In a shadowy game where defeat can mean death, a deal with the enemy can change things forever.
In 1842, Captain Gabriel O’Riordan of the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars is sent on a
mission to Bukhara. His task—to try to free two of his compatriots from the clutches of a mentally unstable Emir. On his way, he encounters Valentin Yakolev, an officer in the Russian Army, who is also on a mission—to persuade the Emir that an alliance with Russia would be in his best interest. Gabriel, disguised as a holy man, is not happy to be the object of Yakolev’s intense scrutiny. After all, he’s working for the opposing team in the Great Game being played between their two nations. When Gabriel realises that his mission is little more than a forlorn hope, a game he has no chance of winning, he’s desperate enough to turn to Valentin for help and offers him anything in return. What he doesn’t expect is to have his plans to return to Calcutta scuppered by events.
Instead, he and Valentin flee north, fighting off bandits, their desire for each other and the hardship of desert travel. Their travails bring them closer together until a secret from Valentin’s past tears them apart.
Can they set the past behind them and move on together?
Author Bio
S.A. Laybourn lives in Wiltshire with her son and two needy cats. She works as a freelance editor and sometimes writes stories. Her alter-ego S.A. Meade writes gay romance. She loves cooking, reading, gin and tonic and the occasional glass of wine. She is not terribly domesticated and has trouble finding things that she thought she’d put in a ‘safe’ place.
Synopsis: Brody Minton has loved Scarlett Harris for years. But she’s his best friend’s wife, so he’s worked hard to keep his distance. Hearing the marriage is over shouldn’t change anything. Only an ass would make a move on a friend’s ex… Except Scarlett wants help getting back in the dating game, and Brody’s torn. If he helps her out, he can keep an eye on her and guard her vulnerable heart. But having the woman he’s longed for for years in arms’ reach is hell on a man’s restraint, no matter how iron strong his will.But loving Scarlett is only half the fight. All Scarlett Harris wants is to get away for a while and rethink her life after filing for divorce from her lying, cheating bastard of a husband. The gorgeous Bahamas sounds like the perfect escape, except she’s booked in the very resort Brody “The Iron” Minton is staying at for his sister’s wedding. Now her ex’s best friend is dogging her every move, and is a witness to her first pathetic attempts at flirting in years. If Brody isn’t going to leave her alone, then she’ll just recruit him to help get her reacquainted with her single self. NOTE:Although a part of a series, Knocked Out By Love can be read as a standalone novel. Each novel features a new hero and heroine!
Excerpt
Squaring her shoulders, Scarlett opened
the door. Air whooshed out of her lungs at the sexy as hell man standing on her
doorstep in a pair of faded blue jeans that rode low on Brody’s hips and a dark
gray t-shirt that strained against his muscular heavyweight build.
Nothing about what he wore said they were
heading to anything special.
She’d already made a mistake with this
adult relationship thing. She’d treated tonight like a date. She shouldn’t
have. She should’ve dressed in her regular clothes and not spent hour agonizing
on what to wear.
A wolf whistle caught her off guard, and
she jerked her gaze up from his massive chest to his eyes. Blatant hunger
stared back at her from their caramel depths. Desire sliced through her, making
her nipples bead.
Maybe she hadn’t picked the wrong outfit
after all.
“Fucking hot,” he murmured.
And she stood a little taller, thrusting
her breasts out. It was amazing how Brody made her feel like the sexiest woman
in the world. Not cute. Not adorable. Not even pretty.
But hot. Sensual. Sexy.
“That makes two of us,” she said. “Damn,
I’m a lucky girl.”
A grin stretched his lips. “You ready?” He
held up his hand.
It took her a moment to register the
helmet. Then her gaze shot past his shoulder to the road, her throat tightened.
Parked at the curb was Brody’s Harley.
She didn’t ride. He knew that. Had respected that in the years she’d known him. Why
would he bring that damned thing tonight?
“Where’s your Mercedes?” she asked, unable
to tear her eyes off the death machine.
“At home in the garage.”
She finally dragged her gaze to him, only
to come face-to-face with his challenging expression. Oh, he could totally go
screw himself. “I’m not getting on that thing.”
“Yes, you will,” he said without being the
slightest deterred by her refusal.
“Oh really?” She crossed her arms, irked
by his assurance. “And how exactly do you plan to make me?”
He mimicked her posture. “I’m not going to
make you. You’re going to do it yourself.”
“How’s that?”
“Because you want to try new things.”
“True. But riding a motorcycle is not on
my bucket list. Sorry.”
He stepped forward, crowding her into the
door. Her heart picked up pace as the scent of his cologne swam around her
nose. “Think about it, Scarlett. The vibration between your legs. Your arms
wrapped around my waist. The wind whipping past you. No compartment holding you
in. You’re one with the outdoors. It’s a freedom you need to experience at
least once.”
The image he painted formed in her mind.
All she could focus on was his large body
cradled between her legs as they flew down the highway, her hair whipping
behind her. Her palms pressed to his chest. Why was the idea enticing?
Because it was Brody. Anything with him
enticed her.
DON'T MISS THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE LOVE TO THE EXTREME SERIES...
Synopsis: Dante "Inferno" Jones is used to winning in the ring. But when the MMA fighter meets pretty Caitlyn Moore, he seems to be striking out left and right. The more Cait denies his advances, the more intrigued he becomes by the sharp-tongued beauty. She's a challenge he cannot resist. Comfortable with the average Joe, Cait doesn't get it when the ultra-masculine Dante walks into her life and expresses an interest in her. Sure, she's shed eighty pounds and her confidence is building, but there's nothing spectacular about her. Certainly not enough to hang onto a ripped babe-magnet like Dante, whose violent profession, catty groupies, and cruel competitors are already making her life a living hell. Dante's light-hearted pursuit quickly becomes a battle to win her heart as they find themselves thrown together again and again and it's affecting his training. Cait won't let him lose the biggest fight of his career because of her, but when her plan to keep him focused lands her in the dangerous clutches of Dante's vicious opponent, there is more at stake than just the championship belt.
Synopsis: Talk about kicking a fighter while he's down.Former Middleweight champion and confirmed bachelor Tommy "Lightning" Sparks has lost it all: his belt, his career, and now his home. After the devastating fire, he moves in with his drama-free best friend, Julie. One encounter changes everything and Julie is no longer the girl he's spent his life protecting but a desirable woman he wants to take to his bed. Knowing his reputation, he's determined to protect Julie more than ever—from himself. Veterinarian Julie Rogers has been in love with Tommy since she was ten, but would love to get over the man. She's quiet nights at home and a glass of wine. He's clubbing all night and shots of tequila. As friends they work great. As a couple? No way in hell. She just can't get her heart to agree. When she starts spending time with another fighter, the man who's always treated her like a sister is suddenly not being very brotherly and enflames her body like never before. Can two childhood friends make a relationship work, or will they lose everything because they stopped FIGHTING LOVE?
Synopsis: Mac “The Snake” Hannon has spent years throwing himself into cage fighting as a way to lash back at the natural disaster that destroyed his future. A call for help has Mac returning to the one place he swore never to return: Kansas—in the height of tornado season. There he meets free-spirited Gayle Andrews. At first he wants nothing to do with the infuriatingly, persistent woman, but the crazy challenges she tosses his way are impossible to resist. As she thaws years of bitterness, bringing back the Mac he believed long gone, he starts to make peace with the past and see the future again. Until he learns she chases his worst nightmare, then he can’t get away fast enough. Meteorologist and storm chaser, Gayle Andrews is no stranger to being left behind and now believes in living in the moment. She wants to do just that with the handsome extreme fighter with the achingly sad eyes. As she works to replace the sorrow with desire, she finds herself breaking her one rule: have fun, but don’t fall in love. When he suddenly pushes her away and she discovers the horrifying reason why, she issues one more challenge: face his fear and come on a chase with her. Will squaring off with the past lead to a victory for heartache or love?
Synopsis: Doctor Ella Watts wants her old life back. Desperately. But the past has returned for its rematch, and going back home—even telling anyone her real name—isn’t an option until she’s confident in her MMA abilities. Personal trainer Lance Black is the man to help her reach her goals. Not only is he toned, muscular, and gorgeous, he’s patient, a great teacher, and willing to treat her like a worthy opponent. Except his size makes her freeze whenever he gets too close. If Ella can’t learn how to overcome her fear of being attacked, she’ll never be able to move on with her life. Underground fighter Lance Black knows there’s more to the mysterious blonde ninja than a beautiful woman determined to improve her fighting skills. She can best anyone close to her size – man or woman – but insists on working out with him, even though he’s got a good 70 pounds and several inches on her. Despite her reticence, he’s determined to get her to open up so he can help her get over her mental block. And if that means he can get to know her outside the gym, all the better. As long as she never learns his secrets.
ABOUT ABBY NILES
Abby Niles is the author of the contemporary MMA series, Love to the Extreme, and the paranormal series, The Awakening. She is also the author to the geeky romantic comedy, Defying Convention, where Live Action Role Players (LARPers) set out to teach their favorite author a lesson, but end up playing matchmaker instead.Abby lives in North Carolina with the love of her life and their combined gaggle of kids. When she’s not writing, she’s trying to catch up on an endless pile of laundry and find time to get some much needed reading in.
A snowstorm in the South—on New Year’s Eve—is a perfect recipe for a catastrophe. After two soul-crushing bad breaks, Kirk’s waiting for disaster number three to strike when, naturally, two stray cats arrive on his doorstep during the storm and decide to make themselves at home. Tenderhearted Kirk lets them stay even though there’s something decidedly odd about his overly friendly felines.
Out of the punishing weather and full of tuna, Dolf and Tal are happy to be snug in Kirk’s house. But then their human goes outside for firewood and suffers a nasty fall that leaves him unconscious. Now the two cats have no choice but to reveal themselves.
Kirk wakes up to find the two kitties are actually Dolf and Tal. They’re cat shifters—and his destined mates. Being part of a feline threesome is enough for Kirk to grapple with, but soon he learns they come from a clowder that doesn’t believe humans and shifters should mix. Kirk knew those two cats would be trouble. Little does he know the real trouble lies ahead.
Buch 1 in der Serie - Fell, Fangzähne und Feliden
Ein Schneesturm im Süden – an Silvester – das kann nur in einer Katastrophe enden. Nach zwei schweren Schicksalsschlägen wartet Kirk nun auf den dritten, als plötzlich zwei Katzen in sein Leben platzen und Schutz vor der Kälte suchen. Kirk nimmt die beiden auf, obwohl er es sich eigentlich nicht leisten kann und die Katzen sich sehr auffällig verhalten. Dolf und Tal machen es sich bei Kirk bequem. Als ihr Mensch beim Holzholen schwer stürzt und sich verletzt, haben die beiden keine andere Wahl, sie müssen offenbaren, was sie sind.
Als Kirk aufwacht, muss er feststellen, dass er keine Katzen, sondern Katzenwandler aufgenommen hat und nicht nur das, er ist ihr Gefährte. Eine Dreierbeziehung, noch dazu mit zwei Katzenwandlern, ist schon schwierig genug, aber bald muss sich Kirk auch noch mit feindseligen Rudelmitgliedern rumärgern, die der Meinung sind, dass sich Wandler nicht mit Menschen einlassen sollten.
Kirk hatte geahnt, dass die beiden Katzen, Dolf und Tal, Ärger bedeuten würden, aber er hat keine Ahnung, was wirklich noch auf ihn zukommen sollte.
Fur, Fangs, and Felines: Book Two A cool morning, a yard full of birds, and a kitty on a mission. What more could a werecat want? Beta Heller Wirth has it all, except a mate—a shifter mate, that is. The last thing he wants is one of those dangerous humans who kill without remorse. Heller knows about that firsthand. So what does the goddess Bast do? She gives Heller exactly what he does not want—a human: business owner Lawson Dupre. Lawson hasn’t a clue what just happened in his car detail shop. One minute a cute client is about to pass out, and then he perks up and starts flirting. Next thing, he runs out the door like the hounds of hell are after him. Learning that Heller is a werecat doesn’t freak out Lawson. He happens to be one of those rare humans who knows paranormals exists. He even lives with one. Watch the fur fly as Heller and Lawson battle hurt feelings, misguided beliefs, and a power shift in Heller’s clowder.
Can two very different men find the love they need to survive?
Remi Ginn’s an easygoing werecat with a love of snarky T-shirts who would be perfectly happy with a human mate. Is that what the goddess Bast gives him? Of course not. Instead she gifts him with Marshell, a Vetala: a snakelike nonshifter who drinks blood to survive. A man who’s just as toppy as Remi—and even more powerful than the West Falls Clowder’s Alpha and heir apparent.
While Remi decides whether he can handle the fates’ choice, hunters attack Marshell. In an explosion of passion, Remi and Marshell mate and Remi declares Marshell his. Now they have to figure out how to make their relationship work as they dance around each other.
The clowder is in turmoil, and Remi’s acceptance of Marshell rocks the very foundation of the insular group. The consequences will be far-reaching. And if that isn’t problem enough, the situation with the hunters is far from resolved… as the appearance of an Alpha werewolf proves.
“So where are we going?” “Place called Seafood Palace,” Lawson said. “Name might be a little cheesy, but
the food’s to die for.” We were still on the back road that led to the main street when I noticed
lights coming up behind us—coming up fast. It could be a cop, except I didn’t
see any flashing lights. I didn’t like it. “Lawson—” “Yeah, yeah, I see it. Man, they’re flying.” Lawson kept glancing in the
rearview mirror. “You buckled up?” “Yes. You?” I checked just in case as I turned around to look out the back
window. “Always. Damn, Marshell, I don’t like this.” Lawson gripped the steering wheel.
“They’re still in my lane. Shit, they’re cutting it close.” I noticed Lawson moved his truck closer to the shoulder and slow down. I had a
bad, bad feeling about this. If this was that fucking werewolf, I was going to
rip his throat out if I got my hands on him. My heart rate spiked as I watched
the lights getting closer. They now were practically on top of us and didn’t
look like they were going around. “Fucking hell, get ready, Lawson. They’re going to—” The headlights clipped us.
Metal screeched, and I grabbed the dash. We lurched forward with a snap, and I damn near bit my tongue off. My neck
screamed, and the seatbelt tightened against me as we fishtailed. Fuck ripping
the were’s throat out. I was going to rip his head off. If Lawson got hurt,
Heller would likely rip my head off. “Aw fuck!” Lawson fought the wheel, cussing a blue streak as his hands flew
over it. “Shit, shit, shit, they’re coming again, the fuckers. Brace yourself!” “Son of a bitch!” This was no kid who’d lost control or some drunk out riding
around. Whoever was behind us had used the pit maneuver. Cops often used it to shut
down car chases. Had the were been a cop at some point? Maybe he still was?
Then I forgot everything as the other vehicle rammed us again. This time
Lawson’s truck spun completely around, and the smell of burning rubber hit me
like a ton of bricks. Lights, trees, and smoke from the tires sped past us in a crazy twirling mass.
The truck slowed noticeably, then stopped. My gums tingled as my fangs dropped,
and my vision dramatically sharpened, which meant my eyes had changed to that
eerie blue. Lawson’s fear soaked the truck, and that pumped my adrenaline even higher.
Whoever had scared Lawson so badly was going to die a slow death by my hand.
The other vehicle, nothing more than a flash of black, pulled in front of us,
blocking our way. I snarled at it. “You okay?” I yelled at Lawson, keeping an eye on the other vehicle. Lawson’s
truck lights shined on the Crown Victoria. Two shadowy figures moved in the cab
of the car. Two? That’s odd. “I’m fine! Shit, Marshell. What are we going to do?” “You still carrying that knife?” “Yes!” “Good. Get it. Now!” The attackers leaped from the vehicle. Had the werewolf brought backup? One figure was smaller than the other one, but
that didn’t mean much to a shifter. That attacker approached Lawson’s side of
the vehicle and struck the window with a baton. A baton? Oh hell. “Oh fuck,” Lawson yelled as glass shattered. The window broke with one hit. “Godda—” Lawson unbuckled his seatbelt, jerking away from the hands that came
at him through the broken window. A purely human scent flooded Lawson’s truck cab. Roaring in anger, I flung my door open and jumped out. This wasn’t the werewolf
who’d been stalking me. He wouldn’t be using a specially made baton with a cap
on the end to break windows. He’d just yank the door off the truck or put his
fist through it to get in.
M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles. It’s a full time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!
When not writing, she’s on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two grown children.
She was a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards, runner up in the 2015 Rainbow Awards, and is a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
Synopsis: Marnie Somerville is sure Dane MacLain is just another bad guy. Her job as resident investigator at Whitman Enterprises is to track down the owners of delinquent accounts, but something about Dane’s case is off, and Marnie can’t resist a good mystery. The secret files and cover-up she finds after hacking her boss’s computer are more than she expected, and now she’s fleeing her former employer…right into Dane’s arms. Former detective Dane MacLain has spent the last year gathering intel against Whitman Enterprises, the company he believes responsible for his wife’s death. When a beautiful and intense woman shows up with information, Dane is willing to accept all she has to offer, especially when the help comes in such a sexy package. Caught in a deadly cat and mouse chase, Dane must do everything he can to protect Marnie as they run for their lives.
Excerpt:
Damn. This
was his room. She knew it. It smelled of him. She pressed her ear to the door,
wondering if he’d follow her upstairs. She heard nothing.
Throwing
herself on the bed, she pulled quilts that smelled of MacLain to her face and
rolled to her side. Thoughts of his hands on her, his kisses—it was all she
could think about, all she wanted to think about. She was shaking in reaction,
and then suddenly she was afraid.
Reality,
the bitch that she was, would not be denied. There was nothing more dangerous than
wanting something you couldn’t have. What was she doing? She’d been down this
road before. She knew better.
Marnie
threw her feet over the edge of the bed, patted the quilt a few times, and then
forced herself to do what was necessary. She walked to the bedroom door and
locked it for her own good. MacLain’s, too. Then she lay back in bed. She told
herself she wasn’t waiting to see if he would follow her. She wasn’t waiting to
see if he wanted to continue that crazy, passionate embrace they’d started in the
kitchen. She wasn’t. Because then she’d have to care if he didn’t come to the
door. She’d have to mourn her fantasies, two months in the making, and set them
free despite knowing she and MacLain would be attached at the hip for the
foreseeable future. She wasn’t sure which was worse, him not coming, or her
sending him away.
Who was
she kidding? If he didn’t come, she’d die.
It took
five minutes. He tried the knob, found it was locked, and then he knocked. She
wanted to open the door. She wanted a lot in life, but there were some things
she’d learned weren’t for people like Marnie. Reach for it, and you got burned.
Dane MacLain was one of those things. She’d rather burn for him now than be
burned by him later.
He didn’t
knock again. But once was enough for her. That once would keep her warm, would
fuel her dreams and be consolation for things that couldn’t be. She gathered
the quilt to her chest and curled up into a ball, wondering how she’d gotten
herself in this mess.
ABOUT KRIS RAFFERTY
Kris Rafferty was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After earning a Bachelor’s in Arts from the University of Massachusetts/ Boston, she married her college sweetheart, traveled the country and wrote books. Three children and a Pomeranian/Shih Tzu mutt later, she spends her days devoting her life to her family and her craft.
Sometimes you need to go back to your past, in order to move on to your future. Jax Hunter has spent the last ten years trying to forget his first love Nathan Steele—and the brutal betrayal that derailed everything he’d worked so hard for. Jax has finally gotten his life back together, when Nathan returns to deliver another blow – his company is set to bulldoze the bar he’s built from nothing. Ever since that summer in high school, Nathan has been denying his feelings for Jax—the only person he’s ever loved. Nathan knows Jax might never forgive him, but when Nathan’s uncle is murdered and Nathan might be next on the hit-list, Jax is the only one he can turn to. Jax still doesn’t trust Nathan—not with his bar, and for damn sure, not with his heart. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is to resist the undeniable passion between them. Can they overcome their past hurts and learn to trust each other again? Or will another betrayal tear them apart forever?
Today I’m pleased to welcome my friend, Cali Mackay, and her writing partner – and my new friend - Julie Farrell. Cali and I have known each other for a few years now, and I get to beta her traditional MF romances, but she and Julie are now branching into MM romance and boy what fun I had reading Taken Back (out 27th July 2016)! Cali’s American, a mum of two (not counting pets!) and married to an Irishman, and Julie comes from Good Old England, but is currently living in Spain in the sunshine. Let’s get to know them without further ado.
Roroblu’s Mum: Cali and Julie, thank you for agreeing to being grilled interviewed by yours truly. So, please tell us all about yourselves and how your writing collaboration started.
Cali and Julie: We first met online via a good friend and fellow romance writer, and clicked straight away. We’re part of a small group of writers that meets daily online, so we’ve gotten to know each other very well. We decided to start collaborating only in February of this year, and we’ve had so much fun working together, especially when we met up for a writers’ retreat in Maine. We laughed so much it hurt but were able to get lots of Taken Back written.
Roroblu’s Mum: And ladies, how easy was it going from writing MF to writing MM? And, why the change to MM? What do you consider the main writing differences…apart, obviously, from the down and dirty stuff?
Cali and Julie: Julie was actually already writing MM when she first met Cali, and she loves it. And Cali had done some erotica that involved MFF, MMF, and anything goes!
We both enjoy reading MM and figured it was a natural progression for our writing. The main differences are trying to wrangle all the masculine pronouns (he, his, him, etc.) without confusing the reader or sounding repetitive. Also, the tension and conflict is oftentimes coming from a different place, for example dealing with issues of homophobia in society.
Roroblu’s Mum: Julie, name 3 things you couldn’t live without, and 3 things you wish would just bog off and leave you alone.
Julie: Tea, yoga, and books are a must. Things I’d like to do without are sunburn, homophobia, and spiders.
Roroblu’s Mum: Cali, you also design your own book covers - what side of your book activities do you enjoy more – the writing or the book covers? If you weren’t writing and designing covers, what would your days consist of?
Cali: I love writing. That said, sometimes it’s fun to take a break and play around on Photoshop. As for career choices, if I wasn’t writing, I’d probably be working in some biotech lab.
Roroblu’s Mum: How long did it take you to plan and write Taken Back, and how did you write the tale with the Atlantic dividing you? Did you each write a character/a chapter/did one concentrate on dialogue and the other storyline? I mean, it’s a story set in the US, with US leads, written by a British author and an American one…
Cali and Julie: It only took four months to write, and planning was done over a very excited Skype call. At the beginning we each took a character and wrote their chapter (Cali wrote Jax, Julie wrote Nate). But when we were in Maine, we discovered that it was so much easier to write together, while sitting side-by-side, so we decided to use Skype and ‘share screen’ to emulate that experience. Which means we can write even faster!
Roroblu’s Mum: What do you do in your spare time? What’s your idea of the perfect day off?
Cali and Julie: Write other stories! ;) To be honest, we spend all day every day writing and dealing with other book stuff—but we love doing it. Although, Julie does manage to escape for yoga twice a week, and Cali’s family drags her out of the house from time to time.
Roroblu’s Mum: Ladies, where can fans meet you in 2016 and 2017?
Cali and Julie: Dublin, Ireland in October 2016, Mobile, AL in March 2017, and then Chester, UK in April 2017. Though we may still add other dates.
Roroblu’s Mum: I see that book 2, Taken Again (featuring Carter from Taken Back), is out in Autumn 2016 – can we have a bit of a teaser - a Divine exclusive - please? And, how many books are planned in the series?
Cali and Julie: Sure, here’s chapter one! We plan to write at least five books in this series.
A Divine Exclusive Excerpt from Book 2
Carter
It was almost as if the air in the bar shifted around me. Despite it being a packed Friday night, I immediately spotted him and my heart dropped, years of anger and betrayal surging through my soul. “Are you fucking kidding me? What the fuck are you doing here?”
I growled out the words, grabbing the baseball bat from behind the bar. I needed him gone. Needed him out of my life once and for all. Riding on a wave of fury, I stalked towards the guy who’d shattered my heart and abandoned me. I shoved Seth, my hands connecting hard with his muscular chest. “You fucking asshole. Get the fuck out of my bar.”
“Carter… just hear me out.” Seth did nothing to defend himself, an exhausted look of apology on his face, his soulful brown eyes pleading with me to listen. “Please… can we talk? This is important.”
“I don’t fucking care. You lost the right to my help when you chose your lies over me.” Emotions I had longed buried assaulted me, ripping open wounds that had never fully healed, even if I’d somehow mustered the strength to keep moving forward with my life, though he’d always haunted my thoughts, making it impossible to truly move on.
Before Seth could argue with me, Jackson was at my side, stepping between us and taking up my fight, though I was happy to deal with himself. “Sorry, but you need to take your ass out of here, before this gets ugly.”
“Honestly, I didn’t come here looking for trouble. I just need to talk to Carter—and it can’t wait.” Seth sounded rattled and desperate enough to have me wondering what the hell was going on, since he’d never been anything but cool and calm, unwilling to waiver from his rockstar image—not that I cared.
I put a hand on Jackson’s arm to let him know I was okay, and had this under control. If anyone was going to throw Seth out, it’d be me. “I’ve got this. He’s leaving The Goat—either under his own steam, or with my help.
” Jackson stepped aside, though he didn’t go far, nor did he take his eyes off Seth as I stepped forward and grabbed him by his worn leather jacket, and hauled towards the door, the patrons of The Goat all clearing the way. I ignored his pleas as I dragged him outside into the cold night and rid myself of him with a hard shove.
He spun to face me, still looking devastatingly handsome with his tousled dark hair, deep brown eyes, and new tats peeking from his T-shirt onto his neck. “Someone knows, Carter. Please… I’m not asking for a lot. I just need to talk to you.”
“Yeah, well, I’m fucking busy working for a living.” And just like that, I turned around and walked back into The Goat, leaving him on the sidewalk as he called my name.
Not that he was going anywhere.
At the end of the night, I found him leaning against my car, his long legs stretched out in front of him. I waved off Jackson and Nate, knowing they wouldn’t be happy that Seth was still lingering, and though they got in their car, they didn’t leave.
I shook my head and unlocked my car, pulling the door open. “You’re like a bad fucking penny, Seth.”
“For fuck’s sake… I just want to talk to you.” His London accent had yet to fade, despite his years of living in the States—and fuck, but it still made my cock go hard, even he was a bastard. “Just let me buy you a midnight breakfast. There’s got to be some twenty-four-hour place around here.
” I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but if it was related to his secret, then I’d be a real asshole if I walked away without at least hearing him out. “Get in the fucking car then. Pain in the ass.
” His expression relaxed with relief, as he climbed into my car, and I gave the boys a wave to let them know it was okay, so they wouldn’t be waiting around and worrying. I drove us out of town, towards the only diner still open this late at night. Tension hung in the air between us, our past issues too big to ignore, despite the years apart.
“I’m sorry, you know… I never meant to hurt you.” The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard, though it did little to temper my hurt and anger with him.
“Well that’s just fucking brilliant then. I guess that makes it all better.” I forced myself to focus on the road, my hands tight on the steering wheel as I gripped it to keep from throttling him. “Because you’re clearly here to apologize, rather than because you need something. Fucking manipulative bastard.”
“It’s not as if you’d accept my apology anyway, if I’d come here out of the blue—and you sure as shit don’t want to see me, so why would I have come here to stir things up other than because I need your help and my life is on the line.” He let an exasperated sigh and ran a rough hand through his hair, the action at once so familiar.
Ignoring him, I pulled into the parking lot and walked towards the diner, leaving him to follow, without so much as a glance in his direction. Because he might be in trouble, but he was still an asshole.
Of course, I should have known better than to go anywhere in public with him. We’d barely been shown to our table when heads began to turn in our direction, and a rumble of whispers started. I groaned, hating this, knowing exactly how it would play out, his adoring fans swarming him for autographs and pictures.
And I was in no fucking mood.
As Seth’s fans found the courage to approach him, I bit back my frustration, and waited it out, grateful that it was two in the morning and most his fans were in bed. And being the constant performer that he was, his mood shifted to a carefree smile that lit up his eyes with a sultry soulfulness that even I had a hard time ignoring, which was exactly why Seth Black was so fucking dangerous to be around.
To his credit, he did his best to wrap things up quickly, before turning back to me.
“Sorry about that. You know what it’s like.”
“Yeah… all too well, which is why you’re no longer in my life.” That wasn’t exactly the truth since we’d broken up for completely different reasons, but at the moment, I didn’t give a shit about the details. “What the fuck do you want, Seth? Because my patience with you was razor thin to begin with.”
His mood was now dead serious, and the genuine fear in his eyes was a rare thing, which only spoke to how dire things were for him. “Did you tell anyone?”
My rage returned at the implied accusation. “You’re a fucking asshole. How could you think I’d do something like that? I’m not the one who betrays people in this relationship—that honor is all yours.
” He pulled out a letter and slid it across the table at me. “Well, someone found out, and you’re the only other person who knows the truth.
” I opened the letter to a mostly blank page, with just a single line typed across it.
I know what you did at Clearwater Lake.
I could see why Seth was so freaked out now. “Is that it? They didn’t send anything else?
” Seth leaned forward across the table, keeping his voice to a whisper as I folded the paper back up again. “No… nothing. I don’t even know what they fucking want with me. I don’t know who they are… what they know... They’ve asked for no money, and the cops haven’t arrested me.”
“And you don’t have any clue as to who’s behind this?” Because by the looks of it, Seth was screwed.
“No… no clue at all. And that’s why I need your help. I’m begging you, if you ever felt anything for me, you won’t let me deal with this on my own.”
And yet, that was exactly what I was going to do.
Roroblu’s Mum: Do you read reviews of your books? If yes and it comes to your attention that a reader/reviewer didn’t get the ending he/she wanted from your book, how would that make you feel? Would it make you sad/irritated/a little dejected, or would you try to see through the comments and realise that you’ve touched a person’s life? Would it make you feel as if you had to write more, give readers what they want/need?
Cali and Julie: We both realize that you can’t make everyone happy, and different people want different things from a book. That said, if multiple reviewers say the same thing, then it’s something we’ll definitely look into and might consider changing. As for feeling sad or irritated, not at all. We’ve both been writing long enough to have pretty thick skin and not take reviews personally. When it comes to giving readers what they want, we definitely want them to be happy, but we also try to maintain a balance of telling the story that we want to tell.
Roroblu’s Mum: What’s your secret super power (well, not so secret once you answer this)? And what’s your Kryptonite?
Cali: Mine is both. It’s that I’m ADD, which helps me because I tend to have a lot of energy to get stuff done, but I also get easily distracted so I have a hard time focusing for any length of time on what I’m working on.
Julie: This isn’t my experience of Cali at all! I feel like she’s SO focused she’d have us working twenty-four hours a day, and I’d have to sneak out to go to the bathroom and grab some tea. ;) But this is obviously great for our working partnership.
Roroblu’s Mum: Do your friends and family know you write gay romance? Are you open about it, or is it a secret entrusted to a few? Have you encountered any incomprehension/questions/strange looks/disapproval/the third degree?
Cali and Julie: We’re both open about it. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Roroblu’s Mum: What kind of research did you do you do for your guys, plot and theme? Do you know many MM couples IRL that you draw inspiration from? Do you have a…ahem…purely for research purposes only (yeah…right!) Grindr profile? Do you subscribe to any…sites where you can do visual research?
Cali and Julie: For research, we use Tumblr extensively for – ahem – visual research, and we read a lot of other MM romance books.
Roroblu’s Mum: And finally, ladies, the quick fire round:
What’s your favourite song? Our song is There She Goes by the LAs, which we both love.
What can you be bribed with? Ice cream for Cali. Tea and cake for Julie.
What about the UK/US makes you proudest? Cali: I live in a very liberal state, and I’m proud of that. Julie: That we have freedom, democracy, and tea.
Tom Hiddleston or Matt Bomer? (Er, you’re allowed extra time to ogle, drool…research and compare. We both love Matt!
Describe yourself in one word. Cali: Amazing Julie: Lovely. (We’re doing each other, yeah baby!)
Next holiday destination? Cali: Greece. Julie: Actually, it’ll be the UK!
Italian, Greek, English or French (can refer to food, drink and/or guys, lol – you choose!). Julie: All of the above. Cali: That works for me too. Just throw a Scotsman in wearing a kilt.
Favourite scent on a guy? Cali: Mont Blanc, Legend. Julie: Just good old fashioned manly sweat.
Slave to cats, BFF to a dog or something else entirely? Cali: I’m a sucker for all animals, my husband is the only one keeping me from opening a zoo. Julie: I love cats.
The weirdest bit of fan mail you’ve had is….? Cali: I had a stalker sending me pictures of dead deer, while he held a rifle. Julie: Luckily I’ve so far escaped the weirdos.
Plotter or pantser? Cali: Total pantser. Julie loves to plot. But we find our balance together.
Who would play Jax and Nate if the guys made it to screen? Jensen Ackles for Jax, and Nate would be played by Theo James.
Last one, I promise – what’s your guilty pleasure? Julie: Brad Pitt smeared in chocolate sauce. Cali: Binge-watching series on Netflix.
Cali MacKay and Julie Farrell are romance writers and long-time friends, who have combined their passion for M/M romance to write together, bringing you the steamy stories they've dreamed up. they've had a blast writing them, and hope their passion for the stories will come through in their writing, and you'll enjoy the characters they've brought to life, just as much as they do.
