Guarded King (Empty Kingdom Book 3) an uber hot, age-gap, boss/assistant billionaire romance by L.M. Dalgleish Cover Reveal Tour with Giveaway
GUARDED KING
Empty Kingdom #3
by L.M. Dalgleish
Cover, Blurb & Excerpt Reveal
Release Date: February 6, 2025
Cover Design: Wildheart Graphics
Genre: Billionaire Contemporary Romance Standalone
Trope: Workplace romance, boss/assistant, age-gap, slow-burn
Synopsis
They say you only regret the risks you don’t take…
Landing the role of assistant to Roman King, billionaire CEO of the King Group, feels like a lifeline after losing my supposedly “stable” job—until my new boss coldly informs me that I’m too inexperienced and should never have been hired.
I may be younger than his previous assistants, but life’s thrown me enough curveballs to handle anything—including him.
Except working so closely with Roman—powerful, controlled, and carrying the weight of a tarnished legacy—soon sparks an undeniable attraction.
And it seems I’m not the only one feeling it.
But Roman is on the verge of a deal that could redefine both his and the King Group’s future. The last thing he needs is a scandal.
Especially one that mirrors past sins.
With so much on the line for both of us, maintaining our professional boundaries should be the only option. Yet every heated glance, lingering touch, and charged encounter tempts us to take risks we know we shouldn’t.
I just hope neither of us will be left with regrets…
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Excerpt
As we round a corner, Sophie points to a large desk. “This is yours.” Then she nods at an impressive wooden door in the frosted glass wall of a huge corner office. “And that’s Roman’s.”
I stare at the door, my heart picking up speed. Is he inside right now? A memory of our meeting in the elevator—that moment when he looked at me with such intensity—flashes in my mind.
Butterflies take flight in my stomach.
With a quiet huff, I shake my head, dismissing the reaction. He’s my boss, not a prospective date.
Sophie steps behind the desk and pulls open a large drawer at the bottom of it. “You can leave your bag here and I’ll take you to get your pass.”
I tuck my tote in the drawer, then follow her again as she rushes off.
Half an hour later we’re back. My still-warm pass hangs around my neck, and I have a brand-new tablet under my arm and a piece of paper with my passwords printed on it.
Once I’m successfully logged in to my computer, Sophie leans over my shoulder and points out a few of the programs I’ll be using. I’m just about to navigate to my inbox when my attention is stolen by a man striding around the corner.
My stomach does an odd little swoop as those piercing gray eyes clash with mine.
Roman comes to an abrupt halt, a frown etching a line between his dark brows. Turning to Sophie, he points at me. “What’s she doing here?”
My spine snaps straight. He may be gorgeous, but clearly, he’s rude, considering I’m sitting right here.
Sophie looks from him to me and back again. “Um, this is Chloe Callahan. She’s your new executive assistant.”
That chiseled jaw clenches. “No, she’s not.”
The previous swooping sensation in my stomach turns into a sharp drop. “What do you mean?”
He stalks forward, his eyes now fixed on me. “I’m afraid Lena made a mistake when she hired you, Miss Callahan. Unfortunately, you’re not the right fit for this position.” He turns back to Sophie. “Call the agency. Let them know there’s been a misunderstanding and that there’s no fault on Miss Callahan’s part.” He glances back at me. “You can…”
My heart pounds a painful beat in my temples, making his next words impossible to hear. What is he talking about? I need this job.
Inhaling deeply, I shove my chair back and stand, tipping my chin up and staring him straight in the eye. “Why exactly am I not the right fit?”
He raises his brows, probably not used to being challenged by his employees. Maybe it would be wiser to keep my mouth shut, but since I’m apparently going to lose this job if I don’t say something, it doesn’t matter if I annoy him.
His jaw tightens again, and he gives me a once-over with that icy gaze. “You can’t have more than three- or four-years’ experience. I need a seasoned professional. Someone who can assist with business operations, provide strategic support, and be a first point of contact when it comes to contracts worth billions of dollars. Not to mention someone who has the ability to deal with clients that have more ego and power than they know what to do with.”
I barely hold back a snort. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. I’d point it out, but I don’t think it will do me any favors.
“As I mentioned,” he says. “Sophie will call the agency and—”
I’m not going to stand by and let this job slip through my fingers because another arrogant jackass in a suit thinks he’s better than me. “Yes, I’m young,” I interrupt him again, and I swear his teeth snap together in irritation. “But that doesn’t mean I’m incapable of doing all of those things. I’ve been working as an executive assistant for the last three years, and while that company wasn’t as big as this one, it was fast paced and high pressure, and I didn’t have any problem handling it. You have no valid reason to believe I’m not capable of handling this job. Lena obviously thinks I am.”
Sophie’s watching our exchange with her mouth open and eyes wide.
Roman’s brows pull low. “Look, Miss Callahan. I’m not questioning your skills. I’m merely telling you that you’re not suitable for this particular job. That’s not an insult to you. It’s the reality of the situation. I apologize for wasting your time, but the sooner Sophie can talk to the agency, the sooner we can get this sorted out.”
He turns toward his office, but before he can disappear, I rush out from behind the desk, my heart in my throat. “Give me until the end of today and I’ll prove I can do it.”
He pivots slowly, his expression wintery as he scrutinizes me. I maintain eye contact, even as I hold my breath, certain he’ll laugh in my face and send me on my way.
Instead, he rubs his chin, letting the silence stretch on and the tension rise until finally he nods. “All right, Miss Callahan.” The rough edge to his voice when he says my name almost makes me shiver. “Let’s see if you’ve got what it takes to impress me.”
Without waiting to see my reaction, he turns and disappears into his office.
Pre-order Link
Amazon Universal ~ https://geni.us/GuardedKingPL
Giveaway
One of Five eARC's for Guarded King
a Rafflecopter Giveaway
Other Titles Within this Series
COLDHEARTED KING
Empty Kingdom #1
RECKLESS KING
Empty Kingdom #2
About the Author
L. M. Dalgleish is a life-long book lover who, as a child, used to shut herself in her bedroom with a good book and a packed lunch so she could spend all day reading. Her passion for romance novels began in the long sleepless nights following the birth of her first baby. Two more babies later and she’s still in love with strong, sassy heroines and sexy, but emotionally unavailable (at least to begin with) heroes.
She lives in Canberra, Australia, with her husband, three kids, and a very large, very fluffy cat. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging with her family, reading, eating too much pasta, and watching horror movies.
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