Soldiers of Pearl 1: Invasion of Hearts (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  Soldiers of Pearl 1: Invasion of Hearts

  Arabella and her family are on the run. Mother, sister, daughter, aunt, bread-winner, and Arabella is getting burnt out. She’s tired of showing off her body to get better tips, tired of using her martial arts skills to fend off aggressive men, and she’s tired of always looking over her shoulder and having nothing to look forward to, and is barely surviving. She’s got a niece and nephew, a sister and mom to feed, protection to provide, and a leadership role that is taking its toll.

  A small inquiry, some helpful persistent women, the compassion of four retired military men, and a town filled with protectors, Arabella may just be able to save her family after all. Finding a second chance at a real life was never in the plan. Falling in love with four men who represent practically everything she’s been running from could be resolution to her own demise. But only if she can trust them enough to let them.

  Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre

  Length: 80,215 words

  SOLDIERS OF PEARL 1: INVASION OF HEARTS

  Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  MENAGE EVERLASTING

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

  SOLDIERS OF PEARL 1: INVASION OF HEARTS

  Copyright © 2014 by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-63258-339-0

  First E-book Publication: September 2014

  Cover design by Les Byerley

  All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of Soldiers of Pearl 1: Invasion of Hearts by Dixie Lynn Dwyer from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

  This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

  The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

  This is Dixie Lynn Dwyer’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Dixie Lynn Dwyer’s right to earn a living from her work.

  Amanda Hilton, Publisher

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  www.BookStrand.com

  DEDICATION

  Dear readers,

  Thank you for purchasing this legal copy of Soldiers of Pearl, book #1 of my new crossover series.

  The characters in this story each have their personal struggles, but Arabella suffers the most. The bond and love of family prove to withstand the tests of violence, abuse, crime, and bad decisions not only because of the bond itself, but because of the strong, determined woman Arabella turns out to be. Her journey is difficult, physically and emotionally strenuous, and at times she wants to give up, give in, and quit. But something keeps her going.

  What is that inner power that emerges so deep and out of nowhere that seems to reveal itself at just the right time? Many of us have been at that point of defeat, of exhaustion and deciding do I give in and quit because things just aren’t getting better, only worse? Or do I keep fighting, continue to trudge through the thickest, most difficult of times with the small hope that maybe if I hold on a little longer everything will work out okay.

  Arabella is a soldier trudging through the thickness of trouble far too much for one lifetime and for one person to prevail. But she does it, and that’s the difference between giving up, giving in, succumbing to defeat and instead keeping in the fight, pushing to get through and try one last time to be free. That’s a soldier, a fighter, a woman on the mission to never have regrets and face each obstacle head-on.

  May you enjoy Arabella’s story and connect with that inner fight that’s in all of us.

  Happy reading!

  Hugs.

  ~Dixie~

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  About the Author

  SOLDIERS OF PEARL 1: INVASION OF HEARTS

  DIXIE LYNN DWYER

  Copyright © 2014

  Prologue

  Arabella Hopkins pulled her hunk-of-junk car up the street that led to her family’s house. She was feeling tired from her long shift at the restaurant. The only thing keeping her happy about this job was the recent promotion to head chef. At such an exquisite, top-of-the-line restaurant in Chicago’s most vivacious district, she was finally moving up the proverbial ladder.

  The moment the single-family, two-story brick home came into view, so did a black Cadillac CTS with tinted windows. Arabella exhaled in annoyance. Cora’s boyfriend was at the house. He was the father of two-year-old Julia and newborn Liam. It was late, nearly midnight, and Arabella felt that tightness in her chest. She hated Anthony Perrone with a passion. He was a thief and a fraud with a badge. Well, at least he had a badge two years ago when Cora had met him and supposedly fell in love. Arabella knew her sister well. The whole soldier fascination and cop in uniform did a number on her brain cells. They dated for a few months and she was instantly infatuated with him and the money he made. Thing was, Arabella knew what the street cops in Chicago made, and they sure as shit weren’t driving sports cars, living in penthouse suites, and dining in restaurants like Cabella’s where she worke
d.

  Arabella had tried to warn her sister away from Anthony and of course his crew of military buddies, but then Cora found out she was pregnant. It was a downhill spiral from there. She nearly lost baby Julia during her last trimester when Anthony got locked up for suspicion of tampering with police evidence, unlawful use of his police badge, and breaking and entering. A slap on the wrist but a sure sign the man was not a good person. He was a disgrace to the service, a Special Forces dirtbag, and a disgrace to the uniform of Chicago’s finest.

  But Cora was so in love. Well, more like stuck. By the time Liam was born a few months ago, her sister was in over her head and there was no coming out from under Anthony’s thumb. That asshole had her sister running deliveries and doing illegal shit Arabella didn’t want to know anything about. It pissed her off for so many reasons. Here they were struggling to make ends meet and there she was accepting Anthony’s help financially, sticking by his side even when he was in jail and an embarrassment to the community they lived in. Arabella was putting herself through culinary school and continuing to teach martial arts at the major academy. She even took the local police exam, aced the test, and was on the next list for acceptance into the police academy. But she was at a crossroads.

  She loved cooking, creating the gourmet meals, and she loved her martial arts, helping to teach self-defense and being a good citizen in the community they lived in. With her sister tangled up with Anthony Perrone, a known ex-soldier, ex-cop who got jammed up in illegal activities, it made people question her motives for wanting to go into law enforcement. She was seeing a lot of bad shit in the neighborhoods and experiencing firsthand some of the violence and terror these criminals got away with despite a so-called police presence. She wasn’t so confident in the law anymore. She definitely stayed clear of soldiers, too.

  As she parked her car, she thought about Cora and how sick she was during and after Liam was born. Anthony was an asshole who knocked her around, treated her like shit, and demanded sex days after the baby was born. He was cruel, violent, and evil. But he also owned them and had the control, as he had paid off the home mortgage and the loans on the house when loans were taken to care for their ailing father who died of brain cancer. He’d paid for Aunt Betty’s multiple surgeries until she died last year, and he provided money, food, and clothing to Cora. Being half American and half Dominican, the man took control and family very seriously. But Arabella would hear Cora crying as Anthony struck her, or talked down to her, degrading her, and it was getting to be too much.

  As she locked her doors, she heard the car moving slowly down the road toward her. She wasn’t caught off guard. The second vehicle, some sort of SUV that sat down the road a ways, was now in motion and heading to park near the front of her house. She prayed that it wasn’t Kever, Anthony’s partner in crime, also a retired Special Forces guy and a real asshole. He’d worked in the narcotics division up until two years ago. He wanted out of the legit life. Being the muscle, the heavy for Anthony, was apparently more of a calling than enforcing the law. But word was he liked the thrill of the chase, wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, and killing came easy, especially after ten or so years in the military doing shit she wanted to know nothing about. He was an attractive man, but had the devil in his eyes.

  “Hey, baby, you’re home late. How’s Cabella’s?”

  She turned to see Roland as he leaned on the passenger window frame and looked her over. It was warm out and she had been working in the kitchen sweating in the damn heavy white chef uniform and hat. The sleeveless T-shirt she wore hit her mid-belly, showing off her firm abs and olive complexion. The loose-fitting yoga pants stopped at her calves and she wore a pair of old camo tennis shoes. Swinging her backpack onto her shoulder she stared at him, Tysen, and Willie. “It was very busy. I’m beat.” She started walking toward the small driveway. She was just glad that Kever wasn’t with them. That man made her nervous and he was always watching her with those killer eyes. She knew he was interested in her. Anthony hinted about double dates, messing around at their place they shared, but she kept declining. She had the feeling and the fear that one day soon she may need her martial arts skills to defend herself against Kever. But he was Special Forces, and men like that were beyond resourceful.

  Before she even made it up the small steps, she could hear Cora crying and Anthony yelling. This was not an uncommon thing to come home to. No matter how much she pleaded with her sister to leave Anthony and begged her to take off and disappear, her sister wouldn’t do it. She was scared and she worried about the babies.

  She found the door unlocked and as she walked in, closed the door, and headed toward the stairs and her bedroom, she heard the slap of skin and a gasp. She stopped, closed her eyes, and willed herself to not go in there and get involved. Anthony would think nothing of striking her or Mary, their mother. She worried about the babies, and of course, despite Cora’s weakness, Arabella worried about her and how sick and frail she still was.

  “I can’t do it. I can hardly walk, never mind climb into a window, Anthony. Please, I can’t.”

  “You knew about this deal. I gave you the heads-up days ago!” he yelled. Arabella thought that Cora was done doing the illegal shit for Anthony. He gave a whole spiel about being a good mother to his kids or else.

  Arabella walked into the room just in time to see Anthony knock over baby Julia, who sat on the floor next to Mary, and grip Cora’s throat. “You weak bitch. I need you there. You’re supposed to help with the exchange and get into the back room where the shit is. It’s fucking bad enough you look like crap and stopped taking care of yourself. Put some fucking makeup on, throw on the red dress that shows your tits, and move it.” He shoved her and Cora fell onto the floor.

  “What the hell is going on?” Arabella asked, looking from Cora to Anthony to her mom, who had tears rolling down her cheeks as she rocked infant Liam.

  Anthony shot her a look and then gazed over her body. She hated how he thought he could do that, had every right to look her over as if her body belonged to him, too.

  One glance at Cora and she could see the dark circles under her sister’s eyes, how weak and frail she looked. She knew that Cora couldn’t even breast-feed the baby because she was so anemic and ill. Not only could she have lost Liam, but Cora could have also died in delivery. It was Anthony’s fault. He’d smacked her around, forced his body on her whenever he wanted, and she took it.

  Arabella was getting sick and tired of being around this house, but she couldn’t leave. If something happened to Cora, the babies would be Arabella’s responsibility just as their mom was. Arabella glanced at her mom, who was intimidated by Anthony. She had her own health issues and was looking older every day because of the stress of this life.

  Arabella knelt down on the floor and tried to calm Julia. That bastard thought nothing of knocking over his own baby girl. What else was he capable of? “You okay?” she whispered to Cora, whose tears rolled down her cheeks. She looked like death. It killed Arabella inside to see her baby sister like this.

  “You better get your ass up, Cora. Get the fuck up.” He grabbed at her shirt.

  “Stop it, Anthony!” Arabella yelled as she stood up and rocked Julia, who was exhausted. This wasn’t the life for children. This wasn’t a healthy environment.

  Anthony’s eyes widened as he stepped closer. Arabella covered Julia and turned her away from her father’s wrath.

  He pointed at Arabella.

  “Don’t start your shit, Arabella. This is serious stuff. I need her to do this job. Big shots are counting on a successful exchange.”

  “Well, she can’t do it. Look at her. She’s sick, weak, and nearly died delivering Liam.”

  He glared at her and then shocked her when he kicked Cora. Her mother gasped, Cora cried out, and he did it again, and again, his boot thumping against her ribs.

  “Stop it!” Arabella yelled.

  “Stupid fucking bitch.” He pulled his gun from the holster on his back and
pointed the Glock at Cora’s head. Arabella felt dizzy with shock.

  “Don’t, Anthony. Don’t do this,” Arabella whispered. Cora covered her head and sobbed on the floor by the couch. Arabella kept Julia’s head turned away from the scene. Would Anthony actually shoot Cora, then her and their mother? What about the babies?

  My God, he’s a monster.

  Arabella was getting tired of this life, this violence.

  “Anthony put the gun away. Your babies are right here. They need their mother.”

  “I fucking need her for this job. She’s fucking up everything. Maybe I should just kill her and the fucking kids and be done with the lazy weak bitch.”

  “Stop, Anthony. Please don’t do this.” Cora cried. She could see that Anthony was more than capable of ending their lives. For a moment Arabella wondered if they were all better off dead. The pain, the misery they all sustained, especially Cora, was enough to not want to go on and live. Not with a man like Anthony around and his thugs to boot.

  But Arabella was always there to help her sister. She was there to clean up and ice her battered body, to try to keep the babies from seeing the violence, and she took care of their mother. She needed to save Cora from this. Looking at the fear, the lack of will to live in Cora’s eyes did a number on Arabella’s emotions. The babies needed her alive. They needed her cared for. If she wanted this life with Anthony, then she needed time to recover, to get stronger, and then she could continue to live like this. Arabella on the other hand, wanted out. After tonight it was over.