Nina Levine - Storm

This book is dedicated to my daughter.

You’ve watched me try many things in life, and what I want you to take from that, is that it doesn’t matter whether you follow the one steady path in life or if you veer off and try numerous paths – so long as you keep believing in yourself and follow your OWN path.

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

~ J. R. R. Tolkien

Baby girl, you will never know how thankful I am to you for giving me the space and time to write this book. You are one amazing kid, and yeah, it’s a damn shame that you aren’t older and able to beta read for me because the instant feedback would have been awesome ;)

To my amazing family (and this includes those not related by blood because I think we’ve already established that you are indeed family) – you all believed in me before I believed in me. And for that, there are absolutely no words to express my deepest thanks.

To my parents – have I ever told you how much I love you? Your support and encouragement in everything I’ve ever done has been unwavering. It has meant the world to me. Thank you. I love you both so very much. Dad, all the marketing talks we’ve had over the years paid off. Even when you thought I might not have been taking it in, I was. It was being filed for later use. And that time has finally come. You gave me a scare this year, but it pushed me into action. Mum, I know you’ve read 50 Shades but still... try to forget that your daughter wrote this book while you are reading it ;)

To my DBFFF – you fucking rock! God, where does one start to even say thank you for everything you do and have ever done for me? YOU showed me what unconditional love looks like. We’ve been friends for over 20 years, and there were definitely times there where I thought you would walk away from our friendship; that I’d pushed you just that bit too far. You showed me that that isn’t how it works. The one thing I would wish for every woman and girl is that they have a best friend like you; one that is in their corner no matter what. I seriously don’t know what women do if they don’t have a best friend. Oh, and babe...you can’t fucking write a book in a day. Seriously dude, what were you thinking? SMH. NFP.

To my brother – I’ve loved the last couple of years, chatting with you nearly every morning while we worked out how to solve the world’s problems. You’re another believer in me, and I thank you so much for that. In particular, your support over the past few months has meant so much to me. You let me chat books, and plots, and HEA’s, and marketing, and every fucking thing else with you – you must be sick of hearing about the self publishing industry by now!

To SL – One of us is overdressed and it ain’t me... I mean, really, who cares whether you’re wearing panties, knickers or undies?? Just get them the hell off!! YOU, my friend, are a little bit of awesome sauce. I’m gonna put you in a book (in my head I am hearing Keith Urban sing ‘put you in a song’ while I type that).

NN – the day you walked into our shop was a good day my beautiful friend. Never saw you coming, but you just snuck up on me and now I am so thankful to call you my friend. Thanks for your belief and support.

To my KICKASS street team, Levine’s Ladies – you girls make my day every damn day!!! I love you all. And I couldn’t have done this without any of you. Thank you all so very much for being a part of this – you will never know just what you all mean to me. xxx

To the AMAZING bloggers and authors who have supported me. You are all rockstars! Thank you for everything you do. There are so many, but I do want to just shout out to Jani Kay, Carmen Jenner, Hook Me Up Book Blog, Island Lovelies Book Club, Sassy Mum Book Blog, Sizzling Pages Romance Reviews, The Danish Bookaholic, Louisa’s Reviews, Sticky Reads, Give Me Books, Book Addict Mumma, Totally Booked & Natasha Is A Book Junkie. I also want to say a huge thank you to the amazing Aussie authors who have welcomed me into their group, given me advice and shared my book on their pages. What a great little indie community we have in Australia.

Cover Photo from Depositphotos

Fuck.

How had my life come to this?

Sitting on the gravel with my knickers on the ground next to me and blood spilling from the gash on my arm, I looked up at J. Tears were streaming down my face and my hair was stuck to it in places. I had dirt all over me and my dress was ripped. The only things still in place were my heels.

J was pacing back and forth, on his phone. Probably calling Scott, I thought. Yes, Scott would know how to fix this clusterfuck of a situation. Normally, J would have something like this under control, but this time he was just too close to it to be objective.

I prayed Scott would come through for us.

My eyes slid to Rob’s lifeless body, sprawled in front of me.

You motherfucker. Why did you have to do what you did?

I don’t know how long I sat there like that, staring vacantly at him, but movement to my left caught my attention and I turned to see what it was.

Scott was walking towards me, a fierce look on his face. When he reached me, he knelt down and gently touched my arm. “Madison, it’s time to go,” he said quietly.

I stared into his eyes, not sure what I would find there, but all I saw was tenderness. Unusual. Scott didn’t do tenderness. Not very often.

J knelt on the other side of me. “Come on, baby,” he said as he tried to help me up.

Pain shot through my body as I stood. I winced but didn’t let it slow me. J wrapped his arms around me and helped me to Scott’s Charger. I looked back at Rob, my eyes taking in his bloody body and then scanning the area to note my knickers on the ground; a reminder of the attack that had occurred.

J settled me in the back of Scott’s car and wrapped a towel around my arm where the blood was. His blue eyes met mine. They showed concern. “Will you be alright here while Scott and I deal with the body?” he asked.

I nodded and he left me; left me to deal with a body like it was just another thing to do in his day. Well, I guess it sometimes was. All part and parcel of being a member of the Storm MC. My dad’s club. The club I had grown up around.

Fuck.

I asked myself again. How had my life come to this?

Madison

“Jesus, darlin’, you know how to suck, don’t you?” the guy whose cock was currently in my mouth said. His hand was on my head, trying to direct me but I didn’t need it. Like he said, I had talents. I kept on sucking while my hands reached under to massage his balls and he groaned with pleasure.

We were in his bedroom, him leaning against a wall with me on my knees. Two hours ago we’d never met and less than two hours from now would be the last he’d ever see of me. This was perhaps a shame because he was one hot guy; built with muscles that screamed to be touched, ink that begged to be traced and a face that any woman would kill to kiss. But I didn’t do relationships, not anymore.

I stopped sucking his cock and moved my mouth to lay kisses up his stomach as I slowly stood, licking and nipping as I went. He was naked and I really just wanted to devour his body, he was that gorgeous. I made it all the way up to his mouth and was now standing, eye to eye, and I took in his grin and his dancing eyes.

He wrapped his arms around me, gripping my ass, and said, “Darlin’, I’ve gotta get these clothes off you and sink my dick into that wet pussy of yours.”