Not Quite By The Book Novels & Stories

I wasn't able to do that with this book, unfortunately. See you on the 1st! J. Tarr x x x PS - This author note won't cost you anything x x

I read until my eyes burned and my head ached. Nothing. Not one single record of an alpha being marked from the inside out. Not by a mate. Not by anyone. My frustration grew sharp and ugly. “That’s impossible,” I said aloud, voice echoing softly. “Something like this does not just happen without precedent.” I looked around more to see if there was something I was missing… I looked toward the inner safe and saw a book. The book did not sit with the others. It rested alone on a lower pedestal, darker than the rest, its cover smooth like stone but warm when I stepped closer. The title shimmered faintly, letters shifting until they settled.

Lucien nodded. "And we know it's not Elena." I looked around the room. There weren't exactly many women here. So who the hell was Caden sensing? Thomas and Darius exchanged a look. Neither of them seemed to have an answer. They simply shrugged. Meanwhile, Caden continued sniffing the book like a fucking creep. I finally shook my head. “Hey. Put that shit down.” Caden looked at me. “What's wrong with you?” He tightened his grip on the book.

I tilted my head, searching for the perfect instance to use in my argument. “Gangsters, no offense, and books is like bread and something like…” I thought hard enough. “Meat?” He raised his eyebrow. “When I say bread and meat, I don’t mean as in a burger.” I slowly pushed the book back into its slot on the shelf. “Unless stacked with other ingredients as a burger, bread and meat don’t seem like a possible combination.” He looked more confused than I was. “An unlikely combination, but it doesn’t make it any bad.” I chuckled.

Adam stopped halfway through the page. “…Nah.” He let the book drop slightly in his hand, exhaling through his nose as if he needed a second to reset. His jaw tightened, eyes scanning back over a few lines like he didn’t fully trust what he just read. “This one’s different,” he muttered. He pushed himself off the counter and started pacing slowly behind the bar, the book still open. There was something about this story that didn’t sit the same way as the first.

I shouted out so loudly. It’s like a flash of lighting Shane’s palm landed on my face, “Don’t speak to me like that! I am innocent Roxy! I didn’t do anything that will hurt you or ruin our relationship! It’s clear that you don’t have any trust in me! I am disappointed with you!” Shane’s tears began to fall and her voice was trembling in anger with me.

Not like I was reviewing the book. Dang! I feel so embarrassed right now. But, I'm not mad. I promise you. but for now, Let's move to our next book.... WINNING WALKER. Thanks for all you do. But yeah, The Boynextdoor Is over. Like my counter people would say... DONE AND DUSTED.

I know what I'm doing is wrong, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her, right? The way she limped up the stairs still disturbs me. Kaima was simply careless and I couldn't stop myself from throwing daggers at her with my eyes... she was too occupied to notice, anyway. She sat opposite me on our study table but she was too engrossed and at some intervals too excited to be the same girl who always groans at the sight of her books. Even I wouldn't and I can say for a fact that I love studying, except... I zoomed my sight on the book in her hands. That wasn't her basic technology textbook. It's a novel, one that isn't part of her literature class and the title- 'One night with the playboy'

Looked at me. "Can I—" he started. "Oh, sorry." I stepped sideways. He rinsed his cup, set it on the rack, and went back to his book. I stood at the sink. The plan had produced no measurable outcomes. I revised the plan. The third attempt was better conceived. At half past ten Lucas asked for help finding a book he had left somewhere downstairs, which required us all to search the living room, which required us all to be in the same space moving around each other in a way that seemed promising. I found the book under the sofa and held it up triumphantly.

“What do you think about this?” Nico took the book and glanced through it, trying not to think about the electric jolts that had bolted up his spine at the brush of their fingers. He flipped through the book, his eyes taking in the words on the pages. “A reincarnation trope?” he asked, squinting his brows. “Mmhm.” “So why’s it so lackluster? I know I’m only skimming but I haven’t caught a single glimpse of anything interesting or attention-worthy in these pages.” Nico glanced up at Theo, a genuine confusion on his face. “Is this normal?”