Release Blitz: Broken but Breathing by Shyla Colt
Title: Broken but Breathing
Series: Jinx Tattoos #2
Author: Shyla Colt
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: March 26, 2016
It’s time to move on.
You’ve grieved enough.
I’m worried about you.
Estelle Noll has heard the same things
repeatedly for the past two years. How can one put a timeline on
recovery from total devastation? She lost the love of her life,
child, and home in one day. Broken, depressed, and lost, she battles
her way from the darkness and begins to piece together a new
life. Xavier “Snake” Kolton is everything her husband
wasn’t—tattooed, bold, dirty talking, and free-spirited. He makes
her feel alive for the first time since the tragedy. Can the M.C.
Vice President ever be more than a passing phase?
Xavier “Snake” Kolton knows what it
feels like to lose. The Vice President of the Wild Ones MC has spent
years dedicated to nothing but his brothers and their commitment to
bettering the community. When the fragile, curly-haired blonde woman
comes into his life, feelings long dormant to him awaken. Can this
woman who’s lost more than anyone ever should handle his lifestyle.
Should he even ask her to?
*** Broken but Breathing is Book Two in the Jinx Tattoos Series but is a STAND ALONE novel ***
*** Broken but Breathing is Book Two in the Jinx Tattoos Series but is a STAND ALONE novel ***
Estelle Noll never minded storms. The
sound of the rain dancing on the rooftop made her smile. The fresh
scent and the coolness it always brought were a welcome break from
the sweltering summer heat. She sat on the plush grey window seat,
viewing the world through the pane of glass. They cracked the screen
earlier in anticipation of what was to come. The distinct aroma that
came from wet concrete was nature’s perfume. She couldn’t wait to
breathe in the crisp, clean scent.
I’m an unrepentant
pluviophile. A total lover of rain who found joy and peace in
the precipitation. The corners of her lips curled up as her mind went
to her mother, Jane Abbot, and her father, James. They gifted her
with her appreciation of books, rain, and whimsical things. The
English-born couple loved classic literature, and wove wondrous tales
about their life in Kent, England.
They’d returned to
their hometown five years ago, and Estelle missed them more every
day. Soon they’ll be back to prepare for your birth, little
one. She rubbed her rounded belly.
A tiny foot
kicked in response, and garnered a smile. There’s a living,
breathing being inside of me right now. Wonderment filled her.
For five years she and Everett tried to have a baby. Therefore, with
his low sperm count and her endometriosis this bun in her oven was a
tiny miracle.
“I can’t wait to meet you, Emma,”
she whispered. Content, she glanced at the worn copy of her name
inspiration, Great Expectations, in her lap.
The
wail of sirens brought her from Pip and Estelle’s
childhood. Tornado warning. The warnings were common this
time of year. Closing her book, she studied the sky rapidly changing
color. The hairs on the back of her neck and arms stood on end; a
sense of unease flooded her system. She closed the book and slid off
the cushion, narrowing her eyes. Had the sky taken on a green hue?
The wind had picked up. The branches on the trees shook violently in
the wind.
“Stell.” Everett strode into the room. The
terse tone and clipped words made her hackles rise.
“What’s
wrong?” she asked, standing to greet him.
“We need
to go downstairs. The bathroom is the safest place. They spotted a
funnel nearby.” Goosebumps covered her flesh. A fine sheen of sweat
broke out on her forehead. She toyed with the hem of her maternity
top, worrying the material as she rubbed it between her forefinger
and thumb. He moved to the window and struggled to close it. “I’ll
close this. You go downstairs, now.”
The bass in his
voice put her in motion. Fear slithered its way through her body;
worry sat in her stomach like a stone, cold and unyielding. A lump
formed in her throat. She gripped the bannister careful not to trip
as she waddled her way down the stairs. Balls of ice hit the windows,
walls, and roof with loud cracks.
She jogged toward the
bathroom. Fear drove her into the tiny room. She perched on the
toilet seat, eager to have Everett in her line of sight. Taking deep
breaths, she attempted to keep the panic forming at bay. Her stomach
soured. She rocked back and forth to comfort herself and the
squirming bundle in her belly. The attempt failed. His footsteps
pounded on the steps.
He appeared in the doorway a few
moments later. His face was pale as a sheet, and the crow’s feet in
the corners of his eyes stood out. Lips drawn in a straight line, and
dark eyes full of sadness, he presented a grim picture. He
doesn’t think we’re going to make it. Tears blurred her
vision, and her shoulders shook as she tried to hold in her
sobs.
He sat on the edge of the tub and gripped her
chin. “Hey. I need you to calm down for Emma, okay? I won’t let
anything happen to you or the baby. We’re going to get into the
tub, stay down, and pray our asses off. We’ll be interviewed on the
news when all this is over. Okay?”
She swallowed the
hysteria threatening to rise in her throat like carbonated bubbles
full of crazy and nodded. Their lips met in a kiss that smacked of
desperation. She poured every ounce of love she held for this man
into their mouth mating. Surfacing for air, breathing heavily, they
stared into each other’s eyes. She saw everything in his hazel
orbs—the fear, the joy, and the determination. Everett Noll had
never let her down when it counted. He wouldn’t start now if he
could help it.
“I love you, Estelle.”
“I
love you, too, Everett.” She had to yell to be heard over the roar
that sounded like a massive waterfall.
“Let’s get
in. It's go time.” He stood, holding her hand as she slipped into
the porcelain basin and rested on her side. She held her belly,
wishing she could cradle the babe moving around inside of her in her
arms.
The house vibrated, shaking them
violently. Her body protested and her teeth rattled. Joints creaked
and moaned. He covered her body with his own. The heat from his body,
the cold, smooth surface of the tub, and the terror placed her in a
crazed limbo. The noise grew loud. It really does sound like a
locomotive. Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. The
rest of the prayer was lost to her screams as the roof ripped off,
and all hell broke loose.
Shyla Colt is the sassy international
bestseller of the popular series Kings of Chaos and Dueling Devils
M.C. This genre-hoppers stories feature three of her favorite things:
strong females, pop culture, and alternate routes to happy ever
after. Listening to her Romani soul, she pens from the heart,
allowing the dynamic characters, eccentric interests, and travels as
a former flight attendant to take her down untraveled roads.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio,
this mid-west girl is proud of her roots. She used her hometown and
the surrounding areas as a backdrop for a number of books. So, if
you're a Buckeye, keep an eye out for familiar places.
As a full-time writer, stay at home
mother, and wife, there's never a dull moment in her household.
She weaves her tales in spare moments
and the evenings with a cup of coffee or tea at her side and the
characters in her head for company.
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