Raven
He's mysterious and
alluring,
Dominant and
powerful.
He keeps her
grounded,
And lets her fly.
After a date ends in
disaster, Zara Bandini is drawn into a conspiracy of dark lies and hidden
motives. Bidding farewell to blissful ignorance, she must betray those who
trust her to prevent evil from murdering innocent civilians.
Raven guides her,
shields her, and seduces her…
Now Zara has to
protect her heart while saving the world.
It was after ten PM
by the time she got to Purdy’s on that particular Friday night. Zara was
exhausted and needed sleep, but she would never flout tradition and miss an
appointment with herself. In the warm interior of Purdy’s, she enjoyed the
solid mahogany of the stocked bar and the gold pinstripe of the wallpaper that
glowed under muted lighting.
Catering to an
affluent clientele, Purdy’s held single malts and champagne to fulfill the
expensive tastes of those who frequented it. It was a far cry from her father’s
smoke filled kitchen where a layer of grease covered everything.
After seating herself
on a brown leather stool, the bartender brought over her usual drink. She
sipped the cool liquid and exhaled.
“That’s some glass of
wine.”
Turning to her left,
Zara saw a striking blond man come up beside her. One of the reasons she loved
this bar was its patrons. In the center of the city’s business district, this
classy joint was overflowing with rich, influential people and the wannabes who
listed “networking” as a hobby on their resumes.
Designer suits and
smiling faces charmed each other until hands were shaken and deals made. This
was a place for the elite to gather and praise each other for being so filthy
rich and successful. Given where she’d come from, there were often times she
fazed out of the moment, edges became blurred, until everything seemed
dream-like.
For her, the meaning
of success had morphed through the years and frivolous adventure was long
forgotten. The most effective way she could make a positive difference in the
world was through careful use of her position as Premium Personnel Coordinator
to Grant McCormack, CEO of Cormack Industries.
The clean-shaven man
beside her flashed a row of straight white teeth that gleamed almost as much as
his shirt under his tailored grey blazer that matched his slacks. All of the
men she interacted with on a daily basis were assured and this guy’s arrogance
was proven when he took up occupancy on the stool next to hers and leaned in
close.
“Can I get you
another glass?” he asked.
“I just started this
one,” she said, taking another sip of wine while not allowing herself to smile.
When dealing with intelligent men who usually enjoyed a puzzle, she’d learned
it was best not to give too much away about her own mood. “Did I ask you to sit
down?”
“No need,” he said,
undeterred, his smirk remained in situ. “It’s a public bar, anyone can sit
anywhere.”
Leaving him guessing,
she didn’t give any physical hint of her interest. “And you chose the stool right
next to mine?” she asked. The establishment was busy, but there were a half a
dozen free stools at the bar, so he didn’t have to choose the seat right next
to hers. “Didn’t your mother teach you manners? It’s polite to be invited to
join a person.”
His confidence
remained in place and he twisted his body to face hers, trapping her crossed
legs between him and the bar. The flirtation in his countenance matched his
positioning and his gaze danced over her figure. “Women like a man to take
charge.”
“Do they?” she asked,
keeping her expression loose as she examined the bottles displayed behind the
bar. Remaining aloof didn’t mean she didn’t notice how impeccable he was and
how good his expensive cologne smelled. It wasn’t too overpowering and merged
with the scent of the hair gel that kept his locks in check. But she had to
portray herself as a challenge, to match his confidence with sass if she wanted
to intrigue him.
“Yes,” he said.
“Women want an alpha, a guy who is strong enough to look out for her.”
This conversation was
going to happen whether she coveted it or not, so she rotated to accept him
into her company. “To look out for her?” she asked, dragging her fingertips
over the bulge of her glass to settle them on the rim. “Why is that?”
Having known from a
young age that writing was her passion Scarlett has spent large portions of her
life dreaming up men, and women, and putting them together to see what they get
up to.
"The characters
write the story. I just get it down on paper for them."
Finding her solace in
books, reading and writing, have been her eternal companion through all the
highs and lows in her life.
Now is time to let
the characters flourish and to live forever as she shares them with you.
Good luck on your
adventures.
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