by Tiana Laveen
LEO
Mr. Boss
THE TWELVE SIGNS OF LOVE
(The Zodiac Lovers Series)
Written by Tiana Laveen
Edited by Natalie Owens
Cover by Travis Pennington
BOOK 1: Capricorn – Mr. Ambition
BOOK 2: Aquarius – Mr. Humanitarian
BOOK 3: Pisces – Mr. Imagination
BOOK 4: Aries – Mr. Adventure
BOOK 5: Taurus – Mr. Persistent
BOOK 6: Gemini – Mr. Versatile
BOOK 7: Cancer – Mr. Intuitive
BOOK 8: Leo – Mr. Boss
BOOK 9: Virgo – Mr. Intelligent
BOOK 10: Libra – Mr. Romantic
BOOK 11: Scorpio – Mr. Magnetic
BOOK 12: Sagittarius – Mr. Philosophical
Welcome to the “Zodiac Lovers Series” – The 12 Signs of Love.
This is a series which features a hunky hero for each zodiac sign of the year!
This series is stand-alone, so whether you wish to only purchase one or two books of this astrological romance series, or all 12, you can do so without missing a beat. Each Hero embodies typical characteristics of their zodiac sign, but please bear in mind, this is simply for fun – and not to state emphatically that any sign mentioned will act as described. Each tale chronicles the life of the hero and heroine’s quest to love and romance, and each story is unique.
Some of the heroes are serious and brooding, others capricious and fun loving. Some of the tales will feel like a modern-day fairytale while others take a more serious tone. Some tales may lie somewhere in between. This series is written from the heart.
Enjoy!
COPYRIGHT
WARNING!
DON’T STEAL OR ILLEGALLY SHARE AUTHORS’ WORK!
Copyright © 2018 by Tiana Laveen
Kindle Edition
All rights reserved.
Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 (five) years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. PIRACY IS AGAINST THE LAW.
IN OTHER WORDS: If you do any of the above, the karma bus is waiting for you. If you steal this author’s work and illegally loan and/or share it, request illegal/free copies online and/or in printed version, you are no better than a burglar that breaks into someone’s house while you think they are away. You are a criminal. A thief. A cheat. You don’t work for free, so why should authors?!
WE WORK HARD. SHOW SOME APPRECIATION.
BLURB
Lazarist Zander is the wrong man to cross…
He is passionate about business, family, and money, and he always plays to win. As the owner of ‘Fallen Angel’, one of the most popular, eclectic clubs in Brooklyn, he strives to work hard and play harder. He has all a man could ever want—success, women, luxury—or so he thinks, until he meets Sky…
For Sky Jordan, teaching dance and doing choreography is her life, and she works hard at being the best at what she does. After all, the competition in the Big Apple is fierce. Growing up, she was sheltered from the cruel world by an overprotective and loving father. Now, she knows what it’s going to take for her to succeed and protect herself. A messy, complicated relationship isn’t in her plans, but after a chance meeting with Lazarist, she realizes the man is deaf to rejection, treating it as a foreign language he refuses to learn. The last thing Sky has time for is another arrogant, pompous, pretty boy professing to offer her the world on a platter, then delivering zilch.
However, Lazarist is persistent and addicted to the chase.
And the little pussy cat named Sky is smack dab in the middle of his radar.
What begins as a game of cat and mouse turns into an all-out, passionate love affair that neither anticipated.
The heat at times is too hot to handle…
Can Lazarist put his ego and pride aside and truly love a woman with all of his being?
Can Sky ever trust again after dealing with the cruelty of past love, and so much more?
Read “Leo – Mr. Boss” to find out!
HEADS UP!
Please bear in mind that each book in this series is adult in nature and includes:
Profanity – (sometimes gratuitous depending on the characters/specific book in the series)
Explicit intimate encounters – (this is consistent in all 12 novels of this series.)
Adult topics and situations – (This could be anything from drug abuse to mental illness, violence, incurable disease, etc.)
If you are offended or triggered by any of the abovementioned, please consider this before moving forward.
Thank You.
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to the Kings and Queens of the jungle, the almighty, royal Leos. You are fearless, loyal, clever, stubborn, bossy and prideful. You are generous, demanding, and at times overly sensitive and charismatic, too. There’s good cause for thinking why you make such good friends but often find yourself wondering why people aren’t as good to you as you are to them. Loyalty is extremely important to you, and when your trust is broken, you take it to heart. Remember, self-care is crucial.
You must also be a friend to yourself. You can’t control anyone but you, so stop trying to co-pilot other people’s lives. Please remember that being a boss is not always about being in control – it’s about leadership, strength, understanding, compassion, and dedication. You don’t mean any harm, Leo, but bragging is a sign of insecurity, so be mindful of that, too. Take it from one Leo to another (Yes, crazy ass Tiana Laveen is a Leo) – your heart is big and beautiful; let your kindness, humor, and wisdom lead you and help you change the world.
When you know what you’re doing and who you are,
there is no need to declare it.
Your actions will show for themselves.
…And usually they do.
Roar!
I hear you, baby!
It’s your time to shine!
XOXOXO
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright
About this Book
Heads Up!
Dedication
Letter to the Reader
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
About the Author
LETTER TO THE READER
To my Laveen Queens and Kings, welcome. If you’ve been rocking with me for a while now, then there are no words to express my gratitude. To any new readers who happen upon this book—welcome, and thank you for going on this journey with me. All right, so as to the question that many will ask: Why did you create this series, Tiana? Since a very early age, I have nurtured an interest in the field of astrology. It wasn’t something I relied upon necessarily, but I was intrigued by it, especially if a specific forecast rang true. Regardless of anyone’s personal beliefs, astrology can at least be considered an interesting study. Some believe it to be total nonsense. Others believe there may be some credibility, but it is still rather farfetched. Yet others believe that the entire subject is evil while some tend to take it quite seriously and consider it no laughing matter. Whatever your beliefs, please suspend them for the reading of this romance series.
None of the books in this series are about conjecturing, prophecy, predictions, etc. They are merely avenues, or tools, if you will, to view the astrological sign as a gateway into a particular character. This is used to highlight a few key characteristics, be they good, bad, or indifferent, about all 12 zodiac signs from a male perspective.
I am an author who writes lengthy books by default. You would be hard-pressed to find over 10% of my portfolio that does not hit the 100k+ word mark. With that being said, I wanted this series to be full-bodied, but not overwhelming. I wanted to write love stories that unfold in a timely manner, something a reader could knock out in a day or two, but not be explored so fleetingly that the reader misses my signature character and story development. I prefer to write extensive novels because I am practically addicted to the human mind – the psychology behind a character. Why did he say that? Why did she do that? How did this happen? Who were their parents? And so on and so forth.
This kind of in-depth exploration takes time, which equals a longer page count. Longer does not always equate to better, however, and in my personal writing journey this series has been inside my mind for quite some time and needed to come out. I wanted the series to be standalone, meaning if a reader only wished to read Pisces, Cancer, and Libra, they could do so without missing key components. In fact, my “Raven Maxim” series is similar – no book is contingent upon the other, though the stories take place in the same town. That series is ongoing and may never end, because I have given myself permission, as an author, to fully explore the characters, the city, etc., and not worry about readers waiting a long time for a conclusion due to a succession of cliffhangers. Series are mostly either loved or hated, but standalone books in a series, to me, merge the best of both worlds. In the Zodiac series, the link that binds the books is that you, the reader, are looking at the hero’s astrological sign. But there is so much more to these men, these exciting heroes, than this.
These guys are all different, from all walks of life. They tell their tale in the manner that they see fit. Some are entertaining, others inspiring.
In this 12-part series, you will meet 12 men and their love interests.
12 signs…
12 different minds…
12 lifetimes…
You will sit back and watch the magic unfold.
Please get comfortable, grab your favorite beverage, and enjoy the, “Zodiac Lover Series – The Twelve Signs of Love.”
It is a gift from me to you…
Tiana Laveen
Here’s the thing about me: I always put my best foot forward. I am a genuine person, through and through. I’m pretty honest, perhaps too much so. I’m often mistaken for an asshole… Maybe it’s not a mistake, but whatever. I pretty much act the same way behind closed doors as I do in public.
I do like my alone time, and in my line of work it’s crucial. People seem to either love or hate me, but they’ll never forget me. I’m loud, wise, silly, caring, controlling, bossy, and many times, quite self-aware, despite the fact that I rarely admit when I’m wrong and I wouldn’t be caught dead cowering down to another bastard on my worst day. I hate being wrong, so I have to really fuck up big time to let it be known that I take full responsibility for the shit storm that has followed from whatever error I’ve made or stupid crap I’ve uttered. I’m one of those people who believes that if you want something done right, do it yourself.
I find it really hard to trust people as an adult, because as a child I tended to open up to just about everyone. Big mistake. People are users and liars in general, and I really have no respect for either quality.
My friends have told me I can be patronizing and sarcastic. Yup. I sure can. It’s a superpower. I’m extremely ambitious but also encouraging, and I tend to move on from heartbreak rather quickly, although the scars tend to remain. I’m rather quick tempered – people in general get on my fucking nerves. And at times I can be vain, too. Hey! It’s not my fault I’m so fuckin’ sexy! God made me this way… take it up with Him! Speaking of the man upstairs, he made some of the most beautiful creatures to walk the planet: Women.
Damn, I love women! I appreciate all kinds, heights, shapes and sizes, but I do tend to have a type. Usually the eyes are the first thing I look at. I love big, pretty eyes on a woman; this gets me every time. I love feminine and confident women. Women who like to laugh and have fun, just like me. The woman who will own my heart has to make me feel like a king and I will do everything in my power to make her feel like a queen. One of my problems in love, though, is that I tend to romanticize it. I like falling in love. I truly do. That whole process is magical to me but then reality hits and I see what a bitch she is, and how she’s stopped cooking for me, comes to bed with a big T-shirt on and pajama pants that are two sizes too big, and won’t do the same shit she used to do.
I can’t have that; I’ll lose interest. I’ll either break it off or cheat, for I just can’t deal with someone who doesn’t deliver the same way she did in the beginning. I am generous to a fault. Anything my woman wants, she gets; all she has to do is meet me half way and keep her end of the bargain. I love to spoil a woman and once I’m in love, I’m a mess… it’s like a drug to me. Want to know how to turn me off and get me to leave you alone forever? Talk down to me or give me good reason to believe you’re cheating. That’s a sure way to get me to give you your walking papers and never look back.
I don’t take criticism well unless I’m in a good mood. I’ll admit it, I’m prideful as fuck. I take friendships and loyalty seriously so if you double cross me, I will get revenge. Period. Point blank. I can be rather petty when my feelings are hurt, but I tend to get over some things rather quickly. I am pretty easy to please – all a woman has to do is follow these simple rules:
1. Keep yourself up – You don’t have to look like you just stepped off a runway, but comb your hair, stay clean, wear something pretty for Christ’s sake, and take your vitamins.
2. Stay consistent – If you started off greeting me with a kiss every morning, then I expect that to continue. If I give you roses once a month, you can expect that to keep happening, too. Consistency is very important to me, as well as people who are reliable. If you break an important promise to me, I will never look at you the same way again.
3. Suck my dick and let me do freaky shit to you in bed – I refuse to have a boring sex life. Those who say sex is overrated are doing it wrong.
5. Understand that there’s only one head of the household, and that’s me – I’m the boss but don’t fret, I’ll let you take control of some aspects. My lady will always ride shotgun.
I don’t need a submissive woman I need an attentive and intelligent woman who has some traditional values but is open-minded, with a bit of a freak in her. I can’t stand stupid chicks, so I don’t expect a lady to play daft and dumb with me, thinking that will turn me on and keep my attention. If we don’t argue at least a few times a year, I know she’s faking the funk. I get on my own nerves every now and again, so certainly I’d get on the nerves of the woman I love, too. Just tell me. I may take it wel
l, I may not, but trust, if I love you, I will care enough to do everything in my power to try and make it right.
Women tend to like me fairly early on, and I love that because I am a sucker for a sincere compliment, affection, and adoration. If you really want to catch my attention, let me be the aggressor. I like to take control of everything from the boardroom to the bedroom. I enjoy frequent romps in the sack, and I am romantic by nature. I can be cruel, and I can be kind. The way I feel about you will determine which behavior you get from me.
If I want you, you’ll know it, baby.
I’m a lion. We see. We stalk. We hunt. We pounce.
The one thing that I am not is shy. I’m sure of myself, I’m assertive, and I love to love you, baby. You’ll not find a greater provider, lover, and protector.
I am your Leo lover…
CHAPTER ONE
Wicked Women and Whitetail Whiskey
IT WAS COMEDY night in the Rum Rapture Room of Club Fallen Angel, a thriving, hip, eclectic bar, restaurant, and dance club in Brooklyn, New York on 6th Street in Prospect Heights. Dressed in a black suit jacket, dark red tie, black slacks and Gucci sneakers, Lazarist made his typical rounds, ensuring his customers were smiling, paying, smiling, then paying some more.
“Everything okay here?” He smiled wide as he leisurely leaned into a table surrounded by half-intoxicated women who looked fresh out of college.
“Yeah…” one of them slurred as she eyed him like a free rum and coke.
“Good. I’m the owner, Lazarist Zander. I just wanted to ensure that you received everything you needed from the wait staff and that you’re having a good time.” He stood to his full height of six foot five, smoothed out his tie, and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Actually,” one piped up, reminding him of a big-eyed mouse as she tucked her blond, blunt cut hair behind one ear. “It’s, uh, a little cold in here.” She looked around as if searching for a vent, something that could be the culprit that brought on an unpleasant draft. She wrapped her lavender jacket a bit snugger around her shoulders as she eyed him, waiting for him to no doubt alleviate the issue, to come and save the day.