It was raining heavily, Sam was running fast towards the northern side of the town, that's where his dorm is situated, the winding was blazing at his face, he holded the few packets of instant noodles he bought for himself and his members close to his chest! He was cursing himself in the head for choosing the wrong card and being the one to buy this late night secret stash for members. He loves to be called Sam instead of his full name Sammylin David Richardson, he still chuckles over his mother's odd choice of merging up her favourite book characters name.
He was almost near his dorm street, it's a bit shabby area, what else the manager could find for a band of eight members with this much space and low rent, he's being in this boy band for three years now! They are his family practically, it's where he finds solace!
Abruptly he halted in his step as he heard a high shrill pitched scream of a girl, he looked around, the sound was emerging from the alleyway at the right, he could hear some muffled voices from his right, he wants to check up, but it's already past 11 in the night and he sneaked out when his best friend kaiyo promised to keep the watch for him, he must be waiting anxiously as it was a clear sky when he left, Texas and it's weird climate changes!
He heard a man screaming profanities and a girl's muffled plea, His steps are cautious and slow, he doesn't wanna alert whoever doing whatever inside the alleyway, when he reached the sound's origin, his blood turned cold, he saw a man threatening a girl who's no more than middle school teenager with a knife, her mouth is gagged with a sock and hands are tied in the back! He couldn't see her eyes clearly but he came to realize what horror is happening to her, suddenly he heard shrill cry of two babies in the left, he saw two new born babies are kept at the floor near the garbage tin!
And her green shining eyes met his brown orbs, there he got bounded!
Lori's just looking for little time to focus on work after a bad breakup - until a steamy encounter with a sensual stranger leaves her looking for much, much more.
*****
Ben Stone is used to getting exactly what he wants. Being a successful businessman and known playboy allows him his pick of beautiful women. He loves them all - but just for a night. That is, until he seduces Lori at her friend's bachelorette party and can't get her out of his head. For Lori, men do not make the short list of important things in her life - but then again, she hasn't met Ben before. When their relationship must be kept a secret they're forced to make a choice: prior obligations, or their burning flame?
[[word count: 40,000-50,000 words]]
Cover designed by Lucas Fisher