To tame the beast...or set him free?
Pro hockey player Thom The Beast Quinn is the teams bad boythe street kid who hit pay dirt when he learned to shoot a puck. But when his reputation gets a little too naughty for the teams liking, they give him a warning: shape up, or be benched. And the one calling the penalties is none other than sexy Malin Pederson, the bosss daughter.
In her head, Malin knows that if she can reform Thom Quinn, her future with the team will be set. But her body urges her to indulge in the kind of wicked pleasure that only the sexy athlete can provide. And in her heart, Malin realizes that this is a man she cant walk away from, even if it costs her everything...
Praise for Kate Hoffmanns The Mighty Quinns
[Kate] Hoffmann always brings a strong story to the table with The Mighty Quinns, and this is one of her best.
RT Book Reviews on The Mighty Quinns: Eli
The [Aileen Quinn storyline] ends as it began: with strong storytelling and compelling, tender characters who make for a deeply satisfying read.
RT Book Reviews on The Mighty Quinns: Mac
[Hoffmanns] characters are well written and real. The Mighty Quinns: Eli is a recommended read for lovers of the Quinn family, lovers of the outdoors and lovers of a sensitive man.
Mills & Boon Junkie
A winning combination of exciting adventure and romance... This is a sweet and sexy read that kept me entertained from start to finish.
Mills & Boon Junkie on The Mighty Quinns: Malcolm
This is a fast read that is hard to tear the eyes from. Once I picked it up I couldnt put it down.
Fresh Fiction on The Mighty Quinns: Dermot
As usual, Hoffmann has written a light yet compelling tale with just enough angst and long-term background story to provide momentum for the next member of the Quinn family we are most certainly going to meet.
RT Book Reviews on The Mighty Quinns: Ryan
Dear Reader,
When I was a child, my father would regularly spin wonderfully colorful stories for me and my three younger siblings. On Saturday mornings, wed crawl into bed with my parents and my dad would recollect the time my mother (always the intrepid heroine of these tales) went big-game hunting in Africa or rode an elephant across the Alps.
Is this where I got my storytelling talents? Im not sure. But I know its where I got my love for the tradition of a well-told tale. My second novel for Mills & Boon, published twenty years ago, was a takeoff on the Cinderella fairy tale. And now, eighty-five stories later, Im about to tell another tale, this one based on Beauty and the Beast.
The Quinns are back for another trilogy, featuring beastly heros! I hope youll enjoy!
Happy reading,
The Mighty Quinns: Thom
Kate Hoffmann
www.millsandboon.co.uk
KATE HOFFMANN lives in southeastern Wisconsin with her books, her computer and her cats, Princess Winifred and Princess Grace. In her spare time she enjoys sewing, baking, movies, theater and talking on the phone with her sister. She has written nearly ninety books for Mills & Boon.
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Contents
Cover
Back Cover Text
Praise for Kate Hoffmanns The Mighty Quinns
Dear Reader
Title Page
About the Author
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Extract
Copyright
Prologue
HES GONE! And hes not coming back!
Shut up, Thom! Just shut your mouth. His older brother, Tristan, glanced over at the youngest boy in the trio, Jamie. Jamies eyes swam with tears and Thom cursed himself. The three boys were so close in age that he often forgot that James was still dealing with the fears of a seven-year-old.
Thom reached out and grabbed Jamies hand, giving it a squeeze. Well be all right. Were better off without him. He was just an old drunk who couldnt keep a job.
Dont say that, Tris warned. He was our da and we shouldnt talk like that.
Thom wanted to clock his brother. Tristan was almost two years older than Thom, and he understood the reality of their situation. But ulike Thom, Tris was trying to stay positive, hoping that it might keep their mother from losing herself at the bottom of a bottle of vodka.
Life had never been easy for the three Quinn boys, but Thom knew it was about to get worse. It had begun to unravel three or four years ago, when their da had lost his job. Denny Quinn had started drinking and gambling away the small paycheck their mother brought in. Their parents started fighting more, and a once happy family began to fall apart.
But it hadnt been too terrible until two weeks ago. Until their father had gone out for a pack of cigarettes and hadnt come back. A policeman had come to the door, and Thom had overheard what the man had said to his maDenny had been killed during a botched armed robbery, trying to make a getaway after grabbing a wad of cash from an open register.
At least he wont have to worry about money for food, Thom muttered. Like they did.
What? Tris asked.
Nothing, Thom replied. Its almost dinnertime. Im going to go out and get us something for supper.
His gaze met Tristans and there was a silent agreement between them. Whatever Thom had to do to feed the family was all right. With his mother rarely getting out of bed these last two weeks, it had fallen to him to find food for them. Sometimes he could shoplift enough to feed the four of them. Or hed find some discarded food in the Dumpster behind a restaurant or grocery store. Occasionally hed panhandle, but any cash he acquired was saved for other necessities.
What if Da doesnt come back? Jamie asked. Thom hadnt been able to bring himself to tell his youngest brother the truth.
Instead, he patted his little brother on the shoulder. Dont worry. Me and Tris will always be around. Well take good care of you and Mum. I promise.
Thom grabbed his jacket and headed to the door of their apartment. The world outside was dangerous, but hed grown up on the streets. He knew how to get along, how to avoid trouble. And he wasnt afraid to stick up for himself.
He pulled his hood over his head and kept to the shadows, alert for any trouble coming his way. Hed learned the Italian restaurant down the block was a usually a good stop, especially after nine, when the kitchen closed. Leftover pizza, garlic bread, even cold pasta provided a filling meal.
The alley was silent when he arrived. He grabbed an old crate and boosted himself into the Dumpster, searching for a container for his takeout meal. Hed just found a whole pepperoni pizza, only slightly burnt, when the sound of a car engine caught his attention.
He risked a glance out of the bin, then cursed softly. Cops, he murmured.
A moment later, someone stepped out the back door of the restaurant. Hes in there now, the man shouted.
Just step back, sir, the officer called as he stepped out of the police car.
Thom tucked the pizza box under his arm and, in one quick move, leaped out of the Dumpster. He hit the ground running. The two men rushed at him, but by the time they crashed into each other, he was halfway down the alley.
He turned to face them, then bent down and grabbed a brick, heaving it at the police car. When it crashed through the rear window, Thom shouted, Fuck you! With that, he dashed onto the street, increasing his speed until his lungs burned and he could barely catch his breath.
He could circle back to the grocery store and see if he could snatch a quart of milk or a couple of cans of soda, or he could go home where hed be safe. Jamie needed the milk, and maybe if his ma had soda, she wouldnt drink the vodka. Thom decided to stash the pizza behind the newspaper box outside a nearby convenience store, then reached for the change in his pocket. It was always best to buy something in the store if he was planning to steal something.
He smiled at the clerk as he walked inside, but the teen barely noticed him, his attention fixed on a small television. Maybe he wouldnt have to buy anything after all. Thom kept his eyes on the other shoppers. He managed to stash the milk, a box of lemonade mix and a block of cheese before he decided to leave.
He walked to the counter and when the clerk turned to him, he smiled again. My mom wants me to get organic peanut butter. I cant find it.
We dont have it, the kid said. Try the grocery store on the next block.
Thanks, Thom said. He strolled casually to the door, then stepped outside. An instant later, someone grabbed his arm. Thom spun around, throwing his fist out. But he wasnt quick enough. The cop snapped his handcuffs on Thoms wrist.
Fuck me? the cop said with a laugh. Not tonight, buddy. Not tonight.
1
JUST LET ME do all the talking. If they ask you a direct question, keep your answer short and to the point. Dont try to make excuses. No sarcasm. No attempts at humor. Just be humble and repentant.
Thom Quinn shifted in the front seat of his agents Porsche, trying to find a comfortable position for his six-foot-three-inch frame. What do you think theyre going to do?
Considering your past indiscretions, Jack Warren said, I think theyre going to come down hard. At least a suspension. Maybe a trade.
Thom had played professional hockey for Minneapolis his entire career. A first-round draft pick, hed spent only one season on their Iowa farm team before being called up late in the year for the playoffs and hadnt looked back. By most standards, he was a star, the kind of player who filled a crucial role in the success of a team. A defensive power who could play both ends of the ice, scoring goals for the Blizzard and blocking shots from the opposing teams.
His on-ice performance had never been in question. Hed exceeded what had been asked of him. But off the ice...he couldnt seem to meet the league standard.
And his latest escapade, three nights before, had been meticulously documented. There were photos of him playing blackjack with two Las Vegas strippers at his side, one of him in a limo with plenty of booze and naked flesh and a cadre of friends. One of those friends had betrayed him, selling the photos to a tabloid television show. The pictures had then quickly spread throughout the media.
Can you make this right? Thom murmured.
You dont make it easy, Jack said, shaking his head. Youre twenty-seven years old. Its time to grow up, Tommy.
What the hell did that mean? He was on top of his game. He had plenty of cash to spend. Why couldnt he cut loose and enjoy himself now and then? He wasnt breaking any laws. There had been a few scuffles with angry fans and aggressive photographers, a few bitter ex-girlfriends with stories to tell, but hed always managed to smooth out any problems hed had with a contrite apology and a generous offer of cash.
Why did he feel the need to push the boundaries of proper behavior? The marketing machine that ran the Minnesota Blizzard had always sold Thom Quinn as a bad boy, a guy who grew up on the streets and came by his tough exterior the hard way. His nickname was The Beast. Theyd created this persona for him, yet theyd never given him a rulebook. How far was too far? Apparently what hed just done.
But he couldnt leave Minnesota. His family was here and he couldnt abandon them. I dont want a trade, Thom said. Promise them whatever they want. Ill take a salary cut. Ill go to rehab. Just make this go away.
Ive heard this all before, Jack said. Remember last year when you slept with your teammates ex-girlfriend?
Theyd broken up, Thom said.
Alex is your teammate. Did it occur to you what a fight between you might do to the team? Everyone choosing sides? You never think things out, Thom.
So Im socially insecure, he replied, an edge of sarcasm in his voice. I make rash decisions. I constantly try to sabotage myself. I could write a book. Im sure several of those therapists the team hired have written books about me. Ive been told Im fascinating material.