NEW BOOK ALERT: The Devil They Made Me by Shea Swain #RomanticSuspense @SheaSwainWrites

BLURB

No matter how much dirt you throw over the past, some things won't stay buried.

THEN

At ten years old, Demi was no angel. He embraced the streets and its terms of survival as law. But when UGod, the father he never knew, snatches Demi from his god-fearing mother, he learns that his old life was child’s play.

Under the cruel direction of his father, DemiGod committed a lot of heartless acts, but there was one that will forever haunt him. Giselle Johnson was the only girl he ever loved; and the actions Demi was forced to take to save her from his father’s wrath broke both of them.

NOW

As a rich and successful businessman, Demetrius Carrion wants nothing more than to put his carefree life as a kid on the streets of Baltimore, and the Devil he eventually became under his father’s thumb, behind him. But he finds out, the truly wicked never get to rest; and no matter how much dirt you throw over the past, some things won't stay buried.

After a bomb meant to take his life kills his longtime friend and Giselle shows up after ten long years, Demi realizes his past is coming for him. He can’t help but wonder if she’s behind the attempts on his life but his list of enemies is extensive. Can Demi outmaneuver death and earn Giselle’s forgiveness? To do so, he may have to become the Devil once again.

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Book Info:

Publisher: SSW Publications

Author: Shea Swain

Cover Art: Mario Patterson

Page Count: 238

Word Count: 77,658

ISBN (Amazon): B08HMVYJKB

ISBN National: 978-1-7357267-0-0

Release Date: October 1, 2020

Rating: 18+

EXCERPT

Then/Three months before the Incident

Giselle felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle again. The sensation caused her to look up from the class assignment handout she was working on and survey the room. Most of the class was busy writing with their heads down or looking off into space as if thinking of what to write next.

Looking over her shoulder, Giselle met Demetrius’ gaze.

Everyone except him appears to be working.

His unflinching brown eyes appeared dark at this distance, but she knew that close-up one could see they had specks of light amber in them. She knew because the few times she was close enough to see them, she committed the hue to memory.

After the mall incident, they hadn’t said one word to each other for about a month, a week of which he was absent. He didn’t even attempt to get his gun and gun holster back. She had to hide it in the back of her closet. If her parents found it… Giselle didn’t want to think about that.

But, to be honest, she kind of liked having something of his.

They didn’t talk again until about a month ago when she was at his house for some party. She wasn’t sure the reason for the party, but Demetrius’ father liked to throw them often. This particular party was during the day on a Saturday, and tame enough to allow the children of his friends and business associates to attend.

According to Giselle’s mother, Mr. Carrion’s parties could be wild.

For the party, Giselle wore her new bikini for the heated indoor pool, a one-shoulder design with a cut-out bodice and accented with a high-side polished chain. It was revealing in all the right places, but it covered her up enough for her parents to allow it.

That day, Demetrius watched her and it wasn’t just for a few seconds here and there. Every time she looked at him, he was looking at her. That was her goal anyway—it was the reason she searched for weeks for the perfect swimsuit. When she came out of the bathroom, Demetrius was waiting in the hallway. At first, Giselle thought he was waiting for the bathroom. She didn’t see any reason for him to want to talk to her. He hadn’t since the mall incident. But…

“Royal blue is my favorite color,” he told her.

Giselle was so nervous at the time that it was hard to swallow. “I know,” she whispered.

At her admission, Demetrius closed the space between them, stepping so close Giselle was able to see the light amber flecks in his eyes.

“Angel,” he said, so close to her that his breath caressed her lips, “you don’t want my attention.”

Her heart literally stopped beating. She was stunned silent, and though her brain was screaming for her to say something, she struggled to form any words. Giselle remembered she wanted to bang the back of her head against a door as she watched Demetrius smirk then turn to walk away.

At the time, she watched him as he slowly moved away with her mouth open and no idea what to do next. It didn’t take long, but when she did recover her composure, she pushed her shoulders back and managed to force out of her mouth, “Maybe…”

She muttered the word so low and lost her nerve she didn’t think he heard her, but he pivoted and looked back at her.

It’s now or never, Giselle, she thought at the time as she pushed her shoulders back and her chest out. “I said,” Giselle spoke louder, “maybe I do.”

Demetrius just smiled at her as he shook his head and walked away. For the rest of the party, she didn’t see him. Maybe he left or went to his bedroom. Whatever the case, she thought she totally blew it.

Now, glancing over her shoulder again, Giselle met Demetrius’ gaze head on. If she was bold, she would wink or pucker her lips and kiss at him. But she wasn’t. So, she turned back around and tried to focus on the work Mrs. Howard hand-out.

Besides, flirting with him was a waste of time. Giselle saw all kinds of girls flirt with Demetrius at Laure Preparatory. Yet, it didn’t seem he was interested in any of them. Except for Marcy Keen. When Marcy flirted with Demetrius, he flirted back. Up until Marcy, it seemed to Giselle that the only girl he bothered with was his cousin, Krysta Carrion. But for all she knew, he could be screwing all those girls who flirted with him.

Demetrius seemed focused on his studies which she thought was odd, because he was rough through and through. At least at school, he didn’t appear too concerned about the girls who wanted his attention, and they wanted him despite all the rumors swirling around him.

Giselle knew the truth of those rumors. She’d seen his darkness, and it was scary. Yet, it wasn’t a turn-off for her. But she knew if the people at school knew what she did, their interest in Demetrius would quickly turn to fear. Those girls were attracted to the idea of danger more than the reality of it.

She looked over her shoulder again. He wasn’t looking at her this time.

“Alright,” Mrs. Howard said, causing Giselle to face forward and pay attention. “Hand in the worksheet before you leave.” Mrs. Howard raised her head and paused when the bell rang, signaling the end of class. “Read chapters ten through fifteen for homework.”

“Giselle,” Tessa called from her seat located three desks forward, “I have to get to gym early and talk with Ms. Warren.”

“Okay.” Giselle waved to her friend as she stood and packed up her stuff. As she made her way to Mrs. Howard’s desk to place her worksheet in the classwork bin, Giselle looked over her shoulder. Demetrius was already gone, and a classmate was collecting his worksheet off his desk to hand in for him.

Giselle felt an odd sense of disappointment as she stepped into the hallway. She walked through the hallway leading to the gym, half-focused on what was going on around her while thinking about how Demetrius blatantly stared at her in class. She thought for sure that this time she’d seen something different in his eyes. Something other than him inspecting her like she was a poisonous plant.

Giselle entered the girl’s locker room and changed into her gym uniform on autopilot as her classmates chatted around her. She closed her gym locker and walked over to the mirror on the wall. Her hair looked fine, which was always a concern.

Someone passing looked at Giselle and said something, but her mind was still on Demetrius. She wondered what he thought of her. So, she was a bit surprised when she moved away from the mirror and realized she was in the locker room alone.

Giselle jogged out of the locker room and headed to the field. The class was running track again today. Track wasn’t her favorite sport but she welcomed it today, knowing her focus was shot. Being late getting onto the field a few times meant detention laps. She didn’t want to be late even once if she could avoid it, so Giselle picked up her pace.

She was rushing past the bleachers when Demetrius stepped out from under them. Giselle stumbled to a stop before she ran into him. Confused, she just looked at him. It wasn’t until she started moving again that she realized he’d taken her by the hand and was pulling her under the bleachers.

“You have my attention,” Demetrius said as he stopped then spun her to face him. “Now, what’re you going to do with it?”

Giselle glanced down at their connected hands then raised her head and looked around them, seeing the light between the stairs of the bleachers in the shade that surrounded them. Her pulse was racing. She was pretty sure her hand was sweating. The warmth on the back of her neck and back had nothing to do with the perfect spring weather.

What am I going to do with it?

Giselle moved her eyes over his face.

Demetrius’ skin appeared smooth with a toffee tone that was flawless; and his pronounced brow shadowed his ever-aware deep-set eyes, giving him a dangerous edgy appearance. His nose was broad, and his lips…those lips. He had full wide lips that seemed to be in a constant cocky smirk.

Giselle looked down at their hands again. He was rubbing small circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. Was he trying to relax her? She looked back up and watched as his tongue peeked out and moved over his upper lip. That was all it took for her to do the boldest thing she’d ever done. Giselle stepped forward as she pulled her hand from his and snaked it up his hard chest, around his neck, and into his short dark tight curls that shimmered under the sun’s rays.

When her lips grazed over his, she suddenly lost her nerve and was pulling back, but Demetrius placed his hands on her hips and pulled her to him. Her first thought when their lips touched was his lips were soft.

It seemed like he was letting her lead, but she knew it was a ruse. Giselle knew that Demetrius was in total control and he confirmed that when he took over the kiss, snaking his tongue over her lips and pressing against them for entry until she opened her mouth. She set her palm against his chest and moaned when he slipped his tongue into her mouth, but she sighed and gripped his shoulder when he placed his hands under her arms and pulled her closer.

The kiss was awkward at first. Giselle kissed a few times before, but they were just the pressing lips together kind of kissing. Never had she tasted another person’s mouth, felt another’s teeth graze over her tongue, or…

Oh!

About the Author

Shea is a woman in love with the idea of love so it’s no wonder she writes Romance Novels. The East Coast native is a romantic to her core and reads and watches anything with a love story. She especially likes binging on Romance TV around Christmas time.

She enjoys meeting people and chatting, collecting Barbie dolls, toys, anime, and is addicted to The Sims games. Shea also loves music and has mentioned that she writes better when she has music playing as white noise in the background.

This exciting author writes Adult Romance in the sub-genres of Contemporary, New Adult, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, and Erotica.

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Contact Information

Shea Swain, Address: P.O. Box 32, Randallstown MD. 21113

Email: Sheaswainwrites@gmail.com