Rules of engagement:
1) You have
the right to use force to defend yourself.
2) Fire may
be returned to stop a hostile attack.
3) You may
not seize the property of others to accomplish your mission.
4) Detention
of civilians is authorized in self-defense.
Delilah Morgan and her older sister Destiny have been on
their own for two years, since their parents burned down the family home and
went to jail for cooking meth. She’s street smart and tough. Nothing about her
says sixteen, and she’s not about to tell anyone, especially Bran, the hot
ex-marine bartender Destiny has her eye on. He’s stable and successful and
everything her sister needs to keep them off the street. The only problem,
something about Bran inspires her and suddenly she’s writing the best music she
ever has. About him.
Branson Silo knows what it means to be in the line of fire.
Home for a year from his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, he thinks he’s
safe…until he meets Delilah. Despite her sharp tongue that makes him want to
take cover, he can’t deny the attraction. But when he hires her to play
weekends at his family’s saloon, he finds out she’s more than he can
handle…which is saying something considering he used to blow things up for a
living.
When the grenade finally explodes and the shrapnel flies,
will Bran be left standing? Or has he survived years at war only to be taken
down by Jail Bait?
EXCERPT
I’m blending a pair of frozen daiquiris with one hand and shaking a martini with the other when out of the corner of my eye, I see a solo blonde slide onto the barstool at the end, near the beer taps. I finish what I’m doing and prepare the tray for Carol to pick up before glancing over and seeing its Destiny.
A guy in the middle of the bar makes eye contact and nods at his empty beer mug. I grab it and start filling without really looking up at her. “Didn’t think I’d see you again till closer to closing.”
“Sorry?” she says. “Are you talking to me?”
The voice is off—slightly raspy and a pitch lower than her usual. I look up again and squint at her, wondering if she’s already started drinking. She’s taken her straight hair down from the ponytail she always wears it in and it’s not as long as I remember it from the other night—the only other time I’ve seen it down. There’s also a fading blue stripe cutting through the platinum over her right ear that I’ve never noticed before.
“What can I get you?” I ask her instead of pushing it.
I’m already reaching for the vodka and cranberry to start on a Madras, her drink of choice last week, when she answers, “Rum and Coke.”
“That’s different,” I mutter, shooting her another glance.
She gives me a puzzled look. “Look, I really just wanted to find out if you hire entertainment.”
My face mirrors her puzzlement, I’m sure, as I try to process her statement. “Why?”
She hunches to the side and pulls something up from her feet. I see it’s a battered black guitar case when the narrow end peeks over the top of the bar. “Because I need a gig.”
“Didn’t know you played,” I say, pushing her drink across the bar to her.
EACH BOOK CAN BE READ AS A STAND-ALONE
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About Mia Storm:
About Mia Storm:
Mia Storm is a hopeless romantic who is always searching for
her happy ending. Sometimes she’s forced to make one up. When that happens,
she’s thrilled to be able to share those stories with her readers. She lives in
California and spends much of her time in the sun with a book in one hand and a
mug of black coffee in the other, or hiking the trails in Yosemite. Connect
with her online at MiaStormAuthor.blogspot.com , on Twitter at @MiaStormAuthor,
and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MiaStormAuthor
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