Title: Secrets and Promises
Author: Jane Anthony
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 1, 2016
Jillian Morello
There are three things in this world that I love: vintage cars, classic metal tunes, and my older brother AJ. For as long as I can remember, it’s been AJ and me against the world. Now, in the wake of our father’s passing, everything has changed. Chained to the family business, my young life is all work and no play…until he walked in.
Jameson Tate
“Stay away from my sister.”
I was warned from day one. It should have been a simple enough task, but seeing her at work day in and day out proved to be harder than I thought. I drove into Morello and Son’s Restoration after five years away hoping for an oil change and a trip down memory lane. I wasn’t looking for a job, and I never expected to fall for her.
Jane Anthony is a romance author, fist pumping Jersey-girl, and hard rock enthusiast. She resides in the 'burbs of New Jersey with her husband and children. When she's not writing, she's an avid reader, concert goer, and party planner extraordinaire.
Jane loves hearing from her readers! Connect with her on these social media sites, and don't be too shy to say hello!
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In Irina’s Cards
EXCERPT: This section is taken from Chapter 4. Title character Irina is still coming to terms with the fact that ‘variant’ really means mutant with a noticeable gift or ability. We get a chance to see Irina having a vision. And we get a first glimpse at the aquakinetic, pyrokinetic, and impossibly strong variations in three other core characters. -- We reached the end of the Harbour and the coastline opened up around the corner. I saw a sign for ferries to the US in front of a giant concrete breakwater and a pub decorated with a helm wheel and a mural with starfish and orcas. The hazy soft blues of the ocean and sky were broken by the jagged edges of American snow-capped mountains on the horizon. The seaside sidewalk had a mix of young families, dog-walkers, and spry seniors in trendy windbreakers.
GIVEAWAY!
Comedy / Fantasy
Date Published: October 2014
Funny, Compelling, Unusual
A Riveting book readers will find hard to put down.
American gangsters take a very active interest in a run down English football club located in a sleepy village called November Keys which boasts an unusual history.Their main purpose is to take advantage of the club’s geography for their own dubious and very illegal means.
However, they do not allow for some tenacious villagers and things that go bump in the night to try and flaw their plans.
Things come to a head when the football team, hampered by strange characters, bizarre rituals and a priceless ancient recipe, must play a match where failure could threaten mankind.
About the Authors
We are a father and son team. Perhaps a little unusual in the publishing world, however we would like to think our relationship has improved and not impeded our debut novel.
Outside of writing we do share similar interests, both being passionate football fans with a liking for a curry and a pint.
Both have many interests, which include charity work, poetry, music, film, cinema and quiz shows.
Whilst Brian is a published author it is Michael who has invented most of the amusing characters you are going to meet in November Keys. Both writers have spent pleasurable hours burning the midnight oil, endeavouring to portray these character’s personalities and eccentricities in a light hearted manner.
Coupled with an original plot with more twists than a sixties band we hope we have created a novel that is different and humorous, which will keep our readers, young and old alike, intrigued and entertained for many hours.
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Be Witched: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set of Witches and Magic
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GIVEAWAY! by Kristine Kruppa Genre; YA Steampunk Adventure Release date: May 3rd 2016 Giant Squid Books Summary from Goodreads: Everyone in Dahlia's world knows when they're going to die. Except her. Her father has never shown her the pocket watch counting down the days she has left to live. When he sacrifices himself to save her from her scheduled death, Dahlia abandons her comfortable home and sets off after his murderer to uncover the secrets her father died to protectâ¦and the time research that could bring him back to life. Then she meets Farren Reed. She should hate him. Heâs an enemy soldier, a cowardly deserter, and the most insufferable man Dahliaâs ever met. Still, she needs all the help she can get, and Farren is the only chance she has to find the man who murdered her father. But Farren has only twenty-seven days left on his watch. In that time, Dahlia must recover her fatherâs time research, foil a psychotic generalâs plot, and learn to survive in a world that will never be the same. But the research holds secrets more dangerous than she had ever imagined. She will have to choose what is most important: revenge, Farren's life, or her own. And time is running out.
About the Author
Kristine Kruppa is a mechanical engineer, writer, and world traveler. Her days are spent
designing cool new car parts, but her evenings are filled with writing and cats. She has traveled solo to seventeen countries on five continents. Her other hobbies include hunting for the perfect cup of coffee, exploring used book stores, and accidentally climbing mountains. To keep up with her adventures, follow Kristine on Twitter @kskruppa.
(Author photo credit: Sunny Wong)
Author Links:
Title: Karma Author: Nadine Nightingale Genre: Paranormal Romance Release Day Date: May 4th About Karma: People call me all sorts of names—bad girl, black sheep, and my all-time favorite...Satan’s bride. I could blame the fact I’m a witch for my behavior, but the truth is I’m infuriating, arrogant, and stab-worthy. Alex Remington is a hunter and everything I’m not—righteous, honest, caring. We used to have a thing, but that was before he learned I’m a witch and tried to kill me. Eighteen months later, he’s back in my life and we have a deal; I’ll help him save his brother and he’ll disappear from my life for good. But karma can be a real bitch… Pre-Order Now: AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | AMAZON AU | Barnes&Nobles | KOBO | Goodreads Exclusive Chapter Reveal: An electric hum charges the chilly air. The ghostly light of a bulb flickers. Seconds later, I gaze into Baphomet’s onyx eyes. He lingers over a naked couple chained to his harpy feet, guarding them like a sphinx, imprisoning them like a warden. “Oh my freakin’ gosh! Is that...Is that the devil?” Redhead screams. The look on her high-school-queen- bee face is priceless. I take a deep breath. “Yes,” I say, swallowing the laughter that crawls up my throat. “It’s the devil.” Redhead presses a palm against her chest. “Sweet baby Jesus. Does that mean I’m...I’m going to hell?” Her otherwise brown aura, indicating self-absorption, is gray. In other words, she’s petrified. The chick is obviously not the sharpest tool in the shed, and I doubt hell recruits stupid cheerleaders. I fake a smile and wave her question off. “Nah, don’t worry. In the tarot, the devil represents desire and passion.” I point to the card deck. “Draw another one.” Her delicate fingers fly over the cards, and she pulls the sixth major arcana card out of the pile. The lovers. Redhead’s sapphire eyes gleam. “I know what that means. He loves me, right?” The devil and the lovers? That’s as bad as a relationship can get. When her fingers accidently brush mine, I get a glimpse of how bad it’ll be. **** The fluorescent lights of the ER blinded Redhead. Closing her eyes, she reminded herself this was her fault. She should have never asked him about the other girl. She’d gotten a taste of his temper before and knew better than to challenge him. But that damn jealousy had gotten the best of her. “Can you hear me?” the doctor asked, worried. She wanted to answer, wanted to tell him she was fine, but she could hardly breathe. It felt like the air hit an invisible wall inside her bleeding nose. Parting her bruised lips, she gasped for oxygen, but the taste of sanitizer made her sick. “Miss Rosewood, can you hear me?” The doctor’s rich voice hammered through her brain. She swallowed the pins and needles in her throat. “Yes.” “How did this happen?”
Every muscle in her body tensed. “I...I...fell.” **** I shake the brutal vision off. Every fortune-teller with a conscience would tell Redhead to stay the hell away from this guy. The thing is, if I tell her the truth, she’ll accuse me of lying, and being called a liar is the doom of a clairvoyant. Luckily, I don’t have a conscience. “You guys are star-crossed lovers.” “Really?” she squeaks, like the dumb cheerleader she is. “Yeah, course. Even Romeo and Juliet would envy you guys.” If she doesn’t hear the sarcasm in my voice, she totally deserves someone who’ll beat the crap out of her. Besides, the whole Romeo and Juliet reference should put her on high alert. Yeah, I know, people think of them as the ultimate couple. But did they actually read the play? Let’s summarize their fate: first Romeo wants Rosalind. Why? Because she’s a nun, and guys dig things they can’t have. Then Juliet, another forbidden fruit, comes along. Unfortunately, she’s dumb enough to fall for his shit, and bada bing, bada boom, they both end up dead. Some call that romantic. I prefer stupid. Her aura radiates fifty shades of red. Making an educated guess, I’d say she didn’t get the hint. Hey, at least I tried. Pleased, she pulls a hundred-dollar bill from her bag and puts it on the table. “You’re amazing.” “I know,” I reply flatly before shoving the money in my black lace bra. “Now get out and send the next one in.” The chick doesn’t even mind my rudeness. “Thanks. Thank you so much.” She sounds like a broken record, and I breathe a sigh of relief when the door slams shut behind her. Waiting for my next client, I gather the cards. The foulness of the air bugs me a little. I hate rundown motel rooms, but they add to the mystery, and in my business, it’s all about being mysterious. Harpers Ferry is my third stop in the last two weeks. Small town folk are good clients. They hunger for the perfect house, perfect husband, perfect kids. If they could, they’d even try to breed the perfect dog. No need to say this makes me perfectly sick. But beggars can’t be choosers, and all I need is another five hundred bucks, and then I can kiss my old life goodbye. A faint knock, then the door swings open. My next client is a middle-aged woman accompanied by her daughter. What kind of a mother drags her kid to a fortune-teller? I straighten and wave them over. The little girl is about ten, but she still sucks her thumb. “Are you a witch?” the blonde angel asks, precariously. I totally prefer the term Wise Independent Tremendously Charismatic Human, but before I get a chance to clarify, her mother interferes. “They said you could help us.” They? Who the heck are they? And did she just say help them? Who the hell does she think I am, Mother Theresa? “You want to know if your daughter will become the next Miss America, am I right?” A little sarcasm never hurts. The woman steps closer. The flames of the black candles shed light on her wrinkled face. “Please kill my husband,” she says, throwing a bundle of hundreds on the table. My guess is about ten thousand dollars. “Lady, I’m a fortune-teller, not an assassin,” I say, never taking my eyes off the money. “You’re a witch.”
I cock a brow. “Still not an assassin.”
“He hurts her,” she whispers, pointing to the kid.
I know he does. I’d sensed her heartache the moment they walked in. I might tell lies for a living, but I tend to see the truth when no one else does. The aura of the little girl is a dark, muddy gray, evidence of a broken soul. “Call the cops and get a divorce.” The woman pushes the little girl in my lap. “Please, I’m begging you. Help her.” Hazel eyes, clouded with misery and sorrow, look right through me. That son of a bitch robbed her of her innocence and left her drowning in self-hatred. Shivers run down my spine. Shit. I have no intention of bearing witness to the bastard’s barbaric crime. It’s a real shame visions don’t ask for permission. **** She stared at the gleaming stars on her ceiling. Her mother had put them there to keep the darkness at bay, but it didn’t work. The room was gloomy. She knew the monster would come for her. It would look like her dad, but that was just a disguise. Her real dad would never do such things to her. He loved her. She thought of the puppy he’d once bought for her and the places he had taken her. A monster could never be so kind. The creaking of the wooden door stopped her heart. She pulled the blanket over her head and started to count. One, two, three. The blanket pulled back. Four, five six.
A wet kiss. Seven, eight, nine.
“I love you, princess.” **** I push the fragile body of the girl away. Her pain. Her destiny. I don’t give a shit about any of it. “Take your money and get the hell outta here.” The woman’s jaw drops. “But—”
I hold my hand up. “Out! Now.”
The little girl’s gaze drops to her pink ballerina flats. Her disappointment floats through the dark room, leaving traces of hate and sadness in the air.
“You said she’d make him stop,” she says as her mother hauls her to the door.
Don’t. This is none of your business. Let them go. Shit!
I heave a sigh. “Wait.”
They spin around. Hope flickers across the mother’s face. The woman makes me sick. How dare she call herself a mother? She knows what her husband is up to. Why on earth did she never try to stop him? I remind myself this isn’t about her. It’s about the little girl. “What’s your name?” I ask the kid.
“Jamie,” she replies, voice weak and broken.
I wave her over. When she doesn’t move, her mother grabs her by the wrist and pulls her toward me. Ruthless bitch. Can’t she see her daughter is terrified? Mother of the Year is probably expecting me to cast a spell or torment a voodoo doll. Yeah, you kinda get the wrong idea about magic when you’ve watched too many Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes. But real magic doesn’t come cheap. I wonder if the ruthless bitch is ready to pay the price. I pull Jamie’s rigid body closer and put my forefinger on her third eye. The kid is already damaged beyond repair, but what I’m about to do will kill a piece of her soul forever. “Close your eyes, Jamie.” About the Author: Nadine aka Dini is a traveler at heart. She considers the world her home and practically lives out of her suitcases. When she’s not glaring at a blank page or abusing her poor keyboard, she spends her time reading, watching movies (preferably horror), pretends to work out, and hangs out with friends and family. Poor girl also suffers from a serious Marvel superhero addiction. So, if you run into her at night, wearing black, know she’s secretly dreaming of being the infamous Black Widow. Her love for writing started in the sixth grade where she annoyed her classmates with a short story featuring Sailor Moon characters, a cemetery, and creepy ghosts. Yes, she’s always been addicted to the dark side. Nadine writes paranormal romance. Her debut novel “Karma” the first book in her paranormal romance series Drag.Me.To.Hell. is published by the Wild Rose Press and will be out in May 2016. She has a serious girl crush on her protagonist Amanda Bishop. Nadine has a BA in Comparative Religions and studied Creative Writing at the University of Oxford. Connect with Nadine: https://www.nadinenightingale.com https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNadineNightingale/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel https://twitter.com/dini_caroline https://www.instagram.com/therealnadinenightingale/ https://uk.pinterest.com/dininightingale/ Enter Nadine’s Giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway
"They all think that I'm a phase. A fetish. A temporary fixture. But I love my cousin Elizabeth, and there isn't sh*t anyone can do to change or destroy that ⦠even her."
Being hopelessly in love with tatted, sexy, bad boy, Roman Masterson can be exactly what one would imagine. Intense. Passionate. Consuming. Dangerous.
After fighting so hard to be together, there still continues to be forces working against them. Yet the most difficult obstacles seem to be the ones that come from within.
Buy Links
Also Available from Lisa Lang Blakeney
Free on Amazon KU
Our passion is incredibly intense.The connection between us borders on the possessive. Our feelings are absolutely forbidden. We're cousinsâ¦The question now isâ¦what the f*ck are we going to do about it?
Excerpt
âWhatâs my name Duchess?â
âRoman I-â
âUh-uh. Thatâs not what you call me.â
I think for a minute. Ohâ¦
âMasterson.â
âThatâs right baby. My dick gets so hard when you call me Masterson. When you start calling out my name in a few minutes, thatâs the name I better hear.â
I close my eyes as he gives that visual. Me calling out his name. And I get even wetter.
âOpen those beautiful fucking eyes Duchess. I want them on me. I want to watch them tear up when I make you fall apart for me again. Eyes. On. Me.â
He slides a second finger in. Pumping them rhythmically in and out of my core with the deep precision of a pro. How he talks to me, what heâs doing to me, itâs all so ridiculously addictive. I want more, I need more.
âPlease-â
âShhh Duchess. When it comes time for you to beg, Iâll tell you baby.â
Then he stops completely.
I watch him with bated breath as he gets down on the floor on his knees directly in front of me and stares at me with great intensity before he speaks again. I can feel my heartbeat all the way up in the middle of my throat.
âAsk me what I plan on doing with your body Duchess.â
Oh God.
âWhaaa⦠what do you plan on doing with my body Masterson?â
He smiles wickedly.
âIâm going to have you lift up this pretty skirt all the way to your waist, and youâre lucky I donât tear this fucking thing to shreds, because I know you wore it specifically for the swimmer. Nevertheless, youâre going to lift that skirt up high for me. Then ask me what comes next Duchess.â
Both of his hands are under my skirt now. Kneading my thighs and the crease of where my thighs meet my hips. Thumbs rubbing all around the outside of my labia. It feels a little bit like torture and a lot like heaven. When I open my mouth to respond, nothing but a soft moan escapes.
âAsk me Duchess.â He says again as my massage becomes firmer and deeper just like the bass in his voice.
âWhat are you going to do next?â I manage to get out.
â Iâm going to spread your legs wide while you stretch your arms across the back of the sofa and youâre going to keep them there. Now ask me whatâs next Masterson.â
âWhatâs next?â I gasp as my head falls backs as he starts to softly kiss the inside of my knees. I know itâs a matter of time before he starts working his way up. Roman seems to really enjoy being between my legs, but not more than I like him being there. Iâm aching for him. I need to come.
He stops all movement again, and I would yell out of utter aggravation if I didnât think it would inspire him to do something far worse. I think heâs taking great pleasure in this game of denying me.
âYou forgot the last part of that question Duchess.â
Wait what?! Ohâ¦
âMasterson.â I smile. Of course. He loves it when I call by his last name.
âYouâre fucking up Duchess. Start over from the beginning.â
This time he grabs both of my nipples through my shirt and begins to roll them tightly between his thumbs and pointer fingers. A most delicious distraction that takes the orgasm that was already slowly building and rolling it straight front and center. Iâm about to come hard.
Thatâs when his hands and body back completely away from me. I want to cry and then kick him straight in the gut for stopping.
âI have one rule Duchess. Your orgasms belong to me. Youâll come when I tell you to come.â
I take a second to get control of my breathing as the immediate need to come subsides.
âLetâs try this shit again. What do I want to hear?â
âWhat are you going to do next with my body Masterson?â I ask in the most business-like tone I can muster.
âThatâs what I wanted to hear. Youâre learning. Next Iâm going to get a good hold on that beautiful ass of yours, lift you high while you hold on tight, and eat whatâs mine.â
An Alpha With Questionable Boundary Issues!
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About Lisa Lang Blakeney
I grew up an only child gorging myself on daytime soaps, night time dramas, and romance novels. I write steamy new adult contemporary romance featuring strong alpha men and the smart women they seek to claim. I tend to favor continuing storylines and sagas, although I will write a stand alone novel when inspiration strikes. My novels will probably always contain something a bit taboo, lots of dirty language, and mature content... so be warned:)
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Leddy Harper's long-awaited BEAUTIFUL BOY is available now! Find out more about Novah and Nolan's incredible story, see the stunning trailer, and enter to win a giftcard & gorgeous necklace below!About BEAUTIFUL BOYOne introverted girl. One extroverted guy. One assignment. One afternoon. Then everything changed… “You destroyed me.” Novah wanted nothing more than to walk away, never see him again. She was determined to pick up the pieces of her tarnished reputation and move on. Her torture became her muse, earning her well-deserved notoriety for capturing beauty with her lens. She had come full circle. She had it all…until he returned. Nolan found himself surrounded by the grim facets of life, no longer the prominent boy from an affluent family who’d caught Novah’s eye. The years had been unkind and left him in the dark, painful trenches of life. He needed her help. Fifteen years can equate to a lifetime of change, neither one the same person they once were. Despite the humiliation, the latent wounds, the missing years…they’re destined to heal one another in unexpected ways. “You saved me.” Add it to your Goodreads list here! Get your hands on BEAUTIFUL BOY - read for free with KU: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA Watch the trailer for BEAUTIFUL BOY now!Want to Win?Want to win a $25 Amazon giftcard and a beautiful necklace? Enter via the Rafflecopter below!a Rafflecopter giveawayGet a Quick Peek of BEAUTIFUL BOY“Show me your scars… and I’ll show you mine.” The muscle in my forehead grew taut, and even without a mirror, I knew how harsh my expression must’ve been to her. It became evident in every inch of my face, from my pursed lips to my tense jaw, even the space between my eyebrows ached with tension. “Just because I don’t wear them on my skin doesn’t mean I don’t have them, Nolan. Everyone has scars. Everyone has dealt with some varying degree of pain. We’ve all been hurt one way or another.” “And what will seeing your scars do for me?” She shrugged with her fingers holding onto my shirt, unmoving, simply waiting. “Hopefully make you understand you’re not alone. Maybe help connect us in some way. Bring us closer, and allow us to open up to each other in a way we’ve never been able to with anyone else.” “How could we possibly understand each other’s pain?” My voice rumbled heavily as the words escaped me. The oxygen grew thick around us and made it difficult to hold onto my bearings. Her gaze fell to her fingers once they began to resume their task— pulling my shirt from the waistband of my pants before unhooking the very last button. Then she ran her palms up my chest. Heat spread over me like the sun peeking through the clouds. It left me lost in her touch. Her hands moved to my shoulders, beneath my work shirt, and then torturously down my arms. She pushed my shirt off my body with an unhurried ease. My white undershirt remained, covering my chest and hiding the unsavory reminders of war. She stood in front of me, staring at my torso like it was a blank canvas, waiting for it to reveal something to her. Gentle fingers caressed the fabric at my sides, leaving behind trails of deep shivers like paths of singed nerves that sparked and sizzled long after her touch had moved on. Her scrutiny proved to be too much to handle, and without thought, I roughly grabbed the hem of her T-shirt, yanked it over her head, and left her in nothing but a plain black bra. Wide, cerulean eyes met mine, and a soft, airy gasp resounded around us.Get your hands on BEAUTIFUL BOY - read for free with KU: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA About Leddy HarperLeddy Harper had to use her imagination often as a child. She grew up the only girl in a house full of boys. At the age of fourteen, she decided to use that imagination and wrote her first book, and never stopped. She often calls writing her therapy, using it as a way to deal with issues through the eyes of her characters. She is now a mother of three girls, leaving her husband as the only man in a house full of females. The decision to publish her first book was made as a way of showing her children to go after whatever it is they want to. Love what you do and do it well. Most importantly Leddy wanted to teach them what it means to overcome their fears.by Kasi Blake Genre: YA Urban Fantasy Release Date: July 25th 2014 Summary: After sixteen years on the run, Bay-Lee joins her emotionally distant father at his New Zealand school. On her first night there, he dumps her on the doorstep and walks away. Big surprise. Minutes later, a bag is thrown over her head, and sheâs kidnapped for Orientation. The hunter in charge calls her Bait. According to him, thatâs all sheâs good for, to be used to draw out monsters for experienced hunters to kill. Before Bay-Lee can move up to the rank of Hunter, she will have to prove herself, battle wraiths, a reaper in disguise, and a stampeding border monster. With the addition of her classes, sheâs going to be way too busy for a social life. Falling in love is not on the agenda. Then, she meets Nick Gallos. With the intimidating rank of Warrior, Nick is gorgeous, arrogant, and just plain rude to her. Itâs obvious from their first meeting that Nick is hiding a dark past overflowing with secrets, and her father is right smack in the middle of it. Nick seems to be using her to get even with her father, and she wonât tolerate that. What a jerk. So, why canât she stop thinking about him?
Bait is FREE!
About the Author
Born and raised in California, I fell in love with writing while reading The Outsiders. Then I fell in love with Stephen King's writing style. I enjoy reading many types of books, but YA Paranormal is my favorite. I used to write for Harlequin under a different name. So that's my background. Exciting, no?
I have seven books out now: Vampires Rule, Werewolves Rule,Shifters Rule, Crushed, Witch Hunt, Bait, and my only adult novel, a romantic suspense called Pandora's Box. Clarity 5: Loving Liam
-- READ THE PROLOGUE: Liam Larson, 1989 I am standing on the side of the road and holding a newborn infant. She is looking up at me with curiosity on her face, and I can already tell she’s going to be my best friend. We’re going to do everything together, especially coloring and making snow angels. She’s really tiny right now, but I’m sure that when she’s a little bigger she’ll love playing catch with me. I have a ball, but I don’t have anyone to play with. First, I need to know her name. “What are we going to call her, Mama?” Turning to the side, I look at my mother who is sitting in the driver’s seat of the car and crying softly. I think she’s crying because it hurt a lot to take the baby out of her stomach. There is blood staining her dress, and she is clutching her midsection as her shoulders shake with sobs. She barely makes any sound, but she is shaking so hard that the car is trembling beneath her. I thought she needed to go to the hospital, but she said no. The baby in my arms is bloody and red. Maybe that’s why Mama never wanted to touch her. When she came out, I tried to wipe most of the gooey stuff off her before wrapping her up in Mama’s green sweater. Once I got it all off her face, I was able to see that she’s perfect. She has clear blue eyes and chubby little fingers. Her bellybutton was funny. I asked Mama what to do about the floppy string, but she wouldn’t help me. “Liam,” my mother says from the car, and she is crying so much that she can hardly breathe. “Leave her there. Hurry! Before someone drives by.” I look around in confusion. It’s early morning, and there aren’t many other cars on the road. Why would Mama want me to leave the baby here? It’s winter and there is a thin layer of snow on the ground. I shift the baby in my arms, because they are growing tired. She might be tiny, but I’m not that big and strong yet and it’s hard to hold her. “Please, Liam,” my mother says again, placing her face in her hands as though she cannot look at me. “Put the baby down and come back into the car.” “I don’t want to. She’ll be cold.” My mother wipes her face on her sleeve, trying to remove some of the tears and clean her runny nose. She sits up a little straighter and grasps the steering wheel tightly. “Liam, if you don’t get your ass back here this instant I’ll tell your father that you disobeyed me. He’ll give you a good beating!” I flinch at this prospect, and hug the baby tighter against my chest. I don’t want Papa to hit me anymore. He’s been away for a little while, but I know he’ll be back soon, and he’ll start hurting me again. “For god’s sake, Liam,” my mother whispers desperately. “If you don’t do as I say, your father will kill me. He’s going to strangle me to death, and who knows what he’ll do to the baby. He hates little girls.” She’s right. I have seen my father choke my mother before, and he always says mean things about girls. I begin to grow very afraid. Will he treat the baby in my arms even worse than he treats me? If putting her down means she won’t get punched or kicked by Papa, is that better? Somehow, she feels glued to my chest, and I don’t want to let her go; not for anything. “Please,” my mother says frantically as she waves me over with her hand. “Please just leave the baby there.” “But… but she’ll get hurt. If cars drive by, they could hit her.” “We’ll come back for her, soon. I promise. I just need to go home. I’m in a lot of pain.” I look down at the ground fearfully. “Are you sure, Mama?” “Leave her, Liam!” I quickly move to do as she says, and place the baby down in the snow on the side of the road. The little girl looks at me in confusion as I stand up, and her tiny arms move a little, reaching out for me. I can tell she already misses the warmth of being held; she misses me. My heart is breaking. This feels wrong. “Quickly, Liam!” my mother shouts. Ripping my own coat off my shoulders, I lay it over the baby as an extra layer of protection. She makes a cooing sound as she looks up at me, and I feel tears falling from my eyes onto her cheeks. “I love you,” I tell her, bending down to place a kiss on her forehead. “I’m sorry. We’ll come back for you, little sister. Mama promised.” I have a terrible feeling, but I’m too afraid to go against my mother, so I run back to the car. I can hear the baby start to cry, and my insides ache. I have barely jumped into the vehicle before my mom starts driving away. I didn’t even get a chance to close my car door, but it slams shut with the force of the car’s acceleration. My mother is sobbing and the car is veering dangerously as she drives away at breakneck speeds. “Mama?” I ask her nervously. “Are we gonna go back for her soon?” “Who?” my mother asks brokenly. “The baby.” “What baby?” Tears pour down my mother’s face as she shakes her head violently. “There is no baby. There never was a baby.” Her words confuse me, and I look behind the car to try to see where I laid the infant down on the side of the road. I can still hear her cries echoing in my ears. I can still see her sweet face looking up at me. “Mama, we have to go back,” I say as panic begins to fill my chest. “I left the baby there and it’s so cold. She doesn’t even have clothes yet. Can we go back now?” “There is no baby,” my mother says quietly, repeating the words to herself over and over. “There is no baby.” I am terrified. There’s something wrong with my mother and I don’t know what to do. What’s going to happen now? Is my little sister going to be okay? I am her big brother. I was supposed to protect her. What have I done?
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