning, he lifted her from the floor and took her to their bed. Throwing the duvet over her naked body, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead."I love you," he said.She gave a sad smile, wishing he'd meant it. His current behavior spoke to the contrary. Four years ago, she discovered his affair with Nyla, his business partner's mistress. After a violent confrontation, he swore it had ended. But Ava soon found that the relationship continued, despite his promises to remain faithful. Depressed and alone, she longed to confide in her friends, but she was unwilling to destroy the image she and Stephen portrayed over the years. To Ava's friends, their marriage presented the hope of a happy ending. I can't disappoint them, she thought. Stephen and I will make it. This is just a test of our love to each other.Comforted with the thought, she drifted into a light sleep, then woke to the sound of Stephen's soft-spoken voice as he argued with someone on his cell. Peering from half-closed lids, she watched as he paced back and forth, his free hand flexing into a fist."What the hell do you mean? You swore our secret was safe. I thought you'd taken care of it "He paused and listened to the reply on the other end. "How stupid are you?" He responded. After another pause he said, "we need to meet. Tonight. Yes, at the same spot, in ten minutes." He glanced in Ava's direction and her eyes flew shut. She re-opened them when the bedroom door drew to a silent close, signaling Stephen's sneaky departure. No doubt Nyla was on the other end of the phone call. Ava debated going after him; she had to put an end to their affair once and for all