Kia Ora...

My youngest has 7ish weeks left of school before she graduates high school and heads into her final end-of-year exams...and it's a scary prospect to think that it won't be much longer after that and she'll be heading off to university leaving me at home, alone. Okay, it won't be to bad...I'll be able to spend more time writing and watching the shows I want to watch...

And a big welcome to all the new subscribers to the newsletter!!

Updates

Naomi Aoki

• Continuing to get backlist books ready to be published in Print.
• Working on collating finished series into boxsets.

Mandy Greenwood

• Continuing to prepare backlist books ready to be published, priority being given to the Crime Lords series
• Welcome to Greertown is almost complete with the final scene being shared over the next two newsletters starting with today's.

MJ Green

• Runway Riot (House of Bolton 4) is sitting at 46k words and fingers crossed I will have it finished by the end of next week.
• Once I hand Runway Riot over to my proofreader I will focus on getting the first three books in the House of Bolton series published in print so that I can release book 4 in both formats at the same time.
• Until Death (House of Bolton Prequel) will be my final project for the year this prequel novel tells the story of the previous heir to the Tomasi Famiglia - Albie Tomasi - and his lover, Giovanni Beltrame.

Bookfunnel Promo

If you haven't had a chance to grab a copy of Dangerous Lessons (The Yakuza and the English Teacher 1), Deadly Game (Tokyo Nights 1), or Sagaki (Tokyo Nights Novella 1)... then now's your chance. I currently have a Yakuza Romance boxset up for free in a bookfunnel promo!!

Grab it Now!

Check out these New Releases/Preorders

The Blood Brute Volume One (Books 1-3) by Dixon Reuel

Paranormal Post-Apocalyptic

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Kaplan Chronicles Volume Two by H.M. Wolfe

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As I'm almost finished with Welcome to Greertown, I'm beginning to think ahead to the next book to be serialised in the Newsletter...and well, I have a few choices. I can either write Bets Up (Golden Decks Casino 2) or A Knight Forged (The Moutrams 4), or start a new series which would probably be Running for Home (Switch Hitters 1). So that's either, mafia, mpreg, or baseball... but all books that fall under my Mandy Greenwood name.

But anyway...before that can happen I need to publish the last scene for Welcome to Greertown which is a bonus scene that follows on from the epilogue in Flex (Golden Decks Casino 1). I am splitting it over two newsletters as it's a long scene.

*******

Misaki reclined back in his seat and watched as those who’d come to spectate the fights his lover—one of them at least—had organised, gradually filed out of the arena. The heady adrenaline-driven atmosphere of earlier always dissipated quickly once the final fighter of the night had hit the canvas. Those who’d won big eager to cash in their betting slip and arrange for their winning to be deposited into their bank accounts…while the losers disappeared quickly into the night and often into the nearest bottle of alcohol they could find. Gone were the days when punters walked out of a venue with large wads of cash stuffed into their pockets, not that Misaki missed them in the slightest. It was amazing what details could be gleaned from an electronic transfer of funds, he thought with a devilish grin plastered on his face.

However, his careful appraisal of the departing guests had little to do with picking out their next blackmail targets. No, Misaki was far more interested in tracking the movements of a colleague, one who’d already reamed him out once this evening, and not all in a way that Misaki found enjoyable. He’d half-expected Ji-Hun to haul from his seat and drag him somewhere far more private once the man had learned of what Misaki had done…especially when Ji-Hun had warned him not to do it. Misaki had found it hard not to flinch under the weight of Ji-Hun’s anger, harder still to push back the uncomfortable memories of the last time Ji-Hun had been furious with him…memories that haunted Misaki despite wearing his trademark smirk as he faced down the man.

But he’d do it again. Without hesitation. And the consequences be damned.

He simply couldn’t ignore the young croupier’s potential that was being wasted here on the floor of the casino when it could be much better utilised in Aidan’s arena. It wasn’t like Nico would be a top-tier gymnast forever…and well, fighting paid more. And tonight, the man had proven to be damn good at it just as Misaki had suspected. While it might not have been a wise idea on his part to manipulate Nico until he had little choice but to step inside the ring…Misaki didn’t regret his decision. He didn’t regret any decision her made, even those that ended badly.

But Misaki wasn’t foolish to believe that Ji-Hun’s little outburst earlier would be the end of the matter. Didn’t dare hope for it either. Hope was a futile thing in this world dominated by blood and death…and Misaki knew better than to entertain it. A fact that was further proven by Ji-Hun calling his name from the centre of the arena, anger wrenching each syllable apart.

Misaki rose from his seat, slapped on his trademark smirk, and sauntered down the steps to where Ji-Hun waited. He spared a quick glance at his two lovers, guilt, anguish, and fear flickered over their faces as they too remembered the last time Ji-Hun had been this furious with Misaki. His gaze drifted beyond the two men who held his heart and settled on the one man who might have the ability to stop Ji-Hun. But Mao’s narrowed eyes and stone-cold expression quickly told Misaki he’d have to accept whatever punishment Ji-Hun dished out…that he’d not interfere in their dispute except to prevent death. Hopefully this time he’d walk away without broken bones…

And still, he didn’t regret convincing Nico to fight.

“What do you need with me, Ji-Hun? Need me to give you some pointers on how to please Demetri in bed?”

Ji-Hun smiled, lips stretched thin and barely curled at the corners while his eyes took on a foxlike quality—a dangerous conniving fox. “I can pleasure my husband just fine… but you’re not going to deflect my anger by shifting my attention to a more salacious topic.”

“Anger? I thought you’d vented that earlier.”

“You should know me better than that, Misaki,” Ji-Hun sneered. “That was merely an appetizer, and now that we’re alone”—gesturing at the empty arena with only those called the Crime Lords remaining under its roof— “I can finally indulge in the main course.”

“Main course?” he asked while trying to keep his voice from trembling. He and Ji-Hun might be colleagues…two of the most feared men in the city, but that didn’t stop Ji-Hun from being one scary motherfucker. Rumours drifted through the streets of Greertown about the Golden Decks Casino, but those stories were tame compared to the reality of Ji-Hun’s vicious nature—his skills in the art of torture legendary amongst those in their world.

“Don’t stall for time, Misaki. I plan to beat the shit out you until I’m satisfied and you’re all bloodied.” Ji-Hun stripped down to his dress pants and kicked off his shoes, leaving the discarded items for Demetri to collect. He clambered into the ring and leaned over the ropes, staring at Misaki with another of his dangerous grins. “Now…I don’t care if your suit gets ruined—it might even be improved with the addition of blood—but I want your arse in this ring, now!”

He sighed, realising it would be futile to argue with Ji-Hun further. Better to acquiesce to the man’s demands now than incur the damages of his wrath later. Yet he had not intention of rushing to join the man in the ring—not that his friend was the only with hand-to-hand combat skills. While it might have been awhile since Misaki had needed to use them, there were, however, advantages to having a lover who was once a top-billed fighter in the MMA world. Ji-Hun might be surprised by some of the new moves Misaki could now pull off.

Misaki unbuttoned his jacket and slipped it from his shoulders before handing it off to Kristof. Unfastened his cufflinks and dropped them into his lover’s outstretched hand before peeling off his shirt which joined his jacket now draped over Kristof’s arm. He paused to stare at Ji-Hun, watching as his friend paced the ring, hands flexing at his side and a feral grin plastered on his face. A smile that soon turned to one of confusion when Misaki’s fingers reached for his belt buckle.

“I want to pound you into the floor,” J-Hun snarled. “Not your arse.”

“The feeling is mutual,” Misaki shouted back. “Well, except for the implied loss…that won’t be happening at my expense.”

“What’s with that…then?” Ji-Hun asked, gesturing at Misaki’s pants that were now draped over Kristof’s arm with the rest of his clothes.

“Come one, Ji-Hun… my suit is worth six-thousand dollars. I’m not going to risk ruining it just to fight you,” he snapped back while tugging on a pair of shorts Aidan had brought for him. “But in saying that… I also don’t intend to fight you in my boxers.”

“Well, thank fuck for that,” Ji-Hun replied while glancing across at Demetri who stood waiting in one corner of the ring. His eyes narrowed in on the man and burned with a new anger, one tinged with green.

Drenched in the colour more like, Misaki thought as he released a frustrated sigh. Ji-Hun still wasn’t over the fact that he and Demetri were former fuck buddies, and yet as far as Misaki was concerned, that was all in the past. He had no interest in fucking around his friend anymore, not now that he had Kristof an Aidan in his bed most nights. Well, Kristof’s bed to be more accurate after Misaki had moved into his lover’s apartment while Aidan split his time between it and the Martel residence. There’d been no logical reason for choosing Kristof’s place over Misaki’s…it just happened that way.

“Not interested in Demetri’s arse either, Ji-Hun,” he said with a sly smile, ignoring the whispered warnings coming from behind him. “Not that I technically had his arse… he fucked me, remember,” he taunted the jealous bastard while climbing between the ropes into the ring.

“Ji-Hun smiled at him, thin lipped and far from friendly, it made Misaki pause and wonder if he’d pushed too hard at the man’s boundaries. He’d thought this fight would’ve been a friendly bit of sparring that would’ve seen them walk away with a few new bruises and their egos intact. Misaki wasn’t so sure about that now, well aware of how dangerous Ji-Hun’s fists could be, and he’d promised Aidan that he’d never place himself in front of them like that again. Not that Aidan appeared to be unhappy with the current situation… not entirely happy either, but he wasn’t making any moves to demand Ji-Hun call the fight off before it even began.

“Are you sure want to do this, Ji-Hun?” he shouted across the ring, giving Ji-Hun one last chance to pull out. Wasted his breath really, because Ji-Hun never backed down from a challenge, especially not one that he’d issued.

“Afraid you’re going to lose, Misaki?”

“Nope. Not at all.” Misaki stretched quickly and shook out his muscles. “Advantage of having a fighter who loves to spend time in this very ring… private lessons.” Lessons that often ended with fucking.

Ji-Hun snorted and swept an assessing gaze over Misaki. A little of the confidence the man had carried while issuing the challenge wavered before sliding firmly back into place. He knew what Ji-Hun saw, a body lithe and muscular that was far removed from the one he’d pummeled with his fists when Misaki had spent those unfortunate days in the man’s basement.

“There is only one rule for this fight,” Su-Jin barked, drawling Misaki and Ji-Hun’s attention away from each other. “No serious injuries are to be inflicted on the other fighter or the match will be forfeited…and a further punishment will be dealt out by Mao.”

“If I can’t knock the bastard out…or break a few of his bones, Su-Jn, then how the fuck are we to determine who wins?” Ji-Hun snarled.

“First blood. Whoever draws first blood will be proclaimed the winner of the fight… and in the unlikely event that both fail to do that, the match will be called a draw at the end of the five minutes.”

“You’re really taking the fun out of this, little brother.”

“Are both fighters in agreement?” Su-Jin asked, ignoring the angry scowl bleeding through Ji-Hun’s thin smile. “This is my ring. My rules. Do you both understand.”

“Yes,” they both agreed, bumping their fists as Su-Jin demanded they do.

*****

Want to know more about Misaki's feud with Ji-Hun?

You can find out all about it in the Crime Lords series starting with Kings!

Want to know why Ji-Hun is angry with Misaki this time?

You can find out all about it in Flex (Golden Decks Casino 1).

or find all the books set in the Greertown universe here

Welcome to Greertown