And So She Waited by Shakuita Johnson

And So She Waited

by

Shakuita Johnson

 

Synopsis

This is not a story about love, but a story about how love can consume you. Heart, body, and soul. A story of loving someone so much that the love you feel harms you.

Have you ever loved someone so much, that before you realized it, they owned half of your soul?

Raven Sinclair’s first love had always been ballet until she met Remy Peters. She fell hard and she fell fast and never looked back. He was everything she always believed she wanted but he had other plans.

Remy Peters didn’t believe in love and he wasn’t looking for it. He just wanted to have a good time in between classes and swim team. He’s been seeing Raven for over a year and a half and he’s not sure how it’s lasted this long. It’s not like he’s made any commitments but when he stumbles on the prettiest girl he’s ever seen, he knows it’s time to let Raven go.

Matthew Masterson has loved Raven since he first saw her in ballet class when they were five. They have been best friends ever since and he’s not content to stay there. He sees Remy for who he really is and wastes no time in telling Raven every chance he gets but is Raven his happy ever after or does fate have other plans?

Love, lies, and obsession…three lives bound by twisted desires for what they can’t have.
**Mature audiences only 18+…contains darker elements and no HEAs**

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Excerpt

Once Remy had arrived, he hopped out of the car and locked it up. As he walked towards class, he heard his name being called up ahead. It was that new Photography student, what was her name? Oh yeah… Stacey Nickels. She was sexy, with a capital S. He had been wooing her for a few weeks now and was getting close to sampling her. She had long brown hair with black streaks that fell down to her waist, and chocolate brown eyes that made her look innocent. And those lips! God, they were the lushest pink lips he had ever seen. She was just too damn cute. She smiled when they grew closer.
"So you decide on letting me take you out yet?" Remy asked.
Stacey tossed her hair behind her shoulder with a flip of her hand before she answered him.
"I've heard you're nothing but trouble," she said with a twinkle in her eye and smile on her lips.
"Only the good kind, baby, only the good kind."
"If you're lucky, I might let you take me out this weekend."
"I'm always lucky. Pick you up at eight, Friday night. Text me your address."
"‘Kay."
"Awesome. See you around pretty girl."
Remy watched Stacey as she walked to her class. He couldn't wait until Friday night.
Ding.
Dammit, it was Raven again. He really needed to talk to her before the day was over. He checked his phone to see what she wanted this time.
Meet me for lunch. I'll buy.
Perfect, he could talk to her then.
How about the Starbucks next to campus…noon?
That's perfect! See you later babe. Love you <3
What the fuck? Love? Is she insane? Remy really needed to have a talk with her. She couldn't be falling in love with him. He wasn't anywhere near having those feelings for her. This situation was a mess and now he had to stop it before it got worse. If he wasn't careful she would have the "Where is our relationship going" talk with him. He had to nip this shit in the bud. This shit was going to be fixed, once and for all.

Excerpt

Raven needed to wake up and if Matt had to slap her a few times to ensure she did, he would do just that. The kid gloves were coming off. He had a future to protect, their future, and Remy Peters wasn’t in it. It was go-time. It was time she knew that he was the best thing for her. The person who loved her more than anyone else could.
"What's wrong with you?" Raven whispered.
"You! You're what's wrong with me! Can't you see what you mean to me? It's me you should be with. It's me who loves you. Remy loves no one but himself. He was all over Casey Summers last night and they went home together. Plus, everyone knows he's been trying to take the new Photography major transfer student home. What's her name, Stacey Nickels? It seems everyone but you sees Remy for what he truly is! A grade-A fucking asshole!"
"You're just jealous. You don't want me to be happy,” Raven sobbed. “You’ve had it out for Remy since the first time I introduced you. How can you call yourself my best friend? It's like I don't even know you anymore."
"Jealous! Jealous! I can’t— You think— What in the hell's happened to you? Are you really that naïve and gullible? Do you really think that you and Remy are going to get married and live happily-ever-after? It's been a year and a half, Raven. How many times has he taken you out where people could see you together? How many of his friends have you met? His parents? I'll tell you how many: none. Zero. He doesn't care about you. He got exactly what he wanted from you. SEX! That's all you ever were to him and all you will ever be. Honestly, I'm not sure why he hasn't dumped you yet!"
"He loves me, that's why,” Raven said under her breath. “He's going to meet me for lunch and we are going to discuss where our relationship is going." Her eyes were now brimming with unshed tears. "I told him I loved him."
"And did he say it back? No. He barely responds to your texts and you think after dropping the ‘L’ word that things will magically turn around? He's going to stop seeing other girls? Raven, sweetie, please wake up and see what's right in front of you. I don't want to see you hurt any more than you already are," Matt pleaded.
Raven let out a wicked laugh. "Oh, you don't want to see me hurt but you have no problem causing me pain? Fuck you, Matt. I don't need this from you. Remy loves me and if you won't support my relationship, then there's nothing left for us to say to each other."

Playlist

Ten Fun Facts

1. I can re read a book and still cry on the sad parts
2. I ran track in Middle and High School
3. I served 8 years in the Air Force
4. I've written one song and I wrote it into And So She Waited because it was perfect for it
5. I'm slightly OCD and at one point I had 200+ movies and they were in ABC order and I would freak out when my friends switched the cases
6. I almost fainted when I met Kresley Cole
7. My all time favorite vampire book is Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice
8. I'll never run again because of my knees
9. I went to my first Comic Con Aug 2014
10. My first major was Accounting and I dropped it after a semester even though I'm very good with numbers
About the Author
Shakuita Johnson is a 29-year-old Psychology major. When she isn't going to school or working, she is doing what she loves most. Writing. She started writing in middle school. Starting with poetry. Then short stories in a creative writing course her senior year. Her love for paranormal and supernatural started with R.L. Stine Goosebumps books and TV shows, Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles, and Christopher Pike books. She is an avid reader with over 100 books on her bookshelf and 1000 plus on her iPad. Visit her online and read her poems and one attempt at songwriting on her blog at http://www.dark-indiscretions.com. You can also find her atwww.facebook.com/shakuitajohnson. Check out her website at www.authorshakuitajohnson.com.

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Website | Email:  authorshakuitajohnson@gmail.com

Forever Doomed by MaryAnn Kempher ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

It's not wise to wander the cruise ship Forever alone at night. You might not live to see daylight.
Detective Jack Harney agrees to do an old Army buddy a favor. Curt Noble had some personal business to attend to, he didn’t say what. What he did say was he needed someone to temporarily take over his duties as head of security on the struggling cruise ship Forever. Jack hesitates, but he owes Curt his life so agrees. He’s told the worst mischief he can expect to encounter will be the occasional shoplifter, or drunk. Instead, one week into the cruise, a beautiful red head and a member of the crew are ruthlessly murdered. Are the two murders connected? It’s up to Jack to find out. He must find the killer before the ship returns to Tampa’s port, or worse, before another dead body is found. This won't be easy. The ship is old, it's security systems outdated, and clues are few, or so it seems at first
 It’s not just a sense of obligation that motivates Jack to agree to Curt's request;
Jack moved thousands of miles, started over, and still can't get Amy O'Brian out of his heart or mind. When she shows up on the ship, as part of a large wedding party, Jack must fight to stay focused. To make matters worse, Amy isn't his only distraction; a sexy and mysterious woman has made it her mission to seduce Jack.
As the body count rises, and time slips away, Jack has to ask himself, “Did someone commit the perfect crime?”

forever doomed

maryann kempher 

goodreads

purchase links

amazon us | amazon uk | barnes & noble | kobo

excerpt

She quickly opened the pantry door and stepped inside. Oh good, my cake. By the sound of the wind, rain, and even the occasional thunder, she could tell the back door had finally been opened. She cracked the pantry door an inch and peeked out. A tall, muscular man was there, he was making a sandwich. She’d wait him out. The lights in the kitchen flickered on and off, then on again. Suddenly, another man entered the kitchen. Jeez, I’m never gonna get out of here.

“What are you doing in here?” she heard him ask. His tone concerned her. He seemed annoyed, maybe even angry. At least I’m not the only person in the kitchen that’s not supposed to be here.

The other man didn’t answer. He picked up a rolling pin and hit the guy on the side of the head, hard. The man fell to the floor with a thud. His head lay outside where she was hiding. Through the crack in the door, she could see blood on the side of his head, his eyes wide open and vacant. She swallowed hard and willed herself not to freak out. She’d need all her composure so she didn’t give herself away. She watched, shocked, as the man rushed to the kitchen’s swinging doors, looked out, then quickly returned. He picked up the dead guy and walked outside.

She wasn’t thinking straight. Should she wait, see if he was coming back? Should she run like hell and hope he didn’t see? She did what any good stripper would do. She went to the other side of her cake, bent down, and with all her strength pushed that cake out of the pantry, through the kitchen, and out of the cafeteria. She pulled up the hood up on her overcoat and kept it there until she arrived at her destination.

dreamcast

 

ten fun facts about maryann

I spent my honeymoon in Saudi Arabia. Someone approached our guide and offered to buy me.

I spent a year in Korea, about 90 miles from Seoul.

I’ve written two books. My first is a romance with a murder mystery, my second is a mystery with a dash of romance.

I grew up in Milwaukee Wisconsin, but moved to Reno NV when I was 15 years old.

My first job was at the Circus Circus casino in Reno. On their second floor, they have arcade games similar to a carnival, and a stage where acts are performed. I worked all the different games.

I’ve been married for 21 years.

My favorite food is spicy squid. My least favorite is cabbage.

I love to travel, but don’t get to do it as much as I’d like. My last big trip was to New York City. My last mini-trip was to St. Augustine Florida.

My first book is entered into a contest hosted by Romance Writers of America. Fingers crossed.

My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice.

about the author

MaryAnn Kempher loves to write mystery with a dash of romance. She spent her teen years spent living in Reno NV where her first book, Mocha, Moonlight, and Murder is set. The setting for her second book, Forever Doomed, was inspired by her love of the ocean. Her writing influences include favorite authors Agatha Christie, Jane Austen and Janet Evanovich. Her guilty pleasures include any and all sweets, including a good cup of Mocha. She is married with two children.

contact maryann

facebook | website | twitter | goodreads

previous books

goodreads

Instead of feeding her late-night appetite, a midnight food run nearly gets 28-year-old Katherine O’Brian killed. She’s the only person to see the man who brutally murdered a local woman, and the killer is hell-bent on making sure she doesn’t talk.

Scott Mitchell left a broken engagement behind when he moved to Reno, and the last thing he needs is more melodrama. But when he and Katherine are paired for a college project, that’s what he gets. It can be very distracting when someone is out to kill your lab partner. Together, they try to figure out what the police haven’t been able to—the identity of the murderer. Passion flares, but with Katherine’s life in danger, romance seems like more than a bad idea.

Scott and Katherine will face jealousy, misunderstandings, lust, and rivals, not to mention attempted murder—and all before their first real date

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MaryAnn Kempher's Forever Doomed ~ Book Blitz

It's not wise to wander the cruise ship Forever alone at night. You might not live to see daylight.
Detective Jack Harney agrees to do an old Army buddy a favor. Curt Noble had some personal business to attend to, he didn’t say what. What he did say was he needed someone to temporarily take over his duties as head of security on the struggling cruise ship Forever. Jack hesitates, but he owes Curt his life so agrees. He’s told the worst mischief he can expect to encounter will be the occasional shoplifter, or drunk. Instead, one week into the cruise, a beautiful red head and a member of the crew are ruthlessly murdered. Are the two murders connected? It’s up to Jack to find out. He must find the killer before the ship returns to Tampa’s port, or worse, before another dead body is found. This won't be easy. The ship is old, it's security systems outdated, and clues are few, or so it seems at first
 It’s not just a sense of obligation that motivates Jack to agree to Curt's request;
Jack moved thousands of miles, started over, and still can't get Amy O'Brian out of his heart or mind. When she shows up on the ship, as part of a large wedding party, Jack must fight to stay focused. To make matters worse, Amy isn't his only distraction; a sexy and mysterious woman has made it her mission to seduce Jack.
As the body count rises, and time slips away, Jack has to ask himself, “Did someone commit the perfect crime?”

forever doomed

MaryAnn Kempher 

goodreads

purchase links

amazon us | amazon uk | barnes & Noble | kobo

excerpt

Jack watched Marni leave, torn. Did he think she’d killed Pam? No, but she was keeping something from him, something to do with Pam’s murder. He looked down at his arm, seeing her small hand. His heart was still beating hard. It had taken real effort to hide his feelings when she’d touched him. After a few minutes, he started walking, and was soon standing outside Marni’s cabin door. He hesitated. He told himself he was just going there to talk to her, to try to make her tell him what he sensed she was holding back. But that was a lie. He reached up and knocked. She opened the door wearing a towel.

“I was about to take a shower,” she said.

Jack didn’t respond. He walked into her room, shoving the door shut behind him. He took hold of her towel and pulled her tightly against his body, his mouth covering hers, his tongue searching for hers, his hands yanking the towel off and tossing it to the floor. He easily picked up Marni and carried her to the bed. She pulled his shirt up over his head, her hands running themselves through his thick chest hair. She reached for his belt buckle, undoing it slowly, her eyes watching his. Then she pulled his pants down and gasped.

Oh my.

about the author

MaryAnn Kempher loves to write mystery with a dash of romance. She spent her teen years spent living in Reno NV where her first book, Mocha, Moonlight, and Murder is set. The setting for her second book, Forever Doomed, was inspired by her love of the ocean. Her writing influences include favorite authors Agatha Christie, Jane Austen and Janet Evanovich. Her guilty pleasures include any and all sweets, including a good cup of Mocha. She is married with two children.

contact maryann

facebook | website | twitter | goodreads

previous books

goodreads

Instead of feeding her late-night appetite, a midnight food run nearly gets 28-year-old Katherine O’Brian killed. She’s the only person to see the man who brutally murdered a local woman, and the killer is hell-bent on making sure she doesn’t talk.

Scott Mitchell left a broken engagement behind when he moved to Reno, and the last thing he needs is more melodrama. But when he and Katherine are paired for a college project, that’s what he gets. It can be very distracting when someone is out to kill your lab partner. Together, they try to figure out what the police haven’t been able to—the identity of the murderer. Passion flares, but with Katherine’s life in danger, romance seems like more than a bad idea.

Scott and Katherine will face jealousy, misunderstandings, lust, and rivals, not to mention attempted murder—and all before their first real date

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