by Max Henry
“No. You’ve got yer work to worry about. I’ll be fine.” He tapped a finger on the shifter, and wished it didn’t physically separate them.
“What do you think you’ll say?” she asked, albeit a little quieter.
He could only guess how unapproachable his scowl made him appear. “I have no idea.”
She hummed her acceptance of his answer, and then drew her gaze to her hands which fidgeted in her lap.
“What’s the matter, Love?”
“Nothing.”
“Liar.” He reached across the car, and drew her face to his. She eased her lips apart as he kissed her, and sighed against his mouth.
“I don’t want to cause an argument,” she explained when she pulled away.
He drew back, and brought her hand to his lips. “Cutie, if ya need to set yer mind at ease, tell me what’s on yer mind. I don’t want us goin’ forward with anythin’ in the way.”
She huffed with a little shake of her head. Her distress was clear, and his chest grew heavy with dread. What on earth was so important she was so afraid to ask? “Do you regret sparing your mother’s life?” Oh, that.
He nodded. His black heart grew colder, and more ruthless—if that was possible. “Every day.” Now he simply hated the bitch more for upsetting Cutie so much when Steph hadn’t even met the cow.
“Why did you let her live?”
Pistol shrugged. “I have no idea.”
Steph drew his hand to her chest, and pressed against where her heart pounded a tempo beneath her ribcage. “We can face her together, you know.”
He pulled free, and slumped into the door. “I don’t want ya to see her—ever.”
“Why?”
“What’s the point?”
Her frown grew. “She’s your mother. That’s why.”
“She won’t stick around for long.” He tapped an impatient rhythm on the dashboard.
“How can you be so sure?” Steph asked. “You said she does what she wants, so how do you know she’s going to leave after making this much effort to get here?” Her hand crept to his leg, and squeezed before it settled.
He drew his eyes closed, and committed the earlier sight of Steph to memory. For all he knew it would be the last time he’d see her. Despite all her words of encouragement, support, and commitment—he knew she’d go. They all did. Everyone he ever loved, left.
“Remember what I said, Love—if I can’t fix the source of a problem, I remove it.”
The final remnants of his hope that he could ever be enough for her died as her hand withdrew, and the door opened. He sat in the hell that was her silence, and winced as the door shut without a word.
Pistol heaved a sigh, and ran his tongue across his teeth. A single tear which balanced the rim of his eye signified the worst.
She had finally broken him.
No matter how many times I write my thanks at the end of a novel, I don’t think I will ever be able to express enough gratitude for my husband. Thank you babe for always being there to tell me you’re proud of me, and that I can be as successful with my writing as I choose to be. I promise that the hours you spend alone at night while I hammer away at my keyboard will be worth it.
To my beautiful boys. Although you’re too young to even read, thank you for the days near a deadline where Mummy isn’t available for play-time. Thank you for giving me space, and riding your bikes when I need a moment to run through edits, format, or market on the ‘pootah’.
Love you all, my family, to the moon and back ... and then some.
But equally as important, thank you to you, the reader, for taking a chance on me. I still struggle to fully comprehend that people want to read my stories, and that they truly enjoy them, and want more. Without you showing your support by purchasing, and reviewing, I would have let my self-doubt take over long ago, and Steph and Pistol’s story would never have been told.
I love hearing from fans, and sharing your experiences, so please feel free to contact me via Facebook, or my email [email protected].
Until next time ...
Originally born and bred in Canterbury, New Zealand, Max now resides with her family in beautiful and sunny Queensland, Australia.
Life with two young children can be hectic at times, and although she may not write as often as she would like, Max wouldn’t change a thing.
In her down time, Max can be found at her local gym, brain-storming through a session with the weights. Or, she may be out bumping, and jostling her way along a dirt track with the family in hubby’s 4WD.
PISTOL is Max’s first Erotic-Contemporary Romance, but she also has two Paranormal Romance titles available through all major online selllers.
Battle to Become, and Methods for Mayhem are the first two titles in a series that follows a group of otherwise normal adults through the trials they face as paranormal creatures living in a ‘normal’ human world.