Welcome back to Mid-Week Teaser, a weekly meme hosted by the lovely Sandra Bunino, where writers share excerpts from their works-in-progress or published books.
This week I'm glad to be sharing a teaser from Scores, Passion Shield #3. I'm finalising the editing on this now and hopefully I should have a release date soon.
To set the scene, Ben is with his friends, Chris and Kenny. Kenny has just told him Selina's ex-husband Tony Kana is alive and well and a crime lord in Sierra Leone. This news doesn't go down well with Ben considering Selina is going to Sierra Leone. His feelings are also complicated by the fact that Selina returned the bracelet he'd given her on their wedding night (
Scars) after their argument where she walked out on him (
Secrets).
I've skipped a major chunk of the scene so it's not too long but I hope this makes sense. Enjoy.
***
"I know Selina can be stubborn," Chris
said after moments of silence while the men drank. "But is she refusing to
take the bracelet back?"
"No. She wants it." Another sigh
lifted Ben's chest. "But I can't give it back to her until she knows
everything about my past. I can't trust that she won't throw it at me when she
finds out what my life was really like." Afraid of what it would do to his
heart if she spurned him again.
"I don't blame you," Kenny said,
sympathy lacing his words. "Being rejected by someone you care about
because of the life you lead can be devastating."
"Shit," Chris muttered under his
breath.
His friends understood his predicament. They
were dominant men. Although Chris wasn't in a committed relationship, he had
dated Selina before Benjamin met her. Kenny on the other hand had been married
once. Still, they both understood his need for Selina, his overwhelming desire
to have her submission.
She was a beam of light shining on the darkness
that had lived in his soul since he was a teenager. He loved her. Wanted to
possess her like no one ever did.
As a man who made a living from protecting
others, no one drew out his protective instincts like Selina did. And he would
make sure she was protected no matter the cost to him. And if it meant taking
down Tony Kana, he would do it in a heartbeat.
"I want to know everything Kana does from
now on. If he as much as sneezes, I want to hear about it." Ben tossed the
rest of his drink down his throat, hardly tasting it but feeling the smooth
bite down his gullet. Shame to waste perfectly good cognac by gulping it, but
the need to be with his wife overwhelmed him. He stood and headed toward the
door.
"You've got it." Kenny nodded as he
stood too.
"Thank you," Ben said before punching
the button to call the elevator. Chris stepped inside with him when the door
opened.
"Why are you so bent on tracking this
guy?" his best friend asked. "Is there something I should know?"
Ben had asked Kenny, who had contacts in West
Africa, to help him find Tony Kana but he'd never really explained to his
friends why.
"Kana is Selina's ex-husband," he
said in a matter of fact tone.
"And?" His friend understood him too
well.
"He's the reason she has body issues."
"Body issues?" Chris's face puckered
in a frown.
"When you dated her, did you ever get to
see her full unclothed?"
His friend's dark brows drew together.
"No. She always insisted on having those corsets on. They were damn sexy
so I never minded. Although once I walked into the bathroom while she was in
the shower and she nearly screamed the place down because she wanted me to get
out."
Benjamin closed his eyes and sucked in a breath
to stave off his rising anger. "Her abdomen is covered in scars. Someone
cut her up pretty badly."
"Kana?" Chris growled the question.
"No." Ben opened his eyes and stared
at his friend. He could see his anger reflected in his friend's eyes. "But
he might as well have wielded the knife himself. He handed Selina over to the
militia who wanted to use her as a sex slave. She fought back and they
mutilated her for disobedience."
"And all you want to do is watch this guy?" Chris's hands balled into fists at his sides. "I want to put a bullet right between his eyes."
"Selina doesn't want any more bloodshed. I
have to respect her wishes. Doesn't mean I can't take the guy down another
way."
"Right." Chris nodded. "He has
to pay."
"Oh, he's going to pay. No doubt about
that."
They entered the bar and loud music erased the
need for further conversation.
***
So what do you think? Did you enjoy that? Leave me a comment. And check out the other Mid Week Teasers.
Happy Hump Day!
Kiru xx
