Let It Go - Mercy Celeste [Sept. 24]

[Georgia Woods]

Soon to be released - a new LSB romance book

Let It Go

by: Mercy Celeste

ISBN: 978-1-59578-975-4.

Unedited Excerpt:

Eli had a temper. Creed seemed to be the main focus of that temper. For ten years the two of them left a trail of destruction in their wake. Rodeo, beer, and fists was all they had in common. Until the judge in Eli’s hometown had enough and sentenced them to house arrest. In the same house. They’d learn to get along or they’d kill each other. Either way it was a win for the tax payers.

Trapped alone on Eli’s rundown Florida ranch, Creed discovered Eli’s secret, one that he shared. But he didn’t count on Eli learning all of his secrets, especially the one that would shatter their newfound truce.

Scarred to his bones, Eli avoided relationships like the plague. But there was always something about the quiet Creed that pushed his buttons. Falling in love with him was never part of Eli’s plan. When it happens he’s unprepared and out of his league.

But when a shared enemy comes calling Eli can only think of keeping Creed safe. He never dreamed that their lives were linked or that Creed’s former life could destroy them both. Will love be enough to save them both or will they return to their bitter rivalry?

[Georgia Woods]

Unedited Excerpt:

The deputy’s cruiser bounced over ruts in a dry dirt road jostling Creed into Eli as they sat side by side in the back. In the back of a damned—Creed sighed. He’d never been in trouble with the law except when Eli was present. And never had he spent the night in jail with the man. And now, holy shit this was just too much. Ordered to work out at Eli’s ranch. Eli had a ranch? How in the hell…never mind, he didn’t want to know. He leaned his head back against the seat, resisting the urge to turn to see if Sly was still behind them. He breathed in deeply and almost gagged. The overwhelming odor of beer and puke filled his nose.

Heat wafted off Eli, his arm nearly burning him as they touched. Eli’s eyes were closed. His head bobbed with each rut. Creed decided that the deputy was hitting all of them hard and fast on purpose. Good. As long as Eli didn’t puke again, he amended.

“Mason. Dickson.” Eli suddenly laughed out loud next to Creed. The sound rich, almost sensuous. Nothing like the laughs he’d heard from the man at any other meeting in their ten year rivalry. “Hilarious. I get it.”

“Moron,” Creed whispered covering his eyes with his hand and shaking his head.

“Awe, you’re just pissed you’re going to be sleeping in my barn until you have to go to prison. Shoulda just pled guilty and paid the damned fine and you’d be on your way to Texas with your grandpa.” Eli never opened his eyes, but he did smile. Again the word sensuous swirled in Creed’s brain and he willed himself to look out the window at the flat green expanse of land passing by.

“He’s not my grandfather.” Creed never could explain what Sly was to him, not an employee, he’d once been his father’s employee, now, Creed suspected Sly just stayed out of loyalty to his father.

“Sugar daddy then. Oooh, honey, you have poor taste in men,” Eli twittered in a high pitched voice.

“If I murder you right now it would be worth it,” Creed hissed under his breath.

“I won’t say a thing.” Creed heard from the front of the cruiser. “Prick needs killing.”

“Fuck you very much, Randy,” Eli laughed that same sensuous laugh. “Should have done that when you had the chance.”

“I have no idea what you’re insinuating, Eli,” the deputy said in a strained voice from the front.

“Good to know Eli has a long list of enemies lined up, it’ll make it so much easier,” Creed said a bubble of something unfurling in his chest. The deputy laughing released that something inside him and he laughed too, for the first time in longer than he could remember. It came out as a snort.

“Man, I hope the dash cam or something is on and this recorded so that when I come up dead they know who did it.” Eli still didn’t open his eyes but he did smile. “Randy be careful up ahead, there’s a washed out spot off to the right. Might want to do something to let gramps know so he doesn’t rattle the horses too much.”

“Got it covered,” the deputy said slowing and moving over. Creed watched him turn on the roof lights and wait a bit before easing past the deep rut in the road. “He’s going to have to drive on the grass but he’ll make it. Why don’t you get that fixed before someone ends up killed or something?”

“County road. And anyway who says I haven’t tried. I fill it with gravel every fall and try to shore it up so it won’t wash out but until the county gets out here and does something more permanent it’s going to keep washing out.” Eli became serious in a way Creed had never seen him though he still lay sprawled in the seat with his eyes closed.
“Talk to Judge Dickhead, get him to do something. He lives out here too.”

“Judge Buchanan you asshole,” the deputy sighed. “One day, Eli, you’re going to push him too far and he’s going to lock you up for real.”

“And one day he’ll kiss my lily white ass and pink and green kittens will burst forth, with wings,” Eli laughed and sat up just as they turned onto a paved drive that lead up to a low flat ranch style house baking in the Florida sun. Spread out behind it were several buildings including a horse stable. “Welcome to Casa del Mason…such as it is.”

“This is yours?” Creed waited for the deputy to spring them from the back of the cruiser. He watched as Sly pulled the dually past the cruiser toward the stables. “What do you run?”

“Couple hundred head of beef cattle, there were more when my dad was alive. I’m just not that into the whole ranch thing. I breed and sell the calves for cash, that’s about as busy as it gets around here anymore.” Eli climbed out first stretching his stocky torso as he went. He looked tired, angry, Creed thought as he caught a glimpse of the man’s eyes before Eli headed over to help with the horse trailer.

“This used to be a showplace. Back when his parents were alive.” The deputy walked beside Creed to the stable where Sly was carefully backing the trailer inside with Eli’s direction. “His uncle took him away and let the place go. Don’t let him fool you about the cattle; he spent a few years buying stock to replace what his uncle sold off.”

“I thought you had it in for Eli, listening to you talk to him,” Creed couldn’t help noticing the change in tone now that Eli wasn’t around.

“He was my best friend when we were kids. When he came back he was changed. You know him better than I do,” the deputy said with a shrug.

“All I know about Eli is that he, likes to drink, loves to start shit, and doesn’t like to lose,” Creed replied wondering if maybe the deputy was putting him on. Someone couldn’t change that much could they?

“And that’s more than I know now. Listen, Dickson, just try to stay away from him as best as you can. This little experiment probably won’t last more than a few days before the judge lets him off the hook and drops the charges. Happens too often. Sorry you got caught in the middle this time.” The deputy slapped him on his shoulder in way of apology but Creed was busy running everything that had happened this morning through his mind. Too much didn’t add up and all of it sure as hell didn’t sit right with him.

“What’s the deal with him and the judge anyway?” He really didn’t expect the deputy to answer and the one he got nearly floored him.

“Judge Buchanan is Eli’s Godfather.” The deputy gave him a curious look as if he should have known that. How the hell was he supposed to know anything about Eli Mason?
Besides what his fist felt like upside his head, he knew nothing and cared even less.

“Whoa, big fella.” Creed heard the familiar hated voice from across the yard, there was a hint of panic in his words. He raced to catch up before Eli could do something stupid like spook the hell out his horse. “Creed, man, come help with your horse, before he kicks the shit out of me.”

“Get the hell out of the way, Eli, don’t you know better than to…never mind, it’s good that you switched to bulls.” Creed elbowed his way past the shorter man, his hand on the hind quarter of the startled animal. “Whoa, boy, whoa, it’s okay, shhh, shhh…” he moved slowly to Kipper’s head and brushed his muzzle speaking softly. “Come on boy, we’re going to be staying here for a little while. You’ll like it. Lots of green pasture to run in. Looks like a couple of fillies out there. We’re taking a break. Gonna rest up for the big game. Yeah, that’s my boy. Shh…” he walked him backward out of the trailer, the horse’s ear flicking as he listened, his soft breath flared over Creed’s hand as he whuffled once he was on the ground. “Yeah, that’s my boy. You smell the girls, huh, or the grass, yeah, smells sweet here. You want to go run? Yeah. Me too.” The horse snuffled again, his huge brown eyes rolled back a little before he settled down.

“Well, goddamn, a fucking horse whisperer,” Eli snorted in amusement as he watched Creed with every step he made. His cold brown eyes rolled almost like the horses, but out of pure meanness instead of fear.

“Where do you want me to put him?” Creed hooked the lead to Kipper’s halter and started to walk him into the stable if that’s where Eli wanted him. The fillies in the pasture were hanging over the fence watching now that they smelled the new horse flesh.

“Is he gelded?” Eli looked at the skittish horse and back to Creed just as Sly came up carrying Creed’s saddle and the bag that held Kipper’s tack. Creed nodded. “Put him in the pasture, let him run it off. Gear in the barn. Anyone else coming out of there.” He nodded to the other two horses still in the trailer.

“No,” Creed said. He looked sadly at the animals he’d cared for these past few months, but they weren’t his. Sly would take care of them now. “They’re heading to Texas.”

Eli nodded looking over to Sly. “Are you in a hurry to head out? The least I can do is offer you some breakfast or something after the delay I caused. You can let the horses out for a while.”

“I appreciate it, son, but the rest of the guys are waiting to get moving. I’m gonna say so long to my boy here and get on my way.” Sly sounded tired. Old and tired. Eli nodded and took the saddle and tack and left them standing beside the trailer. The deputy followed taking Kipper’s lead and walking him into the stable.

“This is bullshit, Sly, what girl?” Creed said the moment they were alone, he ran his hand through his hair trying to remember. “I don’t remember any damned girl.”

“She stepped between you and Eli before he threw the first punch, you tried to move her out of the way. You don’t remember that?” Sly half laughed as he walked back toward the truck where he’d stashed Creed’s bags. “What the hell were you looking at not to see a whole person?”

“A pair of mean sumbitch eyes. Why don’t I ever remember he’s left handed? And mean as hell when he’s drunk. If he kills me, take care of Kip okay, he’s all I have left.” Creed took his beat up hat and placed it on his head. His bags sat on the ground beside him. “Want me to check on the others before you head out?”

“The boys took care of them while I was at the court house; they’ve only been in the trailer for about an hour, so they’re fine. It’s gonna be okay, Creed, maybe Red did you a favor.” Sly took a deep breath. He held up a hand to cut off whatever protest Creed was about to spout, not that he could find one. “I’ve been watching you, son, you’re burnt out. You weren’t meant for this life. Maybe, just maybe this will give you some time to figure out the life you want instead of following the road your daddy paved.”

“I have a GPS monitor on my ankle and a felony case pending, how is this supposed to give me time to figure anything out. I could end up in prison for something stupid. And that judge, he’s Eli’s damned godfather. What the hell, Sly? I don’t have any money to hire a lawyer. All I have is a horse and a belt buckle.”

Sly wrapped his arm around Creed’s neck startling him so much he stopped talking and returned the hug.

“It’s going to be fine, Creed, I talked to the judge before the arraignment. He knows your situation, at least some of it. If it comes down to it, he’ll appoint you a good lawyer. Or you can do what Red told you to do. Plead guilty. Pay the fines—“

“And have a record the rest of my life. How exactly is that the smart thing to do?” Creed had absolutely no idea how he’d earned this life. Shit life, shit happens, always to him.

“Record of a misdemeanor or prison for nothing. Lesser of two evils, son. With any luck this won’t matter in a few weeks. Give me a call on the cell later tonight with a number I can reach you at. And Creed, don’t kill him, he might deserve it but try to resist the urge.” Sly hugged him again and with one last check of the truck he climbed inside. “Close up the back will you. I’ve got a lot of road to travel today.”

“Be careful old man,” Creed called out with a wave after he secured the back of the trailer and then he was standing in the middle of fucking Florida looking out over acres of green fields without actually seeing a thing.

[Georgia Woods]

Beautiful new cover art. Woo-hoo!

[Rachel Fox]

Very nice cover. Who did it?

Rachel

[Georgia Woods]

April did this sexy cover... :-)

[Mercy Celeste]

Ooh, so shiny. April Martinez did this cover. My third one by her. And all three gorgeous.

[Rosanna Leo]

Two hunka hunks of burning love!

[kazzak]

April Martinez does beautiful covers. Looking forward to this release.

[Rachel Fox]

Happy Release Day, Mercy!

Rachel