Bachelor Unbound Read online

  Is an abduction gone wrong...

  their chance for love?

  International jeweler and sought-after bachelor Zion Blackstone felt an instant connection to Celine Michaels when he designed a unique gemstone for her. When she shows up at his house in Rome claiming kidnappers are after her, he offers the Hollywood producer’s daughter his protection...and passion. But a shocking revelation could upend his once-in-a-lifetime chance with Celine...

  Celine knew they were swimming in forbidden waters the moment his tongue touched hers, but she was drowning in everything there was about Zion.

  Things she had tried ignoring and failed miserably. As their tongues tangled, every part of her body seemed to be on some kind of sexual high. Not only was her pulse leaping furiously, but currents that felt like a multitude of itsy-bitsy shock waves began plummeting through her.

  There had to be a reason her body was so greedy for Zion’s attention. Due to her busy work schedule at Second Chances, she hadn’t had much of a social life for a long time. The only person she’d been going out with was Nikon, and he was the last person she wanted to know about her business. He wouldn’t hesitate to rush and tell her father everything.

  But at this moment, she didn’t want to think about Nikon, her father or her charity. She just wanted to concentrate on the mouth that was expertly kissing hers.

  Dear Reader,

  At long last, Zion Blackstone takes center stage. Is he ready? No, he’s not, but it’s time for him to find love just like his five godbrothers have. When I first started the Bachelor in Demand series I wanted you to know Uriel, Virgil, Winston, Xavier, York and Zion as well as I did. I wanted you to understand the reason they had formed the Guarded Hearts Club, and why I decided to dismantle it—one bachelor at a time. Now it’s time for me to tell the story of the last man standing, none other than Zion Blackstone.

  Zion has made a set of rules. And he refers to them as Zion Rules. He thinks the only way to assure his happiness is to diligently follow them. He doesn’t intend to let any woman tempt him into breaking them. Zion isn’t prepared for the likes of Celine Michaels. And he is surprised when she proves to him that some rules are worth breaking. Some rules are worth getting unbound.

  I hope all of you enjoy reading Zion and Celine’s story.

  Happy reading!

  Brenda Jackson

  Bachelor Unbound

  Brenda Jackson

  Brenda Jackson is a New York Times bestselling author of more than one hundred romance titles. Brenda married her childhood sweetheart, Gerald, and has two sons. She lives in Jacksonville, Florida. She divides her time between family, writing and traveling. Email Brenda at [email protected] or visit her on her website at brendajackson.net.

  Books by Brenda Jackson

  Harlequin Kimani Romance

  Forged of Steele

  Hidden Pleasures

  Possessed by Passion

  A Steele for Christmas

  Private Arrangements

  * * *

  Bachelors in Demand

  Bachelor Untamed

  Bachelor Unleashed

  Bachelor Undone

  Bachelor Unclaimed

  Bachelor Unforgiving

  Bachelor Unbound

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.

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  Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

  —1 John 3:18

  To the man who will forever be the love of my life and the wind beneath my wings, Gerald Jackson, Sr.

  To all my readers who have waited patiently for Zion’s story, this book is for you.

  To my sons, Gerald Jr. and Brandon. Please continue to make me and your dad proud. I love you guys.

  To my family and friends who continue to support me in all that I do.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  Excerpt from A Los Angeles Rendezvous by Pamela Yaye

  Chapter 1

  Los Angeles, California

  “Where the hell are you, Z?”

  Zion Blackstone waited in Baggage Claim for his luggage to appear on the conveyor belt. Once his flight from Rome had landed, getting through Customs had been a monumental nightmare. “I’m in the States.”

  “I know that. But where?” York Ellis asked in a tone that suggested he had every right to know Zion’s whereabouts.

  “Just landed in LA and I’m still at the airport,” Zion said, glancing around at all the travelers hurrying to and fro.

  “What are you doing in Los Angeles?”

  Zion could easily tell York that he’d gotten one question answered and not to try his luck for two, but figured it wouldn’t do any good. He had five godbrothers, and Zion was used to them trying to keep up with him. That was the price you paid when you were the youngest in the group.

  Most of his friends knew the story of how over forty years ago, while attending college at Morehouse in Atlanta, six guys had become best friends. On graduation day they had made a pact to stay in touch by becoming godfathers to each other’s children, and that the firstborn sons’ names would start with the letters U through Z. And that was how Uriel Lassiter, Virgil Bougard, Winston Coltrane, Xavier Kane, York Ellis and Zion Blackstone had come to have their names and their connections. From the time they were babies it had been drilled into them that as godbrothers they were to have each other’s backs.

  York was an ex-cop turned high-tech security expert and was programmed to ask a lot of questions. And unfortunately for Zion, York was the most overly protective of the godbrothers. Zion recalled that when he’d made the decision to travel abroad for a year, it had been York who’d taken it upon himself to join him. At the time both Zion and York had demons to fight, and instead of staying put and dealing with them, they’d hauled ass. After that year York had returned to the States ready to get his shit together and conquer his demons, but Zion wasn’t ready. Now, eight years later, he still wasn’t ready.

  “Z?”

  Zion figured if he didn’t answer York, he would eventually get calls from U, V, W and X, namely Uriel, Virgil, Winston and Xavier. Over the years, he and his godbrothers had shortened their names for each other to just the first letter. Whenever they used the full first name it was a strong indication they were getting annoyed or already there.

  “The reason I’m in LA, York, is because I’m on my way to the home of Levy Michaels.”

  “Levy Michaels, the actor?”

  “Yes.” And because he knew what York’s next question would be, he said, “He’s commissioned me to design a unique set of jewelry for his daughter’s twenty-fifth birthday.”

  “Celine Michaels?”