Sunday, November 10, 2013

Cover Reveal ~ The Virginia Templeton Stories by Marsha Casper Cook


Title: Virginia Templeton Stories
Author: Marsha Casper Cook
Genre: Adult Romance
Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Synopsis:Virginia’s marriage of ten years to Slater Templeton, a ruthless corporate titan, has provided her with all of the comforts she could ever imagine, but still something is missing. He is all about wealth and accumulating power and has been successful far beyond all expectations, but she has her own agenda and is obsessed with the power she leverages through her undeniable sexuality. Together they are a force to be reckoned with. Slater is the demon and Virginia his temptress. In this loveless relationship, their only connection is the power they share while the diva within her needs more. Will her unquenchable desires lead her to keep dark secrets and to create a life for herself that will take her where most others fear to tread?










Author Bio:

Marsha Casper Cook is the author of 10 published books and 11 feature-length screenplays. Her published works include LOVE CHANGES, a contemporary romance novel, and TO LIFE, a non-fiction biography about being a teenager and surviving the Holocaust. She has also written four books for young children, SNACK ATTACK ,THE MAGICAL LEAPING LIZARD POTION and the poetry collection THE BUSY BUS. Her book NO CLUES NO SHOES  is the first of the Emelina Hewitt and her dog Stanley series. Marsha's latest work and her first in a romance collection, VIRGINIA TEMPLETON STORIES   has just been released in paperback and she is currently working on LEO LOVES GRACIE characters taken from her screenplay Prince Charming which will be out after the first of the year.

Since early 2010, Marsha has hosted radio shows on Blog Talk Radio. She and Virginia Grenier,the other half of World Of Ink Network Blog Talk Radio, have been doing shows for almost four years. Her show "A Good Story Is A Good Story" is about writing.Marsha does discuss many subjects on her radio shows but her love of writing draws her to talk to other authors and marketing experts. 

She will be adding different shows this year with her partner at World Of Ink Network, Virginia Grenier. Marsha is also is doing Radio Book Launches with Marnie McNiff and Virginia Grenier with Michigan Avenue Media.Inc. specializing in Children's Books, Romance and Thrillers.
  

Join Marsha at Blog Talk Radio where she does her WORLD OF INK NETWORK radio shows.  http://www.worldofinknetwork.com. 



Excerpt:

chapter one


Virginia Templeton arrived at her psychiatrist’s office, ten minutes late as usual. She was always late, as she rather enjoyed a grand entrance. Virginia was beautiful and knew it, tall and graceful, with hips tapering into long, slender legs. A body to die foras they say. All heads turned when Virginia entered a room; women wanted to be her, and men just wanted her.
She was just as sexy dressed as she was undressed, as she absolutely loved fashion. Her favorite expression was “shop until you drop,” and she did just that. Virginia loved expensive clothes and shoes— oh, how she loved shoes — and accessorized every outfit. She didn’t look at price tags and, luckily, she didn’t need to.
Virginia’s image didn’t allow her to be all smiles or say nice things, as she preferred to play the misunderstood diva and use her good looks for favors. People didn’t cross the line with Virginia often and, when they did, her wrath was like nobody else’s.
Nicholas Waters, her psychiatrist, sat behind his desk, waiting for Virginia to make the first move. Sometimes she didn’t speak during her sessions, instead just walking back and forth, angered that she was wasting her time in sessions that she loathed. The only reason she had even agreed to see a doctor was because her deceitful husband made that a provision in their ongoing divorce proceedings. She wanted every last dime she felt she had earned in their ten-year marriage. She had smiled when she had to, and undressed when her husband wanted her. A small price to pay for getting anything and everything she wanted.
Virginia thought that Nicholas wasn’t paying attention to her, which really pissed her off. Even though he was just her psychiatrist, it was still important to her that he pay attention. Little did Virginia know that Nicholas couldn’t concentrate on anything else when she was near him.
Nicholas Waters was bound by an ethical code to avoid involving himself with his patients. But in his mind, they were just fantasies. Desiring a woman and actually acting upon his desire were two different things, and his fantasies usually went away after a visit or two. Virginia Templeton was a different case. He knew it, she knew it, and so did anyone who had ever come in contact with her.
She had been looking at him from the moment she arrived, but didn’t say a word. Nicholas sometimes wondered if she knew how much he wanted her. He would imagine himself lying next to her, consuming every inch of her sensuous body. Kissing her, touching her breasts, wondering how he could make her happy. She was filled with desire―and, sometimes, quite a bit of rage―but that didn’t stop Nicholas from having tight control of his mind every time she came for a visit. He was her psychiatrist, and that was the way it had to stay … for now.
He was also a married man and, regardless of his unhappiness, he had remained married to the same woman for more than twenty years. When Nicholas met Carmella, he was a struggling medical student with loans, minutes away from personal bankruptcy. She was beautiful, with vibrant red hair and a sweet smile that usually presented her in a glamorous, but guarded, light. Love never entered the picture. Her family was very wealthy and highly visible. He knew she was the solution to his financial problems.
Carmella’s main flaw was that she usually had a drink in her hand at eight in the morning and continued drinking until very late at night. She never wanted sex with him. That didn’t mean she didn’t like sex; she just didn’t like sex with her husband. For his part, Nicholas didn’t care about love or sex until he met Virginia.
From the very moment Virginia Templeton walked into his office, attitude and all, he was hooked. He had never felt such a strong, passionate connection to anyone. Actually, he never questioned his life as much as he did once Virginia Templeton became his patient.
A friend of his had referred her, and Nicholas reluctantly took her on as a patient because he felt doing otherwise might put her on the edge of doing something horrible. She came in with a lot of hatred and, whether she admitted it or not, he sometimes thought they made a breakthrough. A patient who didn’t want help never got better, but he felt she could make progress by increasing her visits to his office.
Nicholas watched Virginia, waiting until she was ready to start. It always took her a little bit, as she prepared to start the sessions in her own way.
After strutting around the office, Virginia kicked off her leopard, four-inch Stuart Weitzman pumps and sat her ass right smack in the middle of Nicholas’s desk. She was wearing a very tight, black leather skirt, and a see-through, white lace shirt. Because she was all leg when she crossed them, which she liked to do, Nicholas could see her black lace panties and the tiny rose tattoo on her upper right thigh.
“So, Nick, where shall I begin today?” Nicholas didn’t answer, and that angered her more than he knew. “What the fuck? Help me out here, Doc. I need some answers.”
For months, everything Nicholas had tried had completely pissed her off. At that moment, he felt she might be ready for a breakthrough, and quietly let her continue.
“Okay, let me tell you what happened last night,” she went on. “Slater, my loving, sweet jerk of a husband was out of town. I got in my car, went right back to my old stomping grounds, drank too much, and fucked a whole lot of times. Since you didn’t ask who I was with, let me tell you. Two men were in my bed last night. One was very tall, with dark curly hair. The other was very short with a long blonde ponytail, kind of a freaky looking guy. One was on my right and one was on my left. Blondie had one finger in my ass and the other dark, sexy guy, who looked a lot like you, was in my cunt. What do you think about that?”
Nicholas began to write notes. All thoughts of him having a conversation with his patient were off the board for now. He was so busy picturing the details that he couldn’t really concentrate. He was so far away from where he should be ethically that he stopped himself, took a breath, and then continued with his notes.
Virginia took full advantage of the moment, as she quickly scooted off his desk and proceeded to strut around the office. “Wow, Doc, when did you get that picture-perfect plant?” She didn’t actually give a shit about the plant on the floor; she just wanted Nicholas to enjoy the view as she leaned down to touch it. “Follow me, Doc.” Bending down even lower, she spread her legs, once again exposing her lace-covered bottom. Then, just as quickly as she had lowered herself, she stood up, turned around, and smiled beautifully.
“You know, Nick, you’re such a bore. You just sit there and write and write and write. Come on. Say something. Do you ever answer your patients, or do you like to totally piss them off? If that was your intention, it worked. You win. I’m totally pissed off.”
Nicholas could sense her anger boiling over, and watched in anticipation that Virginia might actually be feeling something. She was just about to explode; he knew it, but chose not to stop it from happening. Sometimes that was all a patient needed to break through the barriers they’d surrounded themselves with. He also had to keep reminding himself of what was ethical. He was in danger of crossing the line, and he knew it. He hoped his feelings weren’t transparent to Virginia.
“I hate boring men,” she continued, as she paraded around the room. “My father was boring. He rarely talked, and he never smiled. You can write that in your little notebook. My father was a piece of shit―a mean, selfish asshole. He never talked to me or treated me like his daughter. He had no love in him; that’s what my mother used to say. He had no soul, and I didn’t even cry when he killed himself. It was no loss to anyone. There are two things I hate in men. A man who doesn’t smile, and a man who acts like he’s better than me.”
Nicholas glanced down at his watch, realizing that Virginia was getting more agitated. There was usually a moment during her treatments that pushed her to the top. The moment varied, but the pattern always repeated.
“Is my time up?” she asked. “Even if it’s not, it’s time for me to go. We’re getting nowhere today. As a matter of fact, I think today will be my last visit. I don’t need to be here. Time is money. Face it, Nick, you can’t help me. No one can.”
Nicholas decided it was now or never. “Virginia, sit down and stop pacing. Let’s go with what you just said. You do want me to help you, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t think so. How would you feel if you were seven years old and your father pulled out a gun and pointed it at your mother? Then shot her, took the same damn gun and shot himself in the head while his daughter watched? I watched that! What kind of a person does that to his child?” She was quite proud of herself for once again coming up with a good story. “What makes it worse was my phony foster parents stuck me in the attic with ten other kids. Sometimes I looked around the attic and wondered how my life could ever be anything but dreadful and confusing. There were days when I didn’t even feel human.” Oh, she was so good at this.
“Okay, Virginia. Now that you have told me what happened to you, and you think I bought it, let’s begin all over again. Every time you come here, you tell me a different story. This time, tell me the truth. Then maybe, just maybe, I can help you.”
“Fuck you, Nick!” she growled. “That was the truth.”
“Okay, then. Tell me how and why you married a man you didn’t love.”
Virginia began to laugh. “You don’t really think I come here for your advice. Do you? I come here because my asshole husband makes me come here. He won’t give me my fair share in the divorce unless I agree to have some therapy. He wants to ease his conscience. He’s afraid he’ll look bad if I go off the deep end, and he doesn’t want any headlines. A man like Slater puts himself before anyone.”
Nicholas returned to his desk, which served as his safety net. He could sense Virginia was getting quite angry, and wasn’t sure if he should push during this session. Usually, that only infuriated her more, causing her to tell more lies.
“Okay, Nick. Since we’re having this nice little chat, let me tell you what I think. My husband wants to fix me and set me free. Women like me don’t get fixed. We like men, sex, and booze. We drink for fun and fuck like crazy. What’s so wrong with that? If it feels good, why not? I hate to think that being in love is enough for anyone.”
After thinking for a moment, Nick figured it was time to talk. “Believe it or not, love is enough for many people. One day, you will be in love, and maybe that will be enough for you too.”
“Oh, really? Are you in love with your wife? Do you even have a wife? I don’t know anything about you, other than I want to fuck you. And I think you want to fuck me. I don’t do normal, and I don’t think you do either. Or let me put it another way. You might do normal, but you don’t really likenormal.”
Nicholas was on his way to understanding her convoluted view of what she was all about. He didn’t soften just yet, but he was on his way. He didn’t want to compromise, but he was a man. Virginia had gotten to him even with all his armor; she knew how to dig deep. He was very close to giving in to his fantasy, and she knew she had finally penetrated into his soul. It was, she thought, her moment.
Game on! She was euphoric. “I bet if you let me get you in the sack, we would be born again as one. If you allowed me to slowly undress you, button by button, and then gently massage every morsel of your being. My lips would embrace that cock of yours and you, my dear doctor, would never be the same. I promise you that! I can take you on a journey that will totally overwhelm you, and you will be mine forever, or for as long as I want you.” A sultry smile spread across her face.
Virginia found herself moving as close to Nicholas as she possibly could. She could barely breathe. Her breasts pressed against his chest, she could feel his hardness against her. He didn’t feel like other men. He was distant and completely disconnected from her. To her surprise, he showed no reaction. He just stared at her in silence.
Being this close to a man who seemed to feel nothing was quite disturbing to her ego. Every man she knew would have reacted quite differently. Although, she was excited by the challenge he presented. She straightened her shoulders, not allowing herself to be weak.
Nicholas wanted to forget that he was her doctor and instead take her in his arms. He was uncertain how long he could resist, but he knew there would be no turning back once he gave in. He stepped back, putting some distance between them.
His rejection angered Virginia. “You’re not the right doctor for me. Tell me why you took my case. Your practice was full, but you added me to your patient load. Did you really think you could help me?”
“Yes, of course I thought I could help you.”
“Then why the fuck aren’t you helping me?” she spat.
“Because you don’t want help. You have repeatedly told me one lie after another. I can’t perform miracles.”
“Screw you, Nick. Screw you. I don’t like to waste time and today, as usual, I am wasting my time. The only thing left is for us to go to bed together. I know you want me, I can tell. But you can’t do it if you’re my doctor.”
“Virginia, sit your ass down. I’m your doctor, not your lover. Why would you think that I want to go to bed with you?” His patience was wearing thin.
“Because every man wants me,” she purred, again closing the distance between them. Reaching for his belt, she began to slowly lower his zipper. “You want me and I know it.”
“Virginia, you need to leave. Now. As of this very moment, my services as a doctor are over.”
Virginia backed off. “You don’t mean that.”
“Oh, but I do. Watch this.”
Nicholas wrote on his notepad, “Virginia Templeton’s sessions have ended as of July 9.” He signed the paperwork to make it official, then pointed to the door.
“You need to leave right now.”
Virginia strolled out of the office, not looking back. She refused to let Nicholas see the tears in her eyes. He had won, and she hated that.
Nicholas took several deep breaths, relieved to have resisted her very tempting offer. Their sessions had ended, and only time would tell if he would miss her. If he was honest with himself at that moment, though, he was disappointed at the thought of never seeing her again.




Thursday, November 7, 2013

Release Day Blitz ~ The UnKnown by Lara Henley


Title: The UnKnown
Author: Lara Henley           
Genre: Young Adult
Expected Release Date: November 7th 2013
Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Synopsis:
Misty found out early in life that things just don't come easy. She has learned to trust no one, and that you can't depend on anyone but yourself when the chips fall. Finally free of the states clutches she sets out on a whirl wind adventure called LIFE....

But she never expected Drake....

Drake... is Use to being in the lime light just graduated from college. Wondering what's next? Misty is a welcome surprise. So different from his everyday mundane experiences..

Can two completely different people share a journey that could change both of their lives forever? Or will they end up destroying each other in the process?

Escape to The UnKnown




Excerpt: 

We walked inside the restaurant of the very small Angelo’s. It was busy because it was a Saturday night. The walls were painted a very dark red and each table was outfitted with a matching red table cloth with a lit candle sitting on top of it.

“Very romantic, Mr. Mitchell.”

“I try my best, Miss Scott.” The waitress walked over and took us to a very small, quiet booth in the back of the restaurant. When we reached it there were a dozen white roses sitting there. I was confused, had he planned this?

“Drake, you have already given me flowers. This is too much.”

“I can never give you enough. I want to give you the world. Do you know what the white rose signifies?” He pulled me down into the booth with him.

“I don’t, but they are just as beautiful as the red ones you gave me.”

“The white rose signifies purity and innocence. The red rose signifies love, beauty, courage, and respect. And together they signify unity. Baby, you are those things to me. You are my heart.” He kissed the back of my hand. “You are as pure as the driven snow.” He kissed it again. “And you are as beautiful as an angel descending from heaven.” Drake’s eyes danced with hope and love. I could see that he truly loved me. Where did this man come from? Tears were beginning to form in my eyes.

“And together,” he pulled out a single white rose and a single red one and laced the stems together. “We are strong. We can’t be broken.” By the time he finished I was a blubbering fool. I was so happy in that exact moment.
“I love you with all my heart,” he whispered lovingly.  I closed my eyes and savored his every word. I hadn’t ever known love like this. I never wanted to let it go.
“Baby, you ok?”

“Yes. I love you so much. I can’t believe you did this. My makeup is probably running.” I wiped the tears from my eyes. Who knows what I look like right now, but I couldn’t help it. This was just all too wonderful not to cry.

Author Bio:
Lara Henley was born in the Midwest. She holds a degree in Fashion Marketing and loves all things creative. She enjoys spending time with family and friends. Her first love is writing and hopes to make it her full-time career. She first began her career as a writer with children's books and has since transitioned into writing young adult and adult romance. 

Links:



Thursday, October 31, 2013

Release Day Blitz ~ The Virgin Charmer by Rachel A. Olson


 

Title: The Virgin Charmer (The Triple Goddess Trilogy: Book One)

Author: Rachel A Olson

Genre: Paranormal Romance

 

BLURB:

Hope Richards has only ever known the life of a big city girl. When her boss gives her an ultimatum, she decided to try out the country life during her forced vacation. After falling in love with a mysterious old mansion on the edge of a town that time forgot, Hope finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of someone else's crazy love obsession, and realizes in the middle of it all how lacking her own life is in that department. Hope is faced with a decision: return to the mundane life she thought was her passion, or find a way to experience something far stronger that she secretly yearns for.

 


AUTHOR BIO:


Somewhere amidst her forty-hour job and playtime with her three-year-old, Rachel finds time to walk the streets of worlds only existing on manmade paper. She resides in small college town Northwestern Nebraska with her young son, just a few blocks from a city park, the public schools, and her parents. She enjoys socializing with adults, sipping strawberry wine, and head banging to music that doesn't carry a beat worth the effort of rock star hair slinging.

"The paranormal world is a much more desired realm. There's no limit to possibilities, no comparison to probabilities, no concept of actualities. There's no solid platform for racism, judgment, or hierarchy. It is exactly the manifestation you choose it to be, darkness and death included."

 
AUTHOR LINKS:







 

EXCERPT: 

“I think we should get a drink before we start Q and A.” The sound of Abigail’s voice made Hope jump enough to bump her knees on the table. Her tone was ice cold, sending prickly chills down Hope’s spine. She only nodded, certain that questioning how Abigail could be so dead about something involving her own brother would be a bad idea.

 

Abigail snapped her fingers in the air two times, and the man behind the bar immediately jumped on command. The closer he got, the stronger the pull became that Hope had felt previously. He walked with his face downcast, most likely watching where he stepped in an attempt to avoid tripping on anything or anyone. When he finally reached their table, Hope was in the middle of scrambling away, utterly terrified by what she was feeling. As soon as she caught sight of his face, her chair tipped back with her still in it.

 

Hope found herself sprawled out on a grubby wooden floor that didn’t look like it’d been swept in several days. Her sweater had somehow tangled itself around and between her knees, making any attempt she made to stand look very similar to a fish out of water.

 

Hope stopped all futile attempts to stand independently when a very masculine hand jabbed itself in front of her nose. With large, crossed eyes, she gasped and managed to scoot away from the floating hand by a few measly inches. A deep, silky chuckle rolled across languid airwaves and nearly choked Hope with its thick perfume. Hope glanced up through half mast eyes at the blurred face hovering just beyond the floating hand, and smiled crookedly, one eyebrow popping up a hair higher than the other. Another bout of chuckling ensued just as something lifted Hope to her seat.

 

“...Bump her head?”

 

“I’m...sure.”

 

Hope was only grasping portions of surrounding conversation. Her head swam through an enervated, unknown substance, causing a reaction similar to that of narcotics. She tried to shake herself and clear her mind, but whatever it was, it insisted on clinging tightly to every inch of her, inside and out.

 

“Do you mind telling me what your nose is doing on my boyfriend?” Hope was ripped from her strange trance when a cold, bony little hand landed abruptly on her shoulder. Her eyes flew open, finding that her nose was indeed buried into the chest of a man.

 

No, not just any man. The man. The one that was causing the pull.

 

“Holy shit,” she muttered to herself, stuck in the glistening eyes of a man several years younger than herself. She was fully aware of the stares she was earning, as well as a perfectly annoyed Abigail behind her. She was also aware that, at that particular moment, she didn’t have the willpower to pull away from the younger man directly in front of her, or whatever it was that possessed her.

 

Slowly, Mr. Gloriously Addictive stepped away from her snout, swallowing loudly as he did. Hope could hear Abigail impatiently tapping her foot on the floor. The further he got from her, the stronger she felt. Finally, Hope managed to turn a bit to look at Abigail over her shoulder, knowing her cheeks would match the color of unfriendly fire. She opened her mouth to apologize, and the next thing she knew, she was falling face first toward the table. Abigail clumsily caught her full weight, gently lowering her into the nearest chair. Hope opened a single eye, finding the bartender entirely too close for comfort, and no doubt the cause of her sudden lack of leg control and balance.

 

He was frowning at her, probably just like Hope frowned at him. Abigail popped up out of nowhere next to him, the man that was yet to own a name, offering Hope a crystal clear glass of liquid heaven. She swallowed a mouthful, expecting it to slide down like the cool, refreshing water it should’ve been. Except it wasn’t water, and it ignited the very fires of hell in her throat and belly.

 

“Sorry,” Abigail winced as Hope coughed and sputtered. “I should’ve told you it was Vodka. Your weird dizzy spells and swooning had me convinced you were in desperate need of a hard drink.” Hope only offered a half smile, practically glaring up at the man still standing entirely too close to her. “Oh jeez, my manners ran away with my good mood. This is Garrett, my boyfriend.” Garrett offered a friendly hand to shake, but Hope just stared at it. She was more concerned about the close proximity of that hand, and why his very presence made her feel like her skeleton had decided to take a vacation without the rest of her.

 

“I think I need some fresh air,” Hope finally managed to announce.
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Book Trailer Code:

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Book Trailer Reveal ~ Few Are Angels

 
Title: Few Are Angels
Author: Inger Iverson         
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours
 

Synopsis:

After a fatal hit and run accident, Ella Monroe fears that she’s lost more than her beloved parents. Horrifying visions of a past life and a disturbing voice in her head have psychiatric professionals convinced that she’s lost her sanity as well. But when Kale--a dark and handsome stranger with a mysterious past--reveals the true meaning of her visions and the tremendous power she wields through them, Ella must come to terms with the devastating truths of her own past, while eluding an ancient Dark Prince who seeks to control not only her future, but all of mankind’s, by means of abilities that Ella is only beginning to understand.

 


Book Trailer:


 


 

Author Bio:

Inger Iversen was born in 1982 to Anne and Kaii Iversen. She lives in Virginia Beach with her overweight lap cat, Max and her tree hugging boyfriend Joshua. She spends 90 percent of her time in Barnes and Noble and the other ten pretending not to want to be in Barnes and Noble.

Author links:

 


 

Buy Links:





 

Except:

 

I’d had a hell of a time convincing Jace that I needed to know the truth about myself and where I was going, but I was getting better at convincing people. If only it had worked with Kale. To me, two days was more than enough time to calm down, but Kale seemed to need more time. That was one thing I didn’t have. He wasn’t answering his phone, and he wasn’t at the mausoleum when Jace, Mia, and I went to check. He and I both avoided answering Mia’s questions with the promise of a full explanation once we returned to the house. I had started to get worried, but Jace explained that Kale was tying up loose ends because I would be leaving and he would have no reason to stay in the area.  I wasn’t sure what loose ends he had, but I hoped I would get a chance to say ‘until we meet again’ because I was never going to say goodbye to him. It was better that we split up until Laurent was taken care of.

I had another reason to go with Jace to the Council. I had a favor to ask. In return, I would stay with them until Laurent was killed. Alex’s flight would be in at midnight and then there was the thirty minute drive to the house, and I had a while to explain everything to Mia.  Jace and I had discussed a plan to get Alex’s cooperation with helping me disappear. I hated saying it like that, but that’s what it was. It was Alex’s job to make sure his family knew I was appreciative of all they’d done, but I needed to leave. On the way to Mia’s from the cemetery, Mia was surprisingly easy to talk to. Her only demand was to be there when Alex arrived. I had told her about Kale believing that the tattooed man was in some way related to the killer and since her parents weren’t home that she shouldn’t stay there. Jace and I took her home to gather some things.

“I can’t believe this, Ella. I mean, I just can’t,” Mia said for the hundredth time. “Why would someone want to kidnap you?” She spoke without a bit of sarcasm. She was truly confused.

“Mia, it’s a long story that I only want to have to tell once, so you can stay with me tonight. When Alex gets here, I will tell you both everything.”

“Fine, but who is this guy?” She pointed at Jace.

He smiled in the rearview mirror as we drove into Elmwood City and reintroduced himself. “I’m Jace Vesco.”

Mia giggled and commenced flirting. “Beautiful accent. Where are you from?”

That was a good question. In fact, any personal question was a good one because I had never asked him about anything other than the Council.

“I’m from Belarus, but I have lived in so many different places that I believe my accent has evolved,” Jace joked, and Mia giggled again.

I could see why she was attracted to Jace. With his blue eyes and shockingly white-blond hair, he was incredibly handsome. His features were exotic and strong, but he didn't hold an air of mystery like Kale. At least not to me.

“My family is part Italian,” Mia said.

I peeked in the rearview mirror, taking in Mia’s blonde hair and pale skin, and was tempted to ask her about it. But hair dye and makeup could drastically change anyone’s looks. Instead of interrupting their banter, I sent Kale a text, but he didn't reply. Meanwhile, Jace and Mia continued to flirt back and forth, and I tried not to let my lousy mood interrupt them.

“It would be great to visit my roots in Italy,” I heard Mia say. “I hate living in a small town.  It sucks and most of the women never escape it. If they aren’t pregnant, they’re waitressing with nowhere to go,” she murmured. Shocked once again, I looked in the rearview mirror. Mia’s face was hidden as she looked out of the window. I felt bad for her, she seemed to feel trapped too, but the only problem was that she wasn’t doing anything about it.

 
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