M.L. Skye's Blog, page 12

Sunday Snippet: Holly's Masquerade

Our fall-like weatherremained with us … to the point we had record lows. I have to laugh a little becauseit's like a yoyo swinging up and down with record temperatures in bothdirections. It's nuts.

Had a very solidwork week. Possible new projects that I'm excited about and finishing up a bigone, which feels really good.

Not a bad week forviewing television. I didn't make it through two times like last week but had almosta full rotation of the shows I normally watch.

Enjoyed another AgathaRaisin episode. I'm settling in with this cast of characters and I love thevillage vibe. Looking forward to more episodes.

Started a new SilentWitness two-parter and I'm really interested in where this one goes andwhat's going on at the Lyle. The second half should be terrific.

Caught the finalefor season two of Death in Paradise. I'm a little sad because the seasonthree opener is obviously the loss of one of the main characters. But I'm excitedto start in with a new character.

Watched another FantasyIsland episode and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm also happy to report Roarkand Javier seem to be on better footing and the angst factor did not get ampedto ten or above. A pleasant surprise. The whole deal with Ruby should beinteresting to watch unfold. Not sure how I want things to go there.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of The Batman. This one featured Firefly and I kind of loved theBruce and Alfred banter in this episode.

Caught another episodeof Classic Rugrats and loved it. One part had the babies journeying tothe basement ala Indiana Jones style. The second one had the full set of McNultysfor a birthday party. So much fun.

Started another episodeof VIP but didn't make it all the way through. Too many interruptions tofinish, but I hope to get the rest watched today.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Holly's Masquerade,a Specter Station novella.

Here's the miniblurb:

Roman Holly can't believe how smoothly the transition tohis new base of operations on Specter Station is going, but he has Isis Tango,his uber-efficient admin, to thank. She moves halfway across the galaxy to stayby his side and he's not quite sure why. But Isis will reveal her reason at theholiday masquerade, and it will blow Roman's mind.

And a sneaky peek…

Isis closed one fileand opened the next. "Nothing liked being mired in last-minute fixesbefore Roman gets here." She scanned through the checklist for themasquerade, ticked several boxes, added notes, and forwarded copies to JunaNewberry, Maddox Specter, and Roman.

Leaning back, Isis tooka breath then exhaled slowly. Finally, a minute to breathe. "And reflect alittle." What am I doing?"Moving to a station half a galaxy away because I'm stupid in love with myboss … not the best use of decision-making skills, Ise."

Then again, she lovedan adventure, especially when it came with a challenge. Holly Galactic Group provideda wide range of activities and trials for her to dive into. Problem-solvingcame easily to her … for other people.

She frowned. "Solvingmy Roman problem? Yeah, I suck at that." Why can't I use my extensive skill set to not be in love with him?

The universe wouldnever know.

She straightened. "Andneither will Roman." Geez, wouldn't he love to have that conversation?

Geez, Ise, why now? You'vebeen with him almost seven years.And her brain picked now to figure out she loved him.

She shook her head. "Okay,the three-week window of alone time had a lot to do with that."

Coming ahead to getthings set up and ready gave her ample opportunity to examine the reason sheagreed to the move. Which also gave her time to take stock and look at what shewanted for the future. She wanted Roman Holly.

Wait … three weeks.That meant…

"Fuck! Roman'sarriving today." Glancing at the time, she cursed again. "Check that.Roman's already here." She scrambled out of her chair, smoothed her hairand clothes and took off at close to a dead run toward the lobby.

She arrived at the bankof tubes just in time for the doors to ping open, revealing Roman and Mattox.

She caught her breath,quickly composing herself before flashing a wide smile. "Hello, I wascoming down to greet you. Sorry to have missed your arrival." She steppedto the side, her gaze drinking in the sight of Roman—tall, blond, and made towear a suit to perfection.

The men exited theconveyance and Roman did a full-circle turn in the lobby area. His head noddedin approval at his first sight of the new headquarters.

Nervous and not surewhy, Isis got down to business. "Maddox, I forwarded the final details forthe masquerade, you'll let me know if there are any changes?" After Maddoxlifted his chin, Isis waved her arm toward the office suite. "Welcome toHolly Galactic Group's new base of operations. Everything is ready, includingthe link-up to our former office. The file transfers are scheduled to begin atany time." She stopped talking when the men exchanged a quick look.

Damn,I'm babbling.Mortification warred with embarrassment and she kind of wished the floor wouldopen up and swallow her.

She blew out a breath."I'll let you two head in. You've probably got some catching up todo." She started to reach for the tube button, thinking to make a quickescape to regroup and calm down.

Roman shook his head."Please, come inside with me. I took the liberty of ordering some food andit's on the way up now. Maddox is heading to wherever Juna is." A slysmirk crossed his face.

Maddox returned thegesture with one of his own.

Isis smiled when Maddoxmade a hasty retreat back inside the tube after lifting a hand in farewell.Roman huffed out a breath and shook his head, then laughed before headinginside the office space. Isis enjoyed the exchange. It's going to be goodfor Roman to be around his friend on a regular basis. She followed Romaninto the suite of offices, still a bit unsettled over missing his arrival. Shemight need to start seriously thinking about what she wanted for her future.

And whether Roman wouldbe part of her plans or not.

I have a lot oflove for this one. Roman and Isis are a joy to write. The whole Specter Stationgroup is fun to be with.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Hedging Bets

Ohio had record hightemperatures this past week, but the weekend has brought some fall-like weather.I'm looking forward to seeing the leaves change even if it seems like thecolors are less vibrant than they used to be.

Juggled severalwork projects and I'm in the final stages of two and starting a couple of smallnew ones. I'm liking the mix of things I'm currently working on. It's fun tostretch my wings sometimes.

Had a solid week ofviewing, which seems weird because I did have a lot of work stuff to get done.

I started a new tome series with Agatha Raisin and thoroughly enjoyed the first twoepisodes. I think I'm going to like this one!

I finished up seasontwo of Suspects and, wow, the last episode kind of packed a punch. I'llhave to wait to see if more episodes become available on the streamer I use.I'm not quite ready to sign up for yet another one to see the remaining seasons.

Caught the firstepisode of Peak Practice season ten. Also started the second episode butgot a little distracted. I might end up skipping a few because I really don'tcare about Andrew and his affair.

Watched a SilentWitness two-parter that dived into the Troubles and thoroughly enjoyed thetwists and turns.

Forgot to include BattlestarGalactica in last week's recap. Watched "Captain's Hand," whichis one of my favorite episodes. This week we watched "Downloaded,"which is kind of the beginning of the end to a promising series. With twentyyears of hindsight, I can honestly say I didn't need or want to know that muchabout the cylons.

Enjoyed twoepisodes of Death in Paradise. I loved the hurricane episode. OnlyRichard would think it's just a little wind. One more episode for season twoand then it's time for a changing of the guard.

Caught two episodesof Fantasy Island. I'll admit, I'm on the fence with Roark and Javier. I'mkind of down with the building of the friendship and letting Javier all Elenaout for trying to protect Ruby. The thing is … he's not wrong, but he shouldalso know Elena might have been down this road before and she almost always hasinformation she can't share, which is kind of hinted at when Ruby more or lessforgets about Mel. What's next? She forgets her kids? So … I rather love thatthis thread looks like it will be spun out to a thin tether. Also makes mewonder what's in store with Ruby's tattoo.

Watched two moreepisodes of The Batman. ManBat and Victor Frieze were the bad guys forthese two. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed this show the first run through.

Enjoyed twoepisodes of Classic Rugrats. Finally had another one with Susie, whichmakes me happy. Also forgot how much fun it was to have Chuckie act likeAngelica for a day.

Started a rewatchof VIP. Sometimes it's so much fun to go back to shows from the late ninetiesand early aughts and enjoy the creative license and sheer escapism theyprovide.

Also startedanother new to me series with My Life Is Murder. I'm not quite finishedwith the episode, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far!

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Hedging Bets,a novella featuring an enemies-to-lovers couple.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lettie and Thane have issues that are getting in the wayof their work and are thrown into separate cells for being insubordinate to asuperior officer. Their commander decides they can stay locked up—in the samecell—until they work their crap out or one of them calls for a body bag.

And a sneaky peek…

Lettie paced back and forth."Ten-day rip. Not sure it's worth it, but I won't break first." She gotso damned pissed at Thane sometimes. "The man is so freaking irritatingand full of himself." Constantly parading around like he owned the damnedship all because his dad had command.

Thane might have a solid record—noblemishes for him—but why wouldn't he? A dad who could sweep infractions underthe rug.

"I get tagged for every littlething and it pisses me off." And if her dad had any pull, she'd get reallyangry if he stepped in all the time.

She'd make her own way, or shewouldn't make anything.

Why the hell doesn't Thane trythat? Hell, withhis looks, he'd probably still skate on everything from getting whateverschedule he wanted to having the galley crew save his favorite foods.Seriously, the guy put in the work to stay fit. And his body definitely showedthe effort. Broad shoulders tapered down to a ripped torso and narrowed waist.He had carved biceps and his thighs were sinewy and defined. And his ass … could'vebeen sculpted in marble. And maybe should be for posterity.

She snorted. "Pisses me offthat I find him handsome and hot." Of course, everything about Thanepissed her off.

Could be why she poked at him allthe time. Arguing with him made it easier to fight the attraction. Because shedefinitely didn't want to get cozy with her commander's son.

She shook her head. "No effingway." Even if she had a ton of respect for the elder Sorenson.

Except when he paved the road withglass so Thane could slide through life with ease.

Corporal Gaff lifted his chin andspoke to Thane, no doubt informing him of the rules, schedule, and expectationsof the prisoners serving their allotted amount of time. Lettie hoped Gaff didn'tmention how easy it would be to get something to make passing the time a littleeasier. Books, music, digital magazines, most could be had if the occupantasked nicely.

Gaff unlocked the outer door anddirected Thane to the cell at the end of the row.

Lettie tracked their progress withher gaze. "Thank you, Corporal Gaff." The cells were enclosed with glass,but the doors were open bars with a slot for the meal tray.

With Thane being four down from her,she might have to look at him, but she wouldn't have to listen to him.

If he kept his voice down, whichwould be smart of him to do. Because if he started another fight, she wouldn'tback down.

I'm having fun withthis one. Lettie and Thane have more in common than they realize and it's soenjoyable to write their story.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Healing the Wound

September hasushered in yo-yo weather. We had record low overnight temperatures this pastweek and we're supposed to end up with record high temperatures this week. Mysinuses are not happy right now.

I'm still finishingup the copy edit for the extended project and should have it ready this week. I'mlooking forward to starting a new project in the next week or so. September isshaping up to be a busy month and that makes me happy.

Didn't have a badweek of viewing. I got a lot of episodes in and finished up a series, whichmeans I get to start a new one this week. I have no idea what that will be yet,but probably a mystery.

I caught twoepisodes of Death in Paradise. One I remember seeing before and theother new to me. This is why I love going back and watching in chronologicalorder.

Also watched two episodesof Fantasy Island. Enjoyed both for the fantasy aspect. Did not enjoy theangst factor. As usual, you take a perfectly good couple and break them up fora stupid reason. Depending on how the next few episodes go, I'm probably donewith this show.

Enjoyed two episodesof The Batman. Bane and Catwoman were introduced and the Catwoman episodewas a lot of fun. The Bane episode wasn't bad either.

Caught two episodesof Classic Rugrats. The four vignettes were all ones I'd remembered andpretty fun to watch again.

Finished up the AgathaChristie Hour and enjoyed the final episode. I love mistaken identityhijinks and this episode had a splashy party to boot. So much fun.

Caught the secondhalf of Suspects and thoroughly enjoyed watching the team unravel thetangled web of who did it. Also kind of great to get some insight into thecharacters' personal lives.

Finally watched theseason nine finale of Peak Practice. It was as hard as I thought it wouldbe. I'm not looking forward to Andrew's personal life being a main focus of seasonten, but I'll still be watching.

Finished the secondhalf of Silent Witness. This one ended up being very twisty and I likethat. Looking forward to the next two-parter. Might get more insight into Jack'scharacter.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Healing the Wound,a novella that brings a couple together after the loss of another character.

Here's the miniblurb:

Jenna Creed loses the love of her life and blames ThorpWaggoner. She needs to stop living in the past and Thorp wants to be the manshe moves forward with, which means Jenna has a very big problem.

And a sneaky peek…

Jennarolled over in her sleep, vivid images filling her mind. Thorp's mouth made aslow trip from the lobe of her ear, ghosting along her jawline before dippingin to nuzzle along her throat. His lips feathered over her shoulder and skimmedher collarbone before inching down to capture a taut nipple. When his teethworried and teased the nub, Jenna let out a low moan, heat infusing her bloodand nerve endings.

"Jenna?Hey … you okay?"

She wokewith a gasp, blinking to clear the slumber from her eyes. Her veins thrummedwith hot passion, the dream still playing out in her fuzzy mind. Shaking herhead, she focused on the face next to hers. One that didn't belong to ThorpWaggoner.

A small smilecurved her lips, squashing the kick of guilt roiling in her gut. "Yeah.I'm good, Mick. What time is it?" If still early, she might be able to graba shower and make some breakfast before Mick had to head out.

He cuppedher face. "Gotta leave in five." He rolled off the bed, fully dressedin his fatigues.

Jenna satup, rubbing a hand over her face. "Shit. Sorry. Why didn't you wake mewhen you got up?" Before she had the dream…

Micksnorted and grabbed his duffel. "It's the ass crack of ugly o'clock now.No reason you should have to be awake at zero dark thirty unless you'redeploying … like me." He zipped his case and dropped it by the bedroomdoor.

Deployment.For an unspecified amount of time to a classified location with multiple hotspots. Not exactly her idea of a fun way to spend her second anniversary withMick.

Then again,they'd been lucky. After almost two years together, they'd only had a handfulof time apart. And Thorp ended up being assigned to the same base six monthsago with a bump in rank. No surprise there.

Mickreturned to the bed and sat on the edge. "Waggoner's picking me up here,which I gotta admit surprised the hell out of me." His lips twisted."Not like we get along well." He rolled a shoulder and met her gaze."But it means I got more time with you before shipping out."

Jenna gavea nod but didn't say anything. The steamy dream about Thorp rewound and playedout again in her mind. A new flicker of guilt unfurled in her stomach. She'd hadthe stupid nocturnal side trip because Thorp and Mick were going on a missiontogether. There couldn't be any other reason. She loved Mick and shouldn't feelanything for Thorp. What might have been had no place in her life right now.

A hornblared outside, and Mick leaned in, catching her lips for a farewell kiss.

Jenna onlyhalf-heartedly responded, still hung up on the erotic content of her dream. ButMick didn't seem to notice. He already had his bag over his shoulder and headedout of the room.

Jennascrambled off the bed and dragged a robe on. "Good hunting. Get in touchwhen you can." Which might not be until they returned from their mission.

Mick gaveher a quick salute and exited their house. The loud rumble of the truckaccelerating down the road then making the turn for the airfield lasted brieflybefore everything went quiet again. Jenna leaned against the wall not quiteready to confront the weird vibe she couldn't seem to shake.

She’d makeup anything lacking in her goodbye to Mick when he came home. And Thorp wouldhave no place in her mind or heart when she did.

Jenna thought sheput the spark with Thorp in a neat little box, but her dream proves otherwise,and she's not thrilled about having the reminder she found him attractive.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Haven't We Met Like This

Wow, August kind offlew by. I'm always amazed how fast the week slips away, which probably means Ineed to go outside and get some grounding time in. I'm going to blink, andit'll be the holiday season. Just saying. Maybe I'll moon watch this week withthe blue supermoon happening.

Had a busy workweek. I'm finishing up an extended project and working on a new manuscript copyedit. Also gearing up for a new developmental edit and a new manuscriptassessment in September. Looking forward to working on new books in these twoseries.

Had a decent week ofviewing television. I still haven't watched the final episode of Peak Practiceseason nine. I needed good vibes this week and didn't want anything to bum mymojo.

I actually caughttwo episodes of Suspects. I finished out the first season and startedseason two. The second season is four episodes but they're both two-parters.Looking forward to seeing what happens. I'm a bit bummed that I can't watch allfive seasons of this show … unless they become available on the streamer I'mcurrently using.

Finished the firstseason of Cannes Confidential. My choice for the big bad was correct andthat makes me happy. I'm so hoping there will be a second season of this show.

Caught the secondhalf of Silent Witness's two-parter. Ended up enjoying the twists thisone took. A great cast of guest stars really added to the storyline.

Watched anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. This show makes me happy, which might seemweird because it's always about a murder. The cast is amazing and that's why Ilove it.

I'm on the fencewith Fantasy Island. I enjoyed the episode but I'm not here for havingangst solely for the sake of having angst. No thanks. We'll see how the seasonends.

Finally continuedmy rewatch of Battlestar Galactica. "Sacrifices" ended upbeing such an interesting episode even if it shortchanged a couple ofcharacters. One of the critiques I have about this show is not digging into thestorylines when they should have. The previously on Battlestar Galacticadoes a lot of heavy lifting in seasons two through four and it's notnecessarily a good thing.

Watched anotherepisode of The Batman. This one introduced Penguin and I'd forgotten howmuch I enjoyed this episode.

Caught anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. Aunt Miriam made another appearance as didthe McNulty's.

Restarted the AgathaChristie Hour and enjoyed the episode. I have one episode left in thisseries and then I'll have to decide if I want to dive into another Christieseries or find something new.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Haven't We Met LikeThis, a novella that brings a couple together after being casual friendswith benefits for an extended period.

Here's theminiblurb:

Reese meets Hallie, his brother's flight school roommate,when he bails her out of hack. Seven years later, they meet under similarcircumstances on his father's ship.

And a sneaky peek…

Hallie stood beside the ramp of thetransport ship, waiting on her last passenger.

"Hallie Todd. If I'd known youwere flying me to my dad's retirement gala, I'd have made an effort to be ontime."

Alec Hennessey caught her up andhauled her into a hug.

She squeezed him hard. "And youstill would've been late." She laughed. "It's good to see you, Alec."She glanced behind him. "Where's your better half?"

Alec stepped inside the transport."On bedrest. She's due in two weeks." He grinned then sobered."Which means my workload is double right now."

Damn, seven years brought a lot ofchange. Alec had failed his finals for flight, but he excelled at code breaking.Happily married to his sweet cryptologist, they were expecting their firstchild. Hallie hadn't realized quite how soon.

Hallie nodded to the copilot seat."Might as well have a front-row view." The other two dignitariesaboard flashed grateful smiles.

Transport ships weren't designedfor comfort.

Alec took his seat and fastened theharness.

Hallie radioed the Bartholomew."Bartholomew, transpo five-six-niner will be outbound and docking in twenty-threeminutes." She nodded to the landing signal officer and waited for checkersgreen.

Alec put a headset on just in timeto catch the response.

"Transpo five-six-niner,you're clear for landing in bay seventeen. A reminder you're to report directlyto the brig after passengers have cleared the hangar."

Alec slid her a sideways glance,his mouth hanging open.

Hallie launched the ship and headedout into the black.

Alec, per usual, couldn't helphimself. "What did you do this time?" He'd flipped to internal commsso they wouldn't be overheard.

Hallie's lips quirked. "I gotinto a heated argument with the XO and called him a superior dickhead."She huffed out a breath. "Earned a three-day rip forinsubordination." The man pushed her buttons on the regular and she hatedthe idea of serving under him without the elder Hennessey acting as a buffer.

And, thankfully, she wouldn't haveto.

Alec narrowed his eyes. "Thenwhat are you doing flying transpos?"

Hallie chuckled. "Apparentlyyour dad is a big deal. The ceremony has so many arriving guests anddignitaries, I had a two-hour window to help get them all on board." Shemade a banking sweep away from Gibraltar base and headed for the ship.

Alec grunted. "He does have alot of friends in high places." He settled back.

Hallie chatted with Alec, fightingthe urge to ask about Reese. He and the old man rarely saw eye to eye, and shewondered if Reese would show up for the ceremony. It had been two years sinceshe'd seen him—they had a very casual relationship, both focused on theircareers—and she didn't ask when they'd spoken a month ago. She'd had otherthings on her mind during that call.

Alec volunteered the information,mentioning a photo op with their dad. "Someone dug up an old snapshot ofthe three of us standing in front of a falcon." His lips twisted."They all realize I don't have my wings, but they want to repeat thestaging for the old man's retirement." He perked up. "At least I'llstand out in my spiffy dress uniform." He did a chair waggle.

Hallie laughed. "That youwill. I mean, was there ever a doubt? They broke the mold when they made you,Alec." And she wouldn't have him any other way.

The rest of the flight got hercaught up with his life. Alec and Jenvie had names picked out. They were movinginto a new housing unit on the base. And Jenvie made it clear Alec would not begetting their kid addicted to fudgy brownie cakes.

By the time they landed, Hallie'ssides hurt from laughing. She'd needed the reprieve. Alec could be a pain inthe ass, but he always brightened her day.

Hallie exited the transport andgrabbed Alec's shoulder. "Say hi to Reese for me." She hugged Alecand headed back to the brig.

Less than eighteen hours and she'dbe free and clear. And never have to deal with the XO, Colonel Dickhead, again.

This story isfinally coming together and I'm excited to get it finished up.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Hart's Masquerade

Had a very busyweek with work projects and family stuff. I'm kind of exhausted but not in abad way. My sleep schedule is somewhat all over the map and that doesn't help.Insomnia is a definite pain in the butt.

I had a prettysolid week of viewing television. I got another full round of shows in andmight be adding one or two in the next week.

I picked back upwith Suspects and enjoyed the episode. This show is a little chaotic andI like that. I also rather like the characters.

Caught another episodeof Cannes Confidential and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have one episode leftand I'm not ready for the season to end. I truly hope there's more to come fromthis show. It's so good!

Watched thepenultimate episode of Peak Practice season nine. I'm bracing for impactfor the finale. Then it's on to season ten!

Started a newtwo-parter of Silent Witness. Very interesting episode and I'm not surewhere part two is going to go. This isn't a bad thing.

Enjoyed another episodeof Death in Paradise. This is such a fun show even if there's always amurder to solve.

Caught anotherepisode of Fantasy Island and, yep, my biggest pet peeve happened. Takea couple and tear them apart for stupid reasons. I'll finish out the season andsee what happens, but I'm cranky now and that probably means I won't watchanything else if it has another season.

Started a rewatchof The Batman. I rather liked this series. I might also be able to finishmy rewatch of Batman: The Animated Series. For whatever reason, it seemsto be available again.

Watched another ClassicRugrats episode with two eps I'd forgotten about. Season five seems to havequite a few of those.

Missed watching BattlestarGalactica this week. My viewing partner had a family commitment and we'repicking up again this week.

That's it for thelife update. Tonight's post is from Hart's Masquerade, a Specter Stationnovella that features a precious gem dealer and an accomplished jewel thief.

Here's the miniblurb:

Wicek Hart deals in precious gemstones throughout thegalaxy and he's the premier wholesale supplier for jewelry boutiques. NettieStrand is an accomplished jewel thief, but only because she's trying to reclaimher family's stolen property. Wicek smells a setup when Nettie applies for thejob as spokesperson for the gala event to be held on Specter Station, his newbase of operations, during the Lover's Holiday. Nettie knows the businessinside and out and Wicek takes a chance by hiring Nettie, if only to keep avery close eye on her actions.

And a sneaky peek…

Nettie Strand arrived for herinterview five minutes early.

Entering the reception area ofWicek Hart's office, she gave a nod. "Nice setup." Airy and intimate—notan easy combination to pull off, especially on a space station.

She clocked the video feed andsecurity sensors hidden from view close to the display areas. She moved throughthe space mentally casing the area. Wicek Hart wouldn't make it easy for anyoneto remove merchandise from his office.

Her lips curved. "I hope hisstores are equally impressive." Based on what she'd seen so far, theywould be.

The soft snick of a panel opening drewher attention. She turned and bit her tongue to hold back a gasp. Holy shit.Blown away by his striking features, Nettie didn't think the holo images didWicek Hart justice. No way. Dark hair, an impressively tailored suit thatenhanced instead of hid an impeccable physique, and a rugged countenance thatdidn't keep her from imagining him being comfortable in high-end salons or on aplanetary excursion to find rough-cut gems.

He quirked a brow. "NettieStrand." He thrust his palm forward.

Recovering, she grasped his hand andsmiled. "Yes. It's good to meet you, Mr. Hart." Definitely not a lie.

Wicek flashed an amiable smile. "Please,it's Wicek." He inclined his head toward another recessed area. "Shallwe?" He held her gaze.

She nodded and followed him intohis office. This room had weight and depth. A workspace for cutting gems, adesign area with a drafting table, and a large U-shaped desk filled therectangular room but didn't crowd the location.

Wicek led her to an open nook holdinga comfortable arrangement of luxurious loveseats facing each other with anangular ottoman placed between them. He motioned for her to be seated and beganthe interview right away. The next thirty minutes flew by and she responded tohis questions with well-prepared answers. Amazed at how well everything seemedto be going, she let down her guard, confident she'd have the job.

Until Wicek brought out a thickfolder and placed it on the ottoman.

Wicek leaned back against thecushions and propped his ankle of one leg on the opposite knee. "Why doyou really want to work for me?" The affable host disappeared, and acutthroat businessman emerged.

Nettie got stuck and struggled tokeep up. "I don't understand." She frowned. "You're the premiersupplier of wholesale gems in the galaxy. Why wouldn't I want to work foryou?" Maybe he wanted to test her?

Or … maybe she needed to sellherself more.

She leaned forward a little. "Ihave extensive knowledge of gems and minerals. My skills could become avaluable asset to your work and help grow your business." If all wentwell, she'd love to pursue a partnership.

Wicek studied her and theimpression she'd failed settled between her shoulder blades. I need thisjob. I must have the access and status the position will give me. I can't letGrandmother down. Again. Wicek folded his arms over his chest, stretchingthe suit across his broad shoulders, his gaze unreadable. Nettie couldn't shakethe feeling she'd made a huge misstep.

He nodded toward the large file."Would part of using your skills and being an asset include theft?" Histone turned hard and questioning.

Her breath caught in her throat."Excuse me?" He can't know.

He leaned forward and flipped thefolder open then handed her a list. Her heart sank, especially when he spreadout the reports about stolen jewels. Dammit, he did know. How should she playthis?

Wicek pinned her with his gaze."Care to comment?" His eyebrow quirked upward.

Is he giving me a chance to explainhere?

She held his bold stare for a longmoment before taking a leap into the unknown. "Very thorough, Mr. Hart…"She set the list aside. "But not quite complete." Time for her toroll the dice on a man that took speculative risks.

Wicek raised both eyebrows, clearlycurious.

Nettie went for broke and filled inthe rest." You're missing two." There, let's see what he does withthat.

Wicek's mouth thinned to a flatline, and he stared at her with a narrowed gaze for several heartbeats.

Then he shocked her to her toeswhen he threw his head back and laughed.

This scene cametogether very quickly and I'm so happy with how it turned out.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Hard Call

I sometimes wonderif time is speeding up. The week flew by. Then again, I have multiple work projectsgoing right now and they're all at different stages.

Had a decent weekof television viewing. Not quite as heavy as last week but I got through a fullround of my current shows.

Actually startedand ended the week with Classic Rugrats. I'm currently watching season fiveand it's weirdly missing Susie Carmichael. Maybe there's more of her in thelater episodes.

Finished up the secondseason of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Ended up fairly pleased with theresolution of Jean's stalker. Very glad and hopeful we don't have to see moreof her.

Caught anotherepisode of Cannes Confidential. I seriously love this show. The cast isamazing and the chemistry with all of them is terrific. I have a very sneakysuspicion one of the main characters is going to be a bad guy and I'm actually kindof here for that if it happens.

Watched anotherepisode of Peak Practice. I have two left in season nine and it's going tobe kind of heartbreaking because I know what's coming. Also, Andrew isseriously annoying right now and I'm not sure if he'll improve or not.

Continued myrewatch of Battlestar Galactica with "Scar." This is anotherone of my favorite episodes even if, like "Black Market," there are somebig flaws with development for later episodes. One of the best conversations ofthe entire series is in this episode.

Finished up atwo-part Silent Witness. The culprit was indeed one of two characters Ithought it might be. Such a great episode.

Started season twoof Death in Paradise. Good opening episode with some familiar faces inthe guest stars. I love catching my favorite actors in other roles.

Enjoyed an episodeof Fantasy Island. So cool to kind of see how Elena assumed the role ofhost. I'm very curious about Ruby's mystery woman. I have a theory about herand I hope we get some answers before the end of the season.

Finished up seasontwo of Strangest Things. I'd be interested in more episodes, but I won'thold my breath. The combination of Discovery and HBO Max is the stupidest thingever and I'm honestly not sure I'll even continue trying to find show I want towatch.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Hard Call, anovella that sees one half of a couple put the other half in a precarioussituation.

Here's theminiblurb:

Wiccam Kidder commands a space cruiser and wears themantle of command with reluctance. When he makes a hard call and orders ValorGlynne to what may be a certain death, he wants to give up the burden and walkaway. But Valor returns and Wic is faced with knowing she'll follow wherever heleads.

And a sneaky peek…

One level from the bottom Majahstopped. "This is as far as you go." She held up a hand to blockValor's path.

What the hell? She's wastingvaluable and precious seconds.

Valor frowned. "We don't havetime for this. Get moving!" She shouldn't be ordering her superior officeraround.

Majah planted her hands on herhips. "We're making time. I'm ordering you to head back. You've got timeto get clear." She gave Valor a dead-eyed stare.

Valor's mouth dropped open."No way. This is a two-person job. We can't fail." Too much rode onthe outcome of blowing this damned place to nothingness.

Namely giving the two mostimportant people in her life an edge.

Majah dropped her pack to thefloor. "We won't." She retrieved a spear gun and shot a dart into thewall then hooked a D-ring onto the rope. "I've got this." Shecarefully removed the protective covering from the explosive device, which hadbeen covered with a framework of netting.

Valor blinked, the sheer genius ofthe solution kicking a measure of respect for her XO into gear.

But something didn't smell right.

Valor cocked her head. "Whydidn't you mention this brilliant maneuver during the planning?" They'd runthrough a ton of simulations.

Majah's shoulders tensed for amoment but then she shrugged. "Only figured it out last night." Hertone all but dared Valor not to let the excuse slide.

Valor wanted to call bullshit butsomething in Majah's gaze—a desperate determination—stopped Valor.

Instead, she straightened."Why?" She needed to understand.

Even though the clock ticked andburned through those precious seconds.

Majah squared her shoulders and metValor's gaze head-on. "Because I lost a piece of myself here. They brokeme, and planning this op made me realize I can't go back." She lookedaway. "I'm done. I can't live one more day constantly fighting to be theme I used to be." Her eyes closed for a moment then opened, clear anddetermined.

Valor couldn't find words to argueor counter the XO's clearly thought-out decision.

Majah shot another dart into thebulkhead beside Valor. "Go. Now." Keying in the launch code, Majahclimbed on top of the crate and slowly hefted the explosive device intoposition. "I can get the rest from here." She started lowering thebomb down to the last level.

Valor opened her mouth, but Majaharched her brows and Valor gave a brief, terse nod instead.

Snapping to attention, she saluted."Godspeed, sir."

Valor took one last look at hersuperior officer then turned and booked it up five levels, using minimal-rangecomms to radio ahead to the scout transport for a pickup. Her brain spun withMajah's revelations, but she couldn't take the time to unpack any of it rightnow. She dashed aboard the small ship and waited until they cleared thedetonation zone. Twenty seconds later, she verified the explosion beforeradioing back to the ship. "Hathaway actual, scout two. Targetremoval confirmed." Cheers broke out on the other end of the comm.

She broke protocol by making thecall. It should've come from ECO. But she wanted the Kidder men to know she'dsurvived.

Thanks to the sacrifice of a verytroubled officer.Valor's gut clenched with the knowledge Majah shared. Valor finally understoodthe former XO a lot better now.

Unfortunately … a little too late.

I have a lot oflove for this story. Writing this scene ended up being so much harder than Ithought it would be, but I'm very happy with how it came together.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Hand of Fate

Wow. August snuckup on me. I need someone to slow time down a little so I can catch up. I didhave a great week with work projects and I'm hoping that trend continuesthrough the end of the year.

Had an okay weekwith watching television. I'm going through a weird phase where I'm feelingkind of blah about everything I'm viewing. Not because the shows aren'tinteresting … more because my attention is very scattered and it's hard tofocus right now.

I started and endedthe week with episodes of Strangest Things. Seriously, there are sometruly weird and bizarre items featured on this show. People are strangesometimes.

Caught anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. Both featured fun bits with Grandpa Lou(Lew? I honestly can't remember how it's spelled.) They also had an in lovingmemory of David Doyle, the actor who voiced the character. Nice reminder of hiswork.

Watched anotherepisode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. We're an episode away from the end ofseason two and I'm not sure if I'm interested in whatever the creepy lady hasin store for Jean or not. I'm on the fence about whether I hope there's a resolutionto wrap this part up or if it should continue through season three, if there isone.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Cannes Confidential. This show is so much fun even with thedark theme swirling in the background. I really hope there's another season ofthis.

Started a newtwo-part Silent Witness. Very interesting premise. I'm not completelysure I have this one figured out, but I think I do.

Caught another Deathin Paradise, which finished out the first season. Looking forward tostarting season two this week.

Continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica with "Black Market." I have so much love for this episode even though it has a lot of flaws. Getting action-hero Lee is kind of worth having some thrown-in plot devices.

Watched another FantasyIsland episode and, again, I'm cautiously optimistic with how they'rehandling the personal lives of the characters. Also really enjoyed the fantasyof the three women. Such a great episode!

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Hand of Fate, anovella that brings a couple together after one of the character's has afateful injury.

Here's the miniblurb:

Ada Kurtz and Clark Wellington are great at their jobs,and either could pull off an upcoming mission. But when Ada gets injured, she'srelegated to the sidelines, planning the operation and calling the shots forClark. He has to take out an enemy satellite which won't be easy without Adaflying his wing.

And a sneaky peek…

Clark read over the missionparameters.

"Holy shit. Leave it to Ada tocome up with something completely out of the box." They'd be lucky to pullit off.

The asteroid might be the size of adwarf planet, but its surface was nothing but rock and toxic gases. Blowing therelay station to cut communications had to happen. The first two towerswouldn't be a problem. The darker side of the asteroid had limited defenses andthe comm stations should be easy to destroy.

The other two? "Much more of arisk and harder to blow."

Directly on top of the outpost usedas a base for mining operations, the squadron had fortified armaments to getthrough. The asteroid had pipelines running through at least half of itsinterior. The ore brought out kept the power going and the excess shipped outvia heavy transport every four weeks.

Ada's crazy-ass plan relied on themselling the idea the latest pickup was a week early. Rather brilliant, and theelement of surprise would definitely be on their side, but so many things couldgo wrong.

A pang of guilt settled between hisshoulders. She blamed him for being grounded. Not really his fault, but he gotwhy she did. Their constant back and forth kept them in a state of heightenedemotion. Ada pulled a stunt—one that usually bit him on the ass—and hechastised her for it. Openly, the more people present, the better.

In the air, Ada went unmatched. Herintense skill and razor instincts pulled him and everyone else out of the firemore than once. He could man up and admit the fact.

She challenged him out of thecockpit, too. But on a way different level. Mercurial and often exasperating,he sometimes had no idea where he stood with Ada from one moment to the next.It became part of what made her an easy go-to example. She had zero fear ofrank and stated her opinion whether solicited or not. A prime measuring devicefor exactly how far to not push the CAG.

He huffed out a breath. "Butholy hell, what a brilliant mind." Ada had killer looks, but herintelligence drew him in and held his attention.

Even when she reverted to juveniletactics, the weird mix of never taking herself too seriously combined with anuncanny on-the-spot decisiveness made for a heady attraction. Clark oftenwanted to peel back on the layers and reveal what she hid beneath. Somethingthey hadn't had time for when they'd gone out for a while.

Too bad the timing sucked, and awar needed to be fought right now.

Shaking his head, Clark turned hisattention back to the op specs. He pictured each parameter, watched it play outin his mind, and rewound to start over. Ada left very little room for error.

He'd be lucky to pull it off. He flewby the book. Didn't go for the seat-of-his-pants stunts the way Ada did. Heridea contained a hard mix of both and the whole thing hinged on him. Didn'thelp most of the crew knew Ada could jam this mission out in her sleep. Him … theycouldn't be so certain of. Granted, everyone had doubts, they'd be stupid notto. But he wouldn't, couldn't focus on them. He had to get his head in missionmode. Everything else got shoved to the side.

Sort of. A niggling thought hoveredand wouldn't go away. They could really use Ada out there. And Clark wantednothing more than to have her on his wing. Made him a glutton for punishment,but they'd all be safer with her out in the mix. She drove him mad, took insanechances, but he'd never fault her ability.

His lips twisted. "Too badshe's probably got some grave reservations about mine." The thought stuckand he let it sink in.

Rising, he grabbed the file to headfor the briefing. "I'll just have to prove her wrong, won't I?"

I'm getting closeto having this story wrapped up and ready for launch. I love Clark and Ada somuch!

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Gut Punch Feeling

Whew! Busy week,which I love. My youngest kidlet got engaged last weekend and we've been ridingthat wave of excitement this week.

Finished up onework project and got another new one. It's a mystery and I love those! Alsoplugging along with an ongoing LitRPG manuscript that's also a sci-fi/fantasymash-up. I love the series!

Had an okay week oftelevision viewing. I didn't get through as much as I thought I would but I'mcool with that.

I finished up theepisode of Peak Practice and enjoyed it. I've got two episodes left andI'm bracing for impact because I know what's coming.

Caught the secondpart of Silent Witness and I'm happy to say I figured out the real culprit.It took some really twisty turns and I'm pretty sure there might have been adangling plot thread but, honestly, a great episode.

Enjoyed another episodeof Death in Paradise. I'm almost finished with the first season, andit's been terrific seeing the series in chronological order. Can't wait tostart the next season.

Continued myrewatch of Battlestar Galactica with "Epiphanies." I'dforgotten how much this episode set up for the following seasons. And I'malways blown away by how incredibly good James Callis is in the role of Baltar.

I also caughtanother episode of Fantasy Island. Really enjoyed this one. I'm very,very cautiously optimistic with the Javier and Elena storyline. I'm going to beso disappointed if it ends up being trashed for the sake of angst.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Gut-PunchFeeling, a novella that reunites a couple and puts them up against somestacked odds not in their favor.

Here's theminiblurb:

Evie Roth, a soldier explorer, keeps her promises. Butwhen a sinister plot threatens those she loves, especially Parr Romanoff,she'll break a vow she made long ago … to herself.

And a sneaky peek…

Evie Roth closed her rucksack andhefted it over her shoulder. "What did you expect, Parr? We're graduating.It's time to go our separate ways." She tilted her head to one side."How did you think we'd manage once we got our assignments?"

Parr Romanoff folded his arms overhis chest. "The same way everyone else in the military does it."

Evie snorted. "Ah, right. Iget to follow you around from base to base without a second thought to what Iwant from my career." She shook her head. "I don't think so. I have aplan and I'm sticking to it." Unlike her mother, who could've made rank ifshe hadn't succumbed to Evan Roth's charms and then mustered out to crawl intoa bottle of liquor.

Parr sighed. "No one's sayingyou have to follow me, Evie. We can do what's best for each of ourcareers." He started moving toward her.

Evie held up a hand. "Uh-uh.Stay right where you are." It wouldn't take much to sway her into stickingaround.

Continuing to have the best sexever tempted her far more than she'd ever admit.

Parr stopped, planting his hands onhis hips. "See … you know we're good together. You're afraid tocommit."

Damn right. Parr didn't fit intoher five-year plan to move up the ranks and find her niche. If either livedthat long. With a looming war, no guarantees were handed out.

And he didn't have to be difficult."No, we've got a war to fight and being in a relationship takes a backseatto everything else." She turned and started for the door again."Better to end things now, focus on what needs doing, and remember goodtimes."

And there were a lot of greatmemories she'd stored away. Most of them involving steaming up sheets,furniture, and sometimes any available flat surface. A shiver of awarenesstried to rear its head. Evie tamped it down along with any regrets. She had tostay on task.

Parr called out before she exitedthe room. "I'll see you around, Evie. It's a small universe when there's awar brewing. Our paths will cross again."

She didn't acknowledge hisstatement, walking out and not looking back. They probably would bump into eachother, but time and distance for a while would change their perspective. Sherefused to let anything stand in her way.

Not even love.

Evie is going tofind out she should never bet against love, especially when there's a warbrewing.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Good for the Soul

Still chuggingalong on various work projects, but I'm at the in-between stages on a few. Ilike having some free time to focus on writing.

Not a bad week forviewing television. I had to create a workaround for one of the shows I watch,but I'm happy I managed to remember how to set things up.

Caught anotherepisode of Fantasy Island and, wow, I love the unexpected surprise. I'mcautiously optimistic the reveal won't trash things between Elena and Rafael.I'm not holding my breath though. One of the writers is known to mess things upto ramp up the angst factor.

Watched anotherepisode of Strangest Things. I'm always interested in the ancient thingsthey review, but I'm also fascinated by the crazy contraptions featured.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. The puns and play on words are always fun.One of the greatest things about this show is the appeal to all age groups.

I finally finishedthe Passionflix original, Resisting Roots. I ended up really liking thisone. It's not quite as steamy as some of the other movies, but I'm okay withthat.

Caught anotherepisode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Enjoyed this one. Very glad Dom isback in good form.

Watched another episodeof Cannes Confidential. I love this show! Camille and Harry are fun, andthe underlying, sinister vibe is present but also subtle. Such a great show.

Continued myrewatch of Battlestar Galactica. This week we did a double header of "ResurrectionShip Part One and Two". The next few episodes are solid, but the showstumbles a little leading up to the season two finale. Too many threads thatneeded some loving care got dropped.

I also startedanother episode of Peak Practice and need to finish that one up latertonight.

That's it for thisweek's life update. Tonight's post is from Good for the Soul, a novellathat explores how a character tries to hold himself accountable and struggleswhen he can't.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Dex Thurgood has ideals he upholds and wants to keep itthat way. But when he's forced to confront a sinister underground trade leader,he has to face his darker nature to bust up the extortion racket, which won'tbe easy because Ramsey Markum knows one of Dex's deeply buried secrets. LanaDenman steps up to help Dex deal with the fallout of not being perfect.

And a sneaky peek…

Hate him? Not in this lifetime.

Sighing softly, Lana replied.“Confession’s not about making people hate you, Dex.” How could she explainthis to him? “It’s about catharsis. So you can live with the wrong you’vedone.” Tilting her head, she gave him a moment to absorb what she said. “Didyou hate me when I told you about Mac? Did you walk away?” She sat up and drewher feet under her legs crossways.

She had him there … he didn’t hateher for Mac … but she’d made her confession on the day their world ended … slightlydifferent. But then again, not really. And, okay, he had walked away … well … technicallyejected … but he always took time and space to process things.

When he opened his mouth to argue,she shook her head. “You’ve never let me down.”

Dex looked away from her. “I wasn’tthere for you.”

He cringed at the unpleasant soundshe made at that statement.

She rolled her eyes. “Turns out youdidn’t have to be. The chancellor called off the mission, remember?” Leaningforward, she pinned him with her gaze. “You’re willing to screw your personalethics, leave 'em behind and that’s not enough? I’m supposed to be pissed youalmost died and weren’t there? God, Dex.” She leaned back in frustration,letting her eyes drop to her lap.

“Lana, I—" He stopped.

Yeah, he what? Had no idea what tosay? Why did he always make things so hard?

Confusion marred his features … and,damn if she didn't know exactly what he felt like. It sucked when life kicked someonein the teeth … made them lose hope … hell it made a person lose who they weresometimes. She'd been there, more than a few times, but not Dex. He didn't havethe benefit of being comfortable with one foot on the edge of right and wrongand the other somewhere deep in the muck.

Scrambling across the bed, shecrawled over his legs and settled down on his lap.

Grabbing his hands in hers, shetried explaining it. “Look, Dex. I get it. I really do.” She waited until shehad his eyes before going on. “We all have shit we drag around. Mistakes.Screw-ups. Crap we’re not proud of.” Her lips quirked up, but she quickly gotserious again. “It’s easy to do the right thing … what’s hard, really hard, isliving with the wrong. Do you get that?” Again, she waited … holding his gazebefore letting go and moving her hands up to cup his face. “Tell me you getthat now.”

He gave a slow nod. "I thinkmaybe I do."

She rested her forehead againsthis. "Finally."

Lana is a fun character.She's not into seeing only black and white. Her world is filled with shades ofgray.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Fyre's Masquerade (a Specter Station novella)

Had a busy week witha new work project landing in my inbox. It's a holiday novel and I'm so excitedbecause I love editing holiday stories! I'm also working on a proofread, whichis a nice complement to a copy edit.

Had a slow week ofviewing due to another loss of a relative. 2023 has been a rough year for theolder generation in my family. I hope the final months are loss free.

I did watch thepremiere episode of Cannes Confidential and thoroughly enjoyed it! It'sgot intrigue and charm and the cast is stellar. Looking forward to the nextepisode.

Also caught anotherepisode of the Madame Blanc Mysteries. I'm slightly disappointed in theangst factor between the main characters but I'll roll through and see whathappens. Very excited Gloria has a new guy even if he's competition for Dom.

Watched an episodeof Peak Practice and found it kind of interesting. I liked getting someadditional screen time for the deaf characters introduced earlier. Also kind ofliked Andrew figuring out what he doesn't want.

Started a newtwo-part Silent Witness and, wow, this one had some twists and aheartbreaking scene that I almost couldn't watch. Kind of looking forward toseeing where it goes.

Caught another Deathin Paradise. Enjoyed the guys trying to avoid bringing Richard in on thecase while he was down with a tropical fever but loved that they ended up doingit anyway.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Fyre's Masquerade, aSpecter Station novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Balek Fyre made his fortune mining asteroids and justbecame a principal owner of Specter Station. He's ready to enjoy a new stage inhis life—until the Yuli family descends on his base of operations for thegalactic midyear celebration with only one thing on their minds … getting himto marry their oldest daughter, Serena. The only problem? Balek would ratherspend time with her sister, Scout.

And a sneaky peek…

"Mother, couldn't you getScout to wear something other than those horrid black pants?" Serena Yulishuddered.

Scout tore her gaze from theporthole and made a rude gesture. "Considering I've been dressing myselfsince the age of three, I'd have liked to see her try." She went backwatching the stars go by.

Serena made a nasty comment underher breath about Scout's inability to look like more than an urchin. Scoutdidn't care what covered her body. Unlike Serena who always consulted theirmother Zara before putting on clothes—even her underwear. How her sister madeit to twenty-seven, Scout would never know.

Serena snarled. "You couldhave tried to look decent. We're hoping to make a good impression." Shefolded her hands in her lap and raised her nose in the air.

Scout snorted. "We've been onthis ship for five days. None of us look our best. At least I'mcomfortable." Her black canvas pants were soft with wear and her shirt andjacket were made of breathable fabric in the highest quality they could afford.

She could've swapped her ruggedboots—broken in to a perfect fit—for her favorite pair of leather moccasins,but the heavier footwear drove her sister crazy and Scout needed something funto do if she had to be part of this insane plot to trap a perfectly nice maninto hellish matrimony with Serena.

Serena snapped. "No one caresabout your comfort." She huffed out an angry breath.

Scout smirked. "Exactly. I'mnot the one who needs to be impressive. You are." After five days withonly two clothing changes, her sister definitely fell short. "What I'mwearing doesn't matter."

Niam Yuli snapped his fingers."Enough, both of you. We're docking soon and everyone can freshenup." He shot Scout a hard look. "You're to be on your bestbehavior."

Scout rolled her eyes. "Yes,Dad." She'd play nice when she had to and not a moment before.

This stupid scheme to hold BalekFyre to a promise his parents made decades ago reeked of desperation—and if hedidn't see right through it, he deserved wedded hell with her sister. Scout hadno doubt Balek didn't have a clue who they were. Why would he? His parents diednot long after their ill-fated agreement with the Yulis. And the horriblething? Her parents didn't care. They needed an influx of cash to save theirasses. A series of bad investments had her parents teetering on the brink offinancial ruin.

Scout rolled her eyes. "Maybeif they told Serena no every time she wanted a new outfit, they'd have somesavings." Not that her parents ever would—they only said no to Scout.

The captain's voice came over theintercom. "We've started the docking sequence. Prepare to disembark infifteen minutes." A garbled crackle ended the communication.

A tiny jolt of excitement coursedthrough Scout. While she hated the reason they'd come to Spector Station, sheloved an adventure. And the idea of Serena falling flat on her face gave Scoutsomething to look forward to also.

She smoothed down her hands downher thighs, straightening some of the wrinkles from her pants. "Let thegames begin…"

I'm having a lot offun writing this series and Balek's book is a treat. It's the last in thefour-book series and all the previous couples make an appearance.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye