Publisher: Changeling Press
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller
Release date: March 8, 2019
Janessa – I’ve been in love with Seamus since the day I met him, even though I’d been fourteen at the time. Now that I’m an adult, I’m ready to go claim my man. Maybe I was stupid thinking he’d wait for me, or maybe I just really wanted a fairytale ending. Seeing another woman in his arms hurt like hell, so I ran…straight into trouble.
Irish – I met a girl years ago, one who had me spellbound despite her young age. I’d kept my distance, knowing it was so damn wrong to be attracted to her, but looking in her eyes I could tell she had an old soul. Now she’s back and all grown up, so what did I do? Something stupid. I kissed another woman. When I hear that Janessa’s been hurt, it feels like someone has ripped out my heart. Whatever it takes, I’ll make it up to her, and I will get justice for her one way or another.
WARNING: Contains some violence and situations some may find uncomfortable. There’s hot melt your e-reader sex, a very determined woman, and a dirty talking biker who will protect her at all costs.
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(c) 2019, Harley Wylde
All Rights Reserved.
Janessa
“I’m not a child anymore, Mom. I’m tired of waiting,” I said, my arms folded as I squared off against the only woman I remembered calling Mother, even if she hadn’t given birth to me.
“Janessa, I don’t think it’s a good idea. You know how your father feels about this.”
“Mom.” I sighed and closed my eyes. “I know I’m young. I get it, I really do. Dad wants to protect me from the world, especially after what happened. But he can’t, and I don’t want him to. I’m nineteen and I’m ready. More than ready. Other women my age are off starting their lives, but Dad wants to keep me locked up at the compound forever.”
I could understand my dad’s fear, I really could. He’d found me abandoned in an asylum by my grandparents, and if the woman I now called Mother hadn’t sacrificed herself for me, some horrific things would have happened to me. In my dad’s place, I might feel the same way, but after five years of living under this thumb, I was starting to feel like I was suffocating. I wanted to go places, do things without a Reaper watching over my shoulder. Mostly, I wanted Seamus.
“Janessa, it’s not…” My mom shook her head. “What do you know about Seamus? You met him once. Five years ago. I know the two of you shared some sort of moment, and you flirted shamelessly with him while we were in Florida. That doesn’t make you soul mates. You were a teenager!”
“He’s part of Devil’s Boneyard, Mom. It’s not like he’s a bad guy. The Devils are practically family to this club, and you know how they feel about women and children. He’s not the Antichrist! Why can’t you understand that I need to do this?” I asked. Maybe I didn’t know him, not really, but I remembered that spark I’d felt and I needed to see if it was still there. I hadn’t experienced it any other time, no matter how many boys had asked me out on dates, usually before they realized I was a biker’s daughter. Not that I’d ever accepted any of those offers.
“Seamus was patched in, Janessa. He goes by Irish now,” Mom said. “We’d better get used to using his new name. He’s not the same man you met before. He’s gone a bit wild and he… Janessa, I’ve heard stories. I’m trying to protect you!”
“Maybe I don’t want you to protect me,” I said. “I’m tired of being locked up in this compound and not having a life. I want to live! Why can’t you understand that? And I don’t care about any rumors. Seamus was a good man then, and he’s good now. I just know it.”
“Why couldn’t you have ever dated boys your age?” Mom muttered. “No, not my daughter. Always mooning after some biker who’s more than a decade older than she is.”
“Guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” I said with a smirk. “How much older is Dad than you?”
“Shut it, missy,” she said, but there was a smile curving her lips.
I knew my dad was about a dozen years older than she was, but Kalani loved my dad and he absolutely adored her. Sometimes they were a little nauseating with how in love they were. But at the same time, Kalani deserved happiness, and I was really glad my dad had married her. She was the best mother I could have ever asked for, far better than the one who had given birth to me.
“You know if I wait until Dad gets here, he’ll lock me in my room and throw away the key. Probably bar the windows too.”
“Janessa,” Mom said with that warning tone only mothers seem to have.
She never liked it if I said anything negative about my dad. After he’d saved her life, they’d fallen in love. If Mom went anywhere and didn’t let my dad know about it, he tended to panic that something evil had happened. Some might have felt smothered, but not Mom. I think she loved the fact someone cared that much about her.
“What? It’s true! I know bad things happened to both us, you more so than me, but he acts like if we aren’t under constant watch someone is going to snatch us and run. I can’t breathe anymore!”
Mom bit her lip, but not before I saw it quiver. Great. I was going to make my mom cry. The woman who had sacrificed herself to keep me safe when I was younger. I owed her everything, and instead I was screaming at her and whining about life being unfair. I was a bitch. If anyone knew about life not being fair, it was her. She’d been dealt a shitty hand until my dad had come looking for me. If we hadn’t been in that room together, if she hadn’t protected me, then she might never have escaped. It sickened me to think those people would have gotten way with all the horrors they’d inflicted on people over the years.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “You know I’d never do anything to hurt you, Mom. I love you, and I love Dad. The two of you are the best parents I could have ever asked for, but I’m old enough to live my own life now. You might like it when Dad keeps you overly safe, but I feel the need to escape sometimes.”
“I know,” she said. “I know you’re all grown up. No matter what I do, I can’t make you that sweet fourteen-year-old who needed me.”
“I still need you. I always will, but I’m going, Mom. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll come back, and Dad can lecture me all he wants. Promise.”