by Mj Fields
God, she is beautiful.
And she is mine.
~The End~
No more law school for me.
Sabato was right, of course. We had a conversation that started in the hospital, when he asked when I would go back. I told him I would figure it out when he was one hundred percent better. He didn’t push.
When we got home, he pushed.
“You don’t want that anyway,” he looks deep into my eyes, my soul. “You tell me why you decided not to continue with social work, and then you tell me why you want to practice law.”
“I followed on a case, one that changed my mind.” I say, not wanting to appear weak or wanting to hurt him. It would open a wound and he was just beginning to heal.
“I see.” He sits up on the bed and reaches into the nightstand drawer and grabs the blindfold.
“What are you doing?” I laugh as he covers my eyes.
“Sometimes it’s easier for people—well, you and I—to open up when we feel most free. You feel freest when you’re not trying to gauge my reactions to you.”
“Maybe when we, well...when....” I reach up and try to remove the blindfold. But his quick, jungle cat-like instincts kick in and he grabs my hands.
“Don’t.” He whispers into my ear in his silky smooth voice and then pushes his face against mine.
“A case I followed closely. It was clearly abuse, but the child was adamant at the hospital that she fell down the stairs. The mother and father’s stories matched. The home visit was perfect. Beautiful home, too.” I feel sick to my stomach. “You can always hope your gut is wrong. But,” I swallow hard because I know I am going to cry and he pulls me tighter to him. “The mother, Rachel, killed herself. She left a note saying she couldn’t stop him, that he threatened to hurt her, to kill her and their daughter. It said she has died a little every day since the abuse began and felt like she had been a horrible mother. That maybe ending her life would help shed some light on the situation, on Chloe.”
I try not to focus on the darkest details. Instead, I focus on the warmth of his skin, on how tightly he holds me as the tears fall.
“Chloe, is Ryan’s niece.”
“Your ex?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry.”
“That’s why we remained friends. She opened up to me when she was with Ryan, while I was home over the summer. We took her to the police and she told them everything. She is so brave. Her father was arrested. He got two years, Sabato. Only two years, that’s it. Ryan has custody.”
“Is he good to her?”
“Yeah, the best he can be. I mean, he’s doing it alone. His parents help.”
“And you?”
“I talked to them on the phone.”
“And you wanted to be a lawyer because the system failed her?”
“There is a terrible injustice in our legal system. Chloe has to visit him once a month and write him a letter once a week. She is a ten year old little girl, who was abused, severely abused, by this man. And she was ordered by a judge to do this, because it will ‘help her father heal.’”
A sob escapes. I don’t mean it to, but it does. I’ve known Chloe since she was three. I used to babysit her with Ryan once in a while.
Sabato pulls the blindfold off and wipes my tears away with his thumb.
“What about her healing? What about the fact that she has lived her life being abused and they are forcing her to...to....”
“Okay,” he pulls me into another hug and I feel him tremble.
“I didn’t want you to know, Sabato. I didn’t, because—”
“I know and I’m fine. I’m stronger because of it.”
“You shouldn’t have had to be stronger. Someone should have protected you.”
“But I am.” He pulls back and looks into my eyes. “How can we help?”
Overwhelmed by emotion, I wrap my arms around him and hug him so tight that my muscles ache. “I don’t know. The only thing I could think to do was become a lawyer and fight against a very broken system.”
“Have you considered the fact that you are now a wealthy woman? With money comes power, Melyssa, and responsibility. I will help you. But I’m afraid my pervious lifestyle and affiliations might—”
“Be a very good reason to want to help. It could also give a child like Chloe, hope.”
“And how will Ryan feel about accepting help from me?”
“He loves that little girl. He’d do anything for her. He already has changed so much.”
“Do you think you and he—”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“It’s a valid question.”
“I love you. That won’t change. Nothing would ever change that.”
“I will see to it that it never does.”
I can’t help the smile from spreading. It starts in my heart, travels through my soul and lands on my face. “How did I get so lucky?”
“Well, you came peeking in my windows, then came back because you wanted to be fucked.”
I giggle, and he smiles.
“The moment I saw you at the restaurant, there was such a draw to you, Melyssa. I tried not to flirt with it, but I did.”
“You flirted? That was flirting?”
He smiles, “I flirted with the idea.”
“I would like to see you flirt.”
“It was dangerous. Careless, actually. I knew if I showed an interest in a woman for anything other than physical need, I could be putting her at risk. It never bothered me, until you. You piqued my interest, challenged me even. I had only been interested in one woman before you.”
“Luciana.”
He nods. “Yes.”
“I’m sorry you lost her.”
He takes a deep breath and looks me over. Normally, I would give him more to look at but not now. Out of respect for her, I didn’t take it to that place.
“I loved Luciana, without doubt. I won’t question anything further. I feel it would be disrespectful to her.”
“You mean...the car accident? Did he...did your father cause it?”
“Two cars,” he shakes his head. “I remember two cars. When I woke in the hospital, I found out that she was dead, that I had some small injury to my hand and that it was ruled an accident. I never liked Thor, but I had him look into it, long ago. He had left school and gone to the police academy and as I said—he is an asshole, but he is a good man. He could find nothing, but he told me he was sure it was my father’s doing. Thor was...very fond of Luciana. She chose me over him. He told her getting mixed up with me was stupid. At her funeral he wouldn’t even look at me, but then, no one would.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” I reassure him, as I run my hands through his hair.
“That is the cross I carried every day. I have finally accepted it. My fa...that man being dead allowed me to set it down and walk away. You, Melyssa, have given me hope. The cross is a memory that will never be forgotten. I will owe you for the rest of your life for trusting in me.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“I owe you everything. It is my honor and privilege to be loved, to feel love, to accept it and give it back. I owe you everything, but I promise and threaten you, I will always take more from you than you are willing to give. I will demand it, Melyssa. Some things I cannot change.”
“I would never dream of changing anything about you.” I smile evilly. Now that the serious part of our conversation is over, I am ready and willing to take it to that place. So is Elsa. I reach for his belt. “Don’t change. Especially not that part.”
HOW TO TIE THE ST. ANDREWS KNOT
-The wide end of the tie should be on your right side and the other end on your left. The tie should be inside out.
-Cross the narrow end over the other end. (Now three regions)
-Bring the wide end over the narrow end. (Left and right region)
-Bring the wide end under the knot from the right to the left region.
-Bring the wi
de end over the center.
-Bring the wide end underneath the tie knot from right to left.
-Bring the wide end under the narrow part of the tie from left region to center.
-Bring the wide end down and pass the loop in front. Make sure the knot is tightened.
-Use one hand to pull the narrow end down and use the other hand to move the knot up until it reaches the center of the collar.
Playlist for SABATO
Do You Wanna Know ~ Arctic Monkeys
Our Truth ~ Lacuna Coil
The Army Inside ~ Lacuna Coil
Trip To Darkness ~ Lacuna Coil
Bread and Butter ~ Hugo
Stolen Dance ~ Milky Chance
Take Me To Church ~ Hozier
Believe ~ Mumford & Sons
About the Author
MJ FIELDS
MJ Fields’ love of writing was in full swing by age eight. Together with her cousins, she wrote a newsletter and sold it to family members. She self-published her first New Adult romance in January 2013. Today, she has completed five self-published series, The Love series, The Wrapped series, The Burning Souls series, The Men of Steel series and The Ties of Steel series. The Norfolk series has two title self-published so far.
MJ is a USA Today bestselling author and former small business owner, who recently closed the business so she could write full time.
MJ lives in central New York, surrounded by family and friends. Her house is full of pets, friends, and noise ninety percent of the time, and she would have it no other way.
More from MJ FIELDS
MEN OF STEEL SERIES
FOREVER STEEL
JASE
JASE & CARLY
CYRUS
ZANDOR
XAVIER
Forever Family
And
Family
TIES OF STEEL SERIES
ABE
DOMINIC
SABTATO
The LRHA Legacy Series
A collection of series that follow the Links, Ross, Abraham, and Hines families through several generations.
Each series can be a standalone but is so much deeper read in order.
The Love Series
Blue Love
New Love
Sad Love
True Love
The Wrapped series
Wrapped in Silk
Wrapped in Armor
Wrapped Always and Forever
Burning Souls Series
Stained
Merged
Forged
And the latest releases
Love You Anyways
And Love Notes
Ava links story will be coming out in summer 2015
The Norfolk Series
Irons
Irons 2
Irons 3
CONNECT WITH MJ FIELDS
Email – [email protected]
Website – www.mjfieldsbooks.com
Facebook – http://tinyurl.com/mjfieldsfb
Tsu-https://www.tsu.co/mjfields
For more on the Ties of Steel series, sign up for the newsletter on MJ’s Facebook page or at
www.mjfieldsbooks.com
Would you like to receive text messages from MJ Fields?
Text MJFields to 96362
Standard texting fees apply
Follow MJ on Spotify and listen to songs that inspired this and many of her other books!
To Ally,
We will someday discuss….
I love you more.
What’s next for Steel? I am so glad you asked…(insert obnoxious laugh / snort)
Coming fall 2015
]
Steel Total Destruction
Series Book ONE
Memphis Black
By:
MJ Fields
Prologue
October 25th, 2007
I look in the mirror one last time, my hair is longer on top that it is on the sides. The gel I use to style it makes it look messy and black instead of dark brown. With my black boots I stand six foot three. I having spent an hour at the gym every night after school, I finally have great definition. I’m stage ready.
I walk out on stage with my guitar strung around my neck, pick in hand, waiting for the nerves to consume me. But they don’t.
Why? Because I’m a damn legend, that’s why. The stadium is sold out and the crowd is going wild.
“Hello New Jersey!” I hold the mic out for the crowd’s roar. They give me exactly what I want.
“I am Memphis Black, lead singer and guitarist extraordinaire for”—fuck I hate this part. The band, what the hell is the band’s name?
“Black Hawks,” my sister Madison whispers.
“The Black Hawks!” I yell to the ‘crowd.’
“That name is so lame.” I hear my sister’s friend Tally giggle.
“You two, out.”
“No, you said if we video taped this, you would…”
“Out!”
“Come on, it’s our first dance, we need to learn how!” Madison stomps her foot.
“Well, you didn’t hold up your end of the deal, now did you?” I lift the guitar strap over my head.
“Come on, please,” Madison says, eyes huge.
“Yeah please,” Tally joins her.
I consider telling them to fuck off, but they’d tell Mom. I consider a simple ‘no,’ but they’d tell her that, too. So I choose the safest answer: “Fine. But you both have to shut the hell up.”
Tally covers her mouth, looking horrified. Girl is a train wreck in epic, adolescent proportion. She has kinky brown curls and a ribbon always wrapped around her head. Freckles bridge her nose and dot her face, and she always wears cartoon character t-shirts, today it’s Care Bears.
“What now, Talls?” I huff.
“You said—”
“Hell?” I laugh.
“Yeah, you did.” She giggles again.
“You know what? I think the both of you should just stay home. All freshman girls do at a dance is stand in a corner, giggle, and look like dweebs.” I look at my sister. “Mads, a boy asks you to dance? You’ll start laughing and snorting.” Next, I point at her friend. “Tall, you’ll get some big ass grin.” I roll my eyes when she covers her mouth again—little girl can’t handle a curse word to save her life. “Just keep smiling and laughing, and they’ll think there’s something wrong up in those crazy heads of yours. Besides, you’re both in that—I don’t know, awkward stage: braces, boobs just budding....”
Tally covers her mouth again while Madison starts to get really pissed off.
“I mean, look at that hair. Mads, you’re so use to wearing a ball cap you have permanent hat head. And you,” I can’t resist taking one more shot at Tally. “How the hell are you gonna get a comb through that kinky mess before Saturday?”
That’s when Madison finally screams for Mom. Tally just looks at me like that cat from the cartoon, the one with the big green guy. Shrek? Yeah Shrek. Puss , Puss in Boots. That’s what her face looks like.
Looking back at her, I almost feel kind of bad for giving them a hard time.
Mom comes in then and gives me the third degree, She tells me, ‘Girls are sensitive when they’re going through changes,” and that I should ‘be more thoughtful.’
Finally, I can’t take it anymore. “Okay Mom, fine. I will buy into their little girl fantasies about that girl, with the blue dress, the one with the mice that turn into horses—”
“Cinderella.” In spite of herself, my Mom laughs.
“Yeah. Her.”
Her face goes from amused to suspicious. Mom face. “What exactly are they doing in your room, anyway?”
“They were supposed to be taping my performance.” I try not to smile as she gives me that look. I know exactly what she’s about to say—that my rock star fantasies are just as lame as some dumb fairy tale with talking mice. “It’s not the same thing, Mom. This is my dream, something I can actually make into a career one day
.”
“I know, Memphis.” She pats my back, smiling. “But maybe their dream is to dance.”
Sexual Awakenings: Volume One
The Walz
By
Angelica
Text copyright © 2014 Angelica Chase
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permission of the above author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short experts in a review.
Published by Angelica Chase, Independent Author
Cover Design by Juliana Cabrera, Jersey Girl Graphics
Editing by Edee M. Fallon, Mad Spark Editing
Interior Design and Formatting by Juliana Cabrera, Jersey Girl Graphics
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales are entirely co-incidental.
FALL
I lit candles all over the house in only the scents he would tolerate. I covered our topiaries with soft, clear lights, and arranged fall flowers and large cornstalks into vases around the living room and porch. I loved fall, and by the way the house now smelled and had been transformed, it showed. Grabbing my pumpkin spice latte, I sat in my reading chair on the porch, watching the leaves sway in the cool breeze. I was already cold, but refused to go inside, soaking up the last of the sun as it made its way behind the trees, basking in the feeling in the air. Everything seemed clearer, crisper, and cold days were rare in the south this early in the season. Receiving an incoming message on my tablet, I tapped it, finding nothing new. He wouldn’t be home for dinner. It was a good thing I hadn’t bothered to cook. I knew better. A year straight of eating alone will do that to a woman. I opted for another night of wine and my vibrator.