Authors: Tiana Laveen
Smoke and Mirrors
Written by Tiana Laveen
Edited by Natalie G. Owens
Cover Design by Travis Pennington
*
Copyright © 2014 by Tiana Laveen
Kindle Edition
All rights reserved.
Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 (five) years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Brent ‘Smoke’ Patterson grew up in the heart of America, but nothing in his life resembled the nostalgic home-town memories of waving patriotic flags and home-made apple pie cooling off in the breeze along a window sill. After surviving a series of traumatic events in his childhood, he was thrust into the streets at an early age to learn the underground, secret society code of the city of L.A. He soon found himself steeped in metropolitan ethics and baptized in ‘The Life.’ While his peers spent their youth in college earning their bachelor degrees, Smoke earned his education from the School of Hard Knocks and majored in Pimpology. He graduated with honors… and turned his uncanny magnetism with the ladies into cold, hard, profit. Before long, he became one of the most underestimated, respected, dominant and esteemed pimps in all of California.
Now, rather than live by the seat of his pants, he continues to obtain and secure promising business ventures while maintaining his reputation. But one day, a woman enters his life at a most pivotal time and changes his seedy little world forever…
Her name is Paris Raven, and unlike the women he dominated from sun up to sun down, she will not be tamed, bossed around, subjugated or intimated by the likes of Smoke Patterson. He’s met his match, yet, rather than recoil from such a troublesome soul, he develops a romantic obsession, to the point that his objective becomes crystal clear: He
wants
this woman, and he is
going
to get her. There is only one problem…
Paris is a notorious Madam whose feminine, classy appearance leaves men panting, but should they push the wrong button, get her dander up, they’d find themselves looking down the barrel of her diamond-studded gun.
When the two get together, torrential, confrontational sparks fly, but that is simply a show to disguise their strong, mutual attraction for one another. Their lives intertwine and, little by little, they begin to save each other, from themselves, one day at a time.
Smoke falls in love. Paris can’t resist doing the same…
But oh what twists they wave when the two creatures of the night ignite a litany of jealousy, revenge, violence, blackmail, and even murder.
Come along and take a dark romance flight, first class seating of course, with Smoke and Paris. Fasten your seatbelts for turbulent conditions wait up ahead in the form of blinding smoke haze and fractured mirrors. When everything comes to a screeching halt, will their love remain intact, strong and impenetrable? Turn these smoking hot pages to find out…
*
This book is dedicated to Clarissa Campbell.
She has been a friend of mine that understands me and my eccentric ways in a way that many do not.
I wrote portions of this book while undergoing things that I could not quite understand, nor grasp, and she met me at the door with no judgment, with open arms and a smile on her face. She provided me with nothing but inspiration and love. Due to that, I was able to pull what I was enduring and turn those emotions loose, pour them into this book, which is where they belonged.
It made the grit, grittier, the ugliness, uglier, and the love, lovelier.
Thank you, Clarissa for soothing this insane Leo beast, better known as your sister from another mister.
I love you,
Tiana
*
A Chat with Readers Regarding This Book
Music Makes the World Go ’Round!
This book is adult in nature. It deals with heavy topics such as illegal prostitution/ sex sales, emotional neglect, child abuse and other situations that the reader may find objectionable. There is an abundance of profanity, profuse violence with no aspect spared, as well as ‘gritty’ details concerning a lifestyle many of us do not understand or support. The fact that the author writes about these themes does not mean that she, too, condones, appreciates or wishes to participate in such situations. Nor does it mean that she agrees with the opinions of the character(s) or glamorizes or gives a ‘seal of approval’ to the characters’ actions and behaviors. Please also be forewarned, that though the sexual relationship of the hero and heroine does not start immediately in this book, when it
does
begin, it is continuous, exceptionally graphic, and not for those that wish to avoid such details. This is fiction, a work from the writer’s imagination, but paired with countless years of research about the lifestyle in question in order for the characters to be authentic, and the situations accurately described to the best of the author’s ability and knowledge. The characters speak as many in this particular lifestyle speak. Thus, word choice must be taken into consideration. If the vernacular is something you find offensive, please be forewarned at this point.
Example: “bottom bitch” is used several times in this novel.
A ‘bottom bitch’ is a pimp’s most dedicated and coveted prostitute. She often ‘runs shop’ when he isn’t able to; she makes sure the other prostitutes, that he controls, are doing what they are supposed to do in and out of his physical presence.
The author does not change the rhetoric, tone or language commonly used by people in this profession. It would do the story a disservice and whitewash the authenticity. That aside, however, this is
still
a love story. The main focus is placed on the hero and heroine’s relationship.
For categorization purposes, this would be classified as an erotic, interracial, urban/dark romance. If the topics delved upon are not something you would wish to explore at this time, it would be advantageous on your part to not read this particular novel.
Please proceed with caution. Thank you.
*
Dizzy cigarette smoke, the scent of willowy paths burning like incense, clearing a trail as spiritual as Indian white sage for the natives.
Bearskin rugs, silver, taut handcuffs, wrapped tight around a night of unadulterated sex—
Languid bodies intertwined, arms and hands and tongues tasting all that is sinful and hedonistically inflamed.
Seductive spells, charms, voodoo on one’s loins,
Someone spit fire from the dragon’s lair—
The moon beat the sun in a game of truth, hex and dare
…Now, what’s next?
*