Title: Brody (The Bang
Shift Series)
Author: Mandy Harbin
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Sexual
Level:
HOT
Release
Date:
November 4, 2014
Cover
Design by
Sarah Hanson, Okay Creations
Organized
by
Literati Author Services Inc.
~ Synopsis ~
Brody “Brutus” Jackson isn’t your average small-town mechanic. The shop
where he spends his days doubles as the headquarters for the mercenary group he
works with. They jokingly call themselves the Bang Shift because the government
contracts they take are the less savory ones, and they’re all just shady enough
to do what’s necessary to get the jobs done. As far as Brody’s concerned, it’s
the perfect arrangement for a man with no memory of his past, and no hope for
the future.
Under FBI protection, Alexandria Collins and her son have been in hiding
for ten years. When it’s time to move again, her piece of crap car breaks down
and the man giving her a tow is the biggest, hottest guy she’s ever seen. She
is determined to ignore the need her long-neglected body hungers for. After
all, the last man she showed interest in put a gun to her head.
Brody thinks the skittish Xan is sexy as hell, but it’s not her hot body
that has him rocked to his core. He knows her from somewhere, and in his line
of work, that’s a dangerous thing. Following orders have never been this hard,
but when he finds out she’s his next assignment, he will protect her at all
costs … even if what she needs protection from most is him.
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Author's Goodreads
~
The Video ~
~Excerpt~
They walked up to an opened fence and Xan silently thanked the heavens
for small favors. The garage looked as if it was open. They walked through the
gate and into the old building with several antique and late-model cars out
front. Walking through the front door, she braced herself for the blast of cold
air to hit her face, relishing the thrill of the artificial air she was about
to gloriously encounter.
She was sorely disappointed. It was hotter in here than it was outside.
How was that even possible? Her wet clothes clung to her sweaty body, leaving
nothing to the imagination. Didn’t matter. She was past humility at this point.
She’d have a teenage moment and flash her boobs, sweat and all if necessary, to
get someone to help them out.
“May I help you?” a man with a gravelly voice asked as he walked into the
makeshift lobby next to the bays, wiping his hands on a grease rag. He looked
to be middle-aged, though she wasn’t sure since he was bald. No gray hair to
help her out with that assessment.
She looked at his nametag sewn into his shirt. “Yes, Colonel, is it?” At
his smile and nod, she said, “Our car broke down a couple miles down the road.”
A metal crash and very masculine curses mixed with raucous taunting and
laughter startled her. Scott snickered at the colorful words coming from the
bays. He’d heard them plenty of times, though Xan tried not to talk like that.
Really, she did try to deny her sailor-mouth tendencies. She just wasn’t very
good at restraining herself all the time.
“Sorry,” Colonel mumbled. “Those are my mechanics, trying to catch up on
some work. I took over this garage after I realized being retired was boring,
and we stay pretty busy. Seems like I’m constantly hiring more help, but we
stay behind.”
The ruckus from the bays was finding its way into the lobby. Several guys
walked into the room, and Xan felt a slight panic attack coming on. She not
only lacked a love life, but she tended to avoid large groups of men. She
didn’t have anything against the male population, but after marrying into the
mafia at a young age, dodging copious amounts of testosterone seemed like a
good self-preservation tactic to live by. So she did, and when she wasn’t
prepared to interact with schools of men, her stomach took a nosedive when
thrust into that very situation.
Taking a covert calming breath so she wouldn’t look like some skittish
girl, she tried to pay closer attention to each of the men as they came near.
If she identified them individually, she could pretend she wasn’t dealing with
a mob of men.
A mob of seemingly beautiful, large, masculine men, looking to be around
her age.
Oh shit. She so did not need this. Her nerves and sense of
self-preservation took on a whole new meaning. She’d rather deal with certain
fear than possible attraction.
As she surveyed the crowd, she noticed their looks were as various as the
candy selection at the last gas station she’d stopped at. Male sweetness
was not better than chocolate. She just had to remind herself of that
as she stared at the variety before her. One guy had black hair, another blond,
spiked all crazy. The two next to the hot version of Billy Idol had long
dark-brown hair and curly light-brown hair. There was another bald guy bringing
up the rear, but that one had a goatee with green eyes. Colonel had brown eyes
and was definitely older than this group that’d just come in.
“Where’s Brutus?” Colonel asked the guys.
The dude with the spiky blond hair chuckled. “He’s cleaning up his mess.”
“It wasn’t his mess, asshole. You’re the one who knocked the tray over,”
Mr. Black Hair said with a snarl. Xan instinctively took a step back.
“Easy, Roc,” Colonel said and looked at her. “This is Roc.” He pointed to
the cranky man with black hair. “Blade,” he gestured toward the spiky blond
guy. His name made sense. His hair looked sharp enough to hurt if he were to
head-butt someone.
“I’m Hunter,” the man with long brown hair said, and then he pointed to
the guy with curly brown hair. “That’s Gage. He’s not as mean as Roc, but don’t
get too close to him.” He chuckled.
“Fuck off, Hunter,” Gage growled.
“See?” Hunter snickered. “And that guy over there—”
“I’m Bear, and Hunter’s a dick.” He ducked his head and glanced at Scott.
“Oh sorry. He’s, er, I mean he’s a punk.”
Scott laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ve heard it all. You should hear my mom
talk. She has the biggest potty mouth.”
Xan gasped. “I do not.”
“Wow, he’s your kid?” Blade asked. “Did you have him at twelve?” He
laughed but with sincerity twinkling in his eyes.
“Just about,” she murmured.
After a few of the guys laughed, she immediately relaxed. Sure, they were
all very handsome. None looked to be shorter than six feet, and each had a body
to die for, though each had a unique look all his own. But she didn’t feel any
sparks, so she felt relieved. Maybe her libido was broken. If so, she was fine
by that. She didn’t need any man drama in her life.
Why did that make her feel a little depressed? She shook off that
thought. She couldn’t get caught up with any man, so there really was no need
dwelling on the things she couldn’t have, like love, companionship, trust and
sex. God, she’d love to have sex again.
Maybe in another life.
Focusing her attention back on the problem at hand, she looked at the
assembled group of men. “Look. We need our car towed and a ride to a car rental
company. Can you help us?” Xan asked the guys in general so as not to single
anyone out.
Blade’s eyebrows shot up. “I’d love to give you a ride, doll.” Even
though his tone was clearly teasing, she stiffened. Flirting was definitely not
her forte.
Hunter whistled while shaking his head in exasperation. “Back off,
Blade.” He looked at Xan. “Sorry about Rico Suave over here. One of us would be
glad to help you out. But you’d have to drive up to Conway or back to the
Little Rock area for a rental. Best to call around first before making the
drive.”
“I’ll call Bill and see if he can drive one out here,” Colonel said to
Hunter, then looked at her. “He owns the rental company in Conway. If they have
something he’ll bring it out here and save you a trip. You’ll be limited on
your options, though.”
“Oh, whatever it is will be a step up from my old hatchback. I’m not
choosy.”
Colonel nodded and looked at the guys expectantly. “Which one of you is
available to help her out?”
“Bear and I aren’t finished with the tranny that’s supposed to be ready
tomorrow,” Roc barked and turned to leave. He obviously wasn’t volunteering.
Xan was okay with that. She didn’t like the vibe coming off him, anyway.
“Sorry.” Bear smiled to her as he followed Roc.
“Gage and I have to finish puttin’ tires on Ms. Carson’s minivan, then do
Joe’s,” Blade told Colonel before turning to Xan. “I’d be happy to help
you if you stick around, doll. It shouldn’t take us more than an hour.”
“Get to work,” Colonel snapped, and Blade winked at her as he and Gage
headed back to the bays.
“I have one more oil change to do, so I can do it in fifteen,” Hunter
said with a crooked smile, “but Brutus just finished up on Mr. Jackson’s ’56
Chevy. He’s been pickin’ up the tools that Blade knocked over after Blade
called him a pussy.”
Oh, right. She’d forgotten there was another one around here. Brutus it
seemed. What was with these names? Must be a man thing, not that she’d know. Or
could even begin to understand the inner workings of the male brain, ego, or
whatever it was that fueled their behavior. Oh, once upon a time, she knew one
part of the male anatomy that tended to lead in the decision-making process,
but she’d long ago fell out of practice with that too.
Hunter glanced at Scott, remembering there was an impressionable young
man in his midst, looking contrite and shaking his head. “Sorry, man.”
“Go,” Colonel told him. “Brutus!”
Hunter left, but his departure barely registered. Just as he was walking
toward the bay area, a man with long blonde hair and built like a freaking
bodybuilder walked her way. With each step, his muscles rippled and his
hair—what wasn’t sticking to his sweaty brow—flowed in waves behind him.
She should not find this man attractive. She didn’t care for bulky men,
and she definitely preferred short hair on the opposite sex. Long hair belonged
on women, like she used to have, but she wasn’t dredging that memory up now.
So why was her body doing things she hardly recognized. Hardly
recognized, not didn’t recognize. She knew what that tingling
sensation in her pussy meant. The tightening of her nipples? Yeah, she knew
what that meant too. Images filled her mind of this behemoth of a man coming
over her in bed and doing very naughty things to her. She stifled a moan. Yeah,
she shouldn’t find him attractive because he didn’t fit any description of her
ideal type. But there was no mistaking the fact that her body didn’t get that
memo.
So much for not being attracted to any of the mechanics here.
As Mister Hold-Me-Down-and-Fuck-Me-Good walked up, his pupils dilated,
turning his dark-blue eyes black as his nostrils flared, his gaze zeroing in on
the tight buds of her nipples before locking with her own heated eyes. Good
thing she was already wet from sweat because her panties just got wetter.
She shut her eyes to break the connection her body was trying to make
with this man. She had to be smart and remember all the reasons men were not a
part of her life. She could use him as masturbating material. Nothing more,
dammit.
She wasn’t going to break her abstinence streak for anyone, especially
not a man who could quite possibly fight off every one of the other mechanics
singlehandedly. She didn’t know him from Adam, and the last—the
only—relationship she’d ever had was abusive. Hell, Marco tried to kill her in
the end. She had to find the strength to avoid any and all temptation this sex
god presented.
And she would. She was just strong enough to resist a man built like he
could break her face.
Because if she didn’t, she knew she was just weak enough to let him break
her heart.
~Buy the Book~
~My Review~
This is going to be a short and sweet review, only because I’m
afraid I’ll give away spoilers and well that’s not my style. I was intrigued
about this book from the minute I read the synopsis and just had to get my
little hands on this. That being said this is the first book I have ever read
by Mandy and was simply blown away!
Xan and her 16 year old son are in the witness protection
program and have essentially been on the run moving place to place for years,
now that her ex Husband is being released from jail they are being relocated
again. Brody “Brutus” Jackson isn’t your everyday mechanic, he is also part of
a mercenary team that call themselves the “Bang Shift” since they take the less
wanted government contracts and get the jobs done. They are brought together
when her car breaks down and little does Brody know but she is his next
protection job.
Brody and Xan have an amazing chemistry together and the
storyline is awesome, a hot romance with just enough suspense to keep you on
the edge of your seat. I loved the plot twists and turns that were thrown in
when you least expected, and the more they try to deny their attraction to one another
the closer they become only to find out that there is a past between these two!
I am definitely looking forward to
reading more from this author and can’t wait for the next book in the series!
~About the Author~
Mandy
Harbin is an award-winning, bestselling author of several books across multiple
romance genres ranging from contemporary to paranormal erotic romance. She is
also the number one bestselling author in teen romance under the pen name M.W.
Muse with her popular Goddess Series. She is a Superstar Award recipient,
Reader's Crown and RWA Passionate Plume finalist, and has received Night Owl
Reviews Top Pick distinction many times. She studied writing at the University
of Arkansas at Little Rock, earned several degrees, and even pursued an MBA
until she realized becoming an author did not have to remain an unfulfilled
dream. Mandy is a PAN member of the RWA and lives in a small Arkansas town with
her non-traditional family, and although she is a direct descendant of British
royalty, they refuse to call her princess. When she's not penning her latest
book, you can find her hanging out online where she loves to connect with
fellow readers or stalking Mickey Mouse at Disney World.
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