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CODE OF HONOR
Spontagio Family #1
Missy Johnson
Releasing Aug 25th, 2015
Loveswept
In
a series debut for fans of Tracy Wolff and Sylvia Day, New York
Timesbestselling author Missy Johnson asks a burning question: What happens
when love is undeniable—and taboo?
Pietro Gustovi is loyal, polished,
and hard as stone, the kind of guy women want and men respect. At twenty-three,
he’s survived tragedies that would break men twice his age. And he owes it all
to his father’s closest friend, Giovanni Spontagio, who took him in as an
orphaned teenager. Pietro would give his life for Giovanni . . . but his heart
belongs to Giovanni’s daughter.
Raised in Chicago under the spotlight
of power and privilege, Lucy Spontiago feels most alive on stage. Determined to
become a prima ballerina, she escapes her father’s protective gaze long enough
to audition for the ballet in New York City. Soon, however, Lucy realizes that
she is not alone. Pietro is watching her back. And though he’s like a brother
to her, Lucy cannot deny the thrill she feels knowing his eyes are on her.
Pietro could never betray his mentor
by sleeping with his only child. But Lucy follows her passions, no matter how
forbidden. Soon their nights are consumed by explosive, red-hot temptation—a
dance that will expose shocking secrets and burn everything else to the ground.
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EXCERPT
REVIEW
EXCERPT
It’s been nine days since my world
collapsed. Exactly 214 hours since I lost everything. I remember every tiny
detail about that day. I remember leaving the house that morning to the smell
of freshly brewed coffee. My mother was already up and preparing a feast for
supper that night. We were going to be celebrating, but they wouldn’t tell me
what, and, as it turned out, I’d never know.
I remember joking with my father along
the way to school about how I’d soon be old enough to do more in the family
business. I remember arriving home just like every other day, only this time I
was fifteen minutes later than usual after stopping off to buy a comic.
It turns out that fifteen minutes
probably saved my life.
As I walked toward my house, I noticed
a strange car parked in our driveway. Then I heard the shouting. Right away, I
knew something wasn’t right. My mother’s voice rang out, terrified. I’ll never
forget that sound as long as I live. Thinking fast, I’d crept up the side of
the house to peer through the window, and what I saw will haunt me forever.
The sound of the bullet firing through
the air ripped through my soul. I watched helplessly as my mother fell to the
ground in a heap, blood pooling around her lifeless body. Her head was twisted,
her eyes staring at me; only I could see it was too late.
She was gone.
I’d screamed, and for a split second,
the killer’s steely brown eyes met mine before he ran out the front door and
sped away in his car. I panicked and ran inside, where I found my father
surrounded by blood in the hallway.
“Pietro?”
My attention snaps back to Giovanni,
his voice pulling me out of my memories. My heart pounds as I try to focus on
where we are. We’re parked in front of a sprawling mansion, bigger than any
home I’ve seen before. I fixate on his kind gray eyes, trying to will myself to
be strong, because men don’t cry. I’m fifteen now. I’m a man. And all I can
think about is how disappointed my father would be if he saw me crying.
“This is where you live?” I mumble,
pretending to care.
“This is where we live,”
Giovanni corrects me. He sighs and reaches for his seatbelt, unclasping it.
“Right now it may not feel like it, but you’re not alone, Pietro. I told your
father many years ago that I would take care of you and I meant it. This is
your home now. My family is your family.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it,” I say,
the words sticking in my throat. I stare down at my hands in my lap, wishing I
didn’t have to put on this front. I want to yell and scream, show the world how
angry I am, but instead I hold it all in.
“Your father was a good man,” he adds,
his expression solemn.
I find that hard to believe.
I knew little of what my father did,
only that he had many enemies and many of his ventures were illegal in one way
or another. Just like all the men in my family he’d been strongly involved with
the Italian Mafia. I was too young to fully understand what that meant, only
that it nearly always ended in death. What did that mean for me? Was I expected
to try to carry on the Gustovi name? To imprint myself in my father’s world? I
glance back at Giovanni. Can he tell how afraid of my future I am?
We get out of the car and I follow him
inside, glancing around the huge entrance. Beautiful high ceilings and
expensive décor catch my attention. It reminds me of a museum I visited the
previous year for school. I shuffle my feet, almost scared to move, in case I
mess something up.
My eyes dart toward a huge spiral
staircase when I hear a feminine voice sing out. A young girl, maybe a year or
two younger than me, floats down the stairs, her long dark hair hanging in
waves behind her. She’s beautiful. Her flawless, silky skin radiates
warmth and highlights her beaming smile.
“Daddy, I missed you,” she says,
wrapping her arms around Giovanni. He laughs and lifts her up, planting a kiss
on each of her cheeks. I find myself smiling at them, but inside I’m jealous of
how close they are. I used to be close like that with my parents.
“And you must be Pietro,” she gushes,
her bright eyes smiling. I’m taken aback by her warmth. She steps closer and
throws her arms around my neck. I step back, both surprised by her attention
and embarrassed at how my body reacts to her close proximity. I’m a
fifteen-year-old boy and she’s beautiful. How could my body not react?
“Pietro, this is my daughter, Lucia.”
Giovanni beams, and I realize he has the same wide smile as his daughter. He
leans over and touches her face. “She’s been looking forward to meeting you.”
“I have,” she admits, her eyes
lighting up. Her enthusiasm is infectious and I find myself smiling back.
“Father doesn’t approve of most of my friends, so as you can probably tell, I’m
very bored.”
“Lucia, we talked about this,”
Giovanni mumbles. “When you can show me your friends are responsible enough not
to go out all night drinking and taking drugs I’m more than happy to let you
see them.”
“One time, Father. They were caught
drinking one time!” I grin as she throws her hands up in frustration like a
true Italian. I’m drawn to her fire and her passion. “Besides, I have seen some
of your friends knock back a few drinks,” she grumbles.
“Last time I checked, my friends are
not underage,” he fires back. He raises his eyebrows, suggesting that is the
end of the conversation. Lucia shuts her mouth, her eyes narrowing as she
shakes her head dramatically. Giovanni turns to me and pats me on the back.
“Let me show you to your room, Pietro. I’m sure you must be tired after your
long flight.”
“That would be good,” I say, throwing
another glance at Lucia. “I could probably do with a nap.”
He takes my suitcase and starts up the
stairs. I hurry to follow him, not wanting to make him wait. It’s like a light
switch has been flicked in my head and I’m beginning to realize how lucky I am.
Fifteen minutes earlier that horrible day and things could’ve turned out so
differently. I wouldn’t be standing here, with a second chance at living my
life.
But none of this changes the fact that
someone took my parents from me. They’re gone and nobody other than me seems to
care about finding who did this, not even the police. I thought of all people,
Giovanni would be someone I could count on. Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t.
Someone will be held
responsible.
I don’t care how long it takes me, I
will find out who did this.
And when I do, I’ll make them pay.
REVIEW
I HEART BOOKS REVIEW
Review by Theresa Esterline
Stars: 5
Passion counts... whatever you do be passionate about it!!
Great start the the Spontagio Family series. I couldn't imagine growing up in the Italian mob or without my family. These characters have a lot to process and watch out for. I can't wait for the next one!! And now a bit about the story...
Pietro, at the young age of 15, has just watched his mother's execution. He was late for dinner, it still haunts him... if he was on time could he have saved them or would he be dead right alongside his parents. Whisked away to Chicago by Giovanni, he lives on the Spontagio estate with Giovanni and his daughter Lucia. They are very close as the years pass, but Pietro wants Giovanni's approval and to find his parents killed before he starts a life for himself. How do you best investigate the Italian mob without being buried six foot deep????
Favorite passages:
- Just dance like you’re the only one in the room.
- Follow your dreams, Lucy. Never let them out of your sight and take down anyone who tries to crush them.
- “You need to be careful who you trust in this world, Pietro. Sometimes those we think are our allies turn out to be the ones that hurt us the most.”
- Maybe I do need to make an effort to make some friends. I can’t deny how lonely I feel. Maybe what I need to do is take out an ad on Craigslist advertising for some friends. No, on second thought, maybe not. I’d probably end up buried in some guy’s backyard
- There’s no worse a feeling than not being able to trust somebody you’ve fallen in love with.
Great start the the Spontagio Family series. I couldn't imagine growing up in the Italian mob or without my family. These characters have a lot to process and watch out for. I can't wait for the next one!! And now a bit about the story...
Pietro, at the young age of 15, has just watched his mother's execution. He was late for dinner, it still haunts him... if he was on time could he have saved them or would he be dead right alongside his parents. Whisked away to Chicago by Giovanni, he lives on the Spontagio estate with Giovanni and his daughter Lucia. They are very close as the years pass, but Pietro wants Giovanni's approval and to find his parents killed before he starts a life for himself. How do you best investigate the Italian mob without being buried six foot deep????
Favorite passages:
- Just dance like you’re the only one in the room.
- Follow your dreams, Lucy. Never let them out of your sight and take down anyone who tries to crush them.
- “You need to be careful who you trust in this world, Pietro. Sometimes those we think are our allies turn out to be the ones that hurt us the most.”
- Maybe I do need to make an effort to make some friends. I can’t deny how lonely I feel. Maybe what I need to do is take out an ad on Craigslist advertising for some friends. No, on second thought, maybe not. I’d probably end up buried in some guy’s backyard
- There’s no worse a feeling than not being able to trust somebody you’ve fallen in love with.
Missy Johnson is a New York Times and
USA Today bestselling author who lives in a small town in Victoria, Australia, with
her husband and her confused pets (a dog who thinks that she is a cat, a cat
who thinks he is a dog . . . you get the picture). When she’s not writing, she
can usually be found looking for something to read.
T.M. Franklin writes stories of adventure, romance, & a little magic. A former TV news producer, she decided making stuff up was more fun than reporting the facts. Her first published novel, MORE, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days. MORE was well-received, being selected as a finalist in the 2013 Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book Awards, as well as winning the Suspense/Thriller division of the Blogger Book Fair Reader's Choice Awards. She's since written three additional novels and several best-selling short stories...and there's always more on the way.
