#BlogTour ~ It Ain't Me, Babe by Tillie Cole #Review #Excerpt #Giveaway

Sinning never felt so good.

A fortuitous encounter.

A meeting that should never have happened.

Many years ago, two children from completely different worlds forged a connection, a fateful connection, an unbreakable bond that would change their lives forever…

Salome knows only one way to live—under Prophet David’s rule. In the commune she calls home, Salome knows nothing of life beyond her strict faith, nor of life beyond the Fence—the fence that cages her, keeps her trapped in an endless cycle of misery. A life she believes she is destined to always lead, until a horrific event sets her free.

Fleeing the absolute safety of all she has ever known, Salome is thrust into the world outside, a frightening world full of uncertainty and sin; into the protective arms of a person she believed she would never see again.

River ‘Styx’ Nash knows one thing for certain in life—he was born and bred to wear a cut. Raised in a turbulent world of sex, Harleys, and drugs, Styx, unexpectedly has the heavy burden of the Hades Hangmen gavel thrust upon him, and all at the ripe old age of twenty-six—much to his rivals’ delight.

Haunted by a crushing speech impediment, Styx quickly learns to deal with his haters. Powerful fists, an iron jaw and the skillful use of his treasured German blade has earned him a fearsome reputation as a man not to be messed with in the shadowy world of outlaw MC’s. A reputation that successfully keeps most people far, far away.

Styx has one rule in life—never let anyone get too close. It’s a plan that he has stuck to for years, that is, until a young woman is found injured on his lot… a woman who looks uncannily familiar, a woman who clearly does not belong in his world, yet a woman he feels reluctant to let go…

Contemporary Romance/New Adult Novel.

WARNING: Contains sexual situations, violence, taboo subjects, offensive language and mature topics. Recommended for age 18 years and up*

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US / Amazon UK

FIVE+++++ HUGE STARS!

If this made me a sinner, then I was glad to be a fallen

Ok. I honestly don’t know where to start. I’m in fucking AWE of this writer…just pure…utter…awe. I’m a massive fan of Tillie Cole, and this story just solidifies why I love her stories so much. She has taken a big risk writing this because it is extremely different from her previous work. This is NOT your typical MC story. Oh, no. There are so many other elements that make it stand out.

Please be warned – This is a bit on the darker and edgier side, but that just makes it even more unique. This is phenomenal!!

The one thing that stops people ripping on you for being a mute pussy is being a coldblooded psychopath with fists of iron.

The story of Styx and Salome (“Mae”) first began when he was only eleven and she eight. Styx stumbled upon Mae while his father, the president of the Hades Hangmen, was taking care of club business. He saw her behind a massive fence and she seemed very distressed. Styx, for the most part, is mute. The only persons he feels comfortable talking to are his father and his best friend, Ky. But there was something about the beautiful girl with the blue wolf eyes that made him want to try to loosen the python in his throat and talk to her. Regardless of the few words they shared a kiss and an instant connection was made between the two. However, finding her again proved to be nearly impossible.

Fifteen years later we find Mae escaping the commune. Fate then delivers her right in front of the Hangmen’s club door. Something about this mysterious woman reminded Styx of the girl with the wolf eyes; the girl whom he has never forgotten. She can’t be the girl, can she?

When he finds out the mystery woman is indeed Mae, all he wants to do is keep and protect her. He’s never felt a connection like this before and he doesn’t quite know what to do. As the President of the MC, he wants to do right by her. Mae is so innocent and so confused by this new world, he knew that once she finds out exactly what he does, she will be further frightened. He has no choice but to keep his distance.

“I-I’ve killed p-p-people. I-I’ve even l-liked it, and” – I knew I was bringing the final death blow – “I’ll d-do it again. Y-you want someone g-g-good to take c-care of you. I-it ain’t me, babe.”

I was very torn by Styx’s character. I felt a lot of things for him: Love, empathy, and even frustration. The way he tried to drive Mae away was a bit hard to take. It was this decision that ultimately leads to further complications down the road, particularly when one of his MC brothers, Rider, falls for Mae himself.

Styx was sin; Rider was peace.

Oh, Rider. My feelings for him were so conflicted. I loved him and my heart ached for him. His unrequited love for Mae was purely heartbreaking. He was entrusted with looking out for Mae while Styx was away on club business. The two became very close friends, but Rider eventually fell head over heels in love with Mae. I cried for him, but as the story progressed, the secrets behind Rider truly took me by surprise. My heart still aches when I think of him.

“I thought you said, ‘it ain’t you who’s meant for me’?”

He laughed. He rarely laughed, but when he did, I rejoiced at the sound of it: husky, deep…male. “Oh, it’s me, babe…Ain’t no other man for you…but me.”

I’m a massive fan of Greek Mythology and so it was inevitable that I would be so enamored by Styx and Salome’s characters. The parallel references to Hades/Persephone were very prevalent in the story and both characters really reflected the meaning/curse of their namesake.

As for Mae, well, she was a strong heroine. As I told Tills, “she was patience, love, beauty and forgiveness personified” - regardless of the horrific things she went through at the commune. Only a woman like her could reach a man like Styx.

Sigh…

This is seriously one of the best stories I have ever read. It was just so unique and so brilliantly written. This can be read as a standalone, but the author has definitely left the door open for some more. And, baby, I’m aching for more.

Fucking loved it!

EXCERPT

As I pushed off the wall, I noticed a red pool on the asphalt beneath my feet. Blood lay below Lois. Red streaks were dashed all over the inside of her thighs.

Lois caught my hard stare and, frowning, she glanced down to her knees. “What…? Shit! Is that blood on my legs?” She jumped up and tried to wipe the red liquid from her skin. “Where the hell’s it coming from?”

I tracked the blood with my eyes and noticed a thin, fresh stream coming from around the back of the dumpster.

“Jesus! Is there a dead body out here again?” Lois said, trying to cover herself with her arms. Bitch was too soft for this kinda shit.

Without paying her attention, I rolled the blue dumpster to the side, revealing the source. A bitch’s body—young, black hair mangled around her face. Slim body covered in mud, her white dress ripped and sopping with blood.

I searched for the wound… Her leg.

A huge, gaping gash, deep enough that her muscle was exposed, some pitted fuckin’ rag attempting to stop the flow.

It weren’t working for shit.

Checking her pulse, not able to find even a lick of movement, I could only surmise one thing: bitch had croaked.

I turned to Lois, who was hovering behind.

“Is she dead?” she asked.

Go get Ky, Pit and Rider, I signed.

Lois ran for the door, hand over her mouth.

Moving forward, I pushed the stiff’s hair from her face and immediately let out a long breath.

Christ.

She looked like she used to be a fuckin’ stunner under all the mud and shit—creamy skin against that long black hair, big pink lips, killer frame. Damn shame she’d gone to the boatman, she’d have been one hot fuckin’ bitch.

Reaching into my pocket, I laid two dimes on her eyes. Poor bitch needed to pay up to go to a better life.

I put one arm behind her back, one behind her legs, and lifted. She weighed almost nothing. She was fuckin’ tiny.

Ky, Pit and Rider burst outta the doors behind me. My VP rolled his eyes and groaned as he pulled up his zipper—brother must’ve been busy.

“Not another one of ’em! I know. I’ll kill a bitch and dump the stiff on the Hangmen. Cocksuckers. Fuckin’ had to tear myself from underneath the licking twins for this shit!”

I tipped my chin at Pit, the prospect moved forward and I dumped the bitch in his arms. Get the van. You’re gonna dump the stiff. Usual place. Make sure the coins stay on, I signed. Ky translated, still pissed he’d been dragged away from his sluts.

And then I fuckin’ froze—lungs stopped, eyes bugged, heart jumped—froze. The bitch in Pit’s arms flinched and moaned, dimes slipping off her face to clatter on the ground.

“She ain’t dead!” Pit blurted. As usual, statin’ the fuckin’ obvious.

“Shit! We gonna dump her? Or we keeping her here? The Feds are watching us, Styx. Viking said we got two agents stationed undercover half a mile away. The good ol’ senator’s still on our backs. It’ll be risky to carry some bloodied bitch outta here without being pulled and questioned. Ain’t got those fuckers on the payroll.” Ky slapped my back and pointed to the bitch. “Could be a message from someone, or she could’a been planted to put us in shit with the law.”

I heard what Ky was saying, but I couldn’t stop glancing at the bitch’s pale face. She looked familiar somehow, but I couldn’t place from where.

Shaking my head, I looked to my best friend. Yeah. No getting out tonight. Bitch is gonna have to stay. Fuck! Just what we need.

I looked over to Rider, who was standing silently behind Ky. Brother had almost as much to say as me. Rider was ex-marine and fully trained as a medic. Saw some shit he couldn’t deal with in Afghanistan and left. Fortunately for us, all the brother wanted to do when he got off service was ride and serve this club. Rider could stitch something fierce and even operate if need be. Saved our outlaw asses more times than I could count.

I indicted for him to take possession of the half-dead stiff. He would see what’s up and either be able to fix the bitch or not. Hell, it’s not like death was a stranger around these parts. Sent more brothers to Hades this past year than are still standing in this club, fuckin’ war. Death’s a cycle. Sooner or later we all gotta meet the boatman, pay up for the fucked-up shit we’d done in this life.

Rider reached for the bitch, when suddenly, she jerked in Pit’s arms, her eyes springing open, fixing right on mine, pure fear bursting through for less than a second before shuttering down again.

Fuck me. Those eyes. Even through all the blood, mud, and shit on her face, those eyes fuckin’ shone—ice-blue, like a goddamn wolf’s. Only seen one pair of eyes like that before…

I couldn’t help but think of that fuckin’ young bitch from behind the fence fifteen years ago. She was one of the only folks I ever spoke to in my life. Hell, I’d spoken to her. That howled fuckin’ volumes. She was number three. Ain’t talked to none since.

A long, pained groan slipped from her mouth, causing me to refocus.

Shit.

Ky moved to pull her from Pit’s arms. “Give her to me. Gonna dump her in your room, Rider, then get back to licking Tiff’s and Jules’s pussies. Fuckin’ bitch ain’t cockblockin’ me no more tonight.”

I watched as Ky touched her skin and all I could see was that young bitch behind the fence. Fuck! What if it was her? Nah, impossible. Load’sa bitches have those eyes. Right?

Right?

Thinking I’d pulled my shit together, I relaxed. But when Ky took her in his arms, I fuckin’ lunged for him and grabbed his arm in my hand, dropping it only to sign, Back the fuck off. Give her to me.

My VP stepped back, his eyebrows bunched, trying to read my mood. “What the fuck?” he said out loud. The other brothers frowned in confusion. Lois’s red-lipped mouth dropped open.

Shaking my head, I signed, Back off. Give her to me. NOW.

Ky looking confused as all hell, put her in my arms, and raising up his hands, backed away. Pit gaped at me like goddamned fish.

“What the hell, man? I’m back, I’m back. Okay. Calm the fuck down!”

I cradled the bitch to my chest, some possessive voodoo shit taking over my mind, body… my fuckin’ soul.

AUTHOR BIO

Tillie Cole is a Northern girl through and through. She originates from a place called Teesside on that little but awesomely sunny (okay I exaggerate) Isle called Great Britain. She was brought up surrounded by her English rose mother -- a farmer's daughter, her crazy Scottish father, a savagely sarcastic sister and a multitude of rescue animals and horses. 

AUTHOR LINKS

Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Website

Tillie is giving away an iPad Mini as the tour prize.

This will be open internationally.

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BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday 28^th April

Zakirrah’s Book Blog - review

Southern Belle Book Blog – review, excerpt

Lezley-Lynn’s Book Blog – review, excerpt, character casting

Here is Some of What I Read - excerpt

Sweet Spot Book Blog – review, excerpt

Kelsey’s Korner Blog – excerpt, author interview

Butorfleoge – review, excerpt, character casting

Pamaceeve’s Blog - excerpt

Confessions of a YA and NA Book Addict – review, excerpt

Jeni’s Bookshelf – excerpt, guest post

Tuesday 29^th April

There’s This Book – review, excerpt

Three Girls and a Book Obsession – review, excerpt

TNT Reviews - review

Ramblings of a Book Lunatic – review, excerpt

Scandalous Book Blog – review, excerpt, author interview

Illustrious Illusions – review, excerpt

Book Talk with Jess - excerpt

Books Laid Bare – review, excerpt

A is for Alpha B is for Books - review

Wednesday 30^th April

What Danielle Did Next – review, excerpt

In My Room – review, excerpt

Broc’s Bookcase – review, author interview

Biblio Belles – review, excerpt

Have Book Will Read – review, exclusive excerpt

Twin Sisters Rockin’ Book Reviews – review, author interview

Thursday 1^st May

Alii’s Book Jungle – review, excerpt

Carol Clarke Blogs - review

Cruising Susan – review, excerpt, guest post

The Lovely Pages - review

Lustful Literature – review, excerpt

The Book Bellas – review, excerpt

Reviews by Molly – review, excerpt

MyStars Book Blog - review

Friday 2^nd May

The Fairest of All – review, excerpt
K&T Book Reviews – review, excerpt
The Hopeless Romantics – review, excerpt
Smokin’ Hot Book Blog – review, character casting
Crystal’s Many Reviewers – review, excerpt
Romance Readaholic - review
Kinky Book Klub - review
Eskimo Princess – review, excerpt
Fallen For Books – review, excerpt