Pride & Flamboyance: Captured Hearts Series, #1

By S.E. Isaac and Josette Reuel

*Humorous Paranormal Romance*

_____

 

Fran Mingo had a knack for finding unlovable men. Her flamboyant personality wasn't a quality that men wanted around for the long haul. The desire to find love, eventually, fizzled for Fran. Leaving just her work to fill her empty heart.

 

Anthony Leon was known for his disappearing act with the women he dated. Any time a woman hinted at a relationship, he ran. Not that he feared commitment. He just didn't believe there was one woman out there who could hold his attention for a lifetime.

 

The tables are about to turn on Anthony when he finds himself yearning for the Maid of Honor, Fran, at his cousin's wedding. The beast within him demands he claim her and make her his. Anthony fights to tame his desire and prevent his animal from making her his.

 

Will Fran and Anthony succeed at keeping their unexplainable need at bay? Or will they make a scene and end up being the main event?

—

Note: The Captured Hearts series is a collection of paranormal romances written in the same world. You do not need to read the others in the series to enjoy this story. This release can be read as a standalone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evanlea Publishing
• Release date: Jan 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386532828

S.E. Isaac

Coming from a family of military members, S.E. Isaac learned at an early age what it meant to travel. She spent six years of her childhood in Germany and the remainder in Missouri, USA. She became a young mother at the age of sixteen and learned what determination, motivation, and inspiration could do for one’s life. She has experienced just about everything life can throw at a person, from serving in the military, seeing the effects of war, divorces, childbirth, financial struggles, being a single parent, and raising a special needs child alone. Life hasn’t always granted her the happiness, which she desired, but she never quit treading water. You have to fight for what you want in life. Writing has always been an outlet for her, even at the young age of eight, which is when she started writing poetry and short stories. It has always been a dream to have her work published and to have readers connect with her characters. She believes that is every writer’s dream — to have their work truly read. Connect with S.E. Isaac www.facebook.com/monsterinthecookiejar www.twitter.com/SiobhanIsaac www.instagram.com/se.isaac/ www.tumblr.com/blog/seisaac www.booksprout.co/author/1269/s-e-isaac

Book preview

Captured Hearts 1

Pride & Flamboyance: Captured Hearts 1

Copyright c) 2018 S.E. Isaac & Josette Schaber (as Josette Reuel)

Cover design by Evanlea Publishing

Proofreading and Edits: Evanlea Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems – except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews – without permission in writing from Evanlea Publishing, Josette Schaber, and/or Josette Reuel.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

This book is sold in print and electronic formats and is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book, when in electronic format, may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person or use proper retail channels to lend a copy. If you are reading this book in print or electronic format and did not purchase or borrow it through proper channels, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

**Disclaimer: Translations were completed using Google Translate and as such have not been verified. Poetic license has been exercised in regard to spelling and removal of language-specific characters to facilitate the flow of the story. The use of these translations is to create a mood within the story. However, in many cases, names and dialog are fictional creations of the author and not meant to be translations of other languages.

Published by Evanlea Publishing

https://evanleapublishingdesigns.weebly.com/

https://www.facebook.com/EvanleaPubandDesigns/

First Edition: 2018

Second Edition: 2020

Third Edition: December 2020

Pride & Flamboyance

Captured Hearts #1

Written by S.E. Isaac & Josette Reuel

Fran Mingo had a knack for finding unlovable men. Her flamboyant personality wasn't a quality that men wanted around for the long haul. The desire to find love, eventually, fizzled for Fran. Leaving just her work to fill her empty heart.

Anthony Leon was known for his disappearing act with the women he dated. Any time a woman hinted at a relationship; he ran. Not that he feared commitment. He just didn't believe there was one woman out there who could hold his attention for a lifetime.

The tables are about to turn on Anthony when he finds himself yearning for the Maid of Honor, Fran, at his cousin's wedding. The beast within him demands he claim her and make her his. Anthony fights to tame his desire and prevent his animal from making her his.

Will Fran and Anthony succeed at keeping their unexplainable need at bay? Or will they make a scene and end up being the main event?

—

Note: The Captured Hearts series is a collection of paranormal romances written in the same world. You do not need to read the others in the series to enjoy this story. This release can be read as a standalone.

Dedication

To Jennifer Rebelle McMahan who inspires us to embrace the chaos.

Be a Flamingo in a Flock of Pigeons.

CHAPTER

1

ANTHONY

Anthony Leon sat in the middle of the tiki bar staring in disgust at his cousin, Tom. Nearly an hour had gone by and Tom was still on the phone with his soon-to-be wife, Amy. Any other night, Anthony wouldn’t be pissed off. However, tonight was Tom’s last night as a free man. He was getting married in the morning and here he was wasting his bachelor’s party chatting with Amy.

Come on, Tom, Anthony groaned. Hang the fuck up already.

Every second Tom spent on the phone was one more second closer to Anthony snatching the phone from Tom. He wasn’t going to allow his cousin to spend his last night as a free man on the damn phone.

Quit your bitching, Anthony, Tom growled.

Fine! I’ll go away while you waste your last few damn hours of freedom talking to your ball and chain!

Anthony forcefully pushed his chair away from the table causing his and Tom’s beers to splash from their glasses.

Damn it, Anthony!

Quit your bitching, Anthony said mocking Tom’s previous words. It’s just beer. Tom held the phone between his cheek and shoulder, then wiped the table with his cocktail napkin.

Why do you have to be such an ass?

An ass, Anthony snorted. You’re the one who invited me. I could’ve been out at a club, picking up some chicks to take home and bang, instead of watching you talk on the phone all night.

Tom didn’t say anything right away. He sighed and grabbed the phone with his free hand.

Hey, babe. I’ll call you when we get back to Anthony’s. Tom pulled the phone away from his ear. Amy was screaming into the phone. What? I can’t hear you. I’ll call you back. He hurried and ended the call.

You sure you want to marry her, Anthony chuckled.

Anthony was only partially joking. He honestly didn’t understand why Tom was getting married. Anthony enjoyed the company of women as much as the next man. That is, as long as the sex was kept secret and there were no strings attached. He didn’t need other women thinking he was a taken man. That’s why any hint of a woman liking him for more than sex and he was out the door — their door since he didn’t allow any woman over to his house.

Despite, all his guy friends getting married, having kids, and staying in on the weekends, Anthony refused to give up his way of life. No woman would tie him down. He was a free spirit, and the world was his playground.

Some days I wonder, Tom laughed.

You can still bail.

I know it’s hard for someone like you to believe, but I truly love that screaming banshee. Tom smiled at the thoughts that ran through his mind. She completes me.

For Christ sakes. You’re going to make me sick. Tom laughed at him and took a drink of his beer. You’ll see. One day you’ll meet the one.

Not even if your life depended on it.

CHAPTER

2

FRAN

Fran Mingo huffed as she trudged through the airport terminal. She dragged her wheeled carry-on bag with one hand