M.G. Morgan's Blog, page 4

Sacrifice - A New Adult Novel - And a Book Tour

Happy 4th of July!

Sacrifice finally made it out into the big bad world. It was touch and go for a while, but all good things come to those who wait :)

Sam and Natasha are just the sweetest thing and I really hope you'll love reading about them as much as I loved writing about them. There is no cliffhanger at the end but it does have the potential for another book in the series, but that depends on you. Would you like to see more of these characters? Perhaps find out how Rachel and Adam are getting along? Well I want you to tell me.


************ 99c for a limited time only! **************
"The moment Sam looked at me, I knew he saw me. The real me, not the one I pretended to be. He saw beyond my pretense to the girl beneath. The girl who cried herself to sleep at night. The girl who pushed people away, when all she really wanted was for someone to look her in the eye and tell her everything would be alright. That life wasn't always pain. That living wasn't always this difficult. That the ones you loved didn't always leave you behind. In that moment, Sam saw me, and I saw him. And I knew without a doubt that I would love him and he would betray me."
Natasha Masterton, a young college student on the verge of graduation, has the world at her feet. But all is not at it seems. Her mother is dead and she hasn't seen her father in over three years. The only dealing she has with him is when he deposits her allowance into a bank account every month. Her father's lack of interest has hardened Natasha to the rest of the world, leaving her cold and more than a little broken.
When Sam Harker crashes into Natasha's life, asking questions about her father and dragging up the past, Natasha's interest in piqued. The more time she spends with him, the more she falls for his easy charm and quick smile.
But Sam has secrets of his own - secrets that threaten their blossoming relationship. And when the real reason for Natasha's fathers disinterest becomes apparent, a sacrifice must be made. 
Love, honor and duty collide... risking more than just a broken heart. Sometimes love is worth the ultimate price.
Recommended for 17+ due to mature themes and scenes of an adult nature.
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble

Not only that but Sacrifice is part of a huge tour. The Insatiable Reads Tour 24 authors have taken part and it's filled with amazing prizes and fabulous blogs. Whenever I have a guest post I'll let you all know here so you too have a chance to enter for some amazing prizes.

Also later in the month I will be hosting a giveaway of my own. I've said, if Sacrifice hits ten reviews on Amazon US by the 10th of July I will giveaway a $50 amazon gift card. If it hits 20 or more, I will double the prize and give a $100 dollar gift card plus I'll add two more prizes of two $50 giftcards for two other lucky winners. So get your reviews in and help make it easy for me to giveaway all these prizes!

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Millie

Chapter One Teaser - Sacrifice New Adult Romance

Chapter One
Natasha
Staring at the screen of the cash machine, I contemplated withdrawing all the money. My finger itched at the thought of just doing it and running. Would he even miss me if I disappeared? Would he notice or care? I couldn’t imagine that he would. Not after all this time. And even if he did, it would be just so he could drag me back here.Closing my eyes for a minute, I let my finger hover over the withdraw button. I could do it. I could take it all and use it to get away. Maybe this time I really would be able to disappear. Maybe this time it would be different.The man standing behind me in the queue coughed impatiently, his foot tapping against the brickwork sidewalk. Opening my eyes I typed in the number fifty and waited for the machine to spit the cash out at me.Coward.The little voice whispered inside my head. I tried to blot it out, now wasn’t the time to be reckless. I had to just graduate from this place and then I was free. I had job interviews lined up and once I had something decent then I could tell him to go to hell. No one understood my need to cut my father from my life. No one understood that having to use the money he sent me every month was like having my finger nails ripped out. It made me sound spoilt. Like a child throwing a temper tantrum. But it wasn’t like that at all…Nobody knew what he had done. No one knew that he had forced me to rely on him. I’d never thought my father was a powerful man. He didn’t look like a man who had power and yet here I was… Apparently a few well placed phone calls made me un-hireable. An undesirable. I couldn’t even so much as get a job cleaning toilets. Nobody wanted me. The second they heard my name.Of course I’d tried to work around that one too. I’d attempted to change my name, pretend I wasn’t Natasha Masterton. But he’d seen that one coming. Supplied all the local businesses with an up to date photograph of me. How’d he’d gotten an up to date photograph was beyond me, considering I hadn’t seen him in three years. Not since the day he’d dropped me off outside the college after I’d run for the first time.I wanted to be angry, but I was more tired than angry. There was, after all, only so much time I could remain angry without it draining me completely. I couldn’t count on him for anything in my life except putting the money in my account every month like clockwork. It was the only reason I knew he was still alive.It hit me then. What would happen if he was dead? Who would notify me? Would anyone even have a way of contacting me? After mom died, he had cut ties with everyone we knew. Pulled me out of school, away from my friends, away from a normal life. When he’d sent me to boarding school it had been the last straw. Talking to him wasn’t an option, he didn’t want to listen and it only ever ended in an argument…A guilty pang settled in my gut. Here I was imagining what would happen if he simply ceased to be. Part of me still wanted to believe that he loved me, that he still looked at me as being his daughter. But if I was honest with myself I knew the truth. He didn’t love me, he blamed me for her death. I was here and she wasn’t and he couldn’t deal with it. I didn’t understand all of his motives and I didn’t understand the blame. But at least I had a reason.“Natasha!” Rachel’s voice pulled me out of my morbid thought spiral. I dragged my gaze away from the fifty I held in my hand as I proceeded to stuff it into my wallet along with my card.She jogged towards me, her dark hair swinging from side to side in the ponytail she had dragged it up into. It wasn’t something I could do. I wasn’t the type of person who could just roll out of bed and look effortlessly stunning. And Rachel was stunning. I wasn’t jealous of her, she was my best friend and Rachel seemed to have the strange knack for not knowing just how pretty she was. It didn’t seem to matter how many guys crushed on her, or flirted with her. It didn’t seem to matter how many girls tried to be mean to her. She was nice to everyone and I loved her for her need to only see the good in everyone around her. It was something I wished I could do.“Where are you off to?” Her expression seemed to be one of genuine puzzlement.“Home. I’m just wrecked…”The look she gave me was one of complete sympathy. Under normal circumstances, and if it was coming from anyone other than her, I would have hated it. But I knew there was nothing malicious behind the soft look in her eyes.She wrapped her arms around me, dragging me into a tight hug. “One of these days it’ll all become clear. I can’t believe that he doesn’t love you. If he didn’t then why keep sending you the money?”“Because it’s a way of punishing me and he knows it…” My voice was half muffled by the fabric of her sweater. When she finally released me I could still taste some lingering fluff against my mouth. I brushed it away with the back of my hand and plastered a smile across my face.“You don’t need to worry about me, I’m fine. Really.” I emphasised my last word in the hopes that she would simply let me off the hook. But the look of determination in her eyes let me know instantly that she had no intention of doing so.“I know what would make you even more fine…” She tilted her head to one side, her ponytail of dark chocolate brown hair falling across her shoulder.“No way! I know that look and I know what happened the last time I agreed to it… Never again.”She pouted at me, her full bottom lip sticking out making me laugh. She looked ridiculous, and she knew it too.“Please, I promise this time you’ll have fun…”“You said that the last time and it wasn’t fun at all…”“But your favourite band is playing this time. Please, for me?”There had to be a reason why she was so desperate for me to go… And normally when she begged this fervently it had something to do with the male of the species…“Who is he?”“What?” The look of surprise on her face caused a small laugh to escape me. I couldn’t help it.“Who is he?” I felt like enunciating each word but I didn’t. It would only make her angry and then it would be harder to get any real information out of her.“How do you do that?” She asked as she linked her arm through me and began to tow me back towards the main coffee shop. I hesitated for a second, not wanting to go back in there. It was the place they liked to hang out. The popular kids… The ones that made me feel as though we were back in high-school again and I was the nerd. The outcast. The one who didn’t go home for holidays… The one who didn’t get post from family, or phone calls, or visits… The weird outsider.Even though I was older now, nothing seemed to have really changed. They still looked at me the same way. Different people, different place, the same opinion.“Natasha?” Rachel’s voice cut into my thoughts again pulling me back to the moment at hand. She was staring at me, the look in her eyes filled with concern.“Sorry, I was miles away. What did you say?”“I wanted to know how you did that? How you always seemed to know what I was really up to? Am I really that shallow?”I grinned at her and grabbed her arm again dragging her in the door of the large coffee shop. The scent of chocolate, coffee and sticky pastries instantly invaded my nose, making my mouth water.“You’re not shallow, I just happen to know you as well as you know me… And well in this instance it has to be a guy. Nothing else would give you such a twinkle in your eye.”She grinned at me, immediately launching into a full description of the guy she had her heart set on.“He’s just so dreamy… Big brown eyes that a girl could drown in and his hair is blonde but sort of spiky. He’s in the band that’s playing before ‘Backward Sliding Domino’.”I shot her a look of disbelief as we stood in line and I eyed up the last piece of fudge brownie.“And how do you expect to get anywhere near him?”“He invited me. I met him earlier and he gave me two tickets. He was only going to give me one but I begged him to let you come to and… Voila.” She pulled the two cards from her purse and flashed them in front of me.The telltale black and white domino was emblazoned across the front with the 8 ‘o’ clock start time written in red. I struggled not to snap them out of her hand. She wasn’t wrong when she said ‘Backward Sliding Domino’ were my favourite band. There was something about their music that drew me in. It was as though when I listened to them play they understood me. And I knew how cheesy that sounded but it was true. Every single one of their songs could have been written about my life.The guy in the line ahead of us pointed to the fudge brownie and the girl serving him quickly whipped it out from behind the counter. Disappointed, I let out a sigh. Rachel clearly thought it was something she had done because she immediately jumped on it.“I thought you’d be excited. You love them.”“Yeah, I am excited, you know how I feel about them.”She nodded thoughtfully as she chewed the inside of her lip and we reached the top of the line. The bored expression on the face of the girl serving us made me smile. I watched carefully as she shot furtive glances over my shoulder to someone behind us. The curiosity was too much and I turned.The guy who had stolen my brownie was sitting at a table in the far corner. The cake sat on a small plate in front of him completely untouched. But it wasn’t the brownie that she was staring at, and it certainly wasn’t the brownie that kept me staring at him. He was cute, although cute was probably the wrong word to use to describe him. He was hot. His hair was dark and messy, as though he spent way too much time running his fingers through it. His shoulders were broad and I could make out the ripple of muscle beneath his t-shirt as he reached out and grabbed his cup of coffee and took a sip from it.He chose that exact moment to glance up and his eyes caught mine. There was something odd about them, something I couldn’t exactly put my finger on at this distance. I wanted to get a closer look, to just walk across the coffee shop and stare into his eyes. Something pulled me to him.Rachel nudged me in the ribs and I spun around to face her, my face flushing an unbecoming shade of red.“Who is he?” She asked in a loud mock whisper.I pulled a face at her and glanced back over my shoulder as I handed my money over the counter to the girl. The guy was still sitting in the corner, a small smirk playing around his lips.Shit. I muttered to myself. I really needed to work on my making a complete ass out of myself. It was a problem I had and one that needed to be fixed.“I have no idea. Why?” I answered Rachel, my voice not betraying the butterflies I had in my tummy.“Because you’re staring at him like he’s someone special.” She grinned as she handed over her own money.I struggled to think up something to say, anything that would get me off the hook. She was right in a way, I had been staring at him like he was someone special. I wasn’t sure why, but something inside told me he was. That maybe just maybe he was meant to be more than just a stranger in a coffee shop.I laughed then, the sound erupting from me abruptly making Rachel jump and the girl serving us stared at me as though I had just lost my mind. I grabbed my iced drink and practically ran to a small table at the opposite side of the room from him. Was I losing my mind? Maybe after everything that had happened in my past it was finally all catching up to me. Would I be one of those tragic cases? I could see the headlines now on the college paper, “After Family Trauma Girl Finally Cracks - Loses it in local coffee shop.”Rachel sat down across from me and shot me another look of concern as she sipped on her coffee. I didn’t say anything as she set the cup down slowly. I knew what was coming. It would be some sort of lecture. Probably something about how I needed to stop taking everything in life so seriously. That I needed to chill and just be young… Whatever that really meant.“What was that all about?” Her voice was low, calm as though she was speaking to a small child that might, at any moment throw a tantrum.“He took the last brownie and…” I paused realising how ridiculous it sounded. “I thought he was cute and then I thought of something else and it made me laugh… That’s all.” I shrugged, as though by pretending to be utterly nonchalant I could convince her.“You really thought he was cute?” She sounded almost surprised and I tried not to laugh at her reaction.Was I really that bad, that even my best friend had to question my interest in cute guys? Maybe I was. I certainly wasn’t that girl that showed that much interest in the opposite sex. It wasn’t that I didn’t find guys attractive, because I did. It was just easier to pretend not to see them. I’d gotten so good at the pretence that I wasn’t sure anymore if it was really a pretence.“Yes, I really thought he was cute. Didn’t you?”“Well yeah, but…” She hesitated, her eyes dropping to the cup in front of her. “You’ve never really shown an interest in anyone, not since, Daniel.”I swallowed hard, the lump that had instantly formed in my throat tried to cut off my air supply. I wouldn’t allow even the mention of his name to put me back in that place again. I couldn’t. He wasn’t worth it. He didn’t deserve my tears… Or at least that was what I told myself.“Well I guess I’m just over it now. I don’t think of him and that guy was cute…”She nodded and smiled at me, as though instantly recognising that I needed to change the subject. Rachel was one the person who saw through me. She knew everything about me and she knew when I was lying. But at least she had the good grace not to pull me up on it.She glanced over her shoulder to the guy in the corner, her gaze taking in very inch of him. When she looked back at me the twinkle was back in her eye.“You should go talk to him.” She half whispered at me.“No, I shouldn’t. It’d be a bad idea.”A grin spread across her face, a look that made me nervous. As though at any moment she might spring up from her chair and march over there to him, force me to talk to him. I shook my head in the hopes that the combination of the expression on my face and the gesture would be enough to stop her.“But why?”“Because he’s leaving.” I watched him stand and drop a couple of bills on the table. He scooped up the notepad he had with him before making his way to the door. Part of me hoped he would look back at me. Maybe he would. But that was something that happened only in the romance novels I liked to read. It didn’t work that way in real life. Daniel had taught me that…He pushed the door open and disappeared out into the afternoon sunshine without so much as a backwards glance. A bubble of disappointment popped inside me and my shoulders slumped. It was stupid. I knew it was stupid, but I couldn’t help it. Perhaps I was regaining my optimism. And if that was the case then it sucked. Feelings and emotions like that only lead to more disappointment.It was amazing how easy it became for people to let you down if you allowed yourself to hope. Hope was a luxury reserved only for those who had stability in their lives… I’d had plenty of it once and now that it was gone I missed it.“Awh…” Rachel’s shoulders slumped and she slurped her coffee loudly from the white mug she cradled in her hands. “Maybe you’ll see him again? Maybe he goes here…”I smiled at her sadly and shook my head, dropping my gaze to the table we sat around. Someone had spilled sugar across the surface and I had the overwhelming urge to draw patterns in it. But I didn’t. That was something my mother used to do. I wasn’t her. I would never be like her… Could never be like her…“Well how do you know? He might be at the gig tonight?” She brightened visibly as she mentioned the gig. And even I had to admit that when I thought about going to see my favourite band play a quiver of excitement raced through me…I swallowed down the last of my drink and stood. There was no point in hanging around the campus, not when I had to get ready. Rachel stood with me and we made our way to the door. I could practically feel the excitement rolling off her and it made me smile.“I’ll meet you outside the club at eight?” She gripped my arm tightly and turned me to face her as she spoke. “Promise me you’ll come? That you will be there?”I grinned at her and gestured to her pocket where I knew she had shoved the tickets. “You know I have a weakness where my band is concerned. There is no way I could resist… And who knows, maybe I’ll actually get to meet the band?”Rachel squealed as she spun away from me and started to jog in the opposite direction. All I could do was shake my head and smile. She had a way of making life better. Of making tough times so much easier and for that I was eternally grateful to have her in my life.Turning I began to walk back towards my own apartment. Only one thought occupied my mind, who the hell had that guy been? And would I ever see him again?
Add it to your GoodReads

Sam Harker my new book boyfriend... Ssssh, Don't tell my husband!

When I read Twilight, Edward became my first book boyfriend... I know a lot of people dislike him as a character but to that I say, 'whatever'. I wanted a piece of that. I wanted someone who would love me that intensely, someone who would be utterly passionate about me.

Now granted I got lucky and I have that in my hubs. But it's still nice to have a fictional love. And right now that love for me is Sam Harker. I know, I know, he's my own character but he really does have a special place in my heart. More than any of the other male characters I have ever written.

As the writer I have certain insights. I know why he is doing the things he does. I know who he is really. And he tugs at my heart strings. He wants to do the right thing, he's trapped because of his circumstances and his own loyalty. But of course he didn't count on falling love with Natasha. And she is lovely. But it's created this great big problem in Sam's life. Loving Natasha has the potential to cost him everything he ever held dear. His family means everything to him and Natasha endangers all of that... But what can he do?

For me, Sam has become the type of character that haunts my dreams.

And here's just a short snippet of Sacrifice and of course Sam.


He propped himself up against the wall and watched as she left the coffee shop. Her honey coloured hair drifted around her face and part of him wondered if it was naturally that colour or had she found it in a bottle? Most of the girls he knew were fake. Fake hair, fake boobs, fake smile… But with her, from what he’d seen of her there didn’t seem to be anything fake about her.The look on her face as she’d watched him… He’d seen that look before, but on her it was different. Some deep sadness seemed to lurk just beneath the surface of her eyes. She was an uncertainty. It wasn’t something he had ever dealt with before. Normally he was sure of what was happening. But with her, he had this sinking feeling in his gut that with her he would be thrown off balance.It’s a challenge… That’s all, nothing more than a challenge. And maybe you won’t need to do it… Maybe it’ll all work out.He raked his hand back through his dark hair and shut his eyes for a moment. An image flashed before him and he felt sick. It was an effort not to turn where he stood and lose the cup of coffee he had just drank all over the sidewalk.Get a grip! The little voice in his head spoke sternly and he knew it was right. He had to get a grip. There was nothing he could do. He was here for a reason, and one reason only. Maybe things would work out and he would leave here with no issues… Maybe…He pushed away from the wall and continued to watch her progress across the campus. He couldn’t shake the look in her eyes. The way she had stared at him. Something stirred inside him, something he had sworn was dead, buried. He couldn’t afford to allow feelings to get in his way. If it had been any of the other guys they would have already made contact. They would be sure it was her…But he didn’t need to ask her to know, and it wasn’t just because of the crappy description he had sketched into his notepad either. He knew the second he saw her who she was. Natasha Masterton. But it was better to follow protocol. Better to be sure. He shook his head as she disappeared out of sight. What the hell was wrong with him? Here he was beginning to sound like one of them. It wasn’t what he wanted. It wasn’t what he had planned. But what else was he supposed to do? They had promised they’d help her, give her everything she needed if he just did this one thing…He wasn’t a religious man, but in this instance he couldn’t help but think that he had sold his soul to the devil. Before he had seen Natasha it had seemed easy. It was just something he needed to do in order to get what he wanted… But now…Shit. He punched the brick wall, the skin splitting with the force of the impact. The blood welled up across his knuckles mixing with the dust from the wall. It was a good kind of pain, a comforting one. One he needed. Maybe if he rang them, told them he couldn’t do this, told them it wasn’t right… Maybe they’d relent?He laughed as he started across the campus, pushing his hand into his pocket, hiding the injury from prying eyes. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to himself. He’d done enough of that already.His mind skipped back to the moment in the coffee shop. The moment they had shared. And her laugh. He grinned as he thought of it. The way the others had looked at her as though she had completely lost her mind. But he understood that. It was one thing in this giant mess that he could understand. Laughing at the most inappropriate of times was something he was known to do. His older brother had made the vast majority of his teenage years miserable because of that one little habit that he couldn’t seem to shake.The moment he thought of his brother he shut his mind down. It wasn’t a place he wanted to go. It wasn’t something he was willing to think about, not now, not ever if he had his own way.
***
Sacrifice Coming June 28th.
Don't forget to add it to your Goodreads 

Overly Sensitive... And an Iced Coffee Recipe?

I've been doing a lot of writing lately. A heck of a lot... I'm very attached to my characters, I love them as though they're my children. That probably sounds weird but it is what it is. So with all this writing I've been doing lately I've noticed an unusual side effect.

I'm a sensitive person. I think it probably stems from the environment I grew up in. My brother is Down Syndrome X Double Y. He is a very special, very beautiful and I love him to bits. He's a year younger than me, so obviously he has been there my entire life. I can't remember a time when he wasn't there. I think growing up with him has made me very sensitive.

I've been joking lately to hubs that I have too many feelings. But part of me is beginning to wonder if this is a joke? I cry at advertisements that are even vaguely emotional. Watching television programmes usually has me in bits. We've been watching Fringe and I absolutely love it. But the character of Walter completely breaks my heart. The more I watch, the more I find myself getting upset. I don't think this is a bad thing. Maybe a little embarrassing when my mascara spends most of its life half way down my face. Really need to invest in some waterproof stuff.

And while it probably stems from how I was brought up, I think with my writing I've tapped into it a lot more that normal. I don't know why, I'm not even sure if it's a good thing. It probably is and I just need to figure out a way to control it a little better.

I'm not sure where I'm going with all of this. Maybe I'm just wondering do any of you find yourself being overwhelmed by your emotions? Do you think it influences what you read? Much in the same way it influences what I write.

On a far more positive and possibly interesting point, I've discovered I can make my own Iced Coffees. *Pauses to drool* I can't drink coffee. I know, I know, I can hear all of you wondering then what the hell am I doing drinking iced coffee? Well it must be the amount of milk in it or something because I can't get enough of this stuff... Granted after drinking one yesterday I spent last night wide awake in bed but I refuse to believe the two are connected...

So if like me you want to attempt to create this delightfully creamy and nummy drink I direct you to this wonderful woman, who I've only just discovered. The Pioneer Woman Her recipes are amazing! And her instructions on making Iced Coffee are fool proof, seriously I tried it.

Happy Hump Day!

Millie

Remember Me a New Adult Romance is Live!

Remember Me is now available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I'm hoping it will find its way over to Apple before too long as well.

When he held my hand I felt safe, protected, as though no one on this earth could ever hurt me. When he held my hand I was the happiest I had ever been. And it frightened me. Surely one person wasn't entitled to so much happiness? What happened when the universe realised its mistake? When it tried to take it all away… By loving him I'd allowed myself to become vulnerable. But I wouldn't change it for the world.

Bella Brooks' adult life is just beginning. Leaving college to go out into the real world she runs into Aidan Crantree, the man of her dreams. Tall, hot and ever so sexy he's everything Bella never thought she deserved.

Aidan's a rookie detective, desperate to prove himself. On the trail of a man who has been kidnapping young women, Aidan must discover how the victims are being chosen before another disappears.

Neither of them expected to fall in love.

It's not long before Bella is drawn into Aidan's deadly world. Fighting her feelings for him isn't an option. She soon discovers that her heart may not be the only thing at stake. With Aidan growing ever closer to closing the case, the game is quickly changed when Bella becomes the target.

Aidan is given a choice, let the killer escape or Bella becomes his next victim. Which will prevail… Love or justice?

Remember Me is a New Adult Romance with some thriller elements thrown in. Those of you who have read Desired by the Billionaire will recognise the characters, Aidan and Bella. This is their story. There will be a second book, for those of you wondering called Forget Me Not.

Below you'll find the first chapter.

Chapter One

Bella
Fumbling with the lock on my bike I sighed in frustration. It was just my luck that the key wouldn’t fit properly. It was a brand new lock too, the last one had mysteriously disappeared, but judging by the weight of my handbag I suddenly knew where it had disappeared to.“Work damn it!” I muttered more to myself than anyone nearby.“Problem?” His voice was smooth and it rolled across my skin like the caress of satin. I shivered and turned to look over my shoulder. My blonde hair blew across my face obscuring my view but when I saw him my heart skipped a beat.He was tall, his shoulders broad and his arms looked like tree trunks. I could imagine being wrapped in arms like that. Safe, warm and utterly at his mercy. He could do whatever he wanted to me and I would be helpless to stop him.“I-uh…” I stammered my brain refusing to work. My hand slipped and a ragged edge on the chain bit into me. It was the jolt I needed to pull me from my daydreaming. I dragged my gaze from him and back to my hand and the impossible lock. A small cut had opened up along the top of my finger. The red blood dripped steadily onto the asphalt.He was there before I could move. His hand wrapping around mine and tugging it into the light. Inside my brain was screaming to move. To pull my hand away from this beautiful weirdo who was examining the cut on my finger like he was an expert.He pulled a white tissue from his rucksack and wrapped it around the wound, pressing into it so hard I sucked in a deep breath through my teeth.“It’s not deep.” His voice seemed to vibrate through me deep down into the core of me, touching places I didn’t even know existed.“Uh-thanks…” I cursed at myself inwardly. Was I such a complete imbecile? The best I could muster was a thanks? I wanted to ask for his name, why he had chosen to talk to me. Guys didn’t talk to me. I wasn’t that girl. The pretty one, witty and popular who drew guys to her like moths to a flame. In fact I was the complete opposite of that girl. Shy, awkward and apparently completely socially inept.He smiled and my knees went weak. I knew it was a cliche but I didn’t care. It was something that happened in the movies and yet here I was going weak at the knees for a guy who had barely said two words to me.His grin was infectious and I couldn’t stop the grin that spread across my face in response. He shoved his hand out towards me.“I’m Aidan, and you are?”“Bella… I’m Bella…” I took his strong hand and his fingers closed around mine. There was no jolt of electricity. There was always a jolt of electricity in the movies and the fact that there was none here made me breathe a little easier.You need to pull you head out of the clouds. The little voice inside my head chastised me. It was true I did need to live in the real world a little more. But fantasy land had always been far more interesting… Until now.“Lovely to meet you, Bella.” He held my hand for a little longer than was necessary. And when he released me I felt a little colder. As though simply by touching me he made the world a warmer place. It was that protective vibe I was getting from him. It had to be.“Well I should let you get back to whatever it was you were doing?” He cast a look from me to the bike and back to me again.“I couldn’t open the damn lock on my bike. I have the key but it won’t work.” I held the key up in front of me as though that was enough proof of its failure.“May I?” He held his hand out and very carefully took the small key from me. He brushed past me and bent over the lock. A moment later he stood up and handed both the key and the lock to me. The ghost of a smile hovering on his lips.“How did you do that? I’ve been here for ten minutes struggling with the stupid thing.” My words came out sounding more like an accusation than an actual question.He shrugged and glanced around as though he was waiting for someone to show up. I could imagine the type of person that would be coming to meet with him. Tall and leggy, stunningly beautiful, beside her I would look like one of Cinderella’s ugly step sisters.I shook my head in an attempt to shake the nasty thoughts from my mind. I wasn’t like this. It wasn’t like me to be constantly comparing myself to invisible beauties. I had always accepted who I was. I wasn’t the girl who ended up with guys like Aidan, it just wasn’t something that would ever happen. And I was ok with that… Or at least I had been until Aidan had turned up.“Well, thanks for your help, Aidan… I guess I’ll see you…”He nodded and gave me a small tight lipped smile. Something had changed, he suddenly wasn’t as inviting as he had been initially. I had clearly done something wrong, something to offend him. But what that was, I had no clue?I grabbed the lock and the key dropping them into my bag and hanging it across my body. I climbed onto the bike and pushed away, peddling as fast as my legs would allow me to go. I rounded the corner and looked back over my shoulder. Aidan was still standing where I’d left him but this time his gaze was trained on the apartment building we’d been standing in front of.The sound of a horn blaring drew me back to what I was doing. I swerved the bike, narrowly avoiding the oncoming car whose horn had rattled me. I ran over and over in my mind the scenario with Aidan. What had I done to make him go from hot to cold so fast? And  anyway he was the one who had approached me. I’d never asked for his help. But if I was brutally honest with myself I was glad he had come to me. For those few moments in his company I’d felt special. I’d felt a connection between us and I was pretty sure I hadn’t imagined it…But then if I had imagined it, it wouldn’t be the first time I imagined a connection where there was none. Mark’s face crossed my mind, leaving the bitter taste of ashes on my tongue. If ever there had been a time when I was wrong it was where he was concerned. I never wanted to be that wrong again… Or that hurt… I couldn’t bear it.
Aidan

Watching her cycle away Aidan tried his best to draw his attention back to the matter at hand. There was something about her that drew him in, made him want to spend time with her, get to know her… This wasn’t the first time he’d set eyes on her. But it was certainly the first time he’d found the courage to talk to her. And what did he end up doing? Frightening her so much that she cut her hand…
“Smooth, Aidan, very smooth…” He muttered the words beneath his breath as he stared up at the old stone apartment block.
Another girl had disappeared just a few blocks from here. Aidan had a feeling that whoever was taking them, had a hunting ground and this was pretty close to it. It just didn’t make any sense. How the hell was he supposed to figure out what made a girl the perfect choice for this psycho… And what was he doing with them once he got them.
Two of the six girls missing had turned up. Dead. Their bodies mutilated beyond recognition. But the other four were still missing. The more time that passed the more Aidan worried that all he’d find was more bodies.
“Looks like I missed all the fun.” Aidan turned at the sound of his friend and partner’s voice. Hunter jogged towards him, his badge hung around his neck on a small silver chain. Aidan never understood why he wore it so prominently. People tended to clam up the moment they saw the badge. And it wasn’t exactly conducive to blending in.
“What?” Aidan scrubbed his hand across his eyes. He needed coffee, he’d missed his usual morning cup and the lack of caffeine was causing a headache to build behind his eyes.
“Who was she? Case related or?” Hunter quirked an eyebrow and grinned. “It’s that girl you’ve had the hots for, isn’t it? Did you finally ask her out?”
Aidan shook his head and dropped his gaze, his eyes narrowing as he caught sight of the small droplets of blood across the pavement. It had been silly to creep up on her like that. But at the time it had seemed like the right thing to do. He’d wanted to know her name ever since he saw her…
“No I didn’t ask her out. I’m not going to.”
Hunter punched Aidan playfully in the shoulder and shot him a stern look. “Don’t be stupid. You can’t bury yourself in work forever… You need to get out, get to know people. Ask her out for the love of God!” Hunter lifted his hands towards the sky in a gesture of pleading desperation. “I’m not sure I can take much more of this moping.”
“Can we get back to the case?” Aidan’s voice had become strained. He didn’t like to be pushed into things. Particularly when he knew how right Hunter was. He did need to build a life outside work. Or one day he’d wake up married to the job.
“Not until you go and ask her out. Now go! I can handle the paperwork due from the last…” Hunter’s voice trailed off as he remembered the girl they’d found. It wasn’t something you could shake. And Aidan could tell from the dark circles beneath Hunter’s eyes that he hadn’t forgotten the girl in the alley.
“Fine, I’ll go. But if you hear anything you call me…”
Hunter’s expression changed, as though he was pulling a mask away revealing his happier side. He smiled and slapped Aidan on the shoulder.
“If anything comes in, you’ll be the first one I call.”
Aidan turned and began to jog down the road. He knew just the place to go. If he was lucky he might even be able to top up his flagging caffeine levels. A pair of beautiful brown eyes flashed in front of him making him smile. Or maybe all he really needed was to see her again.

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Giveaway!

I've announced on my Facebook page that I'm doing a signed paperback giveaway once, At the Billionaire's Pleasure, At the Billionaire's Promise and Desired by the Billionaire reaches 25 reviews on Amazon.com. 

Not only that but I've said if you post on my Facebook page or here on the blog telling me you've reviewed you'll be entered in to a special giveaway for an e-copy of "Remember Me" before its release in May. 

And now to sweeten the pot. If all three books reach the 25 review mark I will release chapter one of At the Billionaire's Paradise on my blog. Book three in Carrie and David's story. It isn't due out until late summer early fall. :)

At the Billionaire's Promise

At the Billionaire's Promise has been published and is now live. Not only that but last I checked it this morning it was sitting pretty at 46 in the Hot New Releases for Romantic Suspense. I'm stunned and thrilled. Thank you all so much for being truly wonderful!


Life has never seemed more perfect for Carrie. She has David, the man of her dreams, the man who loves and adores her. And yet, she can't shake the feeling that all that might come crashing down around her ears at any moment.

When word of her engagement to David Ashcroft, the most eligible bachelor in the country gets out, Carrie finds her life thrown into chaos by the media frenzy that ensues. But not everyone wants to see Carrie happy. Secrets and lies spill out into the public leaving Carrie more vulnerable than ever. And with her ex, Richard, snapping at her heels, David is the only man who can save her. But has his trust in her been completely destroyed?

Sides must be chosen, and difficult decisions made. In the end, can love truly be enough to overcome the deadliest of opposition?
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A Sunday Snippet 2: At the Billionaire's Promise

I'm still hard at work on At the Billionaire's Promise. And I really cannot wait to release it. This story is just filled with so much emotion. As I said on Facebook during the week, David is much darker in this book. But this scene isn't about David... The second Sunday snippet for you all, from At the Billionaire's Promise. Enjoy xxx


My feet crunched over the leaves as I ran. The sound of David’s voice calling to me had faded, along with the sound of his footsteps as he followed me. I was alone. The pain in my ankle finally screamed at me for attention as I tripped and fell over a branch on the forest floor. I lay there, tears soaking into the ground beneath me. The cold ground seeping into my bones.Alone. The word echoed in my mind. I had really thought David was the one. Given myself over to him, wholly and completely. Only to have it thrown back in my face. The way he’d looked at me. He really believed I would betray him like that. That I was capable of ruining his life.It started to rain, the droplets growing larger until it was a downpour. And still I lay there, a broken person. When Richard had finished with me it hadn’t hurt like this. Not this complete destruction that I felt. It was amazing that something so simple could rip my life into shreds. I curled into a ball not caring that my body was soaked through and my hair was plastered to my head. None of that mattered anymore.It hit me then as I lay there, I needed to know where Lucy had gotten her interview. It should bother me that someone had deliberately set out to destroy my life. And they had succeeded.The sound of a twig snapping nearby caught my attention. I wanted to call out. But I was too frozen. Pain and the cold of the rain that fell around me had left me frozen on the ground. The sound of another twig snapping and the crunch of leaves left me in doubt that there was someone nearby.Part of me hoped that it was David. Had he followed me all the way out here. Would he tell me he was sorry for doubting me. Tell me that he loved me, that he would never believe such lies?“David?” My voice came out in a hoarse sob. I lifted my head and stared around at the trees, there was nothing that I recognised. Nothing to tell me where I was or how far I had actually run.The sound of someone swearing nearby had my heart hammering in my chest. Whoever it was, it wasn’t David. The voice was familiar and yet… Another twig, another step closer to me. My body screamed in pain, my lungs burning and my ankle throbbing as I shivered on the ground. But I had to move. I had to run. Something inside me told me that whoever was out there wasn’t my friend. And after everything that had happened I could easily believe it.I pushed my body to my knees and then to my feet. My ankle protested as I gingerly tried to put weight on it. But I didn’t have a choice. I started to move. Hobbling at first until I could pick up a little speed, but the faster I tried to run the slower my body became. It was like one of those nightmares. The ones where you run but no matter how fast you go you never really move. You’re just forever jogging on the spot. That’s what it felt like.The sound of the footsteps grew louder until it hammered inside my head. I expected at any moment for someone to reach out and grab me. But I still ran. My urge to survive, to escape racing through me.I could hear breathing now. Whoever was behind me was gaining rapidly, no longer trying to hide their footsteps as they raced to catch up to me.The feel of a hand closing around my sleeve made me scream. He flung me against a tree, my body slamming into the hard wood, knocking what little air was left in my lungs from my body.“David!” I screamed his name in sheer desperation.“Not David, sweetie.” I scrambled to my feet as Richard’s voice rang in my ears. Panic spurring me on. I ran, ignoring the pain in my ankle, the burning of my lungs. I ran with the desperation of someone who wanted to survive. After what he had said in the letters I couldn’t risk him catching up to me.“Bitch! Get back here!” He crashed after me, the sound of him racing through the trees after me made me whimper.I lost my footing, my body slipping down the side of an embankment. I tumbled down, my scream echoing around the trees and bouncing back to me. As though it was mocking me.I came to a stop, my head ringing. I was caught on something, my jumper ripped and knotted around a tree branch. It was the only thing holding me in place. I watched Richard come towards me, his booted feet crunching through the muddy leaves that I had tumbled over.Struggling the tree branch that held me groaned heavily. I chanced a look, my stomach dropping out as I realised just how precarious my situation was. The lower half of my body was suspended over the jagged edge of a cliff. A sheer drop to the river below. If I fell… Well I wasn’t particularly hopeful about surviving if I fell.“David!” I screamed his name again. He couldn’t hear me, and even if he could he wouldn’t come for me. Not after what had happened. We were finished. But I didn’t want to die. I wanted a chance to explain to him how much I loved him. That the interview had been a lie, I wouldn’t betray him.“David!” I screamed again. My voice growing hoarser, my throat raw. The tree groaned again and the sound of tearing fabric had me scrabbling at the wet ground. I needed to pull myself up further, if I could then I stood a chance at surviving.“He can’t hear you. No one can.” Richard crouched down beside me, the smile on his face was twisted and cruel.“Why are you doing this, Richard? Please, help me?” I struggled harder, my arms tiring from trying to pull my body up further, but I seemed to be caught on something. Something that was pulling me down.“Richard, please help me.” He mimicked my voice, mocking me. “Why would I help someone like you?”“Please, you don’t want to do this.”“You’re right, I hadn’t planned it this way. I wanted to use you first. Normally couples have one last fling. But not you… You had to have your goon come after me. Bruises take a long time to heal… But I could live with that. But when he came after my job… My girlfriend…” Richard paused and stared off into the distance, seeing something that only he knew about.“He took it all from me. Everything, gone because the great David Ashcroft decreed it. Well it’s my turn. You were mine first. He had nothing but sloppy seconds.”I struggled again, my body slipping a little further as the jumper ripped. Panic was beginning to overwhelm me, swamping my body and leaving me breathless. What Richard was saying couldn’t be true. David wasn’t like that.Richard reached for me, his hands wrapping around my arms as he tugged me upwards. The jumper ripped further coming free of the branch. The only thing that held me now was Richard’s hands. Without his grip on me I would fall to my death.“I’m interested to know if he’s taught you anything…” His words made sick to my stomach.The sound of people running through the trees gave me hope.“David!” I screamed again.“Carrie!” The sound of his voice as he answered me lifted my heart and filled me with hope. With him was my place.“Pity he won’t get to you on time…”Richard released me suddenly. I slid towards the edge, the mud and leaves making it almost impossible to get a proper grip. But I clung on. I only had to hold on for a few seconds more and then David would find me.Richard crouched down beside me, his eyes taking in my dishevelled appearance as he reached out and trailed his fingers down my neck. He moved lightening fast, his hands wrapping in my hair, tugging my head back as he kissed me. He ground his mouth against mine, drawing blood as he bit down on my lip making me cry out.When he pulled away the smile was back on his face. I had lost ground, my hands slipping across the mud as I tried to cling to the tree branch that had saved me in the first place.He lashed out, his fist connecting with my jaw jolting my head back. Stars burst behind my eyes as I tried to hold on. I wasn’t even sure if I was holding on anymore. There was a rushing sound that filled my head, before my collided with something icy cold. There was nothing. No sound. No screams of terror, not even pain. Just nothing.

A Sunday Snippet: At the Billionaire's Promise

A nice juicy snippet from At the Billionaire's Promise, for you all to sink your teeth into. Enjoy, and don't forget to let me know what you think.
I stood in the kitchen sipping a cup of hot black coffee when David finally reappeared with the two security men. I watched them stand in the hall, their voices low as they talked. David’s face had the concerned expression I’d come to know him for. The one he spent quite a bit of time trying to hide from me.They finally seemed satisfied and both left. David’s hand remained on the door handle for a few seconds longer than normal. When he finally turned back to me his face was expressionless and I realised he’d been using the few seconds to hide his true emotions.“Well?” My voice was far more impatient than I’d intended, but it was done.“Well, what?”I sighed, “What did they say? Did they find out how some weirdo got in here and took the pictures?”A flicker of emotion crossed David’s features as I used the word weirdo, but it was gone in a flash. Almost as though it had never been there in the first place. It was something that amazed me. How could a man who was so passionate, who felt so deeply, could so easily hide what his true thoughts were.I’d asked him one night as we lay in bed together. His arms were still wrapped tightly around me, and our bodies were still half caught in the heated after-glow of our love making. He’d lifted my hand to his lips when I asked the question, his face taking on a solemn look for a split second before it was gone, swallowed by the smile he gave me.“It’s just something I’ve learned over years of business dealings. He with the best poker face wins, or at least he won’t leave with his reputation in ruins.”“But, why do you still do it with me? Can’t you trust me?”“Of course I can. It’s merely a habit. One that will probably take as many years to break as it took to develop. And it’s not really something I can let go… I need it…”I crawled up next to him and ran my hand down his cheek, he kissed my palm before rolling me back underneath him once more. I was pinned beneath his broad strong chest, and still I wanted to tell him that he didn’t need to hide from me. Didn’t need to protect me from his true thoughts.“I won’t betray you, I promise…”“Carrie, I know you won’t. You don’t need to promise me anything but your love…”“Same goes for you mister.” I lifted my hand to playfully swat at him, but his strong fingers wrapped around my wrist holding it above my head.“I’ll do more than promise you just my love, I promise you my heart. For always. It’s my promise to you.”“Carrie, can you hear me?” David’s voice pulled me from my memory, I’d become completely lost in my own thoughts. Enough that I hadn’t heard a word of what he’d said to me.“I’m sorry, my mind was elsewhere…”He sighed and frustrated ran his hands through his hair. “This is serious. What I’m telling you is not something that you can just afford to dismiss.”“Fine, I’m listening, I swear.”“They think whoever broke in here… Whoever, took the pictures, is the same person that broke into the office last night… Or at the very least it’s the same group of people.”“How can that be? Why would they do that? None of it makes any sense?”David shook his own head. “I have no idea, but we’re going to have to be even more careful from now on. We can’t take any risks…”I nodded. The sound of the buzzer made us both jump. My eyes darted to David’s but he wasn’t even looking at me. Instead his gaze was trained completely on the door.“I said for no one to be allowed in…” His words trailed off as whoever was at the door began to hammer on it.“David. I know you’re in there. It’s me… Aaron?”David moved for the door, his stride once more calm and assured. When he pulled the door open Aaron burst inside, a brown envelope in his hands. An envelope that looked oddly familiar.“What the hell is this? Do you know about it?” Aaron’s voice was filled with anger as he waved the envelope around. “No one threatens Heather. Not anymore. I’ve finally gotten things back on track… The last thing she needs is more crap. She’s pregnant for Christ’s sake.”“Well until you tell me what you’re waving around, how am I supposed to know what you’re talking about?”Aaron thrust the envelope into his brother’s hands and then caught sight of me leaning against the kitchen counter.“Shit, Carrie, I’m so sorry… I didn’t realise you were here… I thought maybe you’d be at the office.”No, Aaron, I’m right here…” He looked sheepish as David pulled the envelope open and tugged a scrap of paper from its depths. I watched as David’s expression went white as he scanned the note. Leaving the cup on the counter I went to him. My hand on his shoulder made him jump. Whatever was happening he was visibly shaken. I tried to catch sight of the whatever was on the paper but he hid it from me, folding it and pushing it back inside the envelope.“When did you get this?” His voice was once more filled with authority as he turned on his brother.“It was on the doorstep this morning. You don’t seem all that surprised?”“I’m not.” When David didn’t offer any more of an explanation the tension in the room shot up. Aaron’s fists were clenched as he moved towards his brother.“Either you tell me little brother, or you and I are going to have a big problem.”“Do you believe it?” David’s voice was low, menacing.“Believe what?”“What the note says?”Aaron’s eyes darted in my direction for a second before returning to his brother’s face. He let out a long sigh and it seemed to deflate him completely. His shoulders dropped and the dark circles beneath his eyes suddenly stood out in stark relief against the paleness of his face.“You know I don’t.”David nodded as though suddenly satisfied and started for his office. Aaron followed him, leaving me standing in the centre of the living room as though I had no part in any of what was going on. Anger bubbled within me. It was one thing for David to keep secrets that I didn’t know about. It was another thing entirely for him to keep secrets in front of my face. Secrets that obviously involved me. It was me in the pictures. David wasn’t in them. And whoever had broken in had done so when I was alone…“David!” The tone of my voice when I called his name was enough to stop him in his tracks.He turned and looked at me as though curious over what I was calling him back for. It just made me angrier.“Aren’t you forgetting something?”“What?”“Me? This involves me… In fact this has more to do with me, than it does with anyone else in this room…”“Aaron and I will work out what’s best much faster if we can talk freely…”I cut him off with a wave of my hand. I stalked towards him and my hand cracked across his face faster than he had a chance to react to.“How dare you.” Tears burned in the back of my throat. “How dare you treat me like I’m just your secretary. Easily dismissed when the big boss decides it’s time to have a grown up conversation.”“But you are my secretary?”His words infuriated me. But worse still, they wounded me. His words stabbed through my chest and ripped my heart into pieces. I felt physically sick, as though he had pulled my heart clean out and then stomped all over it. I was just his secretary. All his talk of love and marriage. All of it meant nothing. It meant nothing because when he wanted to, David would simply dismiss me.I took a step back from him, my entire body shaking. Whatever David saw reflected in my eyes made him move towards me, but I waved him away.“Don’t touch me. Don’t you ever touch me…”“Carrie, I didn’t mean it like that… You’re misunderstanding…”“No, David, I’m not. I’m really not. For the first time since we got together, I think I’m finally understanding exactly what you mean.”His face crumbled, before he replaced his expression with one of cold indifference. I turned and marched for the door, grabbing my coat from the hangers inside the door.“You can’t leave, you need someone to go with you…”“I don’t need anything from you, David, not now… Not ever.” I tugged the door open and stormed out. I didn’t look back, not even when David called after me. Once I would have turned every time he called my name. But not today, not now.

New Release, Image of You and a snippet from it.

Running from a ruined past, Kat finds herself working for a talent agency. But the past has a nasty habit of catching up with you, no matter how hard you try and hide from it. When the firm takes on handsome rock star Matt Henley as their newest client, Kat is thrown into turmoil. Matt not only seems to recognise her as the high school geek from all those years before, he insists she is the only one he will work with.

Kat is the only one who can help him get his life back on track. But Matt is unwilling to spill his secrets, even when they come back to bite him in the ass.

Some secrets destroy lives, and some destroy trust. But what happens when they tear two people apart? 

Adult 18+

Excerpt:

"I don't want to work with anyone else... No one but you... Kitty Kat..." The nickname he had given me sent shivers down my spine. The way he said it. Almost made me believe that he felt something for me. I wasn't sure if it was real or if it was just the way he could speak. There was after all something in his voice. There had to be, otherwise people wouldn't listen to him sing. Not the way they did. His voice could do things to you... If you let it.

"I don't think it's a good idea. I'm no good at this, Matt. I'll make mistakes and one of those mistakes could cost you big time... I can't take that risk."

He stood and moved around the counter until he was standing directly in front of me. I swallowed hard and lifted my gaze until I was left staring up into his face.

"It's not your risk."

"What?" Confusion swamped me as I stared up into his rich brown eyes.

"It's not your risk. It's mine. That's as long as we're still talking about my career..."

I nodded and swallowed again, harder this time. He lifted his hand and trailed his fingers softly against my jawline.

"Of course we're talking about your career... What else would we be talking about?"

"I don't know, Kitty Kat, maybe the spark between us... That's a risk for us both..."

He lowered his face and pressed his mouth gently against mine. His hands cupping my cheeks as he brushed his lips across mine. It was feather lite, almost as though he was afraid that if he pushed me too far I might break... That he might break me.

The kiss deepened as I pushed my body against his. I couldn't help it. I wasn't even sure why I did it. It was as though I had no control over myself, that whatever I had tasted in his kiss ignited a passion within me. A passion that until now had remained dormant.

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