Take the Bride: A Knight Brothers Novella Read online

  Take the Bride

  A Knight Brothers Novella

  By Carly Phillips

  1001 Dark Nights

  Take the Bride

  A Knight Brothers Novella

  By Carly Phillips

  1001 Dark Nights

  Copyright 2019 Carly Phillips

  ISBN: 978-1-948050-96-8

  Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose

  Published by 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

  Take the Bride by Carly Phillips

  A Knight Brothers Novella

  From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carly Phillips comes a new story in her Knight Brothers series…

  She used to be his. Now she’s about to marry another man.

  Will he let her go … or will he stand up and take the bride?

  Ryder Hammond and Sierra Knight were high school sweethearts. Despite him being her brother's best friend, their relationship burned hot and fast…and ended with heartbreak and regrets.

  Years later, she’s at the altar, about to marry another man.

  He’s only there for closure, to finally put the past behind him.

  But when the preacher asks if anyone has a reason the couple shouldn’t wed, she turns around and her gaze locks on his.

  Suddenly he’s out of his seat.

  Objecting.

  Claiming.

  And ultimately stealing the very pissed off bride and takes her to a secluded cabin.

  He wants one week to convince her they’re meant to be, to remind her of the fiery passion still burning between them.

  When their time together is up, will she walk away and break his heart this time, or will he finally have the woman he's wanted all along?

  **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 Carly Phillips

  Carly Phillips gives her readers Alphalicious heroes to swoon for and romance to set your heart on fire, and she loves everything about writing romance. She married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her three crazy dogs: two wheaten terriers and a mutant Havanese, who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram. She has raised two incredible daughters who put up with having a mom as a romance author. Carly is the author of over fifty romances, and is a NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller. She loves social media and interacting with her readers. Want to keep up with Carly? Sign up for her newsletter and receive TWO FREE books at www.carlyphillips.com.

  Also from Carly Phillips

  Click to purchase

  The Knight Brothers

  Take Me Again

  Take the Bride

  Take Me Down

  Dare Me Tonight

  Rosewood Bay

  Fearless

  Breathe

  Freed

  Dream

  Bodyguard Bad Boys

  Rock Me

  Tempt Me

  His to Protect

  Dare to Love Series

  Dare to Love

  Dare to Desire

  Dare to Touch

  Dare to Hold

  Dare to Rock

  Dare to Take

  Dare NY Series (NY Dare Cousins)

  Dare to Surrender

  Dare to Submit

  Dare to Seduce

  Billionaire Bad Boys

  Going Down Easy

  Going Down Hard

  Going Down Fast

  Going In Deep

  Hot Zone Series

  Hot Stuff

  Hot Number

  Hot Item

  Hot Property

  Lucky Series

  Lucky Charm

  Lucky Streak

  Lucky Break

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  Thank you Liz Berry and MJ Rose for making a dream come true. I’m thrilled to be part of the 1,001 Dark Nights family. It’s truly an honor to be among such amazing talent and company. I’m so grateful!

  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

&
nbsp; 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

  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

  Also from 1001 Dark Nights:

  TAME ME by J. Kenner

  THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice

  SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair

  TEMPT ME by J. Kenner

  Sign up for the 1001 Dark Nights Newsletter

  and be entered to win a Tiffany Key necklace.

  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 Carly Phillips

  Also from Carly Phillips

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights

  Foreword

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Epilogue

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Six

  Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights

  Discover More Carly Phillips

  Take Me Down by Carly Phillips

  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 One

  A cellist played Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” as Sierra Knight’s bridesmaids, her maid of honor, and the flower girl made their way down the aisle in a large church located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

  Sierra couldn’t see the procession but she’d been at the rehearsal, and she knew what was happening in the sanctuary of the church. From behind closed doors, where she stood with her oldest brother, Ethan, the deep strains of the string instrument reverberated around her, her heart beating hard and fast in her chest.

  She smoothed a hand down her fit-and-flair style wedding gown with lace and beading that she’d loved the moment she’d slid it on. The cathedral-length veil in tulle was matched by the long train flowing behind her. She’d never felt more beautiful… or more nervous.

  “Are you sure this is what you want?” Ethan asked, obviously reading her nerves as he put a hand on her trembling arm. “The car’s out front, the engine’s running,” he said, half joking, but she heard the serious note in his voice.

  As her oldest brother, he was the father figure she’d always needed since their own parent never lived up to the role. Although Alexander Knight was sitting in one of the pews up front with wife number four, he wasn’t the man Sierra wanted walking her down the aisle. He hadn’t earned that honor nor had he seemed insulted that he hadn’t been asked to play the traditional role.

  She thought about Ethan’s question, swallowed hard, and nodded. “Jason is a great guy,” she said, meaning every word.

  She’d been with Jason Armstrong, a lawyer, for over a year and she knew him well. They’d met through friends and begun dating soon after. He had a calming presence and he catered to her every desire. He was a kind, decent man.

  “I know I’ll have a good life with him,” she reassured her brother, glancing at his strong jaw, which he’d set as he narrowed his gaze.

  “I married a woman I thought I knew,” Ethan said, digging into his own pain to make sure Sierra was okay. “Mandy wasn’t who I believed she was. I just want you to be sure you want to marry him.”

  Ethan had recently lost his wife to an accidental drug overdose, then gone on to find out she’d been having an affair and stealing from the family company to subsidize her drug addiction. He was not only grieving, he was coming to terms with the betrayal.

  But his words now were coming from an honest and good place, one of love. “Don’t get me wrong,” he continued. “I like Jason. We all do,” he said, referring to her two other brothers, Parker and Sebastian. “But are you passionately in love with him?”

  She did her best not to blush at the question asked by her brother. He pushed the point, forcing Sierra to wonder if Ethan saw something in her relationship she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge.

  But she shook her head, ignoring the sudden burning behind her eyes. “Not everyone gets passion, Ethan. It’s fine,” she said softly. “I’ll be fine.” So why did she have a case of anxiety? Why was her chest weighty and heavy?

  The music transitioned from Vivaldi to t
he more traditional “Here Comes the Bride,” and Sierra drew a steadying breath.

  It was time.

  The heavy wooden doors were opened, and beyond her veil, she faced the room full of family and friends who stood as one, the sounds of them shifting positions echoing in the large room.

  With Ethan by her side, she began the long walk down the aisle, taking her time as she’d been instructed at rehearsal. She looked at the familiar faces around her, some of whom she worked with at Knight Time Technology, where she was head of the Social Media Division, some who were extended family, others friends from high school and college.

  As she approached the front rows, her gaze landed on the one man she shouldn’t think about today.

  Ryder Hammond.

  Her brother Sebastian’s best friend.

  Her high school boyfriend.

  Her first love.

  She swallowed over the sudden lump in her throat, unable not to compare his rugged good looks to the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle. Jason, lean and handsome in his tuxedo, his blond hair neatly trimmed, his face perfectly shaved, his gaze patiently on hers.

  Then there was Ryder. His jet-black hair was too long to be considered neat, but it suited his sexy features, as did the stubble he hadn’t shaved on his face. His suit jacket fit him perfectly, accentuating muscles he’d achieved by working in construction when, at this point in his career, he could sit behind a desk if he chose. He liked to build with his hands. Hands she was intimately familiar with, and at the thought, her nipples tightened beneath her dress.

  His green eyes locked on hers, a wave of what looked like longing flashing in his gaze. She could once read every emotion on his face, but she didn’t know now whether it was her mind conjuring what she wanted to see or whether desire was, in fact, what he was thinking and feeling now. They both knew that a big wedding had once been their dream. Or at least it had been the fantasy she’d woven for them both and he’d let her.