Is he a monster or a saint? Or both? by Rhonda Lee Carver

 

Questions and Answer:

From Annie:

Hi Rhonda Lee! I love your western romances. I saw your upcoming book, Monster Saint. Is this a military romance or western romance?

Rhonda Lee: Hi, Annie. This is a perfect blend of military, western and action thriller romance.

From Gabby:

Love, love, love the cover. I can't wait to dig in.  This is right up my alley. I love your cowboys too!

Rhonda Lee: Hi, Gabby! Thank you so much. Glad you love the cover! It's one of my faves.

From Estelle R.

The second it hit my Kindle I was reading it. Are these characters based on real life people? Because if so, I want a Crayce for my birthday.

Rhonda Lee: Hi, Estelle R.! I'd gladly you give you a real-life Crayce if I could. He's a bit moody and grumpy, but he evolves through the book. Thanks to a strong female character. BTW, no, they're not based on real-life people...cough, cough :)

BLURB:

Monster Saint Enforcers are more than their badges or the law. They are a team of ex-military, country boys who work undercover to bring the worst of the worst criminals to justice…or to their graves. The only thing that might stand in their way is the last thing they need. A woman.

When a respected member of Monsters is killed while undercover, Crayson “Crayce” Noble goes rogue and is out for revenge. He’ll stop at nothing short of sending Salvatore, the leader of the notorious cartel, Los Reapers, to hell. His plan is thwarted by a mysterious woman wearing a wedding gown.

Runaway bride, Charmaine Meadows, sees her way out of Salvatore’s grip through the tall, scarred, brooding man who shows up right when she needed a distraction the most. He might be a walking four-letter-word, but she’ll take anything, anyone, over Salvatore. She’s become an expert at handling crude men, but this stranger isn’t like any man she’s ever met. He’s a challenge and sparks something within in her that is far more dangerous than the criminals she’s faced before.

The lady has caused Crayce nothing but trouble. Now they’re Salvatore’s prey and Crayce has always been a hunter. He realizes he should take the woman back to the villa and say good riddance because she’s going to get them both killed. And yet he can’t keep his eyes, and his hands, off her.

EXCERPT:

She didn’t care about her make up.

She didn’t care about the dress.

Well, yes, she did because it was beautiful, but it didn’t belong on her.

“I’d rather die than do this,” she cried out to the walls of the tiny stone church. This had become her place of solitude at the villa because no one had used it since Salvatore’s mother passed away. 

“Then do something about it.” A gravelly voice answered back.

She whipped her head around, searching through the semi-darkness until she saw him standing in the shadows. She had to squint her eyes to get a better look at him, thinking she might have been imagining him. She couldn’t make out his features, except that he was very tall and wide shouldered. Probably one of Salvatore’s guards who got lost.

“I-I was here first,” she said. “How rude of you to eavesdrop without making your presence known.”

“Lady, actually I was here first.”

Her tears went dry. So did her mouth. “The guards aren’t supposed to be here.”

“Thanks for the advice.”

Then a thought crossed her mind. “Did Salvatore put you on my detail too?”

No answer.

He took a step then, into the sunlight flowing into the room. His hair was cut close, and his scraggly beard covered a large portion of his face. He scrubbed his whiskers and kept his gaze on her, brooking no tameness. A guard would never be so brazen to stare at her in such a way.

She’d never seen him before.

Maybe he was one of the newest guards.

“I want to be alone. Go away!” she demanded.

“I’m not a man who accepts being told what to do,” his voice was gruff, spiced with age, although he didn’t remind her of someone seasoned.

“If Salvatore found out—”

“Relax,” he said smoothly.

She saw something in him that she recognized, reflected in herself. A man who had seen a lot in his years, faced a lot, indulged in both pleasure and pain. The black leather jacket that looked as soft as a baby’s backside clung to his muscles. He was just like all of Salvatore’s men. Bulging muscles but no brain. Yet, she had a feeling she could be wrong. This man was different. He looked at her in a way that the other guards would not.

He wasn’t one of Salvatore’s men because she didn’t see this man being on anyone’s payroll.

Then what was he doing here?

“You were eavesdropping on me.”

His breath released with anguish. “If I’d known you’d be sobbing for so long I would have gladly made myself known, believe me.”

Definitely not one of Salvatore’s men. They wouldn’t dare speak to her in that tone. This was unique…different. Set apart. Monstrous. In body and attitude. A beast with a dangerous undercurrent inside him which spoke to her.

 Yet, he offended her. She should be angry.

“Obviously, emotion makes you uncomfortable.”

“Not emotion, but lack of willpower.” He took another step and now his entire face was caught by sun rays. He had an angular nose, a thin upper lip, a fleshy lower lip that bordered on being pouty. Making her wonder if it was d to his mood or was he always brooding? The thick, wiry beard made him appear warrior like, but his eyes…were they silver? Blue? Or a combination of both. They were intriguing, laced with desire. Lust. Confidence. Much like Salvatore, but different.

“Are you saying that I don’t have willpower?”

“Lady, it ain’t none of my business.”

“That’s the truth,” she muttered.

“But since I was privy to nearly ten minutes of your boo-hooing and self-pity, I feel like you could use a bit of advice from a stranger.”

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