Rene Webb's Blog - Posts Tagged "suspense"
MacKay International Series Bible!
What is a series bible?
A place where an author keeps and track all the details, small and large, contained within a story or series.
What is your favorite TV show? Have you ever purchased or looked up online a series guide to read about the character and each episode? This is exactly what a series bible is!
A lot of authors create spreadsheets with tabs (for the various categories) to organize their stories and series. I have tried this method, but spreadsheets tend to make my eyes glaze over and are counterproductive.
However, I have begun the process of creating a series bible for the MacKay International series! Truth be told, I wish I had created one prior to starting work on CLAIMING LILY, the second novel in the series. It would have saved me a lot of time and made my fact-checking easier. I hope to be able to share it with you wonderful readers once CLAIMING LILY is released (July 22nd!), but it is taking me longer than I thought to compile and organize all information! #allthethings
The bible I am creating for the MacKay International series has a table of contents (which I can't show do to spoilers), and is organized into various parts. I am using a publishing program called Vellum to create it in book format. The first part is devoted to each novel as a whole. The second part has every character listed, with each one getting their own entry containing all the information you could possibly want to know about them. The third part is all about the settings the series takes place in, each location is described. The fourth part of the bible has all the information you need about the companies mentioned. Of course MacKay International and Finch Distributing have their own entries!
Once the bible is finally complete, I will be so excited to share the world and characters I have created with you!
What information would you want to be included in a series bible?
Click here for blog
Claiming Lily (MacKay International, #2) | Chapter One
Claiming Lily
ABOUT CLAIMING LILY
Lily
I may have been rescued from the brothel, but my safety is still in question. My captors are on the hunt and closing in. Finn and I must team up to unravel the truth behind my kidnapping and take down those responsible.
Despite the danger and trauma, I have found safety with Finn. After one night together, he wants to claim me as his own. Am I willing to let him own me completely?
Will Finn be able to convince me that I want to be his, before my family interferes?
READ NOW (AVAILABLE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED): http://bit.ly/ClaimLilAmz
CHAPTER ONE
~ Finn ~
Mid-April – Hong Kong
My anger at our fucked-up situation and the crowded bus has me feeling both jittery and suffocated. Grounding myself, I tighten my hold on Lily and rest my cheek on the top of her head. “I promise, Lily, Mayer will pay for what he’s done.”
“Who are you?” Lily pushes out of my embrace and smacks my chest, demanding an answer.
We have regained the attention of those around us, and I turn my head to scowl at them. They quickly look away.
Smiling, I turn back toward Lily, amused that despite how intimate we’ve been since last night, she still doesn’t know my name. “Xavier Finch.”
“Xavier Finch,” Lily parrots back, and I see recognition dawning on her beautiful face. Despite the fact we haven’t seen each other since she was a teenager, she knows who I am—her cousin Peter’s best friend and business partner. “As in Finch Distributing?”
“Yes,” I tell her brightly, enjoying her shocked expression as she realizes who I am and how I am connected to her.
The bus lurches, and Lily falls forward into my chest. Her thin arms wrap around my waist as she anchors herself to my body.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got you,” I say, tightening my hold on her. I’m never fucking letting go.
My princess is relying on me to keep my shit together and to get us out of the fucked-up situation we’ve found ourselves in. Last night I had begrudgingly met with a new business contact, Robert Ban, at his favorite exclusive brothel, Executive Hospitality Limited, here in Hong Kong. Our meeting started with constructive negotiations, and I felt good about the prospects of us doing business together. That all turned to fucking shit when we entered the large lounge where the entertainment was. It was there I found Lily, barely dressed and serving drinks to the other men, all while avoiding being molested.
After an unforgettable night getting to know one another—in every way possible—we successfully walked out of the brothel she had been held captive in for almost three weeks. Not before an armed confrontation with the asshole manager and his muscle, who runs the place. Thank fuck for my Krav Maga training. The manager informed us that James fucking Mayer, Lily’s fucking stepfather, was the one who had her kidnapped in the first place. It was clear his plan had been to have her for himself and profit from whoring her out. Thank fuck I got her out before his planned arrival.
The blaring of horns turns Lily’s and my attention toward the windows. I crane my head to see outside and notice an all-too-familiar black SUV swerving through traffic and trying to get closer to the bus.
Fuck.
“We need to get off at the next stop.” With my arms still wrapped around Lily, I push our way closer to the door.
“What?”
“They’re following the bus,” I tell her, attempting to infuse my voice with calmness. The last thing I need is for her to start having a fucking panic attack.
“What the fuck are we going to do?” Lily demands, looking around frantically.
“We are going to get out with the crowd, walk a few blocks in the opposite direction, and jump into a cab.”
Hopefully, the men from the brothel won’t be able to turn around and catch up with us before we have a chance to grab a cab. The bus is slowing down when I realize we cannot go back to the hotel I’m staying at. Last night, the brothel sent a driver to pick me up there, so it’s the first place they’ll come looking for me—for us. Fuck.
Exiting the bus along with the other passengers, I grab Lily’s hand, then steer us in the opposite direction. We walk quickly on the inside of the sidewalk, against the buildings to keep us as far away from the street as possible. There is an intersection ahead, the perfect place to wave down a cab. Stopping at the crosswalk, I step in front of Lily and wave down a cab that is driving toward us.
Scuttling into the cab, Lily throws herself into the seat and I follow. Once the door slams closed behind me, she starts giggling softly. I watch as the tension leaves her body. I can’t help but smile back at her.
“We made it.” She pants softly, reaching out her hand to grab my arm, initiating contact.
I spent the whole of last night seducing her, and it looks like my efforts have paid off. It may seem a small and insignificant touch, but I know what it means. It means when not faced with imminent danger, she still wants me.
“Of course we did,” I state confidently, matching her grin with my own.
There’s no need to freak her out and tell her how nervous I was when I saw the SUVs behind us.
“Where you go?” the middle-aged cabby asks aggressively from the front, ruining the moment.
I scowl at him and rattle off the name of a hotel. Then I take out my wallet and peel back several bills before asking to borrow his cell phone. Money always helps in these situations. I make a point of always having cash on hand.
After some negotiation, extortion on the cabby’s part, and several more bills are added, he hands back his cellphone. Last night, I had begrudgingly left mine at the hotel. The brothel doesn’t allow patrons to bring in electronic devices, and I didn’t want it confiscated at the door.
“Who are you calling?”
“I’m texting my assistant, Trevor,” I say. He is waiting for us at my original hotel and will need to meet us at our new location.
I cross my fingers that the text will go through. Calling him is not an option, as I doubt the cabby has an international calling plan.
“You have his number memorized?” Lily asks incredulously as I open the message app and, after locating the English keyboard, begin typing.
Finn: This is Finn. Borrowed a phone. I have Lily. Need to change locations.
“I give it out all the time to people. It’s his work phone,” I tell her. There have been plenty of times when I needed to give someone, usually a woman, a phone number but don’t want them to have access to my private phone.
“How many women have you given it to?” she asks perceptively, smiling widely at me.
I shake my head at her and take hold of her hand. She raises my hand and bites my finger playfully. Shaking off her hold, I grab the back of her neck and pull her into a rough kiss. She comes willingly, grabbing onto my T-shirt and moaning into my mouth.
The phone vibrates in my hand. I quickly pull out of the kiss to read it. Lily giggles, releases her hold on me, and leans back to relax.
Trevor: Where r u headed?
Finn: Where Peter stays. Landmark Mandarin Oriental. We need a reservation. Meet us there.
Trevor: Ok. All packed & ready to go. Have clothes for Lily.
I smile at how efficient the man is.
Lily cuddles up next to me. She links our arms, rests her head on my shoulder, and reads the messages as they pop up on the screen. I kiss her forehead gently.
Finn: Any messages from Peter?
The fucker has a lot to answer for!
Trevor: Peter texted “Meet me in Paris”
Lily’s body shivers against mine. “Fuck Peter. I don’t want to go back to Paris,” she states, her voice laced with understandable fear.
If I had been drugged and kidnapped off the streets of Paris, I wouldn’t be in a hurry to return either.
“Shh, don’t worry, princess,” I tell her in a low voice, resting my head against hers and placing my free hand on her leg to squeeze it lightly.
Trevor: Would you like me to reply?
Finn: No. He can wait.
“You need to tell him I’m safe!” Lily exclaims, shaking my arm. “He’ll be crazy with worry.”
“Don’t worry, he knows you’re with me.” I stroke her leg soothingly, but it continues to vibrate with nervous energy.
Finn: We’ll be there shortly.
I close the message and delete it entirely from the app. Although I doubt the cabby can speak much English, let alone read it, I still do not want my private conversation easily viewable on his phone. Afterward, I turn my full attention to my princess.
“Oh my God, I need to text my mom,” Lily says frantically, grabbing for the phone. “She won’t believe I’m all right until she hears from me.”
“We can’t, princess. Not yet.”
“Why the fuck not?” Lily demands with a fiery angry scowl, which has my cock inconveniently growing hard.
I thought she was sexy last night: quiet, nervous, shy. Virginal.
I was fucking wrong!
“Because,” I growl, fisting the back of her hair. Gripping it tightly, I gain her attention. “Because no one thinks you’re missing.”
“What?” Lily says through a nervous breath.
“I had Trevor look into your disappearance last night and called him back while you were sleeping. He said according to all your social media accounts, you had a great time in Paris and are now back at school.”
“But how?” Her voice cracks slightly, and her grip on my arm tightens.
“I don’t know, princess. That’s something we need to find out.”
“What am I going to do?” Lily asks. I watch as she bites her lip, waiting for my answer.
“We are going to go get changed, have some breakfast, and then come up with a plan.”
“Okay.” She buries herself tighter into my side.
“Don’t worry, you’re not getting rid of me.” I brush a gentle kiss across her lips, and as I pull away, she fists my T-shirt and tugs me back, then kisses me.
This kiss is gentle and unhurried. Right now, we are alone, and no one knows where we are. We are simply passing the time, enjoying the taste and feel of one another, discovering more about the other.
Like the way Lily moans every time I graze her lips with my teeth.
Text Copyright © 2019 Rene Webb, All Rights Reserved
READ NOW (AVAILABLE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED): http://bit.ly/ClaimLilAmz
ABOUT CLAIMING LILY
Lily
I may have been rescued from the brothel, but my safety is still in question. My captors are on the hunt and closing in. Finn and I must team up to unravel the truth behind my kidnapping and take down those responsible.
Despite the danger and trauma, I have found safety with Finn. After one night together, he wants to claim me as his own. Am I willing to let him own me completely?
Will Finn be able to convince me that I want to be his, before my family interferes?
READ NOW (AVAILABLE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED): http://bit.ly/ClaimLilAmz
CHAPTER ONE
~ Finn ~
Mid-April – Hong Kong
My anger at our fucked-up situation and the crowded bus has me feeling both jittery and suffocated. Grounding myself, I tighten my hold on Lily and rest my cheek on the top of her head. “I promise, Lily, Mayer will pay for what he’s done.”
“Who are you?” Lily pushes out of my embrace and smacks my chest, demanding an answer.
We have regained the attention of those around us, and I turn my head to scowl at them. They quickly look away.
Smiling, I turn back toward Lily, amused that despite how intimate we’ve been since last night, she still doesn’t know my name. “Xavier Finch.”
“Xavier Finch,” Lily parrots back, and I see recognition dawning on her beautiful face. Despite the fact we haven’t seen each other since she was a teenager, she knows who I am—her cousin Peter’s best friend and business partner. “As in Finch Distributing?”
“Yes,” I tell her brightly, enjoying her shocked expression as she realizes who I am and how I am connected to her.
The bus lurches, and Lily falls forward into my chest. Her thin arms wrap around my waist as she anchors herself to my body.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got you,” I say, tightening my hold on her. I’m never fucking letting go.
My princess is relying on me to keep my shit together and to get us out of the fucked-up situation we’ve found ourselves in. Last night I had begrudgingly met with a new business contact, Robert Ban, at his favorite exclusive brothel, Executive Hospitality Limited, here in Hong Kong. Our meeting started with constructive negotiations, and I felt good about the prospects of us doing business together. That all turned to fucking shit when we entered the large lounge where the entertainment was. It was there I found Lily, barely dressed and serving drinks to the other men, all while avoiding being molested.
After an unforgettable night getting to know one another—in every way possible—we successfully walked out of the brothel she had been held captive in for almost three weeks. Not before an armed confrontation with the asshole manager and his muscle, who runs the place. Thank fuck for my Krav Maga training. The manager informed us that James fucking Mayer, Lily’s fucking stepfather, was the one who had her kidnapped in the first place. It was clear his plan had been to have her for himself and profit from whoring her out. Thank fuck I got her out before his planned arrival.
The blaring of horns turns Lily’s and my attention toward the windows. I crane my head to see outside and notice an all-too-familiar black SUV swerving through traffic and trying to get closer to the bus.
Fuck.
“We need to get off at the next stop.” With my arms still wrapped around Lily, I push our way closer to the door.
“What?”
“They’re following the bus,” I tell her, attempting to infuse my voice with calmness. The last thing I need is for her to start having a fucking panic attack.
“What the fuck are we going to do?” Lily demands, looking around frantically.
“We are going to get out with the crowd, walk a few blocks in the opposite direction, and jump into a cab.”
Hopefully, the men from the brothel won’t be able to turn around and catch up with us before we have a chance to grab a cab. The bus is slowing down when I realize we cannot go back to the hotel I’m staying at. Last night, the brothel sent a driver to pick me up there, so it’s the first place they’ll come looking for me—for us. Fuck.
Exiting the bus along with the other passengers, I grab Lily’s hand, then steer us in the opposite direction. We walk quickly on the inside of the sidewalk, against the buildings to keep us as far away from the street as possible. There is an intersection ahead, the perfect place to wave down a cab. Stopping at the crosswalk, I step in front of Lily and wave down a cab that is driving toward us.
Scuttling into the cab, Lily throws herself into the seat and I follow. Once the door slams closed behind me, she starts giggling softly. I watch as the tension leaves her body. I can’t help but smile back at her.
“We made it.” She pants softly, reaching out her hand to grab my arm, initiating contact.
I spent the whole of last night seducing her, and it looks like my efforts have paid off. It may seem a small and insignificant touch, but I know what it means. It means when not faced with imminent danger, she still wants me.
“Of course we did,” I state confidently, matching her grin with my own.
There’s no need to freak her out and tell her how nervous I was when I saw the SUVs behind us.
“Where you go?” the middle-aged cabby asks aggressively from the front, ruining the moment.
I scowl at him and rattle off the name of a hotel. Then I take out my wallet and peel back several bills before asking to borrow his cell phone. Money always helps in these situations. I make a point of always having cash on hand.
After some negotiation, extortion on the cabby’s part, and several more bills are added, he hands back his cellphone. Last night, I had begrudgingly left mine at the hotel. The brothel doesn’t allow patrons to bring in electronic devices, and I didn’t want it confiscated at the door.
“Who are you calling?”
“I’m texting my assistant, Trevor,” I say. He is waiting for us at my original hotel and will need to meet us at our new location.
I cross my fingers that the text will go through. Calling him is not an option, as I doubt the cabby has an international calling plan.
“You have his number memorized?” Lily asks incredulously as I open the message app and, after locating the English keyboard, begin typing.
Finn: This is Finn. Borrowed a phone. I have Lily. Need to change locations.
“I give it out all the time to people. It’s his work phone,” I tell her. There have been plenty of times when I needed to give someone, usually a woman, a phone number but don’t want them to have access to my private phone.
“How many women have you given it to?” she asks perceptively, smiling widely at me.
I shake my head at her and take hold of her hand. She raises my hand and bites my finger playfully. Shaking off her hold, I grab the back of her neck and pull her into a rough kiss. She comes willingly, grabbing onto my T-shirt and moaning into my mouth.
The phone vibrates in my hand. I quickly pull out of the kiss to read it. Lily giggles, releases her hold on me, and leans back to relax.
Trevor: Where r u headed?
Finn: Where Peter stays. Landmark Mandarin Oriental. We need a reservation. Meet us there.
Trevor: Ok. All packed & ready to go. Have clothes for Lily.
I smile at how efficient the man is.
Lily cuddles up next to me. She links our arms, rests her head on my shoulder, and reads the messages as they pop up on the screen. I kiss her forehead gently.
Finn: Any messages from Peter?
The fucker has a lot to answer for!
Trevor: Peter texted “Meet me in Paris”
Lily’s body shivers against mine. “Fuck Peter. I don’t want to go back to Paris,” she states, her voice laced with understandable fear.
If I had been drugged and kidnapped off the streets of Paris, I wouldn’t be in a hurry to return either.
“Shh, don’t worry, princess,” I tell her in a low voice, resting my head against hers and placing my free hand on her leg to squeeze it lightly.
Trevor: Would you like me to reply?
Finn: No. He can wait.
“You need to tell him I’m safe!” Lily exclaims, shaking my arm. “He’ll be crazy with worry.”
“Don’t worry, he knows you’re with me.” I stroke her leg soothingly, but it continues to vibrate with nervous energy.
Finn: We’ll be there shortly.
I close the message and delete it entirely from the app. Although I doubt the cabby can speak much English, let alone read it, I still do not want my private conversation easily viewable on his phone. Afterward, I turn my full attention to my princess.
“Oh my God, I need to text my mom,” Lily says frantically, grabbing for the phone. “She won’t believe I’m all right until she hears from me.”
“We can’t, princess. Not yet.”
“Why the fuck not?” Lily demands with a fiery angry scowl, which has my cock inconveniently growing hard.
I thought she was sexy last night: quiet, nervous, shy. Virginal.
I was fucking wrong!
“Because,” I growl, fisting the back of her hair. Gripping it tightly, I gain her attention. “Because no one thinks you’re missing.”
“What?” Lily says through a nervous breath.
“I had Trevor look into your disappearance last night and called him back while you were sleeping. He said according to all your social media accounts, you had a great time in Paris and are now back at school.”
“But how?” Her voice cracks slightly, and her grip on my arm tightens.
“I don’t know, princess. That’s something we need to find out.”
“What am I going to do?” Lily asks. I watch as she bites her lip, waiting for my answer.
“We are going to go get changed, have some breakfast, and then come up with a plan.”
“Okay.” She buries herself tighter into my side.
“Don’t worry, you’re not getting rid of me.” I brush a gentle kiss across her lips, and as I pull away, she fists my T-shirt and tugs me back, then kisses me.
This kiss is gentle and unhurried. Right now, we are alone, and no one knows where we are. We are simply passing the time, enjoying the taste and feel of one another, discovering more about the other.
Like the way Lily moans every time I graze her lips with my teeth.
Text Copyright © 2019 Rene Webb, All Rights Reserved
READ NOW (AVAILABLE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED): http://bit.ly/ClaimLilAmz
📣 UPCOMING RELEASE 📣
✅Office Romance
✅Older man, younger woman
✅Missing Cursed Mask
The search for the mask draws them closer together, will the curse tear them apart?
Derek
For the past two years, my assistant Bethany Colombo has unknowingly been tormenting me.
Hiring Bethany to keep my private security company, Pride Security, running smoothly was both the best and worst thing I ever did. There is no question she’s the most reliable and hardworking employee I have. If only she wasn’t wrapped up in such a sweet-smelling, amazing assed, too young for me package.
I hate and crave, in equal measure, each morning when she bounces through the door.
Bethany is exactly what I need to grow my fledgling company and continue to provide for my employees. There’s no way I want to fuck that up…
Bethany
My attraction to Derek Lion has only grown over the years. There’s just one problem... he’s my boss.
Part of Derek’s attraction is that he respects me as a person. Which means he will never act on his feelings.
As Derek and I work together, to find a cursed Venetian mask, I am determined to prove to him that we are a perfect team inside and outside of the office.
I am hell-bent on getting him to finally act on our mutual feelings…
First being released in The Secret of the Jeweled Mask anthology!
Download the Chapter Preview: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/zcndequu4j
Pre-Order the Anthology (releasing 4/30): https://books2read.com/u/3nvMeo
