Interview with fantasy author Katie Zaber #authorinterview #fantasyauthors

Meet fantasy author Katie Zaber

 Interview

1.  Tell me about yourself. What inspired you to write?

 

I’ve always been creative, but never took up writing until I was recovering from surgery, was on a lot of meds, and let my imagination loose. Once off the meds and healed, I edited the story, building and rearranging, working through drafts until I was happy.

2. Describe your desk / writing space.

 

I sit in front of a walnut stained secretary desk with a hutch holding an array of keepsakes. Albums, picture frames, my Snoopy collection, souvenirs, and nostalgic knickknacks line the shelves of the hutch.

My work space is a wonderland of post-it notes in three different colors: pink, neon-yellow, and green. On the right corner of my desk, shoved between the monitor and notary stamp, is a yellow, mini-spiral notebook that contains book outlines, plots, and ideas. Little sticker tabs separate the notebook into different sections. The tabs not in use are floating on the surface of pamphlets and lists of login information to accounts I hardly visit.

A leather bounded diary with nautical embellishments, complete with anchor bookmark, holds random thoughts and sketches. A mechanical pencil can be spotted, hiding between the yellow notebook and leather diary. Its extra parts—erasers & extra graphite are strewn about the entire desk.

Between the post-it notes there are three hacky sacks. There’s also a rectangular leather box with a brass kaleidoscope made to look like it was used on a whimsical pirate ship.

It’s a happy mess.

 

3. Do you have a writing routine or do you write when inspired?

 

I try to stick to a schedule, but that normally doesn’t happen and I end up writing when inspired.

 

4.  How do you come up with the title to your books?

 

When I write a book, I usually have a broad idea of what I want to call it, but I usually decide when I’ve finished the first draft. Almost like a parent meeting their new born. They might have an idea of what they want to name the child while pregnant, but that can change when they see the baby face to face and realize he isn’t a Jim, he’s a Stephen. Kind of like that.

 

5. What was the hardest scene for you to write? Which scene was your favorite to write?

 

Intimate scenes. They are my weak spot. I feel like I can never get them exactly right.

My favorite ones are when I’m describing something for the first time. When I introduce the reader to a new environment, object, or food, my goal is for the reader to feel the mist and sun on their skin. I want them to see in minute details what the character is looking at and taste the juice running down their cheeks as character bites into fruit.

 

 6. What inspired your book/series?

 

My fantasy series, Dalya was inspired by the song, Lord of the Dance. Somehow, it was stuck in my head and my imagination took over. I pictured a king singing the song—a much more sinister version—while destroying a village of people who disobeyed him. At first, the story was going to be about him and how his reign ends, but I didn’t want to tell it from his perspective. That’s where Megan comes in.

 

My other series, DNA Demons N Angels was inspired by a recurring nightmare. It’s weird, I know. But I kept having a dream that out of the blue I was pregnant and that it was a demon. One day, I played around with the idea of what it would be like to be the mother of something different. The story grew from there.

 

7. What are you working on next?

 

After that, I plan on writing the second book in my paranormal romance series, DNA Demons N Angels. I’m playing with the title, Raising Hell, How to Survive the Terrible Twos. Here is a link to the first few chapters of the first book. DNA Demons N Angels

 

8. What authors or books have influenced your writing?

 

There’s a few. I’d say Margaret Atwood, J.R.R. Tolkien, John Conroe, Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne, Karen Marie Morning, Jennifer Estep, Laini Taylor, and Chuck Palahniuk are some of the biggest influencers. However, I’d like to think I’ve absorbed a little bit from every book I’ve read.

9.  If you could live anywhere, in this world or fantasy, where would you live?

 

I’d love to live on a winery in southern Italy. The architecture is breath-taking and I love the small villages with cobblestone streets, knowing your local artisans by name and buying locally from them. There’s something really romantic and peaceful about that small village lifestyle that I hope to one day experience.

 

If I got to live in a fantasy world, it would be made of chocolate and it wouldn’t be frowned upon if I ate everything.

 10.  What is your favorite meal?

 

I’m a steak and potatoes kind of lady, but the steak needs a decadent brandy cream sauce and buttery garlic whipped potatoes.

 

11.  Coffee or tea? Wine or beer?

 

A good cup of black tea with a little bit of sugar and milk is my go to in the morning. If I drink coffee, its half milk, and I don’t count the how much sugar.

I love sweet, fruity wines.

 

12.  Describe yourself in three words.

 

Curious, Spaz, Sensible

Katie's Books

 

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Katie's Bio

Katie Zaber, author of the series Dalya and DNA, is a fantasy author whose imagination knows no bounds. As a child, her parents read stories about Atlantis and other fictional places that she dreamed of exploring, fueling her love of history, adventure, and fantasy. She loves to spend what little free time she has winemaking, baking, and reading. When she has a full day to herself, you can find her at the beach or at a winery. Her favorite meals are the ones her boyfriend cooks, and she loves spending quiet nights at home with him, binge watching new fantasy shows or play video games.

Katie's Links

Newsletter and Free ebook of Ashes and Blood - https://www.subscribepage.com/s4t6x8

Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/Katie-Zaber/e/B087YXPDF2

Website- https://zaberbooks.com/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20290665.Katie_Zaber

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/katie-zaber

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dalyaseries

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Zaberbooks

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zaberbooks/

History knows him as Aedan the Treacherous, Cat's Curse #PNR #Historical #MFRWSTEAM

New Release! Do you like romance, intrigue, and star-crossed love? A mixture of history and Celtic mythology, Cat’s Curse is an ancient Scotland paranormal romance based on a real Irish king known as Aedan the Treacherous in the Welsh court. Warning: Iron-willed enchantresses, hunky sword-wielding warriors, some violence and steamy sex, more than a little blood-drinking, a complicated love triangle, and lots of passion.

He’s a cursed, exiled Irish prince. She’s a succubus with lost memories. Destiny brought them together. Their dark secrets will tear them apart.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Y6BYMGN

Steamy excerpt:

Cardea climbed on top of him and brushed her naked body along his shaft in a slow, sensual cat-like crawl. His muscles caressed her skin, and she wanted him more than she’d ever wanted another.

“Ye desire to ride the horse.” He chuckled, low and soft. “I thought as much.”

She slid onto him, his length eliciting tremors throughout, the passion and bloodlust building to great heights. The hard lines of his face softened, and his eyes brightened to a joyful blue different from the tormented darkness always present there. He cupped her breasts in his large hands, teasing her nipples to peaks. A blissful shiver rushed from her nipples to her sex.

“I enjoy the view from here.” He grinned at her.

She glided up and down on his hard, sleek shaft, circling her hips to find the point of pleasure. Pleasing shocks coursed through her pelvis, the orgasm cresting. She used her inner muscles to squeeze his length, eliciting a groan from him. It filled her with a sense of power to have such a hold on him if only for a short time.

Aedan’s breathing grew ragged with exertion as his orgasm closed in.

She bent against his chest and found the bulging vein in his neck. Her breasts pressed against his muscled chest in a pleasing crush, their hearts beating as one. The blood pumped in his vein, loud and hypnotic, demanding she drink. She licked his neck, savored the saltiness of his skin, and lost her hold on her emotions. Overpowered by the bloodlust, Cardea’s eyeteeth lengthened with both desire and hunger. Her lower body trembled, giving her the sensation of teetering on the edge of an abyss.

“Cardea,” he whispered in a ragged voice, grasped her hips, and pushed himself deeper within her, his entire length pressing to her core.

Aedan’s body quaked and rocked beneath her, his deep penetration inducing moans and shudders from her. Groaning, he exploded his seed inside of her in a powerful pent-up surge.

His potent orgasm sent her over the edge. She sank her fangs into his neck and drank his warm blood. Overcome with multiple orgasms, she plummeted into the blissful abyss. His life force flowed into her, exhilarating and intimate, linking them together. Just as she reached the bottom of the chasm, she experienced the sensation of being lifted by dark wings, hovering above the clouds in the land of the moon and stars.

Fire engulfed her body, rendering her powerless as if the brilliant sun were about to turn her into ash. His blood tasted sweeter than any she’d ever swallowed. She forgot about everything else, and she could not stop drinking his blood.

“Cardea?” He resisted, and then his struggles weakened.

A sudden clear thought rang inside her head, and she pulled herself away. He lay still, and panic quickened her pulse.

“Aedan? Oh no. Wake up, Aedan!” She shook him hard until he let out a soft groan.

Cardea woke as if from a daze. “What have I done?” she cried.

He’d think she was an animal for feeding on him, and she could not endure the disgusted look he would surely cast upon her.

Before he could recover his senses, she waved her hand over his face. “You will not remember. Sleep now,” she said, speaking in the sorcerers’ tongue, the language of the Romans.

Using her first and second finger, she touched the two holes in his neck and healed them with her magic.

A realization hit her. She’d done more than just touch him and he was still human. Something else troubled her about their dark embrace. A strange feeling had flowed into her mind when she had taken his blood from him.

 *

 https://www.kelleyheckart.com/

~~~~~~

Check out the other steamy excerpts from some talented authors: http://mfrwsteam.blogspot.com/

Book Reviews: The Raven Spell by Luanne G. Smith #paranormal #victorian

 

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Raven-Spell-Luanne-G-Smith-ebook/dp/B093SHTLLB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2WC6WJOCB6DAK&keywords=the+raven+spell&qid=1648482283&sprefix=the+raven+spell%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-1

5 Stars

Mystery, magic, and mayhem

The author weaves a plot with the skill of a witch weaving magic.

Edwina and Mary Blackwood are more than strange even among fellow witches. Mary’s fascination with death and stealing memories sets her apart and stirs fear in others. Edwina tries her best to protect her sister, but giving into one’s darkest desires has grave consequences.

Ian is left for dead, but he awakens with his memories gone. His life is entwined with the sister witches as he tries to solve a string of London murders.

This Victorian London paranormal mystery thriller is filled with surprises. The author’s well-crafted descriptions drew me into the story and held me spellbound. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

New Release! Privilege: The Valesky Crime Family Book 2 by Tina Donahue #darkmafiaromance

 

She’ll destroy the mobsters who murdered her brother… unless they kill her first.

District cop Lia Blosky warned her twin brother not to get involved with the Valesky Crime Family. He didn’t listen. Now, he’s dead, tortured horribly before mobsters murdered him. Out for blood, she’ll do anything to see these monsters dead.

FBI Special Agent Adrian Kalin is connected to the Valesky Family in a way he loathes and doesn’t want. His stepfather rules the syndicate and is tired of Lia threatening to kill him and others responsible for her brother’s death. To shut her up for good, he orders Adrian to murder her. Who better than an FBI agent who has no connection to her and knows how to hide evidence?

Adrian resists, but if it comes down to saving Lia or his brothers and mother from Dimitri’s rage, he’ll have to choose family.

In a deadly game between each other and the mob, Lia and Adrian fight to survive… while also surrendering to their undeniable attraction to each other.

This is book two in the Valesky Crime Family series, can be enjoyed independently and has an HEA.

Publisher’s Note: This contemporary dark mafia romance contains elements of mystery, suspense, action, adventure, adult themes, and possible triggers for some readers.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60169480-privilege

Buy Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QLBZ89H

Books2Read:  https://books2read.com/u/4Elpno

Excerpt:

LIA

My rubber soles squeak on the polished floor.

Tap.

The unexpected sound stops me.

I cock my head.

Nothing.

The walls must be settling.

I put in my earbuds to listen to music then quickly take them out. If I fuck up while I’m on duty here I’ll have no income.

The store’s main entrance is past the shoes and cosmetics, the faintly lit mall visible beyond it.

I proceed.

Tap.

Again, I stop, my skin crawling. That sound isn’t coming from the building nor is it a coincidence.

I spin around.

No one’s behind me.

Holding my breath, I wait for something to pounce at me from either side.

Nothing does.

What the fuck?

Shaken and confused, I face front.

Adrian advances.

No, no, no!

“You need to come with me,” he says.

To make my murder easier on him? His jeans, tee, and biker boots show he’s dressed for manual labor… like digging a grave.

Instinctively, I reach for my gun, which isn’t there. This mall doesn’t want their security guards involved in shootouts even if they’re cops. Standing down is their preference. My only weapon is my phone.

I pull it out and back away.

He follows. “If you plan to call 911, that’s not a wise choice. Remember, the cops in this area are on Dimitri’s side not yours.”

Just like him. Together, they could easily subdue me. Once I’m cuffed or hogtied, transporting me to another location for the final kill would take zero effort.

I shove the phone back in my pocket but keep retreating.

He matches my every step. “Lia, come with me, please. If you don’t want to go into WITSEC, I can take you somewhere safe.”

Like a fucking grave?

No thanks.

He may be bigger and have a gun but I know this place. He doesn’t.

Using that to my advantage, I back toward the escalators. They’re turned off but still lead away from him.

His gaze jumps from me to them. “There’s no need to run. I can protect you.”

Liar. Bastard.

I don’t stop.

Neither does he.

Junk jewelry displays crowd the area a few feet from the escalators. No one bothers to put that stuff away. Thieves wouldn’t bother with it.

At last, I stop.

Adrian does, too. “Please say you’re coming with me. I’m begging you.”

I’d rather he was shrieking in agony from a bullet to his dick or gut, but keep that venom from my voice. “We can talk. That’s it. I’m not promising anything. Got it?”

“Sure.” He gestures behind himself. “Let’s go outside to my car or yours. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”

I won’t relax until he’s dead. “I have to close up first. There’s a door upstairs I need to lock.” I point to the upper floor.

He nods. “I’ll go with you.”

“I’d rather you didn’t.”

“Lia, please.”

I feign indecision then nod. “Fine.” Alert and impatient, I wait for him to step closer.

When he’s no more than a foot away but still coming, I push the junk jewelry display in his path.

Unable to stop, he trips over it.

I lift the next display and bring it down hard on his back.

His breath whooshes out. He falls face forward… directly in my path to the mall entrance.

Before I can get around him, he’s pushing to his knees.

Shit. I race up the escalator to leave from the exit I mentioned.

Tap, tap, tap.

He’s steps below me, murder in his eyes, his gun drawn. “You’re going to fucking stop,” he says, “and you’re going to do it now.”

About the Author:

Tina’s an Amazon and international bestselling novelist who writes passionate romance for every taste – ‘heat with heart’ – for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. She’s won Readers’ Choice Awards, was named a finalist in the EPIC competition, received a Book of the Year award, The Golden Nib Award, awards of merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competitions, and second place in the NEC RWA contests. She’s featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, she worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.

On a less serious note: she’s an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, brakes for Mexican restaurants, and has been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally while wolfing down tostadas. She’s flown a single-engine airplane (freaking scary), rewired an old house using an ‘electricity for dummies’ book, and is horribly shy despite the hot romances she writes.

Author Links

Website:  http://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/?zx=95d61d0b25f33bf4

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/tinadonahue

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tinadonahue

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinadonahuebooks

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tina-donahue

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tina-Donahue/e/B001IZPJXO

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/146988.Tina_Donahue

Giveaway:

$15 Amazon

Follow the tour for special content and a giveaway!

https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/privilege-book-tour-and-giveaway

New Release: Delicious Heat by Sadira Stone #contemporaryromance #forbiddenlove

 

Delicious Heat: Bangers Tavern Romance 3

 

ISBN: 978-1-7357856-5-3 ebook

ASIN: ‎ B09HRJW5CN

Cupid has lousy timing.

After kicking her cheating husband to the curb, nurse Anna Khoury discovers she’s pregnant. When Bangers Tavern’s hunky chef makes heart eyes at her, she dismisses that delicious thrill as the last thing she needs. Single motherhood will take all her strength and focus. Anna’s battered heart can’t take another blow.  

Chef Diego Vargas is aiming higher than burgers and tater tots. His dream—his own food truck, the Empanada Angel, but he’ll need his family’s support to pull it off. Meeting Anna leaves him thunderstruck, even though his attraction to her threatens all his plans. Call it fate, call him crazy, but he’s determined to prove he’s in it for keeps.

With a belligerent ex-husband and two overprotective families set on breaking them up, Anna and Diego will need more than red-hot passion to pull them through. His career and her baby’s future are on the line.

Come back to Bangers Tavern for a spicy tale of forbidden love that will warm your heart…and other parts…and make you hungry for empanadas!

Buy Links: https://books2read.com/deliciousheat

Excerpt: Rated R

Diego spread his arms wider. “You just gonna leave me hanging?”

Damn it, she could no more resist his embrace than she could defy gravity. His arms closed around her, warm and comforting. For a long, sweet moment, they rested there, nestled together, quiet and safe.

Maybe all those guardian angels were trying to tell her something.

Rocking her slowly, Diego murmured into her hair, “Anna, I want you. But I realize this is a weird situation, and I’ll wait until you feel comfortable trusting me. Or until you tell me to get lost.” Pulling back, he cupped her cheek in his broad, warm hand. “I hope it’s the first one.”

His bottomless dark eyes held her pinned. With exquisite slowness, they came together, lips brushing feather light. And then the sexiest moan in the history of moans rumbled from his chest, as his embrace tightened. 

“Mmmf!” Breathless, she slid her fingers into his soft, thick hair.

He teased her lips with gentle nips until she opened to him. His tongue stroked hers in languid slides, unhurried, gentle…but her body responded with a rush of heat and a growing pressure between her thighs. She needed more. Now.

Gripping the front of his down jacket, she tugged until the snaps opened with firecracker pops, then yanked her own coat open and pressed her body against his. Another rough moan vibrated through his chest, teasing her nipples to stiff peaks. When he clutched her hips, the pressure of his erection against her belly unleashed an avalanche of lust that short-circuited her brain and lit up her nerves like the Northern lights.

I should stop. He’s kissing away my sanity. But her body demanded just a moment more, and another, and another…

Author Bio:

Award-winning contemporary romance author Sadira Stone spins steamy, smoochy tales set in small businesses—a quirky bookstore, a neighborhood bar, a vintage boutique... Her stories highlight found family, friendship, and the sizzling chemistry that pulls unlikely partners together. When she emerges from her writing cave in Las Vegas, Nevada (which she seldom does), she can be found in belly dance class, or strumming her ukulele, perhaps exploring the West with her charming husband, or cooking up a storm, and always gobbling all the romance books. For a guaranteed HEA (and no cliffhangers!) visit Sadira at www.sadirastone.com.

I’d love to hear from you! Please visit me on all the socials.

Order your copy of Delicious Heat: Bangers Tavern Romance 3

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HRJW5CN?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940162472384

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/delicious-heat

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1592832791

Visit Sadira on All the Socials!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sadirastone/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SadiraStone

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18568049.Sadira_Stone

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sadira-stone

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Sadira-Stone/e/B07KWK5FBX

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sadira0641/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sadirastone/

Author newsletter: https://eepurl.com/dKLMP2

 

Delicious Heat: Bangers Tavern Romance 3

ISBN: 978-1-7357856-5-3 ebook

ASIN: B09HRJW5CN

Delicious Heat: Bangers Tavern Romance 3

ISBN: 978-1-7357856-5-3 ebook

ASIN: B09HRJW5CN

Book Review of The Shadow Box by Luanne Rice #Suspense #mystery

 

https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Box-Luanne-Rice-ebook/dp/B082SX9CXQ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+shadow+box&qid=1634605110&sr=8-1

Some suspense and an enjoyable read

I enjoyed this thriller focused on abuse of power and domestic abuse, mainly because of the strong female lead who fought for her life.

Claire is a strong woman who fights for survival against an abusive, power-hungry husband. She’s willing to risk her life to expose Griffin’s dark past even after he tries to kill her. This isn’t a spoiler. She knows who her attacker is right from the start. The suspense is how she goes about taking him down.

Conor is a detective trying to find the truth. He has to overcome obstacles from powerful people protecting the guilty. He was a typical good-guy cop. Would have liked to see at least one flaw.

I was rooting for Claire, and most of the plot twists kept me guessing until the end. The shifts in time from different POV characters was a little confusing at first, but I got through it. The subject matter seems torn from the news headlines of corrupt rich white people, domestic violence, and environmental issues, but the story kept my interest anyway. The Connecticut coastal setting was a compelling character of its own, and the bit of the mystical entwined in the tale was interesting. I liked Claire, but she made some stupid decisions. She weds a guy she has some reservations about, and she leaves a guy who treats her well. She does make up for this, but it’s almost too late for her. I realize this wasn’t a romance, but I would have liked to see something spark between Claire and Conor at the end. I also hoped that it wasn’t Griffin who tried to kill her. There were other suspects that could have done it, and it might have made the story more interesting. It’s not a groundbreaking story but a nice diversion, and I do like the author’s smooth, engaging writing style.

 

New Dark Mafia Romance release by Tina Donahue, Target #Steamyromance #DarkMafiaRomance

  Target

The Valesky Crime Family Book 1

by Tina Donahue

Genre: Dark Mafia Romance 





 

A Russian kingpin wants her dead… the only one who can stop it is the man sent to murder her.

Toni Flores loved her dream job working for a respected US senator until he raped her. She’s determined to bring him to justice, no matter the cost.

For years, Dimitri Valesky, head of a Russian crime family in America, has bought off those in government. Just like the senator responsible for Toni’s assault. When she won’t keep quiet about it and risks Dimitri’s business, he orders his stepson Michael to kill her.

Michael’s a lobbyist not a mafia enforcer. He refuses the insane demand, but Dimitri insists. The power he holds over Michael and his brothers is absolute… or so he believes.

Rather than murder Toni, Michael intends to romance her. Once he convinces her to keep quiet about the Senator, she won’t be a target any longer and Dimitri will back off on the hit. The plan falls apart and now they are dodging mafia enforcers, bullets, and Dimitri’s outrage.

Michael and Toni fight to stay alive and save those dearest to them as they also fall hopelessly in love.

This is book one in the Valesky Crime Family series and has an HEA.

Publisher’s Note: This contemporary dark mafia romance contains elements of mystery, suspense, action, adventure, adult themes, and possible triggers for some readers.

 

Once outside the capitol, my phone buzzes. The display shows my mother’s picture and name. Worried, I answer. “Mama, are you all right?”

“It’s me,” Dimitri says.

I squeeze the phone, wishing it were his throat. If Mama hadn’t married him… If she hadn’t been desperate about feeding and housing her boys when we were little…

Too late now for regrets. The SOB’s tentacles surround each of us. Unless, or until, I kill him, nothing will change. Before I speak, I make certain to mask my disgust. If I piss him off, he’ll take out his rage on my mother, his nearest and weakest target. “He’s voting your way. This time, he won’t change his mind.”

“Khorosho.” Russian for good. “I knew you’d come through for me, Mikhail.”

Only because he has the proverbial gun to my head. There isn’t one thing I don’t detest about Dimitri, including his guttural voice. Despite having lived in the States since he was fifteen, he still has a thick accent.

Wanting to end this as quickly as possible, I lie. “I have another appointment. When I’m through with it, I’ll send you details of what Cyrus and I discussed.”

“That’s not why I’m calling.”

Despite the warmish spring weather, my skin goes clammy. “Is Mama all—”

“She’s fine, and will stay that way, as long you do what you’re told.”

I long to call him every vile thing imaginable but keep my tongue. Something I learned as a kid. His beatings were always worse if I cried or cursed him. If I was silent, that enraged him further, but he wore himself out faster. A win for me.

He clears his throat, but still coughs, thanks to his three-pack a day cigarette habit. Innocent kids get cancer, but not him. What a screwed-up world.

“I have another project for you, Mikhail.”

Damn. “What bill is it this time?”

“Not a bill. A woman. Toni Flores.”

I’m crossing the street when he says the name. My step pauses. Someone from behind bumps into me.

“She’s causing trouble,” Dimitri says. “You need to get rid of her.”

“What?”

A different person bumps into me. I cross to the other side. “What are you talking about?”

“She’s causing problems for Stowe.”

Lucian Stowe is another senator Dimitri owns. “What kind of problems?”

“She’s been claiming to the police and anyone else she can that he sexually assaulted her. It’s not true, but she won’t stop lying about it and she never shuts her mouth.”

I hurry down the street to a less crowded area. “How do you know she’s lying?”

“Because I said so!”

In Dimitri’s world that makes perfect sense. “That’s no damn proof.”

“Even if she is telling the truth, it doesn’t matter!” He’s shouting louder than I did. “I need Stowe in my pocket! She has to be eliminated! I want you to do it.”

My stomach falls. “No. I don’t do that kind of work. Ever. Especially to a woman who’s—”

“I don’t care what she is or how you found out about her. I want it done. No arguments.”

Before I can speak, he ends the call.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59115418-target

 

Buy Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Target-Mafia-Romance-Valesky-Family-ebook/dp/B09HDWS8QN

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Tina_Donahue_Target?id=ZelEEAAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/target-50

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/mZr8X5

Blushing Books: https://www.blushingbooksblog.com/target-by-tina-donahue/

Tina’s an Amazon and international bestselling novelist who writes passionate romance for every taste – ‘heat with heart’ – for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. She’s won Readers’ Choice Awards, was named a finalist in the EPIC competition, received a Book of the Year award, The Golden Nib Award, awards of merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competitions, and second place in the NEC RWA contests. She’s featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, she worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.

On a less serious note: she’s an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, brakes for Mexican restaurants, and has been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally while wolfing down tostadas. She’s flown a single-engine airplane (freaking scary), rewired an old house using an ‘electricity for dummies’ book, and is horribly shy despite the hot romances she writes.

Author Links

Website:  http://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/?zx=95d61d0b25f33bf4

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/tinadonahue

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tinadonahue

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinadonahuebooks

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tina-donahue

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tina-Donahue/e/B001IZPJXO

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/146988.Tina_Donahue

 $15 Amazon

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