Books like 'Contempt'
Readers who enjoyed Contempt by A. Zavarelli also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance mystery action / adventure amnesia military dark suspense angst enemies-to-lovers
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The Wrecked One by Brittney Sahin
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsOne moment. One decision. Will change everything. I’ve spent my life chasing stories and mysteries, as well as running from love. I’ve also come face-to-face with evil before. Felt its breath on my skin and survived.But nothing could prepare me for that one day when my life changed. Impossible choices and unbearable sacrifices were made, and evil still won...Categorized as:
military suspense friends-to-lovers slow-burn forced-proximity romance contemporary writer -
![Broken Vow: A Dark Mafia Romance by Sophie Lark]()
Broken Vow: A Dark Mafia Romance by Sophie Lark
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsI’ll Protect Her… Whether She Likes It Or Not. Riona Griffin is gorgeous, intelligent, and iron-willed. My perfect woman, except she hates my guts.She thinks she doesn’t need anybody. But she needs me.She’s being hunted by an assassin who never misses his mark.I’m going to stay by her side, day and night, keeping her safe...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc dark enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military slow-burn -
![The Man from Sanctum by Lexi Blake]()
The Man from Sanctum by Lexi Blake
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA painful pastDeke Murphy and Maddie Hall should never have worked as a couple in high school. She was the class valedictorian and he the jock who took nothing seriously…except her. Together they formed an amazing team, and young love blossomed into something that strengthened them both. Until tragedy struck and Deke made a sacrifice that split them up forever...Categorized as:
dark forced-proximity friends-to-lovers military steamy suspense action-adventure adult -
![The Dom Identity by Lexi Blake]()
The Dom Identity by Lexi Blake
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA man with everythingMichael Malone seems to have it all. A wealthy, loving family. A job that fulfills him. Friends he can count on. But something is missing. He’s spent years watching his brother and close friends get married and start families, but it hasn’t happened for him. When an assignment comes up to investigate fallen Hollywood star Vanessa Hale, he jumps at the chance... -
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![Unraveled by Helen Hardt]()
Unraveled by Helen Hardt
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsRyan Steel and Ruby Lee are in love, but before they can move forward with a life together, they’re determined to bring resolution to the many unanswered questions they still face. To complicate matters, new threats arise with the arrival of two startling figures from their pasts. As they race against time to find answers, unexpected forces pull them apart... -
![Buttons and Shame by Penelope Sky]()
Buttons and Shame by Penelope Sky
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsTristan is one of my biggest clients. He always pays on time, and he always keeps his word. But this time, he's short on cash. He needs the shipment now, so he offers me collateral. He loans me his slave. Adelina. Now that pearl and I are so close, I can't condone this type of exchange. It's wrong. Inhumane. But she wants me. I can tell. And I definitely want her... -
![Conquered by Riley Edwards]()
Conquered by Riley Edwards
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDylan Welsh was the last man standing…until Sawyer Glasgow brought him to his knees.Dylan wasn’t ready for Sawyer. He wasn’t ready to confront the truth of his past. He wasn’t ready to admit he’s fallen in love with the sweet, sexy woman who captivated him from the moment he saw her. He’s especially not prepared to face the hurt he’s caused Sawyer. But to keep her, he must do all three... -
![Maximus by Riley Edwards, Operation Alpha]()
Maximus by Riley Edwards, Operation Alpha
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhat happens when a woman who’s done the unthinkable needs protection—can a man who’s lost his belief in humanity keep her safe? Max Brown doesn’t trust anyone but his team. The former SEAL learned early in life that people let you down—they lie, they steal, and they lie some more. Love is a word that is used to manipulate. Family is meaningless. Max is an island and he prefers it that way... -
![A Dead Man's Pulse by Samantha A. Cole]()
A Dead Man's Pulse by Samantha A. Cole
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMarine First Sergeant Logan “Cowboy” Reese was rescued hours before he would’ve met the same fate as his five murdered teammates in Afghanistan. Returning to the US and civilian life hadn’t been part of his plans at this stage of his career, but dealing with PTSD forced his hand... -
![Leo by Maryann Jordan]()
Leo by Maryann Jordan
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe had no complaints… Great job, great boss, great co-workers. And a best friend he’d known for years.Okay, almost no complaints… The women he dated paled in comparison to his best friend.She had a lot of complaints… A job she hated, a tyrant for a boss, working with people that got on her last nerve. And no time for love. Plus, the guys she dated couldn’t come close to her best friend...Categorized as:
military suspense friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance mystery action-adventure small-town -
![Trusting Cassidy by Susan Stoker]()
Trusting Cassidy by Susan Stoker
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn this final installment of New York Times bestselling author Susan Stoker’s Silverstone series, a battle-scarred assassin must rescue an old flame from ruthless drug lords.What was supposed to be a short trip to Jamaica becomes a years-long nightmare as Cassidy Hewitt and her son fall into the grip of an infamous drug kingpin... -
![Finding Kenna by Susan Stoker]()
Finding Kenna by Susan Stoker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAfter jumping into a canal to save a man’s life, only to find out that he was a Navy SEAL not in the need of saving, Kenna and Marshall “Aleck” Smart hit it off.Aleck is intrigued by the bubbly waitress who almost landed on his head during a training exercise, and after getting to know her better, is thrilled they’ve hit it off so well...Categorized as:
billionaire friends-to-lovers military slow-burn suspense action-adventure adult book -
![Debase by Rachel Van Dyken]()
Debase by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Rachel Van Dyken, comes the final book in the Eagle Elite Series and the first new book in the Elite Bratva Brotherhood...With blood on my hands, I held her. With death in my soul, I took from her. With the devil in my heart, I coveted her.There're many definitions of Hell. My list was exhaustive, my definitions tragic...Categorized as:
dark enemies-to-lovers forbidden-love forced-proximity kidnapping slow-burn steamy suspense -
![The Protector by Anna Hackett]()
The Protector by Anna Hackett
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFor a ballerina in the line of fire, the only man who can keep her safe is a scarred, battle-hardened soldier.One minute Saskia Hawke is dancing on stage, and the next she’s been abducted by a very wealthy, very powerful man with connections. Whisked away to a country estate, she’ll do anything to escape, and prays the former soldier she can’t stop thinking about will come to rescue her...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc dark family friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military suspense -
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![Bound by Aleatha Romig]()
Bound by Aleatha Romig
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWith more revealed, what does that mean for the future? From New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a brand-new dark romance trilogy bringing us back to the same dangerous underworld as WEB OF SIN. You do not need to read the Web of Sin trilogy to get caught in this new and intriguing saga, Tangled Web... -
![The Rebel Billionaire by Ivy Layne]()
The Rebel Billionaire by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWe said we could do casual. We swore we wouldn’t fall in love. We lied. Charlie I didn’t buy my house just so I could stare at the guy next door. I swear. It’s not my fault he mows the lawn with his shirt off. His tattooed muscles are an eye magnet. I can’t look away. The first kiss is an accident. One taste and I have to have more. We were supposed to keep it casual... -
![Engaging the Billionaire by Ivy Layne]()
Engaging the Billionaire by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIf we can’t outrun the past, we won’t have a future. The rock on her hand is real, but our engagement is a fake. Once upon a time, I dreamed of buying her a ring, until everything blew up in my face. That was the past, and this is business. At least, it is until I kiss her. It's supposed to be part of the act — and it is — right until my lips touch hers. I forget where we are...Categorized as:
billionaire dark enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity military steamy suspense action-adventure -
![Remy by Elle James]()
Remy by Elle James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRetired Navy SEAL Remy Montagne left the Navy to take on a career where he could make a difference. After a short vacation to his old hometown of Bayou Mambaloa and a casual hookup with local woman, Shelby Taylor, he joins Hank Patterson’s Brotherhood Protectors in Montana... -
![Finding Lexie by Susan Stoker]()
Finding Lexie by Susan Stoker
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLexie Green hasn’t thought about Pierce Cagle in years. So when the popular boy she knew in high school shows up in the middle of the Somali desert, part of the SEAL team rescuing her and a coworker from kidnappers, she’s more than a little shocked... -
![Copper by K. Webster]()
Copper by K. Webster
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom USA Today Bestselling Author K Webster, comes a new MC dark standalone novel!I’m a Fed.Rigid. Rule follower. One of the good guys. I uphold the law…when it suits me.My loyalty lies first with my brother, Koyn, and secondly with his motorcycle club.Jeremy Koynakov was the man I used to be. I’m Copper now. For a decade, I aided my brother in his quest for revenge. We thirsted for vengeance... -
![Serve 'N' Protect by Tee O'Fallon]()
Serve 'N' Protect by Tee O'Fallon
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAmbushed and left for dead, U.S. Secret Service K-9 Officer Markus York is on the mend and laying low in a safe house while his team tracks down his attacker. But Markus isn’t good at sitting still. Even with his K-9, Ghost, for company, he gets restless and decides now is the perfect time to do some repairs around the house…and inadvertently tears open his wounds...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military steamy suspense action-adventure adult -
![Black Velvet by Lynn Raye Harris]()
Black Velvet by Lynn Raye Harris
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe doesn’t believe in heroes anymore. He’ll prove her wrong. Mercenary Dax Freed would rather stride into the desert naked and covered in honey than pretend to be a reclusive romance novelist’s fake boyfriend, but nobody gave him the option. Roberta Sharpe writes about heroes for a living, but she already knows they don’t exist in real life... -
![Line of Resistance by Jemma Westbrook, Janice Whiteaker]()
Line of Resistance by Jemma Westbrook, Janice Whiteaker
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGetting stranded in the snow without cell service wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened to Eloise Rivers.Being saved by the man who’d led her on more than once was...Categorized as:
suspense military forced-proximity enemies-to-lovers slow-burn romance contemporary bodyguard -
![Out of Turn by Tiffany Snow, Angela Dawe]()
Out of Turn by Tiffany Snow, Angela Dawe
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsBreaking up is hard to do, as Kathleen Turner discovers. After a falling-out with her ex, high-powered attorney Blane Kirk, she’s moving on the best she can. Unfortunately, someone from her past is set on revenge and nothing short of killing Kathleen will stop them...Categorized as:
angst billionaire dark enemies-to-lovers family forbidden-love friends-to-lovers kidnapping -
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![Delicate Escape by Catherine Cowles]()
Delicate Escape by Catherine Cowles
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTrust doesn’t come easily when you’ve been running for as long as I have, which is why moving in with a man I barely know is such a bad idea.Shepard Colson is all golden-boy charm and devastating good looks. But I know what it’s like to be taken in by easy smiles and the promise of forever—I have the scars to prove it...Categorized as:
suspense forced-proximity friends-to-lovers slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc angst -
![Reluctantly Rescued by Ruth Cardello]()
Reluctantly Rescued by Ruth Cardello
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBradford has spent his life saving innocents, but there are some days he doesn't see much difference between himself and the criminals he takes out. His goal is to die doing something important.Until he meets Joanna and she turns his life upside down.Children's book author. Mini-horse rescue owner... -
![Ivy's Delta by Elle James]()
Ivy's Delta by Elle James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAfter years of resisting his teammates’ good intentions, big, bad and cranky Delta Force soldier, Magnus “Duff” McCormick, agrees to a blind date. Memories of his wife who died on their honeymoon derail his date with the beautiful redhead his friends introduce him to. When his date is attacked and almost stolen away, Duff comes to the rescue and sticks to her like glue, memories be damned... -
![Rocky Ground by Kaylea Cross]()
Rocky Ground by Kaylea Cross
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsShe’s been hurt too many times… Single mom Tiana Fitzgerald has sworn off all romantic relationships to protect herself and her daughter. Her track record is disastrous and she’s done getting hurt. But a certain sexy Scotsman in Crimson Point has other ideas, and somehow manages to sneak past her defenses at every turn... -
![Extreme Risk by Jane Blythe]()
Extreme Risk by Jane Blythe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCan she accept an offer of help from a patient she’s attracted to?Dr. Piper Hamilton is used to keeping on the fringes. She knows what it's like to be responsible for the death of someone you love and she'd do anything to protect herself from feeling that pain again... -
![I Can't Even by Lani Lynn Vale]()
I Can't Even by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEllodie Cassandra Solaire made a single, solitary New Year’s resolution.That resolution was set in stone, and she wouldn’t be breaking it, no matter what.It was simple: Say yes to every person who asks her out on a date until she finds a boyfriend.Easy, right?Wrong.She breaks that New Year’s resolution three months into the year after a guy gives her serial killer vibes... -
![The Reaper by RuNyx]()
The Reaper by RuNyx
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsWhat happens when the untameable wind and the endless sea collide in the dark of the night?Tristan ‘The Predator’ Caine had been unprepared for Morana Vitalio. After spending his entire life with a vow he broke on a rainy night, he finds himself torn in a battle between his painful past and an uncertain future. The only thing he knows? Her life still belongs to him...Categorized as:
angst cheerful-mc dark enemies-to-lovers forbidden-love forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine -
![Wrath's Storm: A Masters' Admiralty Novel by Mari Carr, Lila Dubois]()
Wrath's Storm: A Masters' Admiralty Novel by Mari Carr, Lila Dubois
Rated: 4.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDamn it! He’s a doctor, not a serial killer hunter. When a man they call the Viking walked into his clinic in rural Libya, the last thing Dr. Walt Hayden foresaw in his future was a wedding, a stalker, and a serial killer...in that order.Attending his brother’s wedding becomes the start of a journey across Europe in the company of Dr. Annalise Fischer and her bodyguard... -
![The Fallen One by Brittney Sahin]()
The Fallen One by Brittney Sahin
Rated: 4.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author Brittney Sahin, comes a sizzling love story between a morally gray hero who doesn’t believe in second chances, and the woman who will make him question everything. Five years ago, a phone call forever changed my life as I listened to my wife being murdered half a world away... -
![Legend by Marie James]()
Legend by Marie James
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI wouldn’t call it love at first sight, but my body definitely reacted when I saw her.Getting Faith Robbins under me became my obsession.I knew I wanted fast and done.It’s how I always did things.Looking for anything more with a woman was never in the cards.I wasn’t like the other guys in the Cerberus MC. I didn’t want more.It was physical, sating a desire... -
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![Rewrite the Stars by Charleigh Rose]()
Rewrite the Stars by Charleigh Rose
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsEvangeline Thorne is privileged. Beautiful and popular, if not a little jaded. A chance encounter with a green-eyed stuntman sets off a chain of events that turns her perfect, little world upside down. Short on options and desperate for adventure, she joins the traveling carnival for the summer...Categorized as:
angst dark enemies-to-lovers family forbidden-love forced-proximity friends-to-lovers slow-burn -
![The Five Minute Mistake by Hannah Shield]()
The Five Minute Mistake by Hannah Shield
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe's my instructor. He's off limits.And he's the twist I never saw coming.On paper, Nash Jennings is intimidating as hell. Former Navy SEAL, notorious loner, and the grumpiest sniper on the West Oaks SWAT team. But I don't buy it. I think he's actually a nice guy under that armor he wears, and I'm determined to draw him out. Make him my friend. Perhaps even make him smile... -
![Not Ready: Assurance Security Duet Part One by Jillian West]()
Not Ready: Assurance Security Duet Part One by Jillian West
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsVale Reed is doing the best she can.After a one-night stand gone wrong, she's pregnant and completely on her own. Cam shows and working full-time serving drinks helps stash away money for when she gives birth, but they also put her in the line of sight of a creep who wants her for his own. When he takes things too far, Vale has no choice but to run... -
![Bourbon & Lies by Victoria Wilder]()
Bourbon & Lies by Victoria Wilder
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn Fiasco, Kentucky, there is one rule: never fall for a Foxx brother. Any woman who did, ended up dead—or so the rumor goes. Townies call it a curse. But I’ve lived it, and I won’t survive it again.I’m not a cop anymore, but I’ve seen enough danger to know that Laney Young, the beautiful stranger who just showed up in my small town, is running from it... -
![When Heroes Fall by Giana Darling]()
When Heroes Fall by Giana Darling
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsI am the villain of my own story...Jilted by my fiance. A disappointment to my family. Haunted by my childhood traumas. I felt so much all my life that I resolved to feeling nothing at all. Until I met my match. As the most infamous mafioso of the 21st century, Dante Salvatore was madly passionate, unequivocally bad, and entirely too dangerous to know...Categorized as:
angst cheerful-mc dark enemies-to-lovers family forbidden-love forced-proximity grumpy-mc -
![One Bossy Dare by Nicole Snow]()
One Bossy Dare by Nicole Snow
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWall Street Journal bestselling author Nicole Snow returns with a howling funny office romance where two bitter insta-rivals stumble into the sweetest love.It was one little dare with razor-sharp teeth—work for him.Yes, he's a fire-breathing grump and gazillionaire bachelor.Yes, I just gave him an ego check he'll never forget.Yes, he's still offering me the job dreams are made of... -
![Things We Hide From the Light by Lucy Score]()
Things We Hide From the Light by Lucy Score
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsNash Morgan was always known as the good Morgan brother, with a smile and a wink for everyone. But now, this chief of police is recovering from being shot and his Southern charm has been overshadowed by panic attacks and nightmares. He feels like a broody shell of the man he once was. Nash isn’t about to let anyone in his life know he’s struggling... -
![Creeping Beautiful by J.A. Huss]()
Creeping Beautiful by J.A. Huss
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMcKAY I wasn’t the one who broke her but I played my part. She came to us when she was ten. I raised her. I loved her. I taught her how to survive in a world of evil men. But it wasn’t enough. ADAM I wasn’t the one who saved her but I did my best. She needed me as much as I needed her. Bought and paid for on the auction block. But not for the reasons you think. She was my weapon... -
![Blood & Rust by Cat Porter]()
Blood & Rust by Cat Porter
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe bad boy. The fuck up. The thief. That was me. Once a king, Now a wanderer. I'd thrown the best parts of me away, over and over again. I was reckless. Still am. I'd been exiled. Twice. I did my time. I've cleaned up. Well, sort of. I got plans. Yeah, good ones. Then I ran into her. A bolt of lightning Startling Unsettling Breathtaking Out of reach...Categorized as:
angst dark enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers kidnapping love-triangle slow-burn steamy -
![One Woman by Lisa Renee Jones]()
One Woman by Lisa Renee Jones
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe second book in the Naked trilogy... More information coming soon... -
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![Flynn by Nyssa Kathryn]()
Flynn by Nyssa Kathryn
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSome pasts are harder to escape than others.When Carina Murphy is accused of a crime she didn’t commit, a fresh start in a new town is her only option. Unfortunately, Cradle Mountain may not be the safe haven she’d thought. The son of her new patient may be tall, dark and handsome…but he also knows all about her past.Keeping her job should be the hardest part...Categorized as:
military enemies-to-lovers dark forced-proximity steamy suspense romance contemporary -
![The Hero She Craves by Anna Hackett]()
The Hero She Craves by Anna Hackett
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe last thing he expects on his ship is the off-limits woman he can’t stop thinking about—his best friend’s daughter.After a tough military career as a Navy SEAL, and a member of a covert Ghost Ops team, Lorenzo “Ren” Santoro now calls a research ship home. The ocean, very few people, and solitude…it’s all he needs...Categorized as:
suspense military forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance -
![Reckless Trust by Nyssa Kathryn]()
Reckless Trust by Nyssa Kathryn
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt’s a long-awaited homecoming…but not everyone’s happy about her return. Five years ago, Tilly Taylor’s father did something that cost her everything. Her home. Her friends. And all the trust she’d ever earned. Now she’s back, and ready to prove to everyone that she’s nothing like Martin Taylor. Unfortunately, the small town of Misty Peak doesn’t forgive or forget so easily...Categorized as:
suspense military enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc angst -
![Bennett Mafia by Tijan]()
Bennett Mafia by Tijan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThere were always whispers about my roommate at Hillcrest Academy. The wealthiest of the wealthy sent their kids to our boarding school, and Brooke Bennett had been at the top, though I never quite knew why. She was fun and outgoing, but she kept quiet about her family. The only things she showed me were photographs of her brothers. I became fascinated with her second-oldest brother...Categorized as:
angst billionaire dark enemies-to-lovers family forbidden-love forced-proximity kidnapping -
![Fiery Surrender by Mari Carr, Lila Dubois]()
Fiery Surrender by Mari Carr, Lila Dubois
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLangston has finally taken his place among the Trinity Masters, America’s most powerful secret society, and he’s ready to stand at the altar to meet his trinity. However, when the Grand Master, Juliet, pairs him in an arranged menage marriage with Rich and Mina, he finds himself struggling to fit into this society he’s only just discovered... -
![Royally F**ked by Elle Boon]()
Royally F**ked by Elle Boon
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHE WAS HER KNIGHT IN BLACK LEATHER. SHE WAS HIS CHANCE AT REDEMPTION.COSMO WAS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE...To those who didn't know him he looked like a rich playboy with too much time on his hands. However, to his brothers, he's the guy they called when they needed a private jet, or someone to back them up, no questions asked. Now it's his turn for some no questions asked backup...
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