Thank you for joining me for an exclusive excerpt for the Black Collar Queen Blog Tour. I am excited to share this series with you as well as an awesome giveaway! Black Collar Queen is the second full length books in the Black Collar Syndicate series by An Latro and I am really excited to delve back into this dark world Seth and Emma are trying to survive in. Every book is full of twists and turns and I have no doubt this will be the same.
Excerpt:
He
smiles, small and knowing, almost sympathetic for her sudden
nervousness. He waits long enough for her to notice his lips, then
says, “You tell him Seth Morgan is here to see him. I promise he'll
respond.”
Then
he pulls back, and smooths his gray suit coat. For good measure, he
flashes a darker smirk at her. She flushes, even through her make up,
and all but scrambles for her phone. In moments, she's speaking into
the receiver in a tone so hushed Seth can't quite make out what she
says. He doesn't need to know, or tells himself he doesn't as he
forces himself not to do a quick survey of his surroundings. He can't
afford to look as nervous as he is, so he keeps his eyes on the
receptionist, which makes her fidget. At length, she hangs up and
says, “Mr. Oliver will see you now. The elevator is through that
door over there, and his office is on the third floor.”
A
real smile claims Seth's lips, and he nods. “Thanks so much,” he
says with a wink. She releases a tiny gasp as he turns away toward
the elevator.
He
spends the ride to the third floor forcing himself to be absolutely
still, so that when he steps off the elevator, and comes face-to-face
with security, he doesn't even flinch. He gives the two beefsteaks a
cordial nod, and stops.
One
of the guards says, “Excuse me sir, we're gonna need to see the
contents of your pocket, and run a wand on you.”
“Of
course,” he says with a hint of smile. He shows them his wallet,
keys, and phone, and lifts his arm so they can run the handheld metal
detector over him. They seem almost wary when the thing doesn't make
a sound.
“Have
a good day, sir,” says the guard, and Seth straightens his jacket
as he passes them by. He won't let himself think on the few steps to
the office door, and instead feels himself slip into instinct. The
situation is not so unfamiliar, just the force with which he's
dealing. The door handle is so cold when he turns it.
The
office is expectedly huge, done in dark hardwood, and hosting not
only Remi's big desk, but a couch, love seat, and coffee table.
In-set bookshelves make up the wall behind the desk, and a minibar
sits close to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Remi is sitting behind
his desk, with a phone crooked between his face and shoulder when
Seth enters, and Oliver is setting aside some papers into his
briefcase. “I'm sorry for the short notice,” says Remi, pointedly
watching Seth cross the space to stand in front of him. He says,
“Yes, it's unavoidable. Yes, goodbye.”
Remi
stands quickly, but for a long time, they only stare at each other.
Seth is careful to make no sudden movements with his hands that could
be misunderstood. He chooses to focus on that, rather than the
searing rage that surges through him at the sight of his dead lover's
father; also the foreign king who was in on the plot to usurp Seth
and his brother. The look on Remi's face isn't quite surprise, but
it's certainly one of quick calculation. Seth must keep in mind that
though Remi is a mystery to him, Remi is also the enemy who knows him
best – the old him. And so he can't let himself be that child. The
Seth Morgan who watched most of his immediate family take bullets
that killed them, the one who delivered some of those bullets
himself—— Remi doesn't know that Seth at all. With the grace of
saints he can't believe in, he reaches an open hand to his enemy.
Several
seconds later, Remi accepts the gesture, shakes Seth's hand with a
steady grip. Not too hard, Seth notes. He says, “I'm here to ask
for a momentary ceasefire. I come to you unarmed. Will you talk to
me?”
Remi's
eyes are so dark as he searches Seth's face for any twitch of
expression. Finding none, Remi's shoulders ease the slightest bit,
and he says, “I will do that for you. Have a seat, Seth.”
The
clattering in Seth's chest quiets a fraction, and he unbuttons his
jacket as he sits. Remi strolls to the minibar, no doubt vying for
time and presence. Seth follows his progress with his eyes. Remi
asks, “Would you like some scotch?”
Caleb's
favorite. Seth doesn't allow the wince he feels. He says, “No,
thank you.”
About Black Collar Queen:
Claiming the Morgan Syndicate was supposed to be the hardest part—but now they have to keep it.
Seth Morgan has taken his place as the head of the Morgan syndicate, with his cousin Emma by his side. But the change of regime came at a heavy price: Emma’s mother is missing, and the Oliver syndicate wants Emma’s head on a platter.
And there are secrets—skeletons from their parents coming to haunt them. Seth is moving pieces, struggling to keep Emma safe and peace in the city while Emma alienates her lover and grapples with her past.
With threats on every side, and unable to trust their allies, Emma makes a misstep that could cost more than the syndicate is willing to pay: the life of it’s young queen.
I loathe writing bios. So let’s play a game. One of these three are true… AN Latro lives in Ireland with her dog and cat and an over abundance of books. She loves solitude and boy bands, and hearing from readers. AN Latro lives in Florida, where the ocean is her favorite muse. She enjoys wine and tequila, and old movies about the mafia. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and Twitter. AN Latro is the pen name of two friends. They love hearing from readers, and are usually getting into trouble with new ideas for the syndicate.
Enter AN's giveaway!
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