Obscured by Tara Sue Me
Date of Publication: October 12, 2015
From Tara Sue Me writing as Cat Waters:
There’s the truth you know….
At age 16, Athena Hamilton traded her body for survival when a powerful Vegas hotelier and pimp lured her into his world. Ten years of turning tricks has taught her to trust no one and feel nothing. Yet a chance meeting with a childhood crush sparks hope for something more.
The truth you believe…
There’s no way Isaiah Martin could want her. He’s a pastor. Too good. Too pure. But when she learns her days are numbered, she runs into the safety of his arms and trusts his promise of protection.
And the truth you never imagined…
The aftermath of a tragic accident and a bitter betrayal leaves her destitute and alone. The one man she shouldn’t trust offers her a chance to escape. But when good and evil collide, what do you do when the truth is Obscured?
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Review
Storyline: 5
Angst: 3
Tissue: 0
Value: 5
Panty Scorching: 4
Over All Rating: 4.5
Kindle eARC
Reviewed by Robin
Athena was abandoned at age 16 and lured into a world of prostitution as she is owned by Mike Randolph, owner of a hotel and more. She dreams of escaping this life but Mike keeps her on a short leash. Unexpectedly she runs into childhood friend Isaiah who has just moved to Vegas as a pastor at Mike’s hotel. She knows she’s not good enough for Isaiah now but seeing him again has her thinking and getting her into trouble. Now she doesn’t know who she can turn to or trust.
“He leans back in his chair. ‘Like I said before, there will be no more walks unless Theo asks you to accompany him. There will be no hanging out with Vicki. And most importantly, there will be no accidental meetings with Isaiah Martin.’ He pops his knuckles. ‘Understood?’
‘Completely, Sir,’ I say, not really surprised that Mike knows everything.
‘For the next week, you belong to Theo and you are to do any and all things he requires. If he tells you to do something, you are to act as though I’m telling you myself.’
This isn’t anything unheard of. Mike has all his clients sign a contract stating they understand what is and is not allowed. Still, even after all these years, hearing him say it aloud makes me shudder.
‘Yes, Sir,’ I say again, but even I can tell my voice is lower.
‘Good girl,’ he says, and I swear if I ever leave Vegas no one will ever say ‘good girl’ to me again.”
I loved this story! Just give me a story with twists and suspense and you have me in the palm of your hand. Athena just wants to escape this life of being a hooker but she doesn’t know who she can trust. And I, as the reader, had a hard time figuring it out too. Are the people offering her help genuinely concerned about her welfare? Is this all some elaborate scheme that Mike has concocted? Is his second in command, Harris, in league with Mike or does he have his own agenda? Why would Pastor Isaiah want to help her?
At the end of the story, I just want another book. Tell me this is a series! I need to know what happens to all of the characters beyond Athena. This is definitely a story for those who love suspense/mystery.
Excerpt
Chapter One
The day I meet Isaiah Martin for the second time, I am running late. I pride myself on my punctuality, not to mention that my clients demand it, and I’m not paying attention to my surroundings.
I look at my watch again. Five minutes after. Shit. I scurry through the hotel lobby, making a beeline to the elevators. If luck happens to be on my side, I won’t have to wait, but the elevators in the largest hotel in Las Vegas are notoriously slow.
Will the stairs be quicker? I glance over my shoulder. The stairwell is located on the other side of the large open atrium. With my client’s room on the thirtieth floor, the elevator is faster, even if I have to wait. I turn back to the elevators.
And run right into a man standing in my path, overcorrect, and twist my ankle.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” he says in a soft, cultured Southern accent, reaching out a hand to steady me. “You okay?”“Damn it!” My ankle throbs so much I’m not sure I can walk. I gingerly put my weight on the hurt ankle and curse again at the pain.
Suck it up, Athena. This is nothing. Think about what’ll happen if you don’t make it upstairs in the next few minutes.
“Ma’am?” Mr. Southern Gentleman repeats.
“I’m fine.” I tentatively move my foot side to side. “Just give me a minute.”
“Why don’t you come sit down and let me take a look at that ankle?”
“You a doctor?” Odds are Odds are he’s just your standard pervert wanting the chance to run his hand up my leg. Even if he is a doctor, I’m not about to let him put his hands on me. Not a wise thing to do, since it’s almost a certainty Mike will find out.
“No, ma’am,” he says. “But I think you may need to rest that ankle just a bit.”
“Really, I’m fine.” I put my full weight on the ankle and nearly fall over as the pain sparks up my leg. “Ow. Ow. Ow.Hell.”
He doesn’t speak again, but takes me by the arm and leads me to a bench near the elevators. His head drops down and he runs a finger along my anklebone. Pokes and prods me. “I don’t think anything’s broken, but you should probably stay off your feet for the next little bit.”
“Easy for you to say,” I snap. “You’re obviously not the one running late.”
He looks up and our eyes meet.
Warm caramel eyes. His thick, black hair is long overdue for a haircut and curls up the tiniest bit at his neck. His firm lips give way to a perfect “O” of surprise at the exact moment I recognize him.
“Athena?”
“Isaiah?”
He embraces me with a crushing hug. “Imagine seeing you here. How are you?”
My spine goes rigid, and I don’t return the hug. “I’m….I’m fine,” I stutter while my eyes dart around the lobby, trying to see if anyone’s watching me.
“I can’t believe it’s you.” He is oblivious to my discomfort. “Are you in town for long?”
I force myself to stop scanning the area and focus on Isaiah instead. A cold chill runs down my spine as I take in his handsome features. The last twelve years have treated him well. No longer is he the awkward teenage boy plagued by acne and thick glasses. He’s grown into the handsome man I always knew lay beneath the surface.
He looks at me in expectation. What did he ask?
I fiddle with the hem of my skirt. It rests just above the knee. “I live here.”
About The Author
Tara Sue Me wrote her first novel at the age of twelve. It would be twenty years before she picked up her pen to write the second.
After completing several clean romances, she decided to try her hand at something spicier and started The Submissive. What began as a writing exercise quickly took on a life of its own. An avid reader of all types of fiction, she soon discovered she enjoyed writing a variety as well.
Tara lives in the Southeastern United States with her family, two dogs, and a cat.
Find Tara Sue Me Online
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