Kicking off December with an extract from thriller Glimmer Of Hope.
Sometimes chasing a dream can become a nightmare…
Alecia Preen is living in poverty and desperate to make a better life for herself. Having moved to a new area for new beginnings after being disowned by her family, money was fast running out. She is struggling to make ends meet.
With the intention of charging lonely men online for her services, Alecia realises she can supplement her income by being unscrupulous. In meeting Jake Parker he requests that she role-plays as a psychiatrist, but he makes her aware of an underground millionaires playground called Sordida. He warns her to stay away.
As Alecia’s curiosity gets the better of her, she is amazed by the wealth and decadence on offer. Sordida is not the club she had anticipated because behind the legendary name lurks a very dark secret. A secret that could cost her everything.
He pays by the hour and Alecia pays in ways she had never imagined.
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Glimmer of Hope by J.A Andrews is novella centred around a young woman’s desperation for a better lifestyle. Living in poverty with no friends or family support, the only path she follows is a dark route on the internet. In meeting Jake Parker, he pays by the hour, but Alecia pays in a way she had never imagined.
Below is an extract from one of the chapters.
Jake noticed the moonlight was shining down upon the stillness of the road. There was a chill in the air as he watched the condensation from his breath rise away above his mouth. He was nervous, but then again – he always was. Dressed in black clothing to disguise himself among the bushes, he hid behind a tree near the entrance to Alecia’s street to ensure he had a clear view of the main door to her bedsit apartment.
Jake took a glance at his watch. The time was now approaching 2 a.m. in the morning since a few hours had passed while relentlessly watching her neighbours come and go. She still hasn’t come home yet, he thought to himself, Alecia, where the hell are you, you’ve been gone hours?
Jake was fast losing patience with her, which was changing his mood. He’d been bored for hours, but since he had waited it out this long, he had no intention of giving up just yet. Having moved around various locations over the course of the evening without looking suspicious, he had pretended to have been drunk, sprawled out on the nearby grass verge, had covered his facial visibility whilst sitting in some corner laden with cigarette butts, and later begging passers-by for money as if he was homeless. He had to think on his feet and fast.
Jake was sure she should have been home by now. The agonising wait for her return was grating on him. The volatile neighbourhood was making him uneasy. He didn’t want his nerves to trigger a panic attack.
‘I will still forgive you.’ Jake muttered under his breath. ‘I know you didn’t mean to anger me or run away from me, but I forgive you, Alecia. I miss our sessions together. I miss hearing your calming voice of reason. I need you.’
The glimmer of car lights reflected from a distance. Jake heard the vehicle coming closer to his location. He peered from behind the tree to witness a taxi pulling over to the curb, squinting slightly for a sharper view, Alecia stepped out into the road.
‘At last, you’re back home.’ Jake whispered. ‘I don’t want them to get to you. Stay with me away from that group of conniving bastards. They’ll change you.’
He knelt to give the impression he was tying his shoelaces so that he could lower his head to conceal his face. His hoodie covered his hair, so he shouldn’t be recognisable from a distance between them both.
‘Thank you, driver.’ He heard Alecia thank the taxi driver, albeit a bit slurred. ‘Keep the change, will you. Cheers.’
Alecia stumbled slightly almost tripping up on the curb, she fiddled with her dress and headed towards the door. She looked around while fumbling for her keys out of her small clutch bag, noticeably drunk and cold she wanted to run indoors as quickly as possible. She could hear some rumbling noises behind her, so she turned back to look who was behind, but saw no one.
Jake looked at her, still maintaining the distance. He was aware he’d made a creeping sound too. He now stood still and admired her figure as she rushed to let herself indoors. He felt saddened that their relationship had broken down. His need for her was stronger than it had ever been. No one else listened like she used to do so. The understanding between them was intense as Alecia never judged him nor ridiculed his role-playing fantasy. She was beautiful, and everything he could want in a woman but was never quite sure how to tell her. If he realised anything after their argument, was how much he needed her.
Deep down, Jake was aware that Alecia’s desperation for extra money had kept her coming back to him time and time again. He was attracted to her innocence, her friendly, calming nature and she was very attentive. He was never expecting to become so attached to her. That was never the plan. His temper sometimes got the better of him, so he hoped she would forgive him. He never wanted to release that dark side of his personality in front of her.
JA Andrews is the author of gripping twisty psychological thrillers. Mummy’s Boy, and You Let Him In, are his full length novels, while Glimmer of Hope is a shorter story as a Kindle exclusive. As well as writing fiction, JA Andrews enjoys reading a mix of genres, watching various reality TV and spending time with family and friends.
everywhere-and-nowhere.com 
Oooh, how darkly sinister… I have to read this one!
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