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  Rafe

  An Arizona Vengeance Novella

  By Sawyer Bennett

  Rafe: An Arizona Vengeance Novella

  By Sawyer Bennett

  Copyright 2020

  ISBN: 978-1-970077-68-1

  Published by 1001 Dark Nights Press, an imprint of 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

  Rafe: An Arizona Vengeance Novella

  By Sawyer Bennett

  From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett comes a new story in her Arizona Vengeance series…

  I was living my dream until one phone call changed everything.

  As the second line center for the Arizona Vengeance, my mind has been on one thing—helping my team bring home a championship. But that all changed when I found out my dad had cancer and only months to live. In that moment, nothing mattered more than getting home to North Carolina to be by his side. That meant asking for the unthinkable—a trade to the Carolina Cold Fury.

  Now I’m home and when I’m not on the ice with my new team, I’m helping care for my dad. And in the midst of my grief, I find comfort from the one person I never expected.

  Calliope Ramirez stole my heart at a very young age. The beautiful, smart, headstrong girl next door, she was my first… everything. She has never forgiven me for leaving her, believing that I chose hockey over a future together. What she doesn’t understand is that every decision I made was for her, and I’ve never given up hope that one day we’d be together again.

  Watching my dad slip away is a harsh reminder of how short life can be, and having Callie by my side makes me realize I was a damn fool before. That changes starting right now. Calliope Ramirez is mine and I’m not going to waste the second chance that I’ve been given.

  **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 Sawyer Bennett

  Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released multiple books, many of which have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.

  A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

  Sawyer likes her Bloody Marys strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active daughter, as well as full-time servant to her adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or even better, both.

  Sawyer also writes general and women’s fiction under the pen name S. Bennett and sweet romance under the name Juliette Poe.

  For more information visit https://sawyerbennett.com

  For a complete list of books available from Sawyer Bennett, please visit: https://sawyerbennett.com/bookshop/

  Also From Sawyer Bennett

  Arizona Vengeance Series

  Bishop

  Erik

  Legend

  Dax

  Tacker

  Dominik

  Wylde

  Jameson Force Security Series

  Code Name: Genesis

  Code Name: Sentinel

  Code Name: Heist

  Code Name: Hacker

  Code Name: Ghost

  Wicked Horse Vegas Series

  Wicked Favor

  Wicked Wish

  Wicked Envy

  Wicked Choice

  Wicked Wedding

  Wicked Knight

  Wicked Angel

  Wicked Secret

  Cold Fury Hockey Series

  Alex

  Garrett

  Zack

  Ryker

  Hawke

  Max

  Roman

  Lucas

  Van

  Reed

  Marek

  Sugar Bowl Series

  Sugar Daddy

  Sugar Rush

  Sugar Free

  Love Hurts Series

  Sex in the Sticks

  Jilted

  Wicked Horse Series

  Wicked Fall

  Wicked Lust

  Wicked Need

  Wicked Ride

  Wicked Bond

  Off Series

  Off Sides

  Off Limits

  Off the Record

  Off Course

  Off Chance

  Off Season

  Off Duty

  Last Call Series

  On the Rocks

  Make It a Double

  Sugar on the Edge

  With a Twist

  Shaken Not Stirred

  Legal Affairs Series

  Legal Affairs

  Confessions of a Litigation God

  Friction

  Clash

  Grind

  Yield

  Sexy Lies and Rock & Roll

  The Pecker Briefs

  Standalone Books

  The Hard Truth About Sunshine

  If I Return

  Uncivilized

  Love: Uncivilized

  Finding Kyle

  Atticus

  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<
br />
  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

  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

  COLLECTION SIX

  DRAGON CLAIMED by Donna Grant

  ASHES TO INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  ENSNARED by Elisabeth Naughton

  EVERMORE by Corinne Michaels

  VENGEANCE by Rebecca Zanetti

  ELI’S TRIUMPH by Joanna Wylde

  CIPHER by Larissa Ione

  RESCUING MACIE by Susan Stoker

  ENCHANTED by Lexi Blake

  TAKE THE BRIDE by Carly Phillips

  INDULGE ME by J. Kenner

  THE KING by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  QUIET MAN by Kristen Ashley

  ABANDON by Rachel Van Dyken

  THE OPEN DOOR by Laurelin Paige

  CLOSER by Kylie Scott

  BLOOD NIGHT by Heather Graham

  TWIST OF FATE by Jill Shalvis

  MORE THAN PLEASURE YOU by Shayla Black

  SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS by Jennifer Probst

  WONDER WITH ME by Kristen Proby

  THE DARKEST ASSASSIN by Gena Showalter

  From Blue Box Press:

  TAME ME by J. Kenner

  TEMPT ME by J. Kenner

  DAMIEN by J. Kenner

  TEASE ME by J. Kenner

  REAPER by Larissa Ione

  THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice

  SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair

  THE LAKE OF LEARNING by Steve Berry and MJ Rose

  THE MUSEUM OF MYSTERIES by Steve Berry and MJ Rose

  Sign up for the 1001 Dark Nights Newsletter

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  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 Sawyer Bennett

  Also from Sawyer Bennett

  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

  Epilogue

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Seven

  Discover More Sawyer Bennett

  An excerpt from Wylde by Sawyer Bennett

  Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights

  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 1

  Rafe

  Raleigh, North Carolina—the City of Oaks. I’m home, and this homecoming sucks.

  This is where I was born and raised, but right now, I have no sense of welcome. Instead, with a sense of dread, I traverse the airport terminal with the other passengers who just deplaned the direct flight from Phoenix.

  Four days ago, I was
a member of the Arizona Vengeance hockey team and scored the game-winning goal against the L.A. Demons to secure our number one playoff spot. Life was great.

  Three days ago, my father called me with the devastating news that he had pancreatic cancer and was dying. He had weeks left, at most.

  Two days ago, I asked Dominik Carlson—owner of the Arizona Vengeance—to trade me, release me...whatever. Just let me get back home to Raleigh to be by my dad’s side for as long as he had left.

  One day ago, I said goodbye to my team. My brothers. My hockey family.

  Today, I’m home, and I’m not ready for any of this.

  I’m sure it’s inconceivable to many that I would ask to leave the Vengeance when they are poised to make history as the first expansion team to have the talent and depth to win a Cup championship. But not one of my teammates made me feel a fool for my decision. They all stood by me in solidarity and support. Dominik—as he insists everyone call him—pulled magical strings with the Cold Fury management and almost overnight, I had a new team.

  With that news, I realized I was going to my hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina, to play—and watch my father die at the same time.

  Yesterday, I attended a party at Dominik’s home. Even though I was officially off the roster, I still felt very much a part of the Vengeance family. Still do, for that matter, even though I’m officially a member of the Carolina Cold Fury now. Those bonds won’t be broken so easily, but I truly understand that my loyalty is now with my new team. I’m sure new bonds will form.

  I know it may still be up for debate in Vegas and among sports experts, but in my heart, I know I’ve left behind a team that has an indescribable magic to their unity. It’s something I’ll probably never see again in my career, and that makes me sad. It’s a sense of loss I’m trying to process, right along with the one I’m about to suffer soon with my dad.

  So here I am, stepping foot onto the small escalator heading upward that will deposit me outside the secure portion of the terminal and at the foot of another escalator that descends right back down to baggage claim. I packed a large suitcase full of clothes and essentials to get me through until the movers can get here with my stuff next week.