The Revenge PlanCopyright © 2019 by Linda KageThis is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses or establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.All rights reserved. No part of this book—except in the case of brief quotations in reviews—may be used, reproduced, or translated without written permission of the author.Contact Information: linda@lindakage.comPublishing HistoryLinda Kage, May 2019Smashwords EditionCreditsCover & Formatting: Kage CoversEditor: Summer @ Red Pen RevolutionProofreader: Shelley @ 2 Book Lovers ReviewsProofreader: Judy @ Judy’s Proofreading Created with Vellum
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tunes without the words and never stops at all.”Emily Dickinson.
Issue 1 of “Hopeless Henry”By Alice BennetTaken from the University GazetteThere she was again.From the back of class, I slunk further into my chair so she wouldn’t notice me staring as she entered the lecture hall with her two friends. Tipping my chin down just enough to shade most of my eyes under the bill of my baseball cap, I brought my hand up to my mouth so I could bite down on my thumbnail.God, she was pretty.And she was wearing the shirt, which made me smile behind my hand. That shirt was what had drawn me to her in the first place. A crossover from two of my favorite shows, it depicted Lucille, the bat from The Walking Dead, and the Winchester’s Chevy Impala from Supernatural, with text that read, “Dad’s still on a hunting trip.” A fan of both shows, I’d understood the message and laughed the first time I’d seen it, wishing I had a shirt like that.It’d actually taken me a couple of seconds to realize the material of that shirt stretched across a very lovely set o
My eyes!Oh God, my eyes had lost their ability to see correctly, because I had to be seeing things. A mirage, or hallucination…or something. That’s all there was to it.Because I absolutely refused to believe what my brain was trying to tell me that my eyes seriously thought they saw.No other way could my boyfriend of three years be inside my dorm, naked, with my roommate—also naked—as he gripped her hair hard enough from behind to cant her head back at an awkward angle while he pounded into her ass on, yes, my fucking couch that he’d helped me pick out this summer and haul up two flights of stairs to move into this very apartment.But why would my eyes play those kinds of evil tricks on me? That was just cruel and unusual punishment. Did they hate me for some reason? Had I pissed them off for staying up late one night too many, straining them to exhaustion as I’d squinted at my laptop and furiously tried to finish papers I had due the next day? They thought they’d get their reve
If someone had tried to tell me I’d end up in bed with Topher Nicholl’s girlfriend before the day was over, I would’ve laughed in their face.Then again, this wasn’t quite the situation I would’ve pictured either. I’m sure I would’ve envisioned a scene that involved a hell of a lot fewer clothes, absolutely no tears, and considerably more sweaty-hot groping that took place nowhere near my sister’s dorm room. But here we were, sprawled across Izzy’s bed where I’d carried Haven Gamble—both of us completely clothed—after she’d passed out cold from having a complete, traumatic meltdown in my arms.I swear, I’d never seen anyone cry that hard before. She wasn’t even the open-weeper, let-it-all-out-for-the-world-to-see sort. She’d curled up tight inside herself and burrowed against me as if trying to hide the pain and contain every single tear inside her until they’d simply ripped themselves free, emotionally shredding her apart in the process.I couldn’t blame her for falling comatose af
Haven had fallen asleep by the time we reached my apartment complex.“God, I hate your truck,” Izzy muttered from the driver’s seat as she passed the only available parking spot directly in front of my place.“What’re you doing?” I cried as I watched my building flash by. “There was a place right there.”The idea of carrying Haven’s dead weight more than a block did not appeal.But Izzy growled, “You’re crazy if you think I can actually parallel park this huge monstrosity anywhere that small. I’m going to circle the block, and then I’ll let you out by your front door before I find somewhere easier to park.”I opened my mouth to tell her it wasn’t that hard to parallel park and even offer tips, but the glance she shot me in the rearview mirror had me shutting up.So, I settled for sighing. “Whatever.”Growing up with three sisters and no brothers had taught me well when to keep my mouth shut to avoid getting my eyes scratched out.Once she’d made her way back around the block, t
Fifty-three minutes later, a hard knock sounded on my apartment door, making me shoot up from my seat where I’d been restlessly playing Gardenscapes on my phone.Moments before, I’d been tempted to delete the entire app, because the spreading honey level was pissing me the fuck off. But this waiting-for-Haven’s-parents-to-show horseshit was making me antsy enough that I kept playing the mind-numbing game and matching up three lines of fruit against the damn honey, anyway, batting it back as if I were fighting an approaching wildfire. And dying every round.Tossing my phone down as the honey consumed a leaf and a pear, I strode toward the door. Izzy popped up from where she’d been sitting across the room as me, cross-legged and madly typing on her laptop.I sliced her a warning glance as she tried to follow. “Why don’t you stay back a bit? They’re probably still pissed at me for putting them through the wringer.” I didn’t want anyone’s anger spilling over onto my sister.Rolling her
Issue 2 of “Hopeless Henry”By Alice BennetTaken from the University GazetteCollege was different than I thought it’d be. Harder in some ways; easier in others. One thing I seriously needed to learn was time management.As I stepped from the history department building, my head spun with everything I needed to get done. My professor had just reminded us of midterms coming up and an essay that was due next week. Then I had another paper in my English class to finish, a group project to work on in sociology, and a big lab assignment to start in chemistry, not to mention we had a parade to practice for in band, and another home game to perform at this weekend, and—Well, let’s just say I had no idea when I was going to get everything done. That pretty much summed it up.Turning down a sidewalk that led toward the cafeteria, I swung my book bag over one shoulder just as Rush appeared at my side.“Henry, my man,” he greeted, bumping his shoulder companionably into mine. “So, I’ve b
Linda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact.Published since 2010. Went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature. Then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.Now she lives with her hubby, two daughters, cat Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas, USA. Farm girl. Parents were dairy farmers. Was youngest of eight. Big family. Day job as a cataloging library assistant.Harry Potter House Gryffindor, Patronus White Stallion, character match Hagrid. Supernatural Team Dean. Game of Thrones Team Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. The Walking Dead Team Daryl. Outlander Team Jamie Fraser. Teen Wolf Team Stiles. Avenger Team Thor...or Hulk (can’t
I definitely gotta start my list of thanks to my three: Kurt, Lydia, and Sadie. Whenever I disconnect from everyone, you guys always pull me back to reality. Thanks for being my very own life raft. I love you guys to the moon and back.To Holly: Kurt says you’re our service cat. No matter how bad of a day we might have, you’re there to remind us the world doesn’t revolve around us. It revolves around you, fur baby, and your needs still have to be met no matter what. Thanks for keeping us humble.To my most dependable beta readers ever: Shi Ann, Alaina, and Amanda. I’m still bracing for that day when you decide you’ve read too many of my stories and don’t want anymore, but I haven’t reached your limit yet. So thank you so much for sticking with me this long and giving me your invaluable feedback.To Summer at the Red Pen Revolution: You’re more than I deserve. Thank you for being so nice and helpful with all your editing awesomeness. Love you hard.Then to Shelley at 2 Book Lovers R
To figure out where everyone fits into the Forbidden Men world, feel free to check out their timeline, family tree, and book order at these links!Timeline:https://lindakage.com/fmtimeline.pdfFamily Tree:https://lindakage.com/fmtree.jpgBook Order:https://www.lindakage.com/fm.html
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2 cups sugar1 stick margarine1/3 cup milk1 heaping tablespoon cocoaOn the stovetop, bring ingredients to a boil, stirring continuously. Then boil for one minute.Add:1/2 cup peanut butter1 teaspoon vanillaA pinch of salt and3 cups oatmeal oatsOnce all ingredients are mixed together, drop huge tablespoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to cool...or, you know, eat them hot and gooey!
I woke in the middle of the night to a hand nudging my shoulder and Haven’s voice in my ear.“Wick. Honey, get up. The baby’s coming.”My eyes sprang open wide. “What?”She was already flipping on the nightlight and sliding out of bed to bustle around the room, opening drawers to pull out underwear and clothes. When she flopped a suitcase onto the mattress by my feet and began to stuff it with both our things, I sat up watching her from blurry, blinking eyes.“If we leave now,” she said, unsettling Bingley, who’d been curled up asleep in her pillowed bed on the floor as Haven tugged a jacket out from under the cat, “I think we can make it to the hospital by four.”“Hospital? Four?” I glanced toward the nightstand where the clock told me it was barely two in the morning.“Yeah. I definitely don’t want to be on the road when the baby arrives.”Finally awake enough to think a bit clearer, I shook my head. “But what baby?”Pausing abruptly to send me a harassed glance, Haven cried,
“Hey, look,” Wick announced proudly as he appeared in the opening of the hallway that led into the front room where I was kicked back on the couch, browsing through Netflix and searching for something new to watch. “I was finally able to pop the centers out without breaking the outer chocolate rings.”He held up two Reese’s cups to his eyes so he could peer at me through the holes where the peanut butter centers usually went.“Hey, yay! Good job.” I began to clap, only to narrow my eyes when he moved close enough for me to see the cups better as he sat on the couch next to me. “Wait. You cut them out with a knife, didn’t you?”He laughed, dropping the Reese’s from his eyes and confessed, “Yeah. But it was the only way I could do it without breaking the outer ring.”“God, you’re adorable,” I answered, shaking my head and grabbing the front of his shirt so I could pull him in for a kiss.He met my mouth eagerly, tasting like chocolate and peanut butter, which had me humming in delig
Final Issue of “Hopeless Henry”By Alice BennetTaken from the University GazetteSenior year came at last. Thank God. I was so ready to get out of this college and away from certain memories. Certain people.I would always have a soft part for the marching band and the friends I’d made there. I had a feeling I’d remain in most of their lives long after graduation. But other parts, I couldn’t wait to escape.Just a few months to go, and it’d all be over.I was looking forward to starting fresh. I could make myself a clean slate. I could leave behind all the things that haunted me and hopefully find a job in my dream career, then meet someone I clicked with and build a life with her.I wouldn’t have to see Avery or Reuben or any of his bothersome friends ever again. It would be nice.Meanwhile, I was hanging on and making sure I got through as I remained focused on graduation.After being assigned a partner—Elliot—in my orchestration class, I agreed to meet with him at his dorm
“HayHay,” Wick whispered, his voice broken and full of pain and misery. He started to stand, but I held up a hand.“No, don’t get up. I think… I think I’ll just come down there with you.” And I sank to my knees right where I’d been standing in the doorway. Bingley wiggled in my arms. I let her down, and once she hit the floor, she bounded over to Wick, who picked her up and cuddled her gratefully.Gripping the tops of my thighs, I rocked back and forth and I watched the kitten comfort the man.“So,” I started, swallowing hard before glancing around the room and settling my gaze back on him. “You liked me three years ago? When we were freshmen?”“I…” Pain slashed across his features before he gulped and nodded. “I shared a class with you. The first time I saw you across the room, I thought you were pretty. So I told some of my friends on the team about it.”From the expression on his face, I knew he was downplaying it. Big-time.“Why?” I croaked, wiping wetness from my cheeks. “Wh