Another week passed, and to help it do so, I spread my time between wandering around the yard and watching television. I hadn’t seen Jax since the incident, and though curious, I wasn’t curious enough to ask about him. Truth was, I welcomed the fact he wasn’t around.~~The day passed, though it did it in its own sweet time and it was almost noon the following day before I finally heard from Torin. It came in the form of being roughly turned and jerked against him as he buried my mouth beneath his. His erection dug into my abdomen as his lips and tongue danced in erotic fashion against mine, before stepping back, he whispered, “Missed you.”My panties grew damp with the need pumping through me and throwing caution to the wind, I reached out and began pushing Torin backward.Guiding him out into the hall, I continued to back him up, moving us toward the supply closet. Jerking the door open, I gave him a shove into its interior, then following behind; I pulled the door shut and locked
Pots boiled around me, the aroma of the garlic and wine sauce, awaiting the mussels, filled the air, and glancing at my phone, I noted the time. Picking up the plates, silverware, and the two wine glasses I’d balanced on the plates, I carried them over to the table I’d set up in the bar area.Setting out the plates and silverware, I eyeballed the table, then shifting the candles I'd purchased, I stepped back, judging my handy-work. Satisfied at last, with the way everything looked, I returned to the pots and pulled the lobsters out. As they cooled, I prepared citrus butter to brush on them, and then placed the lobsters in the broiler.When the tails were finally broiling, I washed and pulled the beards off the mussels, then dumped the lot in the prepared pot, setting the timer for five minutes.An
Three days after the disastrous birthday dinner, I’d moved out of the compound amid loud protestations from Ginger, Rook and Burdock, but I’d heard nothing from Torin. And, as one day had passed into two, I continued shutting Torin out of my life. By the end of the week, I’d gotten my old job back with Jess at the bar and was moving forward with my life.The night of the eighth day after leaving Torin behind me, my phone buzzed with a text message, and picking it up, I read the message.Torin: When I Was Your Man by Bruno MarsInsanely, I gave a sniff with the sudden moisture that sprang to my eyes. Ridiculous that something so simple as a song could bring me to tears. Torin never did anything without purpose though, so I knew there was a message within the song he wanted me to hear. After bringing the song up on my phone, I closed my eyes, and listened.A few days later, checking my mailbox after I got home from work, I found a plain white envelope inside with nothing on it but my f
Come the next morning, I stared at my roommate, Brian Remington, my eyes wide with desperation. "Please let go of my toaster!" I begged.Brian wore a mischievous grin, my beloved toaster in his hand, a look of triumph on his face. "Oh come on, it's not like I'm never going to give it back," he said, his voice filled with laughter, seemingly taking great pleasure in my distress."I need it for breakfast," I pleaded, my stomach growling with hunger. "I can't start my day without an Eggo, you know that," I protested.Giving another chuckle, he took a bite of his own Eggo, the crispy waffle dripping with syrup. "You're such a weirdo," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "You and your Eggo obsession."I gritted my teeth and tried again. "Please, just give it back. I'll do anything."Brian raised an eyebrow. "Anything?" he repeated, his voice filled with intrigue.I nodded eagerly, my desperation getting the better of me. "Yes, anything. Just give me back my toaster."Brian grinned. "A
Later that evening, I parked LadyBug in the bar's parking lot, and as I put the transmission in park, I glanced around. The parking lot was filled with an unusual amount of Mercedes and Jaguars, and alongside them, I could see usual pickups and cars. The mix of wealth and blue-collar made it clear tonight was not going to be a typical night. With a sigh, I looked into my rearview mirror and adjusted my ponytail, then wiped away a smudge of lipstick under my lip. Afterward, opening my door, I stepped out into the heat, and instantly, the humidity erased the coolness the car's air conditioner had provided. With a grimace at the mugginess of the evening, I hurried across the parking lot and was practically at a run by the time I made it through the employee's entrance. The scent of cigars, cologne, and a hint of perfume drifted from the open doors of the bar and into the employee's lounge, hitting me instantly as I stepped through the doorway and into the bar area. A strongly built boun
My earlier thoughts continued to bounce around in my head as I poured another drink. Glancing up, I noticed the two bouncers near the VIP room eyeing the dancers. Red flags went up, as one of them, the heavily built one with a shaved head and a neck tattoo, whispered something into a small earpiece. With alarm bells going off in my head, I shot a glance at Tannin, but she was busy shaking a cocktail and hadn’t noticed the men's behaviour.As I continued watching the men for a few seconds longer, the music switched back over to a fast-paced tempo, and the bar's rhythm once again picked up, allowing me no time to ponder over exactly what it was about the two men that was setting me off.As I was topping off the beers I'd poured, behind me a hand slammed down onto the counter, interrupting my flow and startling me, causing me to give a slight jump. Looking over my shoulder with a frown, I took in the tall, well-dressed man standing on the other side of the counter. His jawline was sharp,
As I watched, Lucien and the other two clinked their glasses together, the sound echoing through the bar. After they threw back the shots, John and Rick’s features contorted from the fiery brew as it slid down their throats. Their faces turned red and sweat popped on their foreheads, their eyes beginning to water. Lucien, however, seemed unfazed by the drink. His eyes locked with mine, and setting his glass down on the surface of the counter, he licked his lips and murmured,"Your turn."Knowing I was going to regret what I was about to do, I gave a nod, and filled a glass with the potent liquid. The room had fallen mostly silent, a large portion of the patrons watching the challenge. Taking a deep breath, and feeling the heat from the peppers sting my nose, I downed the shot. The burn was intense, causing me to suck in a slight breath as I fought a grimace of pain.Slowly, I set my glass beside Lucien's, my eyes locked with his. Admiration bled into the depths of his and he murmured, "
The next morning as I came down the stairs smothering a yawn, Brian was flipping through channels on the TV, the volume blasting. With a shake of my head, I made my way toward the kitchen, then uttered a groan as I stepped into the room. Pots, pans, dishes and the makings of God only knew what, were everywhere; they overflowed the sink, the counters, and spilled over onto the floor. As I gazed at the sight before me, I couldn’t help thinking, “Damn Brian, what the hell did you make that could have possibly made this big of a mess?” Jesus, I mean, I loved having Brian as a roommate, but the guy had no respect for cleanliness.With a shake of my head, I gave one last look at the disaster, then turned on my heel and exited the room. Nope, not dealing with it today!As I was passing the front door, my steps were abruptly stilled by the knocking that came from the other side of it.~~Moments later, and the last thing I expected to see when I swung the door open, was the sight of a man in a
Within minutes, I stood on the porch, my chest heaving, and my vision darkening around the edges, alerting me of the quickly approaching panic attack. “Not now,” I groaned. Drawing slow breaths, I filled my lungs with a breath of fortitude, and raised my head, at the same time reaching for the knob. Afterward, pushing at the double oak doors, I stepped inside, suddenly feeling as if I were on display as everyone within the room turned and looked in my direction.Beneath their gazes, I felt like the elephant in the room. Michelle Chastain, one of the more popular girls throughout school, and her flock of nasty, stared, their snide remarks immediately staining the air."Who let the trash in?" Michelle asked nastily. Several snickering bells of laughter followed her comment. Then, the queen of the bitch-squad continued, “Oh wait, it’s Catriana. I should’ve known. She’d slum it anywhere to get noticed."The words cut deep, but I had enough self-control not to let them show on my face. In
At Rook's words, I placed my hands on his chest, whispering, “Please, just let it go, Rook.”He stared down at me, then finally hissed disbelievingly, “Let it go? You want me to let it go?”Nodding, I breathed, “Yes, I want you to just let it go.”Minutes passed as the tense silence stretched and grew between us, indecision clearly at war within Rook as he pulled away and paced back and forth, repeatedly running his fingers through his hair, then coming back over to stand before me, and voice gruff, he stated, “I don't know if I can.”Seeing the tears that had begun to slip down my cheeks, he reached out, gently wiping at the moisture as it trembled on the curve of my lip.Unable to stop my actions, as having denied myself any form of affection for over a year now, I found myself suddenly beyond denying the comfort of Rook's touch, unaware until this moment of needing it so badly that I ached with it, I turned my face into his caress.I gave into the weakness for only a few seconds th
Description:Catalina "Cat" Denilli is a strong-willed and independent young woman who has recently moved back to her childhood home. Cat and her stepbrother, Rook, a former mafia and biker, now turned bar-owner, had shared a deep bond and a fiery chemistry that had simmered for years. Their lives take a dark turn when, on a seemingly normal night, Cat's traumatic past comes to the forefront during a heated misunderstanding and what emerges, no one had suspected.Book 2 is a supernatural dark romanceTriggers: Adult language, dark scenes, explicit sexual scenes, sexual assault, violenceChapter-01~CAT~Without warning, I was on the wrong end of a tackle that, in one swift move, had me sprawled full out on the floor on my back, with Rook sitting on top of me in nothing but his underwear. My head rested between his hands, that with one twist, would have ended my life.Suddenly stilling, he peered down at me in the moonlight shining in through the kitchen windows, as eyes huge and round
Over the next few days, we were like two animals trapped in a cage, fighting our instincts and our fears. We talked little, our communication mostly in the form of touch, of love-making that was both fierce and desperate.But as the weeks went by, our anxiety lessened, becoming more a shadow in the background of our lives, than the monster it had been.Though bound to the house, under the circumstances of the cartel actively seeking us, I tried to make the best of it. Torin getting nerves had become commonplace, but under it all, I knew the cause and tried to maintain.However, though the fear receded greatly, for me, it had never completely left. I couldn't speak for Torin, as he had always kept everything close to his sleeve, and in our time together in the safe house, that hadn't changed.After awakening one morning and nursing a cup of coffee, my phone rang, and picking it up I saw it was Casey."It's over," she told me. "You can return to your old lives."I sat for a moment stunn
Over the next few days, we were like two animals trapped in a cage, fighting our instincts and our fears. We talked little, our communication mostly in the form of touch, of love-making that was both fierce and desperate.But as the weeks went by, our anxiety lessened, becoming more a shadow in the background of our lives, than the monster it had been.Though bound to the house, under the circumstances of the cartel actively seeking us, I tried to make the best of it. Torin getting nerves had become commonplace, but under it all, I knew the cause and tried to maintain.However, though the fear receded greatly, for me, it had never completely left. I couldn't speak for Torin, as he had always kept everything close to his sleeve, and in our time together in the safe house, that hadn't changed.After awakening one morning and nursing a cup of coffee, my phone rang, and picking it up I saw it was Casey."It's over," she told me. "You can return to your old lives."I sat for a moment stunne
~MARLOWE~I wasn’t sure how the hell it had come to this. Witness Protection! Oh my God! Never in my life had I thought I’d ever be in this position. But dammit, that's exactly where I had found myself! I’d done everything I could to adjust. It just hadn't happened. The first few days had been awful. I'd run to the window every time I'd heard a vehicle, a motorcycle, even freaking voices!They’d told me that I had to cut all ties, leave everything behind, even my name. I'd assumed the name Rachel Peters, a young widow who had moved to a small town to start over. I'd felt like I was in a fictional crime novel, except it was real---all too real.Now though, just as I was beginning to get comfortable being Rachel Peters, Casey shows up in my living room, her voice grim, she immediately starts tossing out orders. "We have a problem and we're going to need to move you."Panic set in. Well fuck me! I couldn't help thinking."What's happened?" I asked, immediately setting about gathering my t
As the days went by, the boredom of the safe house began to drive me crazy. I had nothing to do. Thankfully, Casey kept me up on the progress they were making with the data on the USB.I was happy for the information she gave, but it wasn't enough. I needed to hear about Marlowe. However, no matter how many times I asked, the only thing I was told was that she was being protected. What the fuck did that even mean? Was she in witness protection, or not?A few more days had passed when, finally, Casey entered through the front door, her face unreadable. "The DA's ready to see you," she stated. "He's going to offer you immunity if you give him your full cooperation.""When do we leave?" I asked, more than ready to get this entire fiasco behind me."Now," she stated, "But one wrong move and the deal is off the table," she told me."Don't worry" I told her, bracing myself for whatever was coming.Minutes later, as we drove to the DA's office, I played over every situation that could possibl
I'd dealt with Casey quite a few times over the years and she always had a way of making me feel like I was the most dangerous man in the room, even when she had a whole squadron of cops at her back. When she finally pushed through the locked door leading from the offices and into the lobby, her eyes scanned me like a hawk eyeing its prey."What do you want?" she asked, not bothering to hide her disapproval."I got some information you'll be interested in," I told her, holding up the USB for her to see.Her gaze flickered to the thumb drive, then back to me. "What kind of information?" she asked, her voice suspicious.I hid a grin, knowing she didn't trust me. "The kind that will take down the whole Cartel operation," I replied, holding the thumb drive out to her. "Everything my uncle had on all his enemies, his partners, his dirty dealings."Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't reach for it. "What's the catch?""There isn't one," I replied. "Just take them down."Casey's eyes searched mi
~TORIN~I watched the chaos unfold from a distance, my bike idling between my legs. The flames coming from the warehouse lit up the night-sky, but I felt no remorse for the body inside being consumed by the fire. It was done, and the mother fucker had deserved his death.As I easily dismissed my uncle's life, my thoughts turned to Marlowe. I had played a dangerous game, yes. But the outcome had ensured her safety—even if it had meant losing her. I was ready to rest, but before I could, I knew I had one more matter to take care of…Lucien.The fire grew, a beacon of destruction and I knew it was only a matter of time before the police and fire department arrived; we had to move.Placing the toe of my boot on the shifter, I placed my bike in gear and Burdock and I began moving forward. In the distance I could already hear the wail of sirens approaching and I felt a smug satisfaction knowing the evidence of my uncle's crimes would soon be nothing but ash.We turned a corner, and the adrena