SNAKE Read online

  Snake

  A Forsaken Riders Standalone MC Romance

  Book 20

  Samantha Leal

  Copyright ©2018 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of 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.

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  Introduction

  Thank you so much for purchasing my Novellete. All of my stories also contain bonus stories, so please take a look at the other stories I offer here. Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter for updates and free books!

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  The Forsaken Riders are:

  King (Book 1)

  Lynx (Book 2)

  Steel (Book 3)

  Gunner (Book 4)

  Hawk (Book 5)

  Bull (Book 6)

  Stag (Book 7)

  Stick (Book 8)

  Decker (Book 9)

  Ax (Book 10)

  Hunter (Book 11)

  Rocket (Book 12)

  Diesel (Book 13)

  Breaker (Book 14)

  Flash (Book 15)

  Hammer (Book 16)

  Brick (Book 17)

  Chains (Book 17)

  Ranger (Book 18)

  Also by Samantha…

  The Lost Creek Shifters

  The Lost Creek Shifters series is a collection of novelette length standalone Bad boy romances that fit together to tell the longer story of the ancient tale of the bear and wolf shifters in a small mountain town. Enjoy!

  ARLO (Book 1)

  SCAR (Book 2)

  BLU (Book 3)

  BODHI (Book 4)

  KODHI (Book 5)

  …and also from Totally Romance…

  STONYBROOKE SHIFTERS

  DADDY SHIFTER’S VIRGIN

  A SECRET BABY FOR THE SHIFTER

  THE SHIFTER’S MAIL ORDER VIRGIN

  DADDY SHIFTER’S FAKE FIANCE

  THE SEAL SHIFTER’S SECRET BABY

  CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA DADDY

  NANNY TO THE SHIFTER

  THE SHIFTER PROTECTOR’S VIRGIN

  SECOND CHANCE WITH THE SHIFTER

  OAK MOUNTAIN SHIFTERS

  HER BILLIONAIRE SHIFTER BOSS

  HER SECRET PROTECTOR BEAR

  A SECRET BABY FOR DADDY BEAR

  And we would also love it if you would

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  Table of Contents

  1.

  2.

  3.

  4.

  5.

  6.

  7.

  8.

  9.

  10.

  11.

  12.

  Collections

  Lost Creek Shifters

  Stonybrooke Shifters

  Oak Mountain Shifters

  Time Travel Romance

  Dragon Shifter Romance

  Highlander Time Travel Romance

  The Runes of Argyll Trilogy

  MC Romance

  Billionaire Romance

  1.

  The air in the auditorium was stifling. But Sarah couldn’t tell whether it was because of the heat outside, or the fact that she was nervous as hell.

  She stopped for a moment and took a breath, before she looked up toward the ceiling and at the artificial light being beamed down on her. She fanned her face and swallowed.

  She knew she could do this.

  There was no question about it.

  But she had always been the kind of girl who let her nerves overrule her from time to time.

  She counted to ten slowly, before she looked back down at the test paper in front of her, and all the letters seemed to swim together and blur on the page. She had spent the past four years working so hard for this moment, and now, the pressure seemed to be mounting so much, she actually didn’t know if she was going to be able to go through with it.

  Would she be able to finish and move forward with her life and career? Or was she going to fall at the last hurdle and slink away with her tail between her legs?

  You’re built of sterner stuff, she assured herself with a wry little smile. Nothing is going to stop you now.

  She cleared her throat and rolled out her shoulders, then she reached back for her pen and twiddled it between her fingers. All she had to do was answer the best she knew how, and then she could walk out of there and never look back.

  She would have finally done it.

  She would have completed her law degree.

  As the idea began to sink in, she felt a new wave of optimism and confidence rise within her, and she began to write down her answers as quickly and as perfect as she could.

  By the time the two hours had passed, she was checking over her paper for the third time, and was perfectly sure, she had smashed it. She had written strong and true, and her knowledge was really shining through in each essay.

  She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, she had done it.

  As she scooped up her bag and slung it over her shoulder, she wrapped her arms around herself and smiled.

  It was all going to be worth it.

  And now, it was time to throw one hell of a party.

  ***

  The floor vibrated underneath her feet as she sat on her bed and painted her nails the pearliest pink she could find.

  Out in the hallway, she could hear the carnage beginning, girls and guys from her building were all starting the party early, and they were drinking beer, doing shooters, and playing truth or dare all out in the corridors, and spilling down onto the paths below that led out to the quad.

  Sarah looked around her room and smiled, a pang of nostalgia twisting somewhere in her belly.

  She only wished Nicole was there to experience all of this with her. But her best friend, it seemed, had another calling.

  Sarah and Nicole had started college together their very first day on campus, and had bonded fast. They had been thrown together as roommates, but had bonded over so much more, and they had quickly become the best of friends. Sarah had really taken to her major, and had enjoyed everything about campus life. But Nicole had struggled to find pleasure in her studies, and she had always hung back when it came to trying to push herself forward. She had other dreams pulling at her, and she finally decided it was time to quit law school and follow her passions.

  Sarah had helped her friend make the break from campus life, and she had helped her, alongside her brother, forge an elaborate plan to ensure Nicole received her trust fund, and therefore was able to start her new life as a design studio founder.

  When Sarah looked back on their crazy plans and escapades, it almost seemed too crazy to be true. But it had all happened, and it had all worked out for the best. Sarah’s brother Ranger had pretended to be Nicole’s fiancé, and they had duped her parents into believing they were in love.

  Sarah was as surprised as anyone when it transpired that, in the end, they weren’t joking.

  Her best friend and her brother had fallen madly in love over the course of one weekend, back at Nicole’s parent’s home. And they had been inseparable ever since.

  Sarah smiled as she remembered how excited Nicole had been when she had told her. She had looked so happy and full of life, it was a completely different side of her, and Sarah couldn’t help but feel full of love for them as a couple.

  They were clearly making each other very happy.

  When Nicole had left campus, Sarah had never been assigned a new roommate, which suited her just fine, as there wouldn’t have been another g
irl who could have filled Nicole’s shoes… but at this particular moment, when she was getting ready for the party of the year alone, all she wanted was her best friend back by her side.

  She reached for her cell phone and opened up a message, typing a quick text….

  S: Finals are over and now it’s time to P-A-R-T-Y ! You’re being missed girl! I’ll be in touch when I decide where to go next in life! Love you, S x

  She pressed send and sipped her drink. She was already a little giddy. The nerves from earlier in the day and the fact that she had barely eaten, was making it easy for her to get more tipsy than normal from one half glass of wine.

  She crossed the room and stood in front of her full-length mirror and checked out her outfit.

  She looked good in what she had chosen, and she was sure she was bound to make an impression with the guys on campus.

  While Sarah had been studying, dating had been the last thing on her mind, and she had actively avoided men for her entire college career. But now that she was free of the shackles of homework, projects, and early morning lectures, she was more than ready to get back into the game.

  Even if she had completely forgotten what to do!

  She nipped in her waist with her hands and turned from side to side, lifting her heel slightly and showing off her long, perfectly tanned legs. She had opted for a glittering gold mini skirt, and a tight little black cashmere sweater. She slipped her feet into her dainty black court shoes and grinned at her reflection. She looked glowing and ready for action.

  It had been such a long time since she had let her hair down, she literally couldn’t wait to get out there and enjoy one of her final nights there on campus. It was the end of an era, and she was going to miss the place with all her heart. But at the same time, she was really looking forward to seeing where life took her next.

  She reached for her purse and slipped in some cash and her make-up, before she pouted in her mirror one last time and flicked her hair.

  “Come on then, missy,” she coached herself. “Let’s do this!”

  She grabbed her keys and headed for the door, the whole time, a huge swell of excitement building within her.

  She opened the door and entered the throng of guys and girls that were hanging around, slipping back drinks and cheering to celebrate the end of their finals.

  “Hey, Sarah!” Kiki, one of the girls, called to her. “Come on over here, we’re about to head down to the bar!”

  She smiled and headed over to the crowd, before she linked arms with the girls and began to walk down the stairs toward the main door of her building. The night was already full of promise and good vibes, and she was so looking forward to seeing how it would all pan out.

  “How did you find that last exam?” Kiki asked her as they trotted down the steps and onto the pathway that led across the quad.

  “I froze at first,” Sarah admitted. “But once I calmed myself down, I pretty much breezed through it. I just hope this isn’t all false confidence!”

  “I’m sure it won’t be,” Kiki laughed. “You’ve been the star student since day one.”

  “I hope so…” she smiled. “I guess all we can do now is wait…”

  “It sure is,” Kiki said as she pulled her arm in tighter. “And party!”

  “Hell yes,” Sarah grinned.

  They walked on toward the noise of the student bar, and it was a strange feeling to know that this could well be one of the last nights she spent on campus, not to mention it was most certainly the last time she would be heading out to party with her friends.

  It had been a good four years, and it had changed her life in so many ways. And now that it was coming to the end, she couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.

  They stepped into the bar, and Sarah felt the rush of adrenaline course through her. This was the first time in a long time where she had actually been able to relax and enjoy herself, so she was determined to savor every moment.

  Kiki skipped across to the bar and leaned over to flirt with the guy who was serving. She asked for two beers then draped one of the bottles behind her, over her shoulder to Sarah, and Sarah reached out and took it. She had a swig before she looked around, the beer was warm and not at all enjoyable, and she cast her mind back to her hometown.

  When she had left there the last time, she had been certain she was unlikely to return. She had big plans for her future, and she had always harbored a secret desire to set up life in the city permanently and get a job at one of the state’s leading law firms.

  However, as time had passed, there was a part of her that craved the security and stability of small town life.

  And Slate Springs, well, it had that in abundance.

  She smiled.

  Even Nicole had ended up in Slate Springs, against all the odds.

  Privileged Nicole and all of her options, and yet, she had chosen to move to a small desert town and set up home with Sarah’s brother.

  The concept still bamboozled her at times.

  She found herself sighing as she looked around the student bar. It was a strange realization, but a very stark one… There was not a whole lot left there for Sarah now. She had outgrown that campus, and she had outgrown the friends she had made on it. She would always be fond of Kiki and the girls, but she knew they weren’t going to be with her throughout her life. Not like Nicole.

  She swigged the beer again and tried not to gag.

  It was so warm, and so thick.

  She remembered back to her hometown and all the bars they had along Main Street. To the way the people of Slate Springs took pride in their work and would never dream of serving someone a warm, flat beer.

  They were the kind of values Sarah had found herself craving all over again.

  She was longing for a way of life that she had once been desperate to escape from, and yet, she wasn’t about to admit it, even to herself.

  “Come on,” Kiki called over to her. “Let’s dance.”

  Sarah smiled and nodded, and let Kiki drag her over to the dancefloor. It was suddenly the last thing she wanted to do, but it was supposed to be a celebration, after all, and she had been so looking forward to partying the night away.

  As Kiki twirled her into the crowd, Sarah let her head fall back and she shook her hips, grinding along to the music, and finally, after all the tension that had been running through her for the past few months, she began to unwind and relax.

  She closed her eyes and moved to the beat of the music, and she felt the shine of the different colored lights move all over her. Kiki spun her around and around, and the girls giggled as they bumped into each other and flirted with guys who were trying to get in on their action, only for the two girls to dismiss them.

  “They’re way too geeky for us,” Kiki laughed as she shook her head.

  “I wouldn’t say no to a bit of geek,” Sarah winked.

  And she realized it had been so long that she would be hard pushed to say no to anything. She laughed to herself and felt herself blush a little as she swigged from her beer.

  She motioned to the bar and called to Kiki to tell her that she would go to get them another drink, before she started to make her way through the crowds toward the counter.

  She leaned over and waited for the barman to see her. The whole place was heaving and the crowds of people that were all trying to buy drinks were surging and pushing her closer and closer to the counter. She rolled her eyes and pressed her palms against it to steady herself, and then she was sure she felt the familiar sensation of her cellphone vibrating in her purse as it slapped against her side.

  She maneuvered her way out of the crowd and dipped into one of the side hallways, out of the throngs of people and into the dark quiet. She reached into her purse and saw the screen on her phone illuminated, and her heart nearly skipped a beat with happiness when she saw who was calling her…

  “Nicole!” she beamed as she pressed answer and held the phone to her ear. “Oh my god, how are you?” she grinned.


  “Hey, girl,” Nicole’s chirpy voice came from the other end of the line. “I’m good, how are you?”

  “Oh, you know,” Sarah laughed. “I’m a little bit tipsy in the student bar… Missing you like mad and wishing you were here to celebrate with me!”

  “Oh, I know,” Nicole said with genuine emotion. “You have no idea how much I wish I could be there too.”

  “Well, we’ll have plenty of time to catch up soon, I’m sure. Especially now that I’ve finished my finals.”

  “Well done,” Nicole said. “I’m so proud of you. There’s no way I could have ever finished, so you’ve done us both proud.”

  When she said both, Sarah couldn’t help but stifle a giggle. It still felt so strange to know that her best friend and her brother had ended up together. She was still getting her head around it in certain ways, but she also knew it was great for everyone.

  “Aww,” Sarah beamed. “Well, thank you.”

  The line went quiet, and she lifted the phone from her ear to check that Nicole was still there.

  “Nicole?” she asked.

  The silence continued, and suddenly, Sarah felt a knot of anxiety. It was a weird time for Nicole to call, and she knew Sarah would have been out celebrating….

  Something must be wrong.

  “Oh my god,” she asked, breathlessly. “What’s happened? Are you okay?”

  Nicole stayed silent for a moment longer before she sighed, and Sarah heard her brother Ranger in the background tell her to continue.

  “Go on,” he whispered.

  Sarah heard Nicole open and close her mouth.

  “Well… we have something to tell you,” Nicole said. Her voice faltered, and she sounded scared to death.

  Sarah closed her eyes and breathed in and out slowly. She had no idea what was coming, but she knew she had to brace herself and prepare for the worst.

  “We’re getting married.”

  Nicole’s words seemed to echo as they found their way from somewhere out in the desert, down the phoneline, and into Sarah’s ear.