Books a Plenty Book Reviews: Excerpt Reveal for The Cleaner by Renee Rose

Friday, March 18, 2022

Excerpt Reveal for The Cleaner by Renee Rose

The Cleaner, a steamy and dark romance from USA Today bestselling author Renee Rose is coming April 19th and we have the first look!

Sneak Peek

Kat stands in front of me, a wide, saucy smile showing off the straightest, whitest set of teeth I’ve ever seen. She looks up at me from under a curtain of dark bangs and her eyes are a surprising shade of electric blue. She’s not wearing any color on her lids, but the thick black eyeliner that extends beyond the outer corners of her eyes only accentuates the surprisingly light color of her irises.

I don’t answer her, because…fuck. I shouldn’t have let her see me to begin with. I might be a decent cleaner, but I’m a piss-poor tail.

She’s still holding my sleeve and she slides her hand down to close her fingers around my fist. “Nice tattoos. Is that Russian?” She pulls my knuckles closer to her face to examine the cyrillic letters that are an acronym for my bratva cell. Her hands are small, her touch soft.

I pull my hand back and scowl, trying to get her to leave. Although I guess it’s too late. She’s seen me. She won’t forget my face now. “Da.”

Her smile grows wider. “I’m Ukrainian. My name is Kat.” She holds her palm out for me to shake. When I don’t take it, she grips mine and gives it a single pump.

Bozhe moi, this girl has terrible instincts. Can she not tell that I’m trouble? I’m literally here to ruin her life. I wear a permanent scowl. I don’t look like a nice guy. I wasn’t particularly friendly even before her father destroyed my sister and now? I’m fucking lethal. She’s touching the tattoos that prove it.

Poor judgment must be why her father sequestered her away at a private girls’ school in England. Even so, it’s a wonder she hasn’t been torn apart yet.

I force myself to pretend I belong here. I’m just another party-goer. I arch a brow and scan her outfit. “You old enough to be here?”

She snaps her gum at me. “What do you think?”

“I think you should go home before your daddy finds out you snuck out the window on a school night.”

Her smile dims. I’m not sure if it’s the mention of her father or my continuing assholery. She flips me the middle finger and finally leaves, her skirt swishing up when she turns, giving me a flash of chaste white cotton granny-panties.

What. The fuck?

I watch her departing back trying to figure out what just happened. Kateryna Poval is nothing like I expected. I thought she’d be spoiled, certainly. Possibly sheltered and naive. I guess I braced myself in case she was fragile and sweet. A delicate flower I would crush and sully to get back at her father.

Well, pretend to crush and sully. I’m not a monster like Poval. I don’t defile and destroy young girls for profit or pleasure.

I didn’t expect an over-sexualized wild-child running around Liverpool begging for trouble. But maybe this is what spoiled crime princess looks like on her.

I guess it makes my job easier. I wasn’t sure I’d have the stomach for frightening an innocent girl. This one doesn’t seem to know when to be scared, and she certainly doesn’t seem innocent.

Kateryna Poval is trouble waiting to happen.

And I’m the guy who’s going to bring it crashing down on her.

Synopsis

SHE WILL PAY THE PRICE FOR HER FATHER’S SIN.

The Ukranian crime lord destroyed my only sister.

I have hunted him.

Tried to ruin him.

To exact retribution for what he’s done.

But he’s remained hidden in the shadows out of my reach.

Now I have a lead: His lovely daughter.

Sequestered away in England.

He thinks she’s out of reach, safe.