Ruin
by L.M. Pruitt
Release Date: May 31st
2017
I
can resist everything except temptation—Oscar Wilde
But what happens when temptation is
everywhere?
Cam is tempting to me toward the darkness.
Barry is tempting me toward the light.
And I want them both. I want it all.
Temptation will be my salvation. Or my ruin.
“Is it done?” Cam strapped the
saddle bags he’d somehow managed to stuff all my clothes in to the little
bike—not quite a motorcycle but bigger and less dorky than a scooter. When I
didn’t answer right away, he stepped over to me, grabbing my face in his hands
and squeezing. “Coniglietto. Is it
done? Did you take care of her?”
“Yes.”
Even to my own ears my voice sounded dull and lifeless. Considering the fact I
felt high as fucking kite, I could only assume it was shock. “I took care of
her.”
Not
in the way he meant, not exactly, but I’d taken care of her the best way I knew
how.
I’d
done a lot of horrible things, on purpose and accident, and I had no doubt I
would do more horrible things still. But I’d be damned even more than I already
was before I actually killed my sister.
“Good
girl.” Cam pressed a quick, hard kiss to my forehead before steering me toward
the bike. “I have little doubt the archangels will be here soon—so we shouldn’t
be.”
“Where
are we going?” It didn’t matter. I had, for all intents and purposes, hooked my
wagon to his. If anyone threw doubt on my commitment to the so-called cause,
all Cam would have to do was point out what I’d done to Joanne. Sure, there
might be trouble when it came out she wasn’t actually dead but it could all be explained away as yet another
newbie mistake.
After
all, they taught us how to not kill
people. Not the opposite.
“I’m
thinking Prague.” He settled himself on the bike, gesturing for me to do the
same. He handed me a helmet, his lips curving upward when I stared at it blankly.
“Safety, little rabbit. And a disguise. It’s safer for us to blend in at the
moment.”
“Right.”
My hands felt thick and clumsy as I struggled to strap on the protective
headgear and I cursed under my breath when Cam finally took pity on me and did
it himself. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Change
is hard, little rabbit.” He brushed his lips over mine before flicking the tip
of my nose. “Now, let’s go take over the world, hmm?”
Finding Your Happy Place
Let’s
get real for a moment—sometimes, the world sucks.
Shocking,
I know.
Sometimes
the world sucks and things are definitely not pretty and you’re just tired of…
well, everything. And it’s totally okay to wallow in those moments. It gets
exhausting always being “on”, even more so if you’re introverted or have social
anxiety or just don’t like people. Still, there comes a point when you need to
go back out and face the world. It’s always easier when you have a few things
to keep you happy.
For me,
those things are red lipstick, Chinese food, and romantic comedies.
Actually,
looking at that list it seems as if I’m setting myself up to star as the
heroine in a romantic comedy. I’m really more of the quirky sidekick but that’s
a nice segue in to my first point. There’s something about watching romantic
comedies which helps lift me out of a funk. It’s not foolproof and it has to be
the right kind of comedy but it’s hard to stay completely sad when you’re
watching Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey banter back and forth for ninety
odd minutes.
Next on
the list is Chinese food. I have no shame in saying one of my favorite places
to eat is local buffet which serves what most people would consider
Americanized Chinese food. I don’t care. They always have green beans and
spring rolls and cookies and cream ice cream. It’s simple and simplistic and
makes me happy after a long shift at the day job.
Finally,
red lipstick. To be fair, I’m one of those people who tend to be in a better
mood simply by putting makeup on, even if it’s only mascara and powder. But
there’s something about red lipstick specifically which makes me feel as if I
can take on the world and win. Maybe it’s the fact that red is associated with
power or maybe it’s the fact I look good in red lipstick. Whatever the reason,
it gives me that extra boost of oomph to get out there and conquer everything
and everyone.
Happy
place things are important, even if it’s something as simple as red lipstick.
We can all use a bit more happy in the world these days.
Author Info
L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice. She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.
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