About the Author
Zane is the
New York Times bestselling author of, among others,
Afterburn,
The Heat Seekers, the Flava series, and
Dear G-Spot. Her television series,
Zane's Sex Chronicles, is featured on Cinemax, and her bestselling novel
Addicted has been adapted for a major motion picture. She is the publisher of Strebor Books, an imprint of Atria Books/Simon & Schuster, and lives in the Washington, D.C., area with her family. Visit her website at www.eroticanoir.com.
Rique Johnson is the author of
Love & Justice, Whispers from a Troubled Heart, Every Woman's Man and
A Dangerous Return.Dywane D. Birch, the self-published author of two novels, has a master's degree in psychology and is a clinically certified forensic counselor. He lives in New Jersey. You may contact the author at bshatteredsouls@cs.com.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
ONE
April Jonston sat in the seating area of her bedroom's bow window and watched the heavy rain pour down the windowpanes. She was lost, entranced by the varying water formations traveling down the glass. Flashes of light dancing at a distance indicated that a lightning storm was nearing.
She was in her mid-forties, or thirty-nine and holding, as she often stated when asked her age. She had shoulder-length black hair, dark sultry eyes and a smile as bright as the heavens. April remained high school skinny, a perfect size six, thanks to the personal trainer that worked her hard three times a week. Even though she was a college graduate, in a word she was a kept woman. She had never worked a single day; despite a degree in advertising. As fate dictated her future, she met her husband, Virgil Jonston, during her one and only job interview. He was the owner and CEO of the interviewing firm, Innovative Solutions. Virgil was captivated by her beauty and charm. He risked his entire fortune when he stopped the interview to tell her that he couldn't go any further because he'd be hiring her for the wrong reason.
"Sue me, but I've been looking for someone like you my entire life," were the bold words Virgil said to her that day. They still resonate in her mind today.
Shortly after that, April Miller became April Jonston and has April's head turned toward him; she boasted a bright smile. Virgil was pleased with her apparent acceptance of the invitation, but concealed behind her wondrous smile was an underlying agony of performing the act. She felt obligated to fulfill the duties as his spouse; even though neither her heart nor mind was into it. Eight years into the marriage, her husband hadn't changed. He remained affectionate, caring, loving and attentive. However, his penis-size compensation efforts had lessened. The tongue and the toys were few and far between. Lately, the use of these items lacked the passion and precision they once had. Mirrored Lives © 2008 by Rique Johnson
