Paradise Found: Cain (Paradise #2)(92)
“I’m eighteen, and I’m tired of the East Coast. Besides,” she paused. “It appears I’ve been cut off.”
“Cut off?” I stammered. This was impossible. I’d been the one in charge of Evie’s finances. Her school tuition. Her summer holidays. Her bodyguard.
“Daddy going to jail wasn’t well looked upon,” she offered, and it became a little clearer. The school cut her off. The rich and famous of the East Coast had a hard time accepting her, despite the money. After all, she was still the daughter of an Irish immigrant fighter in the end.
“How did you get here? To California? To Eden2?” The questions were not coming out fast enough.
“I brought her,” said a familiar voice behind me. I spun to see Abel and was stunned by the uncanny resemblance between his eyes and my younger sister’s. The royal blue coloring was unparalleled and the jewel tone, one hundred percent our mother’s. My breath hitched at the thought as I took a second look at Evie. She looked exactly like our mother: the honey-red hair, the blue eyes, the determined look on her face.
“She’s staying with me,” Abel offered.
“Like hell she will,” I barked, taking control of this situation.
“What’s wrong with staying with me?” Abel questioned.
“Nothing, but you have to finish school,” I stated.
“About that…”
“No,” I cut him off. He was finishing. We’d had this discussion. The circuit would still be there in another few months. He could train. He could fight, but he wasn’t giving up college to go full-time fighting until he had a degree.
“But…” Abel pouted, and for the briefest of seconds, he sounded like when he was a child. I leveled him with a glare then looked over at my sister. Her blue eyes danced and she smiled slowly back at me. I recognized that smile. I’d seen it many times before on a face I was too familiar with in the mirror. My blood slowed like a river coming to a narrow stream. I realized I had another fight ahead of me.
“Oh, this is going to be fun.” She finished that evil smile, and I suddenly knew; family still would be the death of me.
The list of people to thank seems to grow each book, but with LUCKY 13, I am abundantly grateful. This story will publish near the anniversary of my first book – two years equals twelve novels, one novella, three anthologies, and a chapter in a collective work. WOW! To those who have been on the journey with me, I am eternally in your debt for your support in fulfilling a dream.
Thank you to Kari Ayasha, cover designer extraordinaire, and Lance Jones, model turned photographer, who not only was the model, but took his own image for this cover. Thank you to Brenda Wright, formatter with the patience of a saint when I find one more thing. Thank you to Karen Hrdlicka, editor. What can I say to her? It’s been an amazing ride and my deepest gratitude for your friendship.
On the note of friends, I need to thank a special few: Sylvia Schneider. Where do I start with you? People come into our lives for a reason, and I’m not certain what I do for you, but you do so much for me. Hugs to you. Amy Adrian Kehl, you are one of the greatest pimpers ever. Karen Fischer and Ella Stewart, two of my very consistent beta readers. Words escape me, which you notice at times in my writing (LOL). Thank you a million times over. I am so very, very fortunate for your expertise in catching the little things. Thank you to my additional betas this time: Shannon Passmore, Tammi Hart, Becca Dawn and Christy Preer Mitchum. For all the details you questioned, then made me question, it was an amazing experience. Finally, to Brandy Riveria and Rebecca Brooke who took time out of their busy writing schedule to do the hardcore edits and comments I needed. Phew! I adore you, ladies.
As always to Author BFFs for listening to me, and all my wonderful, amazing, cheerleading blogger friends. Blogs rock the indie world and there aren’t enough pages to list you all. Final thank you, to you, the reader: the supporter who buys the book, the reviewer who posts a review, the word-of-mouth who tells a friend, and the person who loves my characters (or hates them) like I do…the stars in heaven and then some for you.
And always last in my list, but first in my heart, my own family of fighters: Mr. Dunbar, MD1, MD2, JR and A. #Fight4Love – I do it daily for each of you.