Lethal Temptations (Tempted #5) (51 page)

“Who wants to begin today?” I asked the group.

“I’d like to,” said a familiar voice, startling me and forcing me to turn my head to the door and the man standing there smiling at me.

My savior.

My Leather.

I am a social worker and I work for the Woman’s Health Center as well as Addiction Angel, a local Staten Island organization that helps addicts get into a rehabilitation program suited for them. I also volunteer one night a week at the Y.M.C.A. and run the Narcotics Anonymous group.

Blackie has attended my meetings and has spoken about his struggles as an addict, inspiring the people I work with on a daily basis.

However, I wasn’t expecting him tonight. In fact, when I left the house he kissed me goodbye and told me he was going to the clubhouse.

He walked toward the circle of people, pulled out an empty chair but didn’t sit down as he kept his eyes pinned to me.

“My name is Dominic Petra, or Blackie to some,” he said, winking at me. “And I’m a recovering addict.” He glanced around the room, looking at all the faces and recognizing the torment reflected in their eyes. “I have been sober and clean for thirty-eight months.”

A round of applause erupted from the circle as he turned his attention back to me.

“Thank you,” he said, as he pointed to me. “But I wouldn’t have been able to kick my habits and stay clean if it wasn’t for this woman right here.”

I smiled at him.

“That, right there,” he whispered, shaking his head slightly as he continued to stare at me but speak to the room of people looking at him, wishing for a sliver of hope.

“That smile,” he continued. “It’s my why, my purpose and my hope. It’s that smile that reminds me I’ve got a whole lot of life left inside of me. I don’t need drugs to numb me I’ve got something that makes me feel the good stuff I forgot existed, like love, like joy and instead of dreading the future I learned to reach for it.”

He took another step closer.

Then another.

He stood before me.

“Why would I ever want to be numb again when I’ve got someone who makes me feel like I’m on top of the world?”

I swallowed against the lump in my throat as fresh tears filled my eyes.

“Why would I send myself to hell when I have an angel who brings me to heaven?” He whispered.

Then I watched in shock as he dropped onto one knee in the middle of the circle, his lips quirked as he reached into his leather jacket.

“Why would I ever want anything other than her?”

He pulled out a tiny black velvet box and flipped the lid open.

“I wouldn’t,” he answered his own question. “I don’t want anything other than you, girl. You brought me back to life, gave me a second chance, one I didn’t think I deserved, but you insisted I did. Thank you for that. Thank you for being the angel who rescued me and showed me how to smile again. You’ve given me so much but there’s one more thing I’m going to ask of you…marry me, Lace, give me forever, let me be the one who shows you the good and the beautiful… let me give you my leather and take from you your lace.”

When you find yourself at the end of your story and you think there is nothing left, I hope you’ll think of me and Blackie and realize there’s always a chance for a rewrite.

Remember to smile.

Remember society doesn’t get to label you.

Remember life is good even when it’s bad.

Remember you are stronger than you know.

Remember me.

Remember him.

Remember Leather and Lace.

And know that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and your temptations are only lethal if you let them be.

“Of course I’ll marry you,” I whispered. “There isn’t a single thing in this world I’ve ever wanted more than to be your queen.”

Remember to play your cards until the end.

Acknowledgements

To the anonymous reader that confessed Uncontrollable Temptations brought her a sense of hope, this book is for you.

To the readers that have been with me from my very first book and, god bless their hearts, stuck with me—Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To the readers who never heard of me or my books but decided to take a chance on this one, thank you for choosing me.

It has been less than one year that I started the Tempted Series, five novels in less than a year, at length each of them were, has been such an extreme roller coaster ride.

This fifth book has taken me on a journey that words couldn’t adequately describe and when I wanted to give up, or cursed until I cried, there were a sea of people pushing me forward.

They may be my words and my characters but they are brought to life with the help of so many.

Jennifer: Blackie and Lacey’s story started on our road trip to Pittsburgh where we drove for six hours and plotted in the dark as we drove through mountains. Then we ripped it up and went for the rewrite. You’ve talked me through the chaos of five stories being intertwined into one and when I lost my characters you reminded me who they were. You’ve put as much sweat and tears as I have behind the scenes and for that I thank you.

Kristin: You’ve been my rock throughout the last couple of months. There aren’t too many people in the world who actually jump in and take charge of chaos and instead of telling me I’m nuts for doing this you pushed me to finish what I started. You were quick to dip chocolate and plot simultaneously and never mind the help you gave me at home. You provided me with stolen hours of the day where I locked myself in my bedroom and created Lacey and Blackie. You told me to plug in and then when I lost my words and couldn’t formulate a single sentence you finished them for me, making me look less frazzled and almost normal. Thank you.

To the members of Janine’s Land of Temptation, you guys are all ingrained in my heart. It’s not a fancy term of an author but a serious statement from a friend. We may never come face to face but you all have your place. Thank you for supporting me, for encouraging me and for sharing my work.

To Christine Tovey, Amber Goodwin, Trish Bacher, Michelle Slagan and Ella Stewart: Thank you ladies for the late night shenanigans and helping me find the perfect “Blackie”. The five of you are always there supporting my books and myself. I wish to one day hug each of you.

Mia and everyone at IndieSage Promotions: This is our fourth book together and each promotion gets better and better. I am so honored to be a part of the Indie Sage brand and thank you for working with me and helping me build relationships with bloggers.

To Golden Czermak at FuriousFotog and Nick Bennett: Thank you so much for creating such an amazing photo for the cover of Lethal Temptations and making this experience all the more rewarding. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with both of you and look forward to future books where the Furious Brand is featured. Nick we have two more covers in the works and I can’t wait to share them with your followers and my readers.

Bloggers: There is no Indie Community without any of you and you are just as much the star of this show as the authors and models featured on the books. Thank you so much for taking a chance on my books, for reading them, reviewing them and sharing them with everyone.

To my two boys who are my whole heart

You are my why.

See you on the other side,

Janine

Coming Soon

Eternal Temptations

You’ve seen them through their most illicit temptations.

Guided them through their forbidden temptations.

Stuck with them through their uncontrollable temptations.

Owned their reckless temptations.

And survived their lethal temptations.

Five couples.

One threat.

Who will survive the eternal temptation?

Just when the men of the Pastore crime family and the brothers of the Satan’s Knights MC, think they can rest easy, a threat no one saw coming threatens to destroy everyone’s perfect life. The men of the mob are resurrected and the boys in leather are back.

It’s time for one final ride.

And for you to ask yourself one last time…

Are you tempted?

Also coming soon

no·mad

[ˈnōˌmad]

NOUN

a member of a people having no permanent abode, and who travel from place to place to find fresh pasture for their livestock.

a person who does not stay long in the same place; a wanderer.

Drifter

Wanderer

Roamer

Loner

Awareness

Did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness month?

There are so many real people like Lacey who are suffering in silence.

During the month of May, over 25 authors have agreed to donate a portion of May sales to the fund and over 40 authors have donated items to an online auction also benefiting the fund! I, myself have donated a signed paperback of Uncontrollable Temptations

The Keith Milano Memorial Fund was established to help raise awareness about the devastating and deadly disease that is mental illness. Keith’s spirit and laughter is kept alive through our efforts to increase awareness about mental illness and to raise money for education and imperative research. Keith often struggled with society’s perception of mental illness.  Our hope is that by having the strength to say that Keith was “Bipolar” we can strip away the stigma and help others to be more open about their disease.

Be on the lookout as she will also be posting her #ShareYourWhy this month.

Keith Milano Memorial Fund

140 Adams Ave Suite B-12

Hauppauge NY 11788

www.keithmilano.org

www.kamauction.org

https://www.facebook.com/keithamilano

@MilanoFund

Direct Donation: 
http://bit.ly/MilanoFund

The Keith Milano Memorial Fund benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) 
http://www.afsp.org/

At the end of the event, participating authors will pay AFSP directly.

Keith’s fund is a self-directed memorial fund. Funds raised are spent on programs and research programs selected by the Milano / Sprung family

AFSP is the only national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research and education, and to reaching out to people with mood disorders and those affected by suicide.

AFSP is a fully accredited 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization incorporated in the state of Delaware with primary offices in New York City. Federal tax ID # is 13-3393329.

AFSP’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) number is 10545. Donations to AFSP are tax deductible.

ADDICTION ANGEL HOTLINE FOR HELP CALL

OR CHECK THEM OUT ON FACEBOOK. THEY ARE THERE TO HELP YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN YOU STRUGGLE WITH ADDICTION

https://www.facebook.com/AddictionAngelRN/

Addiction Angel 6464040637 24/7 – Dedication to helping addicts kick their addiction.