Thunder McLeod lives his life by one code:
live today for tomorrow is never guaranteed. Ex-Special Ops with a dark cloud
hanging over his life and a dark past he can’t seem to shake, Thunder has given
up on ever finding true happiness after losing something precious. Then he
receives the call that will forever change his desolate, guarded existence. His
company ‘McLeod Security Firm’ is called in, all hands on deck, to keep flying
bullets away from his newest client -the woman that will change everything
about his life.
Ivy Snow, computer genius extraordinaire,
needs a new change of scenery away from her birth country, England. Living a
lonely existence, she decides a change is inevitable. Always fascinated by the
charm of the US, she gathers the courage to move there permanently, settling in
Blue River, a small town in Montana.
There, she finds solace until her secret
weapon is uncovered by a dangerous criminal who will stop at nothing to get his
hands on her creation. Then she meets her new protector.
Thunder’s determined more than ever to keep
Ivy safe and secure. Ivy, not accustomed to a man like Thunder, must fight to
stay alive and unravel the most beautiful man she’s ever had the fortune of
meeting.
One soul shattering mistake may cost Thunder
the one thing he would give his life for. Can Ivy save Thunder from the thing
that haunts him to this day?
This is book one in the ‘Secure Me series’.
**Recommended for ages 18+**
Excerpt 1
Chapter One
“What the bloody hell?” I whispered, fear
spiking through me. Something had woken me suddenly from sleep. Feeling groggy
and not in the mood for any jaywalkers, I listened closely, then it happened
again.
Another crash coming from the living room had
me reaching for my mobile phone on the night stand next to my bed. Dialling 911
quickly, I listened for the operator, fear rolling off me in waves.
“9-1-1, what is your emergency?” asked the
female operator.
“Hello, my name is Ivy Snow and I think
someone’s breaking into my home.”
I was shaking so badly at this point, the
tremor could be heard in my voice.
Just when I needed a superhero, where was
Superman when you needed him?
“What is your address ma’am?”
“1264 Paradise Lane.”
“Oh no, I think someone’s trashing my house.
I can hear stuff getting smashed.” I whispered. I’m now beyond frightened. I am
petrified.
I lived alone. Not a good thing for a single
woman. Living in the middle of nowhere, in a ranch style house in Blue River,
Montana, I’m now thinking I should have bought a place closer to town. I like
my solitude but it might have just cost me my life.
“Ok ma’am, are you able to leave without
getting caught?”
“N-no.” I whispered, now visibly shaking.
“Ivy, can you find someplace to hide?
Officers have been dispatched to your address. They should arrive there soon.
Get to safety as soon and as quickly as you can. Try not to make any sounds to
alert any attention to your bedroom.
“I can hide in my bath, it has a lock.”
Getting up and out of the bed, I moved as fast as my shaking legs could carry
me, hoping against hope that my movements would not alert whoever was in my
home to the fact that I was indeed awake.
Reaching the bathroom, I silently entered
and lifted the door, softly closing and locking it behind me. Remembering the
trick I always used back home when I was a little girl. I hated when doors
creaked, so I taught myself that handy little trick. I just hoped it would save
me now.
I was
terrified, I feel like my heart had moved out of my chest and was now beating
in my ear. Moving towards the corner near the faucet, I crawled into the little
space under it and curled myself into a human ball; knees up and folded close
to my boobs. I was praying the police would get here soon.
“Ivy, are you still with me?” the operator
asked me.
“Uh....yes but I am shit scared.” I
whispered down the line.
“What’s your name?” I asked her, trying to
help keep myself from dying of fright.
“My name is Louise.” she responded.
“Uh...it’s...uh...nice to meet you Louise.”
I was now stuttering.
“Don’t worry, Ivy, the officers should be
with you shortly. Just keep talking to me until they arrive.”
“Uh...thank you.” I again whispered.
“My pleasure Ivy, I love your accent by the
way.” She continued. My guess is to try and distract me, but it seemed like
every time I spoke since arriving in America, that was all I heard. The British
accent is loved over here for sure.
I hear another crash and nearly jump clean
out of my skin. Clapping my free hand over my mouth to hold in the scream that was
suddenly bubbling up in my throat, I huddle further into the wall and wait
while Louise stayed on the line with me. It felt like I’d been waiting for
hours. As the minutes ticked by my fear climbed the scare chart. I didn't know
why someone was in my home and smashing it to smithereens but I was alone and
scared to death, with just an operator on the phone as my only hope.
Then I heard the sirens. Then I released the
breath I didn’t realise I was holding.
Relief floods my whole body.
“I-I can hear them Louise. I can hear the
sirens getting closer.” I breathed down the phone.
“Ok Ivy. Just stay calm and don’t move until
you hear the officers identify themselves.” She said. Her calmness amazed me.
How can she listen to someone be terrified and stay so calm? I would freak out
on their behalf.
Again, it felt like I was waiting ages
before I heard the officer shout ‘all clear’ and there’s a knock on the
bathroom door.
“Hello, is anyone in there? Can you hear me?
Are you ok in there? My name is Officer Steven Harrison. You can come out now.”
I heard him explain.
Uncurling myself and standing up on my now
shaking legs, I walked unsteadily towards the door. Still too frightened to
open it I ask through the heavy wood, “How do I know you’re the old bill?”
“Ma’am, I don’t understand what you mean.
Who’s the old bill?”
Bloody hell.
“Sorry, I meant the police.” I corrected
myself.
“Gotcha, I’ll just hold up our badges so you
can see them.” he offered kindly.
“As I said before, I’m Officer Steven
Harrison and my partner, Officer Maria McLeod is with me also.”
“Ma’am, it is safe for you to come on out
now.” This time, it’s a female voice that speaks up.
Hesitantly, I opened the door and peeped
through the split to see the officers standing on either side of it. They
looked legit to me but I wouldn’t know a fake from a genuine since I had never
paid attention to the old bill before.
Walking further out, I step forward and head
towards my living room, but Officer McLeod puts up a hand to stop me from going
any further. “Ma’am I can’t allow you entrance in there right now. Your living
room has glass and broken stuff everywhere.”
“My name is Ivy...Ivy Snow.” I informed her.
I needed them to stop calling me ‘ma’am’. I’m not my grandmother, God rest her
soul.
“Ivy, can you put some shoes on, and then we
can walk you outside.” Officer Harrison said, the authority in his voice was,
hard to mistake.
Then I looked down at my bare feet with my
pretty coral nail polish and stare at them for a while.
The shock and me being scared shitless, is
the only explanation I can offer up for my weird lapse into silence for such a
long stretch of time.
“Ivy?” Officer McLeod calls me, penetrating
the daze I felt clearing. “Are you ok? Were you hurt?” she asked.
Shaking my head, I turned and walked back
into my bedroom and head towards my massive walk in cupboard to retrieve my
comfy bootys and push my feet into them. One of the many comforts I had that
came with me from England. I waited for the officers to lead the way and I
follow a few feet behind them, reluctant to face what’s up ahead.
Upon reaching the living room, I gasped out
loud as I take in the ruin around me.
My house was completely wrecked.
My huge tv set hung lopsidedly from the
wall, its screen smashed to pieces, so were the two vases my grandmother had
given to me. My sofas were ripped to shreds, picture frames stomped on; glass
from the many frames completely; layered the floor.
My house was in total shambles.
I
stopped and slowly turned around and around, not believing what my eyes were
showing me. Then I looked up at my feature wall and froze. The message written
in blood red put the fear of all fears in me.
Hand it over or die bitch.
No way. No bloody way. They found out about
me? But how? This was not good, not at all.
Buy Links
Giveaway
1 signed copy of Deep Haven and $10 Amazon Gift Card
http://www.rafflecopter.
Author Bio
T.K.
Tuitt currently resides in England. She’s mother to a teenage boy. She’s an
avid reader of romance and a huge paranormal fan. Her love of reading stems
from watching her great grandfather reading through his huge collection of
Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books, while her great grandmother taught her to
read.
She loves
to listen to music while writing (more oldies but goldies with some current
songs thrown in the mix), baking and cooking is a passion huge part of her life
and was developed as a small child watching the adults cook and bake up a
storm, she also enjoys searching Google to find the latest cars (mostly sports)
and her unhealthy addiction to tv shows and movies keeps her indoors most of
the time.
My contact links:
Email: tktuittauthor@gmail.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment