Tasting Red

Tasting Red HOLLY ROBERDS Copyright © 2023 by Holly Roberds Edited by: Theresa Paolo Cover by: Opulent Swag & Designs All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Created with Vellum Contents Books by Holly Roberds Thank you for downloading! 1. The Favor 2. Trash Troll 3. Over the River and Through the Woods 4. What Big Feet You Have 5. Forest Fire 6. Cooling Off 7. The Poison Apple 8. Fae Chivalry 9. Blow Your House Down 10. Off Kill-ter 11. Everyone’s a Buzz 12. Mochas & Frustration 13. Issac Clout - Far Killer and Helpful Dude 14. Floating Pens & Meet the Friends 15. Snogging in the Stacks 16. If you show me, I’ll show you 17. The Asshole & the Advisor 18. Rap in the Hood 19. Powder Keg 20. A Glamorous Distraction 21. Secrets out of the Closet 22. Kiss with a Fist 23. If You Give a Friend a Cookie 24. A Quick-ie Study Break 25. You don’t like me? I don’t like you 26. An unpleasant pair 27. Warding against Danger 28. Thumper and Bangs 29. A Modern Castle 30. Full Moon Rising 31. The Final Countdown 32. Dancing in the Dark 33. Trapped by Trash 34. The Torture Twins 35. Dame Kiki Eleganza 36. The Pack of the Past 37. Mated and Sated 38. Crying over Cookies 39. Eating the Special Cookies 40. Hunter & the Wolf 41. A Fabulous Wakeup Call 42. Family Reunion 43. My, what big love you have Epilogue Love this book? Want a Free Book? Acknowledgments A Letter from the Author About the Author Books by Holly Roberds Tasting Red A spicy Red Riding Hood retelling VEGAS IMMORTALS Death and the Last Vampire Book 1 - Bitten by Death Book 2 - Kissed by Death Book 3 - Seduced by Death The Beast and the Badass Book 1 - Breaking the Beast Book 2 - Claiming the Beast Book 3 - Darkening the Beast DEMON KNIGHTS Book 1 - One Savage Knight Book 2 - One Bad Knight THE FIVE ORDERS Book 0.5 – The Knight Watcher Book 1 - Prophecy Girl Book 2 - Soulless Son Book 3 - Tear in the World Book 4 – Into Darkness Book 4.5 - Touch of Hell Book 5 - End Game To my mother. What I write is not your jam, but you still tell people all about it. My favorite part is when your conflicting parts of aversion and pride mix for a delicious sales pitch of your daughter’s work, no one can resist. Not even when you slip in the words ‘creepy’ or ‘nasty.’ Weirdest marketing representative ever. Thank you for downloading! When I’m not writing, I’m hanging out with my reader group, Holly’s Hellions, on Facebook, posting hilariously inappropriate memes, as well as sharing teasers and sneak peeks of my current WIP. I’m also active on Instagram and love my IG reader fam. If you really want a blast of a time, come join me on TikTok for allll the chaos! www.tiktok.com/@hollyroberdsauthor Enjoy this hot and spicy, fairy tale romance! Chapter 1 The Favor THE BIG BAD WOLF “Why did you call me here?” I ask, though I know perfectly well why the grizzled old son of a bitch sent for me. I spin the titanium ring around my forefinger with my thumb. He frowns under his thick beard, across from me at the wooden table. He pushes a pint of ale over before grabbing his own. I don’t pick up the mug, but the man shrugs and takes a swig. How did I end up here? For most of my life, I’ve lived on my terms with no consideration for anyone else. Not even the women I sometimes let in my bed. I follow the jobs that bring the most money and that has served me perfectly well until now. “It’s been a long time, Brexley,” he says. Nineteen years, if one were counting. And for nineteen years, I’ve felt the ghostly shackle, tying me to someone else. Nearly two-thirds of my life, waiting for the shoe to drop. “Not long enough,” I say gruffly, finally grabbing the mug and taking a healthy swallow of the stuff. I hate to admit the shit is good. So I don’t. I’ve done everything I could to be free of social ties. There is no place for me among mage, man, or fae. But today is the day my only marker is called. I owe one being a favor in this entire world and he has summoned me here to the musty backroom of his tavern. Boxes pile high around the room, surrounding us. He named the joint Sam’s, though his name is Jameson. I never asked who he named it after, and I still won’t ask. The drizzle kicks up a heavy mist that clings to the windows. The cold seeps its way into my bones despite my knit sweater and leather jacket. On a shitty day like this, I’d normally be at home by the fire with a book. But this old son of a bitch has me by the balls. “You owe me, Brexley,” Jameson starts, as if he expects a fight. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. “I’m aware, you old bastard. Just tell me what you want so we can get this over with.” His calloused fingers drum on the manilla folder next to him before sliding it over. “I need you to take care of her.” His tone tells me he doesn’t mean take her out for lunch and shopping. He must have been keeping tabs on me to know what kind of business I’m in now. Or maybe he’s just a sadistic son of a bitch, and I could be a