Stoking the Fire (Salus Security #1) - Teodora Kostova Page 0,100
puff of smoke. I don’t smoke often, but when I do, I enjoy every second of it. Nothing relaxes me like nicotine invading my bloodstream.
Well, maybe one thing relaxes me more than that.
Unfortunately, as much as I need a long, hard fuck tonight, I don’t do one-night stands with complete strangers. It’s not safe.
I broke my rule once—fucking once—and it’s still haunting me. I close my eyes, taking a drag of the cigarette again, remembering Felix's strong hands on me as he gave me everything I needed…
“Hi,” someone says close to me, making me jump and nearly drop the cigarette. “Can I borrow a light?” He holds up a cigarette between his fingers and gives me a warm smile.
The guy is cute, with short blond hair and kind dark eyes. I think I saw him cruising me earlier inside the club, but I ignored him, knowing I won’t be taking anyone back to the hotel tonight.
“Sure,” I say, offering him the lighter.
He lights up and gives it back. “Thanks.” He hovers awkwardly next to me, stepping from foot to foot. “I’m Michael,” he says, extending a hand.
“Adrian.”
He leans in as he shakes my hand. “Nice to meet you, Adrian.”
His words send a chill down my body. All my instincts are screaming at me to run, run, run… Get as far away from this guy with the warm smile and kind eyes.
Before I can move, he’s on me, spinning me around, leg between my thighs, forearm on my neck, pressing me against the cold wall. I struggle, try to dislodge him, but he’s stronger than he looks, his body shedding the awkwardness like a discarded costume.
“What do you have on Wolfe?” The words are a low, angry growl in my ear.
I shiver.
This is it. This is how I die.
“None of your fucking business,” I sneer with all the confidence I can muster. “If something happens to me, everything I have will go public the very next day.”
His laugh is the ugliest sound I’ve ever heard. “If what you had was enough, you’d have published it by now.” He presses me further into the wall, my cheek scraping against the brick. “I strongly suggest you destroy everything you found and forget about Mr. Wolfe.” I can feel his hot breath on my skin as he comes closer and whispers, “Forever.”
Rage fills me, overtaking my instinct for self-preservation. Who the fuck does this fucker think he is?
“Not gonna happen,” I sneer, my body shaking with impotent anger. I struggle against his hold, trying to find a weakness and explore it, but he doesn’t budge.
“Back off, Adrian. Or next time I won’t miss a vital organ.”
The pain is instant. It takes my breath away, and I gasp, fighting for a of gulp of air.
As suddenly as he’d come, the guy—Michael, my brain helpfully supplies—disappears and my body slumps against the wall. The place where he stabbed me throbs. I press onto the wound, and I scream from the pain. My palm comes out red, stained with so much blood that I feel lightheaded at the sight of it.
“Help,” I manage to yell. “Help!”
I make my way out of the alley and onto the street. It’s deserted at that time of the night. Lights from the streetlamps and the neon signs of the shops blur together, my vision swimming, my legs giving out from under me. I fumble for my phone, but it slips from my grasp, falling to the concrete, screen stained in red. I fall to my knees, clutching at my side, struggling for my next breath.
“Someone please help me,” I whisper before everything goes dark.
Adrian and Felix's story continues in Fanning the Flames (Salus Security Book 2)
Newsletter
Everyone who subscribes to my newsletter will get 4 newsletter exclusive stories in their welcome email! One of them features a threesome with a music producer and 2 very bendy dancers, so I urge you to go for it.
Or visit my website teodorakostova.com and hit the newsletter tab.
And don't worry, I only send newsletters once a month or when there's something exciting to announce.
About the author
Teodora is a bestselling, award winning author writing across genres, but has a soft spot for contemporary romance. As a passionate and vocal supporter of equal rights, LGBTQ+ themes are explored in most of her novels. A Creative Writing and English graduate, Teodora began writing full length novels in college, but only got the courage to show some of them to the world long after she graduated. She’s now been published by several publishers in five languages, and has attended book signings around the world. She loves travelling, and her wanderlust has inspired several of her novels. Her other passion is musical theatre and she can often be found in London’s West End trying to score a last minute ticket for a musical.
When she’s not writing, Teodora loves watching anime, rearranging her enormous bookshelves or walking around London, always looking for a cosy, quirky coffee shop to settle in with her Kindle and a cup of tea.
Cherry Kisses (Fenix and Jared’s First Valentine’s Day) (FREE story)
Heart Eyes (Adam and Penn’s First Valentine’s Day) (FREE story)
West End Boxset
Heartbeat series (MF):
In a Heartbeat
Then, Now, Forever
Cookies series:
Cookies
Grounded
Salus Security:
Stoking the Fire
Fanning the Flames
Stand-alone novels:
Snowed In
A Sip of Rio
Kiss and Ride
Ten Mile Bottom
Butterfly Wishes
Most of Teodora’s books are also available in audio, as well as translated in Italian and German. Look for them on Audible, Amazon Italy and Amazon Germany.