Victoria Sue is stopping by today to give TCO readers an exclusive peek at the beautiful cover of In Safe Hands, coming March 19th. She’s brought along some fantastic excerpts (one that sucks you in right away!!!!) and a giveaway for commenters. The cover is so gorgeous, so detailed. It is just beautiful, so check everything out, comment for the giveaway, and then look at the cover again and again. 🙂 Thanks Sue for stopping by!
Former helicopter pilot Maverick Delgardo’s injuries ended his Air Force career, leaving him bitter and one drink away from becoming an alcoholic. When his sister asks for his help on a private protection case to babysit a disgraced pop star, Mav reluctantly agrees.
Deacon Daniels, onetime lead singer and idol to his teenage fans, saw his career and reputation ruined when a reporter’s exposé led to a devastating scandal. Without money or a job, a heartbroken Deacon has lost custody of his baby niece. And just when he thinks his life can’t get any worse, a stalker’s threatening messages escalate to murder.
Mav only agreed to one meeting, but his protective instincts kick in, along with an attraction to Deacon. When the body count increases, however, Mav is unsure he is up to the task of protecting Deacon from a killer. But it is too late for Mav to step away, now that he’s lost his heart, and he must find the strength to reassure Deacon and his niece that they are in safe hands no matter the cost.
Dreamspinner Press
Victoria Sue wanted fans to not only see the gorgeous cover by the amazing Jay Aheer, but also brought you TWO Exclusive excerpts. So, take a look at the cover maybe one or two more times 😉 and then check out the excerpts! 🙂
The man looked down and pasted on his best nervous expression just before he got into the stupid bitch’s car. She smiled eagerly, but then she would, because she thought he was doing her a huge fucking favor.
She didn’t know she was going to die.
“You’re sure my name isn’t going to be leaked?” he said, pretending to be worried. “I need a promise of complete confidentiality.”
Sara Jeffries put her hand on his arm in what he was sure she thought was a comforting gesture. “Absolutely. No names. I can promise you complete confidentiality.” She tittered like she’d just said the funniest thing in the history of forever. He wondered if she’d still be giggling like they were sharing some big fucking secret when he was pouring lighter fuel all over her naked body. He licked his lips, and she patted his arm again. The bitch thought it was a nervous gesture, but really he was imagining all the things he could do to have some fun first. This one he was going to take his time with.
“Nice car,” he complimented. He would have preferred to meet in his, but that would have been awkward when they went home together.
She smiled again and opened an iPad.
“No,” he said. “Nothing electronic. You promised you would show me your notes first when we are done.” He couldn’t take the risk of her saving something externally. He was content at the moment to let her think he was paranoid. He brought a pad and pen out of his pocket. “You can use this.”
“Very traditionalist,” she snickered but took them and stowed the iPad away in her purse. “Now,” she said. “You were going to give me some information about Deacon Daniels.”
“Why are you so interested in him?” She’d been like a dog with a bone.
Her eyes gleamed. “Because he’s my ticket out of here. I have an interview next week in New York.”
He leaned forward as if he was sharing a confidence and clasped the syringe in his pocket, sliding the cap off the needle. “Did you know he’s got a new boyfriend?”
She stilled. “My readers won’t care he’s gay. He’s not exactly kept it a secret.” She sighed as if she was disappointed, and he smiled to himself.
“Did you know his old agent is dead?”
Her head whipped up. “Jones? No. Accident? Suspicious?” She started trying to take notes, but the pen wouldn’t work as he knew it wouldn’t. She tutted and bent forward, reaching in her purse for another. It had been exactly the move he had been hoping for, and before she even had a chance to think about screaming, his hand was covering her mouth, and he plunged the needle into her neck. He held her effortlessly while she struggled.
“Quit fighting,” he crooned, even as he felt her struggles getting weaker, “because I’m going to give you an exclusive.” Her eyes widened, not because she wanted the story, but because she knew what was coming.
“There’s going to be another murder,” he whispered in her ear as she gave one last pathetic jerk, and he watched as her eyes closed. He gave her another second to give the ketamine a chance to work properly, and then he let her go. He stuffed everything into her bag, got out of the car, and walked around to the driver’s side. He’d insisted because of his job he couldn’t be seen, and she had understood, so no one was around here to see him lift her out of the seat and stuff her in the trunk. Then he would take her home. He’d already checked she had a garage he could just drive into when they got back to hers.
The man smiled to himself again. That had really been way too easy.
“You think I hurt her?”
Maverick blinked. “What? No.”
“Then what the hell do you mean?” Deacon burst out.
“I screwed up last night,” Maverick admitted. He had. Anyone could have come in, and Deacon would have had no protection whatsoever. “If you’d have had problems last night, I couldn’t have done jack shit.”
He could see Deacon’s face soften, but the last thing he wanted was Deacon feeling sorry for him. Things could have gone badly wrong last night while he was having his own pity party all because he wanted so desperately to follow Deacon upstairs and join him in bed. He’d had the drink to dampen the urge. He’d had the second because he’d had the first. He couldn’t remember how many he drank, but the first one had been one too many.
“And it’s not only that.” He tapped his leg in case Deacon still didn’t get it. “I’ll be completely honest, when Shirley offered Jamie this job, she intimated a couple of days babysitting while you calmed down.” Deacon stiffened, and Maverick held up a conciliatory hand. “She was obviously wrong and misjudged you and the threat itself.” He swallowed. “Deacon, there is the real possibility that there is a killer picking off people you know. What if he or she comes for you?”
“Maverick, I have no money.”
“I’ll pay.”
“You try and I’ll leave here and check into a motel,” Deacon threatened.
“You’ve just said you’ve got no money,” Maverick pointed out dryly.
“The papers would pay for it.”
“What?” Maverick exclaimed.
“I have three that have offered to advance me the cash for my ‘exclusive’ story.” Deacon finger quoted. “I could be out of here in thirty minutes.”
“Absolutely not,” Maverick thundered, wondering how this was going so wrong.
“Says who?” Deacon challenged.
“Me, for starters.” It was ridiculous. “You can’t go wandering about on your own.” It wasn’t safe, and the thought of Deacon getting hurt made him feel distinctly ill.
“If I can’t have you, I don’t want anyone,” Deacon said firmly. “So make up your mind because I will have to go get my things together.”
“I’m no good for you,” Maverick tried again.
“Can you shoot?”
Maverick scowled. Of course he could, but he knew what Deacon was trying to say. “Okay, I’m your protection, but you have to promise me something.” Deacon arched an eyebrow but waited. “You stay here, and I will look after you. If this escalates, I may bring in further help from my contacts who I was going to ask originally when Jamie wanted to start this type of business.”
Mav looked at the stubborn set of Deacon’s jaw, the pale face, and the very light dusting of freckles across his nose that were so like Molly’s. The blue eyes were wide open and flashing fury, and Deacon was standing, hands on his hips, and preparing to do battle.
And how Maverick stayed still and didn’t gather him in his arms and kiss him senseless was completely beyond him.
Victoria Sue fell in love with love stories as a child when she would hide away with her mom’s library books and dream of the dashing hero coming to rescue her from math homework. She never mastered math but never stopped loving her heroes and decided to give them the happy ever afters they fight so hard for.
She loves reading and writing about gorgeous boys loving each other the best—and creating a family for them to adore. Thrilled to hear from her readers, she can be found most days lurking on Facebook where she doesn’t need factor 1000 sun-cream to hide her freckles.
@vickysuewrites
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