Storm Warning, Season 2, Episode 2 (Rising Storm)

by Larissa Ione

  Storm Warning

  By Larissa Ione

  Rising Storm

  Season 2

  Episode 2

  Story created by Julie Kenner and Dee Davis

  Storm Warning, Episode 2

  Rising Storm, Season 2

  Copyright 2016 Julie Kenner and Dee Davis Oberwetter

  ISBN: 978-1-942299-94-3

  Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Book Description

  Storm Warning

  By Larissa Ione

  Rising Storm, Season 2, Episode 2

  Secrets, Sex and Scandals …

  Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.

  As Joanne Alvarez settles into life without Hector, her children still struggle with the fallout. Marcus confronts the differences between him and Brittany, while Dakota tries to find a new equilibrium. Meanwhile, the Johnson’s grapple with war between two sets of brothers, and Ian Briggs rides into town…

  About Larissa Ione

  Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion of writing. She has since published dozens of books, hit several bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and has been nominated for a RITA award. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and fictional worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. After a dozen moves all over the country with her now-retired U.S. Coast Guard spouse, she is now settled in Wisconsin with her husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.

  For more information about Larissa, visit www.larissaione.com.

  Also From Larissa Ione

  Click to purchase

  ~ DEMONICA/LORDS OF DELIVERANCE SERIES ~

  Pleasure Unbound (Book 1)

  Desire Unchained (Book 2)

  Passion Unleashed (Book 3)

  Ecstasy Unveiled (Book 4)

  Eternity Embraced ebook (Book 4.5) (NOVELLA)

  Sin Undone August (Book 5)

  Eternal Rider (Book 6)

  Supernatural Anthology (Book 6.5) (NOVELLA)

  Immortal Rider (Book 7)

  Lethal Rider (Book 8)

  Rogue Rider (Book 9)

  REAVER (Book 10)

  AZAGOTH (Book 10.5)

  REVENANT (Book 11)

  HADES (Book 11.5)

  Base Instincts (Book 11.6)

  ~ MOONBOUND CLAN VAMPIRES SERIES ~

  Bound By Night (book 1)

  Chained By Night (book 2)

  Blood Red Kiss Anthology (book 2.5)

  Foreword

  Dear reader –

  We have wanted to do a project together for over a decade, but nothing really jelled until we started to toy with a kernel of an idea that sprouted way back in 2012 … and ultimately grew into Rising Storm.

  We are both excited about and proud of this project—not only of the story itself, but also the incredible authors who have helped bring the world and characters we created to life.

  We hope you enjoy visiting Storm, Texas. Settle in and stay a while!

  Happy reading!

  Julie Kenner & Dee Davis

  Sign up for the Rising Storm/1001 Dark Nights Newsletter

  and be entered to win an exclusive lightning bolt necklace specially designed for Rising Storm by Janet Cadsawan of Cadsawan.com.

  Click here to subscribe.

  As a bonus, all subscribers will receive a free

  Rising Storm story

  Storm Season: Ginny & Jacob – the Prequel

  by Dee Davis

  Table of Contents

  Book Description

  About Larissa Ione

  Also from Larissa Ione

  Foreword

  Family Trees

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Rising Storm

  An excerpt from Brave the Storm, Rising Storm Season 2, Episode 3 by Lisa Mondello

  1001 Dark Nights

  Special Thanks

  Family Trees

  Allen Family

  Alvarez Family

  Douglas Family

  Grossman Family

  Johnson Family

  Moreno Family

  Murphy Family

  Prager Family

  Rush Family

  Salt Family

  Chapter One

  As Ian Briggs drove through the heart of Storm, Texas, he wondered how such a quaint, quiet town had gotten its name.

  He also wondered how he could get so lost in such a small town.

  Keeping one hand on the wheel of his obnoxiously candy-apple red rental car, he tapped the screen of the non-functional GPS and cursed. Still frozen. The thing had been working fine when he’d picked up the mid-size Ford at the Austin airport, but it had gone on the fritz right after he checked into the bed and breakfast he’d probably never be able to find again. Now he was driving aimlessly around town, hoping to find Houston Street, and wishing he’d put the charger for his phone in his carry-on. It was nestled deep in his still-packed luggage, and he hadn’t realized how low he was on juice until he’d already left the B&B to search out Marcus.

  As he passed by Cuppa Joe for what must have been the fifteenth time, he gave up being stubbornly male and pulled over to ask directions. He stepped out of the air-conditioned interior and nearly choked on the heat and humidity. In Montana, it was already cold. But here...God, how did people stand it? It felt wrong to be wearing jeans and a T-shirt when he’d gotten on a plane this morning wearing a parka.

  A refreshing blast of cool air and the rich aroma of coffee hit him as he entered the quaint shop. A few people seated at the handful of tables eyed him with varying levels of curiosity or suspicion as he moved to the counter. He nodded in greeting, but it was the curvy woman standing behind it with the shiny black ponytail who drew his interest.

  She poured coffee into a big, lime-green mug and slid it to a guy wearing a Double J Ranch baseball cap at the other end of the counter.

  “Thanks, darlin’.” Double J guy took his coffee to a table, and she turned to Ian.

  “Hi,” she said, her smile reaching all the way to eyes the color of smooth, dark chocolate. “Can I help you?” She gestured to a blackboard with the daily specials. “The salted caramel latte is to die for.”

  Her voice was to die for. Light and cheery, with a musical lilt and a cute Texas accent. “Actually,” he said, “I was hoping you could point the way to Houston Street.”

  Cocking her head, she narrowed her eyes at him. “You from the media?”

  “Montana.”

  She grinned, and he swore the entire cafe got a little brighter. “In that case, I’ll draw you a map.”

  She turned around to put down the c
offee pot, giving him a brief but tantalizing view of her denim-hugged backside. The apron tied at the small of her back in a neat little bow emphasized her hourglass figure, which he admired as she dug into the apron pocket for a pen and notepad and pivoted back around to him.

  “Now, this little square is Cuppa Joe...” She gave him directions as she drew little lines, but he didn’t hear most of it because he was too distracted by her voice and the way her lips moved as she talked. “...And Houston Street is right there.” She marked an X on the napkin with a flourish of her slender hand.

  And look at that, she wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.

  Idiot. You’re not here for a fling.

  No shit. He wasn’t interested in a fling even back at home. He’d never been one to engage in flash-in-the-pan pleasures. He’d always preferred to invest in the long haul, whether he was talking about business, hobbies, or relationships.

  But that didn’t mean he was blind or dead from the waist down, and the woman whose name tag said “Marisol” was striking.

  “I appreciate it.” He took the paper from her, and some fool part of him was a little disappointed that she hadn’t written her phone number on it.

  “Happy to help.” She brushed what looked like flour off her apron. “Can I ask what brings you to our lovely little town?”

  The explanation would be long and complicated, and he doubted she really cared, so he said simply, “Family.”

  “Well, enjoy your stay in Storm. Have you been here before?”

  “No, but I’m looking forward to seeing more of it.” He waved as he opened the door. “And thanks again.”

  She returned the wave, and for the briefest moment, he thought about going back to order a cup of coffee.

  I repeat, you’re not here for a fling.

  With a mental kick in the ass, he got into his rental, gave the scribbled map a glance, and headed for Houston Street.

  It didn’t take long to find the Alvarez house once he was on the right street, and he parked alongside the curb in front of the small, run-down home. New boards, differently colored than the rest, marked where someone had made some repairs to the front porch, and the screen door had shiny new hinges.

  He smiled as he knocked on the door. Marcus had told him that he’d been making small repairs around the house, exactly as he’d done around the ranch in Montana.

  A blonde forty-something woman with stunning green eyes and Marcus’s high cheekbones opened the door with a smile. “Hi. Can I help you?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Is Marcus here?”

  “He’s out at the moment.” She looked him up and down. “May I ask who’s calling?”

  He held out his hand. “I’m Ian. Ian Briggs. You must be Joanne.”

  “Oh.” Her brows flew up in astonishment. “Mr. Briggs. Marcus has spoken so much about you. Did he know you were coming?”

  “Nah. I wanted to surprise him.” Plus, it was a bit of a last-minute decision.

  “Well, come inside. He should be home at any moment. He’ll be so excited to see you.” She stepped aside so he could enter. “Can I get you anything? I just brewed a pot of coffee.”

  His mind instantly flashed to the beautiful lady at the bakery and his face heated. “Coffee would be perfect.”

  He took a seat at the kitchen table while she brought him a steaming cup of joe. “I’m so glad you're here,” she said. “I want to thank you for everything you did for Marcus.”

  “It was my pleasure. He’s an amazing kid.”

  There was nothing more beautiful than a mother’s pride in her child, and Joanne’s smile was radiant. “You have more than a little to do with that, I think.”

  As much as he’d like to take credit for how Marcus turned out, it wasn’t fair. “He told me a lot about you, and if even half of what he said was true, you gave him a great foundation and a lot of love.”

  She flushed and looked down at the table. “There are a lot of things I’d have done differently.” The quiet regret in her voice punched him right in the heart, because he felt the same way about his own past.

  About his own son.

  Female laughter floated into the kitchen, and a moment later, a dark-haired teen in baggy sweats rounded the corner, followed by a blonde in tight shorts and a skimpy tank top. He recognized both from the pictures Marcus would show him whenever they sent them to his phone.

  “Girls,” Joanne said, “I want you to meet Marcus’s friend from Montana. Ian, these are my daughters, Mallory and Dakota.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Mallory gave him a cheery smile as she snagged a Coke from the fridge. “Marcus talks about you all the time.”

  Dakota wasn’t nearly as friendly, and she gave him the stink-eye as she took a donut from a box on the counter. “Why are you here?”

  There were several reasons, but those were between him and Marcus. “I miss your brother, and I wanted to check up on him.”

  “Why?” The challenge and suspicion in her voice and her gaze reminded him of Marcus, back when Ian first met him. “You aren’t Marcus’s dad, you know.”

  There were so many things Ian could say about that, but none of them would have been appropriate to voice to people he’d only known for five minutes.

  “No,” he said softly. “I’m nothing like Marcus’s dad.”

  “Mom?” Marcus’s deep voice boomed through the house, punctuated by the sound of the front door slamming closed. “Whose car is that—” He broke off as he entered the kitchen. “Ian?”

  Ian barely had a chance to stand up before Marcus engulfed him in a huge hug. The boy felt good. Solid. Like he’d put on even more muscle.

  “It’s good to see you, son.”

  Marcus pulled back, the biggest grin Ian had ever seen on his face. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

  He shrugged. “It was spur of the moment. And I figured if I wanted to visit, I’d better do it before the snow sets in.”

  Still grinning, Marcus raked his hand through his hair, which did nothing to tame the unruly black mop. “Where are you staying?”

  “I got a room at the Flower Hill bed and breakfast,” he said. “Is that the one where you used to work?”

  Marcus nodded. “Mallory works there now. Anna Mae and Rita Mae will take good care of you. Their breakfasts are amazing.”

  “Totally. Anna Mae makes a mean sausage casserole,” Mallory chimed in, “and I don’t even like sausage.”

  Joanne picked up her purse and car keys from off the dining table. “Well, I have to meet with Tate, and I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about, so I’ll get out of your hair.”

  Mallory jerked her thumb toward the hallway. “And I have homework.”

  “And I just don’t care enough to stay.” Dakota shrugged. “Ciao.”

  Everyone took off, leaving Ian with Marcus. “Well,” Marcus sighed. “That’s my family.”

  They seemed like a normal, happy family, so much so that Ian never would have guessed that until just a few months ago, they’d been under the thumb of an abusive bastard. As much as he missed Marcus, he was glad Marcus had been able to help his family heal.

  “They must be thrilled that you’re back,” Ian said.

  Marcus laughed. “The jury is still out on that.” Marcus gave him another hug, and Ian’s eyes stung with emotion. It had been a long time since anyone had been this happy to see him. “I’m glad you’re here, Ian.”

  “So am I, son,” he said roughly. “So am I.”

  * * * *

  Five minutes after first seeing Ian in the kitchen, Marcus was still reeling. They’d moved out to the back patio, taking seats at the beat-to-hell plastic table.

  Marcus took a gulp of his iced tea and shook his head. “I can’t believe you came all the way here just to check on me.”

  “I was worried.” Ian smoothed a finger along the curve of his coffee cup’s handle as he spoke. He did that with every coffee mug. It was a quirk that had always amused Marcus. “I know you’re doing
good, but I also know you’re worried about your mom and Dakota.”

  He blew out a long breath. “My mom is in a good place, I think. She’s not working for Marylee anymore, so that helps.”

  Marcus had also caught her flirting with Dillon Murphy while they were both getting gas the other day, and she’d been all smiles since. He’d never seen her so lighthearted, in fact. He just hoped Dillon would tell her the truth about his role in Hector’s disappearance. He also hoped Hector would file divorce papers from whatever shithole he was living in, but that was probably a pipe dream. Hector was too possessive, egotistical, and jealous. He wouldn’t give up anything he considered his property without a fight.

  “But Dakota...I don’t know. She’s been moody.” Marcus reconsidered that. “Well, moodier than normal, with more extreme swings. Sometimes she’s sullen and grumpy, and other times she’s bouncy and optimistic.”

  “Bouncy and optimistic are good,” Ian offered.

  “Not when it’s coming from Dakota. It’s creepy and wrong. It’s like she’s waiting for something. Like the mother ship.”

  Ian chuckled into his glass. “And what about you? You said you got a job on a ranch? They treating you well?”

  He nodded, because for the most part, everything was cool. He’d been afraid Marylee Rush would use her influence to keep him off the ranch, but in the end, he’d gotten the job. And the Johnsons, while not overly friendly, were fair. But some of the ranch hands were certified USDA Prime assholes. Nothing he couldn’t handle, but he figured it wouldn’t be long before he decked one particular dickhead who kept taunting him about his “lying slut of a sister.”

  “I can show it to you, if you want to check out the operation,” Marcus said, knowing Ian would jump at the chance to tour another ranch. He was always eager to learn new and better ways of running a cattle business. “They do a few things different here in Texas.”