I'm so honored and excited to be part of this anthology to benefit the US Breast Cancer Research Foundation & the Canadian Cancer Society-CIBC Run for the Cure.
When I was in college, many moons ago, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Since then, many women in my life have been affected by this terrible disease. I'm sure I'm not alone in this, which is why this cause is so important to
me.
Take a look at the stellar line up of authors below. I really do hope you join the fight against cancer and pre-order your copy today!
As promised, here's the blurb and excerpt for HEARTLESS VOW, exclusively available in the Fight Like A Girl Anthology!
Blurb:
Vittoria Salvatore is no one of consequence. Her life is simple. Until she falls for the wrong guy, Giovanni Valentino, the one they call the Lion, her friend, and the current Don of the Valentino family. The girlish crush she harbored well into adulthood can never be.
Giovanni knows the rules that bind their world and follows them to the letter—the five original crime families can never fraternize.
But rules were meant to be broken. When Vittoria receives the news that would turn her life upside down, she decides to send it all to hell and claim the Lion for herself.
Excerpt:
I was still basking in Dad’s compliment when a dark suit by the entrance caught my attention. The moment I turned, the world around me froze, sending my heart into overdrive. I stood a little straighter as my gaze followed Don Valentino, the Lion, stride across the lobby to meet my brother and his friend.
The dark three-piece suit made his blond hair stand out. He’d cut it since the last time I saw him. But it was still long enough to frame his straight nose, chiseled jaw, and bright blue eyes to perfection. The man oozed confidence and danger. It was a sort of magnetism that was so hard to resist. More than that, I was addicted to his energy and the way I felt so alive when he was near.
Giovanni Valentino was more than a childhood crush. In all the years we were in school together, he was my friend—until junior year when he decided we couldn’t hang out anymore. That was almost nine years ago. Truth be told, I never got over him. And it hurt to see how he couldn’t even look at me. Every time we happened to be in the same space, he would look right through me. Sometimes I wondered if he even remembered we were friends once.
These days, he was more than out of my league. He was the new Don Valentino. His ascension was confirmed six months ago, hours after his father passed away. Now he was in search of a wife as all Dons were required to have. Problem was, other than the fact that he seemed to have forgotten I existed, he couldn’t choose me. Marriage between the five original families was forbidden by the Society by-laws.
I found most of our by-laws to be bullshit. Though I had to admit, most of them were meant to ensure the longevity of our secret enclave, and by extension, our family. It all boiled down to one infallible fact— I couldn’t have the one thing I wanted. The Lion would never be mine.
Like a good girl, I stood there and watched Giovanni exchange pleasantries with my brother and his friend. When he turned to face us, his gaze brushed right over me and landed on Dad’s form.
“Don Salvatore.” He offered Dad a curt smile before shaking his hand. “I was told I could find you here.”
“And so you have. You remember my daughter.” Dad gestured toward me.
“Yes, I believe we’ve met.” His deep voice shattered something inside my chest.
Really? We went to the same school for twelve fucking years. “Briefly.” I nodded, doing my best impression of his curt smile. “Giovanni, is it?”
“Nice to see you again, Vittoria.”
My name on his lips sounded like a forgotten promise. I sucked in a quiet breath. Somehow, my hand met his as his intense blue gaze met mine. Why was I touching him? And why couldn’t I stop staring at him? My heart pumped so hard, I was sure Dad could hear it. The thumping in my chest went on for a very long minute before I realized I had to break the connection. I had to stop imagining things that weren’t there. Things I couldn’t have.
“You too.” I yanked my arm away, furrowing my brows at him.
His gaze cut to Dad as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn’t just stared into my soul. “Don Salvatore, I’d like a word.”
“I figured you might.” Dad crossed his arms over his chest.
He looked so menacing when he did that, but Giovanni didn’t seem to notice. “It’s been six months since my father was murdered. How is it possible that his killer is still at large?”
“We’ll catch the bastard. You have my word.”
“I’ve decided to lead the investigation myself.” Giovanni stuffed his hands in the pockets of his trousers. “I’m relieving you of your position. Effective immediately.”
Dad turned a few shades of purple. For one, because he wasn’t used to people talking to him in this manner. Giovanni might be a Don, but he was still in his mid-twenties. Dad had more than age on his side, he had connections and power. As he’d said once, ‘stepping into the shoes of a Don didn’t make you a Don. You had to earn that privilege.’
Giovanni had a long way to go. Though he didn’t seem to think so as he stared my father down. “I have put together a group of men I trust. They will investigate and report directly to me.”
Dad’s jaw clenched. “Are you accusing me of something, boy?”
“Not yet.” Giovanni rubbed the stubble on his cheek.
My gaze darted between the two men. Before my brain could fully piece together a sentence, my lips were already moving. “You have some nerve. Dad only stepped in to lead the investigation to help you. Wearing your father’s ring doesn’t make you a Don.” I pointed at his ring with his family crest on it. The lion head carved on the onyx stone stood out to me. “How dare you!”
*****
continue reading HEARTLESS VOW in FIGHT LIKE A GIRL!
Blurb:
Vittoria Salvatore is no one of consequence. Her life is simple. Until she falls for the wrong guy, Giovanni Valentino, the one they call the Lion, her friend, and the current Don of the Valentino family. The girlish crush she harbored well into adulthood can never be.
Giovanni knows the rules that bind their world and follows them to the letter—the five original crime families can never fraternize.
But rules were meant to be broken. When Vittoria receives the news that would turn her life upside down, she decides to send it all to hell and claim the Lion for herself.
Excerpt:
I was still basking in Dad’s compliment when a dark suit by the entrance caught my attention. The moment I turned, the world around me froze, sending my heart into overdrive. I stood a little straighter as my gaze followed Don Valentino, the Lion, stride across the lobby to meet my brother and his friend.
The dark three-piece suit made his blond hair stand out. He’d cut it since the last time I saw him. But it was still long enough to frame his straight nose, chiseled jaw, and bright blue eyes to perfection. The man oozed confidence and danger. It was a sort of magnetism that was so hard to resist. More than that, I was addicted to his energy and the way I felt so alive when he was near.
Giovanni Valentino was more than a childhood crush. In all the years we were in school together, he was my friend—until junior year when he decided we couldn’t hang out anymore. That was almost nine years ago. Truth be told, I never got over him. And it hurt to see how he couldn’t even look at me. Every time we happened to be in the same space, he would look right through me. Sometimes I wondered if he even remembered we were friends once.
These days, he was more than out of my league. He was the new Don Valentino. His ascension was confirmed six months ago, hours after his father passed away. Now he was in search of a wife as all Dons were required to have. Problem was, other than the fact that he seemed to have forgotten I existed, he couldn’t choose me. Marriage between the five original families was forbidden by the Society by-laws.
I found most of our by-laws to be bullshit. Though I had to admit, most of them were meant to ensure the longevity of our secret enclave, and by extension, our family. It all boiled down to one infallible fact— I couldn’t have the one thing I wanted. The Lion would never be mine.
Like a good girl, I stood there and watched Giovanni exchange pleasantries with my brother and his friend. When he turned to face us, his gaze brushed right over me and landed on Dad’s form.
“Don Salvatore.” He offered Dad a curt smile before shaking his hand. “I was told I could find you here.”
“And so you have. You remember my daughter.” Dad gestured toward me.
“Yes, I believe we’ve met.” His deep voice shattered something inside my chest.
Really? We went to the same school for twelve fucking years. “Briefly.” I nodded, doing my best impression of his curt smile. “Giovanni, is it?”
“Nice to see you again, Vittoria.”
My name on his lips sounded like a forgotten promise. I sucked in a quiet breath. Somehow, my hand met his as his intense blue gaze met mine. Why was I touching him? And why couldn’t I stop staring at him? My heart pumped so hard, I was sure Dad could hear it. The thumping in my chest went on for a very long minute before I realized I had to break the connection. I had to stop imagining things that weren’t there. Things I couldn’t have.
“You too.” I yanked my arm away, furrowing my brows at him.
His gaze cut to Dad as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn’t just stared into my soul. “Don Salvatore, I’d like a word.”
“I figured you might.” Dad crossed his arms over his chest.
He looked so menacing when he did that, but Giovanni didn’t seem to notice. “It’s been six months since my father was murdered. How is it possible that his killer is still at large?”
“We’ll catch the bastard. You have my word.”
“I’ve decided to lead the investigation myself.” Giovanni stuffed his hands in the pockets of his trousers. “I’m relieving you of your position. Effective immediately.”
Dad turned a few shades of purple. For one, because he wasn’t used to people talking to him in this manner. Giovanni might be a Don, but he was still in his mid-twenties. Dad had more than age on his side, he had connections and power. As he’d said once, ‘stepping into the shoes of a Don didn’t make you a Don. You had to earn that privilege.’
Giovanni had a long way to go. Though he didn’t seem to think so as he stared my father down. “I have put together a group of men I trust. They will investigate and report directly to me.”
Dad’s jaw clenched. “Are you accusing me of something, boy?”
“Not yet.” Giovanni rubbed the stubble on his cheek.
My gaze darted between the two men. Before my brain could fully piece together a sentence, my lips were already moving. “You have some nerve. Dad only stepped in to lead the investigation to help you. Wearing your father’s ring doesn’t make you a Don.” I pointed at his ring with his family crest on it. The lion head carved on the onyx stone stood out to me. “How dare you!”
*****
continue reading HEARTLESS VOW in FIGHT LIKE A GIRL!