🌈⏳Throwback Thursday's Time Machine⏳🌈: Secret Simon by Davidson King

Summary:
Haven Hart Universe #8

Simon

Being the nephew of one of the most infamous mob bosses in the world isn’t easy. Our family has enemies everywhere, and no one is safe without protection. Here I am at college with a fresh start, a new last name, and secrets hidden from those around me—life is going according to plan. Then one day on campus, I see him…and I want him to strip me bare…in more ways than one.

Rush

Abernathy is more than just the university I attend. It’s my destiny, my namesake. Singing and entertaining are who I am, but my father wants me to major in something more appropriate for the name I carry. I’ve resigned myself to being who my father wants, doing what he wants. Then Simon comes into my life…and turns everything upside down. Now I have a reason to fight for what I want.

Who knew our love story would lead to secrets revealed, murderous plots, and finding our forever buried under so many lies? Hopefully we’ll live long enough to see it.

(While Secret Simon is a Haven Hart Novel it is not linked to the 7 book story arc)

*Warning: Violence and mention of suicide*

Original Review June Book of the Month 2021:

HOLY HANNAH BATMAN! OMG! The Force is with us all!  We have a new Haven Hart book by Davidson King!!!!!!

Okay, I got that out of my system, lets continue.  

I should start by pointing out as the author mentions at the end of the blurb, Secret Simon is not linked to the original 7 book arc, story-wise at least.  We see a few of the characters and of course "Simon" is Eight all grown up(he's still Eight to Snow but I have a feeling Snow will still be calling him Eight when he's 60).  So if you haven't read Davidson King's Haven Hart universe you can start here although I don't know that I would want to, you won't be lost in any way, shape, or form.  To be honest, I am a series-read-in-order kinda gal and Haven Hart is one of my all time favorite series of all genres.

Secret Simon.  Flat out brilliant!  This story has it all(okay there's no sci-fi or apocalyptic end of the world stuff although going after Christopher Manos' family probably won't end well for anyone) romance, mystery, heat, action, friendship, danger, love, family, and it wouldn't be Haven Hart without mayhem and plenty of well . . . heart(see what I did there😉😉).

Lets talk characters.  Simon has become as wonderful an adult as he was when we first met him at 8.  He may be blood to Christopher but Snow has made a lasting impression on him as well, which will only enhance his future role in the Manos family.  Now, in case you haven't read Haven Hart's original 7 book arc, I won't go into too much detail for the I'm-a-spoiler-free-zone kinda gal but I will say there is a very important reason the book is titled Secret Simon.  Don't worry, just because I won't spoil anything, the author doesn't leave you up in the air with a hundred questions of "why? what? who? or where?", King makes sure you got a feel for what's going on.  As for Rush?  He has a future written for him but is it the future he wants to write for himself?  Yeah, you know what's coming:  you have to read for yourself to find out.  Trust me you will enjoy every minute of finding out.  Put the two together and the chemistry just screams out at you.

What more can I say?  I could say a lot but I'm going to end here or I'm afraid the longer I go on the more chance I'll get loose lipped(or loose fingers) and reveal more than I want.  So I will just say this: Secret Simon has reinforced my love of Haven Hart and proven to me that it is an author's universe that belongs on my short list of "Whether they write a 4 paragraph holiday coda or 100 full length novels I'll be first in line to gobble them up".  Davidson King once again provides her readers with an unforgettable tale that entertains and captures their attention from beginning to end, further cementing her place in the world as a topnotch storyteller.

Original Audiobook Review April 2022:

How in the world has it taken me so long to listen to Secret Simon?!?!?!?! The audiobook was released last October and here it is nearly May, again HOW?  Oh well, no matter how long it took for me to listen, I've listened and once again I fell even further for Haven Hart.  Having recently read book 2, Head Rush, everything was fresh in my mind but that didn't lessen the depths I fell again for Simon and Rush.  Truth is, there's not much more I can say to the story itself or the storytelling genius that also goes by the name of Davidson King.  

What I will say is this: I never listened to a dual narration before King's audios and was leery going in but loved it instantly.  I'm not sure why I had any hesitancy because I love the old radio shows of the 30s and 40s and a good audio portrayal always reminded me of the classic radio platform.  Truth is John Solo and Alexander Cendese bring so much passion and strength to the characters that I can almost hear Harlow Wilcox breaking in with the ad for spark plugs he pitched on Suspense all those years ago.  Not only do they bring Simon, Rush, and all the characters to life, I can hear the sound effects, I can hear the studio audience gasping with "oohs" and "ahhs" with each new revelation.

Another winning combination of author's words and narrators' voices to heighten the enjoyment of Secret Simon, the new Haven Hart-connected journey.

RATING:

Prologue 

My name is Simon, but you can call me Eight—I’ll explain that later—and this is the story of how my hope for a quiet drama-free college life blew up in my face…all because I fell in love. 

Yes, I know, cheesy. But here’s the thing—it really is true. It’s more complex than that, and it wouldn’t be much of a story if it was all, “Met a boy, he was cool, we fell in love, the end.” 

Truth is, I chose to go to college five hours from Haven Hart, where I grew up, not because I had a bad childhood or hated my family, but because everyone knew who I was there…Hell, everyone knew who I was for miles and miles from there. If you don’t know why, let me fill you in real fast. 

I’m the nephew of the most powerful mob boss in Haven Hart, Christopher Manos. He isn’t your typical mobster, though. I’ve seen the documentaries on Al Capone and Joe Bonanno, and yeah, sure, my uncle killed and isn’t clean in a lot of ways. But he’s also the best man I know. My mom died when I was a baby, and he loved me as a son and raised me as far away from his lifestyle as possible…Or at least, he tried to. No matter how hard he tried, though, there was no way to hide that kind of stuff forever. 

As a child I saw a lot of things I shouldn’t have, but when I was eight everything changed. There’s that number again. See, I got bored waiting in a car while my pops’s driver—Pops is what I call my uncle—went into the ice cream shop to get me some rocky road. So, I left the car and wandered around. That wasn’t a good idea, and yet it kinda was. 

A couple of guys started hassling me. One was named Roy Sokolov, and he tried to kidnap me. But from the depths of a dark, dank alley came my guardian angel. His name is Snow. He saved me that day, and we saved him too. He and my pops fell in love, and that’s how I found the second-best person in my life. Snow, he calls me Eight—the age I was when he saved me—and because when he asked me what to call me, I wouldn’t give him my name and only my age…I think you get the picture. 

After that night, I saw so much more. Years later, my pops and I were actually kidnapped. There was no escaping the life he lived and so, when it came time to go to college, I decided it should be far away in the hopes that no one would know who I was. 

Snow suggested I use a different last name, and while it hurt my heart to do it, I knew he was right. There were forgeries made, and abracadabra! I became Simon Mancia.

Thankfully, I got through my first year of college easily. No one knew who I was—at least no one said anything. I dated a few people. Penelope for about six months, but we didn’t click the way a boyfriend and girlfriend should…Instead, she became my best friend. Then there was Raul. He was amazing, but he cheated on me after two months, and yeah…that sucked. I hadn’t been with anyone since. That was, until I saw Him. He was singing karaoke on the green at campus when I returned my second year. It was some welcome-back thing, and he was right there and…Wow. 

Penelope told me his name was Rush, and that was all she knew. I decided it would be my mission to find out more and hope beyond hope that he’d take me up on an offer for coffee. 

Well, there’s something to be said for falling in love with someone; you will risk it all. I did just that and more. 

So, sit back and find out how my finally calm life was turned upside down…all because I fell in love.

Saturday's Series Spotlight

Haven Hart

Part 1  /  Part 2  /  Part 3

Father's Day Edition

Joker's Sin

Part 1

October 2022 Book of the Month

 Law of Retaliation

Westford

🎧Monday Mysterious Mayhem🎧

Enemy Mine

Davidson King

Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.

She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.

If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she’d tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you’re afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.

FACEBOOK  /  BLUESKY  /  WEBSITE

NEWSLETTER  /  FB FRIEND  /  FB GROUP

RB MEDIA  /  AUDIOBOOKS  /  CHIRP  /  PODIUM

INSTAGRAM  /  AUDIBLE  /  LINKTREE

BOOKBUB  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

EMAIL: davidsonkingauthor@yahoo.com

Secret Simon #8

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK

RB MEDIA  /  AUDIOBOOKS

AUDIBLE  /  BOOKBUB

CHIRP  /  GOODREADS TBR

Haven Hart Universe

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK

RB MEDIA  /  AUDIOBOOKS

AUDIBLE  /  WEBSITE

CHIRP  /  GOODREADS TBR

Joker's Sin

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK

RB MEDIA  /  AUDIOBOOKS

AUDIBLE  /  WEBSITE

CHIRP  /  GOODREADS TBR

Westford

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RB MEDIA  /  AUDIOBOOKS

AUDIBLE  /  WEBSITE

CHIRP  /  GOODREADS TBR

May Book of the Month: Under His Rule by Davidson King

Summary:

In the Spotlight

Under his rule, nobody is safe

Prince Julian Davaros is heir to the throne of the Lamdera Islands. He’s gorgeous, rich, famous… and just happens to be a serial killer. His family and bodyguard know his murderous proclivities, but to everyone else, he’s simply the heir apparent, loved by many. In reality, Julian can’t stand most people, he doesn’t have relationships, and if he’s alone with you it usually means you’re his next victim. However, once Wynn Carter catches his attention in a small café, Julian’s new obsession isn’t one he wants to kill but instead wants to own.

Wynn Carter has always wanted to visit the Lamdera Islands, and he’s using his thirtieth birthday as the perfect excuse. His plan is to soak up some sun, drink in the culture, and make memories with his friends. His agenda didn’t include catching the eye of the future king. Now Wynn finds himself swept up in a sort of fairytale of lavish dinners, intimate nights, and even some media attention. He doesn’t know what he did to deserve the prince’s interest, but he’s certainly not upset about it.

Unfortunately, secrets don’t stay hidden no matter how powerful you are, and when someone decides to push Julian out of the shadows by hurting the one person he wants more than anything, the quiet monster that lies within him bursts free. Julian’s and Wynn’s lives erupt into chaos, and Wynn finally discovers who Julian truly is. If he can’t live with it, the prince needs to decide whether to surrender everything… or get rid of his obsession.

Under His Rule is part of the multi-author series, In the Spotlight. 14 authors bring you 14 original stories of killers in the public eye. Where everyone is dying to be in the spotlight. Every book can be read as a standalone.

I'm going to start right out of the gate by saying this is not a typical story topic I generally seek out, I don't shy away from it, just not something I go looking for. Don't get me wrong, I've read many a book where the actions of the MC can be labeled ambiguous but killing to "scratch a mental itch"? Not what I usually seek out(truth be told, "scratch a mental itch" is just the simplest way to say it, there's more going on here than that). But Under His Rule is a Davidson King tale and frankly, IMO no one does dark mayhem better, so in I went. 

So freakin' glad I did!  Perhaps it's not going to change my pattern of looking for it, but boy did it entertain, and I can't ask for more.

I won't spoil anything so details will be minimal but I do have to say, at one point I really expected a certain familial relationship to go in a different direction but I was wrong and I think the story is better for my wrongness😉.  The author would have done it well had my directional thought been right but this was better and didn't "weigh it down with added dramatic baggage".

As I started with, Prince Julian's predilections are not my goto choices but I can certainly sympathize with some of his thought patterns.  How can you not love Wynn?  After all, he only wants a memorable vacation with his friends.  Well he certainly got it, not how he probably envisioned it but definitely memorable, to say the least. Together, they complement each other, even if Wynn is reluctant and the prince has a bit(to put it mildly😉) more control over it all.  

Due to the prince's way of life(again to put it mildly😉), Under His Rule may not be for everyone but if you like dark mayhem with your chemistry and romance, you won't be disappointed.  For those like me, who don't usually go there, this is a perfect way to let go of some of that internal frustration and aggression that is probably building up in most of us in today's current climate. I guess you could say I found Under His Rule to be theraputic😉.

I want to add a little note about the mention of flumazenil. I could be wrong but I don't recall ever seeing that drug mentioned in a book I've read before and I'm pretty sure I would because it was a drug that went on my mother's allergy list. Luckily, she was inpatient at the time when the docs used it to help bring her out of a procedure but by the time she got back to her room she had a seizure, with no other cause they could determine, they decided it must have been the flumazenil. Whether she was actually allergic to it or not they thought it best to put it on her list, better to be safe than sorry. Anyway, I want to thank the author for the use of it, not for any personal connection I have but because by not using more widely known drugs, it is just another example of the research Davidson King puts into her work. It's that "extra mile" that really makes her work stand out to this reader.

RATING:

CHAPTER ONE

Wynn

Glass shattered everywhere—like, everywhere. I stood frozen in place in my best friend’s living room as I watched little shards of crystal skitter across the hardwood floor and disappear under furniture.

“Okay, that’s enough.” Seth gently took me by the arm and guided me over to his sofa. “Sit. No more helping.”

“I’m so sorry. I was walking slowly; I think there’s a divot in the wood.”

He blinked slowly. “Right, a divot.”

I shrugged and relaxed into the soft cushions. “I can clean up the mess if you’d like.”

He held up both hands, palms up. “Please don’t. I’m not sure I can afford for you to break anything else.”

“Har har, so funny. I’m not that bad.”

Seth’s brows shot up to his hairline. “Really?” He started counting off. “Three frames, two mugs, the glass on my microwave, and a vase.” He pointed to the floor where the glass had shattered. “That’s just in the last three hours of you trying to help me move.”

I wanted to refute his claim but as I thought about it, I realized he was right. What I wasn’t going to do was agree—I’d sort of agree. “Whatever.” There, that worked.

He rolled his eyes and moved into the kitchen. He returned with a broom and dustpan. “Maybe you can order us something to eat, from the couch.”

“You want me to stay right here and not move?”

“Preferably.” He chuckled.

“I need to leave eventually. Are you going to carry me out of here?”

“If I have to.” He swept up the mess while I scrolled food apps for something to order. “What time is your flight tomorrow?”

“Six in the stupid morning,” I answered as I decided on pizza.

“Gross.” He snorted. “Sorry I can’t come on your birthday trip.”

I waved him off. “Hush, no big. With you moving in and starting a new job, there was no way it was going to happen. But it’s fine, you can make it up to me once I return.”

“Oh, how nice of me.”

I beamed. “Besides, I won’t be alone. Mark and Hannah are coming with me. And anyway, my real birthday was last week, and you were there for that.”

He nodded and brought everything back to the kitchen to toss. “True, but still. I’m jealous, though. I mean, wow, the Lamdera Islands…shit, it’s going to be so beautiful.”

“It’s a dream come true. I always wanted to go, but it was expensive. But hitting thirty made me realize I wasn’t getting any younger and that all this money I was saving, well, I can’t take it with me when I die, so why the fuck not go?”

Seth leaned against the doorjamb with a smile on his face. “I love that for you.”

“Yeah, and you know, there are a lot of fancy royalty there, maybe I’ll meet my prince charming?” I wiggled my eyebrows.

“If he has a sister, hook me up.”

I shot him two finger guns and finished ordering the pizza. We spent the rest of the afternoon with me sitting on the sofa watching Seth unpack, eating pizza, and talking about everything and anything as we always did.

I left his place at about eight. I was all packed for my trip but having to get up at ungodly o’clock for my flight, I needed to hit the sack at a decent time. Of course I was too excited to simply drift off to dreamland, so I took some melatonin and eventually slept.

All too soon my alarm was blaring and I grumbled, noticing that the sun didn’t greet me—just darkness. “Humans shouldn’t be up this early.” I really didn’t have anyone to blame but myself. I’d booked the flights, but it was either this time or midnight and I hadn’t been feeling that at all.

After a shower, shave, and all the things that made me appear awake were done, I poured coffee and sat at my breakfast bar waiting for Mark and Hannah to arrive.

The buzzing of my doorbell had me slithering off the stool and opening the front door.

“Are you ready for v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n?” Hannah singsonged.

I shifted my gaze from her to her husband Mark, who looked as exhausted as I was.

“You have no one to blame but yourself, Mark. You married a morning person.”

He hummed. “Come on, let’s get your bags and go.”

The ride to the airport was pleasant because no sane person was up at this hour. We got through TSA in ten minutes—which was amazing—and that meant we had way too much time on our hands. Our flight wouldn’t arrive for another hour.

“Oh, lookie!” Hannah thrust a magazine in my face. “Prince Julian Davaros is doing an island tour for a whole month. Maybe we’ll get a glimpse of the heir apparent while we’re there.”

Prince Julian Davaros was on the front cover of Royalty Magazine, and he was gorgeous. Truly. His dark-blond hair was swept back away from his face, his gray eyes in shadow against the light, and he wore a black tuxedo. The man stared at the camera like it was prey and he was the predator, and the power emanating off him in the photo sent a shiver up my spine.

“I’d probably stumble and accidentally shove him into oncoming traffic if I met him.” I snorted.

Hannah giggled. “Hey, you only tripped twice in the airport. That’s progress.”

I was clumsy, no way around it. There wasn’t anything wrong with me medically, I just…okay, my head got lost in the clouds sometimes and I’d been diagnosed with ADHD in high school, so that could have something to do with it.

I needed my brain and my body to get organized. I’d tried meds, and they helped, but at the end of the day my ADHD brain was gonna do whatever the hell it wanted. I just had to hold on for the ride and keep the casualties low in the process.

“Oh!” Hannah smacked my arm. “That’s our flight!”

I hadn’t heard the announcement nor felt the notification on my phone. This was why I couldn’t travel alone; I’d either miss my flight or end up on the wrong one.

My carry-on in hand, I followed Mark and Hannah to the gate. Excitement bubbled in my stomach as I walked through the sky bridge toward the airplane. This was going to be a trip of a lifetime. Memories would be made and dreams fulfilled. I couldn’t wait.

Under His Rule

Davidson King

Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.

She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.

If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she’d tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you’re afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.

FACEBOOK  /  BLUESKY  /  WEBSITE

NEWSLETTER  /  FB FRIEND  /  FB GROUP

RB MEDIA  /  AUDIOBOOKS  /  CHIRP  /  PODIUM

INSTAGRAM  /  AUDIBLE  /  LINKTREE

BOOKBUB  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

EMAIL: davidsonkingauthor@yahoo.com

Under His Rule

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK

BOOKBUB  /  GOODREADS TBR

In the Spotlight Series

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK

💻Blogger Review💻: Under His Rule by Davidson King

Summary:

In the Spotlight

Under his rule, nobody is safe

Prince Julian Davaros is heir to the throne of the Lamdera Islands. He’s gorgeous, rich, famous… and just happens to be a serial killer. His family and bodyguard know his murderous proclivities, but to everyone else, he’s simply the heir apparent, loved by many. In reality, Julian can’t stand most people, he doesn’t have relationships, and if he’s alone with you it usually means you’re his next victim. However, once Wynn Carter catches his attention in a small café, Julian’s new obsession isn’t one he wants to kill but instead wants to own.

Wynn Carter has always wanted to visit the Lamdera Islands, and he’s using his thirtieth birthday as the perfect excuse. His plan is to soak up some sun, drink in the culture, and make memories with his friends. His agenda didn’t include catching the eye of the future king. Now Wynn finds himself swept up in a sort of fairytale of lavish dinners, intimate nights, and even some media attention. He doesn’t know what he did to deserve the prince’s interest, but he’s certainly not upset about it.

Unfortunately, secrets don’t stay hidden no matter how powerful you are, and when someone decides to push Julian out of the shadows by hurting the one person he wants more than anything, the quiet monster that lies within him bursts free. Julian’s and Wynn’s lives erupt into chaos, and Wynn finally discovers who Julian truly is. If he can’t live with it, the prince needs to decide whether to surrender everything… or get rid of his obsession.

Under His Rule is part of the multi-author series, In the Spotlight. 14 authors bring you 14 original stories of killers in the public eye. Where everyone is dying to be in the spotlight. Every book can be read as a standalone.

I'm going to start right out of the gate by saying this is not a typical story topic I generally seek out, I don't shy away from it, just not something I go looking for. Don't get me wrong, I've read many a book where the actions of the MC can be labeled ambiguous but killing to "scratch a mental itch"? Not what I usually seek out(truth be told, "scratch a mental itch" is just the simplest way to say it, there's more going on here than that). But Under His Rule is a Davidson King tale and frankly, IMO no one does dark mayhem better, so in I went. 

So freakin' glad I did!  Perhaps it's not going to change my pattern of looking for it, but boy did it entertain, and I can't ask for more.

I won't spoil anything so details will be minimal but I do have to say, at one point I really expected a certain familial relationship to go in a different direction but I was wrong and I think the story is better for my wrongness😉.  The author would have done it well had my directional thought been right but this was better and didn't "weigh it down with added dramatic baggage".

As I started with, Prince Julian's predilections are not my goto choices but I can certainly sympathize with some of his thought patterns.  How can you not love Wynn?  After all, he only wants a memorable vacation with his friends.  Well he certainly got it, not how he probably envisioned it but definitely memorable, to say the least. Together, they complement each other, even if Wynn is reluctant and the prince has a bit(to put it mildly😉) more control over it all.  

Due to the prince's way of life(again to put it mildly😉), Under His Rule may not be for everyone but if you like dark mayhem with your chemistry and romance, you won't be disappointed.  For those like me, who don't usually go there, this is a perfect way to let go of some of that internal frustration and aggression that is probably building up in most of us in today's current climate. I guess you could say I found Under His Rule to be theraputic😉.

I want to add a little note about the mention of flumazenil. I could be wrong but I don't recall ever seeing that drug mentioned in a book I've read before and I'm pretty sure I would because it was a drug that went on my mother's allergy list. Luckily, she was inpatient at the time when the docs used it to help bring her out of a procedure but by the time she got back to her room she had a seizure, with no other cause they could determine, they decided it must have been the flumazenil. Whether she was actually allergic to it or not they thought it best to put it on her list, better to be safe than sorry. Anyway, I want to thank the author for the use of it, not for any personal connection I have but because by not using more widely known drugs, it is just another example of the research Davidson King puts into her work. It's that "extra mile" that really makes her work stand out to this reader.

RATING:

CHAPTER ONE

Wynn

Glass shattered everywhere—like, everywhere. I stood frozen in place in my best friend’s living room as I watched little shards of crystal skitter across the hardwood floor and disappear under furniture.

“Okay, that’s enough.” Seth gently took me by the arm and guided me over to his sofa. “Sit. No more helping.”

“I’m so sorry. I was walking slowly; I think there’s a divot in the wood.”

He blinked slowly. “Right, a divot.”

I shrugged and relaxed into the soft cushions. “I can clean up the mess if you’d like.”

He held up both hands, palms up. “Please don’t. I’m not sure I can afford for you to break anything else.”

“Har har, so funny. I’m not that bad.”

Seth’s brows shot up to his hairline. “Really?” He started counting off. “Three frames, two mugs, the glass on my microwave, and a vase.” He pointed to the floor where the glass had shattered. “That’s just in the last three hours of you trying to help me move.”

I wanted to refute his claim but as I thought about it, I realized he was right. What I wasn’t going to do was agree—I’d sort of agree. “Whatever.” There, that worked.

He rolled his eyes and moved into the kitchen. He returned with a broom and dustpan. “Maybe you can order us something to eat, from the couch.”

“You want me to stay right here and not move?”

“Preferably.” He chuckled.

“I need to leave eventually. Are you going to carry me out of here?”

“If I have to.” He swept up the mess while I scrolled food apps for something to order. “What time is your flight tomorrow?”

“Six in the stupid morning,” I answered as I decided on pizza.

“Gross.” He snorted. “Sorry I can’t come on your birthday trip.”

I waved him off. “Hush, no big. With you moving in and starting a new job, there was no way it was going to happen. But it’s fine, you can make it up to me once I return.”

“Oh, how nice of me.”

I beamed. “Besides, I won’t be alone. Mark and Hannah are coming with me. And anyway, my real birthday was last week, and you were there for that.”

He nodded and brought everything back to the kitchen to toss. “True, but still. I’m jealous, though. I mean, wow, the Lamdera Islands…shit, it’s going to be so beautiful.”

“It’s a dream come true. I always wanted to go, but it was expensive. But hitting thirty made me realize I wasn’t getting any younger and that all this money I was saving, well, I can’t take it with me when I die, so why the fuck not go?”

Seth leaned against the doorjamb with a smile on his face. “I love that for you.”

“Yeah, and you know, there are a lot of fancy royalty there, maybe I’ll meet my prince charming?” I wiggled my eyebrows.

“If he has a sister, hook me up.”

I shot him two finger guns and finished ordering the pizza. We spent the rest of the afternoon with me sitting on the sofa watching Seth unpack, eating pizza, and talking about everything and anything as we always did.

I left his place at about eight. I was all packed for my trip but having to get up at ungodly o’clock for my flight, I needed to hit the sack at a decent time. Of course I was too excited to simply drift off to dreamland, so I took some melatonin and eventually slept.

All too soon my alarm was blaring and I grumbled, noticing that the sun didn’t greet me—just darkness. “Humans shouldn’t be up this early.” I really didn’t have anyone to blame but myself. I’d booked the flights, but it was either this time or midnight and I hadn’t been feeling that at all.

After a shower, shave, and all the things that made me appear awake were done, I poured coffee and sat at my breakfast bar waiting for Mark and Hannah to arrive.

The buzzing of my doorbell had me slithering off the stool and opening the front door.

“Are you ready for v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n?” Hannah singsonged.

I shifted my gaze from her to her husband Mark, who looked as exhausted as I was.

“You have no one to blame but yourself, Mark. You married a morning person.”

He hummed. “Come on, let’s get your bags and go.”

The ride to the airport was pleasant because no sane person was up at this hour. We got through TSA in ten minutes—which was amazing—and that meant we had way too much time on our hands. Our flight wouldn’t arrive for another hour.

“Oh, lookie!” Hannah thrust a magazine in my face. “Prince Julian Davaros is doing an island tour for a whole month. Maybe we’ll get a glimpse of the heir apparent while we’re there.”

Prince Julian Davaros was on the front cover of Royalty Magazine, and he was gorgeous. Truly. His dark-blond hair was swept back away from his face, his gray eyes in shadow against the light, and he wore a black tuxedo. The man stared at the camera like it was prey and he was the predator, and the power emanating off him in the photo sent a shiver up my spine.

“I’d probably stumble and accidentally shove him into oncoming traffic if I met him.” I snorted.

Hannah giggled. “Hey, you only tripped twice in the airport. That’s progress.”

I was clumsy, no way around it. There wasn’t anything wrong with me medically, I just…okay, my head got lost in the clouds sometimes and I’d been diagnosed with ADHD in high school, so that could have something to do with it.

I needed my brain and my body to get organized. I’d tried meds, and they helped, but at the end of the day my ADHD brain was gonna do whatever the hell it wanted. I just had to hold on for the ride and keep the casualties low in the process.

“Oh!” Hannah smacked my arm. “That’s our flight!”

I hadn’t heard the announcement nor felt the notification on my phone. This was why I couldn’t travel alone; I’d either miss my flight or end up on the wrong one.

My carry-on in hand, I followed Mark and Hannah to the gate. Excitement bubbled in my stomach as I walked through the sky bridge toward the airplane. This was going to be a trip of a lifetime. Memories would be made and dreams fulfilled. I couldn’t wait.

Under His Rule

Davidson King

Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.

She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.

If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she’d tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you’re afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.

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In the Spotlight Series

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Monday's Musical Melody: The Chanteuse and the Bodyguard by VL Locey

Summary:

Campo Royale #5

It’s going to take all his skills to keep an innocent songbird safe.

Duri Yoo is struggling with life. Maybe the funk that’s hanging on his shoulders like a soggy sweater has to do with his thirtieth birthday, which is just around the corner. Maybe that blah feeling is due to everyone at the Campo having found their true heart’s desire except for him. Over the past few months, Duri has started questioning everything right down to if he needs to change his stage name from Jo-Jo Jewels to…well, he hasn’t a clue. All he knows is that he’s feeling down in the dumps. Heck, even his fellow queen has picked up a new secret admirer/super fan. He’d stamp a high heel in vexation, but the way things are going the darn heel would snap right off. When he’s sure life couldn’t get any worse, he’s proven wrong. And yet horribly right…

Keaton Black Bird’s job is straightforward. He’s hired to protect people. Generally, ridiculously rich business tycoons or heads of state. Being hired to keep a drag queen out of harm’s way is a new one for the former Secret Service agent. However, he’s being paid incredibly well to ensure that one of the Campo Royale’s performers isn’t harassed off-stage while the tiny queen’s hockey playing boyfriend is on the road. It’s while he’s protecting one drag queen he meets another, and the connection to Jo-Jo Jewels is undeniable. Keaton’s never been in such a unique situation before. All the men in his past were more or less like him: austere, professional, athletic. Jo-Jo is none of those things, but the owner of Black Bird Executive Protection is falling hard and fast for the delightful and quirky songbird. Unfortunately, emotions tend to cloud the mind, and Keaton and Duri soon find themselves in a situation that’s far more dangerous than either of them could have imagined.

The Chanteuse and the Bodyguard is a bodyguard romance with an anime-loving songstress, a rugged guardian, lots of BL adoration, a huge loving family, rainbow-toned wigs, unexpected danger, and a techno-colored happily-ever-after. (This book contains scenes of stalking/violence that some may find upsetting.)

ONE

Duri

If I had to pick a favorite gummi bear flavor, it would be grape.

There was just something about purple bears that always cheered me up. The tiny, sweet treats did nothing for my teeth—just ask my dentist who tsks me every time he has to give me a filling. Nor did they help my pudgy waistline—just ask the guys who swiped right on my dating app profile. But they did cheer me up. Usually…

“…told her it was going to get severe if she did not remove her grubby paws from my man. Honestly, puck bunnies are so grabby. So when I asked her to politely cease and fucking desist from goosing my guy, she got all flip.” Gigi was talking steadily while applying eyeliner. It was a gift that only she possessed. Every time I tried to kiki and paint, I had a mess. “Do you love this liner or what? It’s from the new line by Wanda Wixie. Her makeup is to die.”

“I like her foundation. It’s so hard to find the right tones for Asian skin,” I replied, popped another bear into my mouth, then ran a finger along said Wanda Wixie foundation bottle resting on my dressing table. “It has the right undertone of a light green and really covers well.”

“I love how you paint. Honestly, I wish I had the berries to be so brave and bright with my face, but my fans fly off the fucking frying pan when I try to change up.” Gigi sighed, lowering her liner to look my way. “You get to explore all those gorge anime styles as well as your Korean heritage. I’m totes envious.”

As I passed her a purple bear, she grinned widely because she knew purple was my favorite. “Oo grape! Yummers!” The door to the dressing room opened and Yampier trotted in, fully frocked for his set tonight. He was so adorable in his cowgirl outfits and was getting quite a following as Trixie Lee Belle.

“I miss Clarice.” Trixie sighed, bumping the door shut with her padded hip right in the face of some drab man peering in at us. “Honestly, if we don’t find a new manager soon, my boyfriend is going to combust. Is that for me?”

I nodded, then placed another of my prized purple bears into her gloved hand. She was all kitted out in white suede, fringed gloves and skirt, and a cow-print vest. She had gone with a soft gold wig set in a ՚40s modified pomp with soft sides and a teensy cow-print hat perched jauntily on her head.

“You rock.” Trixie chewed as she passed next week’s stage rotation to Gigi. “Jordan set this up so it might not be exactly what you both wanted, but he’s kind of frazzled.”

I leaned in to peek over Gigi’s shoulder. Ugh. We were all scheduled through the weekend, which was fine for me. I didn’t have a sig other to spend time with. Which was depressing as hell, but what could a girl do? Gigi was going to combust over working seven days a week, though. She and Tyr had been trying to align their schedules more closely during hockey season as he traveled a lot, and so did she, but it looked like we were all pulling double duty for a while. I slipped back to my table as Gigi came unglued.

“Oh my gods, this is inhumane! I cannot work every day. I’ll get blotchy and bloated. You need to tell Mother that this treatment is primitive!” Gigi railed, jumping to her tiny slippers to glare at Trixie.

“Don’t shoot the messenger,” Trixie fired back, tossing up both hands, fringe swaying. “You’re not working every day. Just mostly every day.”

“Sorry. I love you. I’m going to go yell at Mother,” Gigi said, making a kissy face at Trixie, then stormed off, throwing the door open with attitude. The same guy who had been at the door when Trixie entered was still there. He smiled in at us. Then, out of nowhere, a big hand latched onto his coat and yanked him out of sight.

“Eladio is on the job.” Trixie sighed, then walked over and closed the door on nosy fans, leaning against it with a huff. “Honestly, I do not know what we’re going to do here. Jordan is not up for all this managerial work. He’s always hated it. His sleeping habits are terrible. All he does is toss and turn. I can’t believe that we’ve interviewed over two dozen queens and not one of them wants to sign on as shift manager.”

I nodded along in commiseration, then ate another bear, a red one this time to try to even out the colors in the dish.

“Well, to be fair, it is a lot of work. All the paperwork for the bar and the rotating work schedules for us girls,” I said, picking up my pick to start teasing the silver-blue wig I was wearing for my set tonight. I’d planned out a gorge face to paint that would work well with the makeup style I was going to create. It was a huge nod to Eli from My Hero Academia right down to the red contacts I had in my bag. Few here would get the homage to the positive little heroine, but a couple of my die-hard fans would. “I wouldn’t want to take that responsibility on.”

“No, me either. Not for minimum wage.” Trixie groaned wearily. “But times are hard all over. We’ll get through this just like we have everything else.”

I nodded. “That’s the attitude,” I replied as cheerily as I could as I began spraying the living hell out of my wig. “Jobu is always telling us he prefers to look on the bright side of life. Then he begins whistling.”

“Oh cool. Is that a South Korean folk song or something?” Trixie asked, glancing down to see an envelope slide under the door and come to rest between her cowboy boots.

“No, it’s from Monty Python’s Life of Brian,” I said, my teasing comb pausing.

“Your grandpa is the coolest,” she answered and bent down to pick it up. Love letters weren’t uncommon. Men—and sometimes women—developed crushes on our stage personas. That was part of what made dating so difficult. You never really knew if the man was with you for you or your fictional character. Add in being a little chubby and Asian with an anime/manga/BL obsession and your chances for that happily-ever-after dropped significantly. Or maybe that was just the case here in Wilmington? The gay dating pool was pretty shallow in our town. “Another fan letter for Gigi from her new admirer.” She held up the light pink envelope to show me the neatly scrawled lettering that was now familiar to us. This guy was crushing big time on Gigi.

For the most beautiful songbird in the Campo Royale…

The envelope always read the same thing, and inside would be any number of things. Poems, little charms for Eli’s wrist bracelets, pencil drawings of songbirds from around the world. Whoever the man was, he was talented and sneaky. No one ever saw anyone slipping the gifts under the door, even though Eladio was always within twenty feet. Either Gigi’s fan was a ninja or Eladio needed to glance away from his telenovelas a bit more.

“I wonder what’s inside it this time?” I stalled in my wig teasing to pop another gummi bear into my mouth as I pondered. In a way, it was kind of romantic, a secret admirer. Eli had no interest, obviously, as he was crazy in love with Tyr. More than likely, the newest gift would be tossed into the trash unopened as most of them were after Eli tore them open and made fun of this poor lonely soul. I loved Eli to bits, but sometimes he could be super catty. And when those claws came out, they dug deep.

“Hard to say.” Trixie tossed the pink envelope on Gigi’s dressing table. “I’m heading back into the lion’s den to see if Jordan needs me to do anything else while he’s doing the intros.”

“KK. Thanks for the work schedule.”

I blew her a kiss and then got back to my wig. When my sister songbird returned from sassing off to Mother, she sat down with a huff, crossed her legs, and spied the envelope lying atop her blending powder.

“Really? What is up with this man?!” Gigi handed me the envelope. “Here, you open it. There’s no time for fan shenanigans. I’m due on stage in ten minutes and look at me!” She waved her hands up and down, her beautiful face pulling into a frown. “I’m not sure I can even perform up to par tonight. Can you imagine working all weekend? It’s just—”

“Inhumane,” I filled in for her before laying the envelope down on my table. “Let me help you get cinched and ready.”

“You are an angel! How would I ever manage without you?” She bussed my cheek as she rose. Fifteen minutes and one irate shout from Mother at the door and Gigi was ready. She scurried out the door, her frothy lilac and black taffeta dress swirling around her lithe form, a cloud of perfume and hairspray in her wake.

Once the door closed, I exhaled and tore into the fan letter as if it were water and I was a parched man. In some ways I was thirsty, and not in that “I need dick now” way. Although I did need dick, so maybe I was slang thirsty too.

Inside the soft pink envelope was a small sheaf of delicate-looking paper. Easing it out of the envelope, I shook it open. Several iridescent blue-black feathers floated to my makeup table to rest amid the palettes of eyeshadow and blusher.

“Oh,” I whispered in surprise, pausing to gather up all the feathers and return them to the envelope. When that was done, I took a second to listen closely. I could hear Gigi’s music through the thin walls, some old ՚40s tune about lost love. Trixie was probably with Mother in her office or behind the bar helping Cord out, as our bartending staff was as thin as our performers’ lineup. Hoping I’d have a few minutes of solitude, I gently opened the folded vellum. The edges had been burnt. Small flakes flitted down to my lap. I absently brushed them off my old robe with the foundation-stained collar. “Oh wow.”

The drawing looked to be a white wagtail. Maybe it was an American bird—I wasn’t a birding expert—but the white mask and dark feathering resembled the birds that gathered in my uncle’s garden in Seoul. Closing my eyes, I could hear the bright chirping call as well as the chimes of Aunt Min’s homemade pipe wind chimes. It had been several years since I’d been home. I missed my homeland even though I’d been just a toddler when my parents had come to America. There were tons of relatives here in Wilmington. My parents and two sets of aunts, as well as a billion cousins, but there was something special about South Korea. Someday I’d travel back when I could afford it, but for now, it just the grind of working hard to pay the bills. Shaking off the daily doldrum worries, I read over the short poem.

Your song sweeps me high into the clouds

But then I crash down to earth

In a tender swoon

Your voice in my ears

Sing loud for me, my beautiful songbird.

“Amazing,” I whispered as I read the prose several more times before tucking it back into the envelope and placing it on the overflowing table next to mine. Whoever was in love with “the most beautiful songbird in the Campo” really had it bad for our Gigi. Staring at myself in my smudged mirror, I wondered if someday a man would ever pen sonnets about me and my voice. “Doubtful,” I told my reflection and then got to work. The show must go on.

* * *

Driving home at two in the morning was always a challenge.

I was exhausted, hungry, and generally not paying attention as I should have. Eli liked to say that my driving was maniacal, which always entertained me. If he thought I drove poorly, he should ride with my father or grandfather. My mother refused to go anywhere with my dad unless she was behind the wheel. Lead-foot sickness as my mom called it. I liked to think I wasn’t that much of a speedster, but as I cruised through the now silent and dark Hockessin neighborhood my family resided in, I found myself driving about fifteen miles above the posted speed limit.

“Oopsie,” I said, easing off the gas and then slowing at a stop sign. Delaware had a pretty large Asian community. Thirty years ago, before my brother had been conceived and I was still just a baby, my parents settled here to accommodate my father’s promotion in the Miller & Draper Carpet Company. They’d brought my maternal grandparents and my mother’s younger twin sisters with them. Dad was now purchasing supervisor and my mother owns her own bookkeeping company. Something that she is very proud of since back in South Korea, women don’t generally own their own businesses. It’s a very patriarchal society, sadly as well as homophobic. While I love my homeland greatly, I’m very glad to be an American citizen. I may not be rich, but I was living my life my way.

BLACKPINK’s song “Boombayah” was roaring out of the speakers of my new used Prius as I pulled away from the light, taking the first left down my quiet street. At the next stop sign, I broke into seated dance moves to match the ones in the upbeat Korean girl group’s video. Our house was one among many that looked similar to the others surrounding it. We’ve lived here in this suburban neighborhood forever, in the same house. My parents had never changed their phone number until their landline became obsolete. And then they still had to keep the house line because my grandmother refused to get a cell phone. When she passed two years ago, we’d given my grandfather his first Android phone.

He now spent all day on his phone and spent most of that phone time sending me TikToks from other drag queens, funny animal videos, or any updates from the million BL shows I watched. Grandpa was super accepting of my being gay and had dove into the LGBT community as a staunch ally. My whole family was pretty cool after the initial nose-punch of the eldest Yoo son being queer and a drag performer. My dad had struggled a bit at first but came around as had my mother and aunts. One uncle was still uncomfortable, but he hid it well. All my cousins were incredibly supportive. I extremely lucky. Not all my fellow queens had this degree of family love available to help shield them from the arrows that the haters fired our way on the daily.

Pulling into the driveway of the split-level, I parked behind my brother’s car, then sat in the drive until the current song was over, knowing that everyone inside would be sound asleep. My brother Hey was away at college in New York studying fashion. He was killer with design and had created several looks for me to wear on stage. I did most of my anime/manga costumes myself, though, as he lacked the adoration for the genre that I had. His looks were more downtown zeitgeist than what I preferred on-stage. He, too, was queer. A brilliant and fiery genderflux human who came to family affairs in anything from a 1920s flapper dress to a kilt and heels to a sleek motorcycle black leather daddy look. I guess my family wasn’t gently led into the wading pool of queer culture. They were kind of shoved into it by those two flamboyant Yoo boys. Sink or swim hunty as Mother would say. Most of them were paddling along really well.

Stepping out of my car, I yawned and watched the fog of breath float skyward. It was chilly in Delaware in late February. Shivering in the light jacket I’d tossed on after work, I jogged to the steps, stopping suddenly. Lying on the first stair was a dead bird. A dark one, perhaps a blackbird of some sort. I rolled my eyes to the house, muttering a curse at my mother’s cat Herman. The ginger tabby was mostly an indoor cat, but on occasion he would sneak out and kill something. Generally, the birds that visited the feeder in the back yard. How fat old Herman had scaled the stockade fence around our little yard was anyone’s guess, but cats could do amazing things.

“Damn it, Herman.” I sighed, stepping over the offering to climb the stairs and find some gloves. Once in my apartment, I flipped on the lights, dropped my bag containing my sweaty costume and wig, and went off to find some rubber gloves. My small place was terribly warm, so I dropped the thermostat as I passed and then began the search. I found no cleaning gloves—probably because I rarely cleaned as my mother could attest to—but I did find some woolen mittens and a plastic sand shovel and bucket from my trip to Atlantic City last summer. I’d gone with Eli and Tyr and had a blast, even if I was a major fifth wheel.

Padding back down the stairs, I used the pink shovel to nudge the dead bird into the matching pink pail. Then I raced around the side of the double-garage to dump the offering into the green trash can. I’d inform my mother of Herman’s murderous rampage tomorrow morning when I joined them for breakfast. Once I cleaned up the crime scene, I went back upstairs, ready for a long hot shower and my Genshin Impact hooded onesie. Once I was warm and cozy, I’d check out the tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream while I lay in bed re-watching any of my favorite BL drama/romances. Oh, to have a romance like the boys’ love shows have. I might have sighed just a little. It was weird how I was constantly surrounded by people—Asian culture was incredibly family-oriented, which was why our elders lived with us—and friends, but yet was so lonely. I guess having cousins lying around your place playing your PS5 wasn’t the same as having a man you loved lying around playing your PS5.

Toeing off my boots, I took one step toward my bedroom, which was one of two doors off the large main space of the living area and kitchen, when my phone vibrated in my new Sailor Moon handbag. Finding the battered cell under an opened tube of pumpkin lip gloss, I checked the caller ID, saw it was Mother Sitka, and took the call.

“Mother,” I said and hid a yawn behind my hand. “Did I leave something behind again?”

“No, pudding, there’s been a slight thing with Eli. He’s quite distressed. Can you come back to the club? He’s asking for you to hold his hand.”

If my best buddy was in distress, I could make the twenty-five-minute drive in under ten minutes as long as the lights ran in my favor. I shoved my feet into my fuzzy yellow slippers, pulled my coat back on, grabbed my purse, and ran to my still warm car.

Monday Musical Melody

Viking & Drag Queen  /  Bachelor & Cherry

Barkeep & Bookseller  /  Financier & Sweetheart

Chanteuse & Bodyguard

VL Locey

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee.

(Not necessarily in that order.)

She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and two Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.

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The Chanteuse and the Bodyguard #4

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Campo Royale Series

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