Jolie Blonde (Vigilare Book 3) (36 page)

BOOK: Jolie Blonde (Vigilare Book 3)

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“Goodnight stars,” Brianna finishes their bedtime ritual.

The sound of glass shattering jolts Lon from his slumber. Bou Bou barks and growls ferociously at the heavy stomps flooding up the stairs.
Cha-chink,
the action bar of a twelve-gauge shotgun sounds before its blast resonates through the house. Bou Bou’s growls are replaced by whimpers.

“Bou Bou!” Braydon screams attempting to go to him. Brianna grabs him tightly.

“Go to the closet!” Lon orders as he busies himself, searching through his bedside stand for his 38-Special Revolver. The bullets disassembled as a safety precaution with a child in the house, he opens the cylinder.

“Hey, pretty boy,” a deep, gruff voice sounds from the bedroom door.

Lon turns toward the voice, only time for one bullet in the chamber.
Bang!
He fires the revolver as he turns, stunning his attacker. Another man charges the room, bashing Lon in the face with the butt of his shotgun. Following him to the ground, the man continues ramming the gun into the back and side of his head. Blood seeps from his nose, mouth and ears.

Brianna and Braydon hide in the back of the closet, sitting Indian style on the floor up against the wall. She holds him in her arms, her hand over his mouth attempting to camouflage his sobs. The light from the moon reveals a dark shadow at the bottom of the door casing.

She holds her breath, her eyes growing wider, tears forming in them as she has no other to blame but herself—her ambition for justice, surely the cause of this home invasion.

Johnny’s warning replays over and over in her mind,
You’ve gone batshit crazy if you think I’m gonna be a part of you taking on the Gambinis while you’re pregnant. They’re fucking ruthless, Brianna. Do you think they care that you’re pregnant?

The man Lon shot and stunned has regained his bearings as he was wearing a bulletproof vest, padding and impeding the impact of the revolver round. He jerks the door open to the closet, holstering his handgun. “Lawyer lady,” he taunts, “come out, come out, wherever you are.”

The Vigilare Series
is best read in the following order:

Vigilare

Vigilare: Hell Hound

Jolie Blonde (Prequel)

Vigilare: The Phoenix

Acknowledgments

Cynthia Gage (a real
jolie blonde
) – An author without an editor is like a Hollywood starlet without a stylist. Thank you for making my book so pretty! I consider myself very fortunate to have met you at BLL—proof that life’s impromptu meetings are more than simple happenstance. Not only are you a fantastic editor, you are a lovely person. I admire your adventurous spirit as much as I value your opinions, and I thank you for implementing them within the pages of this novel.

Sarah Hansen (of Okay Creations)
– Your creations are more than Okay! Thank you for designing such an intriguing cover. It’s hauntingly beautiful, exactly as it should be.

The 3 F’s (Family, Friends & Fans)
– I am so blessed that you encourage and support my musings. It’s not every day that a
little
girl from an even
smaller
town (we had more white-tailed deer and dairy cows than people in my neck of the woods) gets to write books and music for a living. With your favor, I’ve come a long way. And I have much farther to roam in my maturation as a writer, both in stories and in song. My hope is to connect in the most human way I know by being true to myself in my artistic endeavors. If I can entertain you or affect you somewhere along the way, consider me rewarded.

My Handsome Hubby
– Thank you for our Christmas cherub—our firstborn. You’re so good to take turns with me, hugging, loving and holding her, so that I can get my writing time in. It takes teamwork to make the dream work. I cannot think of anything better in this world than watching you with her. In the words of Harley LeBeau, “There is nothing sexier, more attractive, more worthy than a man who loves his kids, his family.” I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, you are my hero, my muse.

My Christmas Cherub
– Thank you for making me a mama—the single most profound thing I will ever do in my life. Although I tried to imagine while carrying you around for nine months, I could have never fathomed the joy, love, peace and numerous other endless emotions you have brought into our lives. We just didn’t understand until we laid eyes on you. You have so many wonderful things to teach Daddy and me, selflessness for certain. And we take great pleasure and privilege in teaching you in return. Just the other day a lady told me babies are angels who choose their parents from Heaven. We are over the moon that you chose us!

About The Author

Brooklyn James is an author/singer/songwriter inspired by life in the
Live Music Capital
of Austin, Texas. Her first novel,
The Boots My Mother Gave Me,
has an original music soundtrack and was chosen as a Quarter Finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. This book has ranked in Kindle’s Top 100 Coming of Age and Women’s Fiction.

Her supernatural thriller/adventure series,
Vigilare,
is an adaptation from a short narrative film, inspired by vigilante movies, such as
The Punisher
and
Boondock Saints.
Currently available are
Vigilare, Vigilare: Hell Hound
and the series prequel,
Jolie Blonde.
She is avidly working on the last novel in the series,
Vigilare: The Phoenix.

Jolie Blonde
is also the title of her latest album, produced and recorded at Wonderland Studios, Austin. The album features several titles that serve as a soundtrack to the novel. All songs from the soundtracks are written/co-written and performed by the author. Listen free at
www.brooklyn-james.com
or
www.facebook.com/BrooklynJamesAuthor
Also find her music on Amazon, iTunes, CDBaby, Pandora and Jango online radio.

When she is not writing books, she can be found playing live music around Austin as part of an acoustic duo. Like most everyone, she treasures her time spent with family and friends. Brooklyn has been in a Weezer video, met Harry Connick Jr. as an extra on the set of
When Angels Sing,
and she was Mira Sorvino’s stand-in on Jerry Bruckheimer’s
Trooper
pilot for TNT. She enjoys reading, dancing, working out, fishing with her hubby, and a good glass of kombucha.

Brooklyn holds an M.A. in Communication, and a B.S. in both Nursing and Animal Science. Her nursing career has seen specialties in the areas of Intensive Care and Postpartum. She serves as a Guest Speaker with a focus on awareness and prevention of Domestic Violence and Suicide.

Books & Albums By This Author

Amazon Author Page

The Boots My Mother Gave Me
― An Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter Finalist & previously ranked in Amazon Kindle’s Top 100 Coming of Age and Women’s Fiction

“Not since Margaret Mitchell’s Scarlett O’Hara have we seen a literary female of such strength, vulnerability and complexity as Harley LeBeau.
The Boots My Mother Gave Me
is a powerful and emotional novel examining a young woman’s journey to outrun her past. James navigates effortlessly through the rough terrain of her characters’ complicated psychologies. If truth is beauty, then James has written the most beautiful of tales.” -Candice Adams,
Editor Muse

“Brooklyn James’ soundtrack to her novel
The Boots My Mother Gave Me
does more than give a clever feminist twist to the title. Her songs serve as chapters themselves, underlying James’ deft ability as a storyteller and songwriter.” -Margaret Moser,
The Austin Chronicle

The Vigilare Series (Vigilare, Vigilare: Hell Hound, Jolie Blonde)
― Supernatural Action/Adventure

“Vigilare
walks the line between a thriller and a supernatural adventure while safely anchored in a scientific discourse around blood that James put together so well that it’s reminiscent of a Douglas Preston or Michael Crichton novel. With action, romance, a strong female hero and a likable group of characters,
Vigilare
reads like a good action movie.” -Gabino Iglesias,
The Austin Post

Get This Body In A Barn: The Milkmaid’s Guide To Fitness
― Non-Fiction

“Entertainingly anecdotal and thought-provokingly informational. Brooklyn James’ book is an easy read and it reminds us that exercise is not about complicated, expensive equipment or gym memberships. Just reading her book inspired me to get back to it. She is funny and insightful. Also, she eats like a real person which is always nice to see.” -Amazon Reader Review

Let It Go
― Contemporary Romance

“In the mood to be charmed? Read this!” -Amazon Reader Review

Just Not Ready Yet
— Contemporary Romance — NEW RELEASE — November 2014!

Contents