Wednesday, June 25, 2014

The Request by Marquita Valentine ~ Release Day




It’s release day! We’re happy to be hosting the SECOND part of the excerpt chain! Please be sure to check the excerpt chain schedule below.


Series: The Request #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 6/25/14


Roman Smith ~ Shopkeeper by day. Assassin by night.

The undercover Russian contract killer has never turned down an assignment that rids the world of scum. But this … request is the first time his conscience gets the best of him.
Only, he has a good reason—Everly Andrews, the woman who saved him from dying and has no clue who or what he really is. There’s nothing Roman won’t do to keep Everly in the dark, even if it means losing her in the process.

This is a three-part series, releasing every month, perfect for the summer!
Part One: The Request – Releases June 25, 2014
Part Two: The Deception – Releases July 30, 2014
Part Three: The Confession – Releases August 27, 2014


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EXCERPT


I lay on my side, panting heavily, and trying to manage the pain as he strides to me. Petrov mutters a curse and kicks me in the ribs.
“I ought to gut you like the pig you are,” he says, pulling the razor from his face. He throws it at me, and it plunges in my hip.
“Fuck,” I growl. My leg throbs. If I don’t get help soon, I’ll bleed out. That is, unless Petrov decides to shoot me once in the heart and three times in the back of the head. It’s his signature. Then again, that might work against him.
“Do it,” I taunt. “Show the world who killed me.”
He shakes his head. “You can bleed. No one will come for you, or me.” Then he stalks out of my bookstore, leaving me lying on the floor.
I yank the razor from my thigh and yell out another curse. Damn Petrov’s family, my family, and the fucking Bratva.
Waves of darkness wash over me, and I pass out.
In what seems like seconds later, I wake up, gasping for air. I blame my comfortable life here for passing out. In the past, two gunshot wounds wouldn’t have stopped me, and Petrov would have never left my store on his own two legs.
The bells ring again. “Come to finish me off, you bastard?”
“Roman? Is that you?” a familiar voice asks. “I left my coat.”
“Everly,” I croak.
Suddenly, she’s by my side, her fingers on my face. At least I won’t die before knowing how soft her skin is, or how tenderly she strokes me.
 “Oh my God. Who shot you?” she cries, shifting to cradle my head in her lap. I hear a thunk. “Let me call 9-1-1.”
“Your dress,” I manage to say.
“Don’t worry about the blood—you’re more important.”
I smile against the pain. “No. Tear it into strips. I might need a tourniquet. He shot me in the leg… and shoulder.” I cough, air rattling in my chest.
I hear fabric tearing even as she gives information to the emergency services worker. The phone drops to the floor, narrowly missing my head.
“Where should I tie it?” she asks. As she leans over me like this, her breasts are directly above me. God, I’m dying, yet the thought of kissing her there is driving me mad. Or maybe it’s a sign I won’t die. She presses down on my wound and I groan, forgetting all about her delectable breasts.
Immediately, the pain lessons. “Sorry, sorry. In the movies and books, they always try to stop the bleeding like this,” she whimpers
“Cut my trouser open and help elevate my leg.”
“At the same time?” she asks, voice trembling as she sits back. Once again, her hands go to my face, stroking my cheek. She leans over me. This close, I can see the fullness of her lips, the smoothness of her skin, and the concern in her gaze.
“No, love. Check the wounds to see if the bullet went all the way through or not.”
“O—okay.” Gingerly, she moves away from me, careful to place my head on the hardwood floor. I watch as she grabs a pair of scissors from her purse. “I knew these would come in handy one day.”
Quickly, she cuts my pant leg off. In the background, I’m dimly aware the emergency operator is still on the line. “Well?”
“I can’t… Oh God, Roman, I have to pick up your leg to see.”
“Don’t move him,” the operator shouts.
Everly’s gaze flies to mine. She licks her lips, clearly torn between a professional and me, the reserved shopkeeper. “What do you want me to do?” she asks softly.
“Check, please, I’ll help you.” Gritting my teeth, I lift my leg and break out into a cold sweat. “Hurry, darling.”
“There’s a hole in the back, but it’s small,” she says, and I prop my foot on the shelf in front of me.
“Good, now help me up.”
Sirens blare.
Everly looks over her shoulder. “They’re here. Thank God. They’re here, Roman.”
“Thank you,” I breathe, letting the darkness take me once more. Even if I never wake up again, this heaven I’m experiencing right now is worth it.

Excerpt Chain Part One

Excerpt Chain Part Two
Excerpt Chain Part Three

Excerpt Chain Part Four


Giveaway
5- The Request, Part One (ebooks)

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About Marquita Valentine
New York Times Bestselling Author, Marquita Valentine, writes sexy heroes that make you swoon and sassy heroines that make you laugh. She’s the author of the bestselling contemporary romance series, Holland Springs, and the new adult romance series, Boys of the South.

 Marquita met her husband aka Hot Builder at Sonic when they were in high school. She suggests this location to all of her single friends in search of a good man—and if that doesn't work, they can console themselves with cheesy tatertots. She lives in North Carolina in a very, very small town with Hot Builder and their two children.




  

3 comments:

  1. Yay! Thanks for sharing, pal!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks good! I need to read a book by Marquita Valentine. I know how much Andrea loves her!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This was different, but good.

    ReplyDelete