by J. E. Taylor
The funerals had been more of a nightmare than he expected. He knew Emily’s would be hard, but never fathomed how difficult Tom’s would be. Not just because all of Hollywood came out to pay their respects, but because he felt personally responsible for his death. For all the hostilities between them, Chris knew Tom was truly a good guy and didn’t deserve to have his life cut short like that.
Sam’s funeral was equally as emotional, after all, Sam had been his only real friend and saying goodbye was a bitch. Sam’s daughter was a partner in Sam’s law firm and she had impressed both Chris and Jessica enough that they decided to keep their legal affairs within the Trueman family.
After the reading of Tom’s will, Lynn became paramount to diffusing both the media hype and the police questions. As sole heir of his estate, Jessica endured close scrutiny, but ultimately, Sharon’s death was deemed as self-defense and the case closed.
Jessica sold the Malibu property but kept the syndication rights to the television show, movie royalties and some personal items she thought Tommy would want some day. Tom received an Oscar, post mortem for his work in Survival Games, and she was asked to accept it on his behalf. Jessica had cried on national television when they handed her the golden statue. The speech she wrote turned the amphitheater into a standing ovation the likes that Hollywood hadn’t seen in years and that touched her beyond words. She kept the Oscar in Tommy’s room, telling him that his real father earned that for playing the part of Chris’ brother.
Chris adjusted to being blind, but he missed the way she looked, the sensuous curve of her waist in a silk dress, the line of her calves as she lay on the beach reading a book, all the little things, all the snapshots stored in his head. The snapshots he could retrieve at will. He thanked God he chose sight instead of sound because, while he missed seeing her, he relished the sound of her and the way she whispered his name at night when he held her.
He felt the vibrations as she walked down to the end of the dock and sat next to him, taking his hand in hers.
“Looks like Sam is falling asleep on the job,” she said and Sam’s head lifted from his lap.
“He’s just taking a break with me. Where are the kids?”
Unpacking the groceries. Eric’s with them.”
Chris nodded.
Eric spent a significant amount of time with the boys, spending most of July with them at the lake. Boston College offered him a full ride on a football scholarship, and he had already packed to head to the campus at the end of the week.
“I’m going to miss him,” Jessica sighed.
“Me too.”
Chris took a deep breath and put his arm around his wife. “Is the sun setting?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me what it looks like.”
Her words painted a vivid sunset across the back of his eyelids.
The End
ABOUT J.E. TAYLOR
J.E. Taylor is a writer, a publisher, an editor, a manuscript formatter, a mother, a wife and a business analyst, not necessarily in that order. She first sat down to seriously write in February of 2007 after her daughter asked:
“Mom, if you could do anything, what would you do?”
From that moment on, she hasn’t looked back and now her writing résumé includes more than half a dozen published novels along with several short stories on the virtual shelves including a few within eXcessica anthologies.
In addition to being co-owner of Novel Concept Publishing (www.novelconceptpublishing.com), Ms. Taylor also moonlights as a Senior Editor of Allegory (www.allegoryezine.com), an online venue for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. She has been known to edit a book or two and also offers her services judging writing contests for various RWA chapters.
She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children and during the summer months enjoys her weekends on the shore in southern Maine.
Visit her at www.jetaylor75.com
If you liked END GAME, you might also enjoy the other titles in the Games Series, also available in a boxed set:
SURVIVAL GAMES (Book 1):
Until he snatches sexy stock jock Jessica Connor, Ty Aris happily followed his stepbrother’s orders, producing some of the most coveted black market porn and snuff films on the street. But the day he grabs her in the parking lot, his life becomes a living nightmare.
Jessica foils his plans, fires his passion, and frustrates the hell out of him. She never gives in to his demands, his pleas, or his desires, and yet a psychic bond claims his soul and melts the iron walls around his heart. His obsession sparks a fierce rift when Frank wants to start filming. Ty stalls with any and every excuse in the book, fueling Frank’s fury, but he knows it’s only a matter of time before he loses this game.
With the clock ticking, he scrambles for escape options.
Options that won’t land him in jail... or worse... a captive in Frank’s sadistic prison.
“I rarely write a review, but this one kept me up nights. Nightmarishly delicious without a hint of shying away from the seductively scrumptious flavor from one page to the next. Horror, torture, hate, fear, and sensuality. This story has a little bit of everything in it with the grim intensity of eliciting these emotions in the reader.” Amazon 5 Star Review by Anna
“I was a little hesitant getting this trilogy. I read all the time - Grisham, Koontz, Clancy, and many more authors. After reading the reviews, I decided I would give the books a try, partly because of the price for all three books. I was blown away! You definitely have to keep an open mind but loving and hating the villain is something that is impossible for an author to do. You want them caught, prosecuted - no matter what catch them - but the author made me hate him, love him, cry for him even laugh out loud. I couldn't put it down until I was finished with all three. If you don't read these books it's a loss - very much a page turner.” Amazon 5 Star Review by Hard To Please for the Games Trilogy(Survival Games, Mind Games and End Game).
This book is for sale to Adult Audiences Only. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes, graphic language, and violence that may be considered offensive by some readers.
MIND GAMES (Book 2):
Chris Ryan doesn’t understand why he’s alive. By all accounts he should have died in the prison he and his step-brother created. Dying screams and the ring of gunshots still haunt his dreams and to make matters worse, five years hasn’t erased his passion for Jessica Connor.
She left him bleeding on the cold concrete floor, escaping the prison that held her for close to a year. Semi-conscious and close to death, his gaze fell on an apparition of her son and white light filled his skin, healing his wounds and giving him a second chance... and to this day that power still rages within him.
Haunting visions of her daughter’s death drive him out of hiding and he shows up at her doorstep with the intent of giving her the power he safeguarded all these years. But his good intentions fall short when they realize he led the vengeful spirit of his step-brother straight to her.
Cancer is no longer their biggest worry, now Chris and Jessica must battle a ghost hell bent on destroying all of them.
This book is for sale to Adult Audiences Only. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes, graphic language, and violence that may be considered offensive by some readers.
END GAME (Book 3):
Chris Ryan has everything he's ever dreamed of: the love of a beautiful woman, two amazing children, an obscene amount of money and mystical powers beyond his wildest dreams.
His perfectly planned Valentine’s Day proposal hits a speed bump when Jessica receives a call from her ex-husband and agrees to attend the premier of his movie in New York City. A movie Chris isn’t so sure he wants to see, especially on the same night as his wedding.
Sharing the spotlight with her ex becomes the least of his concerns when three thousand miles away on the sunny coast of California, a scorned woman activates a contract on Jessica.
He lands in the cross hairs between an endless trail of
assassins and his wife, fending them off and vowing revenge on the crazy bitch who set them loose. But his valiant efforts crumble in a near fatal hit, leaving him on the brink.
In the dark plane between life and death, Chris is given a choice: Save his family or save his soul.
This book is for sale to Adult Audiences Only. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes, graphic language, and violence that may be considered offensive by some readers.
Coming Soon – Fallen – the Prequel to the Games Series
Ty Ryan’s downward spiral started the day his mother met Jacob Aris.
An unexpected romance between the emergency room nurse and the multi-billionaire plunges Ty into the wealthy world of entitlement, secrets and lies.
When tragedy strikes, leaving Ty and his siblings at the mercy of Jacob Aris, Ty is powerless to defend against the old man’s rage. Each random beating chips away at Ty’s sanity, leaving him vulnerable to his stepbrother’s master manipulation.
If you liked THE GAMES TRILOGY, you might like the Steve Williams Series (available in a full boxed set as well as individual titles):
DARK RECKONING (Book 1):
A sadistic killer stalks the secluded college town of Brooksfield, New Hampshire. With bodies piling up and rumors of the murders being part of sacrificial hazing rituals, the FBI plants Special Agent Steve Williams in a fraternity at Brooksfield University. His investigation takes a ninety degree turn into the bizarre when he’s introduced to Jennifer, a clairvoyant co-ed who swears the killer isn’t human.
Steve considers the plausibility of the extraordinary, the unspeakable, even the inconceivable, when his notebook starts bleeding cryptic messages. Messages that indicate Jennifer is at the heart of the darkness in Brooksfield.
When she describes her latest vision, a trail of violent deaths, including his, Steve asks the million-dollar question:
Is Jennifer trying to help... or is she actually the one responsible?
“J E Taylor writes a thrilling and engaging paranormal horror, “DARK RECKONING”. The absorbing, fluid plot builds slowly towards its divergent terror-driven climax. I do love a great horror story, so I’m adding this beauty to my ebook collection. Marking it for a repeat read too.” Pamela Jenewein – Romance At Heart Reviews
"J.E. Taylor has penned a tale of terror worthy of Lovecraft. The strong characters, edgy atmosphere, and unflinching narrative hooked me from the first and kept me riveted all the way through to its horrifying conclusion - a solid piece of storytelling!" Ty Drago, Editor of Allegory and author of PHOBOS
“I loved DARK RECKONING - always had a soft spot for demon type horror/thrillers and this is fabulous. Just the right mix of terror and calm so I didn't have a heart attack while reading but came close! Excellent read for anyone who loves horror and a good love story.” Cat Connor author of killerbyte and terrorbyte
VENGEANCE (Book 2):
Living large in New York City as a corporate lawyer for the most savvy drug lord on the East Coast, Special Agent Steve Williams carefully plots Charlie Wisnowski's downfall. His plans go to hell when his wife Jennifer survives an attack by a serial killer. With her life in jeopardy and his undercover guise threatening to unravel, he orders Charlie’s arrest. But the sting goes woefully wrong and Steve becomes the target of a mafia assassin hired by the biggest crime boss in America.
Escaping from the city, Steve and Jennifer settle back into their quiet life on the banks of Mirror Lake. Their peaceful existence shatters with a crippling loss and Jennifer’s visions escalate, forecasting a brutal assault on their family.
Armed with scant details from her dreams, Steve trudges through a litany of past connections, searching for the key to stop the course of fate.
What he uncovers chills him to the core - a brother with a grudge, a serial killer and a mafia assassin are all on his trail. The hunt begins...
“VENGEANCE follows FBI agent Steve Williams deep undercover inside a cocaine ring. With each chapter the tension mounts as Taylor turns the screws using multiple and excellent techniques to grip the reader. It’s a great crime thriller – an excellent read, it moves at a frenetic pace with multiple character threads woven through it to culminate in an explosive ending. I recommend it as a gripping read you won’t be able to put down.” Poppet – author of Darkroom and Seithe
HUNTING SEASON (Book 3):
When Kyle Winslow escapes from custody and targets everyone Special Agent Steve Williams cares about, a turn of fate brings Steve face to face with Ty Aris – a criminal mastermind topping the FBI’s most wanted list.
Torn between justice and vengeance, Steve must make a decision.
Join alliances with Ty, or arrest him and lose his best chance to catch the bastard who destroyed his family.
"Unstoppable, breath stealing, and terrifying all at once." - Cat Connor, author of killerbyte, terrorbyte, and exacerbyte.
"Hunting Season goes where few venture, mixing a compelling crime thriller with supernatural forces. The action and drama is thick and fast and I guarantee you will not be able to put this book down." - Poppet, author of Seithe and Darkroom.
GEORGIA REIGN (Book 4):
Special Agent Steve Williams, still reeling from the death of Chris Ryan and his unexpected inheritance, isn’t ready to step back into the line of fire. Relations with his wife are strained at best, and now he’s saddled with a new partner and a not so silent guardian angel.
When his boss calls with news of another case, a serial killer in Atlanta targeting children, it strikes a nerve in Steve. Caught between responsibility and instinct, he makes a choice – a choice he’ll regret forever.
“Georgia Reign is impossible to ignore or put down. Once you start reading, you are stuck; the great writing hooks you and makes you feel like a part of each scene. A good author gets you emotionally invested with the characters, and Taylor is an exceptional thriller author. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these characters again, I simply wanted to keep reading to find out what happens next. If you love crime thrillers, you really HAVE to start reading the Steve Williams novels by J.E. Taylor. She takes you on a ride you will never forget. Gripping, disturbing, page turning crime thrillers don't get better than this.” Poppet / Gemma Rice – Author of Seithe, Darkroom and Djinn
“Eeek... I loved this book. It had me on edge with tingling sensation of dread and hope for the characters of the book. This series had me at hello. Taylor has a way of telling stories in which it is very hard to put them down. So enthralling that you go to bed dreaming of the events unfolding on the page. So looking forward to more from this very talented Author!!!” 5-Stars from Ladymaryjane on Amazon
CRYSTAL ILLUSIONS (Book 5):
Assistant D.A. Carolyn Hastings has an uncanny knack for putting away criminals. With one of the best prosecution records in recent history, her future as Manhattan’s next District Attorney looks certain. But her sixth sense for winning cases threatens to work against her when she starts seeing a string of murders through the eyes of the killer.
With suspects piling up as fast as bodies, and the motives of those closest to her questionable, Carolyn doesn’t know who to trust. When the FBI assigns Special Agent Steve Williams to the case, Carolyn discloses her deepest fear - that the man she loves may be the one responsible for the city’s latest crime spree.
The only thing Steve knows for sure is Carolyn has an inexplicable psychic connection with the killer, and all the victims have one thing in common… a striking resemblance to Carolyn Hastings.
And he knows it’s only a matter of time before this psychopath knocks on her door.
“Taylor has a strong thriller where every single character has reasonable doubt flashing like a neon sign hanging over them, and right from the beginning you are trying to guess who the killer really is. Gripping, rich and magnificent - crime whodunnits don't get any better than this!” Author Poppet / Gemma Rice – Author of QUISLINGS, BLINDSIDED, DJINN and DUSAN
“CRYSTAL ILLUSIONS is a
dizzying thriller with a terrifying killer, a unique detective, and some twists you will not see coming! This is Steve Williams’ most addictive adventure so far and J.E. Taylor at her very best!” Ty Drago - Author of PHOBOS and THE UNDERTAKERS: RISE OF THE CORPSES and Managing Editor/Publisher of ALLEGORY E-zine.
"This has to be one of the best mysteries I have ever read. Move over Agatha Christie there's a new sheriff in town, and she is great." - PRG Reviews
SAVING FACE (Book 6):
The Windwalker Serial Killer stalks the inlets of southern Maine for the next beauty to advance his collection and Special Agent Steve Williams is frustrated with always being a breath behind the slippery psychopath. Escalating the pressure, Steve’s adopted sons, CJ and Tom Ryan, take teenage rebellion to an entirely new level, leaving Steve in an explosive situation.
