Music Monday- Human

Hello and welcome to the first Music Monday of March. I'm continuing this week showcasing more song selections from the wonderful ladies of RChat.

This week brings us music from Tia Barber. While most of the ladies have a 'specialty' they focus on like contemporary, or historical, etc, Tia branches out and spreads her wings a little more. She has stories ranging from paranormal, to contemporary, to romantic suspense. The latter is where her music choice comes from this week.

She's working on a series called the Twin Bay Saga. It's a seedy, mobster romance series set in the urban city of Twin Bay. Each story focuses mainly on one couple, but you are introduced to others. It's a six degrees of separation type deal, all weaved beautifully together. In total it will be eight novels and three novellas.

Tia lives in the gray area with her stories. ALMOST no one is 100% good or 100% bad. I say almost because she has some villains that have ZERO redeeming qualities and I spent a lot of time coming up with creative ways they could meet their demise.

But we aren't here to talk about my somewhat violent tendencies towards fictional characters. No, we're talking about book one of Tia's series: Held. The main couple of this one is Nick and Scarlet. Nick is a reluctant hitman and falls into that category of not being 100% good, but also not 100% bad. He's put in an impossible position and forced to do unspeakable things because of it. Nick shoulders the guilt of the world and views himself as a man unworthy of love.

***

 EXCERPT 

Scarlet hooked her other arm around his and squeezed as she rested her cheek against his bicep.
He ached inside, crying out for that contact and hating that he wanted it.
"I don't really want to drink, do you? I kinda just want to go home." She cleared her throat and lifted her head a bit. "I mean, not my home obviously, since it's not…I meant to say, back to your house. But, not to imply that I thought your hou—"
Nick stepped in front of her and cupped her face, halting her adorable ramble. Those gorgeous amber eyes locked on his, and for a second, he could pretend he was human. That they were a couple. But he wasn’t, and they’d never be. Now, all he could do was pray his memory would do her justice after he left her. Again.
When she licked her lips in anticipation, the response in his body was near instant and hated himself even more.
He'd never have those stolen moments again. Didn’t deserve to. Shit, never did.
He tugged her against him and leaned down, a short, hitched breath escaping his lump-filled throat before he kissed her.
This was just going to make it hurt that much more when she hated him. And she would. But he still craved it. He couldn't help it. He just needed her. Just wanted to be with her. Wanted to find his sister, keep them both safe, and wipe everything else away.
He winced harder and deepened the kiss, clutching her face. It didn’t matter that they were standing on the sidewalk, obvious to every passing car. Let them see. Let the whole damn city see his world crashing down around him. He needed to feel her there, taste her mouth, and hold her close one last time before he broke his own heart to save hers.

***

We also meet Thomas and Anna. Anna is Nick's sister and she's the reason he's in the position he is. Thomas is one of the guards watching over a captive Anna. Thomas has also done things he's not proud of and he too feels like no one could ever love him.

The song for this week relates to both of these men and the women that look beyond their monstrous acts to see the kind soul behind the crimes. Ropes, bars, chains, those aren't the only way to be held prisoner. Both Nick and Thomas are prisoners in their own right as they try to keep from getting close to anyone. They both feel like they are plagues of sort and only leave pain and heartache in their wake. Through the determined love from both Scarlet and Anna, both men learn they are very much worth loving.

Hope you enjoy the selection

Until next time
~Meka

"Human" by Aquilo