by Carsen Taite
Her Consigliere
Synopsis
Attorney Siobhan Collins’s life has been shrouded in mystery from the moment she was born, but she is certain of one thing—she owes her life and everything she has achieved to the Mancuso family, and she has pledged to protect their interests at any cost. Her loyalty will be put to the test when she learns the woman who has stolen her heart is determined to destroy the only world she has ever known.
FBI agent Royal Scott is ready to ditch working undercover and figure out how to live in the real world, but her boss convinces her to take one more assignment pretending to be someone she’s not. Her one goal—infiltrate the Mancuso family’s illegal empire and find a way to bring them down. But when she becomes captivated by Siobhan Collins, the elusive counselor to Don Mancuso, she may be the one taking the fall.
Advance praise from Publishers Weekly: “With this sexy lesbian romance take on the mobster genre, Taite brings savvy, confidence, and glamour to the forefront without leaning into violence...Taite’s protagonists ooze competence and boldness, with strong female secondary characters...This is sure to please.”—Publishers Weekly, 4/29/2021
Praise for Carsen Taite
Spirit of the Law
“I would definitely recommend this to romance fans and those that like their romance to include lawyers and a little bit of mystery. Due to the slight paranormal elements I think paranormal romance fans would also enjoy this even if they don’t normally read Taite.”—LGBTQ Reader
Best Practice
“I had fun reading this story and watching the final law partner find her true love. If you like a delightful, romantic age-gap tale involving lawyers, you will like Best Practice. In fact, I believe you will like all three books in the Legal Affairs series.”—Rainbow Reflections
“I think this could very well be my favourite book in this series. Best Practice is a light and easy opposites-attract age-gap read. It’s well-paced and fun, not overly angsty, with just enough tension to be exciting.”—Jude in the Stars
Drawn
“This book held my attention from start to finish. I’m a huge Taite fan and I love it when she writes lesbian crime romance books. Because Taite knows so much about the law, it gives her books an authentic feel that I love…Ms. Taite builds the relationship between the main characters with a strong bond and excellent chemistry. Both characters are opposites in many ways but their attraction is undeniable and sizzling.”—LezReviewBooks.com
Out of Practice
“Taite combines legal and relationship drama to create this realistic and deeply enjoyable lesbian romance…The reliably engaging Taite neatly balances romance and red-hot passion with a plausible legal story line, well-drawn characters, and pitch-perfect pacing that culminates in the requisite heartfelt happily-ever-after.”—Publishers Weekly
“[A] quick read romance that gave me all the good feelings. I recommend to people who like to read about romance, vacations, flings, lawyers, blogging, weddings, friends, fighting the feelings, grand gestures, protesters, and wedding veils.”—Bookvark
Leading the Witness
“This was an enjoyable read. I recommend this to those who like mystery, suspense, prosecution, investigations, romance, and Balcones bourbon.”—Bookvark
Practice Makes Perfect
“This book has two fantastic leads, an attention-grabbing plot and that sizzling chemistry that great authors can make jump off the page. While all of Taite’s books are fantastic, this one is on that next level. This is a damn good book and I cannot wait to see what is next in this series.”—Romantic Reader Blog
Pursuit of Happiness
“I like Taite’s style of writing. She is consistent in terms of quality and always writes strong female characters that are as intelligent as they are beautiful.”—Lesbian Reading Room
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think Meredith and Stevie are my new favourite couple that Taite’s written…They’re brilliant, funny, and the chemistry between them is out of control.”—Lesbian Review
Love’s Verdict
“Carsen Taite excels at writing legal thrillers with lesbian main characters using her experience as a criminal defense attorney.”—Lez Review Books
Outside the Law
“[A] fabulous closing to the Lone Star Law series…Tanner and Sydney’s journey back to each other is sweet, sexy and sure to keep you entertained.”—Romantic Reader Blog
A More Perfect Union
“Readers looking for a mix of intrigue and romance set against a political backdrop will want to pick up Taite’s latest novel.”—RT Book Reviews
“A sexy soldier…Yes, please!!!…Character chemistry was excellent, and I think with such an intricate background story going on, it was remarkable that Carsen Taite didn’t lose the characters’ romance in that and still kept it at the front and centre of the storyline.”—Les Rêveur
Sidebar
“Sidebar is a sexy, fun, interesting book that’s sure to delight, whether you’re a longtime fan or this is your first time reading something by Carsen Taite. I definitely recommend it!”—Lesbian Review
Letter of the Law
“Fiery clashes and lots of chemistry, you betcha!”—Romantic Reader Blog
Without Justice
“Another pretty awesome lesbian mystery thriller by Carsen Taite.”—Danielle Kimerer, Librarian, Nevins Memorial Library (MA)
“All in all a fantastic novel…Unequivocally 5 Stars.”—Les Rêveur
Above the Law
“[R]eaders who enjoyed the first installment will find this a worthy second act.”—Publishers Weekly
“Ms. Taite delivered and then some, all the while adding more questions…I like the mystery and intrigue in this story. It has many ‘sit on the edge of your seat’ scenes of excitement and dread…and drama…well done indeed!”—Prism Book Alliance
Reasonable Doubt
“Another Carsen Taite novel that kept me on the edge of my seat…[A]n interesting plot with lots of mystery and a bit of thriller as well. The characters were great.”—Danielle Kimerer, Librarian, Reading Public Library
Lay Down the Law
“Recognized for the pithy realism of her characters and settings drawn from a Texas legal milieu, Taite pays homage to the prime-time soap opera Dallas in pairing a cartel-busting U.S. attorney, Peyton Davis, with a charity-minded oil heiress, Lily Gantry.”—Publishers Weekly
“Suspenseful, intriguingly tense, and with a great developing love story, this book is delightfully solid on all fronts.”—Rainbow Book Reviews
Courtship
“Taite (Switchblade) keeps the stakes high as two beautiful and brilliant women fueled by professional ambitions face daunting emotional choices…As backroom politics, secrets, betrayals, and threats race to be resolved without political damage to the president, the cat-and-mouse relationship game between Addison and Julia has the reader rooting for them. Taite prolongs the fever-pitch tension to the final pages. This pleasant read with intelligent heroines, snappy dialogue, and political suspense will satisfy Taite’s devoted fans and new readers alike.”—Publishers Weekly
Switchblade
“Dallas’s intrepid female bounty hunter, Luca Bennett, is back in another adventure. Fantastic! Between her many friends and lovers, her interesting family, her fly by the seat of her pants lifestyle, and a whole host of detractors there is rarely a dull moment.”—Rainbow Book Reviews
Beyond Innocence
“Taite keeps you guessing with delicious delay until the very last minute…Taite’s time in the courtroom lends Beyond Innocence a terrific verisimilitude someone not in the profession couldn’t impart. And damned if she doesn’t make practicing law interesting.”—Out in Print
“Real-life defense attorney Carsen Taite polishes her fifth work of lesbian fiction, The Best Defense, with the realism she daily encounters in the office and in the courts. And that polish is something that makes The Best Defense shine as an excellent read.”—Out & About Newspaper
Nothing but the Truth
“Author Taite is really a Dallas defense attorney herself, and it’s obvious her viewpoint adds considerable realism to her story, making it especially riveting as a mystery. I give it four stars out of five.”—Bob Lind, Echo Magazine
Do Not Disturb
“Taite’s tale of sexual tension is entertaining in itself, but a number of secondary characters…add substantial color to romantic inevitability.”—Richard Labonte, Book Marks
It Should Be a Crime—Lammy Finalist
“Taite, a criminal defense attorney herself, has given her readers a behind the scenes look at what goes on during the days before a trial. Her descriptions of lawyer/client talks, investigations, police procedures, etc. are fascinating. Taite keeps the action moving, her characters clear, and never allows her story to get bogged down in paperwork. It Should Be a Crime has a fast-moving plot and some extraordinarily hot sex.”—Just About Write
By the Author
Truelesbianlove.com
It Should Be a Crime
Do Not Disturb
Nothing but the Truth
The Best Defense
Beyond Innocence
Rush
Courtship
Reasonable Doubt
Without Justice
Sidebar
A More Perfect Union
Love’s Verdict
Pursuit of Happiness
Leading the Witness
Drawn
Double Jeopardy (novella in Still Not Over You)
Spirit of the Law
Her Consigliere
The Luca Bennett Mystery Series:
Slingshot
Battle Axe
Switchblade
Bow and Arrow (novella in Girls with Guns)
Lone Star Law Series:
Lay Down the Law
Above the Law
Letter of the Law
Outside the Law
Legal Affairs Romances
Practice Makes Perfect
Out of Practice
Best Practice
Her Consigliere
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Her Consigliere
© 2021 By Carsen Taite. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-925-5
This Electronic Original Is Published By
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, NY 12185
First Edition: June 2021
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editor: Cindy Cresap
Production Design: Stacia Seaman
Cover Design by Tammy Seidick
eBook Design by Toni Whitaker
Acknowledgments
Like my pal Ali Vali, I’m a big fan of all the OG mobster books and movies: The Godfather, Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco, just to name a few. So, naturally, when I decided I wanted to write a story set in that world, the first thing I did was call Ali, the undisputed don of lesbian mobsters, to tell her my plan. Like the great friend she is, she cheered me on and offered me a special gift, which you will find within the pages of this book. Molte grazie, Ali! Next time I see you, the old-fashioneds and cannoli are on me.
Thanks to Rad and Sandy and the entire crew at Bold Strokes Books for running the best publishing house in the biz—I’m proud to call BSB home. Huge thanks to my smart, funny, and very patient editor, Cindy Cresap. Tammy, thank you for another striking cover—you get me.
A big shout-out to Georgia for our daily check-ins, which keep me on track and motivated when I’d rather be binge-watching whatever’s new on Netflix. Many thanks to Maggie Cummings for patiently answering my endless questions about undercover work—your advice was excellent and any mistakes in the manuscript are all mine. Hugs to Ruth, Melissa, Kris, and Elle—I can’t wait until we can all gather in person again. And special thanks to my bestie Paula for reading every draft, brainstorming plot points, and being an amazing friend—always.
Thanks to my wife, Lainey, for always believing in my dreams even when they involve sacrificing our time together. I couldn’t live this dream without you and I wouldn’t want to.
And to you, dear reader, thank you for taking a chance on my work and coming back for more. Every time you purchase one of my stories, you give me the gift of allowing me to make a living doing what I love. Thanks for taking this journey with me.
To Lainey—my consigliere.
Chapter One
Royal Scott stood with her hands in the air, praying the two guys pointing guns at her chest were more interested in the guns and money she was transporting than killing her. “You guys are making a big mistake. You have no idea who I am,” she said, acutely conscious of exactly how much they did not know and praying if she kept their attention focused on her, her cohort, Danny, who was in the back of the truck might be able to get the jump on them.
“We know enough.” The burly one closest to her grabbed her hands with one fist and roughly cinched them together with a zip tie, while the other one kept his gun trained on her. In an answer to her prayer, Danny appeared behind them. She resisted calling out to him in order to add to the element of surprise, but she was the one who was surprised when he clapped his hand on the shoulder of the guy with the gun.
“Hey, Eduardo, you have everything under control?”
Eduardo laughed. “Couldn’t have been any easier. I thought you said she was one of the tough ones.”
“She is, but she’s also dumb enough to bite the hand that feeds her and think she can get away with it,” Danny replied.
“You should be more careful about the company you keep,” Eduardo said, this time his comment directed at Royal.
“Right back at you,” she replied. She stared at Danny, who ducked his head under the scrutiny. “What the hell, Danny? You set me up?”
“It’s more of a takedown than a setup. I brought you in and you’ve been trying to take my place for months. It’s time you learned who’s boss.” He gestured at Eduardo and his big friend. “Besides, they offered me way more for this shipment than the Garzas are paying.”
“And you think these guys are going to let you walk away after you watch them steal this load?”
Danny shrugged. “We worked something out. You’re the one who should be worried. The Garzas know you were the one with the intel about this shipment, not me.” He pointed at his chest. “I used to be the top lieutenant until I brought you in, you ungrateful bitch.”
The one with the intel. That was her all right, and she realized exactly what was going down. He’d not only given up the information about this shipment, but he’d arranged to give her up as well. She should’ve anticipated his betrayal since the Garzas had come to favor her over him over the last couple of months. And it wasn’t like she held any false sense of loyalty toward Danny, but after spending months ingratiating herself into the upper echelons of the Garza cartel, the lines between friends and enemies had started to blur and she’d lost her edge. Was she going to die in this alley, having accomplished absolutely nothing for all her hard work?
&n
bsp; As if in answer to her question, one of the thugs marched her to a nearby van and tossed her in the back. She heard the door shut behind her and the lock slide in place and blinked while her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She needn’t have bothered trying to see. The space was empty. No seats, no cargo, nothing. She scrambled to her feet and crouched near the door, trying desperately to hear what the men outside were saying.
“Where should we take her?”
“I know a place,” Danny said. “It’s out of the way and you’ll have no trouble getting her to talk. She knows about the other shipments—you can count on it.” The words were chilling, and Royal shuddered.
“I don’t care what you do to her,” Danny added. “But she can’t turn back up alive. If she tells the Garzas what just went down, we’ll all be dead.”
Again, Royal was struck by the betrayal. How had she let herself become so out of touch that she expected any sort of loyalty from a man who’d spent his entire adult life honing his criminal expertise? When this was over, she needed to examine her ability to read people because she’d made a mess of this situation.
You’ll have no trouble getting her to talk? Shit, the only way this was going to be over was with her dead body dumped somewhere in the west Texas desert. Death was always a possibility with these jobs, but she’d had the good fortune to steer clear of danger so far in her career. The idea that she’d lost her edge after almost ten years as an agent caused her to double over with her stomach lurching. She beat her fists against the van door in a panic. She’d been in trouble before, but nothing she hadn’t been able to handle. This was different. Even if these guys didn’t kill her, the Garzas would put a hit out on her for failing to show up with their shipment. She had to get out of here or she’d die either way.
When the van’s engine started, her opportunity to escape narrowed, and she beat against the walls of the van harder still.
