Trey’s erratic behavior and a series of suspicious phone calls lead Dillan to believe that Trey knows more about the circumstances surrounding Jamie’s death than he’s letting on. With all leads exhausted and Jamie’s murderer still on the loose, Trey is Dillan’s last hope for finding the truth.
Sometimes the truth hurts… but in Dillan’s case it could kill her.
- Kindle: 284 KB
- Print Length: 198 pages
- Language: English
- ASIN: B0092HDIXS
- ISBN: 1477456368
- Genre: Fiction/Suspense
- Word Count: 61,448
- Cover Artist: J.A. Howell
- AMAZON US
AUTHOR BIO:
J.A Howell is an office
drone by day, and a writer by night. Her love of writing took off
when she was eleven years old and decided to fill a composition
notebook with stories to read to her friends. Many years (and
notebooks) later, not much has changed. She still loves writing and
sharing her works with others. When she isn’t writing, she can
often be found trying her hand at whatever artistic pursuit strikes
her fancy. J.A. Howell resides in Apopka, FL with her husband and
their menagerie of animal children.
EXCERPT
The duct work running the length of the living room
ceiling came into view as Trey opened his eyes. He was greeted by the
early morning sunlight that shined through the windows. The harsh
brightness caused a sharp pain like a needle being stabbed into his
forehead. He then became aware of the soft weight laying on his
chest, the mass of auburn hair that gently tickled his neck. A warm,
spicy scent of ginger and vanilla emanated from Dillan as she slept,
cuddling against him.
The room was relatively quiet except for her soft, slow
breathing as she lay against him. Trey remained perfectly still,
leaning his back against one of the soft plush cushions on the sofa.
One of his arms was curled around Dillan, his hand resting right
below her shoulder blades; the other was stiffly lying at his side.
As pleasant as it was to wake up with someone as lovely as Dillan in
his arms, he knew just how awkward this situation could be if she
were to wake up.
He looked around the room, still cluttered with remnants
from the previous night, their empty bowls still sitting on the
coffee table along with several empty beer bottles.
Did we really drank that much? Yeah,
the sharp pain above his eyes confirmed it. He looked back down at
Dillan, her features were smoothed and relaxed, and every few seconds
her eyelids twitched slightly as she dreamed. She turned her head,
nuzzling against his chest, a few tendrils of hair falling over her
face. This was growing more uncomfortable by the minute.
Moving slowly and fluidly, afraid of waking Dillan, Trey
slid out from under her slumbering figure, then gently lifted her
head as he quietly placed both of his own feet on the floor. Pulling
her body against his chest, he slid one arm around Dillan’s back,
as he carefully slid the other beneath her knees before lifting her
off the couch. He studied her, making sure she had not been awakened
from the movement. She was still asleep, angelic features still
peaceful. Phew. He
crossed the living room, carrying her through the dim hallway toward
the last door on the left. The door was already slightly open, and
he could see the edge of her bed through the gap.
With his shoulder, he pushed the door open further,
hesitating slightly as he walked inside. A picture of her and Jamie
stared up at him from the nightstand, watching him as he shuffled
across the room. As he reached the side of her bed, Dillan's mouth
brushed against his neck. Her breath tickled his skin, causing a
visible shiver to run down his body. He lowered her to the bed and
gently laid her limp form against the pristine white bedspread,
taking care as he placed her head on the pillow. Standing back up,
Trey watched her for a moment as she rolled onto her side.
“Goodnight Dillan.” He softly whispered before
turning back toward the door.
“I love you too, Jamie.” The mumbled reply came from
her as she slept. Her words hit his gut like a battering ram. He
looked back, seeing her lying there next to the empty spot on her
bed. The extra pillow that sat there, untouched.
He quickly left the room, pulling the door shut behind him. He felt
like a trespasser; he had stepped into someone else's life for a
brief second, overwhelmed with feelings and thoughts that weren't
allowed to be his. He shook his head, as if it would help shake away
the unnerving feelings that rushed over him. The only thing it
accomplished was making his headache worse.
Walking past the clock above her entertainment center,
Trey saw it was barely 6 AM, but he couldn't go back to sleep. He was
afraid of what he would see if he did. Numerous horrors already
haunted him while he was awake; they would surely multiply as he
dreamed.
Thanks so much for hosting a stop on my tour! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a suspenseful book.
ReplyDelete