Ash Rising by Melissa Fox - Excerpt and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Melissa will be awarding an ebook copy of Ash Rising and a $20 gift certificate to Amazon or Starbucks (Winner's Choice) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Infiltrating an international drug cartel is the dangerous chance of a lifetime for Asher Beaulieu of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Falling in love while running the op isn’t part of the plan, but he never had much use for plans anyway. Shrouded in deception and surrounded by temptation, his charmed life explodes in betrayal and tragedy.

Ash rises from the flames a guarded, wary shadow of his former self. His past comes to revisit him, along with an annoying American DEA agent, who forces Ash to reclaim his courage and character before facing another chance at love—and an even deadlier threat.

DEA Special Agent Emmaline Justice is determined to be recognized for her work, not her sex. She doesn’t have time for an intriguing, wounded RCMP inspector. When the contacts she cultivated over long months of an international undercover investigation keep showing up dead, Emma must use her instincts as both an agent and a woman to determine Beaulieu’s role in the case and in her life.

One woman tore him apart. Another is brave enough to put him back together—if his past doesn’t kill him first.

Enjoy an exclusive excerpt:

“I didn’t kill anyone, Pete. If I did, it would have been a lot more gruesome and definitely more painful. And no one would ever find the bodies.”

Pete scowled and heaved a breath, hands on hips. “You can’t say things like that, Ash, not now, not even joking. Both Salvatores are suspected of direct involvement with the bombing and your parents’ murder. You have good reason to want them dead.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Ash tightened his jaw, the ache in his left arm an indication he’d done the same with his fists. He flattened his palms on the top of his thighs and sucked in a slow, careful breath. “You think I haven’t figured that out already?”

“Has anyone considered maybe someone is after Ash? They’re either trying to set him up or might come after him next?” Andy’s quiet voice eased the tension between Ash and his boss. “You were part of Salvatore’s intimate circle for a while. If someone’s after them, they might come after you.”

Ash got to his feet and stalked over to the narrow window. He was silent for a moment, and then his shoulders sagged as he sighed.

“Yeah. I’ve thought of that. I’ve thought about how people close to me might be in danger again.” He glared unseeing out onto the street, refusing to look at Andy. He couldn’t look at Andy. “We’ve got to find who killed Rico and Gina. We’ve got find out before they start moving from the criminals to my friends again.”

About the Author: After being rationed books by my parents like most kids get rationed candy, I turned to writing to tide me over between fixes. I love to get lost in a captivating, exhilarating story, whether reading or writing. Nothing is better than being drawn into a story so deeply you don't realize you're turning a page until you've reached the end, and the characters live on in your heart and mind long after the cover has been closed.

Having lived in the suburbs of the Mid-West, desert of the Southwest, and foothills of the Rocky Mountains, I’m now on an island in the Puget Sound with my husband and dogs.

Website: http://melissa-fox.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelissaFoxWords
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaFoxWords
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6565801.Melissa_Fox
Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Fox/e/B009YC0ERO
Blog: http://fightforyourwrite.com
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