by Lori King
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lori.king.author
Email: [email protected]
Excerpt from Broken Battlefield, Mended Hearts
Breaking Protocol Book Two
by Willow Brooke
Jared hung the phone up, having just spoken with Joker, smiling from ear to ear. Tomorrow morning he would start work with Joker and the crew. He couldn’t believe it. He and Joker had been best friends since high school. The wild teens had joined the Army as the result of a bad night of drinking and poker in which both had lost their ass. They had talked about it over the years, but finally had a reason, no matter how stupid it was to actually sign the papers. When the two of them stepped out of the recruiter’s office, they were on top of the world. The ink hadn’t dried on their signatures when the realization had hit them that this was what they were meant to do in life.
During Basic, they lucked out and were put together. Come AIT, they were split up for their advanced training in their individual fields, both graduating at the top of their classes, and somehow ending up stationed together at Ft. Drum, New York, for a couple years. Both Jared and Joker had jumped on any specialty training offered, and soon they were shipped to Kentucky to work with the Special Ops units.
Joker had been there the night Jared had met Bella. One glimpse of her from across the dance floor and he knew she would be his wife, one way or another. Joker had played wingman, getting her friend away long enough for Jared to make his move. He ended up going on all but three dates with them, and had been the best man in their wedding.
Unfortunately over the past few years, they had very few chances to work together or be in the same place at the same time. On the rare occasion they were both home, Joker could be found fighting Heather for her purple dinosaur pillow pet for his bed on the couch or stealing Skyler’s favorite blankie. Joker had all but cried when he missed the kids being born while he was deployed. The second he stepped off the plane, the crazy bastard had shown up with what looked like the entire Toys R Us store crammed in as many sacks as he could hold. He was his brother through and through.
Bella is going to flip! he thought as he walked back in the house. The kids were already passed out, and Bella had fallen asleep on the couch. He contemplated waking her or waiting to tell her in the morning, but the moment he caught sight of his sweet little wife, he couldn’t bring himself to wake her. Her hair was a mess, her mouth hung open with drool most likely dripping out, all while she snored like a freight train. And yet, his heart melted. She was the most beautiful creature on the planet. It was the rare times like these that he treasured. He was the luckiest damn man on earth…which Joker made a point to tell him every time they talked. If he didn’t trust Joker with his life and love him like a brother, he would definitely worry about his connection with Bella. She took care of Joker the same way she did Jared when he was around, from making his dinner plate to doing his laundry. And Joker was expected to take out the trash and mow the lawn if it needed. It was a normal, big happy family.
The kids were going to be ecstatic. Uncle Joker was the only family they really had that visited, and he was the only one who had shared holidays with them. He had played the Easter Bunny for the past few years, and had made a few Santa appearances to keep them true believers. This was going to be freaking awesome! He was finally going to be back with his best bud, and couldn’t wait to go back to work.
Excerpt from Out of the Storm
Masters of the Prairie Winds Club
by Avery Gale
Tobi Strobel was livid…completely over the top pissed. From the moment she’d burst into her boss’s office at Austin Gardens and Homes and met Lilly West, her entire world had seemed to tip on its axis. Tobi had been on a tear about the interview she’d been trying to schedule with Prairie Winds “cad” owners, Kyle and Kent West. And she hadn’t even bothered to knock before she’d blown into the small room like a Cat 5 hurricane. When the beautiful dark haired beauty had introduced herself as the “cads” mother, Tobi had wanted to melt into the floor. But Lilly West had been the epitome of grace and only laughed as she’d agreed that her sons were a handful for sure, even though she claimed to be withholding judgment on the “cad” determination. Tobi had felt drawn to Lilly in a way she hadn’t really been able to explain, and the only reason she could come up with was because she’d lost her own mother when she’d been so young. The excuse sounded weak even in her own mind, but it was the only reason she could come up with…at least it was the only one she was willing to accept. Lilly had assured Tobi that her assessment of Kyle and Kent avoiding interviews was dead on and had promised to help her secure an appointment the following day. Before Lilly had left the small magazine’s office, she’d given Tobi a long hug and then kissed her on the forehead saying, “They are going to be thrilled to finally find you.”
Later that night Tobi had laid awake wondering at the woman’s strange words, but her musings had been cut short by a text message from Kent West giving her directions to Prairie Winds and asking her to arrive at precisely seven the next evening. Tobi hadn’t minded the fact she’d be giving up her Friday evening because she never really went out anyway. It wasn’t like she had any disposable funds for entertainment, and quite frankly, her small apartment wasn’t in a neighborhood that was safe to be out and about in after dark. What she hadn’t planned on was the fact she’d be facing a storm so fierce she’d been forced to pull over to the edge of the road because she hadn’t been able to see where she was going.
Thank God she’d left her seat belt fastened because she had no sooner put her small car in park than a large truck had barreled past and barely clipped her back bumper, sending her ancient Toyota nose down into a deep ditch. The ditch was rapidly filling with water, so Tobi grabbed her things, wrapped them in a couple of plastic bags she found under her seat and climbed back up to the roadside. Amazingly, not one single person had stopped despite the fact she’d been standing right at the road’s edge.
The next time she’d seen lights headed her way, she’d moved to the center of the road and had begun waving her arms wildly over her head. Just as the enormous black pickup had gotten close, a bolt of lightning hit in the field to her right and the flash had illuminated the startled expression of a man Tobi could only describe as movie star handsome. She’d only gotten a glimpse of his dark intensity before she’d found herself jumping to the side to keep from becoming his newly mounted hood ornament. By the time he’d managed to screech to a stop, she was hopping mad and stalking toward the large black pickup as fast as her short legs would carry her. She was only five foot two, but as she liked to remind those around her, what she lacked in size, she made up for in attitude.
Tobi had almost reached his truck by the time he finally stepped out, “You almost ran over me. Holy smokes Batman you could have killed me with that monster-mobile of yours. Damn, a drowned rat. My whole life is spiraling out of control faster than a Kardashian marriage I tell ya. Shit, shit, double shit. My car is probably floating toward the lake and my stuff is in trash bags. Trash bags! That’s a whole new level of the wrong side of the tracks, even for me. I’m so wet I’m pretty sure I won’t be dry for a month of Sundays, hell’s fire I’ll probably mold. And you are freaking huge and probably some serial killer on the top of some most wanted list. I’ll end up on the evening news and my brother will never even know what happened to me because he refuses watch the damned news. My crazy ass neighbors will pick apart my apartment before the broadcast is even over and I’ll be a footnote on some unsolved mysteries show a few years from now. And I still don’t know what Lilly West meant by finding me. Damnation this sucks big green donkey dicks I’m telling ya for sure.” When she finally came up for air and realized the tall hunk in front of her was simply staring at her with his mouth in a grim line, all she could manage to do was blush. He had to be at least a foot taller than she was and his dark hair was barely visible under the Stetson he was wearing. His eyes were a deep chocolate brown that
was quickly turning even darker. She realized she was staring at him just as he spoke.
“How do you know my mother?” Mr. Tall, Dark and Intimidating demanded.
Did he just say mother? That’s it…that is the final straw. I’m officially certifiable and straitjacket ready. “Mother? Lilly West is your mother?” Looking up at the sky, she asked, “You’re kidding me, right, God? First, you put their mom in my boss’s office just as I have a meltdown about the infamous kink masters not returning my calls. And then of all the people on this planet, you let me almost get run over by one of the men I’ve been trying to schedule a meeting with for weeks? Is this some kind of a joke?” Just as the words left her mouth the world around them exploded in light and a crash of thunder that was so immediate she was sure the bolt must have hit right beside them. Holy shit! Reminder to self…do not challenge the Big Guy.
“Get in the truck, now.” His words had been more growled than spoken and ordinarily she’d be giving him a piece of her mind for thinking he could give her orders, but right now she was more afraid of becoming a crispy critter in the middle of the highway than she was of Lilly West’s son. Tobi briefly wondered whether he was Kyle or Kent as she scrambled into the big black beast when he opened the door and motioned her inside, but judging by his clipped tone she was guessing Kyle.
She’d done her homework on the owners of Prairie Winds because she’d been hoping to interview them since she first heard about the BDSM club they were building just a few minutes from her home. Sure, she worked for a magazine that spotlighted all things bright and beautiful in the Austin area, but in truth, her interest in the club was much more personal. Banishing those thoughts for the moment, she turned and plopped her soggy ass in the passenger seat and turned to see him staring at her as if he’d never seen a woman before. What the hell?
Excerpt from Halfway Between
Taming Team TEN Book Five
By Jana Leigh
Both of the SEALs had laughed but had agreed they needed a break. Of course, all would have been good, except the three women they had chosen to hit on had been part of a theft ring. They ended up in the middle of an investigation, and not able to relax at all. It sucked but had been the one time the brothers had gotten to work together; it had been fun.
Joel laughed, “Drake asked that female investigator out on a date. She pulled her weapon on him when he grabbed her ass. Damn was she pissed.”
Brian yelled, “We are here!”
Joel tried to focus but he couldn’t see Brian anymore. He heard a lot of commotion and knew his brother would take care of him, even if he were dead.
“Sir, can you tell me your name?” a strange woman said. Joel looked at her and frowned, what the hell was she doing here. The chick from the boat, what was her damn name?
“Uh…Joel. I am sorry, I can’t remember your name. I mean not that the night wasn’t memorable, I remember that noise you made…well whatever, I am sorry,” Joel mumbled and didn’t fight as he was pulled out the cab. Where was Brian, he needed his brother. Joel swung his heavy head around, trying to find him. He could feel the panic beginning to surface. What was he going to do, he finally found him again.
“Sir, please, you need to lay down and let us get you into the hospital,” the chick said gently in a soothing tone. He felt himself relax as she continued to assure him she would find his brother.
“Do you know what he looks like?” Joel said. “Do you remember?”
“Sure I do, if you just remind me of your last name, I will page him,” the chick said.
Joel frowned and looked at the girl again. She wore a nurse’s outfit, she looked like the same person, it wasn’t making sense, but his eyes didn’t lie did they. Shrugging. “Brian Lipit is his name. Big guy with red hair.”
“I will get him, let the doctor take care of you,” the nurse said and disappeared.
He watched as the ceiling tiles seemed to float above him. Weird. He wanted to laugh, he could feel people touching him, asking him questions but suddenly he didn’t hear them. He didn’t recognize any of them.
“NO! Not until my brother is here,” Joel yelled.
A man walked in with a doctor’s coat, and Joel blinked a few times. His face was going in and out of focus. “Brian.”
Everyone paused and looked at his brother who was frowning. “Mr. Lipit, can you tell me where you are?”
Joel laughed and rolled his eyes. “Dude, again, are we going to keep going through this.”
Brian frowned. “No, can you tell me what you did today?”
Joel nodded. “I got up, was hiding in an apartment, couldn’t go home, not safe. You know. The dude from the family support called. Remember, he is the one who was with the Commander when they told me you died. Man that sucked, bad fuckin’ day. Anyway, went to the café, and ordered coffee, I was early. I waited, and waited, then finally the dude, uh whatshisname, Mr. Grimm. I need to sleep for a sec.”
“Joel?” He heard as he drifted off.
