Scarlett Cole's Blog, page 3
November 15, 2024
The Grief We Hold Trope Reveal!!
Hey, Lovelies,
It's trope reveal for book one in my Iron Outlaws Colorado series, and boy, is it a doozy!
Can a biker who lost his wife and their little girl find it in himself to protect the single mom and her young son who arrive in his small town to escape trouble?
It has some of my favorite tropes. A grumpy hero - yes, please! Oh, and he's afraid to commit because he's gone through the pain and grief of loss as a widow already? Sure, sign me up! And finally, the tried and trusted 'maybe we should just b.a.n.g.' Of course it never works because this is a romance book, but it never stops the hero from trying.
The Grief We Hold has been a journey to write. I seriously can't wait for you all to meet Wraith and Raven.
S 💙
😠 Grumpy Sunshine
💔 Widowed Hero
🏍 MC Romance
💘 Afraid to commit
🔥 Forced proximity
🥵 Let's bang it out of our system
🌶 Wax play
It's trope reveal for book one in my Iron Outlaws Colorado series, and boy, is it a doozy!
Can a biker who lost his wife and their little girl find it in himself to protect the single mom and her young son who arrive in his small town to escape trouble?
It has some of my favorite tropes. A grumpy hero - yes, please! Oh, and he's afraid to commit because he's gone through the pain and grief of loss as a widow already? Sure, sign me up! And finally, the tried and trusted 'maybe we should just b.a.n.g.' Of course it never works because this is a romance book, but it never stops the hero from trying.
The Grief We Hold has been a journey to write. I seriously can't wait for you all to meet Wraith and Raven.
S 💙
😠 Grumpy Sunshine
💔 Widowed Hero
🏍 MC Romance
💘 Afraid to commit
🔥 Forced proximity
🥵 Let's bang it out of our system
🌶 Wax play
November 4, 2024
There's a new hero in town! 💙
Hey, Lovelies.
It's the eyes for me. That's what always draws me to a cover model. I ask myself, does he fit the vision I have I my head of the character? And this one NAILED Wraith in The Grief We Hold.
If you read The Deals We Make, you'll know there are more Outlaws from a different chapter coming next year. And Wraith is up first, arriving in January. I can't wait for you to meet the grief-stricken sergeant-at-arms and the single mom (and her son) he fights falling in love with.
It's small town, wide open country, and jaded bikers! And I know you're gonna love it.
S 💙
Pre-order it here - https://books2read.com/thegriefwehold
Add it to your shelf - https://bit.ly/TheGriefWeHoldGR
It's the eyes for me. That's what always draws me to a cover model. I ask myself, does he fit the vision I have I my head of the character? And this one NAILED Wraith in The Grief We Hold.
If you read The Deals We Make, you'll know there are more Outlaws from a different chapter coming next year. And Wraith is up first, arriving in January. I can't wait for you to meet the grief-stricken sergeant-at-arms and the single mom (and her son) he fights falling in love with.
It's small town, wide open country, and jaded bikers! And I know you're gonna love it.
S 💙
Pre-order it here - https://books2read.com/thegriefwehold
Add it to your shelf - https://bit.ly/TheGriefWeHoldGR
October 18, 2024
The Deals We Make is finally here!
Hey Lovelies!!
It's finally release time and Vex is finally here. I can't wait for you to read Vex and Calista's story. It was tough to get to a place where I was ready to bring this series to a close and show just how much all of the men had grown. But Vex and Calista's story ties a bow on it perfectly.
Oh, and the bonus content in this one is King and Rae's wedding, which you don't want to miss. Nothing goes to plan, but it wouldn't be an Outlaw celebration without some drama, would it?
BUT! At the end of the book, you'll find out what I'm writing next, and I'm having an absolute BLAST writing it. They are my favorite kind of men! A bit broken and a whole lot jaded.
Happy reading,
S🧡
Get your copy via Amazon or Kindle Unlimited here - https://books2read.com/thedealswemake
It's finally release time and Vex is finally here. I can't wait for you to read Vex and Calista's story. It was tough to get to a place where I was ready to bring this series to a close and show just how much all of the men had grown. But Vex and Calista's story ties a bow on it perfectly.
Oh, and the bonus content in this one is King and Rae's wedding, which you don't want to miss. Nothing goes to plan, but it wouldn't be an Outlaw celebration without some drama, would it?
BUT! At the end of the book, you'll find out what I'm writing next, and I'm having an absolute BLAST writing it. They are my favorite kind of men! A bit broken and a whole lot jaded.
Happy reading,
S🧡
Get your copy via Amazon or Kindle Unlimited here - https://books2read.com/thedealswemake
October 12, 2024
Vex and Calista are almost here!
Hey Lovelies.
😍 Vex and Calista's rocky reunion after fifteen years apart is coming, are you ready?
Can you believe it's nearly time for the FINAL book in the Iron Outlaws New Jersey journey? I can't! I'm crying over here because I've loved writing these boys SO MUCH.
But next week, you finally get to read Vex and Calista's story. You've heard versions of it from everyone else. But now it's time to hear it from Vex and Calista themselves.
And you don't want to miss reading it so you can find out two things at the end of the book:
First... what's next! I think you're going to be SO excited about the book that follows.
And second, the bonus content link at the back of the book is KING & RAE's wedding, which does not go smoothly at all!
I sincerely hope you'll give Vex a read and love him as much as I do.
Happy reading,
S
Make sure you pre-order your copy as it goes WIDE Monday and Tuesday 14/15th October then into Kindle Unlimited and Amazon on the official release day October 17th.
Pre-order it here - https://books2read.com/thedealswemake
😍 Vex and Calista's rocky reunion after fifteen years apart is coming, are you ready?
Can you believe it's nearly time for the FINAL book in the Iron Outlaws New Jersey journey? I can't! I'm crying over here because I've loved writing these boys SO MUCH.
But next week, you finally get to read Vex and Calista's story. You've heard versions of it from everyone else. But now it's time to hear it from Vex and Calista themselves.
And you don't want to miss reading it so you can find out two things at the end of the book:
First... what's next! I think you're going to be SO excited about the book that follows.
And second, the bonus content link at the back of the book is KING & RAE's wedding, which does not go smoothly at all!
I sincerely hope you'll give Vex a read and love him as much as I do.
Happy reading,
S
Make sure you pre-order your copy as it goes WIDE Monday and Tuesday 14/15th October then into Kindle Unlimited and Amazon on the official release day October 17th.
Pre-order it here - https://books2read.com/thedealswemake
October 5, 2024
First taste of The Deals We Make!
I can't wait for you to read Vex & Calista's story. It will be WIDE on the 14/15th October then into Kindle Unlimited and Amazon on the 17th.
Now for the taste...
Uncle Vex?”
I look down at Avery, my Iron Outlaw brother Bates’s little girl. “What’s up, sweet cheeks?”
She climbs up onto the barstool next to me, ignoring the New Year’s Eve party swirling around us.
The clubhouse is full, the rock music is loud, and the single brothers have been put on notice by Niro that if he sees any of them doing anything above PG-grade shit with club girls in front of Avery, he’ll slit their throats.
“What are invest-i-ments?”
I grin. “Investments?”
“Yeah. Those.”
“It’s when you take a hundred bucks and use it to buy into something, like a company. And if the company does well, they give you more than a hundred bucks back.”
Her eyes narrow. “How much more?”
I shrug. “That’s the problem. You don’t know. They might even make a loss. So, they only give you ninety of your hundred bucks back.”
Her mouth opens and little lines form across her nose. “They steal your money?”
“No. It’s like, they used that hundred bucks to make more money and it didn’t quite work, so they can’t give it you all back. Or, sometimes, it works so well, they give you lots of money back. Why you asking?”
“I overheard Uncle Switch tell Uncle Clutch that you are really good at making him money.”
She’s not wrong. Neither is Switch. I’m a goddamn genius. Plus, I write and run a little code to trade foreign currencies off against one another. “That’s fair. I am.”
At this, she grins and shrugs her panda backpack off her shoulders. “Is there a hundred bucks in here?”
We all know what the panda backpack holds. Every time Niro swears around her, he pays her five bucks. At one point she was saving for a dog. Don’t know what the fuck happened to that, but I heard Bates’s old lady, Vi, is allergic.
And Avery never lets anyone look inside her backpack. Bates is worried it’s going to need its own security detail eventually because of how much cash is stuffed into it.
“You want me to count it for you?” I glance around to see where Bates and Vi and find them dancing together, but Bates’s eyes are on his daughter.
“She okay?” I can’t hear his words over the music, but I catch his drift.
I nod. “I got her.”
Bates grins and looks back at Vi causing a ripple of envy to pass through me. Those two have something real fucking special. The kinda special that keeps you warm on a winter’s night and lasts forever.
“Okay,” I say, grabbing a cloth that sits on top of the bar. “Lesson one about money. You gotta respect it and be grateful for it.” I wipe the bar top down until it is dry.
“I said thank you to Uncle Colton for the money.”
“Good girl. Now, open panda up.”
When she does, fives spill out all over the bar top. Some are crumpled, some folded, all are bent. “Ave,” I say. “Girl. We gotta take better care of the notes than this. Let’s unfold them all and lay them flat yeah.”
Avery kneels up on the stool. “I have so much money, Uncle Vex.”
“I can see.” I mean, there might even be a grand here. Maybe more. “What are you going to do with it?”
“I’m gonna buy my own bike and start my own clubhouse where boys aren’t allowed and only girls make the rules.”
Her answer makes me chuckle. “You’re gonna need a bit more than this.”
She turns and points secretively to my brother, Niro. “Do you think Uncle Colton is gonna stop swearing any time soon?”
“Definitely not.”
She claps her hands with glee. “I know.”
“Girl, you are gonna be a troublemaker when you are older.”
Pre-order it here - https://books2read.com/thedealswemake
Now for the taste...
Uncle Vex?”
I look down at Avery, my Iron Outlaw brother Bates’s little girl. “What’s up, sweet cheeks?”
She climbs up onto the barstool next to me, ignoring the New Year’s Eve party swirling around us.
The clubhouse is full, the rock music is loud, and the single brothers have been put on notice by Niro that if he sees any of them doing anything above PG-grade shit with club girls in front of Avery, he’ll slit their throats.
“What are invest-i-ments?”
I grin. “Investments?”
“Yeah. Those.”
“It’s when you take a hundred bucks and use it to buy into something, like a company. And if the company does well, they give you more than a hundred bucks back.”
Her eyes narrow. “How much more?”
I shrug. “That’s the problem. You don’t know. They might even make a loss. So, they only give you ninety of your hundred bucks back.”
Her mouth opens and little lines form across her nose. “They steal your money?”
“No. It’s like, they used that hundred bucks to make more money and it didn’t quite work, so they can’t give it you all back. Or, sometimes, it works so well, they give you lots of money back. Why you asking?”
“I overheard Uncle Switch tell Uncle Clutch that you are really good at making him money.”
She’s not wrong. Neither is Switch. I’m a goddamn genius. Plus, I write and run a little code to trade foreign currencies off against one another. “That’s fair. I am.”
At this, she grins and shrugs her panda backpack off her shoulders. “Is there a hundred bucks in here?”
We all know what the panda backpack holds. Every time Niro swears around her, he pays her five bucks. At one point she was saving for a dog. Don’t know what the fuck happened to that, but I heard Bates’s old lady, Vi, is allergic.
And Avery never lets anyone look inside her backpack. Bates is worried it’s going to need its own security detail eventually because of how much cash is stuffed into it.
“You want me to count it for you?” I glance around to see where Bates and Vi and find them dancing together, but Bates’s eyes are on his daughter.
“She okay?” I can’t hear his words over the music, but I catch his drift.
I nod. “I got her.”
Bates grins and looks back at Vi causing a ripple of envy to pass through me. Those two have something real fucking special. The kinda special that keeps you warm on a winter’s night and lasts forever.
“Okay,” I say, grabbing a cloth that sits on top of the bar. “Lesson one about money. You gotta respect it and be grateful for it.” I wipe the bar top down until it is dry.
“I said thank you to Uncle Colton for the money.”
“Good girl. Now, open panda up.”
When she does, fives spill out all over the bar top. Some are crumpled, some folded, all are bent. “Ave,” I say. “Girl. We gotta take better care of the notes than this. Let’s unfold them all and lay them flat yeah.”
Avery kneels up on the stool. “I have so much money, Uncle Vex.”
“I can see.” I mean, there might even be a grand here. Maybe more. “What are you going to do with it?”
“I’m gonna buy my own bike and start my own clubhouse where boys aren’t allowed and only girls make the rules.”
Her answer makes me chuckle. “You’re gonna need a bit more than this.”
She turns and points secretively to my brother, Niro. “Do you think Uncle Colton is gonna stop swearing any time soon?”
“Definitely not.”
She claps her hands with glee. “I know.”
“Girl, you are gonna be a troublemaker when you are older.”
Pre-order it here - https://books2read.com/thedealswemake
September 20, 2024
The Deals We Make has a cover!!
Oh my gosh! I am SO excited to reveal Vex's cover. And isn't he just PERFECT!! I find it hard to believe this is book nine, and the final one in this chapter. I've loved writing each one of these nine men and their heroines and Vex and Calista's story is the icing on the cake.
Hope you're as excited as I am.
S 🧡
❤️ Friends to enemies to lovers
🖤 Protective Hero
🥰 Unrequited first love
💻 Hackers & Secrets
🍀 Second Chances
🏍Just get on the damn bike
🪢 Shibari/Rope play
🔥 All the heat
Calista
They always say you should never fall in love with your best friend.
And that's especially true if they aren't in love with you.
But when I was eighteen years old, I did it anyway.
Until Tiberius "Vex" Williams did the unthinkable, and shattered my heart, costing me everything.
But now I'm back in New Jersey with an ailing mother and an unknown stalker.
The last thing I need is a grumpy biker determined to make sense of our past.
Vex
There are many rumors about how I became an Outlaw, but I became one to save my best friend's life after she threatened to hack the MC.
And she hated me for it, leaving New Jersey in a blur of words time hasn't healed.
Calista Moray is now the CEO of a leading cybersecurity firm, and she's back looking better than ever.
When our paths cross, sparks fly. We're best friends turned enemies with a score to settle and a whole lot of tension between us.
Until the head of the Cosa Nostra confides that millions of dollars have been stolen from their accounts and he asks me to figure out where their money went.
The thought I'll find Calista's digital fingerprint everywhere terrifies me.
Especially given this time around, it's not just our hearts but our lives at stake.
Pre-order it here - https://books2read.com/thedealswemake
Hope you're as excited as I am.
S 🧡
❤️ Friends to enemies to lovers
🖤 Protective Hero
🥰 Unrequited first love
💻 Hackers & Secrets
🍀 Second Chances
🏍Just get on the damn bike
🪢 Shibari/Rope play
🔥 All the heat
Calista
They always say you should never fall in love with your best friend.
And that's especially true if they aren't in love with you.
But when I was eighteen years old, I did it anyway.
Until Tiberius "Vex" Williams did the unthinkable, and shattered my heart, costing me everything.
But now I'm back in New Jersey with an ailing mother and an unknown stalker.
The last thing I need is a grumpy biker determined to make sense of our past.
Vex
There are many rumors about how I became an Outlaw, but I became one to save my best friend's life after she threatened to hack the MC.
And she hated me for it, leaving New Jersey in a blur of words time hasn't healed.
Calista Moray is now the CEO of a leading cybersecurity firm, and she's back looking better than ever.
When our paths cross, sparks fly. We're best friends turned enemies with a score to settle and a whole lot of tension between us.
Until the head of the Cosa Nostra confides that millions of dollars have been stolen from their accounts and he asks me to figure out where their money went.
The thought I'll find Calista's digital fingerprint everywhere terrifies me.
Especially given this time around, it's not just our hearts but our lives at stake.
Pre-order it here - https://books2read.com/thedealswemake
September 14, 2024
Want a taste of Spark and Iris from The Games We Play?
This scene was so much fun to write. I hope you like it as much as I do.
““Who are you?” Thema asks. Spark looks down at my favorite student. “Spark.” “That’s not your real name,” Jadyn says, crossing his arms and stepping in front of me, my little protector. My heart melts at the gesture. “Just because it’s unusual, doesn’t mean it isn’t a real name. We have so many meaningful names in our school, right?” I say.
“You’re right. My real name is Tyler.”
Harry steps out from behind Thema. “Are your tattoos all real?”
Spark glances down at his hands, where I see a new tattoo. An iris. And my heart melts all over again. “Sure thing. Any other questions?”
Before I know it, we’re surrounded by my kids.
“There’s a kid in grade two who bullies Dylan on the playground,” Thema offers, placing her arm around Dylan’s shoulders.
Spark looks at the eager eyes looking up at him and crouches down. “But you guys have got Dylan’s back, right? Look out for him and shit because—”
“Language,” I remind Spark.
“Oh, Miss O’Connor just told you off.” Jadyn laughs.
“Sorry,” Spark says. “I shouldn’t say that word in front of you. But you all have Dylan’s back, right? You can be your own club. You all look strong and fierce. I bet you could teach that grade two kid a lesson.”
I raise an eyebrow in Spark’s direction. “Or you can just come tell a teacher or adult, and we can sort it out.”
Spark nods. “Or you can tell a teacher or adult.”
“Did you ever beat someone up?” Dylan asks quietly.
“Only when they needed it.”
Archer places his hand on Spark’s arm through the railing. “Do you like vegetables? Because I hate carrots.”
Spark is no longer glancing at me; he’s looking directly at the kids as he gags. “Bleurgh. Love corn and potatoes, but hate anything green.”
The kids laugh and gag with him.
“Do you love Miss O’Connor?” Shanice asks. Spark stands at this question and places his hand through the railing to cup my cheek. “Do you all love her?”
With squeals and lots of jumping, they yell yes. It squeezes my heart in the tightest of holds.
“Yeah, well, I love her too.” His voice is deep, gravel filled.
“Are you going to marry her?” Thema asks.
“You don’t need to answer that,” I say, jumping in quickly.
“Maybe I want to.” I rub my fingers over the lilac ink.
“Maybe I already know.” I rub my fingers over the lilac ink. “Maybe I already know.”
He runs his tongue over his lip before biting down on it, his eyes full of heat for me. I grin like a fool until Spark bends down and picks up my lunch bag. “You’ve got your own little club. You guys are loyal. Smart. I saw the way you stood in front of Miss O’Connor, kid.” He looks down at Jadyn. “Brave move, given I’m a big guy. I respect that. And you”—he points to Thema—“looking out for your friends is the most important lesson you can learn in life, and you already learned it.”
“What about me?” Archer asks.
Spark grins. “You gotta find at least three vegetables you can stand, kid.”
“And what about me?” I ask.
He passes me my lunch through the gap in the railings. “You gotta forget your lunch more often, Miss O’Connor, so I can come see you and your club at lunchtime.” He kisses his fingertips and touches them to my cheeks.
The girls giggle. I want to join them.
“I’m going to see my brother tonight, straight from school,” I tell him, and the smile leaves his eyes for a second.
“That’s not a good idea.” I sigh.
“I know. But I need to see Michael. He’ll be expecting me. And second, if I deviate from my routine, doesn’t it let Cillian know that I know he’s behind the hit and run? Why else would I stay away?” It’s only part of the reason. I need to speak to Cillian and try to end this, without any more of us getting hurt. The lies are getting too complicated.
Someone is going to trip.
Someone is going to die.
A frown gathers on Spark’s brow. “Okay.”
“Just like that?” I ask.
“Just like that.” He kisses me on the forehead. “Bye, LC,” he says.
When he starts his bike, he revs the engine several times in a row, and the kids go wild. It’s cute, and now I’m going to have to find a way to settle them down for the first class after lunch, or they are going to be bouncing around the classroom all day.
Want more? Grab The Games We Play here - https://books2read.com/thegamesweplay The Games We Play
““Who are you?” Thema asks. Spark looks down at my favorite student. “Spark.” “That’s not your real name,” Jadyn says, crossing his arms and stepping in front of me, my little protector. My heart melts at the gesture. “Just because it’s unusual, doesn’t mean it isn’t a real name. We have so many meaningful names in our school, right?” I say.
“You’re right. My real name is Tyler.”
Harry steps out from behind Thema. “Are your tattoos all real?”
Spark glances down at his hands, where I see a new tattoo. An iris. And my heart melts all over again. “Sure thing. Any other questions?”
Before I know it, we’re surrounded by my kids.
“There’s a kid in grade two who bullies Dylan on the playground,” Thema offers, placing her arm around Dylan’s shoulders.
Spark looks at the eager eyes looking up at him and crouches down. “But you guys have got Dylan’s back, right? Look out for him and shit because—”
“Language,” I remind Spark.
“Oh, Miss O’Connor just told you off.” Jadyn laughs.
“Sorry,” Spark says. “I shouldn’t say that word in front of you. But you all have Dylan’s back, right? You can be your own club. You all look strong and fierce. I bet you could teach that grade two kid a lesson.”
I raise an eyebrow in Spark’s direction. “Or you can just come tell a teacher or adult, and we can sort it out.”
Spark nods. “Or you can tell a teacher or adult.”
“Did you ever beat someone up?” Dylan asks quietly.
“Only when they needed it.”
Archer places his hand on Spark’s arm through the railing. “Do you like vegetables? Because I hate carrots.”
Spark is no longer glancing at me; he’s looking directly at the kids as he gags. “Bleurgh. Love corn and potatoes, but hate anything green.”
The kids laugh and gag with him.
“Do you love Miss O’Connor?” Shanice asks. Spark stands at this question and places his hand through the railing to cup my cheek. “Do you all love her?”
With squeals and lots of jumping, they yell yes. It squeezes my heart in the tightest of holds.
“Yeah, well, I love her too.” His voice is deep, gravel filled.
“Are you going to marry her?” Thema asks.
“You don’t need to answer that,” I say, jumping in quickly.
“Maybe I want to.” I rub my fingers over the lilac ink.
“Maybe I already know.” I rub my fingers over the lilac ink. “Maybe I already know.”
He runs his tongue over his lip before biting down on it, his eyes full of heat for me. I grin like a fool until Spark bends down and picks up my lunch bag. “You’ve got your own little club. You guys are loyal. Smart. I saw the way you stood in front of Miss O’Connor, kid.” He looks down at Jadyn. “Brave move, given I’m a big guy. I respect that. And you”—he points to Thema—“looking out for your friends is the most important lesson you can learn in life, and you already learned it.”
“What about me?” Archer asks.
Spark grins. “You gotta find at least three vegetables you can stand, kid.”
“And what about me?” I ask.
He passes me my lunch through the gap in the railings. “You gotta forget your lunch more often, Miss O’Connor, so I can come see you and your club at lunchtime.” He kisses his fingertips and touches them to my cheeks.
The girls giggle. I want to join them.
“I’m going to see my brother tonight, straight from school,” I tell him, and the smile leaves his eyes for a second.
“That’s not a good idea.” I sigh.
“I know. But I need to see Michael. He’ll be expecting me. And second, if I deviate from my routine, doesn’t it let Cillian know that I know he’s behind the hit and run? Why else would I stay away?” It’s only part of the reason. I need to speak to Cillian and try to end this, without any more of us getting hurt. The lies are getting too complicated.
Someone is going to trip.
Someone is going to die.
A frown gathers on Spark’s brow. “Okay.”
“Just like that?” I ask.
“Just like that.” He kisses me on the forehead. “Bye, LC,” he says.
When he starts his bike, he revs the engine several times in a row, and the kids go wild. It’s cute, and now I’m going to have to find a way to settle them down for the first class after lunch, or they are going to be bouncing around the classroom all day.
Want more? Grab The Games We Play here - https://books2read.com/thegamesweplay The Games We Play
August 24, 2024
A new snippet from The Fates We Tame
I love writing the Outlaws together, they always make me smile with what they come out with.
“Thanks for officially making me the last man standing,” Vex jokes.
Halo throws an arm over his shoulder. “That’s because you haven’t felt the fucking miracle of going home to a soft bed, a softer woman, and a pussy that’s thoroughly branded as yours.”
Clutch laughs. “True story.”
Vex hugs me, then hugs Sophia. “I’m happy for you both. Look forward to seeing more of the two of you.”
King comes over last. “I feel like there’s more to this than you’re telling us, Switch. But Rae would hand me my ass if I didn’t wish you both well. So he is the half part of a blessed man, left to be finished by such as she; and she a fair divided excellence, whose fullness of perfection lies in him.”
The conversation goes quiet around us, and I raise an eyebrow. King shrugs. “Shakespeare.”
“How the fuck do you know that?” I ask.
“Rae, obviously,” Clutch says. “You forgot the whole ‘she fucked with him using Shakespeare’s kings as analogies’ bullshit.”
He’s right. I had forgotten. Add it to the list of things I’ve been told but somehow can’t keep in my head. “Now I remember. But how do you know that quote?” I ask.
Niro puts his hand in the air as if he’s a school kid waiting for the teacher to choose him. “Pick me. Pick me. I know the answer to this one.”
King laughs. I notice the two of them are more in sync than they ever used to be. I wonder what changed over the years, but it’s almost like an older brother with his sometimes-annoying younger sibling. “Go ahead.” “I did it as a his-and-hers tattoo on the two of them,” Niro says.
King rolls up his sleeve, and there in two sharp lines of black ink on the inside of his forearm, it says, He is the half part of a blessed man, left to be finished by such as she.
“Rae’s got the other half across her hip.”
“That’s so romantic,” Sophia says.
“Come in and I’ll do you some ink,” Niro says. “Call it my wedding present.”
“Does it hurt?” Sophia asks. I can’t help but laugh. “Depends on where you get it, Sparrow.”
“F*ck my life. He’s already given her a pet name,” Vex says. “I’m surrounded by chicks and sparrows and duchesses and little ones.”
Grab it here - https://books2read.com/thefateswetame
“Thanks for officially making me the last man standing,” Vex jokes.
Halo throws an arm over his shoulder. “That’s because you haven’t felt the fucking miracle of going home to a soft bed, a softer woman, and a pussy that’s thoroughly branded as yours.”
Clutch laughs. “True story.”
Vex hugs me, then hugs Sophia. “I’m happy for you both. Look forward to seeing more of the two of you.”
King comes over last. “I feel like there’s more to this than you’re telling us, Switch. But Rae would hand me my ass if I didn’t wish you both well. So he is the half part of a blessed man, left to be finished by such as she; and she a fair divided excellence, whose fullness of perfection lies in him.”
The conversation goes quiet around us, and I raise an eyebrow. King shrugs. “Shakespeare.”
“How the fuck do you know that?” I ask.
“Rae, obviously,” Clutch says. “You forgot the whole ‘she fucked with him using Shakespeare’s kings as analogies’ bullshit.”
He’s right. I had forgotten. Add it to the list of things I’ve been told but somehow can’t keep in my head. “Now I remember. But how do you know that quote?” I ask.
Niro puts his hand in the air as if he’s a school kid waiting for the teacher to choose him. “Pick me. Pick me. I know the answer to this one.”
King laughs. I notice the two of them are more in sync than they ever used to be. I wonder what changed over the years, but it’s almost like an older brother with his sometimes-annoying younger sibling. “Go ahead.” “I did it as a his-and-hers tattoo on the two of them,” Niro says.
King rolls up his sleeve, and there in two sharp lines of black ink on the inside of his forearm, it says, He is the half part of a blessed man, left to be finished by such as she.
“Rae’s got the other half across her hip.”
“That’s so romantic,” Sophia says.
“Come in and I’ll do you some ink,” Niro says. “Call it my wedding present.”
“Does it hurt?” Sophia asks. I can’t help but laugh. “Depends on where you get it, Sparrow.”
“F*ck my life. He’s already given her a pet name,” Vex says. “I’m surrounded by chicks and sparrows and duchesses and little ones.”
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August 17, 2024
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“Marry me.” The words are out of my mouth before I have time to process them.
“What?” Sophia asks.
A plan formulates in my head. It’s messy. Full of plot holes. But I think it could work. And, while it’s reckless, marrying Sophia is something I can give my mom. The knowledge that this girl she heard about could be my everything. We can stay together long enough for Mom to get through her treatment, and then if she gets well.
When she gets well…
I can’t think of that right now. In this moment, I have to think of Sophia.
“The biggest problem is that your family wants to marry you off to someone. They can’t do that if you are already married.”
I cup the side of her neck, allowing my thumb to stroke her jaw, and she leans into it like a pussy cat.
“Thank you, but I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not?” She shrugs, her expression exasperated.
“For a million reasons.”
“Name one.”
“Fine. You don’t just marry strangers.”
“Apparently that’s something your family do do.”
Her mouth opens and closes for a minute. “That may be fair, but obviously the reason I am here is because I don’t.”
I recall some fact from high school. “Some countries have arranged marriages between strangers.”
Sophia sighs. “Okay. You don’t just marry someone so they can avoid having to marry someone else.”
I drop my hand from her jaw and take hold of her wrist. My fingers fit around it easily. “That one’s fair. Look, I’m not suggesting this is a lifetime thing. It just needs to be longer than a year so they can’t get it annulled by claiming you made this decision recklessly and without your full faculties. It can be a contract if it makes you feel better. I doubt my club will help us if you are connected to the Cosa Nostra or Mafia. But they’ll have to if you’re my old lady. My wife.”
Her eyes flare at the word wife.
“They’ll know it’s fake.”
I shake my head. “They might think it’s fake, but they won’t know for sure. Especially if we act like it isn’t.”
“Why would you do this?”
I look over at the eye patch sitting on the desk again. Something deep inside me stirs at the idea of being noble. Of having purpose that’s greater than the pieces of me. “I can’t explain it to you, Soph, but I know it’s the answer. It solves your problem. And my mom…she’s got cancer, going through treatment, terrified she’s not gonna live long enough to see all her kids settled and happy. It’ll give her a boost to know I’m married to a nice girl.”
Sophia looks humorously puzzled. “I’m a nice girl?”
“Obviously. But everything about this feels like the man I used to be before all this happened. Maybe in doing this, I put the pieces of me back together.”
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“Marry me.” The words are out of my mouth before I have time to process them.
“What?” Sophia asks.
A plan formulates in my head. It’s messy. Full of plot holes. But I think it could work. And, while it’s reckless, marrying Sophia is something I can give my mom. The knowledge that this girl she heard about could be my everything. We can stay together long enough for Mom to get through her treatment, and then if she gets well.
When she gets well…
I can’t think of that right now. In this moment, I have to think of Sophia.
“The biggest problem is that your family wants to marry you off to someone. They can’t do that if you are already married.”
I cup the side of her neck, allowing my thumb to stroke her jaw, and she leans into it like a pussy cat.
“Thank you, but I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not?” She shrugs, her expression exasperated.
“For a million reasons.”
“Name one.”
“Fine. You don’t just marry strangers.”
“Apparently that’s something your family do do.”
Her mouth opens and closes for a minute. “That may be fair, but obviously the reason I am here is because I don’t.”
I recall some fact from high school. “Some countries have arranged marriages between strangers.”
Sophia sighs. “Okay. You don’t just marry someone so they can avoid having to marry someone else.”
I drop my hand from her jaw and take hold of her wrist. My fingers fit around it easily. “That one’s fair. Look, I’m not suggesting this is a lifetime thing. It just needs to be longer than a year so they can’t get it annulled by claiming you made this decision recklessly and without your full faculties. It can be a contract if it makes you feel better. I doubt my club will help us if you are connected to the Cosa Nostra or Mafia. But they’ll have to if you’re my old lady. My wife.”
Her eyes flare at the word wife.
“They’ll know it’s fake.”
I shake my head. “They might think it’s fake, but they won’t know for sure. Especially if we act like it isn’t.”
“Why would you do this?”
I look over at the eye patch sitting on the desk again. Something deep inside me stirs at the idea of being noble. Of having purpose that’s greater than the pieces of me. “I can’t explain it to you, Soph, but I know it’s the answer. It solves your problem. And my mom…she’s got cancer, going through treatment, terrified she’s not gonna live long enough to see all her kids settled and happy. It’ll give her a boost to know I’m married to a nice girl.”
Sophia looks humorously puzzled. “I’m a nice girl?”
“Obviously. But everything about this feels like the man I used to be before all this happened. Maybe in doing this, I put the pieces of me back together.”
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August 11, 2024
First look at The Fates We Tame!
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Now onto the first look....
I turn in my seat and cup her cheek. “You see all those men waiting for us to pull out of our parking spot?”
She looks out to where King and the others are lined up behind us, waiting for us to go. “Yeah?”
“They’ve got our backs. No one is going to take my wife.”
Sophia smiles. “I like the way you say that.”
“Say what?”
“My wife.’ Like it means something.”
I run my knuckle down her cheek. “Because it does mean something. I’ve never had a wife before. Might be kind of fun to try and make her fall in love with me.”
“You keep saying things like that and it might happen. And then where would we be?”
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Now onto the first look....
I turn in my seat and cup her cheek. “You see all those men waiting for us to pull out of our parking spot?”
She looks out to where King and the others are lined up behind us, waiting for us to go. “Yeah?”
“They’ve got our backs. No one is going to take my wife.”
Sophia smiles. “I like the way you say that.”
“Say what?”
“My wife.’ Like it means something.”
I run my knuckle down her cheek. “Because it does mean something. I’ve never had a wife before. Might be kind of fun to try and make her fall in love with me.”
“You keep saying things like that and it might happen. And then where would we be?”
