Today Nicole is sharing an excerpt from Protecting Her Heart!
Thanks, Nicole!
From the Blurb:
Plissa Waltric has made mistakes: being a bitch to the Prince of Rica was probably not the best career move. But she’s really tried to make the best of her punishment for almost killing Kernan Radaton – turning things around at the Rican Balcite Mining Company, training a replacement, and waiting for the King of Angonia to forgive her and let her return home.
Thanks to her role in protecting the RBMC, it looks like Plissa might finally be free. But with the end of her punishment in sight, the very last thing Plissa needs is a secret from her past to make an appearance. Unfortunately, Paolo has always done just as he pleases, and it pleases him to rekindle his relationship with Plissa. But the secretive organisation of capaz de pensa is outlawed now, and Plissa’s past involvement could risk her whole future.
With Paolo back in her life—and her bed—it soon becomes clear that her future is not the only thing she’s risking. Plissa has always valued her head above her heart, her ambition over her relationships. Now she needs to figure out what is really important, and what she is willing to sacrifice to get it.
Excerpt:
'Ms Waltric.’
And here was the chance to begin her quest, Plissa thought as she turned and nodded a greeting to the Prince of Rica. Cassandra was younger than Plissa. Shorter. Less experienced. Less able. There were a million reasons why Cassandra should be kow-towing to Plissa. Except for the accident of birth that made her a ruler. No matter how rich or powerful Plissa became, she’d never be able to put one over Cassandra.
Damn her forever to the icy moon surface.
‘What brings you here?’ Plissa could barely keep the contempt from her voice, even though she knew she needed to butter Cassandra up. But it was the young woman’s fault Plissa was here — it was her obsession, her overly emotional way of attacking a problem, that had caused the moment Plissa had nearly destroyed her life.
Plissa took a deep breath. No, she’d come to admit that it was her own fault — she should have kept her cool, not let Cassandra goad her. But when the other woman had brought up Plissa’s parents…
‘What brings you here, Your Highness.’ Cassandra corrected her with a grin.
Plissa bowed, mockery apparent in the overt flourish at the end. ‘Your Highness. What brings you to the warehouse? Surely you have more important things to tend to.’
‘Nothing is more important than the distribution of the mine’s products, Ms Waltric. Not for Rica and certainly not for me.’ Cassandra looked around. ‘You’ve rearranged the supplies.’
Plissa had to restrain from grinding her teeth. Once Cassandra had been the head of distribution for the RBMC and she’d done a terrible job of it. But she couldn’t see that, and Plissa didn’t dare educate her.
‘Our efficiency dividend has increased by twelve per cent,’ Plissa said.
‘Well, that sounds good, but I will talk to the workers. Their health and occupational safety is important.’
There was no one who pissed Plissa off more than Cassandra, and the young woman seemed to go out of her way to achieve it. What other reason could there be for intimating that Plissa had gotten the results because she was cutting corners and overextending the staff?
‘I’m sure you will find them happy with the way things are running. In particular, you should speak to Mikhal Wulsh. He’s ready to take over the division.’
Cassandra’s eyes narrowed into a dark glare. ‘You aren’t leaving Rica yet. Not until you learn a bit of humility.’ She spun on her heel and stalked away.
Wonderful, Plissa thought. If it were up to the Prince, she’d be stuck here on Rica forever. Not for the first time, she cursed the moment she’d invented the incapacitator.
Well, her every hope rested on the King of Angonia, and she’d impress him by showing herself committed to the job, even as she hated it. So she headed to her office to continue making the Rican Balcite Mining Company the richest corporation on Jorda.
***
Protecting Her Heart by Nicole Murphy is a science fiction romance from Escape Publishing, released June 8 2015.
Find this book at: Amazon | Amazon AUS | The Publisher | Goodreads
About the Author:
Nicole
Murphy is the author of the Dream of Asarlai trilogy, published by
HarperCollins (and re-launched as an electronic omnibus in April 2014),
and a couple dozen speculative fiction shorts. As Elizabeth Dunk she’s
published contemporary romance with Escape Publishing and in July
released a collection of paranormal erotic novellas, also with Escape.
She lives in Queanbeyan, near Canberra, with her husband, Tim, and their
beloved budgie, Freddie.Winning the King is the second book in the Jorda trilogy, published by Escape Publishing. The first book, Loving the Prince, was released in August 2014.
Social Links: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website
More from Nicole Murphy on Love Reading Romance:
Loving The Prince by Nicole Murphy - Book Review
Winning The King by Nicole Murphy - Book Review
Winning The King by Nicole Murphy - Book Excerpt
Nicole Murphy writing as Elizabeth Dunk:
Five challenges I faced writing ‘Release’ by Elizabeth Dunk - Guest Post
Release by Elizabeth Dunk - Book Review
Release by Elizabeth Dunk - Excerpt
