Tommaso

by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

  FINALLY, for those who enjoy the story breakdown, I hope you like the true meaning of this one. Because, for me, it was really interesting to put some serious mental elbow grease into this topic: perception. How we see the world, others, and ourselves isn’t necessarily shared by those around us.

  Okay, keep reading on the next page if you’re interested! And “see” you in AUGUST for the release of HAPPY PANTS #2, TAILORED FOR TROUBLE. It’s fun, it’s sexy, and as usual, it’s an adventure.

  HAPPY READING,

  MIMI

  mimi@mimijean.net

  www.mimijean.net

  P.S. FOR YOU PLAYLIST FANS:

  “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison

  “Pity Party” by Melanie Martinez

  “Firestone” by Kygo

  “Paris” by Magic Man

  “All I Want” by Kodaline

  “One Day” by Kodaline

  “All Comes Down” by Kodaline

  “Cold Cold Man” by Saint Motel

  “My Type” by Saint Motel

  “Out Of My League” by Fitz and the Tantrums

  “Waste My Time” by Tilian

  “Someday” by Tilian

  “You’ll Forget Me Soon” (feat. Sofia Sweet) by Tilian

  “Lost In My Bedroom” by Sky Ferreira

  “You And Me” by Vega 4

  “Memory” by Violent Femmes

  “All Through the Night” by Sleeping At Last

  WHAT’S TOMMASO REALLY ALL ABOUT?

  Some people love a movie or TV show, while you hate it. Popcorn with butter makes you gag, and others will stand in line for an extra few minutes just to have their crispy kernels drenched beyond all popcorny recognition. (I like light butter myself. Kettle corn is even better!) But, there’s no surprise in the fact that we’re all different. That said, have you ever thought about it at the intimate level? Sure, there’s a public out there who vote differently, eat differently, and dress differently, but what about the people closest to you? I think many of us assume that our closest friends and family see us for who we really are.

  But do they really?

  Maybe. Maybe not.

  And when it comes to our men—how they see us and how we see them—I often wonder how far apart our self-perceptions are from theirs. And vice versa.

  So the first half of the book, we get to see the world through Tommaso’s eyes. We feel a bit more distant from him—after all, he’s a man. Hehe. He’s thinking about survival, fucking, and his place in this world. He’s lost everything and afraid of “owning” or caring for anything ever again. But the one thing he does know? He’s not going to let anyone diminish his dignity. He is looking for freedom. Not because he cherishes it, but because feeling captive to another makes him feel ashamed—not a man. He feels the same way about Charlotte not having her freedom. She is, after all, an extension of himself, even if he doesn’t know it yet.

  The other thing we learn about Tommaso is how he sees Charlotte. He thinks she’s emotionally unavailable and uninterested in him. But really, his perceptions around what’s really going on are completely off.

  Then, in the second half of the story, we switch perspectives. Now we see Tommaso through Charlotte’s eyes. She’s intimidated by his beauty and afraid of letting him into her life simply because she thinks it will ultimately end badly for him—having to watch her go insane, like her mother. Yet, she can’t help but be inspired by his strength and confidence. She realizes that she doesn’t need him to survive, but things could be a lot better with him around. Of course, we all need people, if not to help us, then to inspire us and teach us. Sometimes we just need them to be there and hold our hands for comfort. Charlotte realizes there is no shame in that. From there, she gets a taste of life with Tommaso and wants way more.

  And finally, when Charlotte learns the truth about Tommaso, she begins to see that he is a reflection of her own life. He’s been robbed of his happiness due to circumstances beyond his control. It’s then she decides that he’s worth fighting for because she’s worth fighting for. It’s time to stop living in the past with memories that haunt her. Nothing good can come of it.

  In the end, they both confront their ghosts and open their lives to new possibilities together.

  And that’s what this story is really about. The truth about people or situations is rarely handed to us on a silver platter. Sometimes it requires effort to get to it. But I think the cool thing about being a woman is that most of us are born with internal BS sensors (my kids hate that), and we have this ability to read people and empathize and to look beyond the surface. Damn, we rock! Don’t we, ladies?

  Hope you enjoyed this mental detour…

  HAPPY READING!

  Mimi

  Acknowledgements

  I never get tired of saying it, because it’s true! I can’t thank my readers enough for their continued enthusiasm for this series and all of my books. Without you, I’d still be writing commodity reports. Blah!

  And, as always, a HUUUUUGE thank you to my demigods: Kylie, Ally, Dalitza, and Nana for providing the much-needed sanity check on my insanity.

  Another big fist bump and grovel to the folks who help make the book happen: Dali (again), Latoya, Pauline, Su, and Stef!

  And, of course, I can’t forget the awesome ladies on my street team, some of whom have been cheering me on since the very first book. I love you guys.

  Okay…and now back to writing!

  Mimi

  WHAT’S IN CIMIL’S BASEMENT?

  I asked my readers on Facebook what they thought would be inside Cimil’s basement. The answers were too funny not to share. So a big thank you to my readers who joined in!

  Rebecca Hammer: The set from the show Wipeout complete with swinging blades, flame throwers and land mines. Cuz the kids need a play gym.

  Nikki Manzella: What wouldn't Cimil have in her basement?

  Heather Foley Francis: Tag sale signs from around the world lol

  Hannah Roberson: Giant wedding cake with a stripper midget inside

  Kristin Felts: What wouldn't she have?

  Isabel Campos: Just about anything!! Unicorn, fluffy dragon, purple elephant!!

  Sian Anderson: Rainbow unicorns, bouncy castles with spray cream

  Chez Rodgers: Fluffy fire breathing puppies

  Tammy Jungmann: Rainbow farts…Bahaaha sorry smile emoticon

  Michelle Norberg: A hot boy toy?!

  Emily Hartzell Wheeler: Uh, a ball pit. Duh.

  Kristin Felts: Extinct species as pets. An empty room with no apparent use. A sweat shop of some kind. Maybe a laundry service. (Hey as long as they do my laundry. It's none of my concern what they do with their free time. Plus Minky likes having fresh meat nearby for occasional chewing needs. But only when they're on break. No blood on the merchandise.)

  Sandra Pride: Endless supply of pumpkin puree, because one can never have enough pies. 1000's of gnomes, because she can't help but steal them from people's lawns. Loveboat memorabilia.

  Susan Hoger Guerreiro: Obscure neon signs, torture implements from throughout history—probably with cows attached or locked to a wall and forced some horribly cute and mind-numbing video on repeat, a pepper – shaker collection (but not salt), other obscure things always left over at garage sales that people end up tossing or donating

  Lindsey Drake: A wizard, every Love Boat piece of memorabilia in existence, a pink Cadillac with leopard print seats (limited edition), 4 flame throwers for the kids to play with and a broken juke box which only ever plays cotton eyed joe on loop smile emoticon

  Carolyn Maciejko: But with a live person, trapped, answering her ridiculous questions, like "should I make pasta for dinner tonight, or tacos?"

  Jennifer Bryson: well we know she loves yard sales so she is bound to have a bean bag chair or 2 floating around oh wait this is Cimil probably a sex swing lol

  Michelle Amato: As soon as i saw this all i thought about was the stuff she had in the cave..

  Lori Bock
: I know she's holding the Teletubbies hostage !! lol

  Christine Hubbard Robertson: The guys from Tallywackers!!

  April Allen: Leisure Lollipops…shaped like unicorns and sexy man parts!

  Trenna Harris: Life size cut out of Isac from the Love boat!

  Terri Casolaro Seminuk: Did anyone mention a sex swing cause I could totally imagine one hanging from a beam…

  Annette N Ryan Reyes: Leprechauns and Menehunes!

  Krystina Beck: Lol license plates from every state.

  Dina Reyna: The monsters from the tremors movies? Or 50 pound penis.

  Tobias Chintz: Teapots from around the world and one shaped like a flamingo

  Linsey Rollo: Zak's mate? So he can't get his mitts on her until the opportune moment?

  Deby Henneman: A pin all machine and a disco ball….

  Miranda Nemeth: A giant goose named SEXY Rexy that lays magical jewels.

  Cynthia Cua: Ball Plastic ball pit. wink emoticon

  Katherine Ann: Puff the magic dragon!

  Bethany Klein: Tightrope?

  Glossary

  Black Jade: Found only in a particular mine located in southern Mexico, this jade has very special supernatural properties, including the ability to absorb supernatural energy—in particular, god energy. When worn by humans, it is possible for them to have physical contact with a god. If injected, it can make a person addicted to doing bad things. If the jade is fueled with dark energy and then released, it can be used as a weapon. Chaam personally likes using it to polish his teeth.

  Demilords: Once upon a time, they were a group of immortal badass vampires who’d been infused with the light of the gods. Now free from their jobs (killing Obscuros), and their vampire bloodline dead, they have all turned into plain old demigods, but are still just as deadly and lethal as ever.

  Maaskab: Originally a cult of bloodthirsty Mayan priests who believed in the dark arts. It is rumored they are responsible for bringing down their entire civilization with their obsession for human sacrifices (mainly young female virgins). Once Chaam started making half-human children, he decided all firstborn males would make excellent Maaskab due to their proclivity for evil.

  Obscuros: Evil vampires who do not live by the Pact and who like to dine on innocent humans since they really do taste the best.

  The Pact: An agreement between the gods and good vampires that dictates the dos and don’ts. There are many parts to it, but the most important rules are vampires are not allowed to snack on good people (called Forbiddens), they must keep their existence a secret, and they are responsible for keeping any rogue vampires in check.

  Payal: Although the gods can take humans to their realm and make them immortal, Payals are the true genetic offspring of the gods but are born mortal, just like humans. Most do not have any powers.

  Uchben: An ancient society of scholars and warriors who serve as the gods’ eyes and ears in the human world. They also do the books and manage the gods’ earthly assets.

  Character Definitions

  The Gods

  Although every culture around the world has their own names and beliefs related to beings of worship, there are actually only fourteen gods. And since the gods are able to access the human world only through the portals called cenotes, located in the Yucatán, the Mayans were big fans.

  Another fun fact: The gods often refer to each other as brother and sister, but the truth is they are just another species of the Creator and completely unrelated.

  Acan—God of Wine and Intoxication: Also known as Belch, Acan has been drunk for a few thousand years. He generally wears only tightie whities, but since he’s the life of the party, he’s been known to mix it up and go naked, too. Whatever works.

  Ah-Ciliz—God of Solar Eclipses: Called A.C. by his brethren, Ah-Ciliz is generally thought of as a giant buzz kill because of his dark attitude.

  Akna—Goddess of Fertility: She is so powerful, it is said she can make inanimate objects fornicate and that anyone who gets in the same room as her ends up pregnant. She is often seen hanging out with her brother Acan at parties.

  Backlum Chaam—God of Male Virility: He’s responsible for discovering black jade and figuring out how to procreate with humans.

  Camaxtli—Goddess of the Hunt: Also once known as Fate until she was discovered to be a fake and had her powers stripped away by the Universe. She’s now referred to as “Fake.”

  Colel Cab—Mistress of Bees: Though she has many, many powers, “Bees” is most known for the live beehive hat on her head. She has never had a boyfriend or lover because her bees get too jealous.

  Goddess of Forgetfulness: She has no official name that is known of and has the power to make anyone forget anything. She spends her evenings DJing because she finds the anonymity of dance clubs to be comforting.

  Ixtab—Goddess of Happiness (ex-Goddess of Suicide): Ixtab’s once morbid frock used to make children scream. But since finding her soul mate, she’s now the epitome of all things happy.

  K’ak (Pronounced “cock”): The history books remember him as K’ak Tiliw Chan Yopaat, ruler of Copán in the 700s AD. King K’ak is one of Cimil’s favorite brothers. We’re not really sure what he does, but he can throw bolts of lightning, wears a giant silver and jade headdress with intertwining serpents, and has long black and silver hair.

  Kinich Ahau—ex-God of the Sun: Known by many other names, depending on the culture, Kinich likes to go by Nick these days. He’s also now a vampire—something he’s actually not so bummed about. He is mated to the love of his life, Penelope, the Ruler of the House of Gods.

  Máax—Once known as the God of Truth, Máax was banished for repeatedly violating the ban on time travel. However, since helping to save the world from the big “over,” he is now known as the God of Time Travel. Also turns out he was the God of Love, but no one figured that out until his mate, Ashli, inherited his power. Ashli is now the fourteenth deity, taking the place of Camaxtli, the Fake.

  Votan—God of Death and War: Also known as Odin, Wotan, Wodan, God of Drums (he has no idea how the hell he got that title; he hates drums), and Lord of Multiplication (okay, he is pretty darn good at math so that one makes sense). These days, Votan goes by Guy Santiago (it’s a long story—read ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE WITH…A GOD?), but despite his deadly tendencies, he’s all heart.

  Yum Cimil—Goddess of the Underworld: Also known as Ah-Puch by the Mayans, Mictlantecuhtli (try saying that one ten times) by the Aztec, Grim Reaper by the Europeans, Hades by the Greeks…you get the picture! Despite what people say, Cimil is actually a female, adores a good bargain (especially garage sales) and the color pink, and she hates clowns. She’s also bat-shit crazy, has an invisible pet unicorn named Minky, and is married to Roberto, the king of all vampires.

  Zac Cimi—Bacab of the North: What the heck is a Bacab? According to the gods’ folklore, the Bacabs are the four eldest and most powerful of the gods. Once thought to be the God of Love, we now know differently. Zac is the God of Temptation, and his tempting ways have landed him in very hot water. Because no matter how tempting your brother’s mate might be, trying to steal her is wrong. He is currently serving time in Los Angeles with Cimil, running the Immortal Matchmakers agency.

  Not the Gods

  Andrus: Ex-Demilord (vampire who’s been given the gods’ light), now just a demigod after his maker, the vampire queen, died. According to Cimil, his son (who hasn’t been born yet) is destined to marry Helena and Niccolo’s daughter, Matty.

  Ashli: Ashli actually belongs over in the GODS section, but since she was born human, we’ll keep her here. Ashli is mate to Máax, God of Time Travel. Unbeknownst to him, he was also the God of Love. Ashli inherited his power after they started falling in love. Maybe the Universe thought a woman should have this power?

  Brutus: One of the gods’ elite Uchben warriors. He doesn’t speak much, but that’s because he and his team are telepathic. They are also immortal (a gift from the gods) and next in line to be Uchben chiefs. />
  Charlotte: Sadie’s cousin and the intended mate to Andrus Grey. Only, Andrus, being the rebel that he is, decided he could pick his own damned woman! Sadie and he are now happily mated.

  Helena Strauss: Once human, Helena is now a vampire and married to Niccolo DiConti. She has a half-vampire daughter, Matty, who is destined to marry Andrus’s son, according to Cimil.

  Matty: The infant daughter of Helena and Niccolo, destined to marry Andrus’s son.

  Niccolo DiConti: General of the Vampire Army. Now that the vampire queen is dead, the army remains loyal to him. He shares power with his wife, Helena Strauss, and has a half-vampire daughter, Matty.

  Reyna: The dead vampire queen.

  Roberto (Narmer): Originally an Egyptian pharaoh, Narmer was one of the six Ancient Ones—the very first vampires. He eventually changed his name to Roberto and moved to Spain—something to do with one of Cimil’s little schemes. He now spends his days lovingly undoing Cimil’s treachery, being a stay-at-home dad, and taking her unicorn Minky for a ride.