“You brought your list with you right?”
Axel looks over from the passenger seat of the rental car as I am driving to our undisclosed location.
“Yeah, baby, you asked me that already. Now, where are we going?”
I look over at him and smile. I was invited to an author event in Las Vegas and Axel came with me. So supportive while I was in the event, he was amazed with all of the fans that came out and he sat there with his mouth hanging open when he saw the line quickly appear at my table. He would joke with the readers, telling him that he was the “Real Anthony.” He was also such a sport when all of the fans handed him their phones or cameras, wanting him to take a pictures with me.
Now that the event is over and we have one last day here in Vegas, I have planned a secret adventure that I know I will only do with him. I look over at him and smile bright.
“It’s a secret; just wanted to make sure you brought your bucket list because you may want to add or check off a bucket.”
I wink and continue driving until we hit Grand Canyon Tours. He looks over at me and I can tell that he is in shock.
“Are you fucking serious right now?”
“Yup.”
I pull in and we get out of the car and head inside. I give them my name and we are escorted into a small room where we get all of the paperwork that we need to fill out and sign all the release forms. After all the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted, we get suited up and go over a small training course. We are going to be jumping with a partner so they go over all of the details on what to expect. I see Axel talking with his trainer and he looks so happy.
We are in the airplane and I am holding Axel’s hand tightly. I can't believe that we are actually going to do this. I look and see the back of the airplane opening and we get clipped to our partners. We walk slowly to the edge and the view below is amazing. I have no words to describe the pure beauty.
“I love you, Axel,” I yell hoping that he hears me or at least read my lips.
He smiles at me and mouths the words, “I love you, too, baby,” back.
My jumper, Frank, counts down and then we are soaring in the air. The air is against my face and I have my arms and legs out like I am supposed to and I see that Axel and his jumper are right beside us. I see that he his fumbling with his jacket and my stomach is dropping.
Dear lord, please, what is wrong? Why isn't he in the correct position? I am watching him and I see him pull out a white paper; he holds it up and I see a hand next to me, Franks hand, give him the thumbs up. I turn my head and look at him and see Axel holding a sign that reads:
Samantha
Will you marry me?
I am in shock and before I can even comprehend what his sign says, the parachute is released and we are soaring down to the ground. I hear Frank in my ears, telling me to put my legs out. We’ve landed. He unhooks me immediately and I see that Axel has landed as well and I am running towards him. He gets up and is unhooked and I jump into his arms. He holds me tightly and then puts me down. I stand there and look at him as he takes off his goggles and he lowers to his knee.
“Samantha, you are the love of my life. I have never loved anyone as much as I love you and I can't imagine my life without you. You are my home, you are my North Star, baby, and I will be the luckiest man in this world if you will be my wife. Samantha, will you marry me?”
“Yes, yes I’ll marry you!” I am in tears and shaking as I wrap my arms around his neck. He is twirling me around and kissing my face. I hear a throat clear and see Frank is standing there holding out a box to Axel.
“Thanks, Frank.”
Axel takes the box, opens it, and removes a ring. He takes my left hand and slowly places this gorgeous ring on my ring finger. “I love you, Samantha.”
“I love you, too, Axel.”
I look down and see a round diamond. It’s so simple and beautiful, I couldn't ask for more.
“It was Ma's. I had it reset, I hope you like it.”
I look up into his dazzling brown eyes and smile.
“It’s the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. I absolutely love it. I love you, Axel Davis.”
“I love you, too, baby.”
THE END
Camaron
“She said YES!” Carrie yells, as she walks from the front desk down past all of our stations. She is telling us that my best friend, Sam, accepted my friend and business partner, Axel’s, proposal. Carrie stops in at my station and is standing in the doorway with the biggest smile on her face. “Sam called and wanted us all to know that she and Axel are now engaged.”
I turn my head and smile at her as I am putting all of the supplies I ordered away.
“That’s great. When will they be heading back?” I ask. I already know the answer but have no idea how I should be reacting at this point.
I’m happy for Sam, really I am, it just kills me to know that only a year ago I would have been the first person she called. I would not be hearing the news from anyone other than her. She was my other half, my anchor, the one constant in my life. I never imagined that anything would tear us apart, but I was so fucking wrong. We are torn apart.
I honestly never thought Sam would talk to me again. I fucked up our friendship big time when I started dating Veronica Collins. Roni hated Sam and I never saw it. Yet, that isn’t what destroyed us. I did that. I did that the day I fucked my best friend and couldn’t even look at her. I was trying to save us, but I did it completely wrong and broke her heart.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I was born and raised in Northeastern, Pennsylvania where I still live today with my husband and three beautiful children. Like everyone, I have had my ups and downs and have seen my life take a complete change. Previously, I was a working mom putting in 60 hours a week as a Financial Advisor but with the sudden loss of my mom who was my best friend I found myself giving up the suits and meetings for jeans and snack time. I have always had the passion for reading and found an escape through the words of all the talented authors I have read. My passion allowed me the opportunity to blog and to get a wonderful insight into the indie world. I have enormous pride and stay true to the characters and their stories as they reveal themselves to me. I am so excited to have this opportunity to share my stories and hope you love them as much as I do.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
There are quite a few people I would like to thank so this may take awhile
First off let me take the opportunity to thank you the reader for taking a chance on a new author. Also thank you for taking the time to read Samantha and Axel’s story. I hope you’ve enjoyed it and will continue to read all about the other Pricks.
To my husband and three children: Thank you for allowing me the time to get this story out of my head and onto paper. Thank you for smiling the nights we had breakfast for dinner. Thank you for believing in me and standing by me. Bob thank you for listening to my rambles and drying my tears and not letting me throw in the towel. You are my rock, my compass. You are my home and I can’t thank you enough for all that you do for me and our family. You are the best man I have ever met. To my children thank you for being you. I love you to the ends of the earth and back. You are the reason my heart beats. I love you and I am so proud to be your mom.
To Jessica Wilde: You are a rock star! Thank you for cheering me on with each and every chapter I wrote. I am so thankful to have developed such a great friendship with you. You are an author that I admire and am so excited to work with. Can’t wait to finally meet you at Kiss and Tell.
To Chelsea Camaron: What is there to say? Team Five…Fuck a Duck? Chica you are awesome! I can’t thank you enough for all that you do. For helping me along the way, making this whole process a little more understandable. Thank you for your friendship it means the world to me.
To B.L. Wilde: Thank you for taking the time to read and review my work. Thank you for being you and being so great. I can’t wait to meet you in 2016!
To Nicole: Thank you for h
elping Tara and I out with the reading list with the blog. Thank you for taking the time to read and review my work as well. I truly appreciate it.
To Leigh Ann—Thank you for your friendship. Thank you so much for being the first beta reader to read this and make me cry at your reaction. I truly appreciate you! Can’t wait to finally meet you at Kiss and Tell.
To Jared Caldwell: Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for the “You got this” messages you sent, they always made me smile. Thank you for being the muse for Camaron. You’re awesome and you know it so with that all I can say is “Fuck a Duck” ;)
To Tara: You are the Horn to my Halo Thank you for listening to me vent and go crazy all the time. Thank you for friendship and being such a great partner with Halos and Horns. I am so happy that from a small book group we developed such a great friendship. We have a blast with everything we do. From the conversations we have with random people in the mall and the waiters at the restaurants we are never quiet or shy and that is what I love about us. So bottom line is you are great!
To Asli: Thank you so very much for taking me on as a client. Thank you for not bashing my head in during the first round of edits you are incredible at what you do and I appreciate your time and your talent.
To Melissa: Thank you so much for all of your hard work on my cover and formatting. I can’t thank you enough for the time you put into creating my perfect cover. You are extremely talented and I am so thankful to work with you.
To Missy: Thank you so much for all of your help! You truly are a blessing. I look forward to meeting you at Kiss and Tell. Just know that I absolutely adore you.
Continue reading for a look at
LEVERAGE
Book one in the Brannock Siblings Series
By
Jessica Wilde
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J8766O0
Adventure. That's all Aislinn 'Ash' Brannock wanted in her life. Her dad and two brothers —all cops —got to see it all, but their over-protectiveness made her feel like she had been locked away in a tower with three fire breathing dragons watching her every move. Yes, it was that bad. The only silver lining? Lucas Shade. Her brothers' best friend growing up, and apparently the only man she will ever love because let's face it, none of the others even come close. After an unfortunate mistake lands her back in her father's home, her world is turned upside down and Lucas is there in a tightly wrapped package of serious with a big red bow on top. Life just got interesting, but it comes with a price, one she never wanted to pay.
Detective Lucas Shade never had a real family, but the Brannocks took him in as one of their own and he never took it for granted. Ash was a big reason for why he stuck around, but in order to save himself the beating of a lifetime from her two older brothers, he kept his feelings for her hidden. When the case he has been working on for months takes a turn, Ash could become the leverage the bad guys have been waiting for, but keeping her invisible may destroy everything Lucas has worked so hard for. Good thing Ash is the only person he would give up everything to protect.
For readers 18+ due to language and sexual situations.
CHAPTER 1
Ash
My life has probably been the least exciting that a life could possibly be.
I mean, don't get me wrong, I've had a good life. A happy life for the most part. I just always felt like something had been missing. Adventure. Thrill.
I wanted to live a stimulating life. Make memories that I could tell my children about and keep them captivated by the stories of my experiences.
Nothing so far, unless becoming a workaholic is thrilling to you.
I worked from the very moment I turned sixteen and between school and work, never had time to do anything else.
But I was taken care of.
My dad has been a cop since before I was born and has been the captain for as long as I can remember and a damn good one. He knows everything that happens in his city and would give his life for his men.
He has stories.
Lots of them.
He has seen a lot in his sixty three years, so you can imagine how protective he would be of his youngest child and only daughter. My two older brothers followed in his footsteps. Both of them cops, both of them adrenaline junkies, and —thank the good Lord —both living far enough away that I was able to breathe a little easier in my early adult years.
I didn't date in high school.
The reason, you ask?
Their names are Conall and Fergus. My brothers and quite frankly, pains in my ass.
My parents were really into names that meant something. Especially Irish names since my dad, William, is Irish. He always reminded us that his name, when broken down, meant 'desire to protect'. Just a convenient excuse, I think. Conall means 'strong wolf' and Fergus means 'man of vigor'. Each chosen perfectly since they seriously lived up to the meaning.
Ridiculously lived up to it.
Mom and Dad named me Aislinn, meaning 'dream' or 'vision'. Apparently, Mom had a dream the night I was conceived and saw me. She said when I was born, it was like reliving a memory.
I love my name, honestly. But a lot of people aren't sure how to pronounce it. I got a lot of 'Ace-lynns' and 'Eileens' throughout my life. Another pain in my ass, but tolerable. It's pronounced ASH-ling. I just tell everyone to call me Ash.
But I digress.
My brothers. Conall and Fergus. They chased off every boy that looked my way. Well almost every boy. They let the ones they liked hang around, which was maybe two guys, but I was still completely off limits. They never treated me like the annoying little sister, but they made it their life mission to ensure I never saw adventure or the back seat of a car with a guy. Told me I couldn't be a cop like Dad if I wanted to and that I was supposed to act like a lady.
A lady.
Did I ever get the chance to be a lady, a girl, a woman?
NO!
They are both as protective of me as my father, but at least Dad never locked me in my room on Prom night and told the only guy who asked me —who I would later find out was paid to ask me —that I was in the bathroom with diarrhea from a bad burrito and it —I quote —"Didn't sound good."
I spent the next hour plotting my revenge on them.
That is until they started feeling guilty and got Lucas to take me at the last minute.
Lucas Shade.
The Lucas that took me to my Junior Prom when he was a senior because my brothers told him that he was the only guy they trusted because he didn't think of their sister 'that way'. We danced once the whole night and he didn't say more than a few words to me the entire time, but it was still one of the greatest nights of my life.
The Lucas that more than frequently left the room the second I walked in after I turned fifteen.
The reason I am even telling you all of this.
Because Lucas is right now standing at my father's front door, looking at me like I just grew another head or two. Or maybe he was looking at me like I was the lost city of Atlantis and he had just stumbled upon it. I couldn't decide. I tend to imagine things.
He has been my brothers' best friend since the time they all said their first swear word, which unfortunately for Mom, was around the age of one.
He has been the kid who always came over for dinner and slept on the couch because his mom was too drunk to cook and had a 'special friend' over.
He has been the one guy, I knew with every fiber of my being, I was in love with. Completely. Irrevocably. Miserably.
But there was no way he would ever feel anything for me. If not for the way my brothers protected me and scared off any human being with a penis or the way my dad kept a shot gun hidden in a secret compartment in the grandfather clock right by the front door… if not for any of that, then for the fact that I was me.
Aislinn Brannock. Captain Brannock's only daughter and the least exciting person in the city of Oakland, California.
He was saying something to me, but I couldn't hear a damn thing becau
se the loud rush of blood flooding my head drowned everything out and I was standing there like an idiot, trying not to drool because… damn he was fit.
"I'm sorry?"
He smirked because he was well aware of the little problem I had when it came to him. My brothers told him I had crushed on him since I was five years old and the real reason I never went anywhere was because I didn't want to miss the nights that he came to our house.
The assholes did this in front of me, too.
That was the last time I saw him. Seven years ago on my twenty first birthday. Not the worst birthday of my life, but all of my birthdays were bad since the seventeenth one.
It's the same day that Mom died.
Talk about a buzz kill when I was finally old enough to drink. My brothers and Lucas took me to the only bar Dad allowed, the one that all the cops went to after work. They ordered me all the drinks I wanted and by the time I got to the point where the memory of Mom didn't quite hurt so much anymore, it was too late to take back the three words that had spewed from my mouth due to 'loose tongue syndrome' that occurs after one too many tequila shots.
I tried to take it back, but Asshole #1 and Asshole #2 took it to a whole new level.
"I asked you when you got back," Lucas said, his tone more than a little amused.
Right, someone at the door. Rein in the flashbacks, Ash.
"Oh, um, I got back last night. I had a late flight so no one really knows that I'm back, yet. Dad didn't really want to announce it since it wasn't a for sure thing and I didn't really want him to because I really didn't plan on moving back in with him. I'm just here for a little while until I can find a place…"
Guided Love (Prick #1) Page 32
