Helios Exposed (The Helios Chronicles #2)
Page 30
Where do we go from here? At the end of this book we have Andrew and Madison in a really good place. They both learned from their time in New York and have been picking up the pieces and moving forward. They have a home together and both have jobs, and thanks to Mr. Bennett, Andrew is now off the registry, which I know a lot of people were worried about. So will everything be peachy keen for our favorite couple? Hmm, I doubt that… LOL. This is me we’re talking about and I love to make people work for their happily ever after!
There are a lot of loose ends to tie up in book three, Helios Renewed. I mean, after all, does anyone believe Senator Bowers is really out of the picture? He seems like the vindictive type to me. And what about the slimy Nolan Crawford and Kurtis Nash? Are they done being jerks? Of course what can they do in New York? I guess you will all have to wait and find out in the third book of the series, Helios Renewed, which should be released in June/July of this year.
Have a great one everyone and thanks so much for your support of Helios and I .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author Tawa Witko lives on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation with her children, Adam and Deanna. They are accompanied by their many animals, which includes an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix named Bella, a couple of ornery cats (Edward and Lil Bit) and their horses, Eagle Bear and Wild Spirit. She and her family enjoy attending wacipis, participating in tribal ceremonies, and living a quiet life without the hustle and bustle of the cities.
Ms. Witko is a licensed clinical psychologist, a full time writer/editor and one of the co-founders of Winyan Press, LLC, an independent publishing house geared at helping female writers find their voice. She is a multi-genre author who writes Young Adult Fiction, Crime/Suspense Stories, Adult Romances, and Native American Fiction.
Helios Exposed is the second book in an Adult Romance series that will chronicle the life of Andrew ‘Helios’ Harrison and Madison Ellis as they fight for their love in a world set on tearing them apart. The prequel novella, Helios Beginnings and book one, Helios Awakened are both available on paperback and e-book, and the third book in the series, Helios Renewed, will be released June 2017.
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACTS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTMWitko
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorTawaWitko
Instagram: https://instagram.com/authortmwitko
Tumbler: https://www.tumbler.com/blog/tmwitko
Website: https://authortmwitko.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: WinyanPress@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WinyanPress/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WinyanPressLLC
Website: http://winyanpressllc.org/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXDbnx5FNpduMnDHlu5eWiw
Winyan Press Mailing Lists
Young Adult Fiction Listserv
On this mailing list you will receive updates on new works of Young Adult fiction by Winyan Press authors as well as receive special incentives exclusive to members on the listserv. Titles in this genre include The Ceaseless Trilogy, The Diakrisis Tales, and Thirty Eight. Join HERE: http://eepurl.com/bJB8Iv
Adult Romance Fiction Listserv
On this mailing list you will receive updates on new works of Adult Romance fiction by Winyan Press authors as well as receive special incentives exclusive to members on the listserv. Titles in this section will be adult in nature and may include graphic language and situations not suitable for younger audiences. Titles in this genre include The Helios Chronicles. Join HERE: http://eepurl.com/bJB7cj
Crime/Suspense Fiction Listserv
On this mailing list you will receive updates on new works of Crime/Suspense fiction by Winyan Press authors as well as receive special incentives exclusive to members on the listserv. Titles in this genre include The Talionic Files and the Oak Grove Suspense Series. Join HERE: http://eepurl.com/bKoAFv
Paranormal Fiction Listserv
On this mailing list you will receive updates on new works of Paranormal fiction by Winyan Press authors as well as receive special incentives exclusive to members on the listserv. Titles in this genre include The Rune Scrolls, The Diakrisis Tales, and The Reluctant Prince. Join HERE: http://eepurl.com/b9ddWD
The Helios Chronicles
By
T.M. Witko
Helios Beginnings (August 2016)
Helios Awakened (August 2016)
Helios Exposed (February 2017)
Helios Renewed (July 2017)
Helios Forever (August 2017)
HELIOS Beginnings
Prequel To the Helios chronicles
Andrew Harrison lived a difficult life, wrought with pain, anguish, and addiction. This prequel novella for the Helios Chronicles, will explore Helios’ life before he becomes Helios, beginning with his time in Detroit and ending in Bakersfield with the arrival of Madison Ellis, the woman that would forever change the way he saw the world.
Available on Paperback and eBook
HELIOS Awakened
Book One in the Helios chronicles
In Book One, Helios Awakened, Madison moves from New York City to the California desert to care for her ailing grandmother but she never expected that she would meet the man of her dreams while there, a man that would set her heart, body and soul on fire. However, this man comes with a price, a heavy price. Is she willing to pay it?
Available on Paperback and eBook
Now for a sneak peek of
Book Three in the Helios Chronicles
HELIOS
Renewed
In Book Three, Helios Renewed, we find Andrew and Madison going up against old enemies in a battle that will test them in more ways than one. Can their love stop the forces that are trying to tear them apart? Will they finally be able to live in peace and harmony or will they be destroyed by the ordeal?
A Bitter Cold
Madison splashed water on her face and stared at her reflection. She could see her puffy eyes and her flushed skin. She was on edge. Whether that was caused by being in the city again or a byproduct of thinking too much about why she was there, she was unsure. All she knew was that she was distressed and didn’t want to be in New York. The turbulence of the flight had made her queasy and by the time they made it to baggage claim, she needed the restroom. She eyed her reflection.
“You can do this, Madison!”
She stepped out and immediately saw Andrew waiting for her. He grabbed her hand with purpose as he eyed the swarm of people. Andrew shifted the duffle bag over his shoulder as he drug Madison through the crowded airport. Stepping out of JFK, Andrew immediately lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke into the icy air. The bitter cold of the city caught them off guard. A stark contradiction to the heat they were accustomed to. Letting the cigarette dangle from his lips, he zipped up his favorite leather jacket and flipped the hood up on his hoody. He glanced at Madison as he exhaled once again. She had that look on her face; the one she always got when she was thinking or was frustrated. Her brows furrowed as her eyes looked anywhere but at him.
“Helios, are you sure you want to do this?” Madison asked with hesitation. She finally made eye contact, her worry clearly evident. “We could, you know, just...” she let the word drop.
“Do what, Madison?” Andrew asked angrily as he drew the cigarette to his mouth. Exhaling, he continued, “We can’t leave and there’s no way in hell I’m letting you do this without me.”
Madison sighed, looking to the ground. She was not happy about any of this. She had not wanted to come back to New York, let alone drag Andrew here. She wasn’t sure what to expect but knew it wouldn’t be good. Between Senator Bowers and Nolan, this would not be easy and could very well turn out extremely bad. Not to mention Kurtis, who she knew would interfere in some way, and if he didn’t, would Andrew seek him out? A part of her felt that Kurtis needed a beat down for what he had done to them but that wouldn’t solve their problems. If anything, it would make it worse.
Madison looked out, lost in thought. It wasn’t that she didn’t want Andrew with her. On the contrary, she couldn’t fathom him not being by her side, but she worried how he would handle New York again. Hell, she wasn’t sure if she could handle it herself. Their time here had been riddled with conflict and despair. Neither had been happy. Her chest tightened as she remembered the emptiness she felt when he left. Andrew grasped her hand tightly, drawing her out of her thoughts.
“Madison,” he said firmly.
She looked into his very determined face. He tilted his head slightly, his brows furrowed solemnly as a crease formed across his forehead. An effect of him trying to control the anger he had been feeling since this trip was announced two weeks ago. He didn’t trust the situation, he didn’t trust Mr. Crawford, and he certainly didn’t trust Senator Bowers. His involvement was Andrew’s biggest concern, especially with their history with his son, Jimmy. He also knew that Kurtis would not let him be here without causing some form of ruckus. Overall, this was a bad situation waiting to get worse.
“Helios,” she finally whispered, her voice cracking with unspoken emotion.
He immediately dropped his cigarette and pulled her into his arms, drawing her lips to his. She melted into him, as she always did. His tongue moved effortlessly inside her mouth as she let out a soft moan. Their undeniable connection never wavered, even in their brief time a part. Andrew was even more determined to settle this. Whatever happened in New York, they would handle together, as they did with everything. She was his life and he would protect her at any cost.
“Get a fucking room, I swear, people are so rude,” they heard someone state as they walked passed them.
Andrew leaned his forehead to hers. “Let’s get to the hotel.”
“Okay,” Madison nodded.
Madison gripped the back of his jacket as they walked, not wanting to lose him in the crowd. Andrew repositioned the duffle bag and gripped the handle of the rolling suitcase in his hand. He maneuvered them to a line of taxis, quickly giving a dirty look to the businessmen talking on their phones. They slunk back from his frightful glare while Andrew positioned him and Madison ahead of them. He caught Madison’s expression out of the corner of his eye but he didn’t falter. His lip twitched as the cab driver with an Indian accent asked him where they wanted to go. He wanted to say home but he didn’t.
“Paramount Hotel on 46th Street.”
The man nodded and reached for their bags. Andrew didn’t give them up, instead he lifted the suitcase and placed it in the trunk and then dropped the duffle bag in as well. Madison was already in the taxi. She felt him sit down next to her and wrap his arm around her shoulder. She immediately leaned into him, wanting his strength, needing it. She wasn’t sure how to feel, but the overarching theme over the past few weeks had been fear. She closed her eyes as she tried not to catastrophize the situation.
“First time in New York?” the cab driver asked.
“No!” Andrew replied coldly.
The driver nodded and said nothing else. Andrew scanned the environment out the window as the taxi whipped in and out of airport traffic. He hated this, all of it. New York. Nolan Crawford. Senator Bowers. He hated that Mr. Bennett wasn’t here and that Madison was planning on meeting with Nolan and the lawyers in the morning. The last two weeks had been difficult. He and Madison never fought, but they sure did argue, a lot, about this situation. She was naïve in her belief that she wasn’t being set up. Something wasn’t right but he didn’t want to fight with her any longer so he kept his mouth shut and his mind alert. His long fingers reached up to twist into her hair. He would keep an objective eye on everything.
“Fifty two dollars.”
Andrew glanced around and realized that they were already there. He had lost track of time as he thought about what would be happening. He reached into his wallet and pulled out his cash as the driver exited the vehicle, popping the trunk at the same time.
“Come on, Madison.”
It felt weird being in New York, let alone Times Square. It was already busy and loud. She blew out a breath as Andrew helped her out of the car. He stepped away from her to get the bags and hand the driver his cash while Madison eyed the tall building. They had selected the Paramount because it was nice, in a decent area, and close to all forms of transportation, which meant they didn’t need to rent a car.
“Madison.”
Madison smiled as he threw the duffle bag strap across his shoulder and pulled up the handle on the rolling suitcase. Madison held on to his outstretched hand as they stepped inside the posh establishment. Madison always liked the Paramount. It was one of those old New York hotels that had been around since the twenties. It had undergone a couple of refurbishments, the last one about fifteen years before.
“Madison, take a seat, baby. I’m going to go check us in.”
Madison nodded and sat down on the large oblong leather couch. She watched him walk towards the front desk. She knew how important things like this were for him. Granted, she made a lot more money than he did, but he insisted on paying for so much. She smiled when she thought about them deciding on the bills and whether they should have a joint account or not. They finally agreed to have individual accounts and then a joint account where each would contribute half of their salary, which went towards the bills. At first, he didn’t like that plan because that meant Madison was contributing more, but after careful discussion, and a few blow jobs for added measure, he was agreeable. Being that he was so concerned with equity, not wanting Madison to pay his way, they had agreed that she would cover their airfare and he would cover the hotel.
Madison surveyed the modern lobby with its low lighting and leather furniture. It struck her as something she might find in a nightclub. She had heard once that they had DJ battles in the lobby, but she found that hard to believe. She was sure that was exaggeration. There were a few people inside, but no one paid her any mind. One man, dressed in khakis and a sweatshirt, continued to read his newspaper, while a businessman scrolled through his phone. There was also a couple sitting close together whispering sweet, or not so sweet, things to one another on the opposite end of the large couch on which Madison was sitting. She turned back to the front desk and could see that Andrew was being handed the room cards. Madison was highly aware of the woman nearby who was eyeing him like a cat in heat.
“Yeah, no way lady,” Madison involuntarily ran her thumb along her ring. “He’s mine.”
Andrew turned and smiled. The first genuine smile she had seen on him in few weeks. Madison forgot about the woman who had been eyeing Andrew as he strutted towards her. When he got to her, he was practically giddy with excitement. He leaned down and kissed her.
“Guess what?”
Madison shrugged. “What?”
“They messed up our reservation and I talked with them about it and we got an upgrade at the same price. They were going to give us a smaller room and give me a refund but I asked for the manager and, bottom line, we got the bigger room,” he said exuberantly.
“Wow, that’s great, baby.”
“I know, so now at least we can be more comfortable.”
“Helios, as long as I can cuddle next to you at night, I would have been content wherever we were.”
He laughed. “Uh, no, your mom’s would NOT have been okay for us.”
Madison laughed loudly and then quickly covered her mouth as a couple of people looked in their direction. She remembered calling her mom last week to tell her they were going to be in New York for about a week. She then offered for Madison to come and stay. She wasn’t thrilled that Andrew would be coming along, but had relented and said he could stay as well. Luckily, Andrew had already booked their hotel. They did agree to meet tomorrow for dinner. Andrew and Madison figured they would announce their engagement at that time.
“Oh, hell, that would have been a nightmare.”
“I guess its progress that she even invited us to stay with her, well, strike that, she invited you,” h
e said with a raised brow. “I think she was hoping I would stay in California.”
“Maybe,” Madison agreed moving close to him. “But she doesn’t dictate our lives now, does she?”
He grinned and shook his head slightly, “No, not all.”
“Let’s go to our room, Helios.”
He nodded and grabbed the duffle bag and suitcase as she bounced up. Madison walked in front of him and turned quickly, grabbing his jacket and pulling him. She needed to forget about all the nonsense that was going to happen tomorrow and focus on tonight. Tonight she wanted to get lost in her fiancé. When they got to the elevators, Madison pressed the button and yanked him to her, kissing him. He pulled away slightly.
“You’re awfully feisty all of a sudden.”
“I’m always feisty. I’m from New York!” she said in her best New York accent.
Bringing his lips to hers, he parted his mouth and took her now open mouth in his. His tongue worked inside her mouth as his lips enveloped hers. Madison whimpered as her arms slung over his shoulders. She reached up on her tiptoes and met his kiss with the same level of intensity and passion. She couldn’t breathe as her body ignited in desire. Flushed with want, she wondered if it was possible to reach orgasm simply with a kiss. If it was, then Andrew was certainly on the brink of bringing her to hers. The ding of the elevator’s arrival stopped a kiss that was sure to have continued to unacceptable lengths.
“Let’s get in the room, Madison.”
“Yes, let’s.”
He smirked as he nudged her towards the open elevator door. Before the door closed, an arm stopped the door and a harried businessman stepped inside, quickly pressing a button. He barely acknowledged their presence as he checked his watch anxiously. Once the door opened to his floor he flew out leaving Madison and Andrew alone.