Last day to enter the Fallen Raven Giveaway
Check out my GoodReads Giveaways. Fallen Raven ends today. You still have 15hrs!
(spoiler alert: If you haven't read Fallen Raven Book One, skip this excerpt.
August is my birthday month! To celebrate, I wanted to share a scene from Fallen Raven 2.
One of my favorite tropes in books is big alpha males vs kids. I think how guys behave with children says everything about them. If you remember book one, Enzo's dad was very abusive. I wanted to write this scene because I was curious to see how Enzo, at 29 years old, would deal with a mouthy kid. He didn't disappoint, y'all.
If you've read Fallen Raven, Book One, you're probably thinking...but Diana, Enzo is 18!
Well, not anymore, he's all grown up now. 🤭
The caveat: this scene has not been edited at all, expect typos and a bit of a brain dump. Also, it may or may not make it on to the final book.
Fallen Raven, Book Two: Excerpt
“Is that a Ducati Streetfighter V2?”
The small, innocent voice registered in my head a second or two after I unholstered my gun and aimed at the boy’s face. His big blue eyes stared back at me, filled with confusion and fear.
“Jesus fucking Christ. Do you have a death wish, kid? Never sneak up on an adult like that. I could’ve killed you.”
“I could’ve killed you first.” He flashed me his pocket knife.
Well, fuck me. “How long have you been standing there?”
“I don’t know.”
“Get out of here, kid. Scram” I waved in dismissal. But then I realized that a snoopy kid like him might know something about the Pandemonium. “Wait.” I called after him. “Do you live around here?”
His gaze darted toward the bouncer across the way. “Yeah.”
“You know that guy?”
He shrugged. “I guess.”
“You guess?” I crossed my arms over my chest, looming over him.
His eyes went big again like saucers. He looked at me as if I were the biggest giant he’d ever seen. He swallowed, and I swore I could see the machinations working themselves out in his head.
“Two hundred dollars.” He fisted his hands and stuffed them in his sweatshirt. “And a ride on your motorcycle.”
“W-What?”
“You want information. That’s the price.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I moved my jacket to the side so he could see my gun. “How about I don’t kill you and you answer a few questions for me.”
The balls on this kid.
“But then you’ll have to find someone else to tell you about what goes on in there.” He pointed at the bouncer again. “And then you’ll have a lot of clean up to do. Aunt Sofia says that when you shoot a man in the head, his guts go everywhere. It’s a mess.”
“Your au—you know what? Never mind.” I released a breath. “You’re quite the entrepreneur, aren’t you?” I reached for my wallet.
“I don’t know what that is.” He shrugged.
My original plan had been to sit here and wait until Angelo showed his face. This kid might be able to give me valuable information. Yeah, there was a big chance he was playing me. He seemed like the type. He had street smarts. But the wariness in his eyes told me he knew something.
I fished my wallet out of the back pocket of my jeans, then took out two one-hundred dollar bills. His face lit up like a Christmas tree. When he reached for the money, I raised my hand to keep it out of reach.
“Do you know this guy? Have you seen him hanging around?” I showed him a picture on my phone. “His name is Angelo. But he might be going by a different name.”
He leaned in, furrowing his brows. I had no doubt this kid was mafia. Making someone think they were getting their money’s worth was an old con artist's trick.
“Nope. Never seen him around here. A lot of guys come through here. But not this one.”
“Right.” I let him have one of the bills. “So what kind of a hotel needs a bouncer guarding the back door?”
“Oh, that’s Danny. He’s here for the dancers.” He snatched the money from me and dropped it his hoodie behind his head.
“Is he keeping them safe? Or keeping them from leaving?” I asked.
His gaze snapped up to me. “Jesus fucking Christ. Are you a pig?”
“W-what? No.” I stepped closer to him. “I’m not a fucking cop. And watch your language.”
“Why? You said it before.”
I squinted at him. “Forget it. Tell me about Danny.”
“He beats the shit out of customers who get all creepy.” He shrugged. “He beats every one really.”
My chest tightened at the thought of that asshole hitting women. And possibly children too. I glanced down at the kid looking for bruises. “What’s your name, kid?”
“Leo,” he said automatically, then glanced up at me in surprise. “I mean. I don’t have a name.”
I chuckled. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. How old are you, Leo?”
“Ten.”
Jesus Christ. “Does your mom work here?”
“Um, yeah.” He nodded.
Liar.
I gave him the other bill. “I’ll be back tomorrow. If you see the guy I’m looking for.” I showed him Angelo’s picture again. “I need you to come find me. I’ll bring extra cash.”
His cheeks puffed up as he considered my offer. “Yeah, I can do that.” He made to leave.
I reached for his shoulder and stopped him. “Aren’t you a little too young to be going into places like that?”
“Aunt Sofia says, if you want to survive, you gotta grow up fast.” He gave me a dismissive shrug as if hanging out at a sex club wasn’t a big deal.
I let go of him, and he took off running.
Staying hidden behind the delivery truck, I watched him approach Danny, the bouncer. For no reason at all, the asshole gripped Leo by the collar of his T-Shirt and shook him. Then, he reached inside the front pocket of Leo's pants and took out the one-hundred dollar bill. Leo squirmed until Danny let him go, satisfied now that he’d taken Leo’s money. Well, half of his money.
Smart kid.
(spoiler alert: If you haven't read Fallen Raven Book One, skip this excerpt.
August is my birthday month! To celebrate, I wanted to share a scene from Fallen Raven 2.
One of my favorite tropes in books is big alpha males vs kids. I think how guys behave with children says everything about them. If you remember book one, Enzo's dad was very abusive. I wanted to write this scene because I was curious to see how Enzo, at 29 years old, would deal with a mouthy kid. He didn't disappoint, y'all.
If you've read Fallen Raven, Book One, you're probably thinking...but Diana, Enzo is 18!
Well, not anymore, he's all grown up now. 🤭
The caveat: this scene has not been edited at all, expect typos and a bit of a brain dump. Also, it may or may not make it on to the final book.
Fallen Raven, Book Two: Excerpt
“Is that a Ducati Streetfighter V2?”
The small, innocent voice registered in my head a second or two after I unholstered my gun and aimed at the boy’s face. His big blue eyes stared back at me, filled with confusion and fear.
“Jesus fucking Christ. Do you have a death wish, kid? Never sneak up on an adult like that. I could’ve killed you.”
“I could’ve killed you first.” He flashed me his pocket knife.
Well, fuck me. “How long have you been standing there?”
“I don’t know.”
“Get out of here, kid. Scram” I waved in dismissal. But then I realized that a snoopy kid like him might know something about the Pandemonium. “Wait.” I called after him. “Do you live around here?”
His gaze darted toward the bouncer across the way. “Yeah.”
“You know that guy?”
He shrugged. “I guess.”
“You guess?” I crossed my arms over my chest, looming over him.
His eyes went big again like saucers. He looked at me as if I were the biggest giant he’d ever seen. He swallowed, and I swore I could see the machinations working themselves out in his head.
“Two hundred dollars.” He fisted his hands and stuffed them in his sweatshirt. “And a ride on your motorcycle.”
“W-What?”
“You want information. That’s the price.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I moved my jacket to the side so he could see my gun. “How about I don’t kill you and you answer a few questions for me.”
The balls on this kid.
“But then you’ll have to find someone else to tell you about what goes on in there.” He pointed at the bouncer again. “And then you’ll have a lot of clean up to do. Aunt Sofia says that when you shoot a man in the head, his guts go everywhere. It’s a mess.”
“Your au—you know what? Never mind.” I released a breath. “You’re quite the entrepreneur, aren’t you?” I reached for my wallet.
“I don’t know what that is.” He shrugged.
My original plan had been to sit here and wait until Angelo showed his face. This kid might be able to give me valuable information. Yeah, there was a big chance he was playing me. He seemed like the type. He had street smarts. But the wariness in his eyes told me he knew something.
I fished my wallet out of the back pocket of my jeans, then took out two one-hundred dollar bills. His face lit up like a Christmas tree. When he reached for the money, I raised my hand to keep it out of reach.
“Do you know this guy? Have you seen him hanging around?” I showed him a picture on my phone. “His name is Angelo. But he might be going by a different name.”
He leaned in, furrowing his brows. I had no doubt this kid was mafia. Making someone think they were getting their money’s worth was an old con artist's trick.
“Nope. Never seen him around here. A lot of guys come through here. But not this one.”
“Right.” I let him have one of the bills. “So what kind of a hotel needs a bouncer guarding the back door?”
“Oh, that’s Danny. He’s here for the dancers.” He snatched the money from me and dropped it his hoodie behind his head.
“Is he keeping them safe? Or keeping them from leaving?” I asked.
His gaze snapped up to me. “Jesus fucking Christ. Are you a pig?”
“W-what? No.” I stepped closer to him. “I’m not a fucking cop. And watch your language.”
“Why? You said it before.”
I squinted at him. “Forget it. Tell me about Danny.”
“He beats the shit out of customers who get all creepy.” He shrugged. “He beats every one really.”
My chest tightened at the thought of that asshole hitting women. And possibly children too. I glanced down at the kid looking for bruises. “What’s your name, kid?”
“Leo,” he said automatically, then glanced up at me in surprise. “I mean. I don’t have a name.”
I chuckled. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. How old are you, Leo?”
“Ten.”
Jesus Christ. “Does your mom work here?”
“Um, yeah.” He nodded.
Liar.
I gave him the other bill. “I’ll be back tomorrow. If you see the guy I’m looking for.” I showed him Angelo’s picture again. “I need you to come find me. I’ll bring extra cash.”
His cheeks puffed up as he considered my offer. “Yeah, I can do that.” He made to leave.
I reached for his shoulder and stopped him. “Aren’t you a little too young to be going into places like that?”
“Aunt Sofia says, if you want to survive, you gotta grow up fast.” He gave me a dismissive shrug as if hanging out at a sex club wasn’t a big deal.
I let go of him, and he took off running.
Staying hidden behind the delivery truck, I watched him approach Danny, the bouncer. For no reason at all, the asshole gripped Leo by the collar of his T-Shirt and shook him. Then, he reached inside the front pocket of Leo's pants and took out the one-hundred dollar bill. Leo squirmed until Danny let him go, satisfied now that he’d taken Leo’s money. Well, half of his money.
Smart kid.