Season Vining is a brilliant new voice in the explosive New Adult world. Compulsively readable and loaded with fun, relatable smart characters and passionate romance, this novel is perfect for fans of Abbi Glines, Colleen Hoover, Jamie McGuire, or anyone looking for the next big thing in New Adult!
To the outside world, Taylor Hudson has it all: beauty, money and social status. But Taylor’s privileged life is far lonelier than it appears.
Levi is the inside man on a job to steal fifteen million dollars from one of the town’s wealthiest families, putting him on a crash course with Taylor. Neither of them believe in love, but lust. . . that’s undeniable.
Now they’re locked in a wicked game of seduction and it’s unclear who is playing who. But neither of them expected the affair to lead to the deepest connection they’ve ever experienced. Because beneath Taylor’s perfect exterior lies a need for love that mirrors Levi’s own. As the heist approaches, how can Levi protect Taylor from the truth? Is he willing to give up everything to save the one girl who’s made him want to be a better man?
fistfights and tomorrows
“Whoa. You chasing something away, honey?”
Levi set down his nearly empty beer bottle and looked over to find a pretty brunette perched at the bar next to him. She was an older woman, but attractive and well aware of it. Levi’s gaze dropped to her cleavage before snapping to her eyes again.
“It’s okay. You can look,” she said, leaning over just a bit. “These babies cost so much, everyone should get a peek.”
He chuckled and shook his head. Levi’s knee bounced up and down, rattling the barstool. It was the only outward sign of the buzzing excitement inside his head. He downed the rest of his cold
beer and waved at the bartender for another. When it was deliv- ered, he swallowed half of it in one long pull.
“Definitely chasing some demons,” the woman offered.
“Hell is empty, and all the devils are here,” he said.
The woman placed her hand on Levi’s forearm, her red nails tracing the lines of ink. “Let me know if I can help in any way.” Her smile was infectious. Before he knew what he was doing, Levi was smiling back.
“What the hell is this?”
Levi looked over his shoulder to find a giant of a man glaring at them, his eyes focused on where the woman was touching Levi. “We’re just talking,” she said, removing her hand and sliding
two seats away. “Calm down, Gary.”
“Don’t tell me to be calm, Maggie.” The man’s chest heaved with deep breaths while his fingers stretched and curled into fists. Levi recognized the habits of a violent man. He grinned.
“You should listen to your old lady before you have a stroke or
something.” Levi finished his beer and swung around on his bar- stool to face the man now. Though Gary was only a little taller, he had about fifty pounds on Levi.
“Mind your business,” Gary shouted. He turned to Maggie. “I
work a double, come in here to grab a beer, and find you cuddled up with some piece of trash?”
Levi was on his feet in a flash. Blood pumping, adrenaline singe- ing his already frayed nerves.
“What the fuck did you call me?” Levi growled.
“A punk kid piece of trash that doesn’t know when to shut his mouth.”
It wasn’t a conscious decision to throw the first punch. It never was with Levi. His temper was short, and once the fuse was lit, there was no stopping him. The cracking sound was heard even above the conversations and music of the bar. Levi wasn’t sure if it was his hand or the guy’s face.
“You son of a—” Gary roared, but he didn’t finish his thought as he swung.
Levi was too fast for the big, slow beast. He dodged the man’s
effort and threw his right hand forward again, this time landing in Gary’s gut.
“Oomph,” was all the man could get out as he folded over in pain.
Levi felt the euphoria wash over him, the physical manifesta- tion of everything churning inside him. The bar had gone silent now, and as he checked on the lady who started all this, he missed the telltale sign of Gary’s retaliation.
The blow hit Levi’s mouth, snapping his head back. Blood
coated his tongue and he spit it onto the floor between them. He brought his thumb to his bottom lip and swiped away the crimson there. Gary was waiting, fists raised. Levi smiled, a dark and sinis- ter kind of grin.
“Out! The both of you!” the bartender shouted. “I’ll call the
cops!”
Gary grunted and shoved his way out the door, giving up easily, while Levi reached for his wallet.
“Get out!” the bartender repeated.
“I’m just paying my tab.”
Levi threw a twenty down and tucked his wallet away. He then turned to Maggie, who was still sitting at the bar, wearing a guilty look.
“Thanks. I really needed that.” He shot her a wink. The bar- tender glared. “I’m going,” he said, raising his hands in surrender.
As Levi stepped out into the cool night air, he felt empowered.
He took in the boarded-up buildings covered in graffiti and the dark streets and knew that he would always belong here. In this impoverished neighborhood, Levi had always earned an honest liv- ing. He didn’t have much, but what he had, he had worked for. He used to think there was honor in that. There were only two places
to go from here, over to greener pastures or upstate to prison. Either way, Levi was determined to leave behind this life and start new.
Sometimes opportunities come along that call to your most
basic desires—to be better, to take control. They are too tempting, too promising to pass up. Tomorrow would bring that opportunity.
Taylor moved around the edges of the room, the fruity drink grow- ing warm in her glass. She wasn’t interested in getting drunk tonight—though, the longer she stayed here, the more she wanted to drink. Bodies huddled in the middle of the room, dancing and grinding away their inhibitions, surrounded by antique furniture and priceless artwork. Each face she passed gave her a practiced smile, all wanting a piece of her.
“This party is so lame,” Reese said as she leaned against the wall and stared out over the crowd.
“It is,” Taylor agreed.
“So why are we still here?”
Taylor sighed and set her drink down on a nearby table. “It’s our last party with these people. The end of an era.”
“Thank God,” Reese said. “High school is over. I’m going to get
another drink. You want?”
Taylor shook her head. “No. I’ll be out of here soon.”
Beau spotted the girls from across the room. The crowd parted as he moved toward Taylor and her friend. By the time he reached them, Reese was gone.
“Where’d your BBF go?” he asked, his sandy blond hair stand-
ing up in all directions. “It’s BFF, Beau.”
“Not with her. Bitch Best Friend. BBF.” Taylor rolled her eyes. “I’m ready to go.” “Already?” he asked.
People passed by, slapping Beau on the shoulder or offering a fist to bump. The girls looked at him with stars in their eyes, love- sick and completely docile.
“Aren’t you tired of all this?” Taylor asked.
He leaned one hand against the wall and tipped back his drink. The permasmile and glassy eyes meant she’d be driving tonight.
“Tired of what exactly? Being loved by everyone? Being captain
of the soccer team?” He lowered his voice and brought his lips to her ear. “Being able to land any girl I want?”
“And who do you want?” Taylor asked. She knew his answer. It
was always her. And in this moment, she would take advantage of that.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said, like it was his idea.
Taylor nodded and turned toward the front door. The house was so crowded now, it was hard to navigate their way through. Men- tally, she said good-bye to each person she passed, knowing that— with any luck—she would never see them again. Nameless faces who knew way too much about her passed in a blur. Good-bye, girl who copied Taylor’s haircut. Good-bye, guy who always had gum. So long, chick who slept with teachers.
Once they made it outside, Beau led them through a maze of
high-end cars until finally locating his. Taylor grabbed the keys from his pocket, unlocked the doors, and they both climbed in.
“No one drives my car,” Beau said from the passenger seat. “I’m not ‘no one,’ ” Taylor clarified. “And you’re drunk.”
She rolled down the windows and backed out of the space. Just when Taylor put the car in drive, a group of boys blocked their exit.
“You’re leaving? Dude!” one of them shouted.
“Beau, you can’t go yet!” another said dramatically, throwing himself on the hood of the car.
Beau laughed at their antics while Taylor revved the engine. “Move,” she said through gritted teeth.
“But how can we party without the Party Master?” Taylor honked the horn.
“Fine, fine. Just go!” a blond guy, still wearing his graduation
cap, yelled.
They moved out of the way and Taylor floored it, leaving them all behind.
“How can you be tired of that?” Beau asked, a satisfied grin on
his face.
Taylor shook her head and kept quiet. She didn’t want any of it. She was exhausted from being this girl, playing this role. With their adolescence behind them, Taylor was holding out for some- thing bigger and more meaningful. She was ready. With summer officially here, tomorrow would be different.
SEASON VINING is the author of the New Adult romances Beautiful Addictions and Held Against You. She is a bookworm, a cook, a night owl, and always a student. She lives in Baton Rouge.
