Happy Wednesday Friends! I hope everyone is doing great!
Special thanks to Angelica Dawson for rallying authors together to share teases every week.
~~~~~~~
This week’s tease comes from FIGHTING FOR HONOR. The first in the Okanogan Valley Pride series, Dominic has returned to claim his rightful place as Alpha…and for the woman he’s left behind.
Here, he’s seeing his mother for the first time in a while, his girl for the first time in years, and his cousin who is his biggest obstacle…
Striding to the front of the hall, he grabbed the door handle and yanked it open. His vision adjusted from sunlight to near darkness and he blinked rapidly.
Hearing noise from the right, he moved in that direction, eagerness filling him to see his mother.
He smiled at hearing his mom’s favorite band, the Bee Gees, coming from the speakers. It reminded him of long-ago days when they’d dance in the living room, laughing and jiving to the disco inferno; of the times when his father was smiling and playful. Those moments when his father had been carefree, that stress hadn’t lined his face from the duties he had to the pride.
Not that his father ever regretted his role, yet there were times Dominic remembered his father being concerned about things that weren’t discussed with children. Now, Dominic knew the burdens their esteemed leader had been under.
As the last notes of Staying Alive ended, he caught sight of his mother across the room. Her long, dark hair was braided as usual, but he was surprised to see the weathered lines on her face. He hadn’t seen her in two years, and while she turned fifty today, the days had pushed her beyond her young years and stress wrinkled her face.
Guilt filled him. He should have returned sooner, but it had taken weeks to set things up as he had—to set his plan in motion.
He strode further into the room. The whispers and shocked gasps filled his ears as those of his pride realized who he was. Heading toward his mother, a cloud of white from off to his right side distracted him. His heart pitched to his gut. He couldn’t be sidetracked by the one woman in the valley whose hair reminded him of soft pillows and clouds in the sky.
His mother’s stare cut toward him, then away, only to return as recognition dawned. Tears filled her eyes as she broke free from the people she’d been conversing with, and met him halfway across the room.
The scent of spring breezes, of vanilla and strawberries, wrapped around him as she cuddled into his chest, her arms locking tight around his waist.
“Dominic,” she whispered, squeezing him hard.
“Ma, I’ve missed you,” he spoke into her ear, not wanting anyone around them to hear. He was Alpha of his pride, and though every man here would lay down arms for their mothers, he wouldn’t show weakness to anyone.
Not now. Not ever.
She pulled from his arms and tilted her head back to look at him. “Are you home for good?” He heard the fear and hope in her words.
“Yes. For always.”
“Dominic?” A quiet voice beside him drew his gaze from his mother’s smile.
Swallowing hard, he shoved aside all thoughts of the past and what this woman had once meant to him. He had to play his part in order for his plan to work. And had to hope his mother and once best friend would forgive him when all was said and done.
“Honor.”
Her smile faltered at his cool tone. He should be disgusted with her, yet couldn’t fault her for moving on with her life. However, the man she’d chosen to hook up with was not the type of man he’d ever believed she would want.
“It’s good to have you home.”
He nodded, and shrugged. “Good to be home, I guess.” He raked his gaze over her figure. “You haven’t changed much. Still the skinny tomboy you always were.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, her mouth falling to a flat line.
“Dominic, no need to be rude,” his mother scolded.
“Has being away so long turned you into a jackass?” Honor’s voice rolled with venom and revulsion. “I thought we were friends.”
A muffled commotion behind him had him turning away—and aching to tell her the truth—as he focused on his cousin and a few of his entourage making his way toward them.
Kenneth had changed, and the pictures he’d seen of him did little to show the cold ruthlessness behind his eyes. Dominic no longer recognized his own flesh and blood.
Where to find FIGHTING FOR HONOR…
Evernight Publishing
Amazon Stores
aRe
Bookstrand
Smashwords
B&N (Nook)
iTunes
Kobo Store
Thank you for stopping by!!
Click here to visit the rest of the teasers this week …
