There are preconceived notions about everything in life. A
woman who lives on the streets and wears short skirts in public must be a
sinner. A woman who attends church every week must be a saint. However,
everything is not always as it seems. In fact, it rarely is.
Police chief’s daughter, Danielle Beckett, grew up knowing
two things. One: anything worth having was worth hiding from her father, and
two: she wanted to be the best at what she did. Her business, Sinners &
Saints Modeling Agency, does well for itself but what happens behind the scenes
does better. As an exclusive high priced call girl she has everything she wants
while keeping everyone in the dark.
Life is great until her employees start being picked off
one by one. Danielle starts missing days and everything falls apart. As her
life unravels around her, she is forced to not only choose between her safety
and her business, but between her business and the one thing she never saw
herself wanting.
How
can she keep her business and herself alive, when she knows one story, but the
police know another?
**Warning: If you're looking for something to
leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, this is not the book for you. The worst thing
you can do going into this book, is go in thinking you know how it's going to
end. This book is intended ONLY for those over the age of
eighteen.
Excerpt
One
My feet swing back and forth in time with his calculated
steps. “You don’t have to slide in like that, Mr. Senator.” I cock my head to
the side and smile.
He chuckles as his fingers work to loosen his tie. “Yes, I
do. Because the last time I just swung the door open, you were naked and on
your knees waiting for me.”
“Yes,” I giggle, “I was. And if I recall correctly, you
liked it.”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong,” he smirks, “I loved it, but I
like it even more when I get to unwrap you myself.” His fingers pull at the
belt and slowly begin undoing the buttons on my jacket once he reaches
me.
Somehow I lucked out when it comes to this guy. Most
politicians are older, potbellied and are more interested in how to fill their
pockets than how to fill what’s between my thighs. Brendon, on the other hand,
is in his early thirties, built like a wrecking ball and hung like a horse. He
pays our fees with no problem, and we’re both happy when I
leave.
Excerpt
Two
“Did you always know this was what you
wanted?”
The sound of Harper’s voice makes me jump; I didn’t see
her sitting in the chair in the corner when I walked in. My hand flies to my
chest, covering my rapidly beating heart.
“Shit, kid. You’re going to give me a heart attack!” I
chuckle.
Harper grins, stands, and sits back down in the chair
directly in front of me. The red boat neck dress she picked out this morning
fits her like a glove. Between her clothing choices, and her hair — which is no
longer pink — she fits in well around here. She looks like she
belongs.
“Sorry. Now, answer my damn question.”
“For someone so new, you’re awfully mouthy.”
She cocks her eyebrow at me. “I learned from the
best.”
“OK, I’ll give you that,” I laugh. “Now you wanted to know
what? If I always wanted to run a multi-million dollar company? Drive nice cars
and live in nice houses? Show up on magazine covers or make men want me? You
really need to specify which thing you want an answer for.”
“Sex
for money.” Her eyes drop to her hands, letting me know she isn’t as
comfortable with the idea as she lets on. “Did you know that was what you
wanted to do?”
I think about it for a minute before I shrug. “Sex? No,
not really. I wanted to be something everyone wanted. Sex just happened to be
something I was good at and liked. Something that could get me what I
wanted.”
Her head bobs up and down as she chews on her bottom lip.
“Have you ever thought about stopping?”
I laugh, giving her my full attention. “And do what? Write
a book? I can see it now.” I spread my arms wide. “I could call it, ‘The How to
Guide to Home Wrecking, without Wrecking the Home’. I could give up all my
special little tips that I learned being a high priced pro, so the ladies can
spice up their sex lives with their small-dicked, boring husbands.”
Harper laughs at my title. “I see a hit on your
hands.”
“Except I would never do that. You know why?” She shakes
her head and leans toward me. “It would cost me my business,” I sigh, leaning
back in my chair.
Excerpt
Three
I tap my fingers against the polished wooden bar, gaining
the bartender's attention and raise my glass. He works his way down to me,
refills the two shot glasses in front of me, and walks away again without a
word. My finger traces around the rim, dipping in. I bring the liquid dripping
from my finger to my mouth and suck it clean.
“I think that might just be the slowest, albeit sexiest,
way to do a shot.”
I push every ounce of emotion I am currently trying to
drown down. I push away every thought about the girls I’ve lost, and about what
happened with Brendon yesterday, and put my usual game face
on.
Can’t have people thinking you’re weak, now can
we.
Crossing my legs, I swivel the barstool and smile brightly
at Cooper.
“Didn’t you hear, Detective Hayes? Everything I do is
sexy. In fact… it’s what I get paid for.” I lick my lips and toss back one of
the shots in front of me. “So, what happened? Did my Police Chief father send
you to make sure I was still breathing?”
Cooper draws back his jacket, pulls his badge off his
belt, and drops it onto the bar. He gives me a cocky grin before stealing my
other shot. I watch his throat constrict as he swallows and want nothing more
than to lick the stubble that lines his skin.
“Off-duty. Can’t a guy just get a drink without a
beautiful girl thinking he has ulterior motives?”
“Can’t a girl get a drink without having to have
security?” I counter.
He leans in close, close enough that his scent fills my
nostrils and I’m afraid I’m going to do something stupid. “Not when your name
is Danielle Beckett and there’s a serial killer out there killing off your
staff.”
I order another round and a beer for Cooper, hell-bent on
making my mind forget, and that scares the hell out of me. The buzz I’m already
feeling is helping a little, but I’m nowhere near ready to stop.
“We’re going to catch this guy, Dani.” Cooper's fingers
dance across the bare skin between my shoulder blades. They drag up, circle,
drag back down, and repeat. With his fingers on me, it’s the calmest I’ve felt
in months other than when I’m with Brendon. “I promise we’ll find him, and
you’ll get your happily ever after like every girl dreams
of.”
“This isn’t a romance novel, not everyone gets a happy
ending.” I swivel back toward him and grip his tie, pulling him a little
closer. My eyes drop to where Cooper is licking his lips and back to his eyes.
“I’m more into erotica anyway.”
My phone vibrates on the bar, interrupting my train of
thought and Harper’s name and face flashes across my screen. Since I’m not in
the mood to talk I press ignore and go back to my drink.
“Erotica, huh?” he chuckles, the bottle between his
fingers spinning on the bar.
I slide down off the barstool and lean into him, resting
my hands on his powerful thighs. All the alcohol that I’ve been dumping down my
throat for the past few hours hits me all at once and I let my mouth work
faster than my brain.
“Yeah, sex,” I whisper against the shell of Cooper’s ear.
“I’m good at more than just looking pretty in front of a camera. I’m also
really good in bed.”
“And your father is also my boss.” His words say no, but
his actions scream yes. His fingers wraps around my hips and he slides me
between his thighs.
I shrug. “What Daddy never knows, never hurts
him.”
Cooper pushes me back a bit so he can look in my eyes.
“Dani, there are things about me that would hurt a good girl like you.” He
sounds ashamed but I bet if he knew even half of what I do on a daily basis he
would run away scared.
I sigh. “And there are things about me, the good girl,
that would destroy everything you have ever worked for… Everything you
believe.” He narrows his eyes at me, trying to figure out what I mean and I
know I’ve said too much. “And on that note, you can either choose to join me
and I’ll show you all the fabulously dirty things I’m good at. Or, I can pay
off my tab and you can watch my perfectly shaped ass sway out of here while I
pour myself in a cab.”
Standing in the middle of the Police station, I search for
Chief Beckett with my hands resting on my stomach. Instead of finding him,
tall, blonde, and sexy steps into my view.
“Can I help you, Ma’am?”
The man’s southern drawl washes over me as he pushes his
jacket out of the way, revealing his detective shield. I swear if I wasn’t
already ten million months pregnant, the sound of his voice would have made me
that way. “I uh— I’m looking for Captain Beckett.”
He nods his head, his uneasy eyes never leaving my
stomach. “Well, since I’m doing anything I can to avoid this reporter, I’ll
bring you to him.” This must be Cooper.
Taking his offered arm, he leads me across the room
slowly, mainly because I waddle. Thankfully he doesn’t say anything about our
pace so I don’t say anything about being the person he’s trying to avoid. “Do
pregnant women make you uneasy, Detective?” I purse my lips, trying to hide the
grin threatening to make an appearance as I peek up at
him.
He stiffens, taking a deep breath, telling me that what
he’s getting ready to say is a lie. “No, not at all. Pregnancy is wonderful…
for some people.”
“Not for you?”
“We’re here.” He stops mid-step, opening the office
door.
Captain Beckett smiles up at me from behind his deck,
waving me in. He rises from behind his desk offering me both his hand and his
chair since the rest of the seats are already taken. I hear Cooper mutter “Fuck
me” under his breath, and I can’t help the giggle that leaks out through my
lips.
“I’m
sorry I didn’t tell you before, Detective Hayes.”
Cooper leans back against the door after he closes it and
continues to stare at my belly. If I’m being honest, it kind of creeps me out,
but I can see the hurt behind his guarded eyes. I figure by the look on his
face something must have happened to him involving a baby, so I don’t say
anything.
“Don’t mind him,” the statuesque brunette on the couch
says. “He just doesn’t like it when he doesn’t get his
way.”
Her clothes, the way her leg crosses gracefully toward the
man on her right, and the hand resting on the man’s thigh, makes me think that
this is Dani. “Dani, I presume.” She nods, resting her head against the guys
shoulder. “Which must make you Brendon.” Turning to the younger girl on my
right. She gives me a small wave before tucking her hands back between her
thighs. “And Harper. I’ve already met Cooper, and Captain Beckett, which means
the only person missing is Tara.”
“Don’t worry”--Harper mumbles--“that crazy bitch is always
here somewhere. She likes to pop up when you least expect it, or when you don’t
want her around the most.”
I pull my recorder from my bag, setting it up in the
center of the desk so I can capture what everyone says. That way I don’t have
to worry about keeping notes. I shift in my seat, trying to get comfortable
before launching into my questions.
“First of all, I want to thank all of you for taking time
out of your day for me. My name is Rebecca. I know you’re all busy, but
everyone wants to know a few things, so let’s get down to business and I can
let you all go. I took some questions from some people who know your whole
story and they get pretty personal. Hope you don’t mind.” I smile, trying to
put everyone at ease and lean back in the chair. “First up, we have two easy questions
for the girls. If Tara wants in on this, I’m sure she will speak up.” Dani nods
once and continues waiting for my question. “Manolo or Louboutin. What’s your
preference?”
The corners of Dani’s lips perk up as she stares down at
her feet. “Manolo, obviously.”
I
turn toward Harper. “And you?”
She shrugs. “There’s something classic about the red
soles, I’m going to have to go with Louboutin.”
“Anything to be different…” Dani rolls her
eyes.
“Shut up hoo—”
“Enough!” Captain Beckett snaps. “That is just about enough
out of the both of you.”
They both look like wounded puppies as I launch into my
next easy question. “Satin or lace.”
“Satin,” Dani says quietly.
“Lace.”
“OK… let’s take the focus away from the girls for a few
and ask the guys some questions. Cooper, did you ever think you actually had
feelings for Dani, or did you just want to get in her
chonies?”
Cooper clears his throat, chuckling when Brendon
practically growls. “Honestly, I think I could have had feelings, not that I
actually want to admit that now that I know what she is, but I’m not a guy that
only goes after a woman to get in her pants.”
I see Dani wanting to speak up when he makes the snide
comment, but she thinks better of it when her father shakes his
head.
“OK. Mr. Beckett.” I flip through my notes, trying to find
the question for him. “Did you ever have any sneaking suspicions that there was
something else going on with your daughter when you saw her with a bunch of
different high profile men?”
“No,” he says gruffly, crossing his arms across his chest.
“My daughter works as a model, of course she’s going to be seen with different
men. It’s doesn’t mean anything. Rumors are just that, rumors. Don’t believe
everything you you hear, Rebecca.”
I feel the heat creep up my neck and into my face. “Yes,
Sir. That’s why I’m asking questions. People want to know, I want to give them
your side of the story. How about we move on to one for Brendon.” I scan my
page before pulling up and connecting with his gaze. “Why would you put
yourself, and your position as a Senator, at risk by having something on going
with Dani when you know the rumors going around about her? Wouldn’t that put
your career at risk?”
“It’s just a job, Rebecca. Just money, a title; nothing
that truly matters in the long run. People are going to think what they want
either way. The outcome just depends on how you handle yourself. But if you’re
happy, nothing else matters.”
Well, that’s profound for someone hooking up with a
prostitute...
“OK, Harper, after the fight, why didn’t you push harder
to find out why it happened?”
Harper’s eyes shift from me, to across the room and back.
“Like I said to her, you get one free hit. I knew she had been struggling, and
she had just found out about Jen, I figured she had just snapped for a second.
I didn’t think she was bat-shit crazy.”
“I’d
do it again in a heartbeat, whore.”
“Oh, yay…” Harper whispers sarcastically. “Tara’s here to
play.”
I smile to myself, glad that Tara finally showed up
because the last few questions I have are for her. “Can I have some alone time
with Tara please?” I ask Captain Beckett. He nods, opening the door. Cooper and
Brendon leave, followed closely by Harper who whispers as she walks
by.
“If
you want to be alone with the crazy bitch more power to you, but I’m
out.”
Once the door closes, Tara kicks off her heels, tucking
her feet up under her. Her cold eyes flick from my face, to my stomach, staying
there for a minute before her gaze connects with mine again. “Are you
married?”
“Yes.”
“And the baby is your husband's?”
I chuckle. “Yes, the baby is my husband's. But I think
we’re off track.”
“Whatever.I just wanted to make sure you weren’t a whore
too.” She shrugs. “Ask what you want to know so I can go back to what I was
doing.”
The glint in her eyes and the smirk on her lips makes me
want to question what she was doing, but something in me tells me to think
better of it. “Do you ever feel the desire to make Dani the bad guy, so you
have the chance to be the good guy for once? Or is everything you do to protect
Dani?”
Without even hesitating, she answers, never breaking eye
contact. “Everything I do is to protect her. If she would stop doing stupid
shit and getting herself in these predicaments, I wouldn’t have worry about
it.”
“So, you know what happened on the balcony with Dani and
Cooper. At any point during that, did you feel like jumping in and ending
everything?”
“Honestly"--she shudders--“I stayed as far away from
that until it was over. I don’t want any part of those situations. But yes, if
I thought it would have made a difference, I would have stepped in.”
“OK, final question and I’ll be going. You know about
Dani’s profession, and you hate it. Have you ever tried to convince her to
stop, or to just off herself? I know you’ve talked about it before, but I want
the truth.”
Tara looks at me like I’m the dumbest person on earth, but
she answers me. “I try to convince her to stop every chance I get. As for
getting her to off herself… I won’t lie and say I’ve never tried, but if that
happens, I go away. I’m not ready to go away completely and will take any steps
necessary to make sure I stick around until I’m finished with what I’m here
for.”
“Thank you.” Standing from the chair, I grab the recorder
from the desk, shut it off, and stuff it back in my desk. Brendon opens the
door when he sees me head for it, and I slip past him. Standing in the middle
of the little group, I smile. “Thank you. All of you. I’m sure I’ll be seeing
you all again soon.”
Cooper offers me his arm again and pulls me away from
everyone else. I don’t say anything because Tara was starting to creep me out a
bit. He silently walks me to my car, helps me in, and waves as I pull out of
the parking lot. I can’t help but wonder if the next time I’m here, all six of
them will still be around for another interview.
Sinner Q&A
1. Where did you get the idea for the
story for Sinner?
I
have absolutely no clue. I was writing Hate Me Today when I suddenly had to put
it down because the boss lady of Sinners and Saints popped into my head
demanding attention. What it started out as, and what it is now, are so
different that I’m not sure how I got from point A to point B with
it.
2. What interests you in writing this
genre of books?
I’m able to let every part of me out. The romantic, the
sex-fueled, the sick and twisted. I’m used to coming up with a little mystery
with the other series, but nothing that really made the reader’s mind twist the
way Sinner does.
3. What is your favorite book not
written by you?
That’s impossible! I can’t pick just one author, and I
also can’t pick just one book, so I’ll do series. I will narrow it down the
best I can though! The Falling Away series by Penelope Douglas, Harper Sloan’s
Corps Security books, Nicole Edwards Alluring Indulgence Series, and the
Chocolate Lovers Series by Tara Sivec. That’s as narrowed down as I can get for
you. Phew, that was hard.
4. Are there any messages in the
story that you want the readers to grasp by the time they finish the
book?
Not everything is how it seems in life. Just because
something looks like it’s one thing, doesn’t mean it is. Everyone has demons
hiding within them, some more than others, and how your life turns out just
depends on how well you tame those demons.
5. Do you have any pre-writing
rituals to help you prepare for writing different scenes and getting into a
character’s mind?
Not really. I can write anywhere with almost anything
going on around me. I think the only difference with this book was writing
Tara. I had to be super mad to get her out, and for some reason, she wanted
Spice Girls to be the first thing she heard when we started. After that, it
didn’t matter. But, no lie, she wouldn’t talk without a little Wannabe first
thing.
6.
Who was your favorite character to write in
Sinner?
Tara. Hands down. It was nice to finally be able to let
that sick, twisted, mouthy chick out of my head. Shewas simmering throughout
the first three books I wrote, but I could never work her into that series. She
wasn’t part of this book at first, but she put her foot down, demanding that
she be set free. Although, I never expected THAT from
her.
7. What can we expect next from
you?
Saint is next in this series. If you think that Sinner was
twisted, you’re in for it with Saint. Other than that, I have the final three
books in the Save Me Series. I have a lot in the works for next year, so watch
out!
8. What type of scenes do you enjoy
writing the most?
It really depends. With this book, it was the more
grotesque scenes because I was able to get my aggression out without having to
worry about bail money. With the others it was different, and really depended
on the book.
9. Tell us a random fact about
yourself.
Thanks to some amazing friends… I have a seven pound
rubber ass that hangs out on my desk. Her name is Alice the Anus, and I’m
pretty sure she will travel with me to signings. She’s there, just hanging out
when I need something to squeeze, punch, slap, hold my
pen…
10.How do you come up with the character
names?
Sometimes the names pop into my head right off the bat.
Other times I have friends help me, or I use a baby name website. I’ve written
a few books where I had to use () in place of a name because I couldn’t come up
with a name for that particular person until later on.
11. Do you read a lot and if so, how do you make sure
other stories do not influence your books?
I used to read a lot. Like, ten to twelve books a week,
but since I started publishing it’s been cut back. There are a few select
authors that I HAVE to stop writing so I can read them, but not many. As for
not influencing my books, it’s hard, but I try to make sure that it’s my voice
being heard and not anyone else’s. I have a few people that read as I write, or
before I publish, and will tell me if something sounds familiar. If it resembles
something, I change it.
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