Posted on by Jacquie Biggar

Protection is safety. Until it stifles… Tortured Soul by @StaciTroilo #NewRelease #PNR #Suspense


Hi, Jacquie. Thank you so much for hosting me today.

I’m releasing Tortured Soul, the fourth and final book of the Medici Protectorate series. It is a mashup of genres, including suspense, thriller, paranormal, and romance. Because you are a romance writer, I can only assume your readers would prefer a sneak peek at the softer side of this story. To that end, I’ve chosen the following excerpt:

 

TS teaser 3

 

The statues across from the bench mocked him. A man and a woman unafraid to admit their feelings, act on their desires. Forever frozen in the throes of passion, their lust immortalized in unyielding marble.

Toni’s flesh would be soft, warm, welcoming.

Cazzo. He had to stop thinking of her that way. She wasn’t his to fantasize about.

He turned to look at her. Small droplets of water rested in her hair, on her eyelashes. A few bigger drops trailed down her cheeks, like nature itself cried for the two of them.

He’d tamp his desires down. But once in a while, he would allow himself to think of her, and he’d remember her like this. Fresh and dewy skin, a slight blush to her cheeks. The rapid rise and fall of her breasts as she fought to bank her temper—a temper riled because of him. How he’d love to see her breathless for a better reason, see her skin flush with desire.

Screw it.

Coz touched the raindrops on her cheek with the tip of his finger. He caressed her face, then cupped it in his large hand.

A tiny crinkle formed between her eyebrows as she scrunched her forehead in confusion. Rather than marring her features, it enhanced them.

She was, in a word, delectable. And he had to have a taste.

He bent his head and touched his nose to hers, kept his eyes open to see her reaction.

Her eyes widened, but she didn’t recoil, didn’t reject him.

That was all the invitation he needed.

Coz slid his hand around her head and threaded his fingers through her hair. He brushed his lips across her cheeks, kissing away raindrops. She smelled sweet—like vanilla and cinnamon, a gourmet delight for his exclusive indulgence. He watched through hooded eyelids as her cheeks pinked under his attention. The stunned expression on her face brought a smile to his own. Her eyes were still wide, her lips softly parted, and he took that as his opening.

He slid his mouth over hers, and when she sighed, slipped his tongue inside.

Just a taste…

Oh, but she offered so much more than he’d hoped for.

She met his slow pace and gentle touch with a fervency he never expected. It sparked a cyclone of emotions in him, desires and needs swirling in an unquenchable vortex of hunger, of craving.

More. He needed more.

 

Ah, those first few kisses of a relationship get me every time. I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as they enjoyed… whoops, I mean, as much as I enjoyed writing it.

 

TS cover

 

Blurb:

Protection is safety. Until it stifles.

After months of clandestine battles, the Brothers of the Medici Protectorate finally know who is responsible for the assassination attempts on the Notaro family, the secret descendants of the Medici line. And they’ve never faced such a formidable foe.

Roberto Cozza–Coz–faces this new reality with surprising pragmatism. His powers may make the difference in winning their covert war–if only he can master them in time. It would just be so much easier if he could get his emotions under control, but neither his Brothers nor their charges are making things easy on him.

Toni Notaro appreciates the security provided by the Brothers, but she knows she has her own role to play–and it terrifies her. She is the missing link in Coz mastering his emerging abilities, yet she struggles to bridge the gap between what he needs and what she can offer.

As the Brotherhood hurtles inexorably toward the climactic final showdown, Coz and Toni must find the strength within themselves and each other to master the secrets of his powers, or risk death and defeat for all they hold dear.

 

Universal Purchase Link

 

Author Bio and Links:

Troilo Color Photo RT smaller

Staci Troilo writes because she has hundreds of stories in her head. She publishes because people told her she should share them. She’s a multi-genre author whose love for writing is only surpassed by her love for family and friends, and that relationship-centric focus is featured in her work.

Web | Blog | Tortured Soul Info | Medici Protectorate Info | Amazon Page | BookBub | Goodreads | Twitter | Other Social Media Links

43 Replies to “Protection is safety. Until it stifles… Tortured Soul by @StaciTroilo #NewRelease #PNR #Suspense”

  1. What an exquisite excerpt! Coz and Toni have fantastic chemistry and really shine in this wonderful story. So great to see it making the rounds on tour. I highly recommend it!

    Liked by 3 people

    2. I love when writers employ the emotions into intimacy more than the physicality. This scene does that. It gave me the gooseys 🙂
      Thanks for stopping by to support Staci’s new release, Mae!

      Liked by 2 people

  2. Pingback: Visiting Friends and Talking About Tortured Soul, Day 3 – Staci Troilo

  5. My favorite excerpt so far, Staci. Of course, it helps that I pictured the guy in that infamous upper right corner of your cover throughout every moment of it. Great goobley-oobly! Now I need to go for a brisk walk and think about puppies and kittens blue skies with puffy white clouds for a while. 😀 But I’ll share first!! 😀

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I loved this line: A few bigger drops trailed down her cheeks, like nature itself cried for the two of them.
      So emotive and says a lot about their relationship.
      Thanks for stopping by, Craig 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. I’m a big Staci Troilo Fan. You could say I’ve been a fan of hers since birth. (Wink, Wink). I like all of the characters including the minor characters, and even those with cameo appearances. If I had to pick a favorite, i would have to go with…Vinnie.

        Liked by 1 person

  9. Pingback: Author Inspiration and This Week’s Writing Links – Staci Troilo

Comments are closed.