Tortured Soul – New Release by Staci Troilo

Hello Friends. It’s always a pleasure to have friend and fellow author Staci Troilo as a guest. She’s here today to talk about her brand new release, Tortured Soul, the fourth and final novel in the Medici Protectorate series. Welcome, Staci, and take it away!

Hi, Joan. I’d like to thank you for hosting me today. Releasing the fourth and final book of the Medici Protectorate series, Tortured Soul, is a bittersweet experience for me, and it’s nice to share the experience with friends.

I know your preferred genre is romantic suspense. I think most people like a little human connection with their mysteries. It’s somehow reassuring to know there can be a happily ever after even in the face of great adversity.

I chose a teaser for you that speaks to the romantic element of romantic suspense. Well, a lead-up to it, actually. Nothing like seeing the object of your affection when you’re at your worst—and not knowing if you’re mad or happy about it.

He sat with his back against the door of a small building tucked into a garden. Had been there most of the day—ever since he ran from the group. From Toni. Didn’t even try to go inside when it started raining again. Soft showers came and went all afternoon and into the evening. Probably Vinnie trying to punish him since he wouldn’t pay the piper face-to-face.

No point complaining. He deserved that and more. Every time his clothes dried out, rain fell again.

No reason to rush back, either. If his powers were needed—like he’d be of any use—someone would call him.

Maybe he’d become a hermit. Being alone suited him. And was best for all involved.

Just as he convinced himself it was a good idea, he heard gravel crunching under someone’s feet. Reaching up, he tried the doorknob. Of course it was locked.

Picking it would be easy—if he had his tools. Which he didn’t. Breaking in would also be easy, but too loud. He could run, but why? Whoever had found him would hear him tramping through the woods and follow, and despite having been sitting for hours, he was too tired to bother playing chase.

Time to face the music.

Toni rounded the bend and stopped short.

Of all the rotten luck. She was the last person he wanted to see. His brothers—even if they were there to beat the tar out of him—would be a more welcome sight.

She reached him in five long, purposeful strides. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Here.”

“Here,” she mocked. “We’ve been searching for you all day.”

“You shouldn’t have been wandering around. You needed your rest. And what if you’d gotten caught in another flood?”

“Well, I would have been safe inside, but you ran off and refused to answer any calls or texts.”

“I didn’t get any calls or—” He shook his head. “My phone’s not waterproof. It’s probably dead.”

“Why don’t you have a waterproof phone?”

“Why don’t you?”

“I’m not a protector! People don’t need constant access to me.” She sighed. Closed her eyes. Took a deep breath. Looked at him. “Let’s start over, shall we?”

“I’m sorry.” Coz blurted the words so fast, he barely understood them.

She walked over to him and slid down the door to sit beside him. A few moments of silence passed. “Sun’s almost down. Fireflies are out.”

“Looks like it’s going to be a nice night.”

“You must be hungry. We could go up to the house. I can make you something.”

“I don’t want anything.” But at the thought of food, his mouth watered. His stomach growled.

She chuckled. “Sure, you don’t.”

“Toni—”

“Don’t. I know all about self-punishment. Practically invented it. Get over whatever’s bothering you, and let’s go back. Bed’s calling.”

He looked at her then. Suppressed a grin when her cheeks turned pink.

“That’s to say… what I meant was… I mean—”

“It’s okay, Toni. I know what you meant.”

I love it when people put their feet in their mouths, when the most innocent of comments take both people in a different—and passionate—direction. Coz and Toni have many of those moments… when they aren’t fighting for their lives.

Tortured Soul is a steamy romantic thriller with a paranormal element. And it’s available by clicking on this universal link.

Blurb:

Protection is safety. Until it stifles.

After months of clandestine battles, the Brothers of the Medici Protectorate finally know who is responsible for the assassination attempts on the Notaro family, the secret descendants of the Medici line. And they’ve never faced such a formidable foe.

Roberto Cozza–Coz–faces this new reality with surprising pragmatism. His powers may make the difference in winning their covert war–if only he can master them in time. It would just be so much easier if he could get his emotions under control, but neither his Brothers nor their charges are making things easy on him.

Toni Notaro appreciates the security provided by the Brothers, but she knows she has her own role to play–and it terrifies her. She is the missing link in Coz mastering his emerging abilities, yet she struggles to bridge the gap between what he needs and what she can offer.

As the Brotherhood hurtles inexorably toward the climactic final showdown, Coz and Toni must find the strength within themselves and each other to master the secrets of his powers, or risk death and defeat for all they hold dear.

Author Bio and Links:

Staci Troilo writes because she has hundreds of stories in her head. She publishes because people told her she should share them. She’s a multi-genre author whose love for writing is only surpassed by her love for family and friends, and that relationship-centric focus is featured in her work.

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