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  Evermore

  A Salvation Series Novella

  By Corinne Michaels

  1001 Dark Nights

  Evermore

  A Salvation Series Novella

  By Corinne Michaels

  1001 Dark Nights

  Copyright 2019 Corinne Michaels

  ISBN: 978-1-948050-91-3

  Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose

  Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Book Description

  Evermore

  A Salvation Series

  By Corinne Michaels

  From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Corinne Michaels comes a new story in her Salvation series…

  I was poised to become partner at my law firm even before I became secretly engaged to my boss. After being humiliated by him on my wedding day, I can’t face working for him any longer. So I quit, waving my middle finger on my way out.

  Now the only things I’m poised for are unemployment and loneliness.

  When an opportunity with Cole Security arises, it seems like the perfect way to run, all the way to Virginia Beach. I wasn’t expecting my childhood sweetheart to be there. I definitely wasn’t prepared that when we saw each other again, Benjamin Pryce would be so grown-up. So gorgeous. So Navy SEAL-ish.

  And still the same guy who broke my heart when I was fifteen--and could do it again.

  They say if you’re fooled once, shame on them. The second time, it’s on you. The third time, it’s going to be me that runs… unless he can convince me to stay forevermore.

  **Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

  About Corinne Michaels

  New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Corinne Michaels is the author of multiple romance novels. She’s an emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children. Corinne is happily married to the man of her dreams and is a former Navy wife.

  After spending months away from her husband while he was deployed, reading and writing was her escape from the loneliness. She enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak and finding a way to heal them through their struggles. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love.

  Also from Corinne Michaels

  The Salvation Series

  Beloved

  Beholden

  Consolation

  Conviction

  Defenseless

  Evermore – 1001 Dark Nights Novella

  Indefinite (Coming 2019)

  Return to Me Series

  Say You’ll Stay

  Say You Want Me

  Say I’m Yours

  Say You Won’t Let Go: A Return to Me/Masters and Mercenaries Novella

  Standalone Novels

  We Own Tonight

  One Last Time

  Not Until You

  If I Only Knew

  Co-written Novels with Melanie Harlow

  Hold You Close

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  If you endure any time with me during this process, you deserve so much more than a thank you that’s back here. For real, I’m a little crazy and you know this, but...here it is.

  To my husband and children. I don’t know how you deal with me, but I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you. I love you all with my whole heart.

  My beta readers, Katie & Melissa: Thank you so much for your support and love during this book. I love you guys and couldn’t imagine not having you.

  My assistant, Christy Peckham: I would fire you, but you keep coming back so I’ll just say thank you.

  My readers. There’s no way I can thank you enough. It still blows me away that you read my words. You guys are everything to me. Everything.

  Bloggers: You’re the heart and soul of this industry. Thank you for choosing to read my books and fit me into your insane schedules. I appreciate it more than you know.

  Melanie Harlow, thank you for being the good witch in our duo or Ethel to my Lucy. Really you’re the good witch and I’m the bad, but your friendship means the world to me and I love writing with you (especially when you let me kill characters).

  Bait, Stabby, and Corinne Michaels Books – I love you more than you’ll ever know.

  My agent, Kimberly Brower, I am so happy to have you on my team. Thank you for your guidance and support.

  Melissa Erickson, you’re amazing. I love your face.

  Vi, Claire, Mandi, Amy, Kristy, Penelope, Kyla, Rachel, Tijan, Alessandra, Syreeta, Meghan, Laurelin, Kristen, Kennedy, Ava, and Natasha—Thank you for keeping me striving to be better and loving me unconditionally.

  Dedication

  To the readers who have loved and nurtured this series. Thank you for always being my salvation!

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights

  Click here to explore

  COLLECTION ONE

  FOREVER WICKED by Shayla Black

  CRIMSON TWILIGHT by Heather Graham

  CAPTURED IN SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING by Tina Folsom

  DUNGEON GAMES by Lexi Blake

  AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione

  NEED YOU NOW by Lisa Renee Jones

  SHOW ME, BABY by Cherise Sinclair

  ROPED IN by Lorelei James

  TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  CARESS OF DARKNESS by Julie Kenner

  COLLECTION TWO

  WICKED WOLF by Carrie Ann Ryan

  WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham

  EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby

  MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair

  CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner

  ADORED by Lexi Blake

  HADES by Larissa Ione

  RAVAGED by Elisabeth Naughton

  DREAM OF YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  STRIPPED DOWN by Lorelei James

  RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON KING by Donna Grant

  PURE WICKED by Shayla Black

  HARD AS STEEL by Laura Kaye

  STROKE OF MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  ALL HALLOWS EVE by Heather Graham

  KISS THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  DARING HER LOVE by Melissa Foster

  TEASED by Rebecca Zanetti

  THE PROMISE OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION THREE

  HIDDEN INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  BLOOD ON THE BAYOU by Heather Graham

  SEARCHING FOR MINE by Jennifer Probst

  DANCE OF DESIRE by Christopher Rice

  ROUGH RHYTHM by Tessa Bailey

  DEVOTED by Lexi Blake

  Z by Larissa Ione

  FALLING UNDER YOU by Laurelin Paige

  EASY FOR KEEPS by Kristen Proby

  UNCHAINED by Elisabeth Naughton

  HARD TO SERVE by Laura Kaye

  DRAGON FEVER by Donna Grant

  KAYDEN/SIMON by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  STRUNG UP by Lorelei James

  MIDNIGHT UNTAMED by Lara Adrian

  TRICKED by Rebecca Zanetti

  DIRTY WICKED by Shayla Black<
br />
  THE ONLY ONE by Lauren Blakely

  SWEET SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION FOUR

  ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING by Kristen Ashley

  ADORING INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  SWEET RIVALRY by K. Bromberg

  SHADE'S LADY by Joanna Wylde

  RAZR by Larissa Ione

  ARRANGED by Lexi Blake

  TANGLED by Rebecca Zanetti

  HOLD ME by J. Kenner

  SOMEHOW, SOME WAY by Jennifer Probst

  TOO CLOSE TO CALL by Tessa Bailey

  HUNTED by Elisabeth Naughton

  EYES ON YOU by Laura Kaye

  BLADE by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON BURN by Donna Grant

  TRIPPED OUT by Lorelei James

  STUD FINDER by Lauren Blakely

  MIDNIGHT UNLEASHED by Lara Adrian

  HALLOW BE THE HAUNT by Heather Graham

  PRINCE ROMAN by CD Reiss

  THE BED MATE by Kendall Ryan

  DIRTY FILTHY FIX by Laurelin Paige

  NO RESERVATIONS by Kristen Proby

  DAWN OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION FIVE

  BLAZE ERUPTING by Rebecca Zanetti

  ROUGH RIDE by Kristen Ashley

  HAWKYN by Larissa Ione

  RIDE DIRTY by Laura Kaye

  ROME’S CHANCE by Joanna Wylde

  THE MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT by Jennifer Probst

  SURRENDER by Elisabeth Naughton

  INKED NIGHTS by Carrie Ann Ryan

  ENVY by Rachel Van Dyken

  PROTECTED by Lexi Blake

  THE PRINCE by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  PLEASE ME by J. Kenner

  WOUND TIGHT by Lorelei James

  STRONG by Kylie Scott

  DRAGON NIGHT by Donna Grant

  TEMPTING BROOKE by Kristen Proby

  HAUNTED BE THE HOLIDAYS by Heather Graham

  CONTROL by K. Bromberg

  HUNKY HEARTBREAKER by Kendall Ryan

  THE DARKEST CAPTIVE by Gena Showalter

  Also from 1001 Dark Nights:

  TAME ME by J. Kenner

  THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice

  SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair

  TEMPT ME by J. Kenner

  Sign up for the 1001 Dark Nights Newsletter

  and be entered to win a Tiffany Key necklace.

  There's a contest every month!

  Click here to subscribe.

  As a bonus, all subscribers can download FIVE FREE exclusive books!

  Table of Contents

  Book Description

  About Corinne Michaels

  Also from Corinne Michaels

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  Dedication

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights

  Foreword

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Epilogue

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Six

  Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights

  Discover More Corinne Michaels

  An excerpt from Beloved by Corinne Michaels

  Special Thanks

  One Thousand and One Dark Nights

  Once upon a time, in the future…

  I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.

  I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and

  the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast

  library at my father’s home and collected thousands

  of volumes of fantastic tales.

  I learned all about ancient races and bygone

  times. About myths and legends and dreams of all

  people through the millennium. And the more I read

  the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered

  that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually

  become part of them.

  I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher

  and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I

  would not be telling you this tale now.

  But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off

  with bravery.

  One afternoon, curious about the myth of the

  Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to

  see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar

  (Persian: شهريار, “king”) married a new virgin, and then

  sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written

  and I had read, that by the time he met Scheherazade,

  the vizier's daughter, he’d killed one thousand

  women.

  Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived

  in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged

  places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had

  never occurred before and that still to this day, I

  cannot explain.

  Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have

  taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can

  protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

  protect herself and stay alive.

  Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.

  And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

  point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.

  And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

  he might hear the rest of my dark tale.

  As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new

  one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before

  you now.

  Chapter One

  Gretchen

  “What do you mean you’re not coming?” I scream into the receiver at my what-should-be husband.

  “I can’t marry you,” Harold tells me.

  My eyes fill with angry tears. “You decided this now?” I shriek.

  It’s my wedding day.

  Well, it was supposed to be. Harold—which is the worst name in existence when you’re in the throes of passion—apparently has decided it won’t be.

  An hour late, I might add. I’m here, at the church, in my nine-thousand-dollar wedding dress that I saved for. Without a groom.

  I’m going to kill him.

  My voice drops eerily soft. “Whatever the hell the issue is, we can deal with it tomorrow, Harold. You can’t do this to me. You get your ass to this church and you marry me.”

  He sighs. “I can’t do it. I can’t, Gretchen. I had an epiphany last night.”

  An epiphany? How rich. “Was it that you’re a dickhead who was going to destroy the woman who stood by you the last seven-fucking-years?”

  “I’m saving you.”

  Now I’ve heard it all. “Saving me, my ass!” I scream. “You will not do this to me. You won’t make me a jilted bride! I won’t let you.” My two best friends, Catherine and Ashton, share a look as they stand in their rose gold colored bridesmaids dresses.

  Harold goes silent and then I hear someone in the back. “It’s for the better. We never should’ve done this. You’re my associate at the firm and if we do this, it will destroy both of our careers.”

  A tear falls down. I’m so angry. I’m so betrayed by him. Seven years we’ve been sneaking around. I was his “Secret Slut” as I called myself. At first it was exciting. The sneaking around, late-night office romps, the little touches we’d share knowing that later we wouldn’t have to slow down.

  Then it became impossible. I wanted to go to him when a case went bad, but I couldn’t because h
e was my boss. Gossip in the office became much more than harmless chatter, so we pulled back even more.

  Finally, two months ago, he’d had enough of me complaining and threatening to end things. He proposed and said he wanted to marry me immediately. That if we were married, I could take equal part in the firm and finally stop having to hide our relationship.

  My chest rises and falls because now, there’s no going back. People know. People are here to witness this, and now I’ll be the “left-at-the-alter lawyer.”

  Fuck him.

  “This is only better for you.” My voice is loud, as I no longer have any control. “You are the only person this benefits, you tiny-dick bastard! You were supposed to marry me! You were supposed to finally take me out of the damn hole you threw me in when you slept with me seven years ago.”

  “Gretch?” Catherine asks softly and I glare at her. The three of us have been friends since grade school. She puts her hands in the air, knowing there’s no way I can even remotely stop now. I’m livid.

  Ashton giggles. “This is so going to be good.”

  “You suck as a lawyer!” I continue my tirade, deciding that it’s time to let him know what a favor I was doing him all these years. “You suck as a lover! I faked an orgasm at least half the time and I hope your balls shrivel up. Oh,” I huff. “One more thing, I quit and I hope you lose every damn case I was working on!”

  I hang up the phone, throwing it across the room and shattering it into hundreds of pieces. Ashton gives a slow clap. “That...was impressive.”

  “Oh my God.” I grip my throat. “Did I just quit my job?”

  Catherine takes a step forward. “Yeah, babe.”

  There’s a knock on the door and Jackson peeks his head in. “So, I tried to cover the yelling up with music, but...”