Begin Again: A Stay Novella Read online

  Begin Again

  A Stay Novella

  By Jennifer Probst

  Begin Again

  A Stay Novella

  By Jennifer Probst

  1001 Dark Nights

  Copyright 2020 Triple J Publishing Inc

  ISBN: 978-1-970077-72-8

  Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose

  Cover photo credit © Annie Ray/ Passion Pages

  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

  Begin Again

  A Stay Novella

  By Jennifer Probst

  From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Probst comes a new story in her Stay series.

  Chloe Lake is finally living her dream. As the daughter of the governor, she’s consistently in the spotlight, and after being dubbed the Most Eligible Bachelorette of NYC, both her career and personal life has exploded. Fortunately, her work as an advocate for animal welfare requires constant publicity and funding, so she embraces her role and plays for the camera—anything for the sake of her beloved rescues.

  But when a big case is on the line, she’s faced with the one obstacle she never counted on: the boy who broke her heart is back, and in order to gain justice, they need to work together.

  Chloe swears she can handle it until old feelings resurface, and she’s faced with a heartbreaking choice.

  Will this time end differently—or are they destined to be only each other’s first love—instead of forever?

  Owen Salt fell hard for Chloe when he was a screwed-up kid in college, and spent the next years changing himself into the man his grandfather believed he was capable of. But when his career led him across the country, he knew he needed to leave the woman he loved behind. He’s never forgotten her, but as the new darling of the press, now she’s way out of his league. When work brings him back to fight for justice by her side, he swears he can handle it.

  But he’s never really gotten over his first love—and he wants one more opportunity to prove he’s a man who’s worthy.

  Can Owen convince the woman who holds his heart to take a second chance on forever—or is it too late for them both?

  **For fans of Jennifer Probst’s Stay series, Begin Again is book five in that series.**

  **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 Jennifer Probst

  Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She holds a masters in English Literature and lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York. Her family keeps her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. Her passions include horse racing, Scrabble, rescue dogs, Italian food, and wine—not necessarily in that order.

  She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, spent 26 weeks on the New York Times. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over a million copies, and was dubbed a “romance phenom” by Kirkus Reviews. She is also a proud three-time RITA finalist.

  She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.

  Also From Jennifer Probst

  Click to purchase

  The Stay Series

  The Start of Something Good

  A Brand New Ending

  All Roads Lead to You

  The Sunshine Sisters

  Love on Beach Avenue

  Temptation on Ocean Drive

  The Billionaire Builders

  Everywhere and Every Way

  Any Time, Any Place

  All or Nothing At All

  Somehow, Some Way

  Searching for Series:

  Searching for Someday

  Searching for Perfect

  Searching for Beautiful

  Searching for Always

  Searching for You

  Searching For Mine

  The Marriage to a Billionaire series:

  The Marriage Bargain

  The Marriage Trap

  The Marriage Mistake

  The Marriage Merger

  The Marriage Arrangement

  The Books of Spells

  Executive Seduction

  All the Way

  The Sex on the Beach Series:

  Beyond Me

  Chasing Me

  The Hot in the Hamptons Series:

  Summer Sins

  The Steele Brother Series:

  Catch Me

  Play Me

  Dare Me

  Beg Me

  Reveal Me

  Dante's Fire

  The Grinch of Starlight Bend

  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

  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

  DIRTY FILTHY FIX by Laurelin Paige

  THE BED MATE by Kendall Ryan

  NIGHT GAMES by CD Reiss

  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

&
nbsp; 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

  SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS by Jennifer Probst

  BLOOD NIGHT by Heather Graham

  TWIST OF FATE by Jill Shalvis

  MORE THAN PLEASURE YOU by Shayla Black

  WONDER WITH ME by Kristen Proby

  THE DARKEST ASSASSIN by Gena Showalter

  Discover 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

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  Table of Contents

  Book Description

  About Jennifer Probst

  Also from Jennifer Probst

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights

  Dedication

  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

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Seven

  Discover More Jennifer Probst

  An excerpt from Something Just Like This by Jennifer Probst

  Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights

  Special Thanks

  Dedication

  For all the employees and volunteers who work at animal rescue and welfare organizations. You believe all animals deserve to be safe and loved and back up your beliefs by action.

  And for all the people fighting for animal rights – the belief that animals have the right to be free from exploitation, domination, and abuse by humans.

  Thank you all for making a difference.

  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

  “We have an issue.”

  Chloe Lake glanced up from her buried desk and gave a sigh. Vivian was technically her boss, but they’d worked side-by-side the past year and emerged with both respect and a strong friendship. Of course, they had the same goal, but Chloe had observed a tangle of relationships in animal rescue organizations that were sometimes unhealthy. She’d learned a majority of people who fought for animal welfare didn’t like humans, which was a bitch when dealing with politicians, lobbyists, PR companies, and the public.

  Thank God, Chloe had learned young how to shine both in the spotlight and behind the scenes. It was probably why she’d risen up the ranks at Advocates for Animals and would soon take over Vivian’s job when she left for a bigger position.

  “We always have issues. If we were in a romantic relationship, we’d be in therapy,” Chloe said.

  Vivian grinned. Her trademark black pantsuit confirmed she’d been in meetings today. If she was with her animals, she wore jeans and a T-shirt. “Funny, Lake. But I’m not talking about us. I’m talking about this clusterfuck from the Spagarelli case. They dropped the suit.”

  Shock barreled through her. The hoarding case had been in the papers and their organization had stepped in to provide safe shelter for almost fifty dogs and cats hoarded and abandoned in a private home of horror. To Chloe, it’d been a tight case. “How?” she asked.

  “Prosecutors are overloaded and they couldn’t get enough for the judge to warrant a conviction. The real problem is the Spagarellis can turn around and just do it again.”

  Frustration and a simmering fury threatened, but her consistent practice of keeping her emotions stable helped ward off trouble. Vivian had no qualms about losing her temper, sometimes quite publicly, but it was part of her make-up and passion for the job. With her petite stature, waterfall of dark hair and gorgeous almond shaped eyes, she looked like a delicate piece of china ready to please.

  Until she opened her mouth.

  Vivian used her appearance like a weapon, taking her opponents off-guard with her ruthless focus, stubbornness, and raw honesty. Chloe had immediately experienced a girl crush the moment she stopped being intimidated.