Текст книги "Falling from Grace "

Автор книги: Annabel Chant

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Текущая страница: 10 (всего у книги 10 страниц)

Twenty Eight

I see now that this was where I made my latest mistake. Christ, I seemed to be totally inept, but her reaction to the phone calls had distracted me. Why the hell did she seem so frightened? It was her ex, for fuck’s sake. The shit that had sent her off in a tail spin in the first place. What the hell did she have to be worried about? I didn’t like it at all.

Whatever the reason, I could see she was a bundle of nerves, and I gave up on trying to get a card myself. I hadn’t put any in my jacket this evening, but I knew I had some in the pocket of the one I’d been wearing earlier.

‘Look. It’s okay,’ I repeated, trying to sound reassuring. ‘In the pocket of my jacket…can you get out a business card?’

She felt around in the pockets until she finally withdrew her hand, clutching a small white card. She’d obviously picked out two by mistake because, as she passed it to me, another fluttered to the floor by her foot. I was distracted again, looking for a pen in the glove box, and hardly noticed it. I took the one she gave me and flipped it over. I wrote a quick message on the back, before pressing it into her hand.

I looked her in the eyes. ‘Don’t,’ I said. ‘Do anything like that again. At least, not without speaking to me first, okay?’

She gave a brief nod.

‘I mean it,’ I said. ‘If you’re going to do it anyway, don’t do it like that. Don’t end up plastered across the papers or, worse, dead in some gutter. Call me. Do you promise?’

‘I promise,’ she said in a small voice, shrugging off my jacket before opening the car door. She looked up and down the street, as if scared to get out of the car. After a moment or two, she seemed calmer and went to get out. I put my hand on her soft, bare arm briefly, and she turned back to look at me.

‘It’s all right now,’ I said. ‘I have your back.’

She nodded briefly, and got out. The car seemed empty, suddenly, without her – the only sign she’d been there; my jacket in a puddle on the seat.

Just then, a text came in. It was from Rick, on the same throw-away phone he’d contacted me on before.

Scratch that last. Make it a oner.

A oner? I stared at it for a moment. What did he mean…one hundred grand…one mill?

I knew in my heart it was the latter. It had to be. That was why he’d written it like that. He knew he was pushing his luck, and he didn’t quite have the guts to spell it out. A cool million. This changed everything. There was no way I was going to be able to get that by tomorrow. There was no way he was going to get it at all. Christ, it was just one more damned thing. Everything was going to shit.

Grace was standing in front of a quite hideous front door, trying to get her key in. I wondered how she’d ended up living there. It didn’t suit her at all.

She finally got the door open and I watched her go in, wondering what the hell was going on in that pretty head of hers. I put my phone down on the passenger seat and it was then that I noticed the card on the floor. I leaned forward to pick it up. Which pocket had she got it out of, anyway? It was then that it hit me. I hadn’t, had I? Surely not. Hardly wanting to look, I held it up to the light.

Fuck.

Twenty Nine

He was still sitting outside in his car, when I went into the living room. I guessed Liv was asleep, because the lights had all been off when I’d got in. I stood at the window and watched him pull away. Now I was safe, I felt almost excited. Certainly, my heart was fluttering like a trapped moth, and my breath was coming soft and quick.

I think he might actually like me, I thought, putting my fingers to my mouth. My lips were still soft and swollen from his kiss, and the memory of it sent a thrill through me. Even though he was irritating and conceited beyond measure, I couldn’t help being impossibly attracted to him. And tonight, down by the river, he’d been different somehow…softer…more approachable. I almost thought he might be a decent person after all.

That might not be such a good thing, though. Why would a decent guy even be interested in me? He was a man clearly used to the finest things in life and, I had no doubt, the finest women. Why would he be interested in a girl who’d practically given herself to a gang of strange men? That was probably why he’d backed off. He’d realised his mistake and changed his mind, and I didn’t blame him.

And yet…I have your back. Those four little words flooded me with warmth. He must have felt something for me. And he’d given me his card. He’d written something on it, too.

I suddenly realised I still didn’t even know his name. He probably assumed I already knew it, from Max, and I hadn’t even thought to ask. I’d been so caught up in it all, names hadn’t even come into it. But now, at last, I’d know who he was, this perfect stranger who’d sworn to protect me.

I lifted the card up, watching as his tail lights disappeared down the road. As he turned into Chiswick High Road and faded from view, I looked down at the card.

The Filth Monger

‘Oh crap,’ I said aloud. Wasn’t that just totally typical of him? I should’ve known. The whole thing had been too good to be true. I threw the card into the wastepaper basket in disgust, and was about to head out of the living room to go to bed, when a low voice came from the hall way. ‘Dear, oh dear, Princess. We have been a naughty girl, haven’t we?’

I reeled around as Leo came into the living room. He had that swagger about him that always made me tremble. It was no surprise that he stank of alcohol. The two went hand in hand.

‘How did you get in here?’ I said. ‘Where’s Liv?’

He leaned back against the door frame and glowered at me, his face blurred with rage. ‘It’s time we sorted this out, Princess,’ he growled, as I shrank back, cowering, into the bay window. ‘Once and for all.’

To be continued in

Book 2 – Bad Grace, due out soon

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for reading this first book in the Filth Monger series. I really hope you enjoyed it. Books 2 will be out very soon.

There are twists and turns aplenty to come, not to mention some smokin’ and kink-laden sexy times. Book 5 will be the grand finale – I’m not planning on stringing it out forever. It’s just that there’s so much story still to come and things are only just warming up! The series should be close on a quarter of a million words when it’s done.

For release dates and launch offers, please join the Fan Mongers newsletter. Then, I can email you on release day so that you don’t miss out. I don’t spam, ever – I promise.

If you want to connect with me, I’m @AnnabelChant on Twitter, or you can find me on Facebook. I’d be excited to hear from you!

Before you go anywhere(!), I’d be truly grateful if you would leave an honest review on the book’s product page. I can’t stress enough how make-or-break important reviews are to authors. Without them, books can lose visibility very quickly.

If you enjoyed this book, please consider recommending it to a friend, too.

Once again, thanks for taking the time to read Falling from Grace – it’s so much appreciated.

Annabel x

Kindle Edition

Copyright © 2015 Annabel Chant

FALLING FROM GRACE

Copyright: Annabel Chant

Published: 24th August 2015

Publisher: Glitz City Press

The right of Annabel Chant to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, events or businesses are entirely coincidental.

Cover design by Stefanie at Beetiful Book Covers.

Find out more about the author and upcoming books online at www.annabelchant.com or @AnnabelChant.

 

A huge debt of gratitude goes to those closest to me. I couldn’t have done it without your love, patience and support.

Many thanks, also, to my wonderful beta-readers. The fantastic feedback from neutral people was so encouraging.

Finally, muchos besos to my author buddies on our Romance network for always being there with help and advice. You rock.

About the Author

Annabel Chant has always loved reading and writing stories. She lives in village about half an hour from London, with her family, her dog and a vastly over-stuffed library that no one appreciates except for her.

She was seized one day with the idea to write an erotic short story. She wrote the first pages, about a woman getting dressed up to go to meet a guy that called himself only The Filth Monger.

She put it aside without ever looking at it again but, from that seed, this whole series developed.

When she’s not writing, Annabel works part-time as a teacher. She’s lived in Nice and Belgium, as well as all over the UK. When she’s not writing, she enjoys nothing more than curling up with a steamy read.

Annabel also writes YA romantic comedies.