Contemporary Romance

::::: with a bit of suspense:::::

TOXIC COMPLEXITY
Signed Paperback $8.99

The Blurb:

She’s hot-headed.
He’s got an ego.
She’s not into relationships.
He’s not relationship material.
She’s lying about everything.
He’s suspicious.
She’s plotting murder.
He’s a homicide detective.

Their relationship is doomed. Or is it?

Chapter 1

Bree

I stood on the edge of the concrete and steel monolith and looked down into the dark waters of the river hundreds of feet below. The bridge spanning the raging muddy waters of the Mississippi had become a hot spot for suicides over the last decade. Even in a town full of laid-back characters who knew how to have a good time, the water’s darkness lay around them like a beckoning siren calling for their eternal rest. The darkness did not call me. The darkness lived inside of me. I had come to New Orleans for one purpose. I had accomplished it, sort of. Five years of planning and schemes were over. But, the darkness wasn’t gone.


Leaning on the barrier that protected cars from plunging over the edge, I let my forearms rest on the concrete that was still warm from the hot day. I contemplated how terribly wrong things could go in only a moment. It was so far down. Such a high plummet to the raging waters below. How could things have gotten this messed up? Why didn’t it work out?

I let out a big sigh and propped my head on my hands. 


“Ma’am, ma’am, do you mind looking at me?” I hadn’t heard anyone walk up; I hadn’t notice anyone stop. It was a stupid rookie mistake. I glanced behind me and cursed. The telltale blue shirt clued me in on exactly what I didn’t want to happen. 


“I know things might be overwhelming for you right now, but there are other options.”


I held my hands out to my side, so he knew I wasn’t holding anything in them, and turned around to face the officer. I cocked an eyebrow when I took him in; he was attractive filling out his cop suit like he was Batman— all muscled chest and tapered waist with a monster gun on his hip. My eyes trailed up to his face while I mentally rolled my eyes at his messy beard and Irish coloring. McHottie assessed me as well, and I could tell from his expression he wasn’t sure of what he saw. 


“I’m not suicidal,” I said by way of greeting. 


“I didn’t mention anything about suicide,” the cop said quickly. 


“Um, you implied it with the bit about being overwhelmed, and I get it. I’m standing on the side of a bridge all by my lonesome. You made a snap judgment. But you don’t have to worry about it. I wasn’t going to jump. I was just looking. You can carry on. Arrest some criminals. You know, cop things.” I gave him the biggest smile possible, but he didn’t smile back. 


“I can’t do that. Where’s your vehicle, ma’am?” the persistent fucker asked. 


“I walked up here. No car.” I shrugged like it was no big deal. 
“You walked?”


“Actually, I jogged but didn’t want to brag. Gotta stay fit.” I patted my stomach and the initial slap made a ‘thunk’ sound that made me smirk. 


“You jogged up the GNO? Why?”


“Kicks.” I looked over his shoulder and saw what I should have noticed from the get-go. He didn’t have a marked vehicle. He had driven up in his personal vehicle. The hazards were on, and he was taking up the tiny emergency lane with a big hulking SUV. The vehicle looked exactly like what I expected him to drive; even though, he was probably maxing out his measly police paycheck with that fancy ride. 


“Let me drive you down. I gotta make sure you get off this bridge,” he said when I shook my head. 


“I’m fine, really, you probably want to get home. Plus, you’re headed in the wrong direction.” I pointed to the west bank, and then I pointed with the other hand to the east bank.

“I’m going that way.” 


“I’ll get you to where you need to go, but I can’t leave you up here.”

“Whatcha gonna do, officer? Arrest me?”