Have You Been Betrayed? TRUST NO ONE

Diana’s note: This is a repost. Since GoDaddy got rid of my old blog, I am reposting a few blog posts I want readers to be able to access. Thank you.

Betrayal is the reason I wrote my newest romantic suspense release and RWA® Golden Heart® final TRUST NO ONE (Vista Security book 1).  There was a time of darkness in my life where everywhere I turned, I found that all I’d believed had been nothing more than lies from others seeking to manipulate me. I’d been betrayed.

The pain from that knocked me from the land of the living for much too long, and I became a hermit. I even quit writing. It took determination and a concentrated effort to pull myself back together. Yes, maybe counseling would have helped, but for a while, I didn’t have the energy or ability to even consider finding a counselor.

Unfortunately, it seems betrayal and deception are more common than any of us would like to admit. Especially if we consider ourselves intelligent. I mean, c’mon, an intelligent person can’t be suckered right?

Eventually, it was writing that helped me find my way back. I’d worked too many years to give up the dream forever. And I’d always joked that writing is cheaper than therapy. (Yeah, if you’re a writer, you do it, too, right? And if you’re not a writer, well, most of us just march a little differently.)

Determination fueling me, I was ready. A page a day. I could do it! But what to write?

I had the idea for a rogue female agent at least ten years earlier, but I never knew what to do with her. At that time, kick-butt heroines and anti-heroes were not all that common. After having been betrayed, the urge to ‘off’ a few people myself rather took me by surprise. That urge led me to ask what motivated this rogue agent who appeared to be randomly killing old men. As I knew she’d once been a good operative, there had to be something to set her on her murderous quest.

And a bigger question? Who could stop her? What about her sister who was also an operative? Could she stop the rogue agent aka sibling? And what if betrayal played a role in both their lives? Would they join forces? Kill each other? What happens when a male operative…and a baby is added to the mix?

I hope you’ll read TRUST NO ONE and find out! And for fans of THE GOOD DAUGHTER (Vista Security prequel) Dave Armstrong makes a cameo appearance in TRUST NO ONE and he and Marisa will both have big roles in my Vista Security book 2, EDGE OF TRUST.

EXCERPT:

Ben turned and strode deliberately from the small kitchen, but paused at the sight of MJ returning to the living room carrying Angelina, now well-scrubbed and shiny with no traces of food from her dinner. A book in one hand, MJ settled into the rocking chair, the little girl tucked into her lap.

The picture of mother and child brought vivid memories sharply into focus. The woman he’d married, rocking her son.

Ben gripped the edge of doorway separating the kitchen and dining/living area, the tips of his fingers going white from the pressure. From long practice, he shut down those images. And wanted a drink more than ever.

Breathe. “Do you have cable?” he asked when he found his voice.

She nodded as she opened the first page of the book.

“Mind if I watch the news?”

“Just keep the sound down,” she said. She listed the news channels for him, and turned her attention back to the story.

Seated on the sofa, Ben listened to the latest national news while keeping half an ear to the fairy tale MJ read.

“Once upon a time a king and queen wished for a child. Their wishes were answered when they had a beautiful baby girl. Just like you,” MJ said, then there was sound of a kiss and a giggle.

Ben dragged his attention away from the story and flipped the channel. O’Reilly was interviewing someone about the ability to rehabilitate sex offenders. Ben kept his attention focused on the interview, until the end of the fairytale, when MJ offered a critique of the story.

“. . .and they were married and lived happily-ever-after. But you see, my darling daughter, there are some basic problems with this story. If Aurora’s dear daddy the king had just taught her about spinning wheels, and that they were dangerous to her, he wouldn’t have had to worry. Because you know, no matter if he thought he’d destroyed all the spinning wheels the bad fairy is going to make sure one is there for Aurora to find.

“And then the poor girl falls asleep and has to depend on a man to rescue her. Whereas if she’d known better she could have missed the long nap and taken care of herself.”

Ben sat up straighter, ears tuned to MJ, any attempts to listen to national news abandoned. Obviously, MJ had forgotten his presence, but just a few simple words summarized a life philosophy and sent him a clear, strong message. MJ did things her own way and didn’t depend on others. Only reiterating what he’d seen with his own eyes.

“Bedtime, sweetie.” MJ headed toward the bedroom with the sleepy little girl, singing, “I love you, you love me…”

The melody sounded familiar to Ben but he didn’t recognize the words. And now, he’d never have a need to know. A few minutes later he heard another kiss and a ‘Nite, darling, I love you,’ then MJ came back into the living room.

“So bath, story, song, tuck into bed. You’re quite into the cozy family routine.”

“I like it,” she said, walking past him and disappearing into the kitchen. “Where’d you put the pie?”

“Fridge. Middle shelf, left side.” He heard her open the refrigerator door. “Because you didn’t have it? The family routine?”

“I had it. Until I was nine. Want your pie?”

“Definitely.” The sound of an opening drawer and the clank of dishes told him she was transferring the pie pieces out of the box to plates.

“Tea? Or milk?”

“Tea’s fine.” And bourbon would be better. “So you’re trying to recreate your childhood?”

“Doesn’t everyone?” She came back into the living room, hands loaded with dessert plates balanced on top of the tea glasses.

He took a glass and a plate, eyeing the chocolate pie with meringue piled high enough to rival his mom’s. “Depends upon the childhood, I suppose.”

“Mine was worth recreating.”

“And yet you’d teach Sleeping Beauty to empower herself?”

“Only sensible thing to do these days.”

He pushed her, curious how deep her wounds were. Were they as deep as his, or had she found some trick to healing he missed?

“If Sleeping Beauty can take care of herself, then who would the Prince Phillip have to rescue?”

MJ stopped mid-bite and gave him a look that said she was surprised—or impressed—he’d been paying attention enough to remember the hero’s name. She chewed and swallowed then answered. “Prince Phillip is fictional. In real life, there are no princes.”

Wounds still pretty deep. “Maybe there are some men who would like to be a woman’s prince.”

“Yeah, right, they’d like to be only as long as it takes to get into Sleeping Beauty’s pink panties.”

The words barely left her mouth when she grimaced. She shoved another huge piece of pie into her mouth.

“The story of your life?” He took a smaller, more manageable bite. Almost as good as mom’s too, he conceded.

She pointed her fork at him, speaking around a mouthful of chocolate pie. “Can the shrink stuff. I don’t need analyzing.”

“Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With thorns so–”

“What the hell?”

“Hush, I’m creating here.”

“Creating what?”

“A nursery rhyme, keeping with the spirit of the evening.”

She frowned. “No one calls me Mar–”

“Shh. I think I have the ending. With thorns so sharp—that’s a play on your last name as well, Thornberg, get it?” Not letting her make a comment on his brilliance, which from the look in her eye wouldn’t be anything positive, he continued, “With thorns so sharp, they’ll pierce your heart and blood flows from the hole.” He smiled, knowing she’d like to pierce him with more than thorns.

“Cute,” she said in a tone that conveyed the opposite.

“I thought so. And quite accurate. You are quite thorny.”

“Only with people who barge in and bug me. And as for your attempt at being creative—call me Mary again and I’ll cut out your tongue.”

He ignored her tone and grinned. “But the name works so well with the rhyme.”

“I am so not amused.”

He pulled in his smile. “I didn’t think you would be. So let’s move to the reason I came. Tasha.”

***

What do you think? Are sparks going to fly between these two?

Also, be sure to check out my post about TRUST NO ONE: Two Bada$$ Women Taking on the Bad Guys to read a different excerpt with MJ and Tasha.

TRUST NO ONE (Vista Security book 1) Available Now! To keep up with my releases and writing news please subscribe to this blog, or sign up for my NEWSLETTER. Thanks!