Death and Betrayal by Seeley James

 Death and Betrayal

by Seeley James

on Tour February 17 - March 20, 2020

Synopsis:

Jacob Stearne, ex Army Ranger and current Sabel Security operative, is about to propose to his girl when he discovers that "next generation" weapons are being shipped to our enemies. Some factions in the US government ask him to find the perpetrators while others work to make sure he fails. His intended fiancé does not understand his disappearance and he can’t give an explanation. When Jacob sets out to expose the billionaire intending to auction off national secrets, he is fired, expelled, and hunted by the government that once awarded him medals. If he ever wants to return to his homeland, he must insert himself into the dangerous world of technology smugglers. It’s a place where only the aggressive and ruthless survive. In the cutthroat world of modern-day pirates, every breath he takes may be his last. He must ask himself, can he outsmart the most corrupt billionaires in history before democracy is destroyed? Can he lose the woman he loves to save the nation?

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Machined Media
Publication Date: February 18th 2020
Number of Pages: 300
ISBN: 978-1-7333467-2-6
Series: Sabel Security Thriller #8
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

The man they called Ra stood on the Savannah’s main deck, staring hatred into the eyes of the general’s emissary. The smug bastard needed to learn a hard lesson about respect. Ra took several deep breaths, tamping down his growing agitation without betraying his emotions. The general had a good deal of money to spend. Ra held the emissary’s gaze as he cooled off. He said, “We’re talking about an auction for the most advanced weapon system the world has ever seen. An auction the general could easily win. What concerns could he possibly have?”
Ra resisted the urge to glance over the sea toward Monaco’s harbor. He was dying to see if his darling’s tender was on its way back from town, but he wouldn’t allow himself to be distracted.
“The general does not believe you have what you claim.” The emissary said in his heavily accented English. He gestured with his arms wide, encompassing Ra’s superyacht. “I do not see it here on your little skiff.”
Behind his left shoulder, the emissary’s sycophantic lieutenant made an insolent face to match his boss.
The dig was childish. Ra had the biggest yacht in Monaco, a present to himself after making billions in commodities. Too big to dock in the harbor. Sure, it was post-season, and the Numina would drop anchor due east of him in a few weeks. Until then, the Savannah reigned supreme. He felt like gutting the slimy emissary for his rudeness. Instead, he smoothed his Kiton sport coat and puffed up his thin frame.
“Don’t be a fool,” Ra sneered. “If I kept Alvaria onboard, sleezy generals from around the world would send commandos to take it from me. In case that’s what you’re thinking, rest assured, I have security. We call them ‘the dogs.’ You’ve met two of them.” He gestured to two bulky men in black suits standing close by. “Fido and Rover. Spot keeps watch with a rifle in case someone approaches uninvited. There are more. I have a whole kennel.”
Ra turned his back on his guests and checked the harbor. He couldn’t wait for his darling to return but he needed to conclude this delicate business before then. He didn’t want her to see the kind of men he dealt with. The emissary wore a ludicrous uniform without insignia yet festooned with medals. His black hair was greased straight back with what might’ve been motor oil. The lieutenant dressed and groomed himself to match. The very definition of a toady.
“The general does not believe the system can do what you claim,” the emissary said.
“Oh, my misguided friend. Alvaria is the stuff of autocrats’ dreams.” Ra laid his hands on the railing, keeping his focus out to sea. “Imagine what it can do. At the push of a button, a hundred drones leap into the air, locate their target, and annihilate whoever you choose. Each drone on a single-purpose mission, never stopping until one of them achieves the objective.” He straightened up and turned to face the emissary. “No more political rivals. No more annoying reporters asking inconvenient questions. No more adversaries across your western border. Everyone doing as they’re told, all under the general’s control. As it should be. It’s science fiction—and it’s here today. If your general doesn’t want to bid on it, he won’t get to see the show we have scheduled.”
“The general is skeptical you can obtain this system.” The emissary crossed his arms and widened his stance. “The Americans have impenetrable security.”
“I stand on my reputation. Many times your poor general has failed to pay me in a timely manner, yet I have never failed to deliver what he needs. From rocket launchers to automatic rifles, they arrived on time and under budget. He would still be a lieutenant were it not for me making good on my promises. He knows damn well my word is gold. My plan has been in the works for years. I have all the right people in all the right places. Alvaria will fall into my hands at exactly the right moment. If he does not believe me, he won’t see the demonstration.” Ra paused before making a sympathetic face. “Until his rival uses it to target him.”
To his credit, the emissary didn’t flinch.
“Think about this,” Ra said. “If Iran acquires Alvaria, they could destroy the ruling classes of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in an afternoon. The next morning, they could annihilate Iraq’s parliament. Then, they invade. The price of oil skyrockets because they would control 24% of the world’s production. Sanctions are lifted under threat of an oil embargo. And just like that, the Persian Empire is reborn.”
The emissary thought while he took a long, deep breath. He pressed a finger to his lips and looked at the deck. After a long moment, he lifted his finger and shook it at Ra. “The general does not like the glimpses of the future you have illuminated. He does not want to participate in your auction. Instead of bidding for it, he will report you to the Americans. That way, no one will have this system.” He paused and smiled. “There will be no resurgent Persian Empire.”
Ra flicked a quick glance at Fido, who sprang into action. To the emissary, Ra said, “I am most disappointed to hear you say that. On a different subject, do you recall meeting my man Bonham in a café last month? Bonham is my second-in-command. He offered you money to turn against the general. Ah, I see from your surprise that you do recall the encounter vividly. Well, sport, the problem for you is that when you turned him down, your lieutenant did not.”
As the emissary’s surprise turned to shock, his gaze swiveled to his lieutenant. At that moment, Fido knelt at the emissary’s feet and clamped leg irons on his ankles. In disbelief, the emissary looked down at his shackles, then followed the attached chain to find Rover standing at the railing, holding a very large, very heavy stone. “Do you think you can scare—”
“You’ve been paid,” Ra said to the emissary’s lieutenant. He held out an old, razor-sharp dagger. “Slit his throat.”
The lieutenant stared at Ra in disbelief. “Now?”
“Yes, now. Or die with him. Your choice. Ah. You’ve seen the light. Good man. Right here, above the collar. Stand behind him so you don’t get blood on yourself.”
As the young man weighed the knife in his hand and moved behind his former boss, Ra took out his phone, set it to video, and pressed record. The knife slashed through the stunned and wordless emissary’s neck. Blood sprayed forward. Rover dropped the rock overboard. The chain’s slack disappeared and yanked the emissary’s body with it, over the railing and into the deep.
The young man looked up at Ra, who kept the video rolling. The psychological weight of his first murder began to contort the young lieutenant’s expression. As he pondered his rapidly changing allegiances, he looked down to find Rover placing leg irons on his ankles. Behind him, Fido stood at the railing with another rock. He looked back at Ra and squeaked, “Why? I did what—”
“I think it’s obvious, isn’t it?” Ra asked. “You can’t be trusted.”
Over his shoulder he saw the tender bearing his darling returning from shore. She would be onboard in five minutes. No time for long goodbyes.
He turned back to face the lieutenant as Rover slit the young man’s throat. “There are four more of your kind in the general’s private guard. He’ll be dead by morning, so you’ll be in good company.”
The stone dropped. The chain tightened. The lieutenant’s body flew over the railing into the deep.
Ra looked at the pool of blood covering the deck. He snapped his fingers. A steward appeared. “You see this ugly mess? Scrub it clean.”
***
Excerpt from Death and Betrayal by Seeley James. Copyright 2020 by Seeley James. Reproduced with permission from Machined Media. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

Seeley James' near-death experiences range from talking a jealous husband into putting the gun down to spinning out on an icy freeway in heavy traffic without touching anything. His resume ranges from washing dishes to global technology management. His personal life ranges from homeless at 17, adopting a 3-year-old at 19, getting married at 37, fathering his last child at 43, hiking the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim at 59, and taking the occasional nap.
Seeley's writing career began with humble beginnings including publishing short stories in The Battered Suitcase leading to being awarded a Medallion from the Book Readers Appreciation Group. Seeley is best known for his Sabel Security series of thrillers featuring athlete and heiress Pia Sabel and her bodyguard and operative, veteran Jacob Stearne. One of them kicks ass and the other talks to the wrong god.
Seeley's love of creativity began at an early age, growing up at Frank Lloyd Wright’s School of Architecture in Arizona and Wisconsin. He carried his imagination first into a successful career in computer technology sales and marketing, and then to his real love: fiction.

Catch Up With Seeley James On:
SeeleyJames.com, Instagram,Twitter, Goodreads, BookBub, & Facebook!

Tour Participants:
Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Giveaway!:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Seeley James. There will be 2 winners of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card each. The giveaway begins on February 17, 2020 and runs through March 22, 2020. Void where prohibited.

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Between the Cracks: one woman's journey from Sicily to America By Carmela Cattuti Book Spotlight and Interview with Author!

Between the Cracks: one woman's journey from Sicily to America

By Carmela Cattuti

Genre: Historical Fiction

Join Angela Lanza as she experiences the tumultuous world of early 20th century Sicily and New York. Orphaned by the earthquake and powerful eruption of Mt. Etna in 1908, Angela is raised in the strict confines of an Italian convent. Through various twists of fate, she is married to a young Italian man whom she barely knows, then together with her spouse, immigrates to the U.S.

About the Author

Carmela Cattuti started her writing career as a writer for the Somerville News in Boston, MA. She is a writer, painter, and yoga instructor in Boston. After she finished her graduate work in English Literature at Boston College, she began to writer creatively. As fate would have it, She felt compelled to writer her great aunt’s story. Between the Cracks and The Ascent have gone through many incarnations and will become a trilogy. The Ascent is the second novel.

Get in touch

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/carmelacattuticreative

On Twitter: www.twitter.com/ccattuti 

On B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/carmela+cattuti?_requestid=3832793

On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Between-Cracks-Womans-Journey-America-ebook/dp/B00EIR08TO/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=carmela+cattuti&qid=1581981907&sr=8-2

On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18388553-between-the-cracks?from_search=true&qid=yTWIA2W8AV&rank=1

Excerpt:

A cross from Italy’s mainland sat the city of Messina like an indomitable fortress. Proud of its solid presence, Messina was the travelers’ first encounter with the island of Sicily. The earthy colors of the buildings and landscape signaled to the visitor or returning Sicilian that Messina and its people belonged to the island, not to any outside political force or cultural tradition. The clang of the donkey-drawn carts and the voices calling out to customers to buy wares in the market added to the music of the city’s sounds. Visitors marveled out loud at the cathedrals and ancient art work throughout the city, but the locals walked and spoke softly, especially near the narrow slits between the buildings. Visitors delighted in the snake-like movement of the streets. The streets seemed to lead directly to a famous church or street market but then would slowly veer off in a different direction. They seemed to be designed to intentionally confuse. The city offered no help in arriving at a specific destination. Ancient buildings were so close together that air barely squeezed through. Residents believed that between the buildings old mysteries sat, holding the true essence of Messina.  Whenever one of the townspeople walked close to the openings, there seemed to be a whisper, not a sound you could hear with your physical ears but heard in your mind. The whisper seemed to convey a yearning that had been imprisoned for hundreds of years. When this happened, people scurried past, heads down, attempting to get away from the whispers in their heads.

Angela ran down the hot cobblestone street and fell, scrambled to her feet and ran, then fell again. She threw herself on the street and screamed a long scream that echoed off the ruins of the ancient churches. A timeless scream that would always and forever be heard. Her city, Messina, was a massive graveyard. She searched for her family—her mother, sister and brother. She yelled their names into the air, into demolished houses. She screamed at bodies crushed or run through by fallen beams. Other bodies were caught between the open earth and the street. They were the souls in hell that she had seen in paintings, forever in agony, never at peace.

Interview with the author!

What do you find most challenging about the writing process, and how do you deal with it?

-What I find most challenging about the writing process is trusting my intuition in the first draft. I try not to stop and reread what I have written because the tendency is to rewrite. The best approach is for the writer to complete the first draft and then go back and edit. I find this extremely challenging.

When and where do you do your writing?

-I do much of my writing in hotel lobbies in Boston. They are a beautiful setting for the creative process. Many writers feel alone when writing at home. Writing in hotel lobbies is more relaxing and can spark new ideas. Think about it, hotel lobbies are under used spaces and if you don’t have an office, they are free spaces. I write during the day and market in the evening. 

What have you learned about promoting your books?

-I have learned that marketing is changing and most of it is done online. With my first novel I did bookstore author signings, now that is not happening. As writers we need to become computer savvy. 

What are you most proud of as a writer?

-I am most proud of my ability to express personality through dialogue. I grew up hearing a lot of accents and everyone talked a lot. I have developed a technique for expressing the vitality of speech. 

If you could have dinner with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you talk about?

-I would most like to have dinner with Mary Shelley the author of Frankenstein. We would talk about how, as a woman author in the early 19th century, she was able to write about molding a man out of dead bodies. This was a completely taboo subject and went against the church, but somehow she was able to do it. 

~ Cover Reveal ~ Love, Marriage, and Other Disasters by Shilpa Suraj

~ Cover Reveal ~
Love, Marriage, and Other Disasters
by Shilpa Suraj

About the Book:

She believes in love, family and…squiggles!

Alisha Rana is not your typical single desi girl. For one, she is on the wrong side of 30.  For another, she is divorced. And last but definitely not least, she is still, gasp, a virgin!

Alisha doesn’t want much. But what she does want is that elusive thing all women search for – A man who gets her…but a man who gets her hot! She calls it “feeling the squiggle.”

Enter Dr. Vivaan Kapoor, cute, hot, squiggle-worthy. The younger brother of her cousin's prospective groom, he’s got the squiggle factor in spades. The only catch? He's never been married and is years younger than Alisha. Basically, completely off-limits.

And then there is Arjun. Widowed, older than her by the right number of years and a genuinely nice guy. He's Vivaan’s cousin and a so-called perfect match for Alisha. The problem is, Alisha’s squiggle-o-meter refuses to budge for him.

What will Alisha choose? A lifetime together with the 'right' man or a chance at happiness with the 'wrong' one?

About Shilpa Suraj:

Shilpa Suraj wears many hats - corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.

An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.

Shilpa on the Web:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

A Cowboy's Song (Redemption Ranch, #3) by Megan Ryder Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Title: A Cowboy's Song  (Redemption Ranch, #3) 

Author: Megan Ryder 

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Western, Cowboy Romance 

Release Date: March 12, 2020 

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC. 

The lost boy…

Tyler “Ty” lost everything in a car accident when he was twelve, retreating into his shell so tightly that it took months for him to come out again. Music and the ranch saved him, and he will always be grateful to his foster family for saving his life. Now, with the ranch on financial tenterhooks, he wonders if he can use his music to contribute to the solution.

The country music star…

Piper Raines is the daughter of a legendary country music family. While her parents and brother are all famous, her attempt at an independent career went off the rails, and, with exhaustion and stress and bad press dogging her every step, she needs a place to recover. When Piper is invited to vacation at the ranch, Piper and Ty connect through horses and music. After a video duet of Piper and Ty goes viral, they’re invited to sing in Nashville, which also provides added pressure, stressing their new relationship.

Can they build a future on a shaky foundation?

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The music continued in the background, a slow, love song from the past Piper had always loved. The sound of that song, the way the singers connected through their voices and words had always touched her heart. Somewhere deep inside, she had always longed to have someone sing with her, have that soul-deep connection like her parents, yet she never thought it would be possible. Earlier that evening, when Ty stood with her on stage, she finally thought she may have found that special person. Now, in his arms, she was even more sure that they had something. And he thought she was drunk. She opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times until she could focus on him. Maybe he was right. But it was so hard to care when she was so happy. Again, that could be the goofy juice talking, but she didn’t think so. She laid her head on Ty’s chest, feeling his heartbeat under her ear, and sighed. Ty’s arms tightened around her and his chin rested on her head. “You’ve gone over to the dark side,” he muttered. “I prefer to think of it as giving in to peer pressure, finally. What’s that cologne you’re wearing?” She rubbed her face against his shirt, trying to get closer. He groaned, put two fingers under her chin and lifted her face. “Stop doing that, Piper. You’ll regret it in the morning.” She cocked her head and pursed her lips. “I don’t think so. You tend to regret the things you don’t do more than the things you did. And there’s a lot of things I haven’t done because I’ve been too afraid to do them. Maybe I’m done being afraid.” “Alcohol will do that to you. Give you that illusion that you have nothing to fear, but when you wake up, you may think differently. Besides, what do you have to fear?” The music switched to a Dierks Bentley song that told her to get a little closer, and she tried, but honestly, she was as close as she could be without climbing him like a tree. So, she settled for pulling his head down a little closer, giving her the illusion they were alone on the dance floor, not surrounded by half the town. She tangled her fingers in the strands of hair that barely tickled the nape of his neck and tugged a little, loving the feel of his hair, clean and without all that product so many men liked to use nowadays, at least men she met. Ty was clean, neat, natural. “Piper? Are you with me, or have you drifted off again?” She grinned. “Just thinking.” “That’s what I was afraid of. When you think, I worry, darlin’. What were you thinking about? Things you’re afraid of?” He grinned at her, not appearing to be at all bothered by her tendency to drift off in the conversation and dwell in her own thoughts. He just patiently brought her back to their topic. “Fears, right? Maybe I’m afraid of being rejected if I do this.” She rose up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, softly at first, tentatively. They had kissed before but hadn’t gone much further, and she wanted to make that next move, needed to show him that she wanted him for at least that night. His lips opened under hers, and his tongue stroked into her mouth, teasing her, tempting her to play. His arm drifted lower on her back to pull her tighter against his body; his other hand buried itself in her hair, to angle her head just right for his kiss, the kiss he now took over with ruthless intensity. She was powerless under his assault, his lips and tongue enticing her to higher levels of desire she had never felt before, and she met him stroke for stroke as she clutched at his shirt with her hands. Lust swept over her like a hurricane, something she had never felt before, had never understood, but now she knew what those country songs were all talking about, what she had been missing in her life. Ty lifted his head, breaking the kiss, and she gasped, reaching up for him, dazed, wanting more. But he shook his head, looking just as stunned as she was. As if from a distance, she heard laughter and a man’s voice. “Take it outside. Or better yet, take it home, brother.” She turned to see West and Tara next to them, amusement on their faces, tempered with concern. Piper blinked away the desire that had fogged her brain. What had she been thinking to basically attack Ty, in public no less? What if someone had been recording it? Before she could say anything more, Ty wrapped his arm around her waist, hauling her close, and nodded to West. “Can you grab our things?” “You got it.” And he headed straight for the door and into the cool evening. 

Ever since Megan Ryder discovered Jude Deveraux and Judith McNaught while sneaking around the “forbidden” romance section of the library one day after school, she has been voraciously devouring romance novels of all types. Now a romance author in her own right, Megan pens sexy contemporary novels all about family and hot lovin’ with the boy next door. She lives in Connecticut, spending her days as a technical writer and her spare time divided between her addiction to knitting and reading.

 

   

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Under the Willows by Pamela McCord Reveal!

Under the Willows
Pamela McCord
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: May 15th 2020
Genres: Adult, Mystery

After her husband is killed by a drunk driver, Kelly Harris and her son TJ move into a sprawling Victorian house in Ohio that her husband inherited from his grandmother. Dealing with her overwhelming grief is a struggle as she adjusts to life in a small town. And, just as she’s beginning to feel more comfortable, life takes another unexpected turn.
The Alexa unit in her son’s bedroom starts to cry, and a little girl’s voice comes out of it asking for help.
At first Kelly is unnerved by the presence of the voice. After ruling out all the other likely possibilities, she begins to put the pieces together, and suspects the girl is a ghost. Unwilling to be uprooted from another home, she decides to find out what the child wants. Maybe she can help.
Kelly isn’t the only one interested in the voice. Detective Rob Porter is investigating the disappearance of a child named Marilee. As the two cross paths, Porter is taken aback when Kelly’s ghost mentions Marilee’s name. In fact, the ghost says “Marilee’s with me.”
Whether that means the child is a ghost as well is a question Rob and Kelly hope to answer.

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Author Bio:
Born in Arkansas and raised in Southern California, Pamela McCord started writing later in life when she was challenged by a friend to create a book out of his story idea. Since then, she's become an internationally published author. Pam has spent over 40 years working as a legal secretary at a law firm in Orange County, California. Aside from writing, she follows the stock market, buying, selling and trading stocks and options. In contrast to that, she loves trips to Las Vegas where she can spend many happy hours at the Pai Gow tables. She shares a condo with her very own My Cat From Hell TV star, Allie, who manages to exude just enough affection to make her scary feral ways tolerable.

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Disturbing Works by Jon Richter Spotlight!

Another compendium of delightfully macabre stories by Jon Richter, author of Deadly Burial and Never Rest. Jon's first short fiction collection was described as 'Black Mirror meets Tales Of The Unexpected', and here he brings you another chilling assortment of twisted tales encompassing killer creatures, terrifying technology, and scientific experiments gone horribly wrong... These dark fables are perfect for anyone who likes their reads short, shocking, and laced with a dash of black humour.

Author bio:

Jon Richter writes dark fiction, including his two gripping crime thrillers, Deadly Burial and Never Rest, and his two collections of short horror fiction, volumes one and two of Jon Richter's Disturbing Works.

Jon lives in Elephant & Castle and is a self-confessed nerd who loves books, films and video games – basically any way to tell a great story.  He writes whenever he can, and hopes to bring you more macabre tales in the very near future, including his upcoming cyberpunk noir thriller, London 2039: Auxiliary.  He also co-hosts the Dark Natter podcast, a fortnightly dissection of the greatest works of dark fiction, available wherever you get your podcast fix.

If you want to chat to him about any of this, you can find him on Twitter @RichterWrites or Instagram @jonrichterwrites.

His website haunts the internet at www.jon-richter.com, and you can find his books at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2OXXRVP.

Blurb: John Richter’s Disturbing Works Volume II

Another compendium of delightfully macabre stories by Jon Richter, author of Deadly Burial and Never Rest. Jon's first short fiction collection was described as 'Black Mirror meets Tales Of The Unexpected', and here he brings you another chilling assortment of twisted tales encompassing killer creatures, terrifying technology, and scientific experiments gone horribly wrong... These dark fables are perfect for anyone who likes their reads short, shocking, and laced with a dash of black humour.

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Roman and Jules by Stephanie Fowers Official Book Tour and Giveaway!

When Jules meets Roman Verona at an exclusive Vegas party, she doesn’t suspect the bad blood that runs so deep between Roman and her boyfriend, Ty, until the two men have it out in front of her. Even worse, Jules finds out that Ty has never loved her. She storms away, only to have her ex’s sworn enemy offer her a ride into town... as well as a shocking proposal.

A nice girl wouldn’t even consider making her ex jealous with a sham marriage, so why does she chance it with Roman?

Acting the role of devoted husband, Roman soon becomes fascinated with more than Jules’s sweet smile and poetic soul. As her band’s fame grows in Vegas so do his feelings for her and what started out as revenge against his miserable cousin turns into something deeper.

But bad boys don’t settle down. So why does Roman risk everything to win Jules’ heart?

All bets are off in this modern and sleek tale of star-crossed love!

~ Universal Amazon Link ~ 
  

Stephanie Fowers loves bringing stories to life, and depending on her latest madcap ideas will do it through written word, song, and/ or film.

She absolutely adores Bollywood and bonnet movies; i.e., Jane Austen. 

Presently, she lives in Salt Lake where she's living the life of the starving artist.

~ Facebook ~ Amazon ~
~ Book Funnel ~

Excerpts

Jules pulled out her phone from her purse as if she’d gotten a sudden call and reversed directions, heading for the swaying curtains to the balcony outside. She ducked under them to escape into the warm Vegas air.

The soft breeze ran through her hair as she lowered her phone to catch the last of the setting sun. It disappeared into a wave of clouds in a horizon that looked like the rolling currents in an upside down sea. She sighed. Jules loved a good desert storm, and it was coming for them. Its roiling darkness made the oranges and reds brilliant in the sky.

She edged around a pool that bubbled on the deck to get closer to the view. The foamy depths were fresh and cool against the colors of the city, making her wish she was out here for a cool dip, but sadly, she was stuck in her dress. Circling away, she pressed her elbows into the railing to stare at the iridescent buildings that spread out below her in pinks and golds and brilliant whites with florescent wording. The manmade wonders of Vegas were brighter than an explosion of molten lava. In the distance a pink Ferris wheel turned on silent hinges.

The view took her breath away. She slid her boots off so that she stood barefoot over it, elevated far above the bustle of the city, away from the dirt and noise. Here, everything felt peaceful and pretty; it was the irony of pollution—it made all the colors stand out. Vegas sunsets were always glorious on a smoggy day. As the darkness overcame the city, the blue lights on the balcony sparkled over the deck. She sighed and pressed closer to the railing.

“Don’t jump,” a man intoned dryly behind her.

She wasn’t about to, but her heart sure did—it leaped right into her throat as she swung around and almost dropped her phone. The rough cement dug into the pads of her bare feet. She clasped the railing behind her when she saw she hadn’t been alone this whole time. Relaxing on a nearby lounge chair, a man regarded her under the glow of lights, texting by the looks of things. His jacket was draped on the chair next to him, and he wore a black t-shirt with expensive suit pants. A leather wristband slid around his wrist and his rings were on all the wrong fingers—no wedding ring. He had the look of a rebel.

Unfortunately, he was also attractive. His wavy, chestnut brown hair swept around features borrowed from a Greek god—which she shouldn’t even think about. Her boyfriend was in the next room.

His chin tilted over the light of his cellphone. He had a square jawline shadowed in stubble, an expressive forehead, and when he regarded her, it was with an assessing look under dark brows. “The party’s that bad, huh?”

“How long have you been out here?” she found herself asking.

“Longer than you. So I’ve got dibs on the deck.”

She laughed. Picking up her boots, she moved around the pool in her bare feet. He lurched up in his chair. “I’m sorry. Did I chase you away?”

“You couldn’t if you tried. It’s just…” She hesitated on the edge of the pool and sat down, finally giving into its siren call. She set her phone next to her boots and purse before dipping her toes in. He pushed his legs off his chair in response. “Don’t worry,” she said with a laugh. Her southern accent felt especially thick, but she couldn’t help it as she teased him. “I’m not going to drown myself either. You’re not here to keep me safe, are you?”

He didn’t answer, just brushed back his dark hair with a jaded look. It was in an undercut, and she saw that he had a widow’s peak. He stood and made his way around the pool and sat on the edge of it next to her, rolling up the legs of his trousers.

She hadn’t expected him to take up the challenge, and she turned quickly from him to peer into the still water. The neon bulbs from below lit the surface with an inner glow, turning the pool a light aquamarine color—the same color of his eyes. She shouldn’t notice the color of his eyes or catch her breath when she glanced up and saw those eyes on hers.

He slid his legs into the water next to hers, like it was the most natural thing in the world to hang out with a stranger, but for some reason his closeness was doing weird things to her pulse and she had to work to get it back to normal. It was odd, because she also felt very comfortable with him—the guy gave off a protective vibe, and she felt like he was just the thing to help her forget all the drama happening inside.

It was quiet out here, and she let the peace of the night blanket her, interrupted only by an occasional burst of laughter from inside and the soft strains of music. This man wasn’t afraid of silences, though it felt like the calm before the storm. As if the wind read her thoughts, it blew harder. He stared up at the cloudy sky, and she couldn’t help it—she had to look up too. The clouds had squeezed out all evidence of the stars, lowering threateningly over them. It was brewing into one of those rare and dangerous Vegas downpours.

Normally it would feel out of the ordinary sitting in companionable silence with a handsome stranger like this, her shoulder almost brushing his arm, but the stress of the party had gotten to her and the last thing she wanted to do was think.

Eventually he cleared his throat. “How deep is this pool?” he asked.

Jules dunked in her legs to see if she could touch the bottom of it. When her toes hit the tiles, it was only up to her knees. Luckily. She didn’t want to get her dress wet—why she attempted going in in the first place was anyone’s guess—but she was just as curious as he was, and on a whim, she picked up her skirt so it wouldn’t touch the water and waded the rest of the way inside, her skin sighing with relief at the coolness.

He chuckled and pressed a button to the side of them. The whole surface bubbled and the froth caught the ends of her skirt. She let out a surprised shriek and twisted around with a scold on her lips.

His smile faded as he took her in—she couldn’t fully read his expression, but she knew what it meant anyway. It was the look before a kiss. Wait. But that wasn’t right. They had barely talked, and her  man was inside, waiting for her. Jules’s hand loosened on the hem of her dress and before she knew it, she’d dropped it, letting it trail over the water. His shoulders straightened as he took a deep breath, his veined forearms bulging as he dug his palms against the side like he’d jump in after her.

Jules attempted a smile. She should put an end to this, break the silence that held a growing power over her the longer it lasted, and so she tried to joke it away. “I didn’t catch your name, pool boy.”

He gave a half smile and looked down. “Roman Verona.” He looked up and his expression hardened like he knew exactly what his name would do to her.

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