“Exactly.” Donnie smiled and pointed at the book in Marc’s hands. “This story… Marc, this is it! This is the movie we are going to start our production company with. This is what's going to give you an Oscar nod for directing at the very least." Donnie’s overconfidence could have been annoying if Marc hadn’t known him as well as he did.
Don had always been a man of few words, making each one count, and his excitement and confidence on this made something in Marc start to perk up. “Read it,” Donnie pushed again, pointing at the book.
“Right now?” he asked, suddenly feeling all the weight of the last couple of weeks right back on his shoulders. All he wanted was a couple of days alone at his ranch in peace.
“Right-freaking-now, man,” he said enthusiastically, snapping him out of his thoughts, and he sighed.
“Fine.” He opened the book then felt Donnie move and turned, “What? Are you going to watch me read?”
“Yes, asshole. Just fucking read it!” Don shook his head, a sly grin on his face. “Trust me. Shit.”
Marcus opened it and read the dedication.
Lexi-bell: everything I do, I do for you.
He scowled, and his expectations dropped incredibly.
They had talked extensively about the type of movie Marc and Don wanted to be their first. They had been buying time and saving money, all so that they could one day do something more. He knew he had to trust his best friend. Don knew what was at stake.
Diving into the book, he had no clue, none whatsoever, not even an inkling, that this moment would be the catalyst that would change the course of the rest of his life.
Check out the first chapter to Down in Flames by Samantha Conley!
Down in Flames
(Silver Tongued Devils, Book 1)
Samantha Conley
Just when you think you have your life together, a spark ignites with the potential to take everything down in flames.
Kristen Daniels worked hard for her career, and when her dream job came to fruition, a sexy rock star won her heart. But one night changed everything, shattering the perfect life she thought she had, and she begins to doubt everything.
Brett Ingles is on top of the world. His band, the Silver Tongued Devils, is quickly rising to the top, playing sold out shows and topping the charts, and he has a beautiful, smart fiancée to share it all with. Until he makes the mistake that rocks his world.
Derek Calloway is a loyal friend—the one you can depend on. He’s following his dream of playing in a rock band with his best friend, but what happens when he falls in love with the girl who should be off limits? Battling his emotions day in and day out is like a two-ton weight on his shoulders, but is giving in to them worth losing everything—is she worth losing everything?
Down In Flames
© 2016 Samantha Conley
All rights reserved
Chapter 1
Kristen
Something startles me awake. Maybe the plane hit some turbulence. I never thought I would fall asleep on a plane, but I’ve been working my ass off lately to be able to get a four-day weekend to fly up to Minneapolis to see Brett and the guys. I haven't seen Brett in six months, and Skype and texts just aren't cutting it anymore. I haven’t even gotten to talk to him in the past four days, with the band on tour, and me working 12-hour shifts at the hospital. If I ever decide to work five straight, 12-hour days again, someone needs to shoot me for stupidity. At least I’m not stuck in economy class and have a little room in my seat to stretch out, all thanks to the band’s manager, Brian. I’m glad that he’s helping me surprise Brett. The only thing that sucks is that my flight was delayed due to mechanical difficulties, so we took off nearly two hours late. That means I won’t get to see Brett before the concert, and I’ll more than likely miss the concert altogether. I’d texted Brian about the delay, and he said he would have a car at the airport to pick me up to take me to the venue or the hotel the band is staying at. We’ll get to stay in Minneapolis for three days before the band must leave for the next leg of their tour.
I sit here and think back to the beginning, when I met Brett and the guys for the first time. Brett and I dating, spending as much time together as we could between our schedules. I was always working at the hospital, while he worked construction for Derek’s uncle at Calloway Construction. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It’s been a roller coaster five years. It all fell into place when Brian Jefferies walked into the bar one weekend. Brian had only listened to the band play a couple of songs before he decided he wanted to represent them. Brian got them on satellite radio, and they became the hottest thing on the radio overnight. They started playing at different bars, opening for other bands, and gathered a huge following. Now they were on their second headlining tour with the release of their second album. Brian had them traveling all over the place promoting the new album. After Minneapolis, the guys are heading to Europe for the last leg of the tour. Man, I wish I could go with them, but with work and school, there’s no way. Maybe after I finish my current semester I could fly over for a week or two. Lord knows I have enough vacation time.
Sometimes, I wonder what the hell I was thinking, going back to school for my master’s degree, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. My dream is to be a pediatric nurse practitioner. I love working with kids, and I love my job at the children’s hospital.
I glance down and stare at the big rock sitting on my left ring finger, as the glow of the overhead light makes it sparkle. Brett proposed to me at Jake’s Bar before this tour started four months ago. I’m just so excited, thinking about our future together. I can’t wait to see him tonight.
I’m pulled from my thoughts as the pilot announces our landing, so I gather my stuff and get ready to get off this tin can. I’m glad I only packed my carry-on, so I won’t have to wait at the baggage claim. I shoot off a quick text to Brian to let him know I landed, and he suggests I go to the hotel and wait for Brett. He’s given the driver the key to the room, which is great for me. It’ll give me time to freshen up before Brett arrives.
I don’t have to wait long before the driver pulls up and whisks me away to the hotel. Pulling up, I feel out of place. I dress for comfort when I fly, so I’m in a T-shirt, jeans, and flip-flops. I can see the doorman giving me a weird look as I get the key from the driver and he gives my carry-on to the bellhop that comes to the car, then off we go to the elevator. We get to the room and the bellhop puts my bag inside the door as I look around the room. Holy moly, this place is nice. Way too rich for my blood. The bellhop clears his throat and I realize he’s waiting for a tip. I dig in my pocket, but only pull out a couple of ones. “I’m so sorry,” I tell him. “It’s all the cash I have on me.
“Thank you,” he says formally and leaves the room.
Great. He probably thinks I’m cheap, but I never carry cash. Maybe I need to start.
Brian texts me to let me know that Brett should be at the hotel within the hour. I head to the bathroom to freshen up and change clothes. I brought one of the slinky dresses that Brett likes to surprise him, then I sit and wait.
I’m sitting in the chair when I hear someone outside the door, so I turn off the TV, ready to surprise him. I can hear him say something, then some female giggles. I pause. Maybe it’s not him. I mean, why would there be a girl with him? I hear fumbling with the door, like the key won’t work, but finally, the door opens and Brett walks in with his lips attached to some barely dressed blonde. Following them through the door is an even less dressed brunette with her hands all over his ass. I can hear her talking about all the things she wants to do to him. I’m completely frozen from shock.
The brunette starts to pull his shirt off and he only detaches his lips from the blonde so the shirt can go over his head. He looks at the brunette and says, “Strip and get on the bed.” She eagerly complies. He turns back to the blonde and says, “Take my dick out and suck it like a good girl.” The blonde can’t get her hands on his belt fast enough.
>
How long am I going to sit here and watch this? They’re so caught up in what they’re doing, they don’t even see me. I feel like I’m in a nightmare. I watch as the blonde takes his dick into her mouth. Brett groans and sways on his feet. He just keeps staring at the ceiling and moaning. I glance at the brunette and she’s buck naked with one hand on her tit and one on her pussy. Brett pulls the blonde off his dick and tells her to get on the bed too.
“Daddy,” the brunette moans. “I’ve got some more blow for us. I want you to snort it off my pussy.” She has a dreamy look on her face and it dawns on me that they’re all high as kites.
I can’t watch anymore. I spy my carry-on by the door, so I stand and make my way toward it. As I open the door, I hear one of the girls ask “Who’s that?” I glance back to see Brett look at me—look through me.
“That’s nobody,” he says.
Nobody. My heart shatters into a million pieces. I never knew my heart could hurt so badly.
I think I’m in shock. I don’t even notice my surroundings. I head out the door and quickly throw on some clothes from my bag in the hallway. Once I’m dressed, I take the elevator down and make my way through the lobby to the sidewalk. The doorman asks if I need anything.
“A cab,” I say, and he waves one down.
“Where to, Miss?”
“The airport.”
I feel like I’m moving in slow motion and I can’t think. Before I know it, I’m at the airport. Thank God, I can use my debit card to pay for the cab fare. I move to the ticket agent, and I’m so out of it, I don’t even hear her speaking to me, not until she reaches over the counter and touches my shoulder.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I need to get back to Dallas as soon as possible.” I know she can see that something’s wrong and takes pity on me. I hand her my ticket and she starts working on her computer. Luckily, there’s a flight leaving in an hour and they have a few open seats in economy. I take it and head to the gate.
Finally, I’m on the plane and headed home. But what is home anymore?
Dive into the First Chapter of Loving Lo
Loving Lo
Devil’s Knights Series
Book 1
Winter Travers
Chapter 1
Meg
How did just stopping quickly to get dog food and shampoo turn into an overflowing basket and a surplus pack of paper towels?
“Put the paper towels down and back away slowly,” I mumbled to myself as I walked past a display of air fresheners and wondered if I needed any.
“Oh dear. Oh, my. I… Ah… Oh, my.”
I tore my thoughts away from air fresheners and looked down the aisle to an elderly woman who was leaning against the shelf, fanning herself. “Are you ok, ma‘am?”
“Oh dear. I just… I just got a little… dizzy.” I looked at the woman and saw her hands shaking as she brushed her white hair out of her face. The woman had on denim capris and a white button down short sleeve shirt and surprisingly three-inch wedge heels.
“Ok, well, why don’t we try to find you a place to sit down until you get your bearings?” I shifted the basket and paper towels under one arm to help her to the bench that I had seen by the shoe rack two aisles over. “Are you here with anyone?” I asked, as I guided her down the aisle.
“Oh no. I’m here by myself. I just needed a few things.”
“I only needed two things, and now my basket is overflowing, and I still haven’t gotten the things I came in for.”
The woman plopped down on the bench chuckling, shaking her head. “Tell me about it. Happens to me every time too.”
“Is there something I can do for you? Has this happened to you before?” She was looking rather pale.
“Unfortunately, yes. I ran out of the house today without eating breakfast. I’m diabetic. I should know by now that I can’t do that.” My mom was also diabetic, so I knew exactly what the woman was talking about. Luckily, I also knew what to do to help.
“Just sit right here, and I’ll be right back. Is there someone you want to call to give you a ride home? Driving right now probably isn’t the best idea.” I set the basket and towels on the floor, keeping my wallet in my hand.
“I suppose I should call my son. He should be able to give me a ride,” the woman said as she dug her phone out of her purse.
I left the woman to her phone call and headed to the candy aisle that I had been trying to ignore. I grabbed a bag of licorice, chips, and a diet soda and went to the checkout. The dollar store didn’t offer a healthy selection, but this would do in a pinch. The woman just needed to get her blood sugars back up.
I grabbed my things after paying and headed back to the bench. I ripped open the bag and handed it to the woman. “Oh dear, you didn’t have to buy that. I could have given you money.”
“Don’t worry about it. I hope if this happened to my mom there would be someone to help her if I wasn’t around.”
“Well, that’s awfully sweet of you. My names Ethel Birch by the way.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Ethel. I’m Meg Grain. I also got you some chips and soda.” I popped opened the soda and handed it to Ethel.
“Oh, thank you, honey. My son is on the way here, should be only five minutes. You can get going if you want to, you don’t need to sit with an old woman,” Ethel said as she ate a piece of candy and took a slug of soda.
“No problem. The only plans I had today was to take a nap before work tonight. Delaying my plans by ten minutes won’t be a problem.”
“Well, in that case, you can help me eat this licorice. It’s my favorite, but I shouldn’t eat this all by myself. Where do you work at?” Ethel asked as she offered the bag to me.
“The factory right outside of town. I work in the warehouse, second shift.” I grabbed a piece and sat down on the floor. If I was going to wait for Ethel’s son to show up, might as well be comfortable while I waited for him.
“Really? Never would have thought that. Figured you would have said a nurse or something like that. Seems like you would have to be tough to work in a warehouse, sounds like a man’s job.”
I laughed. “Honestly, Ethel that is not the first time I have heard that, and it probably won't be the last. You need a certain attitude to deal with those truckers walking through the door. I have an awesome co-worker, so he helps out when truckers have a problem with a woman loading their truck.”
“Sounds like you give them hell. My Tim was a trucker before he passed. I know exactly what you are talking about.” Ethel took another drink of her soda and set it on the bench next to her.
“Feeling better?”
“Surprisingly, yes. It’s a wonder what a little candy can do. How much do I owe you?” Ethel asked as she reached for her purse by her feet.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad that I was here to help.”
“Mom! Where are you?” Someone yelled from the front of the store.
“Oh good, Lo’s here. You’ll have to meet him.” Ethel cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled to him she was in the back.
I started getting up off the floor and remembered I wasn’t exactly as flexible as I use to be while struggling to get up.
“Ma, you ok?” I was halfway to standing with my butt in the air when his voice made me pause.
It sounded like the man was gurgling broken glass when he spoke. Raspy and so sexy. Those three words he spoke sent shocks to my core. Lord knows the last time I felt anything in my core.
“Yes, I’m fine. I forgot to eat breakfast this morning and started to get dizzy when Meg here was nice enough to help me out until you could get here.” Ethel turned to me. “Lo, this is Meg, Meg this is Lo.”
Oh, lord.
I couldn’t talk. The man standing in front of me was… oh, lord. I couldn’t even think of a word to describe him.
I looked him up and down, and I’m sure my mouth was hanging wide open. I took in his scuffed up motorcycle boots and faded, stained ripped jeans that hugged hi
s thighs and made me want to ask the man to spin so I could see what those jeans were doing for his ass. I moved my eyes up to his t-shirt that was tight around his shoulders and chest and showed he worked out.
I couldn’t remember the last time I worked out. Did walking to the mailbox count as exercise? Of course, I only remembered to get the mail about twice a week, so that probably didn’t count.
His arms were covered in tattoos. I could see them peeking out from the collar of his shirt and could only imagine what he looked like with his shirt off. Tattoos were my ultimate addiction on a man. Even one tattoo added at least 10 points to a man’s hotness. This guy was off the fucking charts.
My eyes locked with his after my fantastic voyage up his body, and I stopped breathing.
“Hey, Meg. See something you like, darlin’?” Lo rumbled at me with a smirk on his face.
Busted. I sucked air back into my lungs and tried to remember how to breathe.
Lo’s eyes were the color of fresh cut grass, bright green. His hair was jet black and cut close to his head with a pair of kick ass aviators sitting on top of his head. He was golden tan and gorgeous. The man was sex on a stick. Plain and simple.
“Uh, hey,” I choked out.
Lo’s lips curved up into a grin, and I looked down to see if my panties fell off. The man had a panty-dropping smile, and he wasn’t even smiling that big. I would have to take cover or risk fainting if he smiled any bigger.
“Thanks for looking after my ma for me. I’m glad I was in town today and not out on a run,” Lo said.
Ok. Get it together Meg. You are a 36-year-old woman, and this man has rendered you speechless like a sixteen-year-old girl. I needed to say something.
“Say something,” I blurted out. Good Lord did I just say that. Lo quirked his eyebrow, and his smirk returned.
“Ugh, I mean no problem. I didn’t do that much. No problem.” I looked at Ethel while Lo was smirking at me; Ethel had a full-blown smile on her face and was beaming at me.
Nickel (Fallen Lords M.C. Book 1) Page 20