Copyright © 2022

  Dee Lagasse, Victoria Ellis, Cady Verdiramo, J.J. Grice, B.L. Olson, Crystal Perkins, Cassie Graham, Renee Dyer, DL Gallie, Skye Turner, Tamsyn Bester, Robin Ash, Katrina Marie, Heidi McLaughlin. Nicole Banks. Zoey Drake, Glenna Maynard, Magan Vernon, Emma Nichole. Carmen Jenner, Rue Lennox, Robin Andrews, J. Lynn Bailey, Brigitte Ann Thomas, B. Celeste, R.H. Nix, Chasity Tarantino, Tinley Blake, Phoebe Alexander, Dana Isaly, Amber Danielle, Cali Melle, Echo Grayce, Nikki Leigh, S.A. Clayton, L.S. Pullen, E.M. Shue, K.L. Donn, Alexandria Bishop, J.L. Minyard, Riley Rae, C.G. Burnette, Georgana Roland, Santana Blair, Jen Stevens, Samantha Lind, Isabel Lucero, A. Gorman, Amy Stephens, Janine Infante Bosco, April Aberdeen, Scarlett Cole, Mignon Mykel

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without prior written consent of the authors except where permitted by law.

  The characters, places, brands and events depicted in this book are products of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the authors.

  Cover Design by Cady Verdiramo of Cruel Ink Editing + Design

  Formatted by Victoria Ellis of Cruel Ink Editing + Design

  Contents

  A Note From the Bluebonnet Anthology Team:

  Luck Is a Lady Tonight

  by: Crystal Perkins

  Feels Like Forever

  by: Mignon Mykel

  These Are The Days

  by: Janine Infante Bosco

  Savage Beginnings

  by: Rue Lennox

  The Appetite of Thorns

  by: J.L. Minyard

  The Honeypot

  by: April Aberdeen

  Whiskey & Wine: A Riggs at Cedar Creek Short Story

  by: C.G. Burnette

  Diner to Dynasty

  by: Tamsyn Bester & Robin Ash

  Be My Girl

  by: B.L. Olson

  Luck or Fate?

  by: Isabel Lucero

  Yellow Roses

  by: Robin Andrews

  Force of Nature

  by: Carmen Jenner

  I’ll Wait for You

  by: Echo Grayce

  Week Links Excerpts: Genesis & A Larva Story

  by: Georgana Roland

  Lied to You

  by: J. Lynn Bailey

  Real

  by: Magan Vernon

  A Second Chance: A Rule Valley Cowboys Prequel

  by: A. Gorman

  One More Note

  by: Riley Rae

  Unsuspected Love

  by: L.S. Pullen

  Written in Wild Adventures

  by: Zoey Drake

  I’d Like to See You Chai: A Seoulmates Short Story

  by: Cassie Graham

  Chasing Bluebonnets

  by: Skye Turner

  I Restored A Gargoyle in Galveston

  by: Brigitte Ann Thomas

  The Speeding Ticket

  by: Phoebe Alexander

  Wherever She Goes

  by: B. Celeste

  You’re Still the One

  by: Chasity Tarantino

  Change My Mind

  by: Jen Stevens

  Kiss Me Or Not: A Lyrics & Love Short Story

  by: Samantha Lind

  Slipping Through My Fingers

  by: Scarlett Cole

  Meet Me Under the Weeping Willow

  by: Renee Dyer

  Tripped Up

  by: Santana Blair

  Precious Kiss: Securities International Book 9.25

  by: E.M. Shue

  Accidentally in Love

  by: Amy Stephens

  The Faceoff

  by: Cali Melle

  Back to Basics: An Own the Skies Short Story

  by: Emma Nichole

  Ruthless Love

  by: Glenna Maynard

  Cursed Beginnings

  by: A.M. Canavan

  Delicate Dame Prequel

  by: KL Donn

  Faking it With the Billionaire

  by: DL Gallie

  Speak Now

  by: Dana Isaly & Amber Danielle

  You Belong With Me

  by: Tinley Blake

  Summer Promise

  by: R.H. Nix

  Let Me In

  by: Katrina Marie

  End Game

  by: JJ Grice

  Tempting You

  by: S.A. Clayton

  Hunting You

  by: Alexandria Bishop

  Whispers of Love

  by: Nikki Leigh

  Piccola: A Tesoro Short

  by: Nicole Banks

  Meet Me at the Fair

  by: Heidi McLaughlin

  Leave Before You Love Me

  by: Dee Lagasse

  Our Love Story Has an Ending

  by: Victoria Jade

  About Victoria Jade

  A Note From the Bluebonnet Anthology Team:

  After learning about the devastation in Uvalde, we (Danielle/Dee Lagasse, Victoria/Tori Ellis, and Cady Verdiramo) did all the things we could think of to help - writing letters to our state officials, donating on our own, spreading awareness via social media, but it just didn't feel like ENOUGH.

  And that’s how Bluebonnet was born.

  The circumstances that lead to the creation of this anthology are heartbreaking, but it’s been humbling to see how many amazing people have come forward to help us. Especially in such a short amount of time.

  We want to thank all of the participating authors. You were “all hands in” from the get-go from donating your stories to sharing/posting on social media. We will be forever grateful for your time and help with this!

  Also, thank you Wildfire Marketing Solutions for the donation of the PR – and more specifically – thank you to Shauna for all the work you put into this.

  We wish, more than anything, there wasn’t a call to action like this, but we truly could not have done any of it, without readers like YOU who also want to help.

  Thank you.

  Dee, Tori, & Cady

  All proceeds from the sale of Bluebonnet will be donated to the Uvalde fund set up by Victims First.

  Victims First is a non-profit organization of surviving victims of mass casualty crime and trusted supporters who have first-hand experiences of the problems and re-victimization that accompany these acts when there is a lack of coordinated effort and/or understanding of what survivors need.

  For more information or make a personal donation to Victims First, please visit: https://www.victimsfirst.org/

  Luck Is a Lady Tonight

  BY: CRYSTAL PERKINS

  Chapter One

  DAVE

  Being the son of billionaires, one of whom is a computer genius, has put no pressure on me growing up. None at all. Oh, and let’s not forget my grandma being one of the founding members of a secret society of female spies. So yeah, okay, there were some expectations on me over the years being a Griffin. Not to be a genius, or save the world, but it’s always been expected not to embarrass the family by flunking out of school or getting arrested or being a general fuck-up. And I’m generally down with that. I got good grades all through college, did the PR I was asked to do, and even helped out at my mom’s bookstores. Basically, the model son. Or so everyone thinks. Because, what they don’t know won’t hurt them, right?

  “You playing or what?” the guy to my right asks me.

  Shit. I should not be zoning out at the blackjack table. Not when I’ve got a good chunk of my trust fund sitting in chips in my pocket. Not all of it, because I’m not that addicted to gambling, but more than most people see in their lifetimes. This is my dirty secret, one I can’t let get out, which means keeping my head in the game. And, keeping most of my chips hidden. To anyone looking, I’m just some kid in a Raiders hat, trying his hand at the tables.

  “Yeah, sorry,” I say, tossing the required chips onto the table.

  The dealer deals, and my night begins.

  Luce

  I’m scouting out the tables, looking for tonight’s mark. No, I’m not a con artist or sex worker, but I know exactly the type of man I’m looking to pull tonight. I need him to be completely different than the woman I was with last night. Not that there was anything wrong with her, but passive partners are not what I want every day, and especially not on a night when I’m craving a dick in my mouth. The power I feel when I’m controlling someone else’s pleasure is heady, but I also want to be controlled. The thought of it alone sends a shiver down my spine as I keep looking.

  And then, there he is. Tall, but not too tall. He’s got a ball cap pulled down low, but I can still see cheekbones that could cut glass. His black t-shirt is snug enough to show his muscles without putting them all on display. I can’t see his bottom half from here, so I’ve just got to hope he’s working with something good, or at the very least knows how to work what he’s got.

  After making a stop in the loo to fix my lips and adjust my tight red dress, I’m ready. Ready to meet the man of the night, and maybe give him a little luck tonight, too.

  Chapter Two

  DAVE

  I’ve been playing for a couple of hours now, and I’m up a few thousand dollars. That means, it’s almost time to go. I may walk around with a few million in my pocket, but
that doesn’t mean I’m willing to lose it all. Honestly, the urge is there and some nights it’s hard to fight, but I do. I fight it, because I have to. I’m under no illusion about the Society knowing I’m here. Since the family hasn’t confronted me yet, I know none of the women watching the cameras has outed me yet. If I lost even close to a million, I have no doubt they would call someone. So, I fly under the radar despite my urge to just bet it all.

  I feel restless and not ready to leave once I get up from the table. I don’t want to play poker, even though my dad and uncles love to spend hours playing. It’s just never been my thing. I like a fast outcome, an adrenaline rush. Baccarat or roulette aren’t calling to me, either.

  “Craps.”

  I turn to see a goddess in a red dress standing a tad too close to me. Glossy red waves tumble over her shoulders like she’s a starlet of the past, the vision enhanced by the curves struggling to break free from her dress. I’ve been approached by many women on my nights out, and I usually turn them down, but there’s something about this one. Something more than the British accent she’s trying—and failing—to disguise. I’m still wary, though.

  “You should probably see a doctor for that,” I tell her, turning to walk away.

  She grabs my forearm. “I’ll blow on them for luck.”

  The words are naughty and so is her gaze on my crotch. So, that’s how she wants to play this? Then, let’s play.

  “Why not?” I reply, gesturing for her to walk ahead of me so I can look at her lush ass bouncing with every step. I have a feeling tonight is about to get even more interesting.

  Luce

  Bloody hell, is he hot. Hotter than he looked from across the casino floor. And while his jeans aren’t tight enough for me to see the goods, he walks with the energy of someone with a nice, big dick. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

  “Do you blow often?” he asks as we approach the craps table.

  “Enough to know I’m good at it,” I lie.

  Tonight is my second night in Vegas, and while I’ve enjoyed the casinos in London and Monaco, no way would I behave there how I’m behaving here. I couldn’t get away with it, although I’ve been tempted to try.

  “Lucky me. Should I call you Lady Luck? Or something else?” he teases, reaching up to tuck some curls behind my ear.

  Damn. Is it getting even hotter in here? “Nothing else,” I breathe out.

  Nodding, he steps up to the table, hands the dealer some chips, and takes possession of the dice.

  “Blow,” he demands, holding them up to my lips.

  I do as he asks and my knees nearly buckle as he tosses them with a flick of his wrist. I’ve enjoyed watching men and women play this game, but I’ve never been aroused by the flick of a damn wrist. I need to get myself together. He’s barely shown an interest in taking this out of the casino, and I’m not about to be left wanting tonight.

  Chapter Three

  DAVE

  I’m winning. Winning more than I’ve won in a long time. I’m also being reckless. So reckless, I can’t stop. I know I need to stop. The stakes are getting too high. I’m flashing too much cash, and this could all go south.

  “Wow, you have half a million dollars in chips. Are you going to bet it all?” she taunts me.

  The woman whose name I still don’t know. The woman who’s blown on the damn dice before every lucky toss. She’s been encouraging me, and tempting me, but it has to stop. I have to stop. Now.

  “No, I’m done,” I tell her, gathering up my winnings. I toss a good tip to the dealer, and zip my winnings into my crossbody pouch.

  “What? You’re on a hot streak, you can’t give up now!” the mystery woman protests.

  “Every hot streak eventually goes cold, and I’m not willing to risk it. Thanks for your help.”

  She grabs me again as I’m walking away. “That’s it? You’re just going to walk away from me?”

  Ahh, so that’s it. She wants a cut. I almost reach into my pocket, before remembering I’ve already shown too much of what I have in there tonight. Unzipping the bag instead, I grab a few 10k chips, and hold them out to her.

  “Here you go. Buy yourself something nice.”

  She rears back like I slapped her. And then, she turns and storms away. I watch her for a minute, seeing her sidle up to the next guy at the craps table. Her smile is back on her face, but now that I’m not in her orbit, I can see it’s not reaching her eyes. She’s faking it with this guy, just like she faked it with me. When I see her blow on his dice, I’m definitely out. I may have called her Lady Luck, but a lady doesn’t blow on someone else’s dice when she’s just been with you. I guess she didn’t get the memo—or listen to the song. Good thing I got out when I did.

  Chapter Four

  LUCE

  I’m smiling and pretending I’m into the guy next to me, but I’m honestly bored. The hottie I was hoping for tonight tapped out too early, and then offered me money. I nearly slapped him, but realized what it all looked like. There I was, blowing on his dice and flirting like my life depended on it. I shouldn’t have been surprised when he thought I wanted a cut. But, I didn’t. I’m here for the thrill of it.

  And yeah, I wanted his cock. When he was just going to walk away, I realized I wasn’t getting either from him, and I moved on. To this. A guy who’s hot in a daddy kind of way, but who’s doing nothing for me. I’m not even having fun watching him win, and yes, he is winning. I’m definitely Lady Luck tonight.

  “You ready to go?” he asks, picking up the ten grand in chips he’s won. He’s definitely not a big spender.

  “No, thanks. It was fun watching you play, but that’s all I’m here for.”

  I walk away from the table and out the nearest casino door. Tonight was supposed to be fun, just a night out before I have to perform my real job tomorrow. But, it wasn’t as much fun as I’d hoped.

  I’m just stepping into the elevator for the parking garage when the guy I just left steps in with me. I smile, and he smirks back at me. Something is off about it. Something I don’t like. I move to get out of the elevator, but he steps in front of me as the doors close.

  “You’re a tease.”

  “I’m really not. We were just having fun,” I tell him, refusing to move back and plaster myself to the wall behind me. I am not going to show any fear.

  “I want more fun with you,” he says, reaching out to caress my biceps.

  Now, I do step back. “Don’t touch me.”

  “Who’s going to stop me?” he asks as the doors open.

  “Me.”

  The word holds enough menace to drop the smile from his face. Before either of us knows what’s happening, a fist is heading for his face. The crunch of bone tells me his nose just broke. I look up, and there he is, the hottie from earlier.

  “Come on,” he insists, grabbing my hand while the idiot in the elevator holds his nose.

  I run with him toward the other side of the garage and up the stairs. Thank God I’ve been running in heels for years, or I’d probably embarrass myself. He hits a fob and the Honda in front of us unlocks. But, it’s not a Honda. As I open the door, it transforms somehow—and no, I am not crazy—into a bright blue and grey Bugatti Chiron.