Kia Ora...

Summer is well in truly here in New Zealand with temperatures hovering around the high twenties (Celsius) and bringing with it a good sized helping of humidity. It's a lot of fun... not.

Amazon had a big server outage at the beginning of the week that impacted a lot of peoples ability to access the companies services, whether this was purchasing books, or waiting for them to go live on the platform... and yup, Stitched Together got caught on up in it all too. I'd hit publish on it less than twenty-four hours before everything went kaput, and its now caught in a publishing limbo. If it hasn't gone live on Amazon by Monday I will be chasing it up, but thankfully it's live on all other platforms!

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Updates

• Hiroshi (Tokyo Nights Novella 3) is sitting at 4k words and I have a rough idea where this story needs to head for the boys to get their HEA.
• Rough Sketches (House of Bolton 3) is sitting at just under 6k words. This one is going to be both a fun story to write and a frustrating one. A lot of angst and torn loyalties. Ryland's falling for an undercover cop was never going to be a low angst story, but then add in the family dynamics, those concerning his relationship with Lucas, and Ryland not having his brother to talk too... the angst level will be high.

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Stitched Together (House of Bolton 2)

Blurb:

Charlene loves her job as manager of the House of Bolton retail store. Not even the snobbery of the social elite who traipse all the way out to Geelong to get their House of Bolton fashion fix, fazes her. Nor did dealing with the constant attacks that had plagued the store since its opening, so long as she didn’t need to clean the mess up.

She isn’t surprised when a connection is made between her ex-partner and the attacks on the store. It wasn’t like the man was upstanding member of the community with a spotless police record. Yet when the threats painted on the store’s walls are directed at her along with her employer, Charlene’s life gets turned upside down. Given little choice, Charlene and her daughter find themselves being protected by River Millard, the man charged with overseeing the House of Bolton retail venture.

Except Charlene doesn’t believe her ex is a threat.

And she doesn’t believe River is capable of protecting her either. He’s nothing more than a rich boy playing at being bad despite the rumours of his family being connected to the mafia. And she should know. Charlene grew up surrounded by men who stunk of blood and death…witnessed her fair share of it too while her father was president of the Outlaw Saints MC.

But River is far more dangerous than Charlene ever believed possible.

Grab it Here

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NEW COVERS

The Crime Lords series has received some beauty treatment with the books in the series receiving new covers.

Kings

Dukes

Princes

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Caught - Chapter Twenty-Three

A pained gust of breath slipped from Takeshi’s lips and spilled into the air while his gaze flicked between Kennosuke and several high ranked members of the Shirokawa-gumi. It had been three days since the incident at the warehouse and uncomfortable truths about Yoshitake had been revealed, and Takeshi’s grip on the leadership of the organisation had grown more tenuous. When he’d arrived back in Osaka it had been his age along with his lack of experience commanding men and outwitting their enemies that had been called into question. Many of those who’d stood by his father had suggested that his four years away from the city had left ill placed to effectively lead an organisation that existed within a vastly different political sphere to the yakuza groups in Tokyo. While those who’d supported his grandfather’s views… no longer existed, disappearing in the loyalty purges Takeshi had run in the first few weeks at the helm of the Shirokawa-gumi.

“Any sightings of Yoshitake?” he finally asked, breaking the strained tension in the room.

Kennosuke’s presence was another check against Takeshi continuing in his position at the head of the Shirokawa-gumi, but the man had been instrumental in working out who the traitors in Takeshi’s organisation were. The same couldn’t be said for the other men in the room who’d done nothing but look out for their own self interests. Even now, Takeshi knew the men were plotting behind his back, counting up the number of supporters they had amongst the differing ranks of the Shirokawa-gumi and readying themselves to force him out at the first opportunity.

But as he’d told the men before the Yoshitake debacle, Takeshi had no intention of standing aside and giving up his position as head of the Shirokawa-gumi. Refused to let the organisation that had been started by his great grandfather be headed by someone who didn’t have claim to the Matsumoto name. And if they were going to make a stand around the issue of blood rights and leadership, then Kennosuke had more of a reason to be sitting in this room than any of these old bastards did—the Kitayama and Matsumoto families shared a common Kobe ancestor after all.

“No, there’s been no sign of Yoshitake or of any those believed to be working with him,” Kitamori said. “He could have left the city now that his ruse has been exposed?”

Takeshi shook his head, not believing that Yoshitake would give up on his goals that easily.

“I don’t think he’s left the city,” Kennosuke said, ignoring the scowls that were directed in his direction. “He’s more likely to be hiding out while he recovers from the injury Takeshi inflicted on him.”

“I agree. Yoshitake’s plans were cultivated over a long period of time, and he’s not going to abandon them this easily.”

“But why not?” Takeda asked. “His plans relied upon subterfuge and his ability to manipulate you—you admitted at least yourself—and without those, Yoshitake would struggle to gain the power he desires.”

Takeda wasn’t wrong. He wasn’t right either. Whatever Yoshitake’s next moves were, they’d have nothing to do with taking the leadership of the Shirokawa-gumi. Takeshi had embarrassed Yoshitake back at the warehouse, angered him too. He’d taken the lessons Yoshitake had taught him and used them against him. It didn’t matter that those lessons had been given in case of that exact situation… well, maybe not that exact situation. He couldn’t imagine that Yoshitake had ever considered the need to escape an enemy after first sucking their brains out of their dick. But regardless, there was no way Yoshitake was letting Takeshi get away with stabbing him in the foot.

“You do realise,” Kitamori snarled. “We wouldn’t be in this situation if you’d killed the bastard while you had the chance.”

“And what situation is that? From where I stand, the Shirokawa-gumi are in a far better position than what they were six months’ ago. No longer is the organisation fractured and suffering from frequent bouts of infighting that destroyed what little of our reputation that had remained after my grandfather’s idiotic idea to take control of Kyoto.”

Kitamori narrowed his eyes and clenched the arms of the chair tight as though it was the only thing preventing him from launching across the room at him. Takeshi smirked and waited for the man to refute his words. But disappointingly the man swallowed hard, relaxed his death grip on the chair, and gave a sharp nod of his head.

Takeshi shifted his gaze to Takeda curious to see whether man agreed with his assessment of the Shirokawa-gumi’s situation or not. Takeda had been a strong supporter of his grandfathers, and it had surprised Takeshi when the man had readily given his loyalty to him.

“You’re right,” Takeda said, tapping a finger on his thigh. “We are in a better off position. The clearing out of all those stuck in a nineteen-fifties mindset has made the Shirokawa-gumi a more cohesive and welcoming organisation… profits are beginning to rise and the enemies who surround us no longer look at us as easy prey. But none of that explains the presence of the young Kitayama here.”

Takeshi winced. He’d been wondering how long until one of them asked about Kennosuke’s presence. “Kitayama was instrumental in us uncovering Yoshitake’s betrayal to the point where his own husband suffered at Yoshitake’s hands.”

“Not disputing that. But there wasn’t a need for him to attend a formal meeting.” Takeda’s words cut sharply, and Takeshi wondered if it was simply because Kennosuke oversaw the Wards that the Araki-gumi had claimed here in Osaka, or the reminder that the man was gay that annoyed Takeda more.

“One: this isn’t a formal meeting. Two: I want to rectify a wrong committed by my grandfather at the beginning of his war with the Araki-gumi.”

“And what wrong would that be?” Takeda asked, his curious gaze flicking toward Kitamori.

Takeshi watched as the significance behind his words, combined with Kennosuke’s presence began to sink in. There’d been a reason why he’d only called for Takeda and Kitamori to attend this meeting, and it had nothing to do with either of them being more loyal than other members of the organisation. Both men controlled one of the larger Wards that surrounded the Osaka Port, and their cooperation for his proposal would be needed.

“You want to negotiate a deal with the Araki-gumi that would give them access to the port.”

“Exactly.”

“What terms are you proposing?” Kitamori asked. “The Araki-gumi already have far too much of our territory… I will not agree to handing them over anymore.”

“I don’t plan to—”

“Nor is that what we’re asking for,” Kennosuke butted in. “We only want the same terms that we had before Matsumoto took them away and decided to hold our merchandise hostage.”

“Then why are we here? That could have been decided without our permission.”

“Because I wanted to ensure that any Araki-gumi traffic into the port would not be hampered by your men as they passed through your Wards… and by involving you in this decision… any failure to give the Araki-gumi access cannot be brushed off with a simple ‘we didn’t know’.” Because Takeshi wouldn’t put it past the men to try it.

The men shifted uncomfortably in their seats before giving a sharp nod of agreement and Takeshi relaxed his tight grip on the edge of the desk.

“If you’ve got nothing else to share… no other concerns that I should be made aware of?” he asked, flicking his gaze between the two men, oddly disappointed he didn’t get skewer one of them. “Then you can leave and pass the word around that the Araki-gumi’s access to the port is not to be hampered.”

Takeda and Kitamori, rose from their seats and strode from the room leaving Takeshi with Kennosuke.

“I think that went better than expected.” Kennosuke laughed and shook his head. “But my Uncle will be pleased to regain access to the ports here in Osaka. Trying to negotiate alternative delivery points is a frustrating and expensive business.”

“I can imagine.” He pushed off the desk and headed for the sideboard where a bottle of sake waited to be opened. “You got time to celebrate our small victory before you head off?”

Kennosuke shook his head. “I’d love to stay, but I need to get back to Brian… he wasn’t too keen on my coming here without him.”

“He’s not too seriously injured though, right?”

“Bruised ribs, and a few cuts that required stitches… no, not too badly injured. But Brian isn’t a man who enjoys being forced to rest.”

“Are any of us though?” Takeshi said with a wry laugh.

“True… very true.”

*

Rubbing at the bridge of his nose, Takeshi headed down the hallway toward his bedroom. He’d love nothing more than to crawl into his bed, pull the blankets over his head and block out the world for another couple of days. But Takeshi didn’t have that option. Between being caught in an explosion and the news spreading through Osaka about Yoshitake’s betrayal, there were many in the city’s underworld who didn’t believe Takeshi was alive still, let alone in charge of the Shirokawa-gumi. It would take several nights of being seen out on the streets of Osaka for those minds to be changed. But before he stepped foot in the first club of the night, Takeshi needed a change of suit.

“You took your time,” he said, walking into the bedroom and closing the door behind him.

The man snorted. “It wasn’t like you made it easy. You stabbed me in the fucking foot!”

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