 Eastway Academy, a shadowy organization steeped in espionage, values obedience above all else. Although a well-trained agent in his third year, 16-year-old Davy Prince struggles to find his morals when every mission seems to put innocent lives at risk. How will Davy react when sabotage turns an already risky job into an all-out struggle for survival? CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE EXCERPT
“Camelot is ready. The operation is a go,” a voice crackled through the transceiver in my ear. The mission was being initiated and a part of me was annoyed. Only halfway through my fried chicken, I was still pretty hungry. I hadn’t eaten since the night before, since the plane ride down that morning served no breakfast. Given that I was going to meet with a drug kingpin in a few minutes, the last thing I wanted was for my stomach to be growling. I sat in the first-floor food court of the Franklin Building, El Paso’s premier commercial block and the headquarters of the global fast-food chain Beef n’ Wings. It was just after noon and the area stirred with visitors eager for their lunch. From my position I could see two other field agents, the only other two in the building. Far off to my right, just outside the crowds and colorful cacophony of restaurants, a hulking teenage boy seemed to have the same idea I had as he snacked on a beef hot dog from one of the stands. He wore a blue hard hat with matching blue overalls and heavy-looking harnesses which clung to his body. At his side he loosely held a squeegee as well as some napkins, presumably for his meal. After taking a big gulp, his lips began to move. It was much too noisy in the food court to pick up any word he was saying naturally, but on the transceiver I could hear him perfectly. “Percival is ready. Let’s get this over with.” At the booming sound of Leon’s voice, I covered my ear nervously, realizing that there was an elderly couple the next table over. There was a good chance they heard nothing, and an even greater chance that they wouldn’t have cared anyway, but one could never be too careful, especially with jobs in public areas. Far off to my right, near the elevators, a small boy lay crouched in the corner, trying his best to stealthily fiddle with an air vent grate next to him. I was only two years his senior, but people most often mistook him for being far younger. He had long, greasy hair and pale skin, products of his indoorsy lifestyle. Out of the three of us in the building, his T-shirt and shorts were probably the most appropriate for the balmy weather outside. His high-pitched voice rang up in my ear, “Kay’s ready. The grate’s off.” “Proceed with caution,” a young female voice ordered. It belonged to Mabel, one half of this mission’s ‘Camelot,’ or control center. She and another operative, Charlie, gave orders from a different, undisclosed part of town. On their computers, they watched live feeds of the Franklin Building and the surrounding area taken from security cameras and other hacked equipment. With the go-ahead, Ozzy checked the area directly around him carefully. Then, he swiftly slipped into the air duct, replacing the grate once inside. I made sure not to look at him directly while he did this, as I didn’t want him to attract unwanted attention. It was at this point I realized that it was my turn to check in. Taking one last swig of soda, I said, “Galahad’s ready. Looking for a visual on the target.” Our target today pertained to Garret Beauregard, the CEO of Beef n’ Wings himself, whose products I was currently sampling. Since the Academy’s clients are allowed to stay anonymous, we almost never know whom we’re working for or for what reason. As I scanned the first floor for our very special guest, one final voice rang over the transceiver. This one was female like Mabel’s but much deeper, as well as much more mature, practically adult. “Lancelot is ready. I have a visual of the office,” she said. It was Johanna, who at eighteen was the oldest member of our team. As our sniper, if and when things got ugly, she was the first one to pull the trigger. Even on a crackling transceiver, one could still detect the soft yet ambiguous tone of voice. It was very hard to tell if in the next sentence she was going to compliment you or warn you of your imminent death. “Galahad, the Fisher King’s car was just sent down to the parking lot,” she continued. “He should be in there.” “Just a sec,” I insisted, practically standing on my seat, trying to look through the ocean of people before me. Then, like the Red Sea obeying Moses, the crowd seemed to thin just long enough for me to spot a bigger-looking man with a white cowboy hat. He, along with a couple of men next to him, wore an expensive-looking suit, not unlike the one I donned that day. “I see him. I have a visual on the Fisher King,” I whispered into my transceiver. “He’s with . . . three other guys. They armed?” “This is Texas, man,” Charlie replied. “What do you think?” “Lovely,” I sighed, standing up and throwing away my half-eaten lunch. “He’s headed to the elevator. Permission to pursue?” “Granted,” Mabel said. Her voice became higher, as it usually did when she knew danger was afoot. “Now hurry up; five men can’t fit in that elevator.” “Roger,” I responded. Speeding across the food court, I wove my way through the people until I found myself by the shiny elevator doors, standing next to Beauregard and his well-dressed friends. As I waited for the doors to open, I tried my best to avoid eye contact. Beauregard, on an impulse of hospitality, said, “You’re pretty dressed up, sonny. On a hot date?” I gave one last silent mental grimace before lighting up my face with a bright smile, turning to the wealthy gentleman. Enthusiastically, I spouted, “Haha! Very funny, sir. I’m starting an internship upstairs, so obviously I have to look my very best.” “Internship? Where?” the CEO pressed. I produced a crumpled slip of paper from my pocket and read, “Floor thirty-five, room three. It’s with Beef n’ Wings. You know them? The super-famous-surprisingly-nutritious fast-food chain? I love all their meals.” “Huh,” the president gave a tentative smile. He extended his hand, “Well isn’t this your lucky day? Garret Beauregard, president of Beef n’ Wings, at your service.” I sucked in, trying to contain all my feigned excitement, “The Garret Beauregard? Founder of Beef n’ Wings? Inventor of the $1.50 menu? Restaurant Monthly’s ninth most powerful man in fast food? David Jones, I’m, like, your biggest fan!” I shook his hand fervently. Beauregard chuckled, maybe amused by my antics. “I didn’t even know I had fans! Pleasure to meet you, boy.” “We’re going radio silent on Galahad,” Charlie buzzed in my ear. “Keep on his good side and look for an opening.” I absentmindedly scratched my ear, switching off my transceiver. My only connection with the rest of my operatives was severed. Now, I was all alone. The elevator to the right gave a faint ding and the doors quietly spread open. Beauregard, two men from his entourage, and I crammed into the elevator. Just as Mabel had predicted, one of the gentlemen volunteered to stay outside, promising to take the next lift up. Right before the doors shut, I managed to spot Leon, squeegee in hand, breaking from the crowd and departing the building. As I felt the elevator lift us, there was a twinge of anxiety, realizing that I was now stuck in an enclosed space with three armed men. I was allowed to be nervous. A little nervousness was fine; I was pretending to be a student on his first day as an intern. “This your first time in the city, blondie?” he asked me, reminding me that I was wearing a blond wig in addition to thick-rimmed glasses to hide my identity. “You bet!” I said, keeping my enthusiasm high. I brushed my artificial bangs to the side. Out of all the wigs I’d worn over the course of hundreds of missions, this was my least favorite. It was long, got in my eyes, never fit my head right, and suspiciously smelled of cottage cheese. Regardless, wig selection at the Academy was limited, and every one had to be worn once in a while. “So, you’re from the country, then? Don’t look like much of a country fella . . . which town?” “Um, it’s a real small town, south of here,” I said, trying my best to stay vague. “South of El Paso?” Beauregard gave me a very confused look. “I mean north! Just a little north,” I corrected myself, rubbing my head. “Sorry, my mind’s not working straight today. Still trying to process the fact that I got to meet you.” “Right, right,” Beauregard nodded understandingly. “Yeah, it’s pretty easy to tell that you’re not south of the border. Be able to smell you a mile away!” The three men laughed heartily. I forced a light chuckle while the hunger in the pit of my stomach changed to disgust. With another ding we arrived on floor thirty-five and stepped off. For an extravagant fast-food brand, their headquarters looked pretty ordinary. The walls and carpets were white, and the faint but stinging odor of hand sanitizer wafted through the air. “Welcome to where the magic happens!” Beauregard extended his arm toward the lobby, looking like an artist revealing their magnum opus. “Gee whiz!” I exclaimed. The president, still flanked by his two men, who I presumed were his bodyguards, approached the front desk and rang the bell, getting the secretary’s attention. “Yes, Mr. Beauregard?” “Got an intern with me,” the man declared. “His name’s David Jones. I was wondering where I could put him.” “Intern? Sir, new internships don’t begin until the summer.” My heart skipped a beat. The moment of truth had arrived. “They said I was a special case when they drove me over here,” I said, injecting myself into the conversation. “Please, just check your computer.” Marcy shifted her mouse around, making a quick series of clicks. “Okay . . . here it is. David Jones, intern, arriving today . . . ” She looked up at me and then back down to her screen. I whispered a silent prayer to Charlie, the master hacker. A few clicks later, the secretary looked up again. “Yeah, everything looks good. Funny, I don’t remember—” “Well, everything checks out!” I interrupted. “Where should I go?” Beauregard gestured to one of his guards. “Samson here will take good care of you, kid. Now, I’ve got a little meeting to go to, but I’ll see you around, okay?” Not counting on it. “Okay!” I cheerfully chirped. “Oh my gosh, this is all so exciting!” I followed Samson down a hallway, away from Beauregard and the lobby. He directed me through a door, into a room darker than the hallway. Chairs lined the walls and a vacant table with a picnic cloth sat in the center of the room. “Um, this is where we usually bring interns in the summer. There’d be, like, food on the tables and we’d get someone to give you an introduction. Usually it’s this hot brunette from marketing.” “Uh-huh,” I absentmindedly nodded, no longer bothering to keep up my fake excitement. As the door closed behind us, I began to fiddle through suit pockets. Samson, clearly unsure of what to do, continued to ramble. “Yeah, I actually used to be an intern here, once. I was raised right up in Anthony. Wait, where did you say you were from again? ’Cuz I remember—” Samson’s sentence was cut off as I stabbed a syringe into the side of his throat—one swift and precise movement. As I injected him, the man managed to make a few gargled sounds before collapsing to the floor. I immediately checked for a pulse. Toxins were always difficult, because they needed to be the perfect amount. Too little would have no effect. Too much and you kill the poor guy. After confirming a heartbeat under my fingertips, I quietly dragged him under the table and switched my transceiver back on. “Galahad here. I’m in.” “Excellent,” I heard Charlie say. “Kay? Do you copy? Time to shine.” “Roger.” Just as Ozzy’s voice registered in my ear the already dark room went pitch black. I heard the gentle hum of the air conditioning die, leaving a vacuum of silence. The power to the floor had been cut. I stepped back into the hallway, listening to the murmurs of confusion in some of the office rooms as I made my way back to the lobby. Beauregard’s office was down the opposing hallway to the right, just out of the view of a befuddled secretary. “Security cameras are now running on reserve power. We have a visual of you, Galahad. The conference was supposed to last until one thirty, but who knows how Beauregard will react to a blackout. Just get in and get out.” “Roger, Camelot.” The room itself differed greatly from the rest of what I’d seen from the floor. Looking beyond the expensive chairs and enormous desk you’d expect from an egocentric executive, an array of mounted cattle heads dominated the wall to my right while a single enormous painting was to my left. I thought the latter was actually a pretty nice picture until I realized it depicted a native getting clubbed to death by a settler with the stock of his shotgun. The wall opposing me filtered noon sunlight into the otherwise dark office, making the “art” that occupied the walls cast eerie shadows. I stood for a moment, dumbfounded. “Galahad, we see you in the office. What’s your status?” “I’m fine,” I assured, trying to collect myself. “This guy . . . he’s really something, isn’t he?” Trying to ignore the Texan stereotypes around me, I approached Beauregard’s desk and rummaged through the papers left on top of it. “Find anything?” Mabel asked. “What do you think?” I said, now making my way to the cabinets. “Why would he just leave it on his desk?” “I don’t know, maybe he has a bit before going to his conferences,” Charlie suggested. “I mean, have you seen the new Beef n’ Wings commercials? The person who conceived those was clearly high.” Allowing myself a small chuckle, I furiously tore open every cabinet under and around the desk. All were unlocked and all contained meaningless folders and files; nothing I was concerned with. “The Grail’s not anywhere near the desk,” I said. “Are you sure it’s in here?” “The intel’s good, I swear,” Mabel retorted, her voice getting excited. “I have the transaction data right in front of me. The pickup isn’t until tomorrow, and it definitely entered that room. Where else could it be?” Feeling a knot grow in my stomach, I meticulously scanned the room, trying to look in a new perspective as I stood behind the desk. The painting was still horrible, the carpet was the same, and the ceiling was the same. The mounted busts, now to my right, were a different story. As my eyes studied the vacant expressions on the cattle’s faces, it became evident that something was wrong. “One of the heads is crooked.” “What?” “One of the cattle heads is crooked,” I repeated, advancing toward the busts. The more I focused and the closer I got, the clearer it was that my hunch was correct. “The white bull in the center. It must be…” Firmly grasping the horns of the trophy, I began to pull. It was much heavier than I had imagined—causing me to pause to catch my breath at one point while it was halfway out of the wall—but I managed to have the head at my feet within a minute. In its place, I was greeted with a pleasant new surprise. A black, open hole; a gaping wound in the wall. “Can you guys see from your camera what I see?” “I see it!” Mabel said excitedly, now for the right reasons. “What’s inside?” My hand reached into the newly opened gap. It wasn’t a built-in compartment, rather a crude cavity created by someone smashing the wall open. As my hand wrapped around an object, I felt my heartbeat quicken. “I have something. Heavy. Leather. Maybe rectangular.” “Sounds like the Grail to me . . .” My arm was now almost out of the hole, awkwardly handling the package that had been lodged in the wall. With one final tug, a briefcase slid out of the wall and fell with a soft thud on the carpet. A tepid smile growing on my lips, I brought it over to the desk for a closer inspection in the light. Looking near the handle, my small grin immediately dissipated. “It’s got a lock on it. I repeat, the briefcase has a lock.” “’Cuz hiding it in the freaking wall wasn’t secure enough for this guy,” Charlie remarked, irritated. “Yep, there’s a latch here. It needs a three-number code,” I confirmed, examining the mechanism closely. “Okay, let’s think this through,” Mabel said, now practically panting. “I can . . . I can access old security archives! Yeah! Yeah, maybe one of them has him with the briefcase, and we can zoom in on the numbers . . . ” Mabel’s thoughts came to an abrupt end when I smashed the briefcase into the corner of the desk, shattering the lock. “ . . . Or you can do that.” Taking a deep breath, I opened the case. I was greeted by what we were calling in this mission the Holy Grail, all twenty kilos of it, packed together in six different plastic bags. “Do we have confirmation?” “Well, pretty sure this isn’t chicken seasoning,” I commented. “Percival, are you there? It’s time to go.” Just as I spoke, the office door opened. I turned around, realizing it was Beauregard. The two of us stared at each other, shocked. The room was now dead silent, so quiet that Beauregard could probably hear Mabel buzz, “Green Plan AA-01 has been compromised. Initiate Green Plan AA-07.” Beauregard was the first to recover from the initial shock. He peeked back into the hallway and, making sure everything was clear, shut the door. “I don’t believe you’re supposed to be in this wing, boy.” I remained silent, seemingly speechless. Inside I had regained focus, but chose not to show it on the outside. Waiting for him to make his move, I observed his hands and facial expressions, trying to get a read on what he was going to do next. “Galahad,” Johanna softly crackled on the transceiver. “Get down so I can take a shot. I believe it’s time for the Fisher King to exit our fable.” “Roger,” I muttered under my breath. “Well son,” Beauregard sighed, reaching into his coat and pulling out a white pistol. “Sorry ’bout this. Some things are best left secret, hm?” “Couldn’t agree more,” I said, dropping to my knees. Just as the president readjusted his aim down at me, the window behind us broke. A dash of crimson burst onto Beauregard’s chest and the man shifted awkwardly. There was a slight pause and a light groan before he collapsed to the floor. Hearing a commotion begin outside from the noise, I hastily grabbed a chair and blocked the door before grabbing the briefcase and waiting by the now-shattered office window. Leon—still dressed as a window washer—descended in a cradle. “Going down?” he asked, his voice echoing through the transceiver. “Right,” I nodded. Then I gave one last look around the ransacked room. From the angle I was standing at, only the soles of Beauregard’s expensive shoes were visible as he lay dead on the floor. “Think we’ve done enough here. Let’s go home.” Clutching the Holy Grail and braving the urban winds outside the building, I descended down to the street, and with it, the promise of escape and safety.
0 Comments
 Carrie Ann Benton and Rodney Buchard have been in love since grammar school. Her father, federal judge Horace Benton, has forbidden them to see each other. The reason? Rodney's mother is Mexican, a fact that will hurt Horace's prospects of becoming governor of Arizona--and one day, maybe president of the United States.
The judge needs the money and support of affluent voters--which excludes the likes of a so-called "half-breed" like Rodney. Instead, Horace aligns himself with the state's many powerful cattlemen. Defying her father's wishes, Carrie continues her secret romance at an undisclosed rendezvous point inside Fire Mountain, unaware that someone is tracking them--someone prepared to end their relationship for good. Meanwhile, Earl, a wealthy cattle baron's son, is duped into following their trail in hopes of professing his love to Carrie and separating her from Rodney once and for all. After an accidental death, US Marshal Max Greystone arrives to investigate and begins to unravel a twisted web of lies, deceit, and intrigue. Will the truth be uncovered before more people lose their lives? CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE  Beware the astounding fury of those you entrap, you who do evil.
Her parents were movie stars with secrets, her sister a rock star with bad connections. What they knew got them killed. It might kill her, too. Sancia Loyola de Bastida, 34-year-old concert violinist, raised between Spain’s Basque Country and Manhattan, knows nothing of the terrorist group known as Eta, neither its origins nor activities. She knows nothing of her connections to it and worse, much less than she thinks she knows about her family. When her fiery, famous sister is reported dead under dubious circumstances, Sancia is certain the truth is being hidden. What she comes to know will cast her loose in a wilderness of uncertainty—who exactly was this younger sibling she adored? What secrets did the family castle hide, perched on its cliff above the Bay of Biscay in the heart of Basque Country? What had been the real cause of the car wreck that killed her parents on the coast road that dark night? Like the ancient tunnels beneath the castle, a one-time playground for carefree girls that now holds secrets of its own, her inquiries lead her deeper into a time when Spain withered under the rule of a despot, when resistance was honorable, submission unthinkable. It’s a journey Sancia cannot retrace, a fated leap into the bloody arena of those whose obsession makes them murderous and their hunters, whose zealotry makes them savage. Here she must place her trust in those who could betray in the cruelest ways: Can Ryan Everly, the journalist chasing the story of his life, really put Sancia’s interests first when she reveals secrets that could get her killed? Will Kate Guthrie, the Texas-born commando recruited by international terrorist hunters break her orders to save her? When at last Sancia knows the truth, where will she make her final stand? Who at last can be trusted and can she survive the treachery of those who would destroy her? At what price? CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE  Can you escape the wrath of the Spirits?
Sandy Jacobs and Ben Rush are back on the trail of another mystery. The head archaeologist in charge of excavating an important Anasazi ruin on Pueblo land turns up dead. The San Sebastian people, long opposed to the dig because of its potential to disturb their ancestors and stir up trouble, believe the Gods were behind this murder. They want the excavation immediately shut down and sealed off. To make matters worse, someone is taking soil samples near the site and their purpose is unclear. Are they working in conjunction with the Pueblo government to protect the land and its people, or do they have another, more heinous, intent? And does this have anything to do with the murder? Sandy and Ben turn to the police for answers to these questions, but they are of little help and might be protecting the authorities. Unable to sit by and do nothing, Sandy is again thrust into the role of detective, but without Ben's backing. She's determined to discover who stands to benefit from the archaeologist's death, even though Ben isn't so certain it's a who, but rather a what. Cultural differences they'd put to rest arise anew and marital conflicts surface to complicate an already complex situation. Are the ancestors truly opposed to the excavation and willing to wreak havoc? Will Sandy be able to discover the person...or spirit...behind the crime before it is too late? And, in the midst of all the confusion and contention, will whoever is responsible for the crime strike again? CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE  The Trainee Undercover is a mystery, action, and thriller novel written by Brenda Shaw.
Paul Collier, a high level executive, in a pharma company gets threatened into silence by an unknown force. In despair, he decides to send his family away to protect them. Alex, a happy-go-lucky teenager, is all set to enjoy his summer vacation with his friends. But fate has other plans in store! They get entangled with a murder case. Alex and his friends are now committed to pursue criminals. They desperately want to help Paul! But, will they fall prey into the hands of the criminals? It’s a gripping adventure where they have to race against time and winning is everything! The teenagers’ amateurish skills will have to compete with professional criminals. Will they be a victim or victorious? Read the novel to find out... CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE  Dead is dead. Gera Stapleton does not believe in ghosts.
In the infamous town of Jerome, Arizona, a once-friendly ghost named Mac has reportedly embarked on a petty crime spree, and, to her dismay, Gera is assigned the story. Has her journalism career come down to this? How can she accurately report a story on something she does not believe exists? Now there has been a murder, and the townspeople are content to blame Mac for this, too. Determined to find the real killer—because there are no such things as ghosts, after all—Gera sets out to unravel the truth. In a town filled with curiosities, Gera encounters a sexy hotel owner, an ornery sheriff, a helpful old woman, and a bad-tempered bartender. The more she digs, the more curious—and the more dangerous—this story becomes. What she discovers makes Gera question not only her beliefs, but her sanity, as well. Is it possible? Could there truly be such a thing as these tangible spirits, after all? CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE  If you enjoyed Wicked Lovely, Twilight, Hush Hush, Unearthly, you will enjoy this. *A Night Owl Review Top Pick! 4.5/5 stars!* What I found was a beautiful novel that, although it is quite dark in many spots, tells the story of a young girl who is torn between the powers of good and evil and trying to protect her heart and those she cares about. I am quite eager to read Falling Angels. Ali Maney is a typical high school teenager. Nothing special ever happens to her. As a student at Millennium High in Manhattan, sure, a few weird things have happened, a few suicides over the years, but nothing really bizarre. Until one day, in English class, when a hugely popular football player, Tyler, suddenly pitches himself off the roof to his death. Ali and her two best friends, Molly and Jen, are positive that Tyler’s death was not intentional. As they investigate, the bad boy in town starts to notice Ali. Daemon is gorgeous! Ali is shocked, but amazed. What could he want with her? As she ponders this, three new students arrive. Kian, Krysta, and Nathaniel all seem to have something…..different about them. Ali is floored when Kian appears more than interested in her too. What is she to do with two gorgeous guys after her? But not everything is as it seems. As Ali gets closer to each Daemon and Kian, the forces of the supernatural will come closer as well. One has been sent to protect, one has been sent to kill. Can Ali be saved? Or is she in way over her pretty little head? Enjoy this first book in the YA Manhattan Urban Angel Suspense. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE EXCERPT
I sensed there to be so much more to his feelings in that moment. Feelings about his past, his future...me? We only had a few minutes before the next bell, but as we walked to my P.E. class, I couldn’t stop thinking about how difficult his life must have been. Orphaned. On the New York streets alone, and not able to intimately touch anyone. I began to realize how much the Angelfire sacrificed just to keep the streets safe from demons, and I squeezed Kian’s hand tightly. It was the one small act I could do without causing him harm. “Afraid?” he asked, knowing he would have to leave me alone for fifty minutes. “No.” I shook my head, and something like pride for him washed over me, “just glad I found you.” “Me too.” He hooked his fingers into my back pant pocket with only the fabric of my pants keeping his skin from mine, keeping his passion from washing over into me. But I felt fortunate. I might never be able to kiss him, or hold him so close that I couldn’t breathe, but we shared something in that hallway, something I never felt before...something that made me tingle -everywhere.  Romantic: Hot Alpha, Billionaire Romantic Suspense, Erotica.
Bethany Thorne has secrets and she’s told a few lies but she’s hurt no-one. She just wants a better life, she works hard for a better life, a life with choices but a chance encounter at her new University with billionaire, hot alpha Daniel Stone makes her heart beat, her body tremble and rocks her very foundation. Reeling from the intensity of her unfathomable reactions to this man her world is sent further spiralling out of her control when on this first meeting he casually whispers that he knows she’s a liar. Bethany begins to feel her hard earned choices start to disintegrate before her. Her innate and newly discovered submissive nature is highlighted further by her extreme reaction to each encounter with alpha Daniel Stone. Seriously hot, dark and dominant he evokes an instant heat and desire she has never felt before, but he is dangerous, he is powerful and he seems to see right through her. Choosing to try and stay under his radar proves to be the first choice to slip through her fingers. BUY HERE  Meeting him was a fluke. Dating him was a mistake. Watching him become a drug addict put me through hell. Running was my only option. *** I'm running from my demons and when I find out she's trying to escape her past, I know what I have to do. One broken cop. One woman fighting for her life. A fragile love. Sinister secrets that threaten to tear them apart. They've been to hell. The hard part will be finding their way back together. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK! Excerpt
I pull up in my driveway looking over at the house. What I see pisses me off. Here she is in a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, hat and glasses pushing a brand new lawn mower. I make sure I check my temper before I walk over. Right before I cross the street the little girl on the front porch stops me mid step. She looks like just like her mother, just a smaller version. She is sitting on a plastic little table, that they probably just bought, coloring. I make my way over to her right when the lawn mower goes off “I told you I would cut the grass.” I try to sound casual, but the blood in me is boiling, it must be ninety-five degrees outside, and she’s wearing enough clothes for a trek across the frozen tundra. She looks up “I also said I got it, and I would be doing it myself.” The little girl from the porch makes it to her mother and hides behind her, yanking on her pant leg. The fearful look that she gives me is just like her mother’s. I crouch down, getting eye-to-eye with her and say “Hey there, beautiful. What’s your name?” She doesn’t reply, and instead she lowers her gaze so she is looking at her feet. “I’m Jackson,” I reach out my hand, but drop it when I know she won’t take it. I gesture behind me, as I say “I live in that house right over there. I used to know your great grandma.” I’m trying to draw her into a conversation with me, but nothing I say engages her. “It’s ok baby, you can tell him your name. Nan used to make him cookies, so you know what that means, she must have really liked him.” She rubs her daughters shoulder. “I’m Lilah,” she says in barely a whisper. “That is the most beautiful name in the whole wide world. You’re lucky to have such a beautiful name.” She smiles at me, right as a car back fires. She yells and puts her hands to her ears. Two things happen at the same time, her mother grabs her and runs toward the house, and I vow to protect them. “Wait,” I rush after them and make it right to the door before it’s closed in my face. I stand there inside the house and watch them rushing to the corner and hide. Two broken girls protecting each other against some monster of the outside world. I walk up to them “It’s ok, it’s just a car, it was nothing but a car.” “Lilah, baby it’s ok, it’s ok. I’m here. It’s ok baby girl, were safe.” She is trying to comfort the little girl who is sobbing quietly in her mother arms. “No one is here baby.” She looks over at me, our eyes meeting for one minute before she lowers them again. “Look it’s ok, it’s just Jackson. There is no one here, baby.” She rocks Lilah back and forth. Her back against the wall while she soothes her baby girl whose sobs are slowly stopping, her eyes closing. “What can I do?” I’m now sitting in front of her not sure how to even start to dissect this. “Nothing, you can’t do anything for us,” she kisses Lilah’s head. “No one can.” I ignore that last part not sure how to talk about this now. “I’m going to go outside and finish cutting the grass, then I’m going to go pick up some food for us. Does she like pizza?” “Jackson, I don’t know what relationship you had with my grandmother, but I don’t need your help. We will be fine. Please, it’s ok, you can leave.” She rests her head on the the wall closing her eyes, the defeat of the day leaving her body. “I’m going to go outside and finish mowing the lawn so Lilah doesn’t have to go outside anymore today. Then I’m going to pick up pizza for myself. You won’t have time to cook, so I’m going to pick one up for you. I want to eat with you guys, but I’m not pushing myself on you either after today. Now I don’t want to fight with you or even discuss this, so just nod that you understand?” She looks into my eyes, but nods yes. “I can pay you for the pizza? I have money. I don’t need a hand out,” she says while trying to push herself up to go get fucking money. If she weren’t so scared of things I would punch the fuck out of something right now. “I don’t want your money, now or ever. I have no doubt you can take care of yourself. Consider this a housewarming present.” I get up going to the door not even giving her a chance to say anything else. “She’s never had pizza before, so can you just get us plain cheese.” I don’t say anything afraid of what will come out of my mouth. I nod and walk out the door, closing it quietly so as not to wake Lilah. I close my eyes exhaling the breath that I didn’t even realize I was holding. “She’s barely holding on while fighting for her life. She has demons, they both do. Whatever happened to them, it’s in there deep. The both of them are so scared, you can practically see the fear coming off of them.” I look over at Brenda who is on her porch watering her plants. “Tread lightly, Jackson, or better yet walk away if you aren’t going to do anything about it.” I don’t have a chance to respond she walks into her house closing her front door softly, leaving me fighting my own demons. 
Taking risks, especially risks of the handsome male variety, is currently out of the question for Sydney Reid. She will make no exceptions for tall, gorgeous Derrick Porter. Never date a player-it’s rule number one in Sydney’s book, and the charming lawyer constantly devouring her with his eyes is every inch the reason. Despite her best efforts to keep Derrick in the friend zone, sparks fly between the two of them, and Sydney isn’t entirely sure she wants to throw water on the flames.
Can Derrick convince the shy, sexy Sydney to give him a chance, something more than her elusive “maybe”? More importantly, should he? Derrick has a few secrets, the least shocking secret being that he can transform at will into a powerful wolf. He's still trying to forgive himself for being at the wheel during the accident that killed his son. Losing Sydney when she learns the truth might break him, but he's pretty sure not having her would be just as bad. And with an obsessed stalker on their tails, more than their hearts are at issue. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK!
EXCERPT
Copyright © Christina Lynn Lambert Sydney sat in the conference room at Brass Cat Advertising, sipping her coffee and wishing the caramel latte could take her to an alternate reality. One where Derrick Porter wasn’t sitting in front of her. His presence had caught her off guard. Sydney took another sip of her coffee as she tried not to stare stupidly, but holy chocolate-covered cherries, the man was hot. Dark hair and eyebrows made a striking contrast against his strong bone structure and fair skin. His lips, good grief. They looked so soft. Derrick’s long, lean body fit nicely in a suit. The material stretched over his broad shoulders and came in at the waist. He probably had amazing six-pack abs. When they’d met that Saturday in running group, it hadn’t merely been the fog coupled with Sydney’s exhaustion and two-year streak of celibacy that had made Derrick appear so handsome. Even under the bright lights of the conference room, he was gorgeous. What rotten luck that she couldn’t seem to get away from him. Great Oaks wasn’t exactly a large city. Eventually, she would have run into Derrick somewhere. Maybe at the store or at some get-together at Carly’s. That wouldn’t have been too bad. She could have dealt with a polite conversation before walking away to catch her breath, pushing Derrick out of her head with every retreating step. On their Saturday-morning runs, Sydney had already planned to wear her earbuds and let her music help her be antisocial. An ongoing work project was a much worse problem. As it turned out, Derrick knew her boss, Shayla. Only two days after meeting Derrick and trying not to think about the fact that their being partnered at their running group was an obvious setup, Sydney would not have the luxury of ignoring his existence. She ground her teeth. Bringing her laptop to the table in the meeting room and pretending it was being slow to start had bought her about all the time and silence such distractions could bring. Sydney’s strategy during their first run with Jack’s new team had been to not talk much at all to the handsome, dark-haired man with the stunning grayish-blue eyes. Meeting with him about a graphic-design project didn’t allow for an easy way out. Polite and professional. Keep it simple. No personal conversation. No X-rated fantasies about lawyers and conference-room tables. Remember he is a player. Derrick had spoken with everyone at the meet-and-greet of their running group with charm and ease, the same way Jerk-off Jeff had charmed everyone in his presence. Including Sydney, once upon a time. But her former Prince Charming had turned out to be a lying man-whore. Derrick would most likely be no different. Maybe she was being unfair, but after all the shit she’d been through, Sydney wasn’t taking any chances. She was not really ready to date yet, especially not someone like Derrick. Earlier that afternoon, when Shayla let her know there would be a lawyer representing the Great Oaks Merchants Association coming to meet with her, Sydney was excited and looking forward to the job. Great Oaks was in the process of getting itself back on the map after spending more than a decade nearly deserted. Sydney’s town house was built on the grounds of a former blue-jeans factory. Brass Cat Advertising was located in an abandoned convenience store, though it had been modernized a bit, and Shayla had added on to the back of the building to create more office space. Things were beginning again in Great Oaks, and Sydney liked the idea of helping the Great Oaks Merchants Association members make their presence known. Using her graphic design to update logos and create designs for the Merchants Association was Sydney’s chance to give something back to the town that had given her such a feeling of peace and security after she had left the violence, fear, and regret of Seattle. The change of scenery had helped her more than she ever thought it would. Meeting Angel and deciding to adopt her had been an unplanned but wonderful decision. Great Oaks would be a good place to raise a child. After discovering Sydney and Derrick knew each other, Shayla had announced she had some things to do and walked out of the conference room, oblivious to—or maybe just ignoring—Sydney’s please-don’t-leave-me-here-by-myself face. Sydney put down her coffee cup and smiled what she hoped was a polite, businesslike smile that held no clue how handsome she found Derrick. He returned her smile, though his was warmer. Sydney noticed his bloodshot eyes. “Allergies?” she asked, thinking of all the pollen blowing through the air. She had done her fair share of sneezing that morning. Cut the crap and move along, she chided herself. No reason to prolong the meeting chatting about the weather. “That and a little vodka,” he told her with a regretful smile. “Celebrated a birthday Saturday night.” Sydney wondered why a man would admit to drinking too much at a party if he was embarrassed by it, or perhaps his embarrassment was from the stupid things people did when they drank too much. Whatever. Not her problem. She didn’t even ask him whose birthday it had been. Derrick handed her a file with several folders tucked inside. Each was full of ideas and sketches from different business owners who belonged to the Great Oaks Merchants Association. He placed one folder on top. “Brick, Plank, and Stone is a construction company that especially needs help with its branding and logo. Seven hundred thousand acres in western Great Oaks were just sold off at auction and rezoned to allow residential homes and small-scale businesses to be built on the land.” Sydney thought she caught the slightest edge of a grin from Derrick. Did he have a hand in the rezoning? “Brick, Plank, and Stone,” he continued in his hypnotizing, mouthwateringly sexy voice, “wants to make sure they can secure a large amount of building contracts from the investment company who purchased the land. This one is the top priority. Then there are several other businesses that need pretty much the same: updated logos, graphics, captions, and different and better print to make their slogans more visible.” Sydney mentally sighed in relief. The meeting was nearly over, and it didn’t look as if she would have to do much more than give him an occasional update. The sweat she had felt dampening her neck and thighs would soon be gone. Derrick gave her his business card with his work number and e-mail. She took the card, and her fingers brushed his. “We’ll meet soon to discuss progress.” The rich, deep tone of his voice filled the room and surrounded her like a favorite song. He looked straight at her. His bloodshot, blue-gray eyes were unlike any color she had ever mixed with her watercolors or oil paints. While she was listening and trying to think which shades of gray she could mix with the blue, she realized he had finished talking. She’d been in Sydneyland mixing paint colors and listening to the timbre of his voice like it was a background song. “Uh, what? Sorry.” Sydney felt her cheeks get warm at being caught not paying attention, though he would never need to know why her mind had drifted. He laughed, the sound beautiful and…kind of rusty. Derrick told her they would meet up again soon. Meet? Soon? The man made her break out into a sweat when she had to talk with him. She liked him, didn’t want to like him, and hated making small talk with people she didn’t know well. She could ignore him when they were running, but a business meeting was different. Sydney chided herself for being so silly. He was just a hot guy with whom she would be meeting about purely professional matters. Why couldn’t she make herself feel like it was no big deal? Why did the universe want to make things difficult? Can’t anything ever be easy? She nodded and politely showed him the door. “It was nice to see you again, Sydney.” The sound of Derrick’s voice made her knees weak. Obviously, something was wrong with her. They could handle business by e-mail. She could send him files. Yet, Sydney wanted to hear the sound of his voice again. Soon. GETTING SYDNEY TO give him a chance wouldn’t be easy, but Derrick didn’t care. He would just have to impress her. He needed to figure out a way to make Sydney see him as a man worthy of her attention. Was he though? He could pretend. From the short amount of time Derrick had spent with Sydney, he was certain that she wasn’t just some random, attractive woman he could easily drool over for a moment and then forget. He also knew damned well that she thought he was good-looking. Carly had shared that with him, not seeming the least bit guilty at betraying her friend’s confidence. Though Sydney was shy, her open smile and laughter among her friends indicated she cared for them, yet Sydney had closed Derrick out, not even willing to give him a chance as more than a running partner. That spoke of a woman who was guarded with her heart. Maybe because she gave so much of it? The thought was too much. Did he even deserve what she could give him if she let herself? Probably not, but he would take it. Anything she offered, he would take. Derrick turned up the air-conditioning in his car. It wasn’t hot outside, but he needed to cool off in a big way. His pulse raced, and Derrick wiped away the sweat that had beaded on his forehead. Everything out the car window looked gray, and his ears roared. Anything Sydney gave him could be taken away. He didn’t deserve the good things that everyone else around him seemed to have. Other thoughts of the future and thoughts of a life with her turned to ash and dust in his mind in an instant. Take it easy. One step at a time. The wolf’s baritone echoed through Derrick’s mind, and he let the wolf ease his fears with more stupid clichés. The gray haze of anxiety dissolved, and the roaring in his ears muted as he considered giving up his plan to win Sydney over. After all, Derrick had only met her twice. What feelings could he possibly have for her? Derrick couldn’t name what he felt or why; it was just there, but he needed to forget about his plans to pursue the gorgeous redhead. * * * * The week brought Derrick plenty of distractions. Hard cases came to his firm involving difficult clients who needed a lot of patience. A lot of fucking patience. His alpha, Diane, the wolf in charge of shifter wolves in the western region of Virginia, had brought him disturbing news. Three girls with supernatural abilities, all under the age of thirty, had been killed in the southeastern United States. One of the girls was multi-gifted, an animal shifter but also something else of the strange and special variety. The other two girls were most likely psy and possessed the ability to do unbelievably weird stuff with their minds, or they could have been weather shifters too. Hell, maybe both for all he knew. Derrick had taken the folders full of lifeless pictures of the three dead women from Diane, along with the notes and all the miniscule details, and he had promised to bring her answers. Handling that kind of thing was part of his job now as a shifter representative for the state of Virginia in Shifters United. In addition to all that, Derrick was working on various projects to keep the land in Great Oaks from being overdeveloped. He had plenty to do, and if he continued to focus on all of it with a meditative vengeance, he could keep his mind clear. He was treading a thin line with his strategy of working himself into forgetting Sydney, and he knew it. * * * * One visit with Shayla Patrick while they waited for their workaholics’ support group meeting to start, and Derrick’s plan to view the luscious Sydney Reid as an ordinary acquaintance began to fall apart. “So when are you gonna ask Sydney out? I know you’re both available. I think you’d be good together, but I haven’t heard her mention you.” Sydney hadn’t even mentioned him? She hadn’t even brought up his name to say he was a player, to say she didn’t like him, didn’t trust him, or that he might be worth a second look? Just…nothing? Great. Sydney apparently had no problem forgetting him. Shayla smiled. She might not be a shifter, but she could read him and probably anyone else in the world like a book. Derrick unclenched his jaw and let out his breath. He had been baited. “Getting Sydney to agree to anything resembling a date with me might not be a simple task.” Derrick replied. Shayla smiled at his answer like she knew something he didn’t. The question of what to do about Sydney was still on Derrick’s mind as the meeting began. That particular evening during the discussion portion, Derrick shared a few things with the other members. “Work and women,” he said were his two biggest coping mechanisms when his life had fallen apart. “But I can’t go back to being that way. I won’t. It’s… I don’t know. If I move forward the way I want to and everything gets wrecked, I don’t know if I can come back from that.” “I take it there’s a new challenge on the horizon for you, Derrick?” Juan, their discussion leader, asked. “Something like that.” Juan wished Derrick well with his decision. The thing about Juan was that he didn’t offer a lot of advice or strong opinions. Shayla, on the other hand, didn’t seem to mind being direct. As a few people lingered in the meeting room, munching on crackers and cheeses, Shayla told Derrick, “I know Syd. Maybe it might take some time and effort, but she’s not indifferent to you. No matter what she might lead you to believe.” “And you know this how?” Derrick was searching for a reason, something to tell him whether he should close off or open up. “While you were meeting with Syd, I was testing out the new security equipment. There are cameras now in the lobby and each meeting room. I really wanted to make sure the one in conference room A worked, so…” “Spying, huh?” “Testing out the equipment, spying. Semantics. Anyhow, I saw the way you looked at each other. And believe me, when she watched you walk out the door, she looked anything but indifferent.” |
Archives
August 2020
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed