Welcome to the second Author Spotlight Saturday here on Rainbow Lyrics and Mellow Mushrooms. We have a lot of things coming for you in this next week, from announcements of a new project to a snippet of one that's almost done. Today though, we'd like to put the focus on Huanita Maria, who's dropped in to give us a sneak peek into the Librarian Universe. Welcome Huanita! I am not familiar with this universe, so it is going to be as much a treat for me as it will be for the readers.
Let's just jump right in, shall we?
Q. Of all the characters you’ve written, which one do you like the least and why?
A. Definitely Alexander
Kane. He has absolutely no redeeming qualities; he’s greedy, manipulative, uses
everyone around him to achieve his goals and disposes of people when they are
no longer of use for him. Alexander is the leader of the biggest child trafficking
ring in the US, and uses his connections in the business and political world to
escape justice. SPOILER: I gave him a horrible, horrible death.
Q. What was your most
difficult character or story to write? Why?
A. Fabian Bloom, by far. He was…I don’t know…deceiving? At first, he’s just an uncle who warmly welcomes his long-lost nephew at home, and a seemingly emotionally distant father to his son. Then, his actions are often confusing, and the readers starts to see him as the villain of the series. In The Base, the REAL Fabian reveals himself bit by bit, and In the Eye of the Storm, the first book of Full Circle series, explains him, and brings him in front of the readers, in all his light, strength, and…well, no more spoilers.
Q. If any of your books were
to be made into a movie, which one would you like to see on the big screen and
who would you like to see play your main characters?
A. I don’t watch a lot of TV these days, so I don’t know who are the public’s favorites and why. Anyway, that’s a good question to ask in my author group, I’m curious what answers I’d get.
Q. Describe your writing
space? Is there anything you have to
have when you write? A favorite type of pen, certain music, a stuffed critter
that always keeps you company?
A. A plain desk, my
computer, my glasses, and a small bowl of peanuts. That’s all.
Q. Is there a particular
book that you’ve written that you wish more readers knew about? If so share a
little about it here:
A. Fabian’s book, In the Eye
of the Storm. Here’s the blurb:
Happily married, with the
affection and respect of those he holds dear, Fabian Bloom finally finds inner
peace. However, fresh nightmares about his horrific past start to plague the
man's sleep, shadowing his newfound happiness and worrying the one he loves. A
trip to his cabin in Montana offers the opportunity for the couple to relax and
enjoy the solitude of the place.
After reuniting with his two sons, marrying the man he had loved for eleven years and watching his young protegees blooming into strong young men, Lance Hansen has everything he ever wished for. When his husband’s past is revealed in all its darkness and horror, the man is completely unprepared, and their world begins to crumble.
Will the two men be able
to face the ghosts that threaten to destroy everything they love and fight so
hard for? Or will they end up sucked into a whirlwind that will rip them apart
forever?
Q. If you were to write a
spin-off book featuring one of your side characters, whom would you choose and
why? Can you tell us a little about the story you’d like to feature them in?
A. My books are part of
series with a continuous storyline, so the stories of the main and side
characters go hand in hand, like it happens in real life. I don’t put the side
characters in a box and tell them to wait for their story; I don’t dare, lol.
(Oh, I love that. Mine don't like taking a backseat either, though sometimes I try and bribe them a little, just to get them to chill while I finish what I'm working on. It rarely works, though I have discovered that a few of them are willing to relent when I promise them a very good time in the book to come, while others just grumble and whisper promises, promises, while they go sulk in a corner)
Q. If you were to interview
one of your characters, what would you ask them and how do you think they’d
respond.
A. Oh, there are so many of
them! Ardan MacNamara, from The Base and Full Circle series, Ian Saint-Clair,
from The Kingmaker’s Sons books, Brian Cavallieri, from my newest series, The
Librarian, and the list could go on. However, I think my favorite would still
be Fabian. Here are some of the questions I’d ask him:
1.
Do you ever wish your life was different? Did
you ever ask yourself what if…?
2. If you would have the possibility to change your
relationship with your ex-wife, Adele, the mother of Martin Cornelius and
Armina, would you do it?
3. If you could turn back time, would you change
your approach in the relationship with your neurodivergent son, Quinlan? How
would you treat him?
4. Have you ever been really in love with
Alexander, or was it only the effect of the drugs?
5. How do you feel about Alexander’s demise and the
way he died?
6. You could easily convince your uncle, Alastair
Stark, to appoint him as his successor. You had all the necessary qualities,
yet you preferred to step aside and let your nephew Daniel rule. Why?
7. Do
you consider that what the Duke, Alastair’s husband, put you through since such
a young age, had any contribution in your evolution? Did surviving those
horrors make you wiser and stronger, or, on the contrary, you would have been
an even better man if you didn’t suffer so much as a child?
Q. What projects do you have
in the works and would you be willing to share a snippet of one of them here?
A. My newest project it’s a series called The Librarian, set in the same universe as The Base and Full Circle, but featuring a lot of new, very interesting characters. I already released the first 3 books as a boxset (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLMC4BDF), the 4th individually,
(https://www.amazon.com/Librarian-Book-4-H-M-Wolfe-ebook/dp/B0BVHSQGX7),
and another 3-book bundle is on preorder. (https://www.amazon.com/Librarian-Books-5-7-H-M-Wolfe-ebook/dp/B0C6JKMZB4)
Here’s a taste of it, the first chapter of the first book:
“Will you please give me the strongest stuff you have? A whole bottle, no glass.” The young man plopped down on a stool at the bar, pulling a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and nonchalantly tossing it on the counter. It was the last of his last money, but he couldn’t care less.
“Son, is it only me, or do you intend to drink yourself to death? A bottle of that would put people twice as big as you into the ground.” One of the guys flanking the young man, well into his fifties and sporting a thick, long beard, cast a worried look in his direction. “Serge Mills.” He extended a big, calloused hand.
Not your goddamn business, the young man thought, but instead, he gave the other one’s hand an energetic shake and answered in a polite voice, “Brian Knight. Nice to meet you, sir. And yes, I intend to drink the contents of that bottle by myself; a one-man party to celebrate being fired and getting evicted at the same time.”
“It’s not the end of the world, you know,” the tall, solidly-built, black man — the soldier type — flanking Brian’s other side spoke in a low voice. “You look young. There’s plenty of time for you to start again. I’m sure that out there somewhere, there’s a position waiting for you to fill it in.”
“My good friend Mr. Parker, here, is right.” Serge nodded in approval, a wide smile spreading across his face. “With that long hair and glasses, you look geeky, the kind of guy who’d do a great job as a substitute teacher. I’m sure our Fergus can find you something to do at The Base.”
“The Base?” Brian’s eyes were shining with interest and curiosity. “Like on a military base? What makes you think they would need someone with my… qualifications?”
“That’s a small town a few miles outside of New York City’s limits, a place offering shelter and the chance for a fresh start to victims of domestic violence and child sex trafficking.” Serge’s answer came in a warm, affectionate voice.
“For security reasons, The Base doesn’t appear on any map, so you’ll need this to get there.” Parker offered Brian a small object similar to a business card. “Some basic directions.” He took the bill on the counter and gave it back to the younger man. “I think this is yours.”
“Pay attention to the dirt road; the bumps make it a bitch, especially if you don’t have good suspension.” Serge frowned. “Do you have a car, or should I send someone to get you?”
“Thank you for the kind offer, sir, but I have my own vehicle.” Brian blushed in shame thinking about the tin can he was calling a car.
“Perfect.” Serge gave him two thumbs up. “I already messaged Fergus about you, and he said the principal may have just the right job for you. The interview is tomorrow at nine o’clock in the morning. See you soon.” After a brief pause, the man continued with an amused smile, “You’re damn lucky you met me and Mr. Parker, son. Was it Leon instead of the two of us, you’d have had your ass kicked all the way to China and a bucket of ice poured over your head.”
But Brian didn’t ask who Leon was; he stood and waved to the bearded man and his massive friend, then left the bar, crossing the street to where his ancient car was parked. He opened the trunk and pulled two thick blankets and a pillow out of it, then opened one of the front doors and lowered the driver’s and passenger’s seat, making a comfortable bed for the night.
Once the work was done, Brian sighed in relief and let out a long yawn. It’s been a long, exhausting day, the young man said to himself as slid under the blankets. Daisy, his ten-year-old tuxedo cat, his constant companion and witness to all his ups and down, uncurled from the corner of the back seat where she was sleeping and soothed the young man’s aching soul with her sweet purrs.
Brian woke at six o’clock sharp, thankful for one of the rare nights when his sleep wasn’t plagued by nightmares. However, as he put the blankets and the pillow back into the trunk and brought the front seats into their original positions, a bad feeling overtook him, coiling into the pit of his stomach, heavy like a boulder.
Not even the giant mug of coffee Brian chugged down almost in one go at the bar or the loud purrs Daisy greeted him with when he came back to the car managed to silence the little voice whispering in his head. The sensation that something bad was about to happen and he would miss the interview became more intense, almost suffocating him.
To get rid of it, Brian put Daisy in the cat carrier on the backseat, got behind the wheel, and took off, even though it was just a little past seven o’clock. The young man kept his eyes glued on the dirt road Serge warned him about, but no matter how hard he tried, there were obstacles that couldn’t be avoided.
When the car hit something, stopped, and refused to start again, Brian knew it was the end. He couldn’t leave the vehicle in the middle of nowhere and walk the rest of the distance. All his earthly possessions and one of the souls who truly loved him were in that useless pile of tin, plastic, and whatnot.
Brian stepped down from the vehicle and went to the side of the road, hoping against all odds that someone who knew the way to that mystery place would show up and give him a ride. As the minutes passed one after another, the sliver of hope became thinner until it completely disappeared, the dreadful feeling the man had been trying to get rid of since early morning taking him over.
“Good morning!” A male voice made Brian flinch and turn around. “Are you by any chance the guy who’s supposed to meet Fergus MacNamara for a job interview?” The question came from a man sporting a thick beard and long, light-brown hair who was riding a custom-made motorcycle.
“Yes, that would be me. Wait, how—” Brian swept his gaze up and down the other man’s torso as the muscles flexed under the thin t-shirt, then he stared at the tattoos covering the man’s arms, the sight making him shiver.
“Dad’s a wise man; one look at your car is all it took for him to realize you wouldn’t make it very far, so he sent me to pick you up, but it was too late, so here I am now.” The biker smiled softly. “Name’s Xavier Mills; Serge is my father. Come on, take whatever you consider indispensable and hop in the saddle.” He gestured to the bike, grinning.
Brian stuttered. “There’s my cat, Daisy, in the carrier. I don’t know if…” He cast a doubt-filled look in the car’s direction and then put his sunglasses on. Most of the people he met ended up rejecting him because of his mismatched eyes.
“When there’s a will, there’s a way.” Xavier smiled encouragingly, dismounting from the bike. “There’s plenty of space for the carrier on the back, and I brought some cords with me, just in case. So don’t worry, Miss Daisy will have a safe ride.”
“I…” Brian fell silent for a few moments, searching for his words. “Thank you. Not many people would have done what you are doing for me, a total stranger.”
Xavier checked the cords keeping the carrier in place, a smile of satisfaction spreading across his face. “My darling Fergus likes punctual people, so we better go. Here’s your helmet.
Brian nodded, cast a look of gratitude in the other man’s direction, put the helmet on, and mounted on the back, wrapping his arms around Xavier. All the way to what he hoped would be his next workplace, he wondered what kind of people his co-workers and his boss, the Fergus guy Serge and Xavier kept mentioning, were.
He sounded like a stern man who appreciated punctuality and most likely had high professional standards. Brian was determined to put all the cards on the table, mentioning all the things he knew, although he risked being rejected as overqualified as had already happened a few times before. The man shrugged. It’s all or nothing, he said to himself.
The bike stopped in front of two massive iron gates, pulling Brian from his thoughts. Two well-built men let them in, their attitude a mix of both respect and friendliness. While Xavier exchanged a few words with them, Brian looked around at the square, the buildings surrounding it forming a tall wall. He wondered what purpose each of them served.
Xavier started the bike again and headed to a long building at the far end of the square. Most likely there was still time because he slowed down, giving his co-rider the opportunity to admire the playgrounds, the mini-parks, and the small flower gardens in the center of the square. Numerous alleys and streets ensured access to one or another of the surrounding buildings.
“Here we are. I’ll keep Miss Daisy company while you’re busy with impressing the interviewer.” Xavier grinned. “Good luck, although I think the job is already in your pocket.”
Brian offered the other man a pale smile. “I seriously doubt it, but thank you, anyway.” He stepped into the building, walked down the corridor, and stopped in front of a door with the name ‘Fergus MacNamara’ written on a plate, knocking two times.
“It’s open.” The singsong voice coming from the room didn’t seem to belong to the man in his fifties who Brian saw when he entered the room. “Hello, you must be the candidate for the librarian position. Fergus MacNamara, nice to meet you. Please, sit down. The principal should be here any minute.”
“Brian Knight, likewise.” He took the hand the other one was offering and gave it an energetic shake, then sat on the chair Fergus had indicated, staring for a brief moment into his unusual turquoise eyes. “This is my resume.” He carefully took a neatly folded piece of paper from the inside pocket of his jacket, putting it on the desk.
“Good morning and sorry I’m late. Busy morning at the office.” A person in their late twenties stepped inside, a small smile playing on their lips. “Peyton Bloom-Hunter, nice to meet you.” They extended a hand to Brian, who took it and shook it vigorously.
“No worries. Mister Knight, here, just gave me his resume; from what I got to read, he’s the perfect candidate for the job. Of course, you have the final say in the matter, so please take a look.” Fergus extended his hand across the desk, offering the paper to the principal, who took a seat next to Brian.
“Whoa!” Peyton exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise. “But this is… Braille and ASL? Was it part of the curriculum at college? Here it says you graduated Educational Sciences at NYU, just like me, but I didn’t have either of those two as subjects of study.”
Brian cleared his throat. “Well, my mom worked as a teacher for special needs children, and most of them used sign language to communicate, so she was continuously practicing her ASL skills. She needed a partner, and I happened to be around, so…” He swallowed hard. “As for Braille, I was misdiagnosed with degenerative retinopathy when I was eight. I didn’t want to give up reading, so…”
“Oh…” Fergus spoke in a soft voice, offering Brian a compassionate look. “So that is what the sunglasses are for. You should have told me from the start, and I would have lowered the lighting.”
“Don’t worry. It’s not that. My eyes… they’re different colors, and people don’t seem to like to look at them, so I try to avoid unpleasant situations by… you know…” Brian blushed from embarrassment and left the sentence unfinished.
“We are not that kind of people. Here you are among friends, so feel free to be you.” A buzz coming from his phone interrupted the man, a smile brightening his face after he read the message. “The guy in charge of checking the background of prospective employees didn’t find anything on you, so now it’s the principal’s call.”
Peyton turned to Brian,
his light-green eyes shining with excitement. “Can you start tomorrow?”
Q. What is your favorite
season to write in and why?
A. Winter, because summer
plays tricks on my fragile health.
Legend - Brian's horse, the star of the vet clinic's equine therapy center; the first therapy horse. Speranza (Hope) - Legend's mate, with her twin foals Thunder and Midnight. Principe - Legend's ans Speranza's third foal, everyone spoils him rotten. Missy - a mare Brian rescues from being sold to a slaughterhouse. Spirit - a mare belonging to a character who appears later in the series. Star - Luca's horse, a present from Brian's Sicilian cousin. Phoenix - another rescue, rode especially by Brian. Snow - belongs to a character who appears later in the series.
Daisy - Brian found her when she was just 2 months old; gets to live 21 years. Chester - Bart was 5 when he got the sweet, fluffy, white-and-orange tomcat, who lives for 18 years. Magick - Brian takes her from a shelter, where she was considered unadoptable; the official library therapy cat. Angel - shelter cat, Magick's mate, the father of all "snowballs." Mischief - one of the "snowballs," the cat of Brian's younger brother Edwin. Brian-the-cat - stray; it meowed when someone said Brian's name.
Also, here’s a taste from
the second bundle of The Librarian series, available for preorder and scheduled
to be released December 7th (https://www.amazon.com/Librarian-Books-5-7-H-M-Wolfe-ebook/dp/B0C6JKMZB4)
CHAPTER 1
“Hello, Daniel, I hope everyone, and everything is well at your house.” Ardan spoke into the phone, his usually calm voice a little strained. “We have a situation here; Brian was taken from the library in broad daylight. Can you please call Eugene and come here, both of you?”
“Say that again.” Daniel’s voice sounded harsher than he intended. “Sorry, but the idea that an individual or a group got into The Base, kidnapped someone, and got out without being questioned drives me crazy.”
“Tanner, Brian’s guard, claims one of the kidnappers was working for us. Pietro Scalzi.” Ardan’s reply came in a tensed voice. “We’ll talk more once you and Eugene get here. I’ll call the guys from the rescue team; we must be ready to go once Tarquin and Julien figure out where Brian is.”
“I—I’ll call Luca, Baldassare, and Malaspina.” Bart said in a shaky voice once The Base’s founder ended the call. “I’m so stupid, I should have done it from the start, instead of burdening you with my problems.”
“Brian is a dear friend of mine; he is also appreciated and respected by many other people here at The Base, so him going missing is everyone’s problem.” Ardan bore his turquoise eyes into the other man’s cobalt-blue ones. “And you are not stupid. I know what you feel, I was there eleven years ago, when Tarrin, Lorcan, and Cian disappeared without a trace. The pain and fear paralyze you, and your brain just freezes.”
“Is it true what Tanner told me?” Lothier stepped into Ardan’s office without knocking. “Brian was kidnapped, and Pietro played a big part in it?” The Base’s chief security shook his head. “I should have seen it coming.” He inhaled sharply. “Brennan, Caleb, Zachary, and Saint are on the way here. I told the boys at the gates to not let anyone in or out, except Mister Bloom and Mister Brentano-Fenelli.”
Ardan nodded. “Thank you, Lothier, you did good. There is still a possibility that the kidnappers and Brian are still on The Base’s premises.” The man frowned a bit. “Did you search for Pietro? I want to find out why did he do that, and I want to hear it from him.”
“I may have an answer to this question.” Eugene Brentano-Fenelli walked into the office, followed by Daniel, Luca, Baldassare, and Don Calogero. “The honorable members of The Council wanted to assist to this meeting, too, I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.” Ardan smiled. “In fact, I suggested Bart to call them, so I’m glad you were faster.” The smile vanished, replaced with a serious expression. “You said you have an explanation for Pietro’s behavior.”
“A debt of honor. Three generations ago, the Sforza family lent Pietro’s great-grandfather the money he needed to save his business, a bakery, in exchange of a great favor. Most likely, Ottavio knew about that and reminded Pietro of the debt by asking him to let his men into The Base and the library.”
“I’m sorry.” The doorway was filled with a man’s massive silhouette. “I meant no harm; I have nothing against the librarian. I just led those people to the backdoor and made sure no one saw them. Don Ottavio said there will be no bloodshed, and I believed him.” The guard swallowed hard. “The Sforzas are men of honor.”
“Not all of them, my friend.” There was no trace of anger in Ardan’s voice. “But this is another story, for another time. Do you happen to know where they took Brian? It would be of a great help.” The Base’s founder almost pleaded.
“There’s this compound about fifteen miles outside the city limits, but I’m not sure if he’s there.” The guard mumbled, lowering his gaze. “I’m sorry I can’t help you more.”
“I think I know that location.” Luca cleared his throat, his voice hesitant. “A couple of years ago, Ottavio took Don Giovanni there and showed him around; he was very proud of the training camp, like he called the place, but his father wasn’t very thrilled.”
Ardan nodded, a pale smile playing on his lips, then he curtly gestured to the guard who helped the enemy’s men get into the library and kidnap Brian. The man got the message and left the room. The boss may understand his reason and even forgave him, but didn’t trust him enough to allow him to stay or make him part of the rescue team.
Luca, Tanner, and Malaspina joined the rescue crew formed by Brennan, Saint, Zachary, Daniel Bloom, Eugene Brentano-Fenelli, Gavin, Elias, and Ira. Dominic, Lawrence, Xavier, and Leon were put in charge of guarding the heirs, Bart, and his children. For security reasons and at Don Calogero’s suggestion, all of them were gathered under one roof, at Edwin’s house, with Hennessy’s men doubling their protection.
Julien downloaded an app in the rescue crew’s members’ phones, that allowed him to be permanently in touch with each of them and to send reinforcements in case things went south. After double-checking every detail of the plan, Ardan and the others embarked into the vans taking them to the clinic for the energy booster and vitamin cocktail doctor Alasdair administered to them before every rescue mission.
An emotionally overwhelmed Bart assisted with the preparations, amazed at how perfectly synced everyone was. His heart and thoughts were with Brian; he was afraid for his soulmate, for what Ottavio’s twisted mind could invent and throw at him, but he was also hopeful that the help would arrive on time. Hang in there, my love, Bart thought, closing his eyes for a moment. Everything will be fine.
From the corner of his eye, Luca studied Brian’s husband, his heart aching for the man. He understood Bart’s pain and fears with every fiber of his being, not even daring to imagine what it would be like for him to have Martino taken from his side. In that moment, the realization hit him hard, making him gasp loudly.
If something happened to Brian, he would be devastated, Luca thought; the void his absence would leave behind couldn’t be filled, just like nothing or no one could replace Martino in his heart and mind. Over the last few months, slowly, but surely, the librarian became part of Luca, of his thoughts and heart, of who he was.
The Sicilian closed his
eyes for a moment, wondering what he was going to do without Brian, without the
strength and courage the librarian’s simple presence gave him. No, he said to
himself, shaking his head violently, we will find you and rescue you, just like
you did when Martino and I were in Il Burattinaio’s power. Just hang in there a
bit more.
*************
Brian opened his eyes and blinked a few times to adjust his vision to the darkness surrounding him. Against all odds, he hoped being Ottavio’s prisoner and having the ring symbol of his authority as the Wisdom Keeper taken by the man was nothing but a nightmare. However, the stiffness in his arms, neck, back, legs, and all the other parts of his body reminded him everything was real.
Brian’s brain started to work feverishly, searching for a way out of his desperate situation. I could use some help, you know, he huffed in frustration, looking around the warehouse, but he didn’t sense Don Giovanni, and Reardon was most likely busy doing demon stuff. The librarian couldn’t really blame any of them for not helping him; he mentally shrugged and started to evaluate his possibilities of escaping, when a long, sinister creak distracted him.
The white, unfiltered light blinded Brian for a moment, making him tightly shut his eyes. A few seconds later, when he opened them, the librarian blinked again, and then he saw him. The man from earlier, the one who accompanied Ottavio, was there, a few inches of him, sweeping a hungry gaze up and down his body, his lips stretched in a lustful smile.
Heart hammering against his ribcage, Brian saw his chance to freedom. The fellow was there for a bit of fun, and the librarian didn’t doubt he acted against the boss’s orders. The man couldn’t take what he wanted from the object of his desire in that position, so he would have to uncuff him. All Brian had to do was to play along until he could gain the upper hand.
The predator slid his rough hands under the librarian’s shirt, roughly running them up and down his torso. A growl of discontent escaped his throat when he couldn’t capture the lips of his victim in a savage, brutal kiss, but him being rigidly suspended didn’t allow it. With a yank, Ottavio’s henchman eased the chains; it was the moment Brian was waiting for.
Imagining it was Bart in front of him, he gave the man a seductive look and, when the unsuspecting fool was close enough, he wrapped his legs around his waist, climbing him like a tree, a technique Luca showed him during their long hours of training. Rock-hard, the other one understood he was trapped only when he felt his throat constricting by the lack of air, but it was too late; with a swift movement, Brian snapped his neck like a twig, the sound making him sick to his stomach.
It wasn’t a good time to show weakness, the librarian decided, and, after catching his breath for a few seconds, he gathered all the energy he had and yanked the chains once again. He loosened them enough for him to have the freedom he needed to get next to the dead guard and search his body. A pocketknife, a little flashlight, and above all, the keys to the cuffs from his wrists and ankles—the contents of the henchman’s pockets made Brian sigh in contentment and relief.
After freeing himself from the chains, Brian stood and turned the flashlight on, inspecting the walls of the room. Something was telling him the one the guard used was not the only way of access into the warehouse, and he was right. Somewhere to the right extremity of the furthest wall there was a small door, and the librarian headed to it.
The entry took him to a narrow, dark passage, the inside of what appeared to be a large, luxurious private residence. Once he exited the passage, Brian hesitated for a few moments, the multitude of corridors going from the same point, like sunrays, confusing him. Eventually, he picked a random one and decided to see what was behind the first door he saw, so he carefully opened it.
“How—” Ottavio stared in disbelief at the man before him. “You really are the incarnation of the devil, a sorcerer, and I should have killed you when I had the chance.”
“And I think this description fits you like a glove.” Brian’s voice was calm and emotionless. “Also, you have something that belongs to me.” With those words, he knocked Ottavio unconscious, he tried to get the Wisdom Keeper’s ring out of his finger, but it got stuck.
“This is the office of that pile of shit.” Luca barged into the room, but stopped in his track, disbelief, joy, and relief mixed in his eyes. “Thanks god you are alive and well!” He hugged the librarian to his chest. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”
“Finally, a friendly face.” Brian tried to hide his emotions with a joke. “How is Bart and the children? I think the scum destroyed my phone, can I please use yours to message him and let him know I’m alright?”
“Of course!” A pale smile brightened Luca’s stern face as he offered his phone to the librarian. “Once you are done, will you please call Martino? Poor thing is worried sick, crying was all he did since you were taken.”
Brian nodded his answer
and, for the next couple of minutes, was busy messaging Bart, Martino,
Baldassare, Don Calogero, and his parents. “One more thing.” The librarian cast
a look in Ottavio’s direction, his voice harsh and cold. “This is mine.” With a
swift, precise movement, using the pocketknife he found on the dead guard, he
severed the man’s finger and removed the Wisdom Keeper’s ring.
Social media links
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/ardanalasdair
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/HMWolfe3
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18683377.H_M_Wolfe
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