by Elle Casey
“Who knows? As long as he stays in the neighborhood streets, I don’t think he can do too much damage.”
Geneva opens her pretty blue eyes and looks up at me. I have to stop and pick her up.
“You’re going to spoil her picking her up like that all the time,” says Tarin. There’s no censure in his voice. He knows his words are wasted on me.
“You can’t spoil a baby with love.” I tickle her chin as I walk and she rewards me with a goofy baby smile. “She just smiled at me again.”
“Doesn’t count unless someone else sees it.”
“Ricky confirmed it yesterday,” I say, still tickling her chin. I cannot get enough of her beautiful face. People can say what they want about Jelly, and the tabloids sure have done a lot of gossiping about her life and tragic death, but she sure makes beautiful little girls. No one can argue that, and if they even try, they’re going to have to deal with me. Scarlett Kilgour does not play when it comes to her daughter.
“You paid Ricky off with cupcakes, so that doesn’t count.”
Geneva blinks at me, her impossibly long, black eyelashes in stark contrast to her milk-white skin. “Are your camera batteries all charged up? I want to do another photo shoot later after her nap.”
“The other eight we’ve done this week weren’t enough?”
I look over at him. “Am I being annoying? I’m sorry. I just can’t get over her, Tarin. She’s just …”
He leans in and kisses me loudly on the side of the head. “Shush. I know what you mean. The batteries are charged and ready. I feel a really good portrait coming on.”
“Really?” I grin up at him. He makes me so happy. I never in my life thought I’d feel like this with another musician who makes beautiful music.
“Yeah, really. Mother-daughter style. It’s going to be iconic.”
“Iconic,” I say, feeling the warmth of love travel my veins. “I like that.”
“I like you,” Tarin says, dropping his arm to my waist. “My wife. Mother of my child.”
“My husband,” I say, leaning into him as we walk. “Father of my child.”
A whisper comes on the breeze to my ear, filling me with happiness. I recognize the voice. It once made beautiful music too. What a kickass family you make together, Scar. Good job. I’m proud of you.
I respond silently in my head. Thanks, Austin. I’m proud of us too.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elle Casey is a prolific American writer who lives in Southern France with her husband (who sometimes wears a kilt), three kids (who never stop moving), Hercules the wonder poodle (who sleeps next to her side for every word typed), Monie the bouvier (who also never stops moving), and a few other furry creatures (don’t ask). Her favorite things are red wine, pretty much anything with sugar in it, and sexy books. If she has all three around her at the same time, please do not disturb … the writer is busy creating. In her spare time she writes new adult and young adult novels (you can find her Women’s Fiction work under the pen name Kat Lee.) She publishes at least one novel per month and has been accused of being a cyborg for her ability to consistently turn out captivating stories with characters that stay in readers’ heads long after the book is closed. She neither confirms nor denies this accusation.
A personal note from Elle …
If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving positive feedback on Amazon, Goodreads, or any book blogs you participate in. More positive feedback means I can spend more time writing! Oh, and I love interacting with my readers, so if you feel like shooting the breeze or talking about books or your pets, please visit me. You can find me at …
www.ElleCasey.com
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www.Twitter.com/ellecasey
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OTHER BOOKS BY ELLE CASEY
*= Coming Soon
(New Adult Romance)
Shine Not Burn
By Degrees
Don’t Make Me Beautiful*
Rebel*
Hellion*
Trouble*
Trainwreck*
(YA Paranormal Romance)
Duality, Volume I (Melancholia)
Duality, Volume II (Euphoria)
(YA Urban Fantasy)
War of the Fae: Book One, The Changelings - FREE!
War of the Fae: Book Two, Call to Arms
War of the Fae: Book Three, Darkness & Light
War of the Fae: Book Four, New World Order
Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 1, After the Fall
Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 2, Between the Realms
Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 3, Portal Guardians
My Vampire Summer
My Vampire Fall*
Aces High (co-written with Jason Brant)
(YA Post-Apocalyptic)
Apocalypsis: Book 1, Kahayatle
Apocalypsis: Book 2, Warpaint
Apocalypsis: Book 3, Exodus
Apocalypsis: Book 4, Haven
(YA Action-Adventure)
Wrecked
Reckless
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you first and always to my readers. Without you, I’d be a lawyer and not a writer. Sure, I’d still be writing stuff, but it would be really dry and boring. To the book bloggers who feature my work on their blogs and Facebook pages, I’m eternally grateful to you for bringing new readers to the fold. Thank you! To my hard-working beta readers, Theresa, Margaret, and Craig who also double as editors, thank you so much! We make such a great team. I cannot wait to get you all in the same room some day. To the fans who reach out to me on Facebook, Twitter, my website and through email, thank you for taking the time to speak to me about my work, thank you. I cannot express how exciting it is for me to have people so enthusiastic about the characters who live in my head. To the online outlets who make my books for sale and give me a space to connect with readers around the world, thank you! To my friends and family who stand by my side cheering me on, sharing my good news, patting my back when I cry and have words of wisdom for my next steps … thank you! This would so not be worth it without you there. An extra special thanks to my husband. He’s my coach, my cheerleader, my task master, my kid and pet wrangler, and my sexy scene inspiration. I’m the luckiest girl in the world, and yes, I know how many girls there are out there, and no, he did not pay me in chocolate and wine to say that. And to my fellow indie writers who’ve reached out to share, to help, to ask for help, to commiserate … thank you. Isn’t this fun?