I know this wrap up is extremely late. But things happened in real life that prevented me from making this post.
Here is a look at the 11 books I read in November.
November Wrap Up 2018
1. Throne Of Glass by Sarah J. Maas 5/5 stars (RR)
2. Falling in Love All Over Again by Bella Andre 5/5 stars
3. The Roll-Away Pumpkin by Junia Wonders
4. Possession by T.M. Frazier 5/5 stars
5. You Own Me #1-4 by Lucia Jordan and Katelyn Skye
6. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas 5/5 stars (RR)
7. Sharing Samantha by Madison Faye 4/5 stars
8. Claiming Candy by Madison Faye 3/5 stars
9. Hate Notes by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward 5/5 stars
10.Santa Baby by KB Winters 4/5 stars
11. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas 5/5 stars (RR)
That's a wrap on November.
Happy Reading, Ashley
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Monday, November 19, 2018
Blog Tour and Review for Possession by T.M. Frazier
The story of Grim and Emma Jean continues. War is on the horizon. We've come so far. We'll have to fight for what we have. Or die trying.
Excerpt:
Bethany nods to the box, again pressing her finger to her lips. “We will know more when you’re assigned a judge. Until then, we will just have to wait,” she says loudly. She points with her eyes to the item in my hand, then leaves. The object I’m holding is a rock with a piece of paper attached to it by a rubber band. I pull the paper free and flip it over. It’s a note.Stay by the glass, motherfucker! Whatever you do, don’t turn around. PS-You look nice today. Prison blue suits you.The one-piece scratchy uniform I’m wearing is bright orange. What the fuck is all this about?I peer out from my cell. There’s no one in the room now. Not even the janitor. The security camera high in the corner across from my cell, the one that’s usually pointed directly at me, is now facing down toward the floor.Whatever you do, don’t turn around. Okay, so I won’t turn around completely, but curiosity leads me to risk a glance over my shoulder. It’s just a wall. An empty blank wall. BOOM.
BOOOOOM!
An empty blank wall...that just exploded.The sound resonates through my eardrums. I duck and cover my head with my hands as pieces of cement rain down into the cell. Dust coats my hair and the back of my neck. After a few beats, I stand, waving away the plumes of the aftermath.
Through the debris, I can just barely make out headlights. It’s a truck with a battering bar attached to the hood.
“All aboard! This train is leaving the motherfucking station. Literally!” shouts a voice.I can’t see who it is through the windshield which is shrouded in what remains of my cell. I don’t have time to ask any questions of the mystery voice.
There’s no time to question anything.
The passenger door flies open. Two officers appear behind me. One fumbles with the cell keys while the other shouts at him to move faster.
It won’t be fast enough.
I leap into the truck and slam the door. The tires spin in place for a few seconds until they finally grip the concrete. My head hits the headliner as we reverse over the broken bricks until we’re clear of them and are able to make forward motion. It isn’t until we’re through the field and on the road when I finally get a good look of my getaway driver.
“Preppy?” I ask. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Preppy may not be part of any official organization, but he runs a tight ship over in Logan’s Beach. Belly and I have worked with him and his friend King a few times in the past. I haven’t seen Preppy since before he was thought to be dead only to later be rescued from an underground cave where he was held captive for the better part of a year.
“Grim? Fuck, I thought I was rescuing Bear. Get the fuck out,” he teases. “Just kidding. If Bear was locked up I wouldn’t help him escape. That fucker could use some ‘me time’ to contemplate his grumpy nature.”
He holds the wheel with one hand and straightens his signature bowtie with the other. His white dress shirt is rolled up to his elbows revealing arms heavily covered with both tattoos and angry jagged scars.
He lights a joint and tugs on the wheel, making a sharp turn off the road into a dark heavily wooded area. When we’ve made it in far enough to be fully camouflaged by trees and brush, Preppy kills the engine.
He passes me the joint, and I take a much-needed hit, holding the smoke for as long as I can before slowly exhaling.
“Thanks, man. How the fuck did you get sucked into this?”
Preppy types out a text on his phone, then sets it back in the console. “Bethany. I owed her a favor. She got my boy, Bo, out of some trouble recently.”
“Isn’t your kid like ten now?” I ask. “What kind of trouble can a ten-year-old get into that needs Bethany’s kind of help?”
“He’s eight,” Preppy corrects. “And my boy catches the kind of trouble most kids his age don’t know is out there to catch. My girls are easier. Twin toddlers. Miley and Taylor. The three of them, along with their mama, are the loves of my fucked-up life. Bo’s a good kid. He’s just…well, his brain arrow doesn’t exactly shoot straight. Its target is usually more…”
Preppy shapes his hand like an arrow aimed at the windshield, then changes the aim to me.“Human.” He drops his hand. “And the incident in question wasn’t that bad. It may or may not have had something to do with the unfortunate disappearance of a certain…”
He waves the rest of his sentence away like there’s a gnat flying around his head.
“Let’s just say he’s grounded. VERY grounded. For life. Or like a week. Minimum a few days. Or a day. Maybe, an hour or two. Poor kid. Maybe, I’ll just take him to the movies.” He sighs. “You’ll see. Wait until you’ve got some sex trophies of your own. You’ll understand.”
Kids. I’ve never thought of myself with a kid before. I picture Tricks holding a baby in her arms. Our baby. Much to my surprise, I don’t fucking hate it. Although, the thought isn’t helpful to my current situation and only makes me more impatient and enraged.
One thing at a fucking time.
Sirens wail through the night. Preppy remains cool and calm like he’s driving a parade float down main street, and not at all like he’s running from the law with a fugitive.
Blue and red flashes light up the woods. After a few seconds, the vehicles pass, and both the lights and sirens fade off into the distance. “That’s our bat signal. Let’s get you the fuck outta here so I can get home to the missus and eat her cookies.” Preppy pauses, probably realizing his odd choice of words. “I do actually mean cookies. Dre makes a mean batch of chocolate chip.”
I stare silently out at the passing trees.
“I’m going to eat her pussy, too. You know, after the other kind of cookies. Just so we’re clear.”
“Thanks, man. We’re clear. And if you ever need anything and I’m not dead or serving time, I’m there,” I assure him. I mean it. I owe him a debt. A huge one.
“Hhhhmmm,” he considers, taking the joint I pass him. “How do you feel about babysitting?”
I smile at his joke until I look over at Preppy only to see he’s not doing the same.
In fact, it’s the only time in my life I’d ever seen him with a straight face.
“I uh…”
He looks straight ahead through the scratched and broken windshield. Bits of concrete from our escape attempt cover the dashboard, and some of it is lodged into the glass. “Never mind. You can do me one favor, though.”
“Anything within my power. It’s yours.”
“Don’t tell King about this,” he says. It comes out as a sheepish high-pitched question.“Why? He wouldn’t want to know that you broke me out?”King was a friend of Belly’s and a good ally to Bedlam. It wouldn’t make sense that he’d be against helping me. I’d do the same for any of them if the roles were reversed. Preppy shakes his head. “Oh no, he knows I broke you out. I just sent him a text to tell him it’s over. The grand escape is complete.” He steps on the gas. “But he don’t gotta know I used his truck to do it."
POSSESSION IS BOOK TWO IN THE PERVERSION TRILOGY
BOOK THREE: PERMISSION
BOOK ONE: PERVERSION
Download your copy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2O0BRuf
AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2pqqLkpAmazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/PossessionTMFNook: http://bit.ly/2pquEWm
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2QM36HtAdd to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2xsJXCnPre-order PERMISSION now Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DnVtnQAppleBooks: https://apple.co/2MVBVqxAmazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/PermissionNook: http://bit.ly/2OCnVUlKobo: http://bit.ly/2OAcD2JAdd to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Np7gHaStart the trilogy today with PERVERSIONAmazon: https://amzn.to/2LAHwpPAppleBooks: https://apple.co/2AzVzrmAmazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/PerversionTMFNook: https://goo.gl/6cHFKHKobo: https://bit.ly/2JwQaQXAudible: https://amzn.to/2DcdxQkAmazon Print: https://amzn.to/2LTMTR3
About the Author T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier never dreamed that a single person would ever read a wordshe wrote when she published her first book. Now, she is a five-time USA Todaybestselling author and her books have been translated into numerous languages andpublished all around the world. T.M. enjoys writing what she calls sexy‘wrongside of the tracks romance’ with morallycorrupt anti-heroes and ballsy heroines. Her books have been described as raw, dark and gritty. Basically, what that means, iswhile some authors are great at describing a flower as it blooms, T.M. is better atdescribing it in the final stages of decay. She loves meeting her readers, but if you see her at an event please don’t pinch herbecause she's not ready to wake up from this amazing dream.
Connect with T.M. Frazier
Facebook: http://bit.ly/TMFRAZIERBOOKS
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JWHAv8GoodReads: https://amzn.to/2OjmESrJoin Frazierland:http://bit.ly/frazierland
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/t.m.frazier/
BookBub: https://bit.ly/2xtlQ4u
Twitter: @TM_Frazier
Stay up to date with T.M. by signing up for her mailing list: http://bit.ly/TMFrazierWebsite: http://www.tmfrazierbooks.com
For Text Alerts: TEXT “TMFRAZIER” TO 77948*Standard text messaging rates apply*
My Review:
That was one hell of ride... That ending.. Need book 3 NOW!!!!! I'm so glad to have been given the chance to read and review the next installment in the Perversion trilogy. I enjoyed seeing where Grim and Emma Jean are. I read this in one day!!
If you have enjoyed all of Tracey' s previous works. You will love this trilogy... there are some awesome visitors from her other books. I like how she has her characters connected to one another.
5/5 stars
Happy Reading, Ashley
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Falling in Love All Over Again by Bella Andre
Released: November 14th 2018
Publisher: Oak Press. LLC
Series: The Sullivans, Book #18.5
Page Amount:
Source: Street Team/ Publisher
The Sullivans Babymoon Novella
"Catch up with the whole Sullivan clan in this funny, sizzling hot, heartwarming novella!
Lori "Naughty" Sullivan has always been a force of nature--and marriage to Grayson Tyler, her sexy cowboy, hasn't mellowed her out one bit. She's still dancing in stilettos, laughing too loud, and lovingly plotting new ways to drive her husband crazy. It's almost time for their most exciting adventure yet, and Lori can't wait for the next phase of their lives to begin--as parents. Especially when she's certain that Grayson is going to be the best father ever. But has he truly made peace with his tragic past? Or will it come back to haunt him just when their future together should have never looked brighter? "
-Information from Goodreads.com
My Review:
| I adored Lori and Grayson's story in Always on My Mind. To see where they are now was a special treat. I look forward to move from their story down the road.. maybe?? As well as the rest of the world wide Sullivan family. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read and review another awesome Bella Andre novel. 5/5 stars, Happy Reading, Ashley |
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Possession by T.M. Frazier
Released: November 13th 2018
Publisher: Frazier Publishing
Series: Perversion, Book Two
Page Amount: 169 kindle edition
Source: Publisher
The story of Grim and Emma Jean continues.
War is on the horizon.
We've come so far.
We'll have to fight for what we have.
Or die trying.
Possession is book two of The Perversion Trilogy
Permission is book three
Perversion is book one
-Information from Goodreads.com
My Review:
That was one hell of ride... That ending.. Need book 3 NOW!!!!! I'm so glad to have been given the chance to read and review the next installment in the Perversion trilogy. I enjoyed seeing where Grim and Emma Jean are. I read this in one day!!
If you have enjoyed all of Tracey' s previous works. You will love this trilogy... there are some awesome visitors from her other books. I like how she has her characters connected to one another.
5/5 stars
Happy Reading, Ashley
Release Day Blitz For Possession by T.M. Frazier
“This trilogy is EPIC! If you loved TM Frazier's King series, you MUSTread the Perversion trilogy!"- Meghan March, New York Times Bestselling Author POSSESSION, part two of the dark and gritty Perversion Trilogy from USA Todaybestselling author T.M. Frazier is LIVE! The story of Grim and Emma Jean continues. War is on the horizon. We've come so far. We'll have to fight for what we have. Or die trying.
POSSESSION IS BOOK TWO IN THE PERVERSION TRILOGYBOOK THREE: PERMISSIONBOOK ONE: PERVERSION
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2QM36HtAdd to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2xsJXCnPre-order PERMISSION now Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DnVtnQAppleBooks: https://apple.co/2MVBVqxAmazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/PermissionNook: http://bit.ly/2OCnVUlKobo: http://bit.ly/2OAcD2JAdd to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Np7gHaStart the trilogy today with PERVERSIONAmazon: https://amzn.to/2LAHwpPAppleBooks: https://apple.co/2AzVzrmAmazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/PerversionTMFNook: https://goo.gl/6cHFKHKobo: https://bit.ly/2JwQaQXAudible: https://amzn.to/2DcdxQkAmazon Print: https://amzn.to/2LTMTR3
About the Author T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier never dreamed that a single person would ever read a wordshe wrote when she published her first book. Now, she is a five-time USA Todaybestselling author and her books have been translated into numerous languages andpublished all around the world. T.M. enjoys writing what she calls sexy‘wrongside of the tracks romance’ with morallycorrupt anti-heroes and ballsy heroines. Her books have been described as raw, dark and gritty. Basically, what that means, iswhile some authors are great at describing a flower as it blooms, T.M. is better atdescribing it in the final stages of decay.
She loves meeting her readers, but if you see her at an event please don’t pinch herbecause she's not ready to wake up from this amazing dream.
Connect with T.M. Frazier
Facebook: http://bit.ly/TMFRAZIERBOOKS
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JWHAv8GoodReads: https://amzn.to/2OjmESrJoin Frazierland:http://bit.ly/frazierland
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/t.m.frazier/BookBub: https://bit.ly/2xtlQ4uTwitter: @TM_FrazierStay up to date with T.M. by signing up for her mailing list: http://bit.ly/TMFrazierWebsite: http://www.tmfrazierbooks.com
For Text Alerts: TEXT “TMFRAZIER” TO 77948*Standard text messaging rates apply*
Saturday, November 3, 2018
November TBR 2018
I know I have made a post at some point this year on how I hate TBR's. Welp, I am taking a risk in making one for myself in November. I have a series I want to finish before the year over.
November TBR 2018
Review:
Possession by T.M. Frazier
This is my only review book for the month. I will be receiving for the month. As of right now anyways
The one book group I am apart of on Facebook is doing a challenge for the month. So I am participating in it.
First 3 are apart of the challenge.
Villian: Throne Of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (reread) Currently rereading this one.
Badass Heroine: Crown Of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (reread)
Beautiful Cover: Heir Of Fire by Sarah J. Maas (reread)
Retellings: TBD
Not for the challenge:
Queen Of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas (reread)
Empire Of Storms by Sarah J. Maas (reread)
Tower Of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
Kingdom Of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
9 books for November. If I get through all of these after Thanksgiving I will probably start reading alot of Christmas and Holiday themed books!!
That is my TBR for the month of November. What are you all reading for the month?
I will admit I am nervous for Kingdom of Ash. I haven't been spoiled yet.
Happy Reading, Ashley
November TBR 2018
Review:
Possession by T.M. Frazier
This is my only review book for the month. I will be receiving for the month. As of right now anyways
The one book group I am apart of on Facebook is doing a challenge for the month. So I am participating in it.
First 3 are apart of the challenge.
Villian: Throne Of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (reread) Currently rereading this one.
Badass Heroine: Crown Of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (reread)
Beautiful Cover: Heir Of Fire by Sarah J. Maas (reread)
Retellings: TBD
Not for the challenge:
Queen Of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas (reread)
Empire Of Storms by Sarah J. Maas (reread)
Tower Of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
Kingdom Of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
9 books for November. If I get through all of these after Thanksgiving I will probably start reading alot of Christmas and Holiday themed books!!
That is my TBR for the month of November. What are you all reading for the month?
I will admit I am nervous for Kingdom of Ash. I haven't been spoiled yet.
Happy Reading, Ashley
Thursday, November 1, 2018
October Wrap Up 2018
October Wrap Up 2018
So I spent the first 2 weeks of the month being a working girl. And then I quit my job. Reasons I won't bore you all with. So back on to the job hunt I go...
Anyways you are here to see the books I read in the month of October.
1. Tailspin by Sandra Brown 5/5 stars
My favorite book of the month!! I so happy to finally read her newest release!!
2. At the Cemetery Gates: Year One by John Brhel 3/5 stars
3. Slaughter by Shantel Tessier 4/5 stars
I have a review for this one posted!
4. Tales From Valleyview Cemetery by John Brhel 3/5 stars
5. Bad Kitty:A Steamy Halloween Romance by Taryn Quinn 4/5 stars
6. The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas 5/5 stars (reread)
That's a wrap on October. Not to shabby with six books read!! How did your reading go in October? Let me know in the comments down below!!
Happy Reading, Ashley
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Release Day Blitz Review: Slaughter by Shantel Tessier
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Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Slaughter by Shantel Tessier
Slaughter by Shantel Tessier
Released: October 23rd, 2018
Publisher:
Page Amount: 363, kindle edition
Source: Publisher
*Slaughter is a dark romance
*Contains disturbing scenes
*Violent sexual situations
"My name is Avery Decker, and my story isn’t for the faint of heart. It is about revenge and hatred, misery and violence. I wasn’t always this way even though it was in my blood. I grew up happy and in love with my best friend until she betrayed me and walked away. After that, I fell into the deep, dark world I was meant for.
Presleigh Clarke's actions turned me into the ruthless man I am today. Too bad for her, I believe people should pay for the things they have done. The more painful and messy, the better. I get off on making people bleed. It feeds my inner demon, and right now, he is starving. She crossed me once, so now she’ll know what it’s like to fear me. But not all stories end the way you think they will … mine certainly didn’t. "
-Information from Goodreads.com
My Review:
| I received an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. I never read Shantel's works before. This was a very dark, and violent story. Our main characters Avery and Presleigh were once a couple 11 years prior to when our story begins. When Avery learns his former love of his life is in trouble. He plans to kidnap her and keep her as his slave. Although there was alot of hard scenes to read about. I did enjoy the story and seeing the former flames possibly reconnect after being apart for 11 years. If you don’t mind some of the subject matter and like dark stories this might be for you. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. 4/5 stars Happy Reading, Ashley |
Saturday, September 29, 2018
September Wrap Up 2018
September Wrap Up 2018
I managed to read 8 books in the month of September!! I feel so happy seeing that number. Even with working the last half of the month I still managed to read some reading done! I finished up a trilogy.
Here is the list of books I read in September 2018:
1. The Pagan Stone by Nora Roberts 5/5 stars
I am sad to see this trilogy come to an end. I loved it!!
2. Seeing Red by Sandra Brown 5/5 stars
3. Love&Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch 5/5 stars
4. Perversion by T.M. Frazier 5/5 stars
5.Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris 3/5 stars
6. The Barefoot Wedding by Lucy Kevin 5/5 stars
7. A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon 4/5 stars
8.Twilight Director's Notebook: The Story of How We Made the Movie Based on the Novel by Stephenie Meyer by Catherine Hardwicke 5/5 stars
That is a wrap on September!! I cannot wait to hear what books you all read in September. Please let me know in the comments down below!!
Happy Reading, Ashley
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
The Barefoot Wedding by Lucy Kevin
Released: September 12th, 2018
Publisher: Oak Press,LLC
Page Amount: 93 pages, Kindle Edition
Series: Married In Malibu, Book Three
Source: Publisher
"As the head of security for Married in Malibu, Travis Houston is absolutely certain that no one will ever get into one of their celebrity beachfront weddings without an invitation, especially the paparazzi. But though he’s a master of keeping his clients safe, he can’t say the same for keeping his own heart safe. Especially when Amy Woodford shows up from out of the blue and completely takes his breath away.
Three years ago, Amy went halfway across the country to try to escape heartbreak. But when her best friend’s wedding brings her to Married in Malibu, she’s suddenly face to face with the man she once loved with all her heart.
Love is always in the air at the beach in Malibu, and this summer is no exception as Travis and Amy can’t help but fall for each other all over again. But will Amy’s unconditional love be enough for Travis to believe that he could be good enough to transcend the pain from his past and give her his entire heart? "
Lucy Kevin is the sweet pen-name of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Bella Andre (who writes the #1 bestselling series about The Sullivans). Lucy Kevin books are fun, flirty and romantic―without the steamy scenes. THE BAREFOOT WEDDING is the third book in the fun and romantic “Married in Malibu” series — a spinoff of Lucy Kevin’s New York Times bestselling “Four Weddings and a Fiasco” series.
-Information from Goodreads.com
My Review:
| I received this exchange for an honest review. In this installment of the series we meet Amy and Travis. They had a sorta relationship three years ago.... Amy returns to the West Coast for her best friend's wedding. Will she end up getting a happily ever after herself? I adored this story. I got teareyed in parts. So glad I was able to read and review this lovely story. 5/5 stars Happy Reading, Ashley |
Perversion by T.M. Frazier
Released: September 25th 2018
Publisher: Frazier Publishing
Series: Perversion, Book One
Page Amount: 167, Kindle Edition
Source: Publicist
USA Today bestselling author of the King Series, T.M. Frazier, brings you an all-new trilogy with a sexy anti-hero you're going to love to hate, and a ballsy heroine with more up her sleeve than just tricks.
"Love is supposed to be a fairy tale.
Ours is a death wish.
I'm the executioner for the Bedlam Brotherhood.
She's a con artist working for my greatest enemy.
I use her.
She manipulates me.
We find ourselves on opposite sides of a bloody war.
My heart and head tell me I have to stay away.
My lust for her doesn't give a sh*t.
Nothings fair in love and gang war. "
-Information from Goodreads.com
My Review:
I received an ebook ARC of Perversion to help with the book excerpt and to give my honest review on the book. I have loved all of Tracey's previous works. Perversion was a fast paced heart wrecking novel.I am super excited for books 2 and 3. Tracey always brings it!! If you have enjoyed her previous novels you will love Perversion......
By the way that ending.....TRACEY!!! WHY????? I need book 2 RIGHT NOW!!!!
Grim is now my new favorite book boyfriend. Emma Jean Parish aka Tricks is an awesome lead female character.
I love the appearance of another character from her King series.
I give this book 5/6 stars!!!
Happy Reading, Ashley
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Excerpt Reveal For Perversion by T.M. Frazier
USA Today bestselling author of the King Series, T.M. Frazier, brings you an all new trilogy with an anti-hero you’re going to love to hate and a ballsy heroine with tricks up her sleeve.
PERVERSION, book one in the all-new Perversion Trilogy is coming September 25th and we have the first sneak peek for you!
Synopsis
Love is supposed to be magical.
Ours is suicidal.
The first time I met Emma Jean Parish,
she conned me into taking her p*ssy.
Her cat.
When she was sixteen,
she manipulated me into giving her
her very first kiss.
At eighteen she gave me everything.
She's a con artist.
I'm a criminal.
I use her.
She manipulates me.
The attraction between us is explosive.
When it detonates
we could both wind up dead.
PERVERSION IS BOOK ONE IN THE PERVERSION TRILOGY
BOOK TWO: POSSESSION
BOOK THREE: PERMISSION
Pre-order your copy of PERVERSION today!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2LAHwpP
iBooks: https://apple.co/2AzVzrm
Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/PerversionTMF
Nook: https://goo.gl/6cHFKH
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2JwQaQX
Paperback: https://amzn.to/2LTMTR3
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/perversionGR
Excerpt:
Emma Jean
When I was younger, I fell in love with magic. I learned every card trick there was from library books and unmasking magic TV specials. I used to put on shows for Gabby that included escaping from complicated knots and trick handcuffs. But what’s magic besides a sleight of hand?
It’s a lie.
And lying is what I’m damn good at.
My ability to spin a tall tale or two lead to stealing wallets and conning people into taking stray pets for the thrill of it. Now, I’m using it to earn for Marco. The thrill is there, but it’s muted, hindered, lost under his pile of mounting threats.
The inside of the casino smells like stale cigarettes, spilled beer, and burnt coffee. We’re not supposed to be in here. It’s Bedlam territory. But that’s also why it’s perfect.
It isn’t like anyone would recognize us here.
We’ve made friends with a few of the cocktail waitresses by giving them a small cut, and they don’t ask questions or ring any alarms when they see us working. I’ve also been straightening my hair over the last few years since my crazy curls stand out like a reflector on a dark highway. I’ve dyed it a few shades darker than my normal honey blonde to help blend in.
Tonight is starting off well. Gabby and I are working a con we’ve run a few times before.
Gabby walks away, her long dark hair swooshing behind her. She gives me a nod as she passes me by on the slot machine I’m pretending to play. She’s just faked losing an expensive engagement ring at another slot machine. I watched out of the corner of my eye as she frantically looked around for it, then loudly announced a thousand-dollar reward would be waiting at the casino cage for whoever returned it.
She is flawless. She should be an actress. And in another life, she would be.
But we don’t live in another life.
We live in Lacking and belong to Los Muertos.
Our lives are not our own.
A few people casually look around the area, then return to their machines when they don’t find the ring Gabby was ranting about. They won’t either. Because it’s not there.
Yet.
It's go time.
I strut over to the area Gabby just left and put a dollar in the machine. While the wheels spin, I pretend to pick up the dime store ring I already have in my hand. By the time the machine dings to tell me I’ve lost my dollar, I’m turning the ring over, inspecting it like I don’t have half a dozen more just like it in my drawer back at the apartment.
“Would you look at that?” I mutter to myself loud enough so others around me can hear.
A man in an Adidas jumpsuit with a potbelly taps me on the shoulder. “I’ll take that. I saw the woman who dropped it. I’ll go return it to her.”
Liar. You just want the reward.
“That’s so nice of you,” I say. I hold it out, about to drop it into his hand when I pull it back. “I bet there’s a reward for something this valuable.” I start to walk around the man. “I’ll take it up to management. Maybe, they know…”
“Here,” the man says, holding up a hundred-dollar bill. “Take this. I’ll take it to her. I just…you know, as I said, I want to make sure it gets back to the right person.”
You’re not even a good liar.
Sometimes, it’s just too freaking easy. And this scam wasn’t even an Emma Jean and Gabby original. We saw it a long time ago in a movie starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Doesn’t anyone else watch movies?
I shrug and pass him the ring. Plucking the bill from his hand, I tuck it into my bra. “Thanks,” I say before quickly making my way toward the large glass front doors. It’s Thursday. Marco’s money is due in two days, and we’re short this week.
Really short.
I walk slowly and wave goodbye to the valets with a smile on my face. “Any luck, tonight?” One asks me.
“I think so,” I answer with a smile. Once I’m down the sidewalk and out of view, I scramble to the side of the casino where I kick off my heels and change from the sequined dress I’d stolen from a dry-cleaner into a pair of cut-off shorts and my yellow Keds.
Now, all I have to do is wait for Gabby.
I don’t have to wait long.
“Run!” Gabby yells, darting from the doors of the casino with two large men wearing tight black security t-shirts close behind. Running from security is terrifying enough, knowing that we’re running from members of the Bedlam Brotherhood kicks it up a notch.
I grab my backpack and sling it across my shoulders. I move as fast as I can until I’m running right alongside her. We race through the gates, cross the street, narrowly avoiding being hit by two cars. We duck into a hole in a fence and run through one backyard after the other.
“One of those cunt waitresses must have tipped them off!” Gabby says, through shallow breaths. She’s barefoot in a black mini-dress hiked up to her ass to give her long legs room to run. Her long thick hair is wrapped around her face, sticking to her mouth.
We hit the sixth backyard. Without another word, we separate behind a clothesline. We’ve mapped out this escape plan a thousand times, but this is the first time we’ve ever had to use it.
When I make it into the central part of town, to the Los Muertos/Bedlam border, I can no longer hear the shouts of the security guards. I lost them.
Hopefully, Gabby did, too.
I use a tower of stacked-up wooden pallets on the sidewalk like a ladder to scale a concrete wall, then drop down into the alley.
I grow more panic-stricken the longer I wait for Gabby. I bite the inside of my lip, pacing back and forth along the high wall. The Bedlam Brotherhood runs the security at the casino. If they catch her and find out who she is? Or worse? Who her brother is? They'll... I shake the thought from my mind. She’ll be fine.
She HAS to be fine.
Please be okay, Gabby. Please.
I’m trying to catch my breath and pull myself together when I hear a clink echo through the alley as if someone dropped some spare change, followed by the sound of something heavy dropping to the asphalt.
“Gabby?” I ask into the darkness. Thinking it’s her, relief washes over me like rain on a barren desert.
My only answer is the flickering of a fluorescent light mounted high on the roof’s edge of the adjoining building. And the hiss of what sounds like a cat behind a dumpster.
I walk over and peer around it. “Gabby? Are you hurt? Say something!” I whisper-shout.
Someone moves from within the shadow. “Get out here, Gabby. We’ve got to go before Mar…”
The light flickers again, for just a second. That second is all I need to see that the someone slowly stalking toward me is not Gabby.
It’s a man…twice my size.
“Who are you?” I ask, shuffling backward as the man cloaked in a black leather hood emerges from the shadows. The front of his jacket is open. Underneath, he's shirtless, covered in a sheen of sweat, and more tattoos than visible skin all the way up the front of his throat. His muscled chest and abs flex with each step he takes. The hood shadows most of his face, but when the lights flicker again, yellow eyes glow from within.
And they’re locked on me.
My ‘save your ass’ mode kicks in.
The man is blocking the only exit. My only other chance of escape is to scale the same wall I used to drop into the alley.
I keep moving backward as he approaches until my back hits the wall. I look left and right for something to use to climb on.
There’s nothing but emptiness.
My stomach sinks, but surrender is not an option.
I swallow hard as the alarm bells scream in my head for me to run. Somewhere. Anywhere.
There’s nowhere to go!
My legs tremble. Fear crawls like a million spiders along the backs of my legs. I push myself further against the wall as if I can squish the feeling away, but it’s useless.
Fear consumes me. Swallows me whole.
He continues toward me. As he gets closer, I realize it’s not just sweat glistening on his skin. There’s something else splattered across the tattoos on his chest and on his stubbled jaw.
It almost looks like wet paint.
My breathing stops when he’s close enough that I can make out the tattoo on the front of his throat.
A bleeding black rose.
The symbol of the Bedlam Brotherhood.
I’ve heard stories about Grim. The man in the hood. The executioner for Bedlam. They were all terrifying, but not nearly as terrifying as the reality of coming face to face with the man himself.
“We didn’t do anything,” I blurt. “I mean, we did, but it wasn’t a big deal. I’ll…I’ll give the money back. Just tell your men not to hurt my friend. It was all my idea. Let her go, and you can take me.”
“Who the fuck are you?” he asks. His voice is so thick and deep I feel it more than hear it. Shivers erupt all over my body.
He raises his arm, revealing a long curved blade.
For the first time in my life, I can’t seem to be able to hide my fear with my wit or sarcasm. My throat tightens. I can’t swallow, never mind speak. I’ve lost my words completely, along with my nerve.
The man’s blade drips red onto the pavement from the serrated tip.
Every fear response I didn’t even know I had runs rampant. I’m holding my breath. My muscles tense as if running was still an option. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck prickle my skin as they stand on end. I raise up to my tip-toes and push back, trying to make myself disappear into the wall.
I glance from the knife back to his chest, then back again. The splatters across his skin?
It’s not fucking paint.
Before I can process what the hell is happening, he switches from slow-stalking mode into hyper-speed, pinning my wrists above my head. His hard, bloodied chest pushes against me, smearing blood across my white tank top, forcing the back of my head to connect roughly with the wall.
“I’ll only ask you this one more time. Who the fuck are you?” His low guttural growl rattles my bones.
His unblinking, angry, golden eyes lock onto mine. Without the fluorescent light, they’re more golden brown than a glowing yellow. As much as I want to, I can’t look away. He could be the last person I ever see.
The thought is just the spike of adrenaline I need.
“Let me go,” I say, finally finding my words. I try and jerk my wrists from his grip with no luck. I’m trapped. My fear and anger rise to the surface, but I shove it back down. Fear won’t get me out of this situation, so it will have to wait for its damned turn.
He digs his rough fingers into my skin. “Answer me. Who the fuck are you?”
The bite of pain only makes me angrier. I throw his question back at him. “Who the fuck are you?”
He glances down at my rapidly rising and falling chest before pinning me with his stare. The corner of his mouth tugs up in a half-smirk.
“So much confidence for someone who's trembling,” he says with an amused glint shining in his demonic eyes.
I shrug. “Maybe, I’m just not a fan of enclosed spaces,” I say through gritted teeth.
“You didn’t answer me,” he says.
“Why do you have blood all over you?” I answer him with yet another question. “You know, if you were committing some kind of crime back there, you should be more careful. I recommend a bleach bath and death by fire for your clothes the first chance you get. If it’s self-harm, I’m sure there’s a helpline you can call.”
He cocks his head to the side. His nostrils flare. His face is only inches away. I can feel the heat from his body against mine. His cool breath flutters against my neck.
I’ve never been this close to a man before. My trembling grows. My inner thighs shake sending a rippling wave of something very unfamiliar coursing through the center my body. I try and press my legs together to stop it from happening again, but when he uses his knee to wedge my legs apart, caging me in even further, it only grows, uncoiling from within like a slinky being pulled apart at the ends.
I swallow hard as the stubble of his jaw presses against my neck.
“Name,” he demands, his voice raspier than before.
I shut my eyes tight for a beat, trying to gain composure, control, something that will help me as I try and reason my way out of this. “Listen, I didn’t see anything,” I blurt. “That is if you did anything. I’m not going to call the police if that’s what you're worried about. I wouldn’t anyway, even if I saw something, which I didn’t.”
His brows knit together in a harsh line. “Why?”
His question confuses me.
“Why what?”
“Why wouldn’t you tell the police?”
Because Marco owns them.
“Let’s just say that I haven’t exactly been a model citizen myself tonight. Let’s face it. If the police around here weren’t being paid not to do their jobs, half this town would be locked up.” I take a deep, shaky breath. “Especially people like us.”
He stills. There’s no more talking. Only heavy breathing and a battle of wills. He releases one of my hands. I think he’s reaching for his knife. My blood turns cold. I can feel my face pale as my heart starts beating as faster and faster as if it wants to get in as many as possible before the end.
I’m surprised when he doesn’t go for his knife. Instead, his hand travels slowly down my chest into my cleavage.
“No, don’t!” I say, but it’s too late, he’s already yanked on my locket.
“Please just give it back, and let me go,” I plead. Feeling like it’s my real heart he's torn from my chest. “It’s the only thing in this world that means anything to me. Besides my best friend, it’s all I have.”
I hate the desperation in my voice, but it’s the truth.
He’s silent for a moment. He raises his arms. I flinch, raising my arms over my face defensively. But when nothing happens, I lower them, just in time to see him push back his hood, revealing his face.
“Why?” I ask, closing my eyes knowing full well that the only time a criminal reveals himself to a witness is right before they take them out.
“Look at me,” he demands, holding my face in his hand.
“No!” I say, shutting my eyes tighter.
“Look at me!” he bellows. He’s on me again. This time, he holds my head in his large rough hands. “Open your fucking eyes so you can see me.”
With no other choice than to get my head squished like a turtle under a car tire, I do as he demands. Opening my eyes, I blink through the haze, and when it clears, I’m met with tousled, medium-length, light brown hair, slicked back on the top, shorn close to head on the sides. His nose is slightly crooked like it’s been broken a few times before. The stubble on his square, defined jaw is a few days over needing a shave. A jagged scar runs through his chin like an angry white lightning bolt.
He’s the most fucking beautifully terrifying man I’ve ever seen.
He’s searching my eyes for something, but I don’t know what.
“Why?” I ask in a whisper.
His hands release mine, but he doesn’t step back. He leans in closer, speaking against my cheek in a rumble of a whisper. The strange feeling from earlier comes back as a zap of electricity bouncing around my insides looking for somewhere to ground.
I’m breathing heavy. Our lips are so close, almost touching. He slides one hand off my face, snaking it around my neck, pulling me closer. He starts to answer in a rumble of a whisper, causing goosebumps to rise on my already prickled skin. “Because I want you to see the face of the man who’s just—”
“Where the fuck are you?” calls Gabby from the other side of the wall. “I lost them!”
The moment, whatever it is, is now broken. The man releases me so suddenly I brace myself against the wall to keep from falling. I turn my head toward her voice.
“Gabby!” I shout back.
My heart is beating out of control. Out of habit, I raise my hand to my chest, seeking familiar comfort.
I look up. The man in the hood is gone.
And so is my locket.
About the Author
T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier never dreamed that a single person would ever read a word she wrote when she published her first book. Now, she is a five-time USA Today bestselling author and her books have been translated into numerous languages and published all around the world.
T.M. enjoys writing what she calls sexy‘wrongside of the tracks romance’ with morally corrupt anti-heroes and ballsy heroines.
Her books have been described as raw, dark and gritty. Basically, what that means, is while some authors are great at describing a flower as it blooms, T.M. is better at describing it in the final stages of decay.
She loves meeting her readers, but if you see her at an event please don’t pinch her because she's not ready to wake up from this amazing dream.
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USA Today bestselling author of the King Series, T.M. Frazier, brings you an all new trilogy with an anti-hero you’re going to love to hate and a ballsy heroine with tricks up her sleeve.
PERVERSION, book one in the all-new Perversion Trilogy is coming September 25th and we have the first sneak peek for you!
Synopsis
Love is supposed to be magical.
Ours is suicidal.
The first time I met Emma Jean Parish,
she conned me into taking her p*ssy.
Her cat.
When she was sixteen,
she manipulated me into giving her
her very first kiss.
At eighteen she gave me everything.
She's a con artist.
I'm a criminal.
I use her.
She manipulates me.
The attraction between us is explosive.
When it detonates
we could both wind up dead.
PERVERSION IS BOOK ONE IN THE PERVERSION TRILOGY
BOOK TWO: POSSESSION
BOOK THREE: PERMISSION
Pre-order your copy of PERVERSION today!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2LAHwpP
iBooks: https://apple.co/2AzVzrm
Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/PerversionTMF
Nook: https://goo.gl/6cHFKH
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2JwQaQX
Paperback: https://amzn.to/2LTMTR3
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/perversionGR
Excerpt:
Emma Jean
When I was younger, I fell in love with magic. I learned every card trick there was from library books and unmasking magic TV specials. I used to put on shows for Gabby that included escaping from complicated knots and trick handcuffs. But what’s magic besides a sleight of hand?
It’s a lie.
And lying is what I’m damn good at.
My ability to spin a tall tale or two lead to stealing wallets and conning people into taking stray pets for the thrill of it. Now, I’m using it to earn for Marco. The thrill is there, but it’s muted, hindered, lost under his pile of mounting threats.
The inside of the casino smells like stale cigarettes, spilled beer, and burnt coffee. We’re not supposed to be in here. It’s Bedlam territory. But that’s also why it’s perfect.
It isn’t like anyone would recognize us here.
We’ve made friends with a few of the cocktail waitresses by giving them a small cut, and they don’t ask questions or ring any alarms when they see us working. I’ve also been straightening my hair over the last few years since my crazy curls stand out like a reflector on a dark highway. I’ve dyed it a few shades darker than my normal honey blonde to help blend in.
Tonight is starting off well. Gabby and I are working a con we’ve run a few times before.
Gabby walks away, her long dark hair swooshing behind her. She gives me a nod as she passes me by on the slot machine I’m pretending to play. She’s just faked losing an expensive engagement ring at another slot machine. I watched out of the corner of my eye as she frantically looked around for it, then loudly announced a thousand-dollar reward would be waiting at the casino cage for whoever returned it.
She is flawless. She should be an actress. And in another life, she would be.
But we don’t live in another life.
We live in Lacking and belong to Los Muertos.
Our lives are not our own.
A few people casually look around the area, then return to their machines when they don’t find the ring Gabby was ranting about. They won’t either. Because it’s not there.
Yet.
It's go time.
I strut over to the area Gabby just left and put a dollar in the machine. While the wheels spin, I pretend to pick up the dime store ring I already have in my hand. By the time the machine dings to tell me I’ve lost my dollar, I’m turning the ring over, inspecting it like I don’t have half a dozen more just like it in my drawer back at the apartment.
“Would you look at that?” I mutter to myself loud enough so others around me can hear.
A man in an Adidas jumpsuit with a potbelly taps me on the shoulder. “I’ll take that. I saw the woman who dropped it. I’ll go return it to her.”
Liar. You just want the reward.
“That’s so nice of you,” I say. I hold it out, about to drop it into his hand when I pull it back. “I bet there’s a reward for something this valuable.” I start to walk around the man. “I’ll take it up to management. Maybe, they know…”
“Here,” the man says, holding up a hundred-dollar bill. “Take this. I’ll take it to her. I just…you know, as I said, I want to make sure it gets back to the right person.”
You’re not even a good liar.
Sometimes, it’s just too freaking easy. And this scam wasn’t even an Emma Jean and Gabby original. We saw it a long time ago in a movie starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Doesn’t anyone else watch movies?
I shrug and pass him the ring. Plucking the bill from his hand, I tuck it into my bra. “Thanks,” I say before quickly making my way toward the large glass front doors. It’s Thursday. Marco’s money is due in two days, and we’re short this week.
Really short.
I walk slowly and wave goodbye to the valets with a smile on my face. “Any luck, tonight?” One asks me.
“I think so,” I answer with a smile. Once I’m down the sidewalk and out of view, I scramble to the side of the casino where I kick off my heels and change from the sequined dress I’d stolen from a dry-cleaner into a pair of cut-off shorts and my yellow Keds.
Now, all I have to do is wait for Gabby.
I don’t have to wait long.
“Run!” Gabby yells, darting from the doors of the casino with two large men wearing tight black security t-shirts close behind. Running from security is terrifying enough, knowing that we’re running from members of the Bedlam Brotherhood kicks it up a notch.
I grab my backpack and sling it across my shoulders. I move as fast as I can until I’m running right alongside her. We race through the gates, cross the street, narrowly avoiding being hit by two cars. We duck into a hole in a fence and run through one backyard after the other.
“One of those cunt waitresses must have tipped them off!” Gabby says, through shallow breaths. She’s barefoot in a black mini-dress hiked up to her ass to give her long legs room to run. Her long thick hair is wrapped around her face, sticking to her mouth.
We hit the sixth backyard. Without another word, we separate behind a clothesline. We’ve mapped out this escape plan a thousand times, but this is the first time we’ve ever had to use it.
When I make it into the central part of town, to the Los Muertos/Bedlam border, I can no longer hear the shouts of the security guards. I lost them.
Hopefully, Gabby did, too.
I use a tower of stacked-up wooden pallets on the sidewalk like a ladder to scale a concrete wall, then drop down into the alley.
I grow more panic-stricken the longer I wait for Gabby. I bite the inside of my lip, pacing back and forth along the high wall. The Bedlam Brotherhood runs the security at the casino. If they catch her and find out who she is? Or worse? Who her brother is? They'll... I shake the thought from my mind. She’ll be fine.
She HAS to be fine.
Please be okay, Gabby. Please.
I’m trying to catch my breath and pull myself together when I hear a clink echo through the alley as if someone dropped some spare change, followed by the sound of something heavy dropping to the asphalt.
“Gabby?” I ask into the darkness. Thinking it’s her, relief washes over me like rain on a barren desert.
My only answer is the flickering of a fluorescent light mounted high on the roof’s edge of the adjoining building. And the hiss of what sounds like a cat behind a dumpster.
I walk over and peer around it. “Gabby? Are you hurt? Say something!” I whisper-shout.
Someone moves from within the shadow. “Get out here, Gabby. We’ve got to go before Mar…”
The light flickers again, for just a second. That second is all I need to see that the someone slowly stalking toward me is not Gabby.
It’s a man…twice my size.
“Who are you?” I ask, shuffling backward as the man cloaked in a black leather hood emerges from the shadows. The front of his jacket is open. Underneath, he's shirtless, covered in a sheen of sweat, and more tattoos than visible skin all the way up the front of his throat. His muscled chest and abs flex with each step he takes. The hood shadows most of his face, but when the lights flicker again, yellow eyes glow from within.
And they’re locked on me.
My ‘save your ass’ mode kicks in.
The man is blocking the only exit. My only other chance of escape is to scale the same wall I used to drop into the alley.
I keep moving backward as he approaches until my back hits the wall. I look left and right for something to use to climb on.
There’s nothing but emptiness.
My stomach sinks, but surrender is not an option.
I swallow hard as the alarm bells scream in my head for me to run. Somewhere. Anywhere.
There’s nowhere to go!
My legs tremble. Fear crawls like a million spiders along the backs of my legs. I push myself further against the wall as if I can squish the feeling away, but it’s useless.
Fear consumes me. Swallows me whole.
He continues toward me. As he gets closer, I realize it’s not just sweat glistening on his skin. There’s something else splattered across the tattoos on his chest and on his stubbled jaw.
It almost looks like wet paint.
My breathing stops when he’s close enough that I can make out the tattoo on the front of his throat.
A bleeding black rose.
The symbol of the Bedlam Brotherhood.
I’ve heard stories about Grim. The man in the hood. The executioner for Bedlam. They were all terrifying, but not nearly as terrifying as the reality of coming face to face with the man himself.
“We didn’t do anything,” I blurt. “I mean, we did, but it wasn’t a big deal. I’ll…I’ll give the money back. Just tell your men not to hurt my friend. It was all my idea. Let her go, and you can take me.”
“Who the fuck are you?” he asks. His voice is so thick and deep I feel it more than hear it. Shivers erupt all over my body.
He raises his arm, revealing a long curved blade.
For the first time in my life, I can’t seem to be able to hide my fear with my wit or sarcasm. My throat tightens. I can’t swallow, never mind speak. I’ve lost my words completely, along with my nerve.
The man’s blade drips red onto the pavement from the serrated tip.
Every fear response I didn’t even know I had runs rampant. I’m holding my breath. My muscles tense as if running was still an option. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck prickle my skin as they stand on end. I raise up to my tip-toes and push back, trying to make myself disappear into the wall.
I glance from the knife back to his chest, then back again. The splatters across his skin?
It’s not fucking paint.
Before I can process what the hell is happening, he switches from slow-stalking mode into hyper-speed, pinning my wrists above my head. His hard, bloodied chest pushes against me, smearing blood across my white tank top, forcing the back of my head to connect roughly with the wall.
“I’ll only ask you this one more time. Who the fuck are you?” His low guttural growl rattles my bones.
His unblinking, angry, golden eyes lock onto mine. Without the fluorescent light, they’re more golden brown than a glowing yellow. As much as I want to, I can’t look away. He could be the last person I ever see.
The thought is just the spike of adrenaline I need.
“Let me go,” I say, finally finding my words. I try and jerk my wrists from his grip with no luck. I’m trapped. My fear and anger rise to the surface, but I shove it back down. Fear won’t get me out of this situation, so it will have to wait for its damned turn.
He digs his rough fingers into my skin. “Answer me. Who the fuck are you?”
The bite of pain only makes me angrier. I throw his question back at him. “Who the fuck are you?”
He glances down at my rapidly rising and falling chest before pinning me with his stare. The corner of his mouth tugs up in a half-smirk.
“So much confidence for someone who's trembling,” he says with an amused glint shining in his demonic eyes.
I shrug. “Maybe, I’m just not a fan of enclosed spaces,” I say through gritted teeth.
“You didn’t answer me,” he says.
“Why do you have blood all over you?” I answer him with yet another question. “You know, if you were committing some kind of crime back there, you should be more careful. I recommend a bleach bath and death by fire for your clothes the first chance you get. If it’s self-harm, I’m sure there’s a helpline you can call.”
He cocks his head to the side. His nostrils flare. His face is only inches away. I can feel the heat from his body against mine. His cool breath flutters against my neck.
I’ve never been this close to a man before. My trembling grows. My inner thighs shake sending a rippling wave of something very unfamiliar coursing through the center my body. I try and press my legs together to stop it from happening again, but when he uses his knee to wedge my legs apart, caging me in even further, it only grows, uncoiling from within like a slinky being pulled apart at the ends.
I swallow hard as the stubble of his jaw presses against my neck.
“Name,” he demands, his voice raspier than before.
I shut my eyes tight for a beat, trying to gain composure, control, something that will help me as I try and reason my way out of this. “Listen, I didn’t see anything,” I blurt. “That is if you did anything. I’m not going to call the police if that’s what you're worried about. I wouldn’t anyway, even if I saw something, which I didn’t.”
His brows knit together in a harsh line. “Why?”
His question confuses me.
“Why what?”
“Why wouldn’t you tell the police?”
Because Marco owns them.
“Let’s just say that I haven’t exactly been a model citizen myself tonight. Let’s face it. If the police around here weren’t being paid not to do their jobs, half this town would be locked up.” I take a deep, shaky breath. “Especially people like us.”
He stills. There’s no more talking. Only heavy breathing and a battle of wills. He releases one of my hands. I think he’s reaching for his knife. My blood turns cold. I can feel my face pale as my heart starts beating as faster and faster as if it wants to get in as many as possible before the end.
I’m surprised when he doesn’t go for his knife. Instead, his hand travels slowly down my chest into my cleavage.
“No, don’t!” I say, but it’s too late, he’s already yanked on my locket.
“Please just give it back, and let me go,” I plead. Feeling like it’s my real heart he's torn from my chest. “It’s the only thing in this world that means anything to me. Besides my best friend, it’s all I have.”
I hate the desperation in my voice, but it’s the truth.
He’s silent for a moment. He raises his arms. I flinch, raising my arms over my face defensively. But when nothing happens, I lower them, just in time to see him push back his hood, revealing his face.
“Why?” I ask, closing my eyes knowing full well that the only time a criminal reveals himself to a witness is right before they take them out.
“Look at me,” he demands, holding my face in his hand.
“No!” I say, shutting my eyes tighter.
“Look at me!” he bellows. He’s on me again. This time, he holds my head in his large rough hands. “Open your fucking eyes so you can see me.”
With no other choice than to get my head squished like a turtle under a car tire, I do as he demands. Opening my eyes, I blink through the haze, and when it clears, I’m met with tousled, medium-length, light brown hair, slicked back on the top, shorn close to head on the sides. His nose is slightly crooked like it’s been broken a few times before. The stubble on his square, defined jaw is a few days over needing a shave. A jagged scar runs through his chin like an angry white lightning bolt.
He’s the most fucking beautifully terrifying man I’ve ever seen.
He’s searching my eyes for something, but I don’t know what.
“Why?” I ask in a whisper.
His hands release mine, but he doesn’t step back. He leans in closer, speaking against my cheek in a rumble of a whisper. The strange feeling from earlier comes back as a zap of electricity bouncing around my insides looking for somewhere to ground.
I’m breathing heavy. Our lips are so close, almost touching. He slides one hand off my face, snaking it around my neck, pulling me closer. He starts to answer in a rumble of a whisper, causing goosebumps to rise on my already prickled skin. “Because I want you to see the face of the man who’s just—”
“Where the fuck are you?” calls Gabby from the other side of the wall. “I lost them!”
The moment, whatever it is, is now broken. The man releases me so suddenly I brace myself against the wall to keep from falling. I turn my head toward her voice.
“Gabby!” I shout back.
My heart is beating out of control. Out of habit, I raise my hand to my chest, seeking familiar comfort.
I look up. The man in the hood is gone.
And so is my locket.
About the Author
T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier never dreamed that a single person would ever read a word she wrote when she published her first book. Now, she is a five-time USA Today bestselling author and her books have been translated into numerous languages and published all around the world.
T.M. enjoys writing what she calls sexy‘wrongside of the tracks romance’ with morally corrupt anti-heroes and ballsy heroines.
Her books have been described as raw, dark and gritty. Basically, what that means, is while some authors are great at describing a flower as it blooms, T.M. is better at describing it in the final stages of decay.
She loves meeting her readers, but if you see her at an event please don’t pinch her because she's not ready to wake up from this amazing dream.
Connect with T.M. Frazier
Facebook: http://bit.ly/TMFRAZIERBOOKS
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Twitter: @TM_Frazier
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