![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.xpressobooktours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/07\/1-WYB-e1651165533964.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Watch Your Back<\/strong> Even perfect neighborhoods have deadly secrets.<\/strong><\/p>\n Ariana and Damon moved to the gated neighborhood of Rosy Hills to leave behind their traumatic pasts. Now they have their dream jobs and are part of a tight group of friends. All of that crumbles when their neighbor Rita disappears without a trace.<\/p>\n Now it looks like one of their own could be a killer. Ariana and Damon must figure out who it is, or they risk never finding Rita alive. If they don\u2019t reach her in time, they could all<\/em> end up dead\u2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Goodreads<\/a> \/ Amazon<\/a> \/ Barnes & Noble<\/a> \/ iBooks<\/a> \/ Kobo<\/a> \/ Google Play<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n EXCERPT:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cRita, where are you?\u201d he called.<\/p>\n She readied herself to run again.<\/p>\n His footsteps sounded close. \u201cReady or not, here I come.\u201d<\/p>\n She held her breath. Waited.<\/p>\n Had to get the shoes off.<\/p>\n \u201cRita\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n A shiver shot down her spine.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t hide forever,\u201d he said, now sounding farther away.<\/p>\n Stomach lurching, she peeked around the corner.<\/p>\n He neared the swings, his back to her.<\/p>\n She loosened the buckle on her right pump. It stuck. Resisted.<\/p>\n Footsteps grew closer.<\/p>\n Now he was heading her way.<\/p>\n She froze. Tried to fix her buckle. Fumbled.<\/p>\n \u201cThere you are!\u201d<\/p>\n Heart nearly giving out, she turned.<\/p>\n He stood halfway between the playground and her.<\/p>\n Rita leaped to her feet and ran. Her right shoe clung to her foot loosely, the buckle not fully undone. Made it hard to remain steady. She kicked, trying to free herself from it.<\/p>\n Finally lost it as she darted between bushes. Rough bark dug into her bare foot. Then concrete as she reached the sidewalk. Her hips protested the three-inch difference between her two feet, one shoed and the other not.<\/p>\n \u201cGotcha!\u201d His arms wrapped around her middle. He squeezed.<\/p>\n She struggled and kicked, barely able to breathe. \u201cHelp! I\u2019m being\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n He covered her mouth.<\/p>\n She bit his finger.<\/p>\n He swore at her. Didn\u2019t let go. Pulled her back toward the park.<\/p>\n Rita squirmed and flailed. Scratched at him.<\/p>\n She wasn\u2019t going down without a fight.<\/p>\n They flew to the ground.<\/p>\n She landed with a hard thud.<\/p>\n He crashed on top of her.<\/p>\n She pushed and strained to get out from under him.<\/p>\n \u201cThis could\u2019ve all been avoided,\u201d he grunted. \u201cI only wanted to talk.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCould\u2019ve fooled me.\u201d She tried to push him off.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you see we\u2019re meant for each other?\u201d<\/p>\n Rita almost laughed at the irony of his words. \u201cThis is your way of winning me back?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to see the obvious.\u201d<\/p>\n The truth was clearer now than before. But pointing that out wouldn\u2019t do any good. Just needed to get away. Get her phone back and call the cops.<\/p>\n Had to think fast.<\/p>\n \u201cYou think we can work things out?\u201d she asked, and stopped resisting.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re willing to change.\u201d He loosened his hold.<\/p>\n She bit back a sarcastic retort. Needed to get him to move off her. \u201cWhat do you want me to do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to stop flirting with guys at the bar, for starters,\u201d he said, giving her more space.<\/p>\n Not enough to run.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s talk about that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n He rolled off her and started to say something.<\/p>\n Rita jumped up and ran.<\/p>\n He called after her.<\/p>\n She raced to the park. Through it.<\/p>\n He screamed profanities at her, getting closer.<\/p>\n She yelled for help. For all the good that would do.<\/p>\n Her restaurant came into view.<\/p>\n All she needed was to get to her car. Her fingerprint would start it. Thank God for technology. She\u2019d lost her keys and purse somewhere along the way. Hadn\u2019t even noticed when.<\/p>\n She reached her property.<\/p>\n Something hard struck the back of her head.<\/p>\n Rita flew forward. Landed hard on the ground, her car just out of reach.<\/p>\n Another hit to the head.<\/p>\n Everything went black. Author Bio:<\/p>\n Stacy Claflin is a USA Today bestselling thriller author who has published more than 75 novels, including Girl in Trouble and The Perfect Death. She has always been curious about the human mind, and in her quest to learn more, she earned a degree in Psychology. Her favorite course was Abnormal Behavior, which has been useful in writing fiction.<\/p>\n Her love for thrillers goes back to her early childhood when she fell in love with Unsolved Mysteries and America\u2019s Most Wanted. When Stacy was five, she got mad at a babysitter who wouldn\u2019t let her watch the evening news. These days, she spends her free time listening to true crime podcasts or watching documentaries on the subject.<\/p>\n She has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, and as child would often get into trouble for trying to convince friends her wild tales were true. Now she puts her creativity to better use by writing page-turning stories that leave readers begging for more.<\/p>\n Stacy occasionally dabbles in other genres, so as you peruse her library of works, you\u2019ll find some romance and paranormal tales, all with strong suspense elements.<\/p>\n Join Stacy’s newsletter to get three free novels: https:\/\/stacyclaflin.com\/newsletter<\/p>\n Website<\/a> \/ Goodreads<\/a> \/ Facebook<\/a> \/ Twitter<\/a> \/ Instagram<\/a> \/ Newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n GIVEAWAY!<\/strong>
\nStacy Claflin<\/strong>
\n(Ariana Jones, #1)
\nPublication date: May 22nd 2022
\nGenres: Adult, Thriller<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.xpressobooktours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/07\/Stacy.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
\na Rafflecopter giveaway<\/a>
\n