Showing posts with label Trust Me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trust Me. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Teaser Tuesday ~ Trust Me Series ~ Jaded Promises Excerpt

Eric Stiles has everything to lose and no matter how hard he fights he can feel his life slipping away.
Rebecca Gailen thinks that the love of her life is dead and only the vigor of revenge keeps her fighting to survive.
When a secret reveals more than anyone expected, it changes Eric and Rebecca’s lives forever. The devastating truth puts the couple at odds. Can they overcome their clashing conclusions and learn to trust each other again? Or will they let it rip them apart?

Excerpt
The stairs creaked with each step as he looked into the dimness below. The wet, musty area was cold and damp. He swallowed hard. Gray concrete, jagged walls and dust surrounded them and a chill raked up his spine.

"We found it over there." The same officer descended the stairs behind them. The beam of his flashlight landed to the right of where they stood. Eric reached for a flashlight, and his eyes fell on Charlie who scanned the room. An officer offered his and Eric stepped toward the area. His hand brushed against the cold concrete, but his mind still refused to accept it.

Not here…not like this…

Eric’s eyes fell on a spatter of blood and his chest flooded with an unrecognized pain.

She was here

Unable to push the image away, all the air left the room as his entire body clenched at the suffocation. He ascended the stairs into the sunlight, fighting for control. He began to unhinge, mindlessly entered one of the side rooms
They didn't find her which means she's still…

Keep it together Stiles…falling apart isn't going to help anyone
The sewn seam around his emotions threatened to tear, and he couldn't move. The paralyzing agony that spiked from the core of his body was relentless. He fought back in vain. He knew it wouldn't stop until she was in his arms, safe.

"Eric, what’s going on?"

Eric wiped unexpected wetness from his eyes. He leaned against the wall to face his brother. Pure disbelief stared back at him.

"I've never seen you like this."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you never…"

"Yeah well, things change." Eric moved to exit the room.

He found the front door and pushed through it hearing Charlie just behind him.
"Since when?"

"You still don't get it do you?"
"What are you talking about?"

"Have you really convinced yourself that all of this…what happened, was just some kind of joke?” He stopped to face him. “That Rebecca and I didn’t mean anything we said when we told you that we never wanted to hurt you?"

"I don't know what the hell you meant to do and to be honest, I don’t really care."

"Charlie…whether or not you choose to believe it, we did try to walk away.” Charlie’s eyes diverted in anger. "Jesus, Charlie she went through hell, and all she could think about was how she couldn't hurt you!"

"So once again this is my fault!"

"No…I am just…" Eric’s chest turned to stone, unwilling to allow him to hide. "As your brother, your friend, I tried to forget about…everything. But that night. That first night in Dallas, everything changed. We did everything we could to ignore it, make disappear, but it didn't. It only got stronger…can you try to understand that?"

"You really expect me to…"

"I expect you to believe that I tried! I expect you to realize that this had nothing to do with you. To remember that until that moment, I've never betrayed you."
"So because you’ve always tried to be the good big brother you want me to be okay with this? To just accept what you did and move on?"

"Yes."

'Why?"

"Because you’re my brother and I need you to." Eric’s watering despite his continued battle against it. "Charlie, I'm in love with her."

"I loved her too!"

"Okay Charlie,” Eric clenched his jaw. “Where did you see things heading with her? Let's say we never met, what then?"

"I don't know. I never got the chance thanks to you!"

"That’s the difference!" Eric’s fists balled in frustration. "Six weeks ago, and the two months before that, hell even in Dallas. I knew this was different. I knew she changed everything. Even when she left without a word, and I didn’t even know her name, I couldn’t get her out of my head! I look at her and see everything I never knew I wanted. She's woken up this person inside me that I didn’t even know was there! The one who wants a house and a family. The person who needs to see her every morning and hold her every night, because when I don't something is missing, and the world doesn't make sense. "

"Eric…"

"The difference is that the moment I met her, she became my whole world," Eric explained as he struggled to keep his furious heart under control. "I know that you loved her. That was one of the reason's I stayed away as long as I did. It might not seem like much but…she needed me, and I couldn’t turn my back anymore. Now she's gone and I can't…If we don't…if I can't find her..."

"We're going to find her, Eric.” He saw the first glimpse of understanding in his brother's eyes.

~

We are on Tour again this time for the exciting Dead Air Chronicles! Click here for all of the locations and dates. Random lucky commentors will win the series and there is a $25 Amazon Gift card Grand Prize! Hope to see you there!


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Friday, December 2, 2016

Suspense Excerpt - Serenity Lost by Amy Romine

Their brief heated meeting one fateful night had singed itself into their minds. Not knowing of the other’s identity, but unable to forget, had sealed their fate. The fire smoldered quietly in each of them as they tried to move on with their lives.
Eric Stiles was in the middle of chaos, searching for a killer.
Hunted by an obsessed psychopath Rebecca Gailen was trying to be strong.
The world stopped for a moment as they looked up and saw the other standing just feet away.

His heart lurched, her armor shattered and the world started again as Eric’s brother, Charlie, appeared to take her hand.

Family loyalty isn’t a choice. When Rebecca’s stalker rages out of control, Eric’s decision haunts him and he struggles to stay away. Can he remain loyal to his brother, even if it means abandoning Rebecca when she may need him the most?

***

"Hey, thanks for coming."

“Thanks for the address.”

“What’s going on?’

“I think she got a visit from our friend this evening,” he replied, still looking for Rebecca.

“Really, when?”

“Not sure, that’s what I’m here to find out. Where is she?”

“Other side of the bar,” Donna replied with a small wince.

His eyes found her. She was sitting on top of the bar, laughing and teasing a group of men surrounding her.

“She started doing shots, as soon as she hung up on you.”

“Okay,” he replied with a deep breath and wondered how he was going to handle this. She looked like she was having fun, although his stomach clenched at the thought of someone else's arms around her. “Maybe I should just leave her be. She’s been through enough the past few days.”

“Which is exactly why you need to go over there,” Donna insisted. “She's not thinking straight. She isn't listening to me and Charlie isn't available.”

The comment wasn’t meant to, but it stung. He was third on the list. Fourth, if you counted Mindy. Eric nodded in agreement and walked around the bar to the engaging crowd. Perched on the bar, her long legs were crossed and wrapped in a mid-length black skirt. She wasn't flaunting anything, she was just smiling and laughing. The small gathering of men were making comments and even began singing to her.

Eric stood at the back of the group, waiting for her to see him. He couldn’t help but become lost in the sight of her. Since their unexpected reunion, he hadn’t really been able to just look at her, take her in and see once again how stunning she was. From her fiery locks to her thin ankles. His entire body began to pulse at the memory of her softness beneath him. He took a deep breath as her eyes caught his and instead of the expected scowl, she smiled and tilted her head as she had in the coffee shop.

“Look out, boys, the cops are here to rescue me,” she said as she leaned forward.

He pushed his way between her suitors until his chest brushed against her legs. “May I have this dance?” he asked as he looked up into her eyes.

“Depends,” she answered as her hands rested on his shoulders.

Eric grasped her waist and lifted her off the bar, resting her on the floor in front of him. “On what?”

“Whether you're here for business or pleasure.”

“Dancing with you,” he said in a low breath, as his body reacted to her softness against him, his hands still wrapped around her small waist. “Definitely pleasure.”

She looked up at him and the room seemed to disappear. A serenity that he'd only felt once before encompassed him. The weight of the world seemed to lift when he stared into the electric pools of her eyes, and he wondered how that could be.

“I wish that were true,” she said.

He saw doubt and pain flash in her eyes. “Rebecca…” he started when the popping of a champagne bottle startled her. She jumped away from him as her entire body visibly trembled. She ran her fingers through her hair, and he watched her look for something familiar. Her eyes found Donna and she walked past him to her friend...




Thursday, July 28, 2016

Serenity Lost- Trust Me Book 1 Excerpt

Their brief heated meeting one fateful night had singed itself into their minds. Not knowing of the other’s identity, but unable to forget, had sealed their fate. The fire smoldered quietly in each of them as they tried to move on with their lives.
Eric Stiles was in the middle of chaos, searching for a killer.
Hunted by an obsessed psychopath Rebecca Gailen was trying to be strong.
The world stopped for a moment as they looked up and saw the other standing just feet away.

His heart lurched, her armor shattered and the world started again as Eric’s brother, Charlie, appeared to take her hand.

Family loyalty isn’t a choice. When Rebecca’s stalker rages out of control, Eric’s decision haunts him and he struggles to stay away. Can he remain loyal to his brother, even if it means abandoning Rebecca when she may need him the most?

***

"Hey, thanks for coming."

“Thanks for the address.”

“What’s going on?’

“I think she got a visit from our friend this evening,” he replied, still looking for Rebecca.

“Really, when?”

“Not sure, that’s what I’m here to find out. Where is she?”

“Other side of the bar,” Donna replied with a small wince.

His eyes found her. She was sitting on top of the bar, laughing and teasing a group of men surrounding her.

“She started doing shots, as soon as she hung up on you.”

“Okay,” he replied with a deep breath and wondered how he was going to handle this. She looked like she was having fun, although his stomach clenched at the thought of someone else's arms around her. “Maybe I should just leave her be. She’s been through enough the past few days.”

“Which is exactly why you need to go over there,” Donna insisted. “She's not thinking straight. She isn't listening to me and Charlie isn't available.”

The comment wasn’t meant to, but it stung. He was third on the list. Fourth, if you counted Mindy. Eric nodded in agreement and walked around the bar to the engaging crowd. Perched on the bar, her long legs were crossed and wrapped in a mid-length black skirt. She wasn't flaunting anything, she was just smiling and laughing. The small gathering of men were making comments and even began singing to her.

Eric stood at the back of the group, waiting for her to see him. He couldn’t help but become lost in the sight of her. Since their unexpected reunion, he hadn’t really been able to just look at her, take her in and see once again how stunning she was. From her fiery locks to her thin ankles. His entire body began to pulse at the memory of her softness beneath him. He took a deep breath as her eyes caught his and instead of the expected scowl, she smiled and tilted her head as she had in the coffee shop.

“Look out, boys, the cops are here to rescue me,” she said as she leaned forward.

He pushed his way between her suitors until his chest brushed against her legs. “May I have this dance?” he asked as he looked up into her eyes.

“Depends,” she answered as her hands rested on his shoulders.

Eric grasped her waist and lifted her off the bar, resting her on the floor in front of him. “On what?”

“Whether you're here for business or pleasure.”

“Dancing with you,” he said in a low breath, as his body reacted to her softness against him, his hands still wrapped around her small waist. “Definitely pleasure.”

She looked up at him and the room seemed to disappear. A serenity that he'd only felt once before encompassed him. The weight of the world seemed to lift when he stared into the electric pools of her eyes, and he wondered how that could be.

“I wish that were true,” she said.

He saw doubt and pain flash in her eyes. “Rebecca…” he started when the popping of a champagne bottle startled her. She jumped away from him as her entire body visibly trembled. She ran her fingers through her hair, and he watched her look for something familiar. Her eyes found Donna and she walked past him to her friend...




Wednesday, July 6, 2016

The Kiss - The Pivotal Scene in Any Romance

Little girl’s dreams are built around it. Boys brag about it, and it's the force driving every book I write. Romance all about the kiss, not just any kiss, ‘the kiss’.  Sounds like a pretty weak way to drive anything, but that is my focal point. The first kiss and then the renewal kiss. 

In any romance the basic bare bones plot is usually the same.  Boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back.  Obviously there are a million variations of this but the core is the same. So for a writer to truly translate their vision we must have a focus.

In my latest erotic novella, the entire novel started out as a single moment. A passionate, unexpected, but wanted moment between two professional people. I focused on the single image rolling all of the possibilities in my head, why wouldn’t they be able to fulfill their desires? What was holding them back and what would make them so desperate to act? Where did the need to be in the others embrace stem from? What were the consequences if they acted on their desires? The answers to each of these are of course endless, but in the end You Never Could Be was born. The two people became Sara and Will.

Will finished his conversation, and hung up his phone, having booked himself on the next available flight. Highway assistance had solved their lug nut challenge, and they were back on the road to the airport. Sara saw the exit and glanced at him with a grin, her stomach churning. His phone beeped and he glanced at the screen with an audible sigh.
“Is everything okay?”
“Uh, yeah, it’s fine.”
“You don’t sound so convinced.”
“I’m not.” His focus went toward the window a deafening quiet lying between them once again.
“Are you going out of the same terminal?”
“Yeah, I think so, American.”
She grabbed her drive-through pass and headed to the terminal. The curb side thorough-way was closed. She pulled into the garage and found a space. Sara was unwilling to break the boundary of silence he’d put up, and wordlessly popped the hatch.
“Make sure you get a new tire. You shouldn’t be driving on the donut for longer than a day.” He came around the side, pulling his luggage from the back.
“I will.” She pulled her fingers against her hair. The tension was killing her, and she’d had enough. “Will…”
“They’re replacing me.” Her blood turned to ice.
“What?”
“The phone call, it was Regan. They decided to split the departments, and my position has been absorbed into the transition.” Unable to deal with the news without emotion, she turned away from him. “There are a couple of positions available in Phoenix. They are setting up interviews for me.”
“When?”
“I’ll announce it Monday. They want me to work through the transition so probably a few weeks.”
“I can’t believe this is happening. Will, you’ve been—“
“It’s okay Sara. It’s not personal. We knew with all the changes' stuff like this was going to happen.”
“Yeah, but not to us.”
She saw him take a deep breath before he closed the hatch. Her emotions rose to her chest and she wasn’t sure what to do. She did her best to gulp it back.
“Well at least, you’ll be around for the next few weeks, so I can still harass you when needed.” She meant for the statement to be light, but it came out like a final farewell. “You’ll have to come up with an excuse to come visit. I’m sure the group of us can come up with a plausible justification.”
“I’ll be around.”
“I know you will. You're always around when I…we need you.” His eyes bore through her, and her body involuntarily tightened. “You’d…uh…you’d better get moving or you’re going to miss your plane again.”
“Yeah, I think I would have a hard time using the flat tire excuse twice.”
“Have a safe trip.” She stepped into him, wrapping her arm loosely over his shoulder in a hug. Her heart raced at the solid heat of his body against hers. “Let me know if you need anything. Seriously, if you need anything just call.”
“You too.”
She nodded and went to step back, his hand lingering on her hip. She hesitated. He moved, and she took another step. He threw his laptop case over his shoulder and unfolded his luggage before waving good-bye.
Heaviness settled on her chest, forcing a deep sigh. Her mind felt thick, and she pulled herself away, getting in her truck. She lifted the handle when the smacking of hurried footsteps against concrete got her attention.
“Sara!”
She spun on her heel following his voice around the truck.
“Did you forget something?” He didn’t respond just kept walking, a startling determination in his eyes. She waited in open confusion. He kept coming and before she could react, his hand curled on the back of her neck. His mouth crushed hers with a heated demand and she had no choice but to give in. She opened beneath him, and his tongue diving into her mouth. He shifted his arm, wrapping it around her waist, resting on the small of her back. His mouth still dominating her attention, his overpowering torso pressed her against the truck. She was trapped, unable to escape his possessed siege of her mouth.
The kiss broke, and they both gasped for air. His eyes searched her face, his fingers kneading her neck. He wordlessly pulled at her lips, and her hands balled against his chest. She took another gasp of air, looking up into his heavy-lidded eyes. "Don't go.”

In my first romantic suspense series, ‘Trust Me’, we have two people, breathless and desperate to kiss each other but unable to act on their feelings. The two people became Rebecca and Eric, the scene wound up in a very different place than I imagined it and the consequences were shattering to both of them.

Eric sat for a moment, letting the advice settle in his gut before he rose from the table. He made is way down the hall and over to the kitchen. He popped a few quarters in the vending machine his mind heavy in thought.
Just promise me, if you find her you won't walk away…
Then the world literally stopped. I looked up and there she was smiling at me as she said hello.
I wish that were true…
He made his way back to the conference room, two sodas in hand. He rounded the corner and bumped into someone. He heard a gasp and he turned. Her blue eyes looked at him in terror.
"Beccs."
He'd scared her again.
Damn it what was she doing out here alone?
She was breathless and he watched her body begin to quake. Her eyes watering, she looked to him helpless. He grasped her hand and scanned his ID before he led her into an empty conference room. She propped herself against the wall and he shut the door. Her trembling worsened while tears slid down her cheeks.
He pulled her into his chest wrapping his arms around her protectively until the trembling passed. She clung to him and he pulled her tighter against him, kissing the top of her head.
After a few minutes she seemed to calm. He looked down at her, his hand grazing her hair. She met his gaze, her cheeks still wet with tears.
"Okay?" He gently wiped her tears away with his thumb.
A quiet desperation shone back at him and he drowned in her eyes. His heart refused to be ignored. The walls he'd so carefully built crumbled like ash. Eric leaned down pressing his lips against hers, his hands pushing into her hair. He covered her mouth and a rush of fire swept through him. Her lips were warm and sweet. She opened up to him and he pulled her closer to him devouring her mouth. They melted together into one enduring embrace.
She pull away, their lips parted, and his heart screamed in protest.
"We can't do this," she said in a breathless whisper. His forehead rested against hers, eyes closed, fighting the need to kiss her again. "Eric…"
"If it was anyone else…" his voice a deep growl talking his way back from her warmth, "Rebecca I--"
Her warm hand rested against his cheek and stabs of pain pushed at him like his heart was being ripped from his body. He tried to catch his breath. Her eyes were brimming with life, pain, and unquenchable warmth.
She rose up on her toes. His arms still wrapped around her, she kissed him once more. Full of emotion and regret, her lips fit within his. She broke away and lowered herself back to the ground. Unable to pull away from her eyes, he could see the strain and exhaustion she fought to hide. His hand grazed her hair and her eyes closed.
Like the screaming of an alarm, his cell phone rang. Her eyes opened looking at him with strength, hiding the pain and fear only he could see. Her shoulders squared, her back stiffened and her arms dropped from his chest.
Eric kept her resilient but anguished gaze. He dropped his arms from their protective position around her. She took a step back. His cell phone rang again. She took another step and turned toward the door. He struggled with not being able to touch her, or hold her. She glanced back but within seconds she disappeared. It was a torture beyond his imagination and it was killing him.
His phone rang again and he pulled it from his pocket.
"This is Detective Stiles."


So that was the beginning of the Trust Me series, or at least the kernel of inspiration.  Now that was not the first kiss, nor would it be the last, but it is a crucial part of the plot. First kisses as I stated are of monumental importance to me. They have to be perfect. They have to feel honest, real and natural. One of my pet peeves is to have a kiss feel rushed or awkward, or when as the reader I am saying – where the hell did that come from. There has to be a build up, tension and finally the explosion that lifts the characters story to the next level.

In Shockwave, the first kiss is the turning point in the novel. It is the place where the reader is finally satisfied by the flirt. Kate Weiss and Jack Tucker are from two different worlds, he is always in the spotlight and she is always behind it. In the beginning of the story Jack and Kate hate each other until Kate is attacked by a group of thugs.  From there, the flirt is on and in this scene the readers are given what they have been hoping for…

It took a little time, but they managed to make their way out and hail a cab back to the hotel. Stumbling into the hotel laughing, they managed to navigate their way to the elevators. They stepped in, and concurrently forgot the floor of their rooms.
“Twenty-three Three is sticking in my brain.” She leaned against the back of the elevator.
“Twenty-three Three it is,” Jack pushed the button and leaned against the wall next to her.
“You’d think they would put it on your key or something.”
“What’s your room number?” His brain flipped like a coin in mid-air.
“2509.” He looked at her with a smile. “Seriously?”
She reached forward, pushed the button for twenty-five. He laughed.
“What’s your room number, Tucker?”
“Ah…I…well…I have no fucking idea!”
“See!” She stepped back leaning next him. “So I don’t want to hear any sass out of you about my 23!”
“My sass will remain closed.” The heat of her body made his head spin more than it already was.
“That’s why!”
“Why what?”
“I finally understand why she calls you Sass. I didn’t see it before, but now I definitely agree that you are…”
Abruptly the doors opened and they turned to move out of the elevator. He realized they were on the wrong floor and pulled her back.
“What are you doing?”
“Twenty-five remember, not twenty-three.”
“Oh yeah,” She turned to him with a lopsided smile. It hit him like a hammer. He realized it was the first time he had ever really seen her smile.  It lit up her face, and he couldn’t help but smile back. “Do you know that saying?”
“What saying?”
“The whole, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas thing.”
“Yes, I am familiar with it.” The doors of the elevator opened again, and he gently turned her around moving her forward into the hallway.
“Well you need to make sure you understand that saying because well…” She rummaged through her pockets for her key. “I am breaking so many rules right now you wouldn’t believe.”
“Rules?” She stopped at her door leaning against it, key card in hand.
Jack watched her struggle to maintain her mental and physical balance.
“Yes, rules. Many, many rules.”
“What kind of rules?” Warmth enveloped him. Her scent and deep eyes drew him in, and he was powerless to resist.
“Important rules.” His palms rested on the door trapping her between his arms, and a deep sigh escaped her lips. “Very important rules.”
“Kate,” He breathed her in, just inches away from her lips, her emerald eyes shining brightly up at him.
“Yes?”
“Forget the rules.” He caressed her cheek with his thumb, his heart pounding against his chest. Jack let go of his fear, and covered her mouth with a passionate kiss.
He expected the moment of surprise. Then she kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck pulling him closer. After a hesitant but passion filled exploration of the other's lips, their touch parted, and he bit back a groan. He didn’t want to stop. He wanted to keep kissing her forever.

****

A little steamy, right-- Well all of that flirting tends to build up a little tension…and POW!

The kiss is a powerful weapon in the romantic suspense, more so than in other genres. The kiss is a prize, a reward for hard work and a job well done. You have managed to stay alive, here is your treat…you get the girl / guy!
Every writer has something that propels them forward, the kernel of truth they search out.

I ask you, with the utmost sincerity, what is more honest than a kiss? You cannot fake a kiss, not a real one anyway. It has the power to sway opinions, cease and cause wars, make you faint, swoon and or gag. For me, the kiss is the first breath of love, it is an act of passion and most of all awareness.  There is no way to deny, retract or ignore a real kiss, not even if you want to.
The core of my writing is the kiss in all of its glorious forms, whether is it a first kiss or a kiss goodbye, it is always memorable. It is my job to make you remember why.











Thursday, April 28, 2016

Romantic Thriller - Trust Me - Serenity Lost


Their brief heated meeting one fateful night had singed itself into their minds. Not knowing of the other's identity, but unable to forget, had sealed their fate. The fire smoldered quietly in each of them as they tried to move on with their lives.
Eric Stiles was in the middle of chaos, searching for a killer.
Hunted by an obsessed psychopath, Rebecca Gailen was trying to be strong.
The world stopped for a moment as they looked up and saw the other standing just feet away.
His heart lurched, her armor shattered and the world started again as Eric's brother, Charlie, appeared to take her hand.
Family loyalty isn't a choice. When Rebecca's stalker rages out of control, Eric's decision haunts him and he struggles to stay away. Can he remain loyal to his brother, even if it means abandoning Rebecca when she may need him the most?



Excerpt
 

Eric managed to get a few hours sleep in the cage before he was needed back in the bullpen. He was finding it more and more difficult to push her out of his mind. He went to get some coffee.
“Stiles,” Lug said, breaking through his churning thoughts.
“Hey, what’s up?” he replied as he grabbed is full cup of coffee.
“Trace on the box of blood came back,” Lug said.
Eric walked to his desk. “And?”
“They found a piece of hair in the box sealant.”
“Were they able to get a name?”
“Yeah,” Lugow started. Eric looked down at his desk in hesitation. “It came as a match to a Veronica Naltin.”
Eric froze, the name hitting him in the chest. “What?”
“Yeah.” Eric took a deep breath. “We double checked. There’s no mistake.”
“Jesus,” He leaned on the desk, his mind spinning uncontrolled.
Adam appeared and looked at him. “You told him?”
“Yeah.”
“So now what?” Eric asked. He tried to reign in the fear that began to bubble in his stomach. They were not only dealing with a stalker, but now a ruthless killer.
“We start from the beginning,” Adam said as Lug nodded. “We look at everything from both cases.”
“We should look at anything that’s happened since this guy made first contact with Rebecca,” Lug suggested.
“Do we have a date?”
“The only specific date I have is two weeks before the teddy bear,” Lug replied as he looked at his notes. “I will try and get something more specific.”
“Where is she now?”
“Donna’s,” he said with a deep breath.
“Is she going to be safe there?”
“She’ll be fine for now,” Lugow added.
“Okay, let’s get to work,” Adam said.
Eric’s phone rang. “Detective Stiles.”
“Eric, we have a problem,” Charlie said, sounding panicked and out of breath. “What’s going on?” he said, looking to Lug and Adam.
“Rebecca got a message from the stalker.”
“When?”
“I little while ago,” he replied.
Eric’s heart began to race.
“We think he’s going after Donna.”
“Why?”
“I don’t now. Something about the message.”
“Did you hear it?”
“No.”
“Let me talk to Rebecca.” Charlie passed the phone to Rebecca.
“Eric,” her voice sounded terrified and shaken.
Eric got to his feet as Adam followed him. “What did he say?”
“Uh, it was a joke.”
“A what?”
“A knock, knock, joke.”
“Tell me exactly what he said, Beccs.”
“Knock, knock, who’s there, Donna, Donna who, Donna turn around ka-boom,” she said into the phone.
He could hear the agony in her voice. “Where are you?”
“On our way to Donna’s office.”
“Okay, let me talk to Charlie.” He heard her pass the phone back to Charlie.
“Hey,” Charlie said.
Eric and Adam reached Adam’s car. “Have either of you tried to call her yet?”
“Yeah, she’s not answering, but Beccs said she had an early meeting.”
“We’re on our way to Donna’s office as well, but you need to stall and keep Rebecca away until I tell you it’s okay.”
“That’s going to be pretty hard to do.”
“Listen to me, this could all be a way to lure Rebecca out into the open,” Eric explained as Adam pulled onto the street. “Just stall long enough for us to make sure it’s safe.”
“Okay,” Charlie agreed before Eric hung up.
“What’s going on?” Adam asked.
“Rebecca got a message from the stalker.”
“What kind of message?”
“One with a ka-boom.”
Eric, Adam, Lug and the bomb squad arrived in front of Donna’s office twenty minutes later. Adam coordinated the sweep and evacuation of the building while Eric went looking for Donna. He stepped off the elevator and flashed his badge to the receptionist. “Detective Stiles, I need to speak with Donna Smith, it’s an emergency,” Eric said as the woman looked at him in confusion.
“I thought you were meeting her in the parking garage,” the woman replied.
Eric spun, dashing to the elevator as he called Adam. “She was called down to the parking garage, I’m on my way now,” Eric said into the phone hitting the P on the elevator. The doors opened moments later, and he stepped off. He found Donna leaning against her car with a look of irritation. “Donna!”
She shifted, looking.
He ran toward her.
“Eric, what’s going on?” She moved to meet him.
Eric heard a door slam just to the left.
“Is Beccs alright?”
“She got a call from the stalker. He…”
“Donna!” Rebecca called, Charlie in tow.
Eric realized she was going to pass right in front of Donna’s car
“Beccs, no!” he screamed, pushing Donna behind him just before the car exploded.
The blast pushed both he and Donna off their feet as it shattered and sprayed glass across the parking lot. Eric recovered and bolted upright to see Rebecca and Charlie flat on the ground...
 ***


“The Trust Me series takes the reader on a journey of love, honor, trust and family. A love triangle and the intrigue of a psychotic stalker serve as the compelling backdrop to fate's whims. It twists and turns in an unexpected and abrupt velocity like any enthralling suspense should…” - Romance Reader Cass



“Amy truly takes you on a ride with this fast paced, mystery/romance thriller that has so many twists and turns that when you think you figured it out – something else happens. Will Eric ignore family value with his brother and go after Rebecca, or will the craze psychopath get

to her first? This is only the beginning….” - Written by: Kia Meriwether

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