Dark Vengeance, Kristi Belcamino [i read books txt] 📗

even see a future. I was too focused on wrapping up the details of Nico’s death.

I’d left Barcelona with one goal: to find Rose and tell her about her father’s passing. I’d also hoped to see her face and look into her eyes and make sure she was okay.

None of that had happened.

But I felt at peace anyway.

I knew deep in my soul that Rose was out there somewhere, safe and competent and making her own way.

And I had to let her go.

I had to let her do it on her own.

The other realization I’d had during this visit to this tropical island paradise was that I’d been living for other people for too long. I’d gladly done so. I’d do it again in a hot minute. I would live for Nico forever if I could. I would live for Rose for eternity, if it were possible.

But the stone-cold truth was that neither needed me anymore.

Nico had stopped needing me long before he actually died.

Rose? I wasn’t sure when she had stopped needing me. Maybe it had been a long time ago and I just hadn’t wanted to admit it.

When I left Barcelona, I’d thought I was doing it for her.

But, in reality, I was doing it for me.

And from this moment on, I had to do it—live life—for me.

It was a terrifying thought.

I both dreaded it and welcomed it.

Whatever the future held, I welcomed it with open arms.

The one thing, maybe the only thing, I knew, was that life—full of heartbreak and beauty so fierce it took my breath away—was something that I needed to embrace each and every moment before it slipped away.

When I pulled into the marina, the sun had risen high above me, a massive orange ball of warmth and light.

Onboard the ferry, I parked my bike and lifted my face toward the sun, soaking in its healing rays.

I was going home. Whatever that meant.

There was only one thing left to do.

I took out my phone and dialed.

Before Ryder could speak, I said, “Ever been to San Francisco?”

His deep, low, laugh told me everything I needed—and wanted—to know.

The End

To Be Continued …

Pre-order the next book, Dark Justice, now. Tap here to pre-order now.

Rose’s story continues in Blood & Fire. Tap here to buy now.

SPECIAL EXCLUSIVE - Read Rose’s story during Dark Vengeance!

Sign up HERE for my no-spam newsletter to:

·  Get a free copy of Deadly, which contains the first book in each of my three series

·  Get a copy of Rose’s story (her point-of-view story) during Dark Vengeance

·  Be first to hear about special sales and upcoming releases

About the Author

Kristi Belcamino is a USA Today bestseller, an Agatha, Anthony, Barry & Macavity finalist, and an Italian Mama who bakes a tasty biscotti.

Her books feature strong, kickass, independent women facing unspeakable evil in order to seek justice for those unable to do so themselves.

In her former life, as an award-winning crime reporter at newspapers in California, she flew over Big Sur in an FA-18 jet with the Blue Angels, raced a Dodge Viper at Laguna Seca, attended barbecues at the morgue, and conversed with serial killers.

During her decade covering crime, Belcamino wrote and reported about many high-profile cases including the Laci Peterson murder and Chandra Levy disappearance. She has appeared on Inside Edition and local television shows. She now writes fiction and works part-time as a reporter covering the police beat for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Her work has appeared in such prominent publications as Salon, the Miami Herald, San Jose Mercury News, and Chicago Tribune.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Getting to know my readers and building strong relationships with them is one of the best parts of being a writer. I’d love to know more about you and more about what you thought about this book. What did you like about it? Who was your favorite character? What do you want to see, or think will happen next?

Please reach out to me and let me know. I want to hear from you. Because while I’m a writer, I’m always a reader first. I know that when it comes to the books I read, I love connecting with the author. Often, when I interact with authors I love I get downright giddy!

Ask my family how I act each and every time S.E. Hinton responds to my tweets. (HINT: I am a ridiculously starstruck fangirl! Every. Single. Time.)

Or what about the time I got to interview Jackie Collins on Huffington Post’s live video. (Still one of the greatest moments of my writer life!) (Only thing that tops that is when I opened up an email from Lisa Unger telling me that she read and liked my book and would be happy to support it with a quote we could use on the book cover! A dream come true right then and there!

So please don’t hesitate to subscribe to my newsletter and interact with me on Facebook. You can find me at the link below.

DID YOU LIKE THIS BOOK?

Reviews are the lifeblood of this author business. Reviews, honest reviews, mean the world to me. They don’t have to be fancy, either. Nobody is critiquing you on your review. And they don’t always have to be five-star, either. What matters is that people are reading and have opinions on my books. I am a fairly new writer and don’t have the marketing push that many other writers do that gets their books out in front of other readers.

What I do have is you.

I am unbelievably lucky to have very passionate and loyal readers who take the time to let me know what they think of my books (and sometimes even where they think I could improve).

If you liked this book, I would be extremely grateful if you could take a few minutes out of your day to leave a review. As I said, it doesn’t need to be long or involved, anything will help. Thank you!

REVIEW HERE

Also by Kristi Belcamino

Gia Santella Crime Thriller Series

Vendetta (formerly City of the Dead)

Forgotten