H.K. Carlton's Blog, page 171
June 22, 2014
NEW from Lisabet Sarai The Eyes of Bast - It Started with a Sex Toy
Something new from the fabulous Lisabet Sarai...
A Sex Toy Started It All
Funny how things work out. The first chapter of my new novella, The Eyes of Bast, started life as a disguised promo post for an adult toy vendor.
A marketing person contacted me by email, asking if I'd be willing write a blog post about their shop and their products. In return, they offered me a gift certificate which I could either use myself or offer as a prize to my readers.
At first I demurred. I don't like blogs that feel like commercials. (I even feel that way about posts that market my own books!) On the other hand, I was sure that a sex toy gift voucher would be an attractive prize, for at least some of my readers.
So I made a deal. I told the marketing lady I'd write a story that featured sex toys instead. I'd offer the voucher as a prize for readers who commented on the story. And I'd include the toy store's banner and a link as part of the prize description.
That's why the first chapter of The Eyes of Bast features a rather steamy scene of self-pleasure, utilizing a lavishly described dildo.
I had no plans to expand the 2000 word blog post into a novella. Once I'd created the character of Shaina, though, she wanted more space. I pretty much had to continue the tale. So I made it into a serial on my website, posting a new chapter each month. (Okay, I admit I missed some months. The best laid plans and all that...!)
As the action reached its climax, I wrote faster. By now I'd realized I had an actual book, not just a one-off blog composition. When I put the chapters together into a single manuscript, I was pleasantly surprised by the story's continuity, drama and heat. Not bad for something originally intended to sell dildos!
I hope that you'll agree.
The Eyes of Bast by Lisabet Sarai
Paranormal/shapeshifter erotic romance
Approximately 54 pages
Published by Books We Love, Ltd.
May, 2014
Blurb
Trust your heart. Follow your dreams.
Shaina Williams' grandmother bequeathed her that wisdom, along with a old pendant from the Islands, carved from an ocelot's tooth. When instinct tells Shaina to visit the feral cat trap she'd set in Central Park, she listens to that inner voice, She discovers she's caged a magnificent black tom, but the cat inexplicably vanishes after she tends to his wounds. Seeking the errant feline, Shaina encounters instead a handsome stranger whose slightest touch sets her body on fire. As the day dawns after a night of ferocious passion, her mysterious lover is forced back into his true shape - the tomcat she'd rescued. Born a cat, Tom was transformed into an unwilling shape shifter by a sorceress who craved a human plaything to satisfy her perverse lusts. Centuries old and irresistibly powerful, Delphine Montserrat will stop at nothing to find her runaway familiar. Shaina vows to do whatever is necessary to defeat the vicious but seductive witch and save the man she believes is her soul mate – even though it might mean losing him forever.
Buy Links
Amazon US Amazon UK
Excerpt – Rated X
It was near dawn when I woke again. In the pearl-gray light filtering through the blinds, my familiar furnishings were strange and ghostly, shrouded in shadow. Stretching, I realized I was no longer on the floor. My bed had been unfolded, and I lay stretched out on the sheets, nude. Alone.
Groggy with sleep, I raised myself on my elbows to scan the room. It appeared to be empty. “Tom?” I whispered. There was no answer. A sense of unreality seized me. Had I dreamed the entire scene – the handsome intruder, the overwhelmingly sensual kiss, the orgasm that had shot me straight into the stratosphere? I recalled my devastating arousal in the stranger’s presence. What was going on? Could I be suffering from some kind of hormonal imbalance? This seemed like something more than the normal horniness of a woman who’d been celibate for a while.
Thinking exhausted me. I sank back into my pillow, closing my eyes as if that might make my doubts and confusion vanish. Sleep, I told myself. I’ll figure things out in the morning. I was already drifting back into slumber when the sound of running water roused me.
I peered into the dimness. A tall, male form emerged from the bathroom. My heart did a somersault in my chest.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
His low, musical voice melted me. I propped myself up to a sitting position, heedless of my nakedness. “You! You’re real...You’re still here?”
He’d discarded his clothing as well. In the half-light, I drank in the sight of his smooth, muscled limbs, becoming more intoxicated by the moment. He seated himself beside me and circled me with his arms. Heat radiated from his dark skin.
“Why would I leave, my beautiful one?” he murmured in my ear. Bending a bit, he flicked his tongue across one of my nipples. Lightning tore through me. “There are still a few hours left to the night.” Before I could reply, he’d fastened his luscious mouth on mine. His firm lips coaxed rather than demanded a response, one I was only too willing to give. I opened to the prodding of his rough tongue, letting him taste me, savoring his wild, sweet flavor in return.
Once again a sort of delirium swept over me. It seemed we were back in the park, sheltered by trees more than a century old. My nostrils filled with the perfume of dew-soaked grass and damp earth, laced with a hint of animal musk. I felt light as dandelion down, drifting in the night wind. Only his strong grip kept me grounded. The moon rode above the clouds, invisible but palpable, stirring tides in my flesh. Desire ebbed then surged, cresting higher with each cycle.
His hands molded my breasts like moist clay. Blind with need, I groped along his furred chest and taut belly, down to his gloriously erect cock. When I squeezed, he moaned into my mouth and bit the corner of my lip. The iron-tinged flavor of my own blood simply added to the stew of sensation.
I smeared my thumb over the slippery bulb. His answer was a savage twist to an already aching nipple. Moisture gushed from my pussy. I tumbled backward, dragging him down on top of me.
“Shaina...” he murmured, breaking the kiss to lick his way along my throat. His saliva felt like liquid fire. He nuzzled in the hollow of my cleavage, then captured one breast and began to suckle. Electric pleasure arced through me when his hardness brushed my inner thigh. I squirmed beneath him, trying to align his cock with my hungry cleft.
“Please....” There was no need for me to say more. The stranger rose above me, supporting himself on his powerful arms. His eyes gleamed like phosphorescent jewels in the grayness. He smiled down at me, baring those sharp, white teeth that had already drawn my blood. An almost inhuman glee painted his features.
He hovered at my entrance, his rigid flesh teasing my engorged clit. I spread my thighs wide. Without a word, he sank his cock deep into my drenched pussy.
About the Author
[image error] When I was a little girl, my dad would make up stories for my siblings and me, fabulous sagas about ghosts and monsters, magical races with mysterious powers, heroes on impossible quests, hidden treasures awaiting only the most courageous seeker. I blame him for my lifelong fascination with the magical and miraculous.
Now that I'm grown up, I create my own tales of wonder, weaving in generous portions of human desire with its potent enchantments. In my paranormal tales, love works the most powerful magick.
Find out more about me and my books at my website, Lisabet's Fantasy Factory and my blog Beyond Romance. I also hang out on Goodreads and Amazon. I also have a VIP readers email list where I share release and contest information and run exclusive monthly giveaways. To join, just email me: lisabet [at] lisabetsarai [dot] com.
June 20, 2014
Hug a Reviewer Day! Reviewers Rock! #gratitude Awesome #Reviews
I have received some wonderful reviews in the last week, for three of my favourite stories, The Devil Take You [historical romance] and some incredible feedback from my very first series Always Cambridge. Both Running [book 2] and Misfortune of Birth [book 3] have garnered some incredible praise.
I don't usually get very many reviews. So to get some this close together and have them all be such glowing summaries was a thrill to say the least but could not have come at a better time for me as an author.
This past month has tested my fortitude for sure and several times, I considered, fulfilling my contractual obligations then throwing in the pen and closing the back cover on this little venture into the publishing world. It seemed for a time that everything that could possibly go wrong... did.
But my daughter always tells me, everything happens for a reason. You'd think by now, I'd believe her. She's always right.
Perhaps it's those 'tests' that make the triumphs that much sweeter.
I want to thank Annie from Amazon and Naksed from Goodreads for the wonderful reviews that they took the time to leave for The Devil Take You and The Always Cambridge series. I can't thank you enough for the amazing reviews but I'd also like to thank you for pointing this writer back in the right direction. You make all the other stuff we authors have to go through well worth the effort.
I'd also like to give a shout out to my friend and fellow author Donna Gallagher who, from half a world away listened to me rant and cry and calmed me down so I could focus and get back to work. She made these last few weeks much easier to cope with. I love you and I'm so glad I've found you. Thanks to our lovely Amy! ;) I love you both. Cheers!
Hug a Reviewer and Happy Reading!
Review of The Devil Take You Review of Always Cambridge
@ Amazon from Annie Book Two Running
Goodreads review of Always Cambridge
Book Three Misfortune of Birth
I don't usually get very many reviews. So to get some this close together and have them all be such glowing summaries was a thrill to say the least but could not have come at a better time for me as an author.
This past month has tested my fortitude for sure and several times, I considered, fulfilling my contractual obligations then throwing in the pen and closing the back cover on this little venture into the publishing world. It seemed for a time that everything that could possibly go wrong... did.
But my daughter always tells me, everything happens for a reason. You'd think by now, I'd believe her. She's always right.
Perhaps it's those 'tests' that make the triumphs that much sweeter.
I want to thank Annie from Amazon and Naksed from Goodreads for the wonderful reviews that they took the time to leave for The Devil Take You and The Always Cambridge series. I can't thank you enough for the amazing reviews but I'd also like to thank you for pointing this writer back in the right direction. You make all the other stuff we authors have to go through well worth the effort.
I'd also like to give a shout out to my friend and fellow author Donna Gallagher who, from half a world away listened to me rant and cry and calmed me down so I could focus and get back to work. She made these last few weeks much easier to cope with. I love you and I'm so glad I've found you. Thanks to our lovely Amy! ;) I love you both. Cheers!
Hug a Reviewer and Happy Reading!
Review of The Devil Take You Review of Always Cambridge
@ Amazon from Annie Book Two Running
Goodreads review of Always Cambridge
Book Three Misfortune of Birth
June 16, 2014
NEW @Amazon Misfortune of Birth Book 3 in the Always Cambridge Series #familysaga #romanticsuspense #crime #mob
Misfortune of Birth Book Three in the Always Cambridge Family Saga Series is now up at Amazon!
Meet the irresistible Victor Mayhue
The Always Cambridge Series chronicles the life of Holly Cambridge through her tumultuous childhood, violent teen years into adulthood, and the consequences that stem from being the daughter of mob boss, Bill Cambridge.
~ ~ ~ ~
When constantly surrounded by violence, corruption and immorality, how do you keep from becoming the very thing that you abhor?
Holly Cambridge barely recognizes herself anymore. Pretending to be another person is beginning to wear thin. Disguised as Randi Yates, she entangles herself into the perilous life of the irresistible Victor Mayhue. But day by day, she falls more desperately and impossibly in love with her natural enemy. Together they explore a highly sexual, dark and dangerous relationship. The lines between right and wrong and good and evil, begin to blur. And while attempting to shield and protect Victor from the Feds and even his own family, Holly loses sight of her original goal.
Victor understands her more than anyone she’s ever met. Essentially they have lived the same life. He is her other half. But once he discovers who she really is and what she’s done, there will be no going back. Victor Mayhue is not a second chance kind of guy.
And in the end, one of them will be forced to face their true nature.
Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada
eXtasy Books
Meet the irresistible Victor Mayhue
The Always Cambridge Series chronicles the life of Holly Cambridge through her tumultuous childhood, violent teen years into adulthood, and the consequences that stem from being the daughter of mob boss, Bill Cambridge.
~ ~ ~ ~
When constantly surrounded by violence, corruption and immorality, how do you keep from becoming the very thing that you abhor?
Holly Cambridge barely recognizes herself anymore. Pretending to be another person is beginning to wear thin. Disguised as Randi Yates, she entangles herself into the perilous life of the irresistible Victor Mayhue. But day by day, she falls more desperately and impossibly in love with her natural enemy. Together they explore a highly sexual, dark and dangerous relationship. The lines between right and wrong and good and evil, begin to blur. And while attempting to shield and protect Victor from the Feds and even his own family, Holly loses sight of her original goal.
Victor understands her more than anyone she’s ever met. Essentially they have lived the same life. He is her other half. But once he discovers who she really is and what she’s done, there will be no going back. Victor Mayhue is not a second chance kind of guy.
And in the end, one of them will be forced to face their true nature.
Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada
eXtasy Books
June 14, 2014
Chance Meeting + Smouldering Hot Repairman = Author Fodder #erotic #romance
I'm guest blogging over at Lisabet Sarai's Beyond Romance today.
I hope you'll stop by and read how my hero Billy Maas, from my latest erotic contemporary romance Hard and Fast, came to be.
Lisabet Sarai's Beyond Romance. There's an excerpt too!
Totally Bound All Romance
Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada Kobo
I hope you'll stop by and read how my hero Billy Maas, from my latest erotic contemporary romance Hard and Fast, came to be.
Lisabet Sarai's Beyond Romance. There's an excerpt too!
Totally Bound All Romance
Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada Kobo
June 11, 2014
New Release THE MYSTERY PRINCE by YA Author Mary Waibel
Please welcome back my friend, the lovely Mary Waibel. A YA author notorious for her romantic spin on fairy tales, has taken the self-publishing plunge with her newest release The Mystery Prince, which is delightfully climbing the Amazon charts!
HK, thank you so much for letting me come and visit with you on your blog. As one of Gard's biggest fans (next to you of course!) I'm thrilled to be here today talking about romance.
When you think of romance what comes to mind? Hearts and flowers, chocolates, romantic evenings under the stars?
Now, think about the fairy tales you grew up with. For me this means thing like Sleeping Beauty where the prince woke her with a kiss and they lived happily-ever-after. That doesn't sound very romantic. How about Cinderella? Two strangers dance at a ball and fall in love. There doesn't seem to be any romance here either.
Now, I'll give you that in the Disney movies we learn a lot about their feelings through songs (rather than watching it play out), but still, the guy doesn't really seem to have to work to win the girl. Okay, Prince Phillip had to fight the dragon to save Aurora, and Prince Charming had to search for Cinderella, but we really don't see the growth of their love. In fact, only two fairy tales come to mind where (at least in the cartoon versions) we see the relationship between the hero and heroine grow: Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.
So, why do we feel all hearts and flowers with these other fairy tales? Is it because in our minds we play out the scenes where they get to know each other? Do we imagine those little things-the touch of a hand, an endearment, a heated look-that make our hearts flutter with anticipation?
Those are just some of the things I try to bring into my retellings, hoping the reader can fall in love with my prince-or princess-as they fall in love.
Cover by CK Volnek
The Mystery Prince, a novella
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KU6TSY8
Book Blurb:
Tristan enjoys being in the shadows as Prince Rand's bodyguard. Similar in looks, the two often exchanged places in their youth, but he never expected the king to order him to impersonate the heir to the throne in order to win the hand of a princess.
Princess Zoe needs to find a husband. After a year of searching with no success, her father insists on hosting a masquerade ball for the eligible princes of the nine kingdoms. Not one prince piques her interest, until she meets the mysterious stranger who won't tell her his name.
When Tristan meets Zoe he finds the girl of his dreams. The only problem? She's a princess and he's impersonating a prince―a crime punishable by imprisonment and floggings. Unable to tell Zoe his real name, he gives her a special navigation device. One that leads to the owner's true love. Will this magic device lead Zoe to Tristan, or will her true love forever remain a mystery prince?
Author Bio:
Mary lives with her husband, son and two cats. When she isn't twisting fairytales, she enjoys reading, playing games, watching hockey, and camping. Her Princess of Valendria series (Quest of the Hart, Charmed Memories, Different Kind of Knight) are available from MuseItUp Publishing and other major retailers. Her novella, The Mystery Prince, is available at Amazon. Her Faery Marked (book 1 in the Faery Series) will be available from BookFishBooks this summer.You can find Mary Waibel at:
http://marywaibel.blogspot.com https://www.facebook.com/authormarywaibel https://twitter.com/mewtweety14
HK, thank you so much for letting me come and visit with you on your blog. As one of Gard's biggest fans (next to you of course!) I'm thrilled to be here today talking about romance.
When you think of romance what comes to mind? Hearts and flowers, chocolates, romantic evenings under the stars?
Now, think about the fairy tales you grew up with. For me this means thing like Sleeping Beauty where the prince woke her with a kiss and they lived happily-ever-after. That doesn't sound very romantic. How about Cinderella? Two strangers dance at a ball and fall in love. There doesn't seem to be any romance here either.
Now, I'll give you that in the Disney movies we learn a lot about their feelings through songs (rather than watching it play out), but still, the guy doesn't really seem to have to work to win the girl. Okay, Prince Phillip had to fight the dragon to save Aurora, and Prince Charming had to search for Cinderella, but we really don't see the growth of their love. In fact, only two fairy tales come to mind where (at least in the cartoon versions) we see the relationship between the hero and heroine grow: Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.
So, why do we feel all hearts and flowers with these other fairy tales? Is it because in our minds we play out the scenes where they get to know each other? Do we imagine those little things-the touch of a hand, an endearment, a heated look-that make our hearts flutter with anticipation?
Those are just some of the things I try to bring into my retellings, hoping the reader can fall in love with my prince-or princess-as they fall in love.
Cover by CK Volnek
The Mystery Prince, a novella Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KU6TSY8
Book Blurb:
Tristan enjoys being in the shadows as Prince Rand's bodyguard. Similar in looks, the two often exchanged places in their youth, but he never expected the king to order him to impersonate the heir to the throne in order to win the hand of a princess.
Princess Zoe needs to find a husband. After a year of searching with no success, her father insists on hosting a masquerade ball for the eligible princes of the nine kingdoms. Not one prince piques her interest, until she meets the mysterious stranger who won't tell her his name.
When Tristan meets Zoe he finds the girl of his dreams. The only problem? She's a princess and he's impersonating a prince―a crime punishable by imprisonment and floggings. Unable to tell Zoe his real name, he gives her a special navigation device. One that leads to the owner's true love. Will this magic device lead Zoe to Tristan, or will her true love forever remain a mystery prince?
Author Bio:Mary lives with her husband, son and two cats. When she isn't twisting fairytales, she enjoys reading, playing games, watching hockey, and camping. Her Princess of Valendria series (Quest of the Hart, Charmed Memories, Different Kind of Knight) are available from MuseItUp Publishing and other major retailers. Her novella, The Mystery Prince, is available at Amazon. Her Faery Marked (book 1 in the Faery Series) will be available from BookFishBooks this summer.You can find Mary Waibel at:
http://marywaibel.blogspot.com https://www.facebook.com/authormarywaibel https://twitter.com/mewtweety14
June 8, 2014
Discover the aptly named Erotic romp HARD and FAST #NewRelease #Erotic #Romance
Hard and Fast This is the sequel to Gave Good Face
Meet Billy, the everso hot A/C repairman!
Hard and Fast
Available Now
Totally Bound All Romance Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada
Excerpt:
Joss woke up early the next morning, too sticky and hot to remain in bed and called the superintendent about the air conditioning. She’d been trying to get it to work since she’d returned and now that she needed it, it wouldn’t even turn on.
After taking a cool shower, she put on a thin tank top and a pair of sleep shorts as she puttered around, unpacking from the trip to Hawaii and her sister’s wedding that she’d been neglecting.
There was a knock at the door. She expected it to be the super. Her building was a secured one, so folks couldn’t come and go without being buzzed in. But when she opened the door, it was most certainly not the manager. Instead she met the amazing blue eyes of the man that had occupied her thoughts all night long.
His handsomely rugged features showed surprise as well. The corner of his mouth turned up boyishly. His gaze skimmed over her scant clothing, heating her up again. In a smooth, smug gesture he leaned against the doorjamb.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Joss commented, amused.
“Did you call for a service, ma’am…?”
Joss snorted at his choice of words and he turned five shades of red then began to back track and trip all over his tongue to correct himself.
“I meant a service man, ma’am. Er…aw, fer fuck! Oh, shit, again, I’m sorry.”
Finally he just hung his head. Joss waited until he peered up at her through his lashes. He was too cute.
“Did my friends put you up to this? You’re not like a male stripper or something on the side, are you?”
“No. I’m really here to repair your AC unit. Your super let me up. I had no idea who lived here.”
Shaking her head at the impossibility of it all, she stepped back and let him in. “This way,” she said, very aware of him at her back. Visions of him doing the most delicious things to her body invaded her mind, as they had last night while she’d tried to sleep.
If you’d like to continue reading Joss and Billy’s story, the links are below. FYI, the scene following the one above is what earned this book the title Hard and Fast. Happy Reading!
Buy Links : Hard and Fast Totally Bound All Romance Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada Kobo
Want a steamier excerpt? Click HERE(enjoy the excerpt but be forewarned the contest associated with this steamier snippet ends/ended June 9)
June 6, 2014
Snog by the Sea BlogHop #Excerpt from Hard and Fast #prizes #giveaway
This Blog Hop is part of Snog by the Sea over at http://blissekiss.co.uk/snog-by-the-sea/. Leave a comment at Snog by the Sea Central to go into the Prize Draw for UK winners you can win 2 All-Day Smut by the Sea Tickets for you and a friend or for our international visitors we have a mystery eBook bundle you can win with books from some of the hottest names in Erotica.
Here's a steamy snog from Hard and Fast [which is available Today at most vendors] but after you've read the excerpt below, if you can't wait to get more of Joss and Billy, you can get your copy now, at Totally Bound! Or later in the day it will be at most Amazon outlets and usually hits All Romance eBooks first, if that is your book site of choice. I'll be popping up the links as they become available.
Hard and Fast is the sequel to Gave Good Face, which I'll be giving away a copy of, to one randomly selected commenter, on or around June the 9th, when this blog hop ends. You can read the blurb to Gave Good Face HERE! Or click on the GGF banner below.
[Gave Good Face and Hard & Fast are erotic contemporary romance.]
Excerpt: Hard and Fast
Joss was up before him. They’d slept in, after such a late and eventful night. Billy stretched and opened his eyes, as Joss came out of the bathroom.
Unfortunately she was dressed. But she was still sexy as all fuck, in faded denim cut offs and an old Steelers T-shirt, which showed her midriff. Her hair was up in a sloppy bun, her face devoid of makeup. Such a drastic difference from the previous evening’s wardrobe. Just the sight of her made his stomach feel weird. She was the sexiest woman he’d ever been with.
“You a Steelers fan, Joss?” He reached for her, making grabbing motions with his hands.
“Not really, just dig the colors,” she answered before bounding up on the bed and straddling him. “Can’t go wrong with black and gold.”
“Bring that tummy here, I wanna devour it.” He stared below her crop top.
“Nah-uh, you slept so late, if you want to see kick off, you’d better get that fantastic ass of yours outta bed and plant it on the couch. I have a new flat screen waiting to be christened and a full day of football should do it nicely.”
Playfully, he slapped her butt as she threw a leg over him and jumped to the floor.
After running to the bathroom and pulling on a pair of pants, he met Joss on the sofa. To his delight she curled into his side as soon as he sat down. For the entire first half, she asked a question about the rules following nearly every play. But he found he didn’t mind explaining the game to her.
During half-time, Joss disappeared into the kitchen to make them some snacks. He got up to help but paused to watch her.
“Ya gonna help me or just stand there all smoldering hotness, Tech-Co?”
“Sure. What can I do?” But as he moved closer, the curve of her neck with her hair up captured his attention. “Never mind, I know exactly what I can do.” He placed his lips just under her ear, a sensitive little spot he’d discovered last night, which practically made her his fuckin’ slave.
He couldn’t help but chuckle when he felt the tension drain from body. She turned all supple and pliant. She tossed the little paring knife she’d been using into the sink and dropped her head back onto his shoulder, giving him complete access.
Yep, slave.
While running his tongue around the shell of her ear, he stroked along her silky belly and tucked his hand into her shorts. And he was rewarded with a throaty groan. Probing with his finger, he found her sweet pussy slick, more than ready for his touch. “Ya like that, huh?”
She mewled something incoherent and shimmied her hips in an anxious gesture.
Barely touching her, Billy rounded her clit with learned precision. Sometimes she liked it hard and fast and others, like this. Torturous, she’d called it.
“Does it burn yet, baby?” he whispered, circling her clit.
“Uh, Gawd, yeah!” She moaned and unfastened the snap on her shorts. She yanked the zipper, making room. Snaking her hands down there, she pulled her pussy lips open. The action caused the coiled little nub to poke out, ever so slightly.
Dipping into her slit with his index finger, he gathered more of her lustrous cream. He rubbed his thumb and finger together, spreading it around then he plucked at her clit with relentless care. To his delight her hips jerked convulsively, and she voiced her pleasure so loud he hoped the other fuckin’ tenants heard.
She reared back and rubbed her toned arse against his throbbing dick.
“Gimme. Gimme it!” she demanded then spun around.
Billy grappled with the clasp on his jeans. “I don’t know why I bother wearin’ fuckin’ pants while I’m here.”
“Well, no one said you had to.” She wiggled out of her shorts.
By the time he’d fucked with the zipper and pushed his jeans to the floor, she’d already hoisted her fine bare arse onto the counter.
“And the perfect height,” he gritted out through his teeth while aiming for her welcoming pussy.
He entered her. Searing heat surrounded him, pulling him deeper. He plunged over and over. Right before he was about to come, he cupped her bottom and pulled her right off the ledge and held her to him. Buried to the hilt, his cock nosed right up against her cervix, he exploded, in the best possible place.
Joss kissed the hollow at his throat and whispered throatily, “Touchdown!”
©Copyright H K Carlton 2014
I hope you enjoyed this sexy snog from Hard and Fast. If you'd like to continue reading, just hop on over to Totally Bound.
Don't forget to leave a comment below to enter for a chance to win a copy of the prequel to this story, Gave Good Face. And remember to hop over to Snog by the Sea central and leave a comment for your chance to win tickets to Smut by the Sea for UK residents OR the mystery ebook bundle.
This Blog is part of Snog by the Sea over at http://blissekiss.co.uk/snog-by-the-sea/. Leave a comment to go into the Prize Draw for UK winners you can win 2 All-Day Smut by the Sea Tickets for you and a friend or for our international visitors we have a mystery eBook bundle you can win with books from some of the hottest names in Erotica.
Visit all the other blog hoppers below for more sexy snoggin'! 1.Victoria Blisse2.Kev "Mitnik" Blisse3.Kay Jaybee4.Lucy Felthouse5.Cara Sutra6.H K Carlton7.Kimber Vale8.JoAnne Myers9.Daryl Devore10.Tara Quan11.Tara Lain12.Eva Lefoy13.Shiloh Saddler14.Haley Whitehall15.Diane Saxon16.K D Grace17.Lily Harlem18.carmen stefanescu19.Elizabeth Coldwell20.Anita Philmar21.Gemma Parkes22.Justine Elyot23.Cheryl Jackson24.Anna Sky25. Vanessa de Sade
Gave Good Face available at most vendors
Hard and Fast (hits most vendors Today!) available now at Totally Bound Will post more links HERE as they become available.
Here's a steamy snog from Hard and Fast [which is available Today at most vendors] but after you've read the excerpt below, if you can't wait to get more of Joss and Billy, you can get your copy now, at Totally Bound! Or later in the day it will be at most Amazon outlets and usually hits All Romance eBooks first, if that is your book site of choice. I'll be popping up the links as they become available.
Hard and Fast is the sequel to Gave Good Face, which I'll be giving away a copy of, to one randomly selected commenter, on or around June the 9th, when this blog hop ends. You can read the blurb to Gave Good Face HERE! Or click on the GGF banner below.
[Gave Good Face and Hard & Fast are erotic contemporary romance.]
Excerpt: Hard and Fast
Joss was up before him. They’d slept in, after such a late and eventful night. Billy stretched and opened his eyes, as Joss came out of the bathroom. Unfortunately she was dressed. But she was still sexy as all fuck, in faded denim cut offs and an old Steelers T-shirt, which showed her midriff. Her hair was up in a sloppy bun, her face devoid of makeup. Such a drastic difference from the previous evening’s wardrobe. Just the sight of her made his stomach feel weird. She was the sexiest woman he’d ever been with.
“You a Steelers fan, Joss?” He reached for her, making grabbing motions with his hands.
“Not really, just dig the colors,” she answered before bounding up on the bed and straddling him. “Can’t go wrong with black and gold.”
“Bring that tummy here, I wanna devour it.” He stared below her crop top.
“Nah-uh, you slept so late, if you want to see kick off, you’d better get that fantastic ass of yours outta bed and plant it on the couch. I have a new flat screen waiting to be christened and a full day of football should do it nicely.”
Playfully, he slapped her butt as she threw a leg over him and jumped to the floor.
After running to the bathroom and pulling on a pair of pants, he met Joss on the sofa. To his delight she curled into his side as soon as he sat down. For the entire first half, she asked a question about the rules following nearly every play. But he found he didn’t mind explaining the game to her.
During half-time, Joss disappeared into the kitchen to make them some snacks. He got up to help but paused to watch her.
“Ya gonna help me or just stand there all smoldering hotness, Tech-Co?”
“Sure. What can I do?” But as he moved closer, the curve of her neck with her hair up captured his attention. “Never mind, I know exactly what I can do.” He placed his lips just under her ear, a sensitive little spot he’d discovered last night, which practically made her his fuckin’ slave.
He couldn’t help but chuckle when he felt the tension drain from body. She turned all supple and pliant. She tossed the little paring knife she’d been using into the sink and dropped her head back onto his shoulder, giving him complete access.
Yep, slave.
While running his tongue around the shell of her ear, he stroked along her silky belly and tucked his hand into her shorts. And he was rewarded with a throaty groan. Probing with his finger, he found her sweet pussy slick, more than ready for his touch. “Ya like that, huh?”
She mewled something incoherent and shimmied her hips in an anxious gesture.
Barely touching her, Billy rounded her clit with learned precision. Sometimes she liked it hard and fast and others, like this. Torturous, she’d called it.
“Does it burn yet, baby?” he whispered, circling her clit.
“Uh, Gawd, yeah!” She moaned and unfastened the snap on her shorts. She yanked the zipper, making room. Snaking her hands down there, she pulled her pussy lips open. The action caused the coiled little nub to poke out, ever so slightly.
Dipping into her slit with his index finger, he gathered more of her lustrous cream. He rubbed his thumb and finger together, spreading it around then he plucked at her clit with relentless care. To his delight her hips jerked convulsively, and she voiced her pleasure so loud he hoped the other fuckin’ tenants heard.
She reared back and rubbed her toned arse against his throbbing dick.
“Gimme. Gimme it!” she demanded then spun around.
Billy grappled with the clasp on his jeans. “I don’t know why I bother wearin’ fuckin’ pants while I’m here.”
“Well, no one said you had to.” She wiggled out of her shorts.
By the time he’d fucked with the zipper and pushed his jeans to the floor, she’d already hoisted her fine bare arse onto the counter.
“And the perfect height,” he gritted out through his teeth while aiming for her welcoming pussy.
He entered her. Searing heat surrounded him, pulling him deeper. He plunged over and over. Right before he was about to come, he cupped her bottom and pulled her right off the ledge and held her to him. Buried to the hilt, his cock nosed right up against her cervix, he exploded, in the best possible place.
Joss kissed the hollow at his throat and whispered throatily, “Touchdown!”
©Copyright H K Carlton 2014
I hope you enjoyed this sexy snog from Hard and Fast. If you'd like to continue reading, just hop on over to Totally Bound.
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Gave Good Face available at most vendors
Hard and Fast (hits most vendors Today!) available now at Totally Bound Will post more links HERE as they become available.
June 2, 2014
New Release Book 3 in the Always Cambridge Series - Misfortune of Birth #AlwaysCambridge
I'm happy to announce the release of the third installment in the ongoing family saga series Always Cambridge — Misfortune of Birth. Available exclusively at eXtasy Books (expected Amazon launch June 8)
Things are starting to heat up. Meet the irresistible Victor Mayhue!
The Always Cambridge Series chronicles the life of Holly Cambridge through her tumultuous childhood, violent teen years into adulthood, and the consequences that stem from being the daughter of mob boss, Bill Cambridge.
~
When constantly surrounded by violence, corruption and immorality, how do you keep from becoming the very thing that you abhor? Holly Cambridge barely recognizes herself anymore. Pretending to be another person is beginning to wear thin. Disguised as Randi Yates, she entangles herself into the perilous life of the irresistible Victor Mayhue. But day by day, she falls more desperately and impossibly in love with her natural enemy. Together they explore a highly sexual, dark and dangerous relationship. The lines between right and wrong and good and evil, begin to blur. And while attempting to shield and protect Victor from the Feds and even his own family, Holly loses sight of her original goal.
Victor understands her more than anyone she’s ever met. Essentially they have lived the same life. He is her other half. But once he discovers who she really is and what she’s done, there will be no going back. Victor Mayhue is not a second chance kind of guy.
And in the end, one of them will be forced to face their true nature.
Always Cambridge Book Three — Misfortune of Birth @eXtasy Books Buy Link
Author Note: These books should be enjoyed in sequence. The first five installments end with To Be Continued...
Publisher Note: This is an on-going saga: each book may not have and HEA/HFN, but the series culminates with an HEA/HFN in the final book.
Experience the saga from the beginning...
eXtasy Books Amazon Canada Amazon US
Amazon UK Smashwords All Romance eBooks
Kobo BookStrand
Read excerpts from Always Cambridge at Donna Gallagher's Romance and Erotic Author Nancy Adams' Blog
@ eXtasyBooks
Amazon Canada Amazon UK Amazon US
Read the entire first chapter of Running HERE
Always Cambridge has a unique release schedule. A new installment will be released on the first of each month until the conclusion in September. Practically no waiting! Experience the saga from the start! #AlwaysCambridge
Book Four — Law and Order : Crime and Chaos Coming July 1
Like Always Cambridge on Facebook and keep up with all the AC news!
Things are starting to heat up. Meet the irresistible Victor Mayhue!
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The Always Cambridge Series chronicles the life of Holly Cambridge through her tumultuous childhood, violent teen years into adulthood, and the consequences that stem from being the daughter of mob boss, Bill Cambridge.
~
When constantly surrounded by violence, corruption and immorality, how do you keep from becoming the very thing that you abhor? Holly Cambridge barely recognizes herself anymore. Pretending to be another person is beginning to wear thin. Disguised as Randi Yates, she entangles herself into the perilous life of the irresistible Victor Mayhue. But day by day, she falls more desperately and impossibly in love with her natural enemy. Together they explore a highly sexual, dark and dangerous relationship. The lines between right and wrong and good and evil, begin to blur. And while attempting to shield and protect Victor from the Feds and even his own family, Holly loses sight of her original goal.
Victor understands her more than anyone she’s ever met. Essentially they have lived the same life. He is her other half. But once he discovers who she really is and what she’s done, there will be no going back. Victor Mayhue is not a second chance kind of guy.
And in the end, one of them will be forced to face their true nature.
Always Cambridge Book Three — Misfortune of Birth @eXtasy Books Buy Link
Author Note: These books should be enjoyed in sequence. The first five installments end with To Be Continued...
Publisher Note: This is an on-going saga: each book may not have and HEA/HFN, but the series culminates with an HEA/HFN in the final book.
Experience the saga from the beginning...
eXtasy Books Amazon Canada Amazon US
Amazon UK Smashwords All Romance eBooks
Kobo BookStrand
Read excerpts from Always Cambridge at Donna Gallagher's Romance and Erotic Author Nancy Adams' Blog
@ eXtasyBooks
Amazon Canada Amazon UK Amazon US
Read the entire first chapter of Running HERE
Always Cambridge has a unique release schedule. A new installment will be released on the first of each month until the conclusion in September. Practically no waiting! Experience the saga from the start! #AlwaysCambridge
Book Four — Law and Order : Crime and Chaos Coming July 1
Like Always Cambridge on Facebook and keep up with all the AC news!
May 28, 2014
#Excerpt First Chapter — Running Book 2 in the Always Cambridge Series #AlwaysCambridge
It's almost time for the release of book three in the Always Cambridge Series —Misfortune of Birth and I just realized, I haven't shared a tease from book two Running.
So here goes:
The Always Cambridge Series chronicles the life of Holly Cambridge through her tumultuous childhood, violent teen years, into adulthood, and the consequences that stem from being the daughter of mob boss, Bill Cambridge.
* * * *
No matter how far or fast you run, you'll never escape the past.
It’s been three years since anyone has seen or heard from Holly Cambridge. But when she surfaces, she doesn't return home to the loving arms of her family. Instead, she heads straight to the FBI offering information that will destroy the Cambridge crime family.
Special Agent Alex Orton sees Holly Cambridge as nothing more than the next commendation standing between him and the ultimate promotion. What he doesn't bargain for is the shy, damaged, but feisty little woman that convinces his superiors to let her infiltrate a rival family, with Alex heading up the mission.
Holly and Alex clash at every turn, but Alex is intrigued by Holly’s sharp mind and boundless courage and must constantly fight his burgeoning feelings for his lovely informant. Alex is a strict disciplinarian of the rules and can’t reconcile the girl who can’t play by them.
As Holly carries out the sting and insinuates herself into the enemy’s camp, she develops a close and common bond with the middle Mayhue son, the exotically good looking and charismatic Victor. The very man who could end her life, if he were to discover her secret.
Hands tied, Alex must stand back, for the good of the team, and watch the tragedy play out.
Always Cambridge Book Two
RunningChapter One
I sat behind my desk reading over the file. Not that I needed to. I knew every detail. I could barely contain the rush of excitement at the thought of finally getting started. This case would earn me the final commendation I needed to get promoted. Holly Cambridge, the mob bosses’ daughter, was my steppingstone to greatness.
“Right in here, Ms. Cambridge.”
“Thank you.”
The sound of the soft polite reply immediately snagged my attention from the photographs scattered across the desktop. The Bureau surveillance photos on file were old, taken on another operation. She’d been blonde, then, a young looking sixteen, according to the dossier. In almost every photo the same man shadowed her, her bodyguard Randy Phillips, and later Luke Walker.
I observed the twenty-one year old brunette before me. Her hair was now shoulder length, except for the wispy bangs that gave one the impression that she used them to hide behind. Which, to my knowledge, was exactly what she’d been doing since she’d left her family and gone on the run three years prior, taking documentation of their illegal activities with her. It was with a letter that she’d first approached my superiors, Trey and Sid with, identifying her father as the suspect responsible for her mother’s murder, and not the rival mob family that had long been the
suspicion.
I stood as my betters, Trey Thompson and Sid Morgan, ushered her into my office. She appeared dwarfed between the two formidable men. I had the privilege of working with both of these dedicated, no-nonsense agents. I learned from them. I admired and looked up to them. I wanted to be them. To follow in their footsteps up the ladder of success.
“May I get you a beverage, Miss Cambridge?”
I squinted at Trey in surprise as he all but simpered at the young woman.
“No. Thank you. I’m fine. Please Agent, Thompson. It’s Holly.” She smiled slightly.
“Holly, then.” He coughed nervously.
I couldn’t help but grin at the older man. She was young enough to be his granddaughter, for Christ’s sake. I’d never seen the pair of them fall all over anyone, but they practically came to blows escorting our informant to the chair positioned in front of my desk.
And here was the only hitch in this whole dream assignment. Having to work with her. I’d already assessed that attempting to convince Trey and Sid that she was going to be trouble, was futile.
I didn’t have a problem with finding out what she knew or what info she had on her family. I didn’t mind picking her brain or climbing right inside her head if need be, to collect Mob Intel. The hindrance was, they also wanted my team and me to facilitate an infiltrate of the rival family, the Mayhues. Miss Cambridge had somehow persuaded them that only she could gain entry into the inner sanctum of her adversaries, and now I had to find some way to convince my bosses that she was in way over her head. She needed to step back and let the professionals take over. We could just as easily insert a female undercover. I mean, honestly, what were they thinking, serving up the mob princess right into the clutches of her enemies. It was insane and reckless. And I had no intention of jeopardizing my people, nor would I submit to her blackmail.
Sid and I’d had this same argument earlier this morning, before they brought her in. He pulled rank and directed me to do my job or I would be replaced as lead on this case. I was not about to let that happen. This case was too important to me. I would do my job. I was extraordinarily good at it. I would manipulate the situation and simply convince her there was no possible way she was capable of attaining the desired outcome. She would realize her shortcomings and come to her senses. She would gracefully back out with Sid and Trey and I would then be able to run my operation and my people to achieve our objective without having to babysit Miss Soprano.
Holly Cambridge was obviously one of those women who thought she could use her looks to get anything she wanted, accustomed to having her own way. She’d been protected, pampered, sheltered by her mob daddy. No doubt, she would be spoiled and impossible to work with.
I’d read the file. According to the information I’d received, she was allegedly intelligent. Her transcripts were beyond reproach. But I also knew how simple it would be to doctor such things. Just as easy as it would have been for her family to change her name at the outset, making it possible for her to attend university under an assumed name. It was essentially effortless to re-write one’s history. So, I wasn’t anticipating much. Nor did I expect to trust anything that came out of her mouth. As far as I was concerned, she was using the other evidence that she had obtained as means to blackmail Sid and Trey into agreeing to her terms. If they gave her the Mayhues, she’d give them the Cambridges in return.
“Agent Alex Orton, Miss Holly Cambridge.” He said her name like a proud papa.
I extended my right hand in greeting. My first mistake. I’d read the file. I was aware of her injury. But I stupidly put myself at a deficit with her right from the beginning. It made me seem unprepared and uninformed, two things I never was.
She smiled slightly as she extended her left hand. She might as well have mocked me verbally in front of my betters. I retracted my greeting, realizing my error.
She looked down at the open file and photographs of herself and her family strewn across my desktop. “Haven’t made it that far yet?” Her nose crinkled and her eyes sparkled. And if I wasn’t mistaken, she gave me a quick wink of amusement.
I was not amused. The intimation that I hadn’t done my homework pissed me off, especially in front of Sid and Trey. It just confirmed my first instincts. This woman and I would not work well together.
I noticed her right wrist was wrapped up tightly in a stiff looking brace.
I extended my opposite hand, out of politeness. I wasn’t certain that I would have conveyed that much civility if not for the scrutiny of my superiors.
I shook her small hand firmly, then looked into her eyes, and I finally caught a glimpse of what the other two men might have been competing for. The surveillance photos did not do her justice. She was striking. She had the most unique greens eyes I’d ever seen. It was my job to notice details and I could honestly say I’d never encountered their colour before.
She surveyed me steadily. She didn’t seem intimidated by me at all.
“Miss Cambridge.” I nodded stiffly in greeting.
“Agent Orton,” she replied, slipping her palm from my grip, giving me the impression she didn’t wish to be in contact with me any more than I did her.
“We’ll leave you in Alex’s capable hand, Miss Cambri…er, Holly,” Trey uncharacteristically stumbled.
“As usual, if there is anything you need, feel free to contact either one of us at any time,” Sid added.
“Thank you. Agent Thompson. Agent Morgan,” she acknowledged them formally and sat down primly in the chair as they left.
I took my own seat. Staring at me expectantly, she waited. I flipped the folder closed and I began to gather the pictures.
“Those are old photographs,” she said softly, leaning forward slightly.
“Clearly,” I said coldly, barely sparing her a glance.
Her gaze skittered away. Perhaps she was more nervous in my presence than I had earlier assessed. Or now that she was alone with me, she’d realized I was a little tougher to charm than my predecessors.
“Do you realize what you are getting yourself into? I would like to strongly advise you to leave this to us. We are the specialists. We are trained to handle every situation…”
“Would you like to go over the file, Agent Orton?” She cut me off. I couldn’t believe her audacity. The spoiled little…
I continued speaking as if she hadn’t. “…And the further risk you will be placing on my agents because of your inexperience is unacceptable. We welcome your input and the inside information that you can provide for us…”
“The file, then.” She determinedly interrupted again.
I clenched my jaw shut in irritation.
“I get it, Agent Orton. You don’t like me. You don’t like my kind. But you don’t have to like me to work with me. You don’t know me. You can read that file front to back and memorize every detail about my life, but you still will not know me. The only thing you need understand about me is that I am determined to end the activities of both families once and for all. Or I will die trying…”
“And you intend to take as many of my agents with you, with this half-baked scheme of yours. I will not allow it!” I stormed.
“My concern for the safety of every person, on both sides, is paramount, Agent Orton.”
That was another thing that disturbed me. Where did her loyalties lie? She included both sides in her statement, the mobsters and the Feds in equal value.
She continued. “That is another thing you will never determine from that folder. Everything I have done since I was sixteen, I did to protect the ones that are important to me. I left to protect…”
“My agents are not vital to you, Miss Cambridge, they are just a means to an end for you.”
“That’s not true. They are important to me. I respect all the lives involved here, Agent. That is why I couldn’t abide the life style I was forced to endure. I will not be foolish when it comes to the safety of your people. And I promise you here and now that if anything happens during the operation to endanger your team I will step back and let them take over. But I can help. I know how things work. I know how they think. I know the inner workings and I will be able to adapt…”
“Let’s go over the file.” I would humour her for the time being. “We’ll start with the Cambridge file. And if there is time we will attempt to outline the Mayhue…”
She sat back in the chair and folded her arms over her small frame.
“Perhaps there is another agent…” She all but dismissed me.
“Another agent?” I leapt from my chair in outrage.
“Your obvious hostility towards me seems to be clouding your judgeme…”
“You, Miss Cambridge, know nothing of me! I am the best! If you wish to meet your objectives, you need me!”
She looked at me levelly, then spun the file on the desk towards her. “Well then, Agent Best,” she challenged, raising an elegant brow. “Can we get started?”
She didn’t wait for me to respond but began to fan out the photos. “This is Tom Bennett. He’s my father’s personal bodyguard. He is in my father’s presence ninety percent of the time. He is dangerous, ruthless and has no conscience. He will die to protect the Cambridge, but he will take out as many as he possibly can before he goes down.”
“This is Buddy Crane. He has been with my father for as long as I can remember. If Tom is with my father ninety percent of the time, Buddy is with him ninety-nine. He is like a shadow of William Cambridge, his minion, a glorified gopher. His yes-man. A cleaner if need be. He would also shield my father, keep things from him if the situation called for it. Or incite him if that was his whim. The thing you need to know about Buddy in relation to my father is that he can affect his mood.”
And as much as I tried to fight it, I found myself caught up in the sound of her voice as she tried to paint me a picture of the complex situations and relationships that had surrounded her in her former life. She seemed incredibly detail oriented. She knew her stuff, I had to reluctantly admit. She did know these people. Their secrets and talents. Their habits and personalities. Their specialities and their limitations.
“What do you mean, he can affect his mood?”
“My father can be…” She bit her lip as if she measured her words carefully. “Changeable, emotional. Volatile. Unpredictable at times. And Buddy can either calm him immediately or, as I said, provoke him. My father’s mood swings have worsened, and become more frequent with age. He has panic attacks, which I believe he is taking medication for, as well as some other things. Anti-depressants and anti-anxiety pills, I believe. But you might have to dig into his medical files for clarification. I haven’t had time to do so myself.”
“I didn’t know that,” I said taking notes. “It was not in the file.”
“No. It wouldn’t be. That would be considered a weakness. If the enemy were to catch wind of this, it could be used against him. It’s not common knowledge, not even to some that are close to him. It would be too dangerous.”
She continued, “Now as for Buddy, I don’t think he would take a bullet for anyone. Including my father. I personally think he would put my father in a bullet’s path to save himself.”
She’d given me some good stuff here. I was almost convinced her father just might be unstable. We were getting to the substance. I was impressed. She was clearly intelligent, meticulous in her observations and in details. I was like that myself.
I pulled out another photo. “And this?”
“Jason Cramer,” she said, without hesitation. “He is no longer with the organization.
“Why?”
“He is in hiding, avoiding prosecution for the murders of six Mayhues. He is in seclusion along with Phil.” She pulled out the photo along with another. “And Teddy.”
At my raised eyebrow she continued, “They were killed in retaliation for the murders of three of ours.”
“The shooting at the food bank.” I didn’t need to ask. I found myself crossing to the other side of the desk, sitting next to her.
“Yes.”
“You were also injured in that incident.”
“Yes.”
“You were the only survivor, I believe.”
“Yes.”
She pulled another photo down. “This is…”
“Wait.” I stayed her hand, which she immediately withdrew from my touch. “What were you doing there that day? Why were you at the food bank?”
“I volunteered there every week. We were dropping off some canned goods and I was helping Mrs. Small, the organizer, stock shelves, when it happened.”
I’d read in the file that she helped out with many aid organizations, but I was having a hard time meshing the mob princess with the Good Samaritan act. She was just not fitting the profile. “Was there anyone else forced to go into isolation after that?”
“Uh?” Her brow furrowed and she evaded my gaze. “I don’t remember. I was in the hospital,” she said, too quickly, and I assumed she was holding something back.
I remained still, waiting for her to either meet my gaze or continue. Her amazing green stare turned to me.
“If we are going to do this, Miss Cambridge, we have to do it all the way. You cannot pick and choose who you are going to give to us. You can’t protect them any longer. You need to tell me everything you know and you must be completely honest. We take them all or we take no one. It’s up to you.”
Her gaze darted as she tried to read me. She didn’t trust me, either. Her full lips stretched into a thin hard line of indecision.
“We are not on opposite sides here, Miss Cambridge.” She stiffened at my words and her head cocked slightly to the side. I must be getting through to her. “This is a two way street. We need to trust each other.”
“I’ve heard that before, Agent,” she said quietly. “They are just words. You want what you can get from me.”
“And you need what I can give you,” I answered.
She raked her lip with her teeth and then inhaled deeply before pulling another photo out. “Gunner. I’m sorry, I don’t know his real name. I never did, that’s all we used to call him. But give me a few minutes with your database and I could come up with that for you.” She nodded towards my computer.” She flipped over the picture. “But I see you’ve already done that—Herb Gunderson,” she read. “No wonder he preferred Gunner.” She smiled slightly and looked at me sideways.
She really was attractive. I couldn’t deny that.
Her eyes narrowed. “Why do I feel like I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know?”
“You are filling in plenty of the finer points that we were uninformed of. And maybe there are a few details that I can pass on to you. We can fill in the gaps for each other, be as prepared as we can be.”
Sceptically, she looked up at me through her bangs.
“Are there photos in that pile of the three men that were killed that day?” I asked gently, knowing it must have been a difficult day for her.
Pursing her lips, she sighed. I knew then that she was fully aware that I knew those three photos were in the file. But she didn’t call me on it. Shuffling through, she pulled them out.
“That’s Jeffy. Dale.” She lined them up on my desk. “And this is Trenton.”
Her voice softened. The mildness indicated she’d cared for this man. Absently she stroked the photo with her left thumb. I examined the kind-faced man as he smiled back at her.
“He was your driver.
“Yes, he was my driver. He was my friend.”
I wasn’t good at comforting. I cleared my throat. “Let’s make categories as we go. Men who are still in your father’s employ. Those who are in hiding. And those who are…uh…no longer with us,” I suggested, not so delicately. I began to throw the photos into their respective piles. “All right. Tom, Buddy, in the current employ pile.”
She put the four men in hiding into the middle stack. “Gunner, Teddy, Phil and Jason in the…hidden file.” She smiled and gave me a slight wink as if she hadn’t just made reference to a computer operating system like some kind of computer geek. I was almost unsure I’d seen it. Was she joking? I was quickly reassessing my preconceived impression of Holly Cambridge. Perhaps she wasn’t just a bubble headed blonde.
“Do you know where these men are?”
“No. I don’t.” She looked into my eyes as if challenging me to either see the truth or detect the lie. I’d interrogated hundreds of informants and or criminals in my time. Liars, award winning actors most of them. And even after my earlier attempt to intimidate her, and our awareness of each other’s mistrust, for some reason she wanted me to believe she was telling me the truth before she continued. “I have done some research of my own. I vaguely remembered a conversation I’d inadvertently overheard about the Caymans.” I didn’t consider the inadvertent part, but I did believe she didn’t know where the men were hiding. “Apparently, William Cambridge owns an island. But, I guess, that isn’t a surprise to you, like it was to me.”
I confirmed with a nod.
“I travelled there.” She dragged her lip with her teeth. It was a nervous habit, and sensual as all get out.
“You took a trip there? I thought you just said…”
“No. After I left. By myself. I tried to find them, thinking that might be where they would go.”
She’d gone alone? I had no record of her ever leaving the country. Not even under one of her aliases. Why were we not aware of this? Although, I reasoned, from the ages of eighteen to the present, her whereabouts had been sketchy at best. She’d taken to hiding like a fish to water.
“And what did you find?”
“I couldn’t locate them. I have no proof, but from the clues I did find and the people I spoke to, I think my father had them killed. I believe he is more cold and sinister than even I believed. Even after all these men had done and sacrificed for him and our family, they were no longer useful to him. He doesn’t leave loose ends, Agent Orton.”
She had detached herself from William Cambridge. I noted it earlier how she referenced him as either the formal my father or William Cambridge, trying to depersonalize or distance herself from him. She didn’t refer to him as my dad, which might be considered an appellation.
Holly looked at me then and I knew that she was fully aware of her own predicament. She was a loose end that William Cambridge either needed to tie up or cut away completely. Perhaps it had been that precise realization that convinced her to come to us. She was scared, and she knew we could protect her. It must have been absolute shell shock for her to leave the safe and sheltered Cambridge life to live completely on her own. So young and unprepared, unprotected. Always on the move, on the lookout for family and enemy alike. Looking over her shoulder, just waiting to be captured or killed. It was only a matter of time. She must have realized she couldn’t stay out there on her own anymore. She’d given it a valiant effort. I’d give her that. But she’d finally come to her senses and come to the Bureau.
“Until we have proof, will we leave them in the hidden file?” She asked holding up the pictures.
“All right.” I nodded. “Unknown, for the time being.” She returned them to the middle stack. I pointed at the kind-faced man that had been her chauffer and friend. I was departmentalizing and sorting in my own mind and didn’t think before I spoke. “Deceased. They are no longer important.”
Her expressive eyes widened, turning cold. “If we are going to do this,” she spat my own words back at me. “You need to respect my people. Those people are important to me. Dead or alive. They may be nothing but gangsters and criminals to a straight-laced lawman like yourself, but they were my family. My team. The people who had my back and ultimately gave their lives for mine. You will not dismiss them as collateral damage. If you expect me to respect you and yours, then you need to acknowledge and respect mine, Agent.” Although her voice was angry, I saw that she was struggling to hold back tears that threatened to break the tough exterior she was attempting to maintain.
“The ones that remain, are no longer yours, Miss Cambridge, and you need to accept and acknowledge that, and separate yourself from your tender feelings. These are the people we are going after at your request.”
“I don’t think we can work together,” she said, at length, as if she had a choice.
She was halfway to the door when I heard myself say, “I apologize for my insensitive comments, Miss Cambridge.” What was I doing? She was halfway to no longer being my problem. I should have just let her walk out. But I needed this case. I wanted it. And I could admit to myself now, looking back—it was much more that made me stop her that day. There was just something about her. I wanted to know more. My fierce curiosity and quest to know all gnawed at me. And I knew I had just scratched the surface of Miss Holly Cambridge. My preconceived idea of the mafia princess was rapidly evaporating as she challenged me at every turn. No one tested me. She was not fitting into the box I had placed her in before she’d even walked through my door.
She stopped at the sound of my voice but she didn’t turn in my direction.
“Are you finished psychoanalyzing me, Agent Orton?” she said, as if she could read my thoughts. She did turn then. “Go ahead. Profile me. Is it really that great a feat, Agent, when you think you have all the answers right there in that file? As I said before, you don’t know me.”
Again. A Challenge. I could not resist.
“The mob boss’ daughter. Mafia princess. Protected. Sheltered. Spoiled. Poor little rich girl. No friends. No social life. Lonely.” I looked down at the file one last time, leaving behind what I thought I knew about her and turned to what I had gleaned since she walked in the door. “You turned to books and school to fill the void.” I recognized her need for knowledge and detail only because I, too, possessed those qualities. “You are quiet. Shy. You pay attention, absorb, observe, research. You listen and learn. You have known from an early age what’s right and what’s wrong. Your character is so strong that the life style that you were forced to live warred with your own morals and ethics, which you did not learn from your father or the people around you. A father who was cold to you most of your life, ignoring you and your sister. Perhaps he is even unbalanced, bi-polar, paranoid. You threw your energies and your money into charitable organizations, in an attempt to ease your own conscience. You gravitated towards the men around you to replace the family and friends you didn’t have.”
I thought of her caressing the edge of the photograph of her driver and the way she’d staunchly defended her employees, her team, as she’d referred to them. “The criminals around you became your own dysfunctional family.”
She sneered at me when I referred to them as criminals. “You could no longer endure that amoral life, so you sacrificed your own. You want nothing more than to belong. To be loved. To live a quiet normal life.” I took a shot in the dark with this one. “With a husband. Perhaps even a child.” I could have smiled at how easy it was getting. I walked towards her with every intention of continuing, as we kept our focus on each other. I was just getting warmed up.
“My turn, Agent Best?” she remarked, sarcastically.
“Oh, be my guest,” I invited, smugly. If nothing else, we knew how to antagonize one another. This should be good.
“FBI. Special Agent.” She began slowly, as I had. “Single-minded. Career man. Cold. Stiff. Curious. Almost obsessively so. Your quest for knowledge is your driving force.” I was no longer smiling.
“You have to know everything about each person and everything around you. You have known from your earliest memory that this would ultimately be your career. You followed in your father’s footsteps. Also a career man. You are an only child. Also no friends, no social life. You moved around a lot as a child because of your father’s career, but that isn’t the reason you didn’t make friends. Your intelligence and your intellect was way too complex for children your own age. You found them boring, tedious, unintelligent compared to your advanced IQ. Knowledge came easy to you. You didn’t have time or make time for baseball or football. You also turned to books not to fill an emotional void, as you intimated that I did, but to fill your insatiable appetite for knowledge, and that drove you to learn as much and as fast as you possibly could, to fill that massive brain. You are the classic over-achiever. You graduated high school early and entered an accelerated program to fast track you into an Ivy League school. I’m going to guess, Harvard. Only because it is the best law school and would impress the Bureau. You would settle for nothing less than the best. You are a strict disciplinarian. You are ruled by rules. A perfectionist. You cannot commit to a long-term relationship because your passion is your work. How am I doing, Best?”
“You have obviously accessed my personnel file. Which is a federal offence, Miss Cambridge,” I accused, stiffly, crossing my arms.
“I have done no such thing, Agent Orton. Go ahead,” she invited gesturing towards my computer. “Check. If your file has been accessed recently it will be flagged.”
“Then Sid or Trey gave it to you.”
“That would also not have been procedure. I can assure you, they did not. You know neither of them would ever give an agent’s file to an informant, and again, you can check.”
I stared at her. Obviously she was a better liar than I’d realized.
“It was interesting meeting you, Agent Orton. Have a good day.”
She walked out the door. I couldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to work with me.
I followed out into the hallway. But she was gone. The elevator must have been ready and waiting for her departure.
“Maeve. Have security stop Miss Cambridge before she leaves the building.”
“Miss Cambridge, sir?”
“Yes. She just exited my office.”
“I didn’t see her leave.”
“She just left. Thirty seconds ago, at most.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t see her, sir.”
“Call down, and notify the desk, anyway. I want her stopped before she exits the building.”
Another thing she had been able to convince Trey and Sid, which I also disagreed with, was no protection. She needed to be in protective custody. It was imperative for the kind of mission she’d convinced them to undertake. She needed to be corralled.
That was the first of many occasions in which she disappeared without a trace. According to the security guards, she’d not taken the elevator down. She was not picked up on the cameras in the stairwells either.
I was so angry. There had to be an explanation. I called Sid’s office, thinking she’d gone to him to complain about me. He guaranteed me he hadn’t seen her since he’d left her in my capable hands.
I contacted Trey and he gave me the same song and dance. Trey assured me I didn’t need to worry. She was quite capable of taking care of herself and she would make contact with us when she was ready.
That wasn’t good enough. We were the FBI, for Christ’s sake. We made the rules. We were in charge.
I sent out half my team after her. As they searched I accessed my file. I don’t know how she’d done it, but according to the log, my file hadn’t been accessed since I myself had done so eight months ago to update my new address when I moved into my penthouse apartment. There was no way she could have come so close to the details of my life without having seen my file.
My street agents called in one by one. There was no sign of her.
Running
Copyright © 2014 H K Carlton
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Always Cambridge Book One
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Releasing June 1 from eXtasy Books book three Misfortune of Birth
The Always Cambridge Series
Books should be read in sequence. The first five installments end with To Be Continued...
So here goes:
The Always Cambridge Series chronicles the life of Holly Cambridge through her tumultuous childhood, violent teen years, into adulthood, and the consequences that stem from being the daughter of mob boss, Bill Cambridge.
* * * *
No matter how far or fast you run, you'll never escape the past.
It’s been three years since anyone has seen or heard from Holly Cambridge. But when she surfaces, she doesn't return home to the loving arms of her family. Instead, she heads straight to the FBI offering information that will destroy the Cambridge crime family.
Special Agent Alex Orton sees Holly Cambridge as nothing more than the next commendation standing between him and the ultimate promotion. What he doesn't bargain for is the shy, damaged, but feisty little woman that convinces his superiors to let her infiltrate a rival family, with Alex heading up the mission.
Holly and Alex clash at every turn, but Alex is intrigued by Holly’s sharp mind and boundless courage and must constantly fight his burgeoning feelings for his lovely informant. Alex is a strict disciplinarian of the rules and can’t reconcile the girl who can’t play by them.
As Holly carries out the sting and insinuates herself into the enemy’s camp, she develops a close and common bond with the middle Mayhue son, the exotically good looking and charismatic Victor. The very man who could end her life, if he were to discover her secret.
Hands tied, Alex must stand back, for the good of the team, and watch the tragedy play out.
Always Cambridge Book Two
RunningChapter One
I sat behind my desk reading over the file. Not that I needed to. I knew every detail. I could barely contain the rush of excitement at the thought of finally getting started. This case would earn me the final commendation I needed to get promoted. Holly Cambridge, the mob bosses’ daughter, was my steppingstone to greatness.
“Right in here, Ms. Cambridge.”
“Thank you.”
The sound of the soft polite reply immediately snagged my attention from the photographs scattered across the desktop. The Bureau surveillance photos on file were old, taken on another operation. She’d been blonde, then, a young looking sixteen, according to the dossier. In almost every photo the same man shadowed her, her bodyguard Randy Phillips, and later Luke Walker.
I observed the twenty-one year old brunette before me. Her hair was now shoulder length, except for the wispy bangs that gave one the impression that she used them to hide behind. Which, to my knowledge, was exactly what she’d been doing since she’d left her family and gone on the run three years prior, taking documentation of their illegal activities with her. It was with a letter that she’d first approached my superiors, Trey and Sid with, identifying her father as the suspect responsible for her mother’s murder, and not the rival mob family that had long been the
suspicion.
I stood as my betters, Trey Thompson and Sid Morgan, ushered her into my office. She appeared dwarfed between the two formidable men. I had the privilege of working with both of these dedicated, no-nonsense agents. I learned from them. I admired and looked up to them. I wanted to be them. To follow in their footsteps up the ladder of success.
“May I get you a beverage, Miss Cambridge?”
I squinted at Trey in surprise as he all but simpered at the young woman.
“No. Thank you. I’m fine. Please Agent, Thompson. It’s Holly.” She smiled slightly.
“Holly, then.” He coughed nervously.
I couldn’t help but grin at the older man. She was young enough to be his granddaughter, for Christ’s sake. I’d never seen the pair of them fall all over anyone, but they practically came to blows escorting our informant to the chair positioned in front of my desk.
And here was the only hitch in this whole dream assignment. Having to work with her. I’d already assessed that attempting to convince Trey and Sid that she was going to be trouble, was futile.
I didn’t have a problem with finding out what she knew or what info she had on her family. I didn’t mind picking her brain or climbing right inside her head if need be, to collect Mob Intel. The hindrance was, they also wanted my team and me to facilitate an infiltrate of the rival family, the Mayhues. Miss Cambridge had somehow persuaded them that only she could gain entry into the inner sanctum of her adversaries, and now I had to find some way to convince my bosses that she was in way over her head. She needed to step back and let the professionals take over. We could just as easily insert a female undercover. I mean, honestly, what were they thinking, serving up the mob princess right into the clutches of her enemies. It was insane and reckless. And I had no intention of jeopardizing my people, nor would I submit to her blackmail.
Sid and I’d had this same argument earlier this morning, before they brought her in. He pulled rank and directed me to do my job or I would be replaced as lead on this case. I was not about to let that happen. This case was too important to me. I would do my job. I was extraordinarily good at it. I would manipulate the situation and simply convince her there was no possible way she was capable of attaining the desired outcome. She would realize her shortcomings and come to her senses. She would gracefully back out with Sid and Trey and I would then be able to run my operation and my people to achieve our objective without having to babysit Miss Soprano.
Holly Cambridge was obviously one of those women who thought she could use her looks to get anything she wanted, accustomed to having her own way. She’d been protected, pampered, sheltered by her mob daddy. No doubt, she would be spoiled and impossible to work with.
I’d read the file. According to the information I’d received, she was allegedly intelligent. Her transcripts were beyond reproach. But I also knew how simple it would be to doctor such things. Just as easy as it would have been for her family to change her name at the outset, making it possible for her to attend university under an assumed name. It was essentially effortless to re-write one’s history. So, I wasn’t anticipating much. Nor did I expect to trust anything that came out of her mouth. As far as I was concerned, she was using the other evidence that she had obtained as means to blackmail Sid and Trey into agreeing to her terms. If they gave her the Mayhues, she’d give them the Cambridges in return.
“Agent Alex Orton, Miss Holly Cambridge.” He said her name like a proud papa.
I extended my right hand in greeting. My first mistake. I’d read the file. I was aware of her injury. But I stupidly put myself at a deficit with her right from the beginning. It made me seem unprepared and uninformed, two things I never was.
She smiled slightly as she extended her left hand. She might as well have mocked me verbally in front of my betters. I retracted my greeting, realizing my error.
She looked down at the open file and photographs of herself and her family strewn across my desktop. “Haven’t made it that far yet?” Her nose crinkled and her eyes sparkled. And if I wasn’t mistaken, she gave me a quick wink of amusement.
I was not amused. The intimation that I hadn’t done my homework pissed me off, especially in front of Sid and Trey. It just confirmed my first instincts. This woman and I would not work well together.
I noticed her right wrist was wrapped up tightly in a stiff looking brace.
I extended my opposite hand, out of politeness. I wasn’t certain that I would have conveyed that much civility if not for the scrutiny of my superiors.
I shook her small hand firmly, then looked into her eyes, and I finally caught a glimpse of what the other two men might have been competing for. The surveillance photos did not do her justice. She was striking. She had the most unique greens eyes I’d ever seen. It was my job to notice details and I could honestly say I’d never encountered their colour before.
She surveyed me steadily. She didn’t seem intimidated by me at all.
“Miss Cambridge.” I nodded stiffly in greeting.
“Agent Orton,” she replied, slipping her palm from my grip, giving me the impression she didn’t wish to be in contact with me any more than I did her.
“We’ll leave you in Alex’s capable hand, Miss Cambri…er, Holly,” Trey uncharacteristically stumbled.
“As usual, if there is anything you need, feel free to contact either one of us at any time,” Sid added.
“Thank you. Agent Thompson. Agent Morgan,” she acknowledged them formally and sat down primly in the chair as they left.
I took my own seat. Staring at me expectantly, she waited. I flipped the folder closed and I began to gather the pictures.
“Those are old photographs,” she said softly, leaning forward slightly.
“Clearly,” I said coldly, barely sparing her a glance.
Her gaze skittered away. Perhaps she was more nervous in my presence than I had earlier assessed. Or now that she was alone with me, she’d realized I was a little tougher to charm than my predecessors.
“Do you realize what you are getting yourself into? I would like to strongly advise you to leave this to us. We are the specialists. We are trained to handle every situation…”
“Would you like to go over the file, Agent Orton?” She cut me off. I couldn’t believe her audacity. The spoiled little…
I continued speaking as if she hadn’t. “…And the further risk you will be placing on my agents because of your inexperience is unacceptable. We welcome your input and the inside information that you can provide for us…”
“The file, then.” She determinedly interrupted again.
I clenched my jaw shut in irritation.
“I get it, Agent Orton. You don’t like me. You don’t like my kind. But you don’t have to like me to work with me. You don’t know me. You can read that file front to back and memorize every detail about my life, but you still will not know me. The only thing you need understand about me is that I am determined to end the activities of both families once and for all. Or I will die trying…”
“And you intend to take as many of my agents with you, with this half-baked scheme of yours. I will not allow it!” I stormed.
“My concern for the safety of every person, on both sides, is paramount, Agent Orton.”
That was another thing that disturbed me. Where did her loyalties lie? She included both sides in her statement, the mobsters and the Feds in equal value.
She continued. “That is another thing you will never determine from that folder. Everything I have done since I was sixteen, I did to protect the ones that are important to me. I left to protect…”
“My agents are not vital to you, Miss Cambridge, they are just a means to an end for you.”
“That’s not true. They are important to me. I respect all the lives involved here, Agent. That is why I couldn’t abide the life style I was forced to endure. I will not be foolish when it comes to the safety of your people. And I promise you here and now that if anything happens during the operation to endanger your team I will step back and let them take over. But I can help. I know how things work. I know how they think. I know the inner workings and I will be able to adapt…”
“Let’s go over the file.” I would humour her for the time being. “We’ll start with the Cambridge file. And if there is time we will attempt to outline the Mayhue…”
She sat back in the chair and folded her arms over her small frame.
“Perhaps there is another agent…” She all but dismissed me.
“Another agent?” I leapt from my chair in outrage.
“Your obvious hostility towards me seems to be clouding your judgeme…”
“You, Miss Cambridge, know nothing of me! I am the best! If you wish to meet your objectives, you need me!”
She looked at me levelly, then spun the file on the desk towards her. “Well then, Agent Best,” she challenged, raising an elegant brow. “Can we get started?”
She didn’t wait for me to respond but began to fan out the photos. “This is Tom Bennett. He’s my father’s personal bodyguard. He is in my father’s presence ninety percent of the time. He is dangerous, ruthless and has no conscience. He will die to protect the Cambridge, but he will take out as many as he possibly can before he goes down.”
“This is Buddy Crane. He has been with my father for as long as I can remember. If Tom is with my father ninety percent of the time, Buddy is with him ninety-nine. He is like a shadow of William Cambridge, his minion, a glorified gopher. His yes-man. A cleaner if need be. He would also shield my father, keep things from him if the situation called for it. Or incite him if that was his whim. The thing you need to know about Buddy in relation to my father is that he can affect his mood.”
And as much as I tried to fight it, I found myself caught up in the sound of her voice as she tried to paint me a picture of the complex situations and relationships that had surrounded her in her former life. She seemed incredibly detail oriented. She knew her stuff, I had to reluctantly admit. She did know these people. Their secrets and talents. Their habits and personalities. Their specialities and their limitations.
“What do you mean, he can affect his mood?”
“My father can be…” She bit her lip as if she measured her words carefully. “Changeable, emotional. Volatile. Unpredictable at times. And Buddy can either calm him immediately or, as I said, provoke him. My father’s mood swings have worsened, and become more frequent with age. He has panic attacks, which I believe he is taking medication for, as well as some other things. Anti-depressants and anti-anxiety pills, I believe. But you might have to dig into his medical files for clarification. I haven’t had time to do so myself.”
“I didn’t know that,” I said taking notes. “It was not in the file.”
“No. It wouldn’t be. That would be considered a weakness. If the enemy were to catch wind of this, it could be used against him. It’s not common knowledge, not even to some that are close to him. It would be too dangerous.”
She continued, “Now as for Buddy, I don’t think he would take a bullet for anyone. Including my father. I personally think he would put my father in a bullet’s path to save himself.”
She’d given me some good stuff here. I was almost convinced her father just might be unstable. We were getting to the substance. I was impressed. She was clearly intelligent, meticulous in her observations and in details. I was like that myself.
I pulled out another photo. “And this?”
“Jason Cramer,” she said, without hesitation. “He is no longer with the organization.
“Why?”
“He is in hiding, avoiding prosecution for the murders of six Mayhues. He is in seclusion along with Phil.” She pulled out the photo along with another. “And Teddy.”
At my raised eyebrow she continued, “They were killed in retaliation for the murders of three of ours.”
“The shooting at the food bank.” I didn’t need to ask. I found myself crossing to the other side of the desk, sitting next to her.
“Yes.”
“You were also injured in that incident.”
“Yes.”
“You were the only survivor, I believe.”
“Yes.”
She pulled another photo down. “This is…”
“Wait.” I stayed her hand, which she immediately withdrew from my touch. “What were you doing there that day? Why were you at the food bank?”
“I volunteered there every week. We were dropping off some canned goods and I was helping Mrs. Small, the organizer, stock shelves, when it happened.”
I’d read in the file that she helped out with many aid organizations, but I was having a hard time meshing the mob princess with the Good Samaritan act. She was just not fitting the profile. “Was there anyone else forced to go into isolation after that?”
“Uh?” Her brow furrowed and she evaded my gaze. “I don’t remember. I was in the hospital,” she said, too quickly, and I assumed she was holding something back.
I remained still, waiting for her to either meet my gaze or continue. Her amazing green stare turned to me.
“If we are going to do this, Miss Cambridge, we have to do it all the way. You cannot pick and choose who you are going to give to us. You can’t protect them any longer. You need to tell me everything you know and you must be completely honest. We take them all or we take no one. It’s up to you.”
Her gaze darted as she tried to read me. She didn’t trust me, either. Her full lips stretched into a thin hard line of indecision.
“We are not on opposite sides here, Miss Cambridge.” She stiffened at my words and her head cocked slightly to the side. I must be getting through to her. “This is a two way street. We need to trust each other.”
“I’ve heard that before, Agent,” she said quietly. “They are just words. You want what you can get from me.”
“And you need what I can give you,” I answered.
She raked her lip with her teeth and then inhaled deeply before pulling another photo out. “Gunner. I’m sorry, I don’t know his real name. I never did, that’s all we used to call him. But give me a few minutes with your database and I could come up with that for you.” She nodded towards my computer.” She flipped over the picture. “But I see you’ve already done that—Herb Gunderson,” she read. “No wonder he preferred Gunner.” She smiled slightly and looked at me sideways.
She really was attractive. I couldn’t deny that.
Her eyes narrowed. “Why do I feel like I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know?”
“You are filling in plenty of the finer points that we were uninformed of. And maybe there are a few details that I can pass on to you. We can fill in the gaps for each other, be as prepared as we can be.”
Sceptically, she looked up at me through her bangs.
“Are there photos in that pile of the three men that were killed that day?” I asked gently, knowing it must have been a difficult day for her.
Pursing her lips, she sighed. I knew then that she was fully aware that I knew those three photos were in the file. But she didn’t call me on it. Shuffling through, she pulled them out.
“That’s Jeffy. Dale.” She lined them up on my desk. “And this is Trenton.”
Her voice softened. The mildness indicated she’d cared for this man. Absently she stroked the photo with her left thumb. I examined the kind-faced man as he smiled back at her.
“He was your driver.
“Yes, he was my driver. He was my friend.”
I wasn’t good at comforting. I cleared my throat. “Let’s make categories as we go. Men who are still in your father’s employ. Those who are in hiding. And those who are…uh…no longer with us,” I suggested, not so delicately. I began to throw the photos into their respective piles. “All right. Tom, Buddy, in the current employ pile.”
She put the four men in hiding into the middle stack. “Gunner, Teddy, Phil and Jason in the…hidden file.” She smiled and gave me a slight wink as if she hadn’t just made reference to a computer operating system like some kind of computer geek. I was almost unsure I’d seen it. Was she joking? I was quickly reassessing my preconceived impression of Holly Cambridge. Perhaps she wasn’t just a bubble headed blonde.
“Do you know where these men are?”
“No. I don’t.” She looked into my eyes as if challenging me to either see the truth or detect the lie. I’d interrogated hundreds of informants and or criminals in my time. Liars, award winning actors most of them. And even after my earlier attempt to intimidate her, and our awareness of each other’s mistrust, for some reason she wanted me to believe she was telling me the truth before she continued. “I have done some research of my own. I vaguely remembered a conversation I’d inadvertently overheard about the Caymans.” I didn’t consider the inadvertent part, but I did believe she didn’t know where the men were hiding. “Apparently, William Cambridge owns an island. But, I guess, that isn’t a surprise to you, like it was to me.”
I confirmed with a nod.
“I travelled there.” She dragged her lip with her teeth. It was a nervous habit, and sensual as all get out.
“You took a trip there? I thought you just said…”
“No. After I left. By myself. I tried to find them, thinking that might be where they would go.”
She’d gone alone? I had no record of her ever leaving the country. Not even under one of her aliases. Why were we not aware of this? Although, I reasoned, from the ages of eighteen to the present, her whereabouts had been sketchy at best. She’d taken to hiding like a fish to water.
“And what did you find?”
“I couldn’t locate them. I have no proof, but from the clues I did find and the people I spoke to, I think my father had them killed. I believe he is more cold and sinister than even I believed. Even after all these men had done and sacrificed for him and our family, they were no longer useful to him. He doesn’t leave loose ends, Agent Orton.”
She had detached herself from William Cambridge. I noted it earlier how she referenced him as either the formal my father or William Cambridge, trying to depersonalize or distance herself from him. She didn’t refer to him as my dad, which might be considered an appellation.
Holly looked at me then and I knew that she was fully aware of her own predicament. She was a loose end that William Cambridge either needed to tie up or cut away completely. Perhaps it had been that precise realization that convinced her to come to us. She was scared, and she knew we could protect her. It must have been absolute shell shock for her to leave the safe and sheltered Cambridge life to live completely on her own. So young and unprepared, unprotected. Always on the move, on the lookout for family and enemy alike. Looking over her shoulder, just waiting to be captured or killed. It was only a matter of time. She must have realized she couldn’t stay out there on her own anymore. She’d given it a valiant effort. I’d give her that. But she’d finally come to her senses and come to the Bureau.
“Until we have proof, will we leave them in the hidden file?” She asked holding up the pictures.
“All right.” I nodded. “Unknown, for the time being.” She returned them to the middle stack. I pointed at the kind-faced man that had been her chauffer and friend. I was departmentalizing and sorting in my own mind and didn’t think before I spoke. “Deceased. They are no longer important.”
Her expressive eyes widened, turning cold. “If we are going to do this,” she spat my own words back at me. “You need to respect my people. Those people are important to me. Dead or alive. They may be nothing but gangsters and criminals to a straight-laced lawman like yourself, but they were my family. My team. The people who had my back and ultimately gave their lives for mine. You will not dismiss them as collateral damage. If you expect me to respect you and yours, then you need to acknowledge and respect mine, Agent.” Although her voice was angry, I saw that she was struggling to hold back tears that threatened to break the tough exterior she was attempting to maintain.
“The ones that remain, are no longer yours, Miss Cambridge, and you need to accept and acknowledge that, and separate yourself from your tender feelings. These are the people we are going after at your request.”
“I don’t think we can work together,” she said, at length, as if she had a choice.
She was halfway to the door when I heard myself say, “I apologize for my insensitive comments, Miss Cambridge.” What was I doing? She was halfway to no longer being my problem. I should have just let her walk out. But I needed this case. I wanted it. And I could admit to myself now, looking back—it was much more that made me stop her that day. There was just something about her. I wanted to know more. My fierce curiosity and quest to know all gnawed at me. And I knew I had just scratched the surface of Miss Holly Cambridge. My preconceived idea of the mafia princess was rapidly evaporating as she challenged me at every turn. No one tested me. She was not fitting into the box I had placed her in before she’d even walked through my door.
She stopped at the sound of my voice but she didn’t turn in my direction.
“Are you finished psychoanalyzing me, Agent Orton?” she said, as if she could read my thoughts. She did turn then. “Go ahead. Profile me. Is it really that great a feat, Agent, when you think you have all the answers right there in that file? As I said before, you don’t know me.”
Again. A Challenge. I could not resist.
“The mob boss’ daughter. Mafia princess. Protected. Sheltered. Spoiled. Poor little rich girl. No friends. No social life. Lonely.” I looked down at the file one last time, leaving behind what I thought I knew about her and turned to what I had gleaned since she walked in the door. “You turned to books and school to fill the void.” I recognized her need for knowledge and detail only because I, too, possessed those qualities. “You are quiet. Shy. You pay attention, absorb, observe, research. You listen and learn. You have known from an early age what’s right and what’s wrong. Your character is so strong that the life style that you were forced to live warred with your own morals and ethics, which you did not learn from your father or the people around you. A father who was cold to you most of your life, ignoring you and your sister. Perhaps he is even unbalanced, bi-polar, paranoid. You threw your energies and your money into charitable organizations, in an attempt to ease your own conscience. You gravitated towards the men around you to replace the family and friends you didn’t have.”
I thought of her caressing the edge of the photograph of her driver and the way she’d staunchly defended her employees, her team, as she’d referred to them. “The criminals around you became your own dysfunctional family.”
She sneered at me when I referred to them as criminals. “You could no longer endure that amoral life, so you sacrificed your own. You want nothing more than to belong. To be loved. To live a quiet normal life.” I took a shot in the dark with this one. “With a husband. Perhaps even a child.” I could have smiled at how easy it was getting. I walked towards her with every intention of continuing, as we kept our focus on each other. I was just getting warmed up.
“My turn, Agent Best?” she remarked, sarcastically.
“Oh, be my guest,” I invited, smugly. If nothing else, we knew how to antagonize one another. This should be good.
“FBI. Special Agent.” She began slowly, as I had. “Single-minded. Career man. Cold. Stiff. Curious. Almost obsessively so. Your quest for knowledge is your driving force.” I was no longer smiling.
“You have to know everything about each person and everything around you. You have known from your earliest memory that this would ultimately be your career. You followed in your father’s footsteps. Also a career man. You are an only child. Also no friends, no social life. You moved around a lot as a child because of your father’s career, but that isn’t the reason you didn’t make friends. Your intelligence and your intellect was way too complex for children your own age. You found them boring, tedious, unintelligent compared to your advanced IQ. Knowledge came easy to you. You didn’t have time or make time for baseball or football. You also turned to books not to fill an emotional void, as you intimated that I did, but to fill your insatiable appetite for knowledge, and that drove you to learn as much and as fast as you possibly could, to fill that massive brain. You are the classic over-achiever. You graduated high school early and entered an accelerated program to fast track you into an Ivy League school. I’m going to guess, Harvard. Only because it is the best law school and would impress the Bureau. You would settle for nothing less than the best. You are a strict disciplinarian. You are ruled by rules. A perfectionist. You cannot commit to a long-term relationship because your passion is your work. How am I doing, Best?”
“You have obviously accessed my personnel file. Which is a federal offence, Miss Cambridge,” I accused, stiffly, crossing my arms.
“I have done no such thing, Agent Orton. Go ahead,” she invited gesturing towards my computer. “Check. If your file has been accessed recently it will be flagged.”
“Then Sid or Trey gave it to you.”
“That would also not have been procedure. I can assure you, they did not. You know neither of them would ever give an agent’s file to an informant, and again, you can check.”
I stared at her. Obviously she was a better liar than I’d realized.
“It was interesting meeting you, Agent Orton. Have a good day.”
She walked out the door. I couldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to work with me.
I followed out into the hallway. But she was gone. The elevator must have been ready and waiting for her departure.
“Maeve. Have security stop Miss Cambridge before she leaves the building.”
“Miss Cambridge, sir?”
“Yes. She just exited my office.”
“I didn’t see her leave.”
“She just left. Thirty seconds ago, at most.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t see her, sir.”
“Call down, and notify the desk, anyway. I want her stopped before she exits the building.”
Another thing she had been able to convince Trey and Sid, which I also disagreed with, was no protection. She needed to be in protective custody. It was imperative for the kind of mission she’d convinced them to undertake. She needed to be corralled.
That was the first of many occasions in which she disappeared without a trace. According to the security guards, she’d not taken the elevator down. She was not picked up on the cameras in the stairwells either.
I was so angry. There had to be an explanation. I called Sid’s office, thinking she’d gone to him to complain about me. He guaranteed me he hadn’t seen her since he’d left her in my capable hands.
I contacted Trey and he gave me the same song and dance. Trey assured me I didn’t need to worry. She was quite capable of taking care of herself and she would make contact with us when she was ready.
That wasn’t good enough. We were the FBI, for Christ’s sake. We made the rules. We were in charge.
I sent out half my team after her. As they searched I accessed my file. I don’t know how she’d done it, but according to the log, my file hadn’t been accessed since I myself had done so eight months ago to update my new address when I moved into my penthouse apartment. There was no way she could have come so close to the details of my life without having seen my file.
My street agents called in one by one. There was no sign of her.
Running
Copyright © 2014 H K Carlton
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Always Cambridge Book One
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Releasing June 1 from eXtasy Books book three Misfortune of Birth
The Always Cambridge Series
Books should be read in sequence. The first five installments end with To Be Continued...
May 19, 2014
Toot Toot #BlogTour Genre Confusion #amwriting
Many thanks to Christina Mandara — Authoress of the The Riding School, Learning the Ropes, Hot to Trot and
What am I working on at the moment?
I am working on edits for books three and four in the Always Cambridge series, at the moment. Book three Misfortune of Birth is due for release June first from eXtasy Books. It is a romantic suspense family saga series.
Also, last week, I signed the last three contracts for a paranormal erotic romance series for MuseItHot Publishing for the Wild Darkness Calls collection. That will be a seven book series. The first book will release sometime late 2014. The series title is Lustful Possession and the first book is entitled Meet Me in the Dark.
In between I am dabbling with a contemporary erotic short story and also a novel length erotic romance set in the 1950's.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
My work differs because I don't stick to one genre. I can't even write a decent bio for myself because I can't narrow down the classification of what I write. So any given time, you might stop by Pick a Genre here, I might be introducing some new category to my library. One day historical, the next month contemporary. Sweet and sappy or kinda raunchy. It's like Forrest Gump around here, you never know what you're gonna get. LOL!
Family saga. Paranormal. Time-travel. Ménage. OH MY!
Why do I write what I do?
I write what I write because that's where the 'muse' takes me. I go with the flow. It makes my life much easier if I don't fight it. I know that on certain days I'm 'supposed' to be working on a specific manuscript, say for editing or deadline purposes. But if I get up and another story is clamoring for some attention, I know that I should give it some time or I just get downright ugly, because that's what I would rather be doing.
What is my writing process?
I don't really have a structured process. I am envious of organized authors who have 'idea' files and character spreadsheets; detailed outlines and neat little work spaces. :) I have little pieces of paper or random notebooks filled with scrawl. They get thrown in a drawer or bawled up in my purse. I also have a folder on my computer with several unfinished manuscripts. As I said earlier, I have to go with the flow. I'm fairly undisciplined but I am dedicated.
Usually the process begins with one scene, one idea or a little snippet of conversation that starts to resonate and then it grows and expands from there. Often, I don’t even have the entire story plotted out when I sit down to write. Sometimes I have to start writing before it unfolds for me. It is the action of scribbling or typing that seems to direct the creativity. And that dictates where the story will go.
In the case of Always Cambridge; I wrote the first book from beginning to end. I thought it was a completed stand alone. But every time I went to bed—that’s where I do most of my thinking, my tales are like bedtime stories for me—it wouldn't leave me in peace. More story began to unravel. So I had to go back and tie up the details, until I was satisfied that Holly’s story was complete. Several years, and six books later, I'm confident that the entire story has been told.
On other projects though, an idea will form and it is a whirlwind from conception, to writing it, to submission, editing and publication. With the Wild Darkness Calls series for instance, my editor sent out the call, and I wrote the first book, thinking it was also a stand alone. But when I was about to type THE END, it just wasn't and books two and three came fast and heavy on its heels. But the last three books were like pulling teeth. I was battling against what I thought should happen and what was churning inside my head. In the end, I had no choice but to go with the direction that I was being shown. But this was still a whirlwind write for me. I don't think I began book one until February and I just signed the contract for book seven. So still a good turn over I think. :)
I like a little noise in the background too, while I'm working. It's usually the TV. Right now the hockey game is on. Habs / Rangers! Tied 1 - 1 :)
Thanks, Christina Mandara, for tagging me in this uniquely named bloghop! "DI'm not tagging anybody specifically but if you'd like to get in on the fun, hop right in.
Take Care, eh!H K
What am I working on at the moment?
I am working on edits for books three and four in the Always Cambridge series, at the moment. Book three Misfortune of Birth is due for release June first from eXtasy Books. It is a romantic suspense family saga series.
Also, last week, I signed the last three contracts for a paranormal erotic romance series for MuseItHot Publishing for the Wild Darkness Calls collection. That will be a seven book series. The first book will release sometime late 2014. The series title is Lustful Possession and the first book is entitled Meet Me in the Dark.
In between I am dabbling with a contemporary erotic short story and also a novel length erotic romance set in the 1950's.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
My work differs because I don't stick to one genre. I can't even write a decent bio for myself because I can't narrow down the classification of what I write. So any given time, you might stop by Pick a Genre here, I might be introducing some new category to my library. One day historical, the next month contemporary. Sweet and sappy or kinda raunchy. It's like Forrest Gump around here, you never know what you're gonna get. LOL!
Family saga. Paranormal. Time-travel. Ménage. OH MY!
Why do I write what I do?
I write what I write because that's where the 'muse' takes me. I go with the flow. It makes my life much easier if I don't fight it. I know that on certain days I'm 'supposed' to be working on a specific manuscript, say for editing or deadline purposes. But if I get up and another story is clamoring for some attention, I know that I should give it some time or I just get downright ugly, because that's what I would rather be doing.
What is my writing process?
I don't really have a structured process. I am envious of organized authors who have 'idea' files and character spreadsheets; detailed outlines and neat little work spaces. :) I have little pieces of paper or random notebooks filled with scrawl. They get thrown in a drawer or bawled up in my purse. I also have a folder on my computer with several unfinished manuscripts. As I said earlier, I have to go with the flow. I'm fairly undisciplined but I am dedicated.
Usually the process begins with one scene, one idea or a little snippet of conversation that starts to resonate and then it grows and expands from there. Often, I don’t even have the entire story plotted out when I sit down to write. Sometimes I have to start writing before it unfolds for me. It is the action of scribbling or typing that seems to direct the creativity. And that dictates where the story will go.
In the case of Always Cambridge; I wrote the first book from beginning to end. I thought it was a completed stand alone. But every time I went to bed—that’s where I do most of my thinking, my tales are like bedtime stories for me—it wouldn't leave me in peace. More story began to unravel. So I had to go back and tie up the details, until I was satisfied that Holly’s story was complete. Several years, and six books later, I'm confident that the entire story has been told.
On other projects though, an idea will form and it is a whirlwind from conception, to writing it, to submission, editing and publication. With the Wild Darkness Calls series for instance, my editor sent out the call, and I wrote the first book, thinking it was also a stand alone. But when I was about to type THE END, it just wasn't and books two and three came fast and heavy on its heels. But the last three books were like pulling teeth. I was battling against what I thought should happen and what was churning inside my head. In the end, I had no choice but to go with the direction that I was being shown. But this was still a whirlwind write for me. I don't think I began book one until February and I just signed the contract for book seven. So still a good turn over I think. :)
I like a little noise in the background too, while I'm working. It's usually the TV. Right now the hockey game is on. Habs / Rangers! Tied 1 - 1 :)
Thanks, Christina Mandara, for tagging me in this uniquely named bloghop! "DI'm not tagging anybody specifically but if you'd like to get in on the fun, hop right in.
Take Care, eh!H K
