Broken Lies (Broken Series), page 8
Dara and Sofia both stared at him now, grievous frowns crimping their faces. “What? No,” Dara said. “I know Seth is good, I don’t know what you think you know about him, but I see his heart, he’s a good man.”
“Dara, he just got out of prison six months ago. He served seven years for identity theft.”
She shook her head and Sofia slowly closed her eyes. “I don’t care,” Dara said, “I don’t care what he served, I know his heart.” Her voice was tiny and desperate. She looked at Sofia. “You believe me? I know his heart. He’s a very good man.”
“Yes, I believe you, of course I do.” Sofia looked at Daniel, compassion in her eyes along with a shocking can’t you believe it too?
Daniel was floored. “What do you mean you believe her? What about what I just told you, do you think I just made that all up? To hurt him?”
“No Daniel, of course not.” Sofia came to him and stared into his gaze. “I believe you of course. I just…”
“You just?”
“Don’t you think maybe he’s learned his lesson?”
Daniel’s brows shot up. “Really? And if he did, don’t you think he wouldn’t still be pretending with his con-book? Did you know he asked for ten thousand dollars then said he’d disappear before he tacked on five more to make sure she was happy?”
Sofia shook her head. “Disappear, why would he want to do that?”
Daniel gasped. “Because that’s what cons do Sofia, they steal and they disappear. I can’t believe you’re standing here acting like my so called brother in there isn’t a psycho stealing nut job. He was in prison Sofia, why do you think he’s here to begin with?”
“Because he’s your brother and—”
“And do you not even care that he asked for ten thousand dollars, ten thousand Sofia, what kind of a person asks for that kind of money from his own brother just to help him.”
Sofia looked pained. “I don’t know…did you even ask him?”
Daniel barked a laugh. “Un-fucking believable.” He shook his head at her. “I’m done with this shit. You want to keep your faith in Seth, you do that.”
“That’s not it, I—”
“Fuck yes that’s it,” Daniel yelled at her. “Ever since the beginning you’ve liked him, believed in him, trusted him, admired him, for what! What did he ever do for you Sofia that was so fucking great? I’m the one who sacrificed everything I’ve worked for to give you what you want, not him, you love him so much, why don’t you fucking marry him!”
Sofia wiped the tears streaming. “He was your brother Daniel, that’s what he did for me. And I thought that would make you happy.” The last word gushed on a sob. “Remember? I’m the stupid naïve woman that loves you and would do anything to see you smile goddamn you! I didn’t ask you to give up anything, I would have never baked another cookie to have you.”
“Now why in the fuck would you make her cry?” Seth said, walking up. “Does it always have to be about you, Daniel?”
Daniel turned and grabbed him by the jacket and slammed him onto the hood of his car. “Don’t you fucking talk to me you lying son-of-a-bitch.”
Seth grinned then laughed. “Poor, poor, Daniel, had such a dark life.”
Daniel slammed his fist into Seth’s nose, oh so happy with the crack it made and the sound of his grunt.
“Stop it!” Sofia screamed.
“Come on,” Seth breathed, “that all you got?” He shoved Daniel off him and straightened. “Awww you aint got nothin’ on Uncle John.” He tapped his nose. “That’s how I got this crooked beauty.” He beckoned him to bring it on. “Give it to me good Daniel. Like Uncle John liked to do.”
Daniel shook the ache from his hand and pointed at him. “You have no clue what I went through—”
“Fuck you!” Seth roared pointing at him. “Fuck you!” His chest heaved and his body trembled. “It’s you that has no clue, you were the fucking smart one, you were daddy’s favorite. What was I? I was your cash cow. This car, that house you live in, that fat bank account you have, that was from me!” he screamed, his face red with fury. “From the time I was seven,” he gasped, “till I fucken ran away from that son of a bitch,” the words barely strained out. “I paid.”
He swiped the tears from his face with his arm. “I’m a liar, a fraud, a thief,” he choked. “Cause I’m…I’m so sick of the truth…” he shook his lowered head and a loud sob escaped. “I don’t want none of it, don’t want it, don’t want it to be true…” He gasped for air and looked right, his face crimped. “Uncle John paid daddy every month you know?” His voice broke and he turned a tear-filled gaze to Daniel. “Paid daddy just so he could hurt me. Come down here Seth,” he mocked in a deep voice, “Come on in here and be a good boy or your daddy’s gone come and you gone get double.” His lip trembled and he put his hand over his eyes as the voice of a broken little boy came through and stole Daniel’s breath. “All he ever did was hurt me. All the time, he wouldn’t stop.”
Daniel made it to his brother in two steps and pulled him in his arms. Seth’s sobs released and he cried into his chest. Daniel gasped. “Fuck no,” he moaned, “not you please not you.”
Seth embraced him tight. “I wanted you,” he cried hoarsely. “I wanted my brother.”
“I’m here,” Daniel gasped. “I’m here.”
“They wouldn’t let me see you.” He screamed the words into his chest, his body trembling violently. “They wouldn’t let me see you.”
“Oh God, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He held him tight, never wanting to let go. Seth’s sobs racked his body and Daniel cradled his head. “I’m here. We’re together, nobody will touch you, I love you, I love you, I’m sorry.” Daniel’s own sobs came.
Daniel had never heard so much agony and devastation come out of a grown man, and the sound of it did bad things to Daniel. He could feel an evil vengeance slowly taking root in his soul. It was one thing to have all that abuse happen to him. It was something else for it to happen to his baby brother.
Sofia and Dara wrapped their arms around both of them, crying too. But all Daniel could think about was how and when, he would make somebody pay.
Somebody would pay.
To Be Continued
Note to the reader:
I hope you’re enjoying Daniel’s story so far. I was going to do an epilogue of what’s yet to come in Daniel’s journey to complete healing, but I think where I ended it does that job well enough. Feel free to email me with comments and suggestions, I always love and welcome input from readers. You can email me at azureboone@gmail.com
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If you enjoyed Daniel and Sofia, you may also like my other similar stories.
My novella Johnny Blue
The Blurb:
A beautiful Cajun woman seeking penance for her children’s death, steps out of her shell and helps a bum.
Jewel puts ten years of therapy to use by playing Good Samaritan one day. Overhearing the town boys talk about pulling a prank on the bum who pushes his shopping cart around town painting murals on the tired country stores, she decides to warn him.
At the rundown building where the bum seems to stay, she's shocked to be greeted with a clean shaven man wearing only jeans, a compelling smile, and endless sex appeal. Jewel is suddenly like a bumbling teenager with hormones she’d thought were destroyed by her abusive ex.
When Johnny meets Jewel and sees that her beauty is far more than skin deep, he can't resist answering the need so plain in her eyes. But surrendering to Johnny’s fiery love will mean releasing the guilt of her past sins that refuse to let her live.
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If you like funny heroines and sexy Asian men, check out my Christmas love story, Akira Tong For Christmas (I had a blast writing this one)
The Blurb:
At twenty-four, Sarah Shelby twiddles her thumbs on a Mississippi farm while her identical twin, Anna, parades the world as a prestigious Tour Guide. But when her sister falls ill and her job is on the line, Sarah sees an opportunity for an adventure she's often fantasized about. Ecstatic, she sets off for New York City where she'll impersonate her sister as a tour guide, and spend two weeks at an extravagant hotel at Christmas time!
Things quickly take a disastrous turn when Sarah learns she'll have to stay in the same suite with her assignment, Akira Tong. One of Japan's richest bachelors and heart throbs, the obnoxious scrooge has no respect for her or her carefully laid out itinerary. And without the cheat sheet, she's sure to blow her facade.
But that turns out to be the least of her problems. Akira strutting around half naked in his god-like body, lights Sarah's hormonal fuse. Soon she's a sexual time bomb, saying and doing scandalous things. Before long, having the sexy Akira Tong as her first is all she can think about. Only there's a lot more to Akira than Sarah perceives. And by the time she discovers the secret, it's a lot more than a job that's on the line.
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And if you’re a lover of Paranormal Romance, written in a first person, dark hero voice, check out The Devil Wants A China Doll
The Blurb:
Rone Kreed wants Sheeku in every way imaginable. Which is kind of impossible when possessed with a demon who devours souls with a kiss and spreads eternal damnation through his seed. But Sheeku has a power that protects her from the demon's sadistic intoxicant, tempting Rone to play ever closer to the fires of her innocent, yet demanding desires. When he learns that protecting her from her insane mafia family will require his hand in marriage, exorcism becomes imperative. Because he's one sweet beg away from surrendering to the woman he's fallen in love with, and giving the demon her angelic soul.
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And you don’t want to miss the first book in the Archangels Creed series, Summon Kassern co-authored by Azure Boone and Kenra Daniels.
The Blurb:
Twelve Archangels.
Twelve couples.
Twelve months.
Can they create the Holy Warriors needed to prevent the demon-spawned abominations from destroying the world?
Let the Summoning Begin.
Satan has found a loophole in the rules that govern his battle against Good. The Archangel Uriel sends twelve elite Warrior Archangels to Earth on a mission to even the odds against the demon-spawned abominations being produced.
Each Archangel has one month to find two people, unite them in love, and use their union's power to create the Holy Warriors needed to defend the world against Satan's unholy creations. And they have to do it while staying out of the demons' clutches.
But the mission isn't so simple when inheriting Humanity comes with challenges beyond the Angel's training, and every milestone in the couple's relationship affects the triumvirate's strength. Who knew headaches and PMS could be such a pain in the ass?
The "Archangels Creed" series will explore the story of each of the twelve Archangels as they struggle to complete their arm of the overall mission. The first is:
Summon Kassern:
How can Archangel Kassern get the World's Most Unlikely Couple - a preacher and a stripper - to fall in love and help him form the Holy Warrior? He's too busy dealing with annoying human traits he picks up along the way. Since when do archangels get hungry?
Desperate to save her best friend, Karly, and herself from a life of prostitution, Devyn takes a chance when the preacher, Troy, offers escape. But someone offers Karly's boyfriend big money, and he can't let them go without a fight.
Called by God to minister to prostitutes, Troy is careful not to get too close to his flock, though some of them would like to get close to him. Sworn to celibacy, he isn't even tempted, until he saves Devyn from an attacker and becomes embroiled in her desperate life.
Can Kassern keep them all safe from Karly's psycho ex and whichever demon horde is onto their scent at the moment? Especially with the train wreck that is Karly along for the ride? Or will his new humanity put them all in even more danger?
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Don’t miss book two in the Archangels Creed series Summon Dorn coming out around March 1, 2013!
I’m not done with you yet, this is for all you DRAGON lovers! Kenra Daniels is the author of Safe Heart, the first book in her Blood Dragon series! And let me tell you it’s HOT.
The Blurb:
Assigned to rescue a vampire kidnapped by humans determined to exterminate them, a weredragon Enforcer falls in love. Will betrayal keep them apart?
Can the pursuit of true love overcome the fear of society’s rejection and exile? Vampire Jaden Beayer thinks so. When she is kidnapped and tortured by humans, her government sends weredragon Enforcer Kiellen Henley to find her. After her recovery, Jaden convinces Kiellen to help her track down the humans responsible for her torture and exact revenge on them. The problem is, Jaden feels Kiellen is the missing ingredient for her complete recovery. Kiellen believes she has mistaken gratitude for attraction, and despite his overpowering need, he rejects her attempts at seduction.
As they face violence and betrayal from unexpected sources, Jaden’s quest for revenge becomes one for justice. Kiellen’s resistance evolves into acceptance and love. Jaden wants forever with Kiellen, but he’s realistic. They simply can’t be together because they are enemies. Weredragons and vampires have always been at war, and a relationship between Kiellen and Jaden could even endanger the fragile centuries-long truce.
When Jaden is finally safe and Kiellen’s name has been cleared, Kiellen says goodbye, leaving Jaden devastated and himself dangerously heart broken. Will Jaden ever be able to help Kiellen overcome his fears of prejudice and exile, and fulfill their love, making her his forever? Or will their love spark open warfare and send them both to the death penalty?
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The Weredragon Background:
Today's weredragons are the modern descendants of an alien species that arrived on Earth during the infancy of humankind. These highly intelligent reptiles, with their technological advances, considered themselves THE Apex predator. Humans weren't their preferred prey, being considered unpalatable and too much trouble for too little reward, even if they were the most intelligent, adaptable prey on the planet.
When dragons discovered vampires preying on humans, they couldn't allow the challenge to their superiority go unmet. A long and bloody war erupted between the two predator species, but the war only served to keep both populations under control.
Dragons adapted their chameleon-like ability to take the shapes of other life forms and learned to shape shift into human bodies. The skill allowed dragons to live secretly among humans like the vampires did, but didn't give them a real advantage in the war.
As human populations increased and became organized, they started to hunt dragons and vampires. Most dragons lived the majority of their lives in human form and eventually lost the ability to take on other forms. Around the same time, they began calling themselves 'weredragons' in an attempt to alleviate the brutal, predatory image humans held of them.
Today, vampires and weredragons are still enemies, but a long-term truce is in effect, enforced by the Inter Racial Council. Both continue to live secretly among humans, and only rarely cross paths.
Enjoy!
Boone, Azure, Broken Lies (Broken Series)
