“I don’t think so, bitch. You fucking broke my nose, and now I’m gonna fuckin' gut you.” Just then he lunged and she fired. She was comfortable with her gun, but even the blowback pushed her a little on the ground and the asshat fell to the ground screaming as he dropped the knife and held on to his now blown off dick.
Scrambling to her feet, she pulled her phone out while she kept the gun pointed at the asshole, but before she could punch the number, another gun pointed at her.
“Freeze, police, drop the gun.” Fuck, this is all she needed. Putting her hands up, she turned to see two cops with their guns drawn on her. Do they really think I am the bad guy?
“My name is Brandie Anderson, I’m a private detective for Heels for Hire, Inc.
Excerpt from Till My Last Breath
By Gracie Meadows
Time was going too quickly for Charlie as October had soon turned into November with December right around the corner. Watching the men finish their game, she thought about the days that had passed and couldn’t helping wondering how many more would she get with her dad. She mentally shook herself from where her thoughts had taken her and focused back in on the men in front of her.
“How the hell did you win again?” Oliver asked as her dad smiled drinking his coffee.
“I’m just that good, ain’t that right, Snoopy?” her dad said, smiling at her. She loved the small bantering she had been doing with him lately. Oliver had even been playing along with her and the three of them seemed to be getting along a lot better than she originally thought they would have.
“Really, Dad. You are so full of yourself today, well pretty much every day," she joked right back. The three of them laughed as they cleaned up the game to get ready for dinner.
She had been spending more time with her dad, and the last couple of nights her dad had built a fire while she made cocoa with a little Kahlua in it, and Oliver sat on the sofa with his beer as her dad took the joy of reading them a chapter from the children’s story, the Jungle Book. This was a nightly tradition for them. Her mother used to do it, but then her dad took up the interest and so it became an every night thing.
The thought as to why he was reading to her was sobering. Her dad had only a sixth grade education, which was one reason he had pushed her so hard. He had dropped out as his father grew ill and needed help on the ranch, which was only a third in size at the time. Her dad could barely read when she was little, but he learned quickly along with what feed helped with growth in the cattle, and his math skills came from doing the books. He was an amazing man, he was the smartest man she knew, and she had the years of school behind her, where he had not. She admired him so much. He met her mother one day at a local barbeque. Her mom, Marie, had her dad caught the first time he laid eyes on her, but she didn't give him the time of day. She was attracted to him, but she had heard he was a bit of a ladies man.
However, he never gave up and did everything he could to try to get her to go out with him. In the end, they both had won. Her parents were so much in love, and it was a love that many dreamed about, even herself. She found herself wondering if Oliver wanted something like that for himself in the future, but Charlie herself didn't know if she could to do something like that. If she could have what her parents had, then maybe so, but how often did that all-consuming love come to someone. Peeking at Oliver from the corner of her eye, she wondered what her parents had done to build the love they showed each other or was it only something that occurred when the right two people came together. Will I ever know, was her last thought as she laid her head back on the couch, letting her dad's voice lull her until she slept.
*****
Oliver looked down at the sleeping beauty in his arms. Charlie had fallen asleep once again on his lap. She originally was sitting next to him while Patrick read the story, she'd closed her eyes and leaned her head back only to have it fall on his shoulder. Not soon after she stretched out on his lap sleeping deeply. He loved every minute. He had yet to tell her what she had done almost every time her dad read to them.
Patrick looked up and smiled before closing the book he was reading, not long after he began talking.
“Hey, Oliver, can I ask you to do me a favor?” Patrick asked.
“Sure, Patrick, anything,” he replied, and he meant anything.
“Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I would like a tree. I don’t know if I have the strength to go out and cut one. It had been a family tradition to put the tree up on Thanksgiving and decorate it. I haven’t done it since Charlie hadn't been home. You and I have never celebrated before so I think it is about time. I know this is my last year, but I would like to see the tree all lit up before I go. Do you think you could do that?”
Oliver could hear the desperation in his voice. He knew this would be his last Christmas on this earth, and he would do anything to make it special for him, and Charlie. Oliver thought about that as Patrick got up and poked at the fire. Oliver noticed that more wood needed to be brought in as well.
“Sure, Patrick, we can do that. It is going to be amazing." Patrick smiled at him before patting his shoulder as he went up to bed. Oliver sat a moment longer watching the flames dance around the fireplace while Charlie slept. Not sure if he should wake her, he eased out from under her, then lifted her head and placed the small throw pillow under her before he pulled a blanket over her. He looked down at the small woman sleeping peacefully and he wondered how well she too had been sleeping. He found nights were restless for him, not knowing when he woke if Patrick would be there. With one last look he headed to his room to try to get some sleep because come tomorrow, he would be cutting his very first real Christmas tree.
Excerpt from Sinful's Desire
Vampire Lords Books One
By Jana Leigh Gracie Meadows
A movement caught Sin's eye as he watched the most breathtaking creature he had ever seen do something that cause a man much larger than her bend over and fall on the ground. His lips twitched in amusement as curses reached his ears.
“Don’t touch me again you fucking jerk,” the woman yelled down to the man.
“Cillian,” Sin said softly and his lieutenant went to the aid of the woman instantly.
Sin waited at the stairs, Cillian knew to bring the woman to him, Cillian had to have felt the surge of desire Sin had when he first laid eyes on the female. No one had ever had this effect on him.
“Hey, I didn’t get rid of one asshole to find another waiting!” the woman said and pulled against Cillian’s hand that helped her around the big man lying on the floor moaning in pain.
“Miss, my boss would like to apologize,” Cillian said smoothly.
Like that would ever happen, Sin thought.
“Why, is he this asshole's friend?” the woman snorted.
“No!” Cillian said and stopped, offended with the thought. He looked at the female and Sin could feel the compulsion he was trying to use. A normal human would have immediately stopped resisting and followed. It was something they only used when they needed to, because Sin hated to take a human’s free will away, but this female intrigued him and so Sin didn’t interfere. However, Sin watched in shock as she jerked her arm away finally, looked at Cillian, and laughed.
“Excuse me,” the woman said. “I have friends who are waiting. Unless he is going to arrest that man then I will be on my way.”
Cillian turned and looked at Sin and frowned. It was unusual a human would be able to ignore a vampire's compulsion. He nodded to Cillian and stepped forward to look at the woman closely. She was even more beautiful close up, and her blood called to him like no other.
“Please, forgive my friend here. We just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Sin said smoothly and looked into the woman’s eyes. He was a Vampire Lord and his powers were very powerful, but when the woman rolled her eyes and laughed at him, he growled deeply.
“Oh, well you don’t have to get growly. Thank you for your concern. I appreciate it, but as you can see I am fine,” the w
oman said and turned to walk away. Cillian stood in her path and she looked at him over her shoulder and rose an eyebrow. “Tell your friend to move, or we will have a serious issue. And by we…I mean he, because his nuts will be in his throat.”
Sin threw back his head and laughed loudly as his second in command stood straighter and frowned. He would not appreciate being spoke to like that. Before his second could respond, Sin held up his hand to him. “May I at least ask your name?”
The woman tilted her lips into a half smiled and shrugged. “You can, but that doesn’t mean I am going to tell you.” And with that she walked away with a slight swing in her hips.
Sin turned to Cillian and nodded. His second would know what to do. He needed to know who she was and where she was staying.
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
Bear it All (The Hidden Pack) Page 13