Sunday Snippet: Submit

It's been a wildweek. Between work and other commitments, I've been frazzled. My sleep scheduleis all over the map and I'm not enjoying the fits and starts of trying to getrest. But … I'll adjust. Hopefully soon.

Our weather hasbeen all over the place. We had a sixty-degree day followed by snow and thirty-fourdegrees. The day after Thanksgiving is supposed to be in the upper teens forthe high. I'm side-eyeing Mother Nature right now.

Work projects arecoming in and I think I'm booked through the end of the year. I'm pleasedbecause December can be a sketchy month sometimes. I don't mind downtime, butI'm definitely not prepared to have limited income this year.

Had a terrible weekof viewing. Too many distractions and said lack of sleep kept me from gettingmuch watched.

I did catch anepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder and kind of enjoyed it. Some familiarfaces as guest stars this week. The mystery was a little lackluster but a goodepisode nonetheless.

I also caught somemarathons of Midsomer Murders. I kind of love the streaming twenty-fourhours of one show channels. It's fun to set a favorite and have a go-to comfortwatch whenever I want.

I'm also looking ata few new shows but haven't decided which ones I want to pick up. I'm alsohoping to get back to my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica. My viewingpartner will help determine if that's going to happen. So much more fun towatch with someone else who loves the show as much as I do.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Submit, a novella seton Furlough 99.

Here's theminiblurb:

Lena Stoll and Welles Abernate work security on a largespace station. While the job pays well, the stress level can quickly skyrocket,but Lena comes up with a great solution—she acts as a dominatrix in herdowntime—much to Welles's surprise.

And a sneaky peek…

Welles sat behind thedesk after patrolling the sectors Balik assigned to him. "Figures Lenawould pick tonight to flake off." Not that he blamed her after pulling thedouble shifts last week.He'd been lucky enoughto be exempt from pulling overtime because he'd just returned from anundercover stint in the mining colony. He had his mandatory debrief and Balik gaveWelles three days to rest and recover from the hard labor he'd endured on theasteroid. He could've come back after two but took the extra time because theirCO didn't do anything without a reason.Welles snorted."Sucks that Lena had to pick up the slack." Even if she proved morethan capable of going full tilt with metaphoric balls to the wall.He enjoyed working withher because she kept a straight head on when shit went sideways … and it oftendid on Furlough 99. Ex-enforcers liked to tempt fate by showing up and wreakinghavoc. Especially when they could stick Balik with the tab of removing themfrom the station.A blip pinged on theholomonitor and Welles swiped the screen. A brief report from an anonymoussender opened. His gut said the guild probably passed the no-name report along.The bounty hunters served a purpose, and Balik gave them free rein as long asthey kept their size seventeen boots away from official security issues.He briefly scanned thelimited details and leaned closer to make sure he read the informationcorrectly. "Shit. Definitely didn't see this coming." He slumped backin the chair.According to the file,an agent happened to be moonlighting in the luxe sector at the Marionette—avery exclusive members-only establishment. Welles would have to investigate tomake sure no underhanded dealing took place. The security agents weren'tallowed to work other jobs because they could play favorites. If they gotcaught … they'd be subject to harsh repercussions, namely losing their positionin the security force.He heaved a sigh andgot to his feet. "I'll have to check this out." He hoped whoever sentthe report had things wrong.Exiting the sectorstation, he took the upglide to the main hub of Furlough then grabbed a lift upto the luxe quad. He got off and went up three more levels. The first hadshopping, shows, gambling slots and various food stations. The second level hadcasino gambling, bars like the Den of Iniquity, and dance clubs. The third hada mix of walk-in and by appointment establishments catering to the lovelorn orthose looking for a bit of recreational pursuits, including sex. The fourthlevel had a more discerning clientele. Less crowded, the people frequentingthis section got appointments with a higher price tag and could apply formembership-only clubs.The fifth level and hisdestination had exclusive membership with a staggering price tag. "Andapparently, one of my coworkers engaging in a side gig."He moved past dark,heavy doors with attendants monitoring access. Anyone trying to get throughwould be required to scan their member pass card or not gain entry. Theattendants were trained to remove interlopers with minimal disruption, whichkept Balik happy.Welles made his way tothe Marionette and flashed his creds. The attendant narrowed his gaze, buzzedthe matron, and let Welles inside. The matron guided him to a plush office andreviewed the information he presented.She then directed him throughthe richly designed halls and stopped before a set of doors. "This isDomina's suite." With a lift of her chin, she backed away and glided backtoward her office.Welles huffed out abreath, wondering who he'd find on the other side.

Having fun withthis one. It's a little different from the other two Furlough books and I'm happyto explore this unique dynamic of the station with Lena and Welles.

 

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

ML Skye