Pat Cromwell

Available Oct 22, 2009 at Red Rose Publishing

Urban Wars 1

In The Beginning

 

In the beginning she had doubt but one good man and a madman’s plan changed her view.

Ava Marie Moore believed in two things:  love was a losing game and the world as she knew it was not coming to an end.  Jefferson Arturo Matteo Nolan begged to differ.  Not only was he out to change her mind about the virtues of love – specifically the steamy, sexy part - but he’s also determine to wise her up to the newly formed Department of Urban Wars, a government agency headed by her Uncle, disguised as a to save the people from the crime ridden streets of the city, but in fact, a rogue department of Homeland security hell bent on changing the world through manipulation, violence, and fear.

Between his sexy banter and their steamy love play Ava’s quickly falters.  Not only does Jefferson’s impossible good looks and machismo personality turn her limbs to mush, but the catastrophic changes in the city are positive proof that her lover was right all along.  The world as they knew it was undeniably coming to an end.  It becomes a race against time to right a wrong perpetrated Uncle and his quest to establish a family dynasty – The Moore’s.  The resistance is formed; what they forfeit to save the people is enormous, especially for Jefferson. 

To keep his woman safe and hope alive for the people his sacrifice is destined to be the beginning and indeed the greatest one of all.

 

Unedited Excerpt

“Oh sweetheart, try to concentrate for me.” He knew this would rile her adding as condescending as he were capable of employing, “think about it; try to use your reporter’s instinct here.    Granted, in the beginning it was so subtle that no one noticed, not even me and certainly not you, but can you actually sit there all pious, self-righteous and sanctimonious and not see what’s going on?”

“We’ve discussed this before. What you are proposing is ludicrous.”

“Are you daft?  Has the chemicals you use to keep that hair of yours sexy and bouncy not to mention the perfect shades of browns and reds destroyed your brain cells?”  Jefferson admired the silky strands and conveyed the appreciation of the new length.  Her curls fell slightly pass her shoulders.

“Very funny asshole,” Ava blushed.  Then to Jefferson’s amusement she ran her fingers through her hair in the very feminine gesture that translated in his opinion to the compliment wasn’t necessary but thank you for noticing.  He cleared his throat and refocused on the conversation at hand.

“It all started sweetheart when our esteem Mayor unveiled the Department of Urban Wars two years ago.  Shit has been happening ever since.” 

“I am not going to buy into the conspiracy theory that your magazine is pursuing.  There is no doomsday device within those building.  The Department of Urban Wars is a necessary government agency – one that the people have cried for, well for years now.  Finally, the government listened!  It wasn’t safe for citizens to send their children to school.  You have first graders gunning down teachers!  Just last week another teacher was shot.”

“Yeah crazy isn’t it that the violence in the streets has escalated since the initiation of the Department.  Go figure.”

“Get out of my office and get the hell out of my building.”

“This is a classic case of denial coupled with fear.  If anyone other then your uncle was Mayor, you wouldn’t be blind to what he is up to.”  He sneered down out her.  Ava jumped up and walked over to her door and flung it open.  Jefferson watched her glide beyond him, mentally patted himself on the back for calling the slit and rewarding the assumption by feasting on her jiggling ass, sans panty lines.  He ignored the open door and reached for his briefcase, sat it down on her desk and pressed the latch.  The plopping noise resounded in the room, followed by an exaggerated expulsion from behind him.  Jefferson tensed as he heard her move shift behind him.  Shit, she smelled like a memory of gingerbread cookies and lemon meringue pie at Thanksgiving.  Drawing out a manila envelop, he then snapped the leather case close.

“I’m going to leave you with some interesting reading.  It’s a series of exposes.”  He walked towards her and paused within inches of her ridged frame.  Just for the hell of it, he leaned his head in, took note of the fact she didn’t flinch, and nudged the side of her neck, slanted his head upward and pressed his lips against her ear.  The thumping of her heart, the slight tremor of her body magnified the flow of blood to his dick.  Before speaking he shifted his body slightly to the left so that his cock poked at her thigh. 

Her breath caught.

“Read the documents and this time, do so with an open mind.  I’ll be in touch sweetheart and I trust you’ll be agreeable to working with me for the good of everyone concerned.” 

“Go to hell!”  She expelled with an effort that for some morbid reason he was proud of.  He liked her feisty.  “I’ve read the dribble in your hysteria producing, doomsday preaching magazine.  If Nostradamus were alive, he’d sue you for interpreting his Prophesies with ignorance.”

“Damn sweetheart tell me what you really think?  You know Ava; I admire your brains and your beauty.  You’re a smart lady, and strong, perfect Ava, just fucking perfect, a man’s wet dream come true, a genteel southern lady with the ice cold veins of Lizzie Borden.  If it were physically possible for a man to fuck himself, he would.  That’s why we gravitate to certain type of women specifically one’s that are like ourselves and my type is you sweetheart.”

“Is that supposed to be an endearment?”

“No false accolades for you Ava.  You’d see right through them.  I’m being honest sweetheart.  Fucking you will be like fucking myself.”

“You’d strain yourself Artie.  You’ll never tame me.  Why try?”

 “I’m a glutton for punishment maybe.  You know I’ve seen you working out in the gym.  You could drop kick a navy seal with some of your moves and I know you can handle a pistol you keep in your bag.  You’re such a contradiction Ava, like I said, perfect.  Despite those feminine trappings you’re hard as nails full of streets smarts and book knowledge all welded together that makes for a dynamic combination and force.   I get the shivers dissecting what makes you tick.  With all you’ve got going for you, why are you gambling it away with this ignorance stance that you insist on clinging too?”

“Get out or I’ll show you how well I handle my pistol.”

“You’re not going to shoot me Ava; it would be like putting a bullet in your own head.  Did your uncle put ignorant pills in your water sweetheart?”

“My uncle’s not a monster and the end of the world is not at hand.”

“I never said it was the end of the world.”

“Then what do you call it?”  She pushed him away from her.

“The end of our world sweetheart,” Jefferson cautioned her.  “If we don’t expose the hypocrisy and malevolence of the Department of Urban Wars, I may be fucking you after all.  You did say I’d be the last man you’d part those pretty legs of yours to, Right?”