Pretty in Ink (Voretti Family Book 3) (27 page)

Forever. Exactly like the symbol on her arm.

“You doing okay?” he asked.

“I’m wonderful.” Her arm was throbbing, but she’d never felt better. She knew who she was and what she wanted. And she couldn’t wait to show the world.

*

Dear Reader,

Thanks for reading Pretty in Ink! I hope you liked it.

Reviews are vitally important to authors because they help other readers find our books. If you’ve already taken the time to review
Pretty in Ink
, thank you. If not, go for it—there are tons of other readers out there who would love to know what you think!

Want more Liv? Though she’s not the main character, you’ll find her in the first two books in the Voretti Family series,
MARRIAGE: IMPOSSIBLE
and
LOVE AND LEARN
. Liv is also featured prominently in the
FREE
MARRIAGE: IMPOSSIBLE
bonus chapter
, where she tries to keep Keri from sabotaging her own wedding. Will she succeed?
Get the FREE bonus chapter
to find out.
 

Next up in the Voretti Family series is Matt’s story,
CATCHING CLEO
. Nonna Hazel was right—his love is coming back into his life. And she’s going to change it forever. I had a little too much fun forcing this emotion-adverse guy to get in touch with his feelings. Turn the page for an excerpt.

Thanks for reading, and keep in touch. You can contact me via my website:
http://avablackstone.com
.

All the best,

Ava

BOOK 4: CATCHING CLEO

Cleo McCall is out of time, out of funds, and trying desperately to get out of the country. The last person she expects to thwart her escape is her childhood crush, Matt Voretti, all grown up and hotter than ever—even as he slaps a pair of handcuffs on her. Cleo has learned the hard way never to let people see the real woman hiding behind her well-tailored suits, but if she doesn’t let Matt in she’s going to end up in prison. Or worse.

Matt Voretti might be the best bounty hunter in the business, but he’s tired of living in the shadows. All he has to do is track down one last bail jumper and he’ll have the money he needs to change his life for good. But one look into the familiar eyes of his skip is all it takes to know that his last job just got a whole lot more complicated. Cleo is the only woman who has ever seen Matt for the strong but sensitive man he truly is, and he knows there must be more to her story than the arrest warrant says. But can he get Cleo to trust him with the truth before it’s too late?

EXCERPT

Matt opened his eyes to bright sunlight and blue sky. The perfect weather was nothing new—he’d spent his entire life in Southern California. But today was different. Today he was going to test his latest batch of Voretti Brother’s IPA. Maybe he’d even convince Ms. Chardonnay to try a pint.

He rolled over, looking for Jen’s soft, warm body, but found only cold sheets.

He sat up, scanning the small studio.
 

The bathroom door was wide open, and there was no one inside. There was no one in the kitchen nook or on the couch.

She was gone.
 

He shook off a strange feeling that was almost like disappointment. He was
glad
she was gone. He’d broken one of his most important rules last night. Instead of going to Jen’s place, he’d brought her here. And he’d fallen asleep all wrapped up with her, like she was his goddamn girlfriend. He was lucky she’d taken off instead of making him breakfast or going shopping for matching promise rings.

Though, he wouldn’t have minded if she’d woken him up for a quickie before she’d pulled her disappearing act. Ah, well. Couldn’t have everything.

But he could have a cup of coffee.

He pulled on some boxers. The coffee maker was out of water, so he filled up the reservoir, splashing all over the counter because he’d put too much in.

He grabbed a paper towel—
 

And froze at the sight of the neat, feminine script.

Dear Matt,

I’m sorry to run out on you. And I’m even more sorry I had to borrow some cash. I’ll send the money back as soon as I get settled.

What the
fuck
?

He grabbed his wallet from yesterday’s jeans. The four hundred dollars he’d taken out of the ATM so he could stop by ProBrew and get a bigger fermenter was gone.

He stared at the empty billfold, pressure building inside his chest. He’d brought Jen to his place. He’d fallen asleep with her. And she’d just wanted his cash.

He hurled the carafe at the wall.

Glass shattered. Water spilled over his bare feet. And he was even more pissed than before.

Not only was he out four hundred dollars, he was also gonna have to clean the floor. And he
still
hadn’t had any coffee.

He grabbed a wad of paper towels and threw it over the mess. Then he threw Jen’s note on top.

Water soaked through the top of the thin paper, making the ink run until all that was legible was her initial at the bottom.

Except—

He snatched the soggy paper towel.

Water had reached that last bit of ink, turning it spidery, but it was still obvious the letter wasn’t a J. It was a C.
 

The gears inside his head cranked, finally engaging.
C for Cleopatra
.

Her hair had been the wrong length and color. Her eyes had been dark brown instead of blue. But they’d had that same exotic shape. Her cheekbones had had that same slant. She’d even smiled the same way he remembered, sudden and strong, like it was a surprise to her every time. And when she’d said that he looked like a Matt, she’d laughed.
 

Of course it had been Cleo.

He’d gone home with his skip last night, and he hadn’t even known it.

Get more info on CATCHING CLEO now!

ALSO BY AVA BLACKSTONE

The Voretti Family Series:

Marriage: Impossible

Love and Learn

Pretty in Ink

Catching Cleo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Though she was always an avid reader, Ava Blackstone didn’t discover her love for writing until she’d obtained her PhD in chemistry. As an alternative to the structured world of science, and with a little motivation from her husband, she began writing romance novels. Now she can’t imagine doing anything else.

Ava is a winner and two-time finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® contest and has published five short romance stories in Woman’s World magazine. She is currently hard at work on the next contemporary romance in her Voretti Family series. You can find her at her website:
http://avablackstone.com
.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks so much to all the people who helped make this book possible.

The romance writing community is incredibly supportive, and I’m so glad to be a part of it. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to critique my writing, give me advice about writing craft and publishing, and share their own experiences. Thanks especially to the FPEs—Cassi, Georgie, Janet, Lisa, Marie, Melissa, Rachael, and Tami—who gave me great advice, support, and critiques. From back-cover blurbs to titles to industry knowledge, you’ve been amazing and generous, and you make writing so much more fun. Ellie, Laura, and Rachael—thank you for your awesome critique skills and even more awesome moral support. And thank you to my Ruby Sisters for being an incredible source of inspiration and knowledge.

Thanks also to my editor Naomi Hughes, for helping me make this book the best it could be.

And, finally, thank you to my family—my mother, who was forced to read way too many of my early writing attempts, and encouraged me to keep going; my father, who built me bookshelves and knows everything; my brothers, who are awesome in general; and my husband, who is endlessly supportive, and sometimes even pretends to listen when I’m babbling about romance novel plot lines.