by Skye Turner
Serina bats her eyes at her mother. Melonie laughs. “That doesn’t work on me, you little diva. I’m immune to those dimples.”
Dade walks into the kitchen with his hands full of wood from the back-yard. His two-year-old son, Paxton, is carrying twigs next to him. He catches the tail end of the conversation and swoops in to plant a quick kiss on Melonie’s mouth. “You sure about that?”
She blushes and he winks. She mutters, “Yeah, well you don’t count.”
Erik snags a beer and swoops up Pierson, Bradi and Micah’s three-year-old. He squeals and laughs as Erik tickles him. “Come on, champ. Let’s go throw the ball outside. We can beat Uncle Alec and Uncle Jude in a game of football.”
Finally, the kitchen is empty of kids. Lexi sighs and points to the fridge. “Grab a beer, Cruz.” She looks around the mess in her kitchen and chuckles. “Ok, troops. I need veggies chopped, this cake iced, those brownies cut, the gumbo stirred, those eggs filled, and some peace and quiet.”
Melonie heads to the gumbo pot. Clove attacks the pile of vegetables and starts furiously chopping. Lexi puts the brownies in front of Blue and tells her to cut, but not stand up. I stand there clueless as the women get into the meal. A bit later, I feel a hand glide over my back and a shudder runs through me. Turning, I see my beautiful wife. She leans against my back and I pull her around to hug her. “Gracie is tucked snuggly in your momma’s arms and Russ is asleep on the couch with her and George.”
I nod and kiss her softly. Who would have imagined that so much could happen in six years!?
Six years ago, Bayou Stix was a family made up of five guys from different backgrounds who made awesome music together and were loved by strangers around the world. Now, the five of us have wives and babies. Our small family has expanded exponentially and we couldn’t be happier.
George and my momma have been seeing each other for a few years now. They are a wonderful couple and they both eat up all of the grandkids, all of them. Paw and Verna have also been married and will be here shortly.
Between the five members of Bayou Stix, we have nine kids… add in Jessie’s soon-to-be-here twins and Bradi and Micah’s two, and there will soon be thirteen little people running around.
Career wise, we’ve had four more platinum records, four sold out tours, and endorsement deals in the millions. But none of that… none of that compares to what we have right here.
Family. Friends. Love… That’s what’s important.
I’m snapped out of my musings as Lexi looks up and squeals. “It’s time! Everyone get back in here!” The kitchen is soon crowded as everyone piles back in. We all stare at the television as we wait.
It’s taking a while, so I look around the room with my arm around Tifanie. Momma and George walk over. Gracie is asleep in my momma’s arms. Russ is holding her hand, but switches to mine when he sees me. George is standing next to Momma and holding Paxton. Dade is hugging Mel as Serina clings to his legs, sucking her thumb. Erik and Alec are holding hands while both have one child belonging to Bradi and Micah in the other arm. Jude wraps his arms around Lexi after she takes the sleeping baby and the other two kids climb onto the bar stools around them. Liam is holding Lizzie and Clove is watching Gordon and John play at their feet. Jessie walks up behind Blue and cradles her stomach as he rests his chin on her head.
We all hold our breath. The results are flashed across the screen and we all whoop and holler. It wakes the babies and they start to cry.
We laugh as a commotion is heard at the door and we turn. Jude calls out, “Welcome and congrats, Congressman Stevens!” as a beaming Micah and a glowing Bradi waltz in and head straight to their kids.
Bradi leans down and everyone listens as she tells their drowsy fourteen-month-old, Tristan, “Daddy won, baby! Your daddy is the newest Congressman in Louisiana!”
We all clap and look around at each other in the noise and chaos. Everyone hugs and high fives.
This is the life. This is what life is about…Love, friends, and family. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Stay Tuned early 2015 for a brand new
TWO books series
featuring:
James Black
Letter from the Author
Wow, this book marks my sixth novel in a little more than fourteen months.
What an amazing fourteen months it’s been. If someone had asked me in the beginning of 2013 what I saw for the next two years, I would never have imagined this would be my life.
I decided to write Alluring Turmoil on a whim one day last summer and I had no idea what I was doing. I sat down and just wrote… and wrote… and wrote. I poured my heart and soul into those pages and then I made a split second decision to roll with it and see where the dice would land. I researched and found an amazing Cover Designer, a brilliant formatter, a pretty fantastic editor, and made some friends. Most of these people are still with me today and the friendships and support I’ve received have been simply unimaginable.
Last year, I birthed an idea for a series of books called Bayou Stix… This year I’m an Internationally Bestselling Author with THAT series. I’ve attended events where people traveled to see me and talk to me about my books. I’ve communicated with people from all over the world and all walks of life who have found pleasure and entertainment in my words. I’ve formed friendships with people I once admired as I devoured THEIR written words. This is truly what it means to “live the dream.”
Thank you to everyone who’s fallen in love with my words and characters. Thank you to those who haven’t and have slammed both me and my work, you motivate me. Thank you to those authors who have offered advice and support. Thank you to the less than a handful of authors who have blown me off; you’ve shown me what I NEVER want to be. I have absorbed everything and I’m a constant work in progress.
This book is the last of the Bayou Stix series… I’ve loved these characters and they will always have a place in my heart; they are my babies, but I have so much more to tell you. So much more to share and I just hope you follow along for the ride.
Let’s leave the top down and see where the road takes us…
Thank you all and may we travel this winding road together. I’m excited to see where it leads!
Love y’all,
Skye Turner
Playlist
Meghan Trainor – All About That Bass
Shinedown – All I Ever Wanted
John Legend – All of Me
Maroon 5 – Animals
Juvenile – Back That Thang Up
Ne-Yo – Because Of You
Art Of Dying – Best I Can
Calvin Harris – Blame
Jason Aldean – Burnin’ It Down
The Chee-Weez – Callin Baton Rouge
Gloriana – Can’t Shake You
Kardinal Offishall – Dangerous
Evans Blue – Erase My Scars
Maroon 5 – Feelings
Pitbull – Fireball
Drake – Forever
R5 – Heart Made Up On You
LSU Tiger Marching Band – Hey Fightin’ Tigers
Hunter Hayes – Invisible
Maroon 5 – It Was Always You
Nick Jonas – Jealous
Glee Cast – Loser Like Me (Glee Cast Version)
Hoobastank – Magnolia
Katy Perry – Not Like The Movies
Imagine Dragons – Nothing Left To Say / Rocks
Spank the Monkey – One and Only One
Chase Rice – Ready Set Roll
Luke Bryan – Roller Coaster
Shinedown – Save Me
Nickelback – Savin’ Me
A Great Big World – Say Something
Journey – Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
Taylor Swift – Shake It Off
Escape the Fate – Something
Lifehouse – Storm
Hoobastank – The Reason
Madison Rising – The Star Spangled Banner
Colbie Caillat – Try<
br />
Muse – Undisclosed Desires
Linkin Park – Until It’s Gone
10 Years – Waking Up
Tyler Farr – Whiskey in My Water
Chris Young – Who I Am With You
About the Author
Skye Turner
Skye Turner is an avid reader and an editor turned Internationally Bestselling Author of the Sexy Adult Romance series Bayou Stix.
She attended Southeastern Louisiana University and Louisiana State University where she majored in Mass Communications, centering her studies in Journalism. Unfortunately, life intervened and she never finished her studies.
She lives in small town Louisiana with her husband, two children, and five fur babies.
When she’s not chained to her laptop pounding out sexy stories she can usually be found playing ‘Supermom’, reading, gardening (playing in the dirt), listening to music and dancing like a fool, cooking, baking, crafting, or catching up on her family oriented blog.
She loves to incorporate pieces of Louisiana into her writing.
You can find her here:
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/SkyeTurnerAuthor
Twitter:
@SkyeTurner_Auth
Blog:
www.skyeturnerauthor.com
READER GROUP/ Street Team on Facebook:
Skye Turner’s Bayou Belle’s and Beau’s
www.facebook.com/groups/1425424561003650/
Goodreads:
www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164331.Skye_Turner
E-mail:
[email protected]
I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to reach out!
Cursed Love
The Cursed Series, #1
By t. h. snyder
© 2014 t. h. snyder (Tiffany Snyder)
Published by t. h. snyder
First published in 2014. All rights reserved. This book is copyright. Apart from the fair purpose of private study, research or review as permitted by the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced without written permission.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Images Copyright
Book Cover By Design: Kellie Dennis
Cover photo by Stacy Michael Photography
Prologue
Sitting Indian style on my twin-sized bed, I fight through the final battle as Zelda on my Nintendo.
I’ve been trying to beat this game for the past week and now I’m so close. I only have this one life left, I need to do this…I need to win.
With my sword drawn out, my tongue darts over to the side of my mouth and I can feel my heart beating faster through my chest. As my sweaty hands hold on tightly to the controller, my thumbs work their magic to defeat the unsightly creature on my TV screen.
One more spear to the torso should do the trick and I’ll be the Zelda legend. A smile forms across my face, and I know very well that I’m about to become ‘The Champion’.
My eyes are glued to the colors flying across the screen as I hear my bedroom door creak open.
For just a second, I turn my head to see my mom walking in with my tuxedo in her hands. I roll my eyes and quickly look back to the fight, but it’s a moment too late.
“Mom!” I scream.
I toss the controller toward the end of my bed and cross my arms over my chest.
“Lincoln, this is no time to throw a temper tantrum,” she says with a serious look on her face. “You’re nine years old and you’re expected to act like a mature young man.”
I look up at her with a pout, “Yes, ma’am.”
She nods her head and smiles.
“That’s better. Now get yourself off of your bed and get dressed. I’ll be back in here in less than thirty minutes and I want you dressed and ready to meet our guests for dinner.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I watch as she hangs my tuxedo on the back of my bedroom door and exits the room.
Tonight is one of the biggest nights for our family, not just for my dad. I know I need to act a certain way and be on my best behavior. It’s nights like this that I wish I was just a normal kid.
Ever since I can remember I’ve been told to act like a gentleman, use appropriate manners, not to slouch, and speak up only when spoken to. For a kid my age, it really kinda sucks.
I just wish I was more like my best friend Daulton. He’s the luckiest kid I know. His parents let him do whatever he wants, leave the house whenever he wants, and just be a kid.
Not me, I’m a Minzotto. I’ll have to do as Mom and Dad say and follow in the political footsteps of my parents. My older brother and sister are already talking about their future careers, but seriously, I’m only nine years old. How the heck am I supposed to know what I want to do when I grow up? As of right now, all I know is that I’d rather play Nintendo than celebrate Dad’s election night for another term as congressman of our stupid state.
I slump my shoulders and slide off of my bed. Walking toward my bedroom door, I take off my while polo and reach for the tuxedo shirt. Pulling it off the hanger, I make quick work of getting myself dressed before my mom comes back into my room.
As I’m tying my shoes, I see my bedroom door open out of the corner of my eyes. Mom doesn’t say a word while she looks in on me with my brother and sister standing on either side of her.
Mom stands tall next to my siblings and she looks very pretty in her long black dress. Her hair is pulled up off her shoulders and she’s wearing a fancy necklace that hangs down to the neckline of her dress.
Shelton, my older brother, is dressed in a similar tuxedo as mine and Mimi, my older sister, is wearing a long shimmery blue dress.
I look down at myself and hope that I appear to be as presentable as them. Standing from my bed, I walk toward my mom. Not a word is spoken nor a glance of my siblings in the wrong direction. I follow them as the four of us walk down the grand staircase leading into the foyer of our home. As I reach the last few steps, I see my dad walking toward us.
My eyes follow him as he leans forward to place a kiss on Mom’s cheek. A smile creeps across her face and his hand goes to the bottom of her back.
Our parents turn to face me, Shelton, and Mimi.
“The guests will be arriving momentarily and dinner will be served promptly at seven. I don’t think I need to remind the three of you that this is election night. It’s a night to celebrate and enjoy one another as a family; however, I still expect courtesy and manners amongst our guests.”
“Yes, sir,” Shelton replies.
I tilt my head to the floor and roll my eyes. Suck up. My sister nudges my side and I look up to see our father nodding his head as he leads us toward the formal living room.
For what feels like an eternity, I stand around and watch as my parents discuss the evening with guests as they start to arrive.
Collin, Dad’s campaign manager, calls for everyone to move to the dining room for dinner. I take my seat next to Mimi and enjoy the meal our chef has prepared for us.
I find myself gazing off into space, not that it’s unusual during these kinds of events. I don’t know why it’s so important for me to even be here. My parents haven’t looked at or spoken to me since I came down the stairs. To be honest, I don’t know that they’d even miss me if I slipped out of the room and upstairs to play Nintendo.
The idea of leaving piques my interest more and more as the conversations begin to turn toward
the polls. I’m so bored I can’t help but yawn as I look around the table at all the men and women here to support the election tonight.
I plot my plan in my head for the next few minutes. Daulton only lives about two miles over the bridge. If I leave after dinner, I should be able to make it to his house in less than fifteen minutes.
My mind is made up—as soon as dinner is over, I’m ditching out of here.
I may only be a nine-year-old boy, but I sure as heck know that I’m not needed here tonight.
Once we’re excused from the table, I watch as everyone moves into the other rooms and I quickly make my escape through the open garage door.
I can feel the sweat trickle down my back the faster I pedal my bike. In a few minutes I should be at Daulton’s house; I just hope he’s home.
Rounding the last turn in his neighborhood, I see that the front porch light is on and the garage door is open with his mom’s car parked inside.
I hop off of my bike and lean it against the side of the house. As I march my way up onto the front porch, I take off my jacket and hang it across my arm. I reach for the doorbell and wait for someone to come and answer the door.
The front door swings open and Daulton stands in the doorway wearing a Skate or Die tee-shirt and black running pants.
A smile comes across his face as he pushes open the screen door.
“Dude, what are you doing here? Isn’t it like election night or something?” he asks, standing up against the door frame with his arms crossed in front of his chest.
I look to him and punch him in the shoulder.
“Yeah, it’s something alright. I was bored out of my mind and needed to get out of there fast.”
“Linc, your parents are going to kill you. Are you sure you should be here?”
“I’m sure, now let me in and let’s play some video games.”
I make my way through the door and follow Daulton back to his room.
The house is eerily quiet and dark. I know his mom is here, I saw her car parked in the garage. It’s really no bother to me, so I shrug it off and plop myself down on one of the bean bag chairs in front of the TV.